Shredded Savory Pork Soft Tacos

This recipe is from the "Better Homes and Gardens Special Interest: Mexican" recipe magazine.

I reduced the amount of chopped jalapeno pepper to just one (from three). This yielded nice, mildly spiced pork that's ideal for kids or anyone who doesn't like a lot of heat. If you do like heat, spice it up with your favorite hot salsa. The same recipe could probably be used with boneless chicken breasts instead of pork.

I snapped the photo before folding the whole wheat tortilla, so you could see the filling. The one in the picture is topped with a few cooked black beans, some cheese, sour cream and homemade salsa. I also added some shredded lettuce to mine before folding.


Shredded Savory Pork

1 2-pound boneless pork loin blade roast
2 large onions, quartered
3 fresh jalapeno peppers, cut up
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Trim fat from meat. Place roast in a large saucepan or Dutch oven;' add enough water to nearly cover. Stir in onions, jalapeno peppers, garlic, coriander, cumin, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Summer, covered, for 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until very tender.

Remove meat from liquid; discard cooking liquid. When cool enough to handle, shred the meat. Use as a filling for tamales or tacos. Makes about 8 servings (about 3 cups cooked meat).

Slow-Cooker Directions: Trim fat from meat. If necessary, cut meat to fit in a 3-1/2 quart or 4-quart slow cooker. Add 1 cup water and the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low setting for 8-10 hours or high setting for 4-5 hours. Continue as directed.

Make-Ahead Directions: Place shredded meat in a freezer container. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

Stuffed Peppers

These peppers received high praise when I cooked them for our traditional Tuesday night American Idol gathering. I'm posting just the general recipe, but for mine, I used ground turkey, brown rice, and fat-free cheese, which makes them a very healthy choice for a meal.

These also are great for leftovers. I brought them to work for lunch both Wednesday and Thursday and they tasted almost as good as they did when I first took them out of the oven. My friend, Paula, suggested freezing them for a quick meal later on.

Stuffed Green Peppers

Six Green or Red Peppers
2 cups cooked rice
1.5 pounds of ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
15 oz. can of tomato sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup of fat-free shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon crushed basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Cut peppers in half, lengthwise, and remove seeds and membrane. Bring enough water to cover peppers to a boil in a stockpot and immerse peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes. (This helps to pre-cook the peppers so they are soft, instead of crunchy, when they come out of the oven.)

Cook meat and onions in large pan. When almost thoroughly cooked, add tomato sauce, salt, and garlic to meat. Cook, stirring frequently.

Put peppers in a glass, non-greased casserole dish. Spoon meat mixture into each pepper. Cook in 375-degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over the top of peppers and return to oven for another 10 minutes of cooking.

Fantastic, Incredible Chicken Parmesan

A while back, Fantastagirl posted a recipe for Chicken Parmesan. She said the recipe came from Mr. Incredible's mom. (I hope she doesn't mind that I'm writing about it here; I wasn't able to get in touch with her yesterday to ask permission.)

Under the category of "back story with too much information", a long, long time ago, I tried a frozen version of Chicken Parmesan. Either I was already getting sick, or I got sick from it. Either way, it was many years before I could even think about the combination of breaded chicken and pasta sauce together. Even now, I tend to avoid this kind of dish whenever we go out for Italian food, in favor of creamy white sauces.

But I have to admit, I loved this dish! I tried to stay true to the recipe, but in the end had to make two changes. I used cornflake crumbs instead of cracker crumbs, because that's what I had on hand. And I cut the amount of Parmesan cheese from 3/4 cup to 1/3 cup, because of Spouse Guy's dislike for "stinky cheese". Otherwise, I made it just as she posted it.

We served it over pasta, with a salad and some garlic toast to go with it. This is definitely one for the "keeper" file.

Quiche Lorraine

This was a great addition to our Easter brunch this past weekend. Dave refuses to eat quiche - he says that it isn't very manly. However, by simply changing the name to "egg pie," he decided he was willing to eat it, and verified that it was delicious!

I actually made these the day before, kept them in the fridge overnight, and then rewarmed them for about 15 minutes in the oven the next day. These also freeze really well!

Quiche Lorraine

1 (9-inch) deep dish pie crust
6 slices of bacon
1/4 cup green onions
1 tablespoon of cooking oil
4 eggs
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg

Cook the bacon until it is crispy. Cut or crumble into small pieces. Set aside.

Lightly saute the green onions in the cooking oil. Set aside.

Beat the eggs. Mix with half-and-half, salt, dry mustard, and nutmeg.

Layer cheese, onions, and bacon in the pie crust. Pour egg mixture over the top.

Cook in a 350-degree oven for 40-45 minutes, or until top is lightly browned. You should be able to insert a knife near the center and remove it still clean when it is fully cooked.

Note: I also made another "healthier-version" of the quiche. I omitted the bacon, added some other veggies that I sauteed with only Pam Spray, substituted the eggs with Egg Beaters, and used fat-free cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. I also used some basil instead of the dry mustard and nutmeg. It was a hit!

Sweet & White Scalloped Potatoes

I almost forgot to grab a picture of these before they were gone! These scalloped potatoes are a wonderful side dish for an Easter ham, but I think they'd be great with just about any meat.

There are two things that make this dish unique compared to other scalloped potatoes. The first is that they include sliced sweet potatoes. The second is that they are made on top of the stove, freeing up your oven for other things, like that ham or a pan of rolls.

Giving credit where it is due, this recipe is from the Carnation Milk Company. I clipped it from a local grocery ad.


Sweet & White Scalloped Potatoes

1 can (12 oz.) Carnation Evaporated Milk
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
4 cups peeled and sliced white potatoes
2 cups peeled and sliced sweet potatoes
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Heat evaporated milk, bouillon cubes, onion powder and thyme in a large skillet over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a boil and bouillon is dissolved. Add potatoes.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a boil. Cover ; reduce heat to low. Cook, rearranging potatoes gently and occasionally, for 35 to 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with cheese; serve immediately.

We've Been Nominated!!

DutchBitch over at The Dutch Files has nominated us for "Best Food Blog" at the Blogger's Choice Awards!

Please click over and cast your vote for us! I can't vote myself because I had already voted for someone else before I learned of the nomination.

You can vote here. You have to register, if you haven't already, but registration is quick and easy.

Thanks for your votes, and thanks, Dutchy, for the nomination!

Decorated Cake For Easter

Cake decorating can be a lot of fun if you're in the right mood. I guess you could say that I'm "self-taught" when it comes to decorating. When I worked for a catering company a few years ago, I started out by piping small flowers onto brownies after watching a co-worker do it. The more I watched, the more I picked up, and once I finally got around to taking a cake decorating class at one of the hobby stores, I already knew how to do everything in the beginners' class.

I thought about going on to higher cake-decorating education, but I didn't have any plans to make a career out of making party or wedding cakes, and we don't eat enough cakes at home, so I decided that what I can do now is enough.

This was my first single-layer decorated cake. I have to say it's much easier than the multi-layer cakes, simply because I could tilt the plate to get the sugar on the sides. Had I done that with a double-layer cake, the entire thing would have landed on the countertop.

I "cheated" this time around and used 1-1/2 cans of prepared frosting in a tub. This is NOT the ideal frosting for decorating. It's far too soft and drastically limits what can be done with it (no roses, for example). But for the design I made and the limited time I had, it worked just fine. The cake will have to be refrigerated until serving time, though, because the frosting is so soft.

There's no recipe, but I did take step-by-step pictures:

1. Start by baking a cake in an 8-inch or 9-inch round pan. I used 9-inch, but wish I'd used the smaller so it would have been a taller layer.

2. If you use parchment paper, don't forget to peel it off the bottom. Let cake cool on a wire rack.

3. Place cake on serving plate, with strips of parchment under edges to keep frosting off plate.

4. Cover with a very thin layer of frosting, to seal in moisture and to also seal down any crumbs. Chill for at least two hours.

5. Cover with a moderately thick layer of frosting.

6. You can smooth out the top by dipping the offset spatula in room temperature water and running it lightly over the frosting.

7. Sprinkle colored sugar on sides.

8. Color a small portion of frosting a deep shade of lavender. I use Wilton gel coloring. Pipe concentric circles of this frosting onto cake using a small round decorator tip.

9. Using a wooden skewer draw through the frosting from center to edge to create spider-web effect. Or draw from the edge to the center to create a similar, yet different, effect.

10. Add remaining white frosting to whatever is left of the deep lavender frosting. Stir very well to achieve a paler lavender color. Pipe large rosettes onto top of cake using an extra large star tip.

11. Carefully remove parchment strips from under cake and using a small star tip, pipe a chain of shells around edge where cake and plate meet. You're done!

Citrus Shrimp with Penne Pasta

Hey, all! This is Violet! I'm feeling rather honored that Blogarita asked me to come over and post some of the recipes that I try at home... I have only recently begun cooking foods other than Easy Mac and toast, because I've spent so many years working so much that I haven't had time to cook. But, with Dave around to sample all my experiments, I've become rather adventurous and like to try things out of the ordinary.

This is a recipe that I found in my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. When I decided to make it at first, I thought it would be just for Dave and me. Then it was us plus two friends. By the time I was cooking, we were having a dinner party for eight people... Luckily, I had enough food to double the recipe.

I was a little bit nervous that the citrus flavor of the dish wouldn't go over too well and that we would end up ordering pizza instead, but in fact, the flavor gave just enough kick to it to make it unique, but not overpowering. The orange slices also really brought out the flavor and the shrimp really complemented the whole dish quite well. I think one of the tricks is not to overcook the veggies; they were tender but not mush. I've also been on a health food kick recently, and I replaced the regular penne pasta with whole grain pasta, which worked well. Everyone liked it so much that I didn't even have any leftover to bring to work with me for lunch the next day!


Citrus Shrimp with Penne Pasta

12 ounces peeled and deveined medium shrimp
4 cups (uncooked) penne or bow tie pasta
1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel (set aside)
2 medium oranges
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon instant chicken bouillon granules (I just used one of those little cubes)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 red or green sweet pepper, cut into 3/4-inch squares (Since I double the recipe, I used one of each)
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 1/2 cups fresh pea pods, ends trimmed and halved diagonally

Thaw shrimp, if frozen. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; keep warm.

Meanwhile, shred the peel from the oranges and remove remaining peels. Set oranges aside. In a small bowl, combine orange peel, orange juice, water, cornstarch, bouillon granules, sesame oil, salt, and ground red pepper; set aside.

In a large skillet cook sweet pepper in hot oil over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove sweet pepper from skillet. Add shrimp to skillet; cook and stir about 2 minutes or until shrimp turn opaque. Remove shrimp from skillet.

Stir orange juice mixture; add to skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Return shrimp and sweet pepper to skillet; stir in pea pods. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Gently stir in orange sections. Gently toss shrimp mixture with pasta.

Nutritional Info: Makes 4 large servings! 384 calories, 7 grams total fat, 2 grams of fiber

Blogarita's Kitchen Under New Management

Running a kitchen is hard work, so I've asked Violet to join me here at Blogarita's Kitchen.

Violet writes about food occasionally on her blog, The Lemonade Stand. At my request, I've asked for...and posted...some of her recipes here. I figured, why not cut out the middle man (me!) and have Violet post recipes whenever she finds one she'd like to share?

I've been treading water here in the Kitchen for a couple of weeks now. My goals have been not so much to try new things, but to use up some leftovers from our freezers and get meals on the table as quickly and easily as possible. I thought I had next week's menus planned, but found out earlier this week that we'll be having company for Easter, and ended up switching from grilled chicken to baked ham for Sunday's meal. That, in turn, caused the rest of my week to change, as I make meals to use the leftover ham. Simply put, I've been busy here, but not necessarily with interesting meals.

I hope to have some new recipes by the weekend, but meanwhile, I'm hoping that Violet will post her recipe for this scrumptious looking Citrus Shrimp.

Welcome Violet!!

Pasta With Smoked Salmon In Pesto Cream Sauce

Here's a recipe I came up with by combining and changing two other recipes. The great thing about smoked salmon is that a little of it adds a lot of flavor!

I really enjoyed this, but Spouse Guy said it isn't one of his favorites. Why? Because he doesn't like Parmesan or Romano cheeses. I cut the amount in the original recipes back considerably, but the prepared pesto I bought had a STRONG flavor of both cheeses, while most pesto sauces we've tried have been much milder. I will probably make it again, but I will try a different brand of pesto, or will make my own.


Pasta With Smoked Salmon In Pesto Cream Sauce

1 lb. any dry, chunky pasta, such as penne or bowtie (I used spiralini)
5 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-1/2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup prepared pesto sauce
1 cup frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)
5 ounces smoked salmon, chopped
salt to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large skillet, adding 1 tablespoon olive oil to keep butter from burning. Add onion, mushrooms and garlic; saute until onions become translucent and mushrooms are tender.

Stir in flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Cook over medium heat until sauce thickens. Stir in Parmesan cheese, pesto sauce, broccoli and tomatoes. Continue to cook and stir for 2 minutes. Stir in salmon and heat through, stirring often. Should sauce get too thick, add a little more milk. Add salt to sauce according to your own taste.

Drain pasta and serve with sauce.

Makes 4-6 generous servings.