KC Style Oven-Baked Ribs

Summer is soooo close, but it's still supposed to freeze this weekend.  I spotted a nice rack (of pork ribs...) at Trader Joe's this week so I snagged them, hoping to fire up the grill this week.  With near freezing temps and an epic thunderstorm yesterday evening, grilling wasn't an option.  I dug up an old oven recipe and the three ingredients proved magical as always: A lemon, my favorite rub, and my favorite BBQ sauce.  Low and slow in the oven and you have fall-off-the-bone pork, baby back ribs.  It was a picnic at our kitchen table last night while listening to the rain...not too shabby.

Ingredients: 

-1 rack of pork baby back ribs

-1 lemon

-favorite pork rub

-favorite BBQ sauce

Sausage, White Bean and Hominy Cassoulet

A typical white bean cassoulet is an amazing blend of flavors and textures, but a mistake in the kitchen took this recipe to whole new level. I thought I grabbed two cans of white beans from the pantry but accidentally opened a can of cannellini's and hominy! Oops.  Add a few Italian sausages, tomatoes, onions and herbs to make a succulent one-pot meal. I followed this recipe...except for my maize mistake.

Ingredients:

-1 pkg sweet Italian sausage

-1 yellow onion

-1 pint cherry tomatoes

-1/8 cup olive oil

-1/8 cup balsamic vinegar

-3-4 springs fresh thyme

-1 can white bean, drained and rinsed (like canellini) 

-1 can hominy, drained and rinsed

-1/2 cups dry white wine

-6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

Pork Chops with Mushroom Sauce

The best choice for pork chops is bone-in thick-cut 99% of the time.  They are generally thicker and tend to not overcook as much as a thinner, bone-out cuts.  This recipe, from Food Network Magazine, has a simple but wonderful mushroom and green onion gravy to pair with your pork. I served this dish with pureed parsnips (a recipe coming soon) to take the place of carb-filled mashed potatoes.  They were silky with an earthy flavor from the under-utilized root vegetable.  This is a quick recipe for a weeknight meal.

Ingredients:

-2 or 4  1/2-inch-thick bone-in pork chops (depending on how many you are feeding)
-2 Tbsp flour (I used Wondra)
-1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
-12 ounces cremini or button mushrooms
-3 cloves of garlic
-1 bunch green onions
-1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
-2 Tbsp light sour cream

Steamed Mussels with Italian Sausage over Pasta

I make mussels quite a bit and my go to recipe is Steamed Mussels in a White Wine Saffron Broth.  This recipe is similar but minus the saffron and plus some wonderful sausage.  I used locally (and minimally processed) Polidori Mild Italian Sausage.  You can use mild or spicy, whatever you and your guests prefer.  The sausage adds wonderful flavor to the broth and makes a little more hearty, but still light meal when served over pasta.  My favorite noodle in the world is Buccatini. It's basically thick spaghetti with a hole through the whole noodle...or like a very long macaroni noodle. Mmmm...regular spaghetti, angel hair or linguine would work as well.

Ingredients:


-2-3 lbs fresh mussels (I did 3 lbs for 5 people)
-3 shallots, minced (or 1 white onion)
-6 garlic cloves, minced
-1 Tbsp olive oil
-1 cup white wine
-4 cups chicken broth
-1 Tbsp tomato paste
-2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
-1 lb Italian sausage, mild or spicy - I used Polidori
-1 baguette french bread
-1 Tbsp olive oil
-1 pkg buccatini, spaghetti or linguine pasta
-1 handful fresh Italian parsley, chopped
-salt and pepper to taste

Sausage Stuffed Mushroom Appetizers

I definitely love stuffed mushrooms and often have them as a side dish or sometimes a meal; see the couple recipes below:

• Spinach and Feta Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms
• Grilled and Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

This recipe takes the same concept but uses much smaller mushrooms, perfect for finger food.  The sausage makes the appetizer even heartier, making it great for a hungry group or heavy-app party!  I used spicy sausage in half the mushrooms and mild in the other.  Just make sure to garnish differently so your guests (and you) can tell them apart.  I garnished the spicy ones with a red smoky paprika and the mild ones with dried mint, which adds a great earthiness.

Ingredients:

-1 large package of white button mushrooms

-1/4 cup olive oil

-1/4 sherry wine

-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

-1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

-about 8 ounces sausage (I used both Polidori's mild and spicy)

-1/2 cup Panko (or any type) of breadcrumbs

-3 garlic cloves
-salt and pepper

Spicy Sausage and Creamed Corn Quesadillas

It would be a long story if I explained how I ended up with a whole freezer full of spicy venison (deer) sausage for a whole year. So the point is...I did. Therefore, I got creative.  After a year, my favorite recipe was a quesadilla with creamed corn and cheddar cheese.  The (yes, canned) creamed corn is an amazing sweet balance with the spicy sausage.

Ingredients:


-4 flour tortillas
-4 Tbsp creamed corn from the can
-4 ounces cheddar cheese sliced (or shredded)
-2 spicy Italian sausages (about 4 oz each) .. I used local, Denver Polidori Sausage (amazing!)
-dried cilantro for garnish

Swedish Meatballs over Egg Noodles

I don't think I've ever had "authentic" Swedish meatballs.  Sadly, the only version I've had is from a Lean Cuisine.  Don't judge...I lived alone at one point.  My roommate on the other hand, studied in Denmark and had plenty experience with this dish.  It was a pleasant surprise when she said SHE even enjoyed this recipe. I formed the recipe by combining a number of versions I've found over the last few months.  What are Swedish Meatballs, you ask? They are meatballs formed from ground beef, pork or veal.  They are often browned in a skillet, but I decided to bake mine.  They are then smothered in a light-brown creamy gravy-type sauce.  They can be served as appetizers with toothpicks or over egg noodles as a meal.  This is a great comfort meal to get you through the last of the winter.  They also make lots of leftovers unless you are feeding an army!

Ingredients:


-1 pound lean ground beef
-1 pound ground pork
-1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
-2 eggs
-1 white onion
-3 cloves garlic
-1 Tbsp olive oil
-1/2 tsp (meatballs) + 2 tsp (sauce) ground nutmeg
-1/2 tsp (meatballs) + 2 tsp (sauce) allspice
-1/2 tsp white pepper
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 can (12-ounces) condensed milk
-2 cups beef broth
-1/4 cup butter
-1/2 cup flour
-egg noodles

Easy Broccoli and Ham Quiche

I'm not exactly a morning person so when I know I'm having house guests this is my go-to brunch recipe because I can make it a day or two in advance and just warm it up in the morning.  Perfect! I've made a few other versions of this quiche including "Spinach and Mushrooms with Goat Cheese" and "Ground Beef Mexican" (with jalapenos and green chilies, and corn!).  The sky is the limit.  It's actually a great way to get rid of leftovers.  Just use the same milk, mayo and egg mixture....and don't forget some sort of cheese! Also, the pie crusts usually come in two's so I often double the egg mixture and make 2 different versions. The following measurements are for 1 quiche.

Ingredients:


-1 frozen pie crust
-1 package of cubed ham (I like Hormel)
-1/2 bag of frozen broccoli florets, thawed (although I've thrown them in frozen before!)
-1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
-1 Tbsp garlic pepper (or garlic powder + pepper)
-1 tsp dry mustard
-1/2 cup milk
-1/2 cup light mayo
-4 eggs

Apricot Glazed Pork Tenderloin with an Herb and Mustard Seed Crust

So I was house hunting this past weekend in Denver and had the pleasure to use Blake's urban vegetable and herb garden at my disposal! Basically, I was in heaven.  He knows the way to a girl's heart (or at least mine).  This recipe is quite easy and can be substituted for dry herbs if you don't have fresh ones.  I've even used a mixture of dried and fresh before.  The presentation is fairly impressive for the level of work involved so it's great for entertaining guests! 

Ingredients: 


-1 lemon and herb marinated pork tenderloin (Hormel is my favorite)
-2 Tbsp apricot preserves or orange marmalade, I've used both before
-2-3 Tbsp chopped fresh sage
-2-3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
-2-3 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano
-2 Tbsp mustard seeds
-1 tsp garlic powder
-salt and pepper to taste