Sweet Peppers, Spinach and Bacon Pasta with Alfredo Sauce

Difficulty: Easy

Total Time: 45 minutes to an hour (depending on how many kid interruptions you have)

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

 Pasta
1 lb pasta, cooked and drained
8 oz bacon, cooked (bacon fat reserved)
2 cups mini sweet peppers, seeded and sliced (roughly 20 peppers, it's up to you really)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Alfredo Sauce
2 T. butter
3/4 c. heavy cream (you could use milk, but if you are going to do alfredo you might as well do it right!)
3/4 c. grated parmesan cheese
1 t. garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside.

In a large pan cut up the bacon in small pieces and cook until crispy.  Remove the bacon from the pan leaving the remaining bacon fat in the pan.  Add the peppers and onions to the bacon fat and sauté until soft (I know, totally not healthy, but we are going for taste over health in this recipe).  Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.  Add the spinach, it will be overflowing but it WILL cook down.  Drizzle the olive oil over the spinach and season with salt and pepper.  Let it cook down over low heat, stirring occasionally so it doesn't burn.

In the meantime, make your alfredo sauce.  If you have never attempted making your own alfredo sauce you are in for a treat!  In my opinion it is way better than any canned alfredo sauce.  Watch out Olive Garden! :)  Get a small sauce pan and put the heat on medium and melt the butter.  Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, you do not want it to boil so watch it.  Once it is good and heated through add your cheese and whisk, whisk, whisk.  Keep it moving so it doesn't burn.  Once all the cheese is good and melted add your seasoning.  You want it to be a little on the "over seasoned" side.  It will balance out when you add it to your pasta.

And that is it my friends.  Mix everything together and serve it immediately.  Bon Appetite!

Recipe by: Tracy

Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with a Balsamic Red Wine Reduction and Rosemary Portobello Mushrooms

Difficulty: Medium

Total Time: 8 hours

Cook Time: 1 hour

Serves: 6 (4 adults and 2 children)

Ingredients:

1 1/2lb pork tenderloin

1/2 t. kosher salt

1/4 t. black pepper

6 to 8 slices of bacon (depending on how thick you want it wrapped)

1 T. butter

3 T. grapeseed oil or olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 large onion, diced

8 oz baby portobello mushrooms, washed and sliced

1/4 c. raw honey

1/4 c. dry red wine (I used a 2 buck chuck bottle from Trader Joe's)

3 T. balsamic vinegar

1 T. maple syrup

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

Directions:

It is best to start this dish and let it marinade as long as possible.  I would imagine you could even do the first steps the day before and let it marinade overnight.  I made mine around 11:00am and let it marinade for 6 1/2 hours.  I would give it a minimum of 2 hours marinading if you forget to make it ahead.

Heat a large skillet over med-high heat.  Melt butter and oil in pan and get it good and hot.  The combination of butter and oil gets hotter than just one of them alone.  I prefer it this way, although you do not have to do it this way.   

Generously rub pork tenderloins with salt and pepper.  Wrap them in bacon.  You could use tooth picks to hold it on, I did not and it turned out just fine.  Place the pork in the heated pan and sear on all sides until the bacon is nice and brown, about 10 or so minutes.  

While your pork is searing put together the marinade.  Whisk together 1 T. oil, honey, red wine, balsamic vinegar and maple syrup.  Set aside.

Take the pork off the heat and place them in a deep baking dish and set aside.  

Turn the heat down and in the same pan sauté the diced onions, cook until soft. Make sure to scrape up all that browned goodness at the bottom of the pan...yum! Add garlic, mushrooms and rosemary.  Cook for addition 2 to 3 minutes, until the mushroom are slightly soft.  Add the marinade you whisked together and bring to a boil.  Once boiling turn down the heat and let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour sauce over your pork tenderloins, cover and put in the refrigerator.  

Bast the loin every hour.

Take your meat out about 30 minutes before you bake it to bring down the temperature.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Cook your tenderloin for 45 minutes, basting it every 15 minutes.  Basting gives you a nice tender meat.  Cook until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees, no more and no less. It might take more or less time depending on how thick your cut of meat is and the pounds.  Start checking the temperature at 45 minutes and adjust accordingly.  

Let it rest for 5 minutes before cutting.  Serve over a bed of jasmine rice and roasted asparagus.  Enjoy!

Recipe by: Tracy

Homemade Organic Chicken Stock

The best thing about this recipe is it is a freebee :)  I always make a batch of chicken stock after cooking a whole chicken in my slow cooker.  Recently Publix had their whole organic chickens for only $1.99 a pound which is a steal when you consider not only do you get meat, but you get a whole bunch of chicken stock!

3 to 4 lb organic chicken (cooked and then meat removed)
1 large organic onion, roughly chopped
2 to 3 organic stalks of celery, leave the leaves on, roughly chopped
3 to 4 organic carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
12 cups of water

After you have cooked your favorite chicken recipe, I will post mine later, take all the meat off of the chicken and throw all the bones and skin leftovers back into the slow cooker.  Put all the other ingredients in the slow cooker and put on low.  I cooked mine overnight after we ate dinner.  Cook for 8 to 10 hours.  In the morning you strain the stock into a large pot or bowl.  And that is it!  I poured mine into large mouth mason jars.  They hold 3 cups each.

This enhances any soup or dish that calls for stock.  It is so much richer than any store bought brand!

TIPS
*you can freeze these easily in the mason jars.  Just make sure you do not fill them to the top with liquid, leave some room for expanding or else you will have a mess in your freezer.
*you can add salt if you prefer, but I think it is salty enough from the juices of the spiced chicken.

Southwestern Quinoa and Bean Salad

Sorry, I did not get a picture.  Life has been rather busy around here with a newborn, 2 toddlers and several of out-of-town guests.  Next time I make it I will try and remember to snap a picture before we eat it all!

Salad:
2 cans black beans, washed and drained
2 cans white beans, washed and drained
2 cans whole kernel corn, washed and drained
2-3 green onions chopped
2 sm. red pepper, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.

Dressing:

1/2 c. apple cider vinegar

2 heaping teaspoons of cumin

3/4 c. olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, minced

salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in a container with a lid and shake vigorously until well incorporated.  Pour over the salad mixture and stir to combine.

Quinoa:
1 med. red onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups of uncooked quinoa
3 cups chicken stock
1 T. olive oil
pinch of salt

In a medium pot sauté the onion in the olive.  Cooked until onion is soft.  Add the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.  Add quinoa, chicken stock and pinch of salt and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cover and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 18 minutes.  Once all liquid is absorbed spread to cooked quinoa out on a cookie sheet to cool.  Once cooled mix in with salad mixture.

*Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Optional ingredients:  You can add 1 jalapeño to the onion and cook it for extra heat.  I also like to serve it with fresh chopped tomato and avocado (when in season)

Mediterranean Eggplant and Barley Salad

This time I don't have pictures of my own.  But this recipe is incredible and I would highly encourage you to try it!  I have included the link to the blog where I found it.  Please visit to see her amazing photo detailed recipe.  Recipe taken from Smitten Kitchen.  My changes are in italics. 

Mediterranean Eggplant and Barley Salad
Gourmet, September 2006

Makes 4 (main course) or 8 (side dish) servings

1 1/2 lb eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 lb zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes I omitted this because they are not in season right now & too expensive
10 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chopped scallion (from 1 bunch)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander I omitted this
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (note: I used 1/8 tsp. and it was plenty spicy; adjust to taste)
1 1/4 cups pearl barley (8 oz)
1 (14-oz) can reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth (1 3/4 cups) I used my freshly made stock!
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 lb cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/3 cup Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and halved I omitted this
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion, rinsed and drained if desired
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

1/2 cup fresh feta cheese

Roast eggplant and zucchini: Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.

Toss eggplant and zucchini with 5 tablespoons oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl, then spread in 2 oiled large shallow (1-inch-deep) baking pans. Roast vegetables in oven, stirring occasionally and switching position of pans halfway through baking, until vegetables are golden brown and tender, 20 to 25 minutes total. Combine vegetables in 1 pan and cool, reserving other pan for cooling barley.

Cook barley: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 3- to 4-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook scallion, cumin, coriander, and cayenne, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add barley and cook, stirring until well coated with oil, 2 minutes more. Add broth and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until all of liquid is absorbed and barley is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Transfer to reserved shallow baking pan and spread to quickly cool, uncovered, to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

Make dressing and assemble salad: Whisk together lemon juice, garlic, sugar, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 3 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Add barley, roasted vegetables, and remaining ingredients to bowl with dressing and toss until combined well. Serve with cheese slices.

Do ahead: Salad can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Return to room temperature before serving.  It was even better after it sat for a day.  The onions soaked up all the dressing and were so tasty.

Posted By: Tracy

Delicious ribs

Difficulty: Easy

Prep: 5 min.

Cook time: 4 hours

Servings: 4

2-4lbs ribs

1 c. apple cider vinegar

Water

Favorite BBQ sauce

Cut ribs into individual pieces. Place in water with 1 c. apple cider vinegar. Parboil for 45min to an hour.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a deep baking sheet with foil - enough to cover bottom of pan and extra to fold over ribs. Line pan with ribs in a singer layer. Fold over foil and seal. Bake undisturbed for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until very tender. Remove ribs from oven and brush with BBQ sauce. Place back on baking sheet and bake uncovered for another 20 minutes.

Posted by: Tracy