BBQ Pork Tenderloin with Romaine and Red Cabbage Slaw

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Are you looking for an easy, no-fuss meal that has all of the flavors of a summer bbq without slaving over the grill?? This recipe will be your answer.

Tender pork tenderloin cooked to perfection on the stove top with a side of crisp and crunchy slaw is perfect for a weeknight dinner or part of a weekend menu for entertaining (recipe can easily be doubled). It is also an excellent summer meal for those of you who might not have access to a grill.

 

Barbecue sauce is the highlight ingredient for the sauce and dressing.  I like to use my Western Carolina Tomato-Based Sauce, but you can use whatever bbq sauce your taste buds prefer.  Since the original recipe used cilantro in the slaw, I like to kick up the barbecue flavor with some chipotle in adobe.  It's optional of course, but it's really good! (See my tip HERE about how to store leftover chipotle peppers and adobe sauce.) I also add a bit of mayo for a creamier dressing and I add some chopped scallions to complete the flavor profile for the salad.

If you do decide to make this for entertaining a crowd,  I recommend my Mango Guacamole as an appetizer and for dessert...stay tuned.

Sunday Dinner

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Papaya Pomegranate Guacamole

Carnitas (Mexican Pulled Pork)

Mexican Red Rice

Refried Pinto Beans

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Pico de Gallo

Rumchata Cheesecake

My reason for tonight's Sunday dinner menu would be that I wanted some good eats that would transport my mind to somewhere South of the border because it has been cold! And not just cold, but also days of icy conditions on the roads and sidewalks.  Walking two dogs in such weather is not good.  But what is good, is this meal! Four pounds of pork butt simmered in a flavorful broth and then "pulled",  glazed and then broiled until crisped and caramelized. These carnitas or "little meats" are great for taco and burrito fillings, but they are wonderful when served on a dinner plate with all of these other good eats.  I am starting to feel better all ready. Happy Sunday!

Sunday Dinner eight years ago

Sunday Dinner nine years ago

Sunday Dinner ten years ago

Sunday Dinner eleven years ago

Choucroute Garnie

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Choucroute Garnie is an Alsatian dish that literally means dressed or garnished sauerkraut in French.  You might be thinking, But isn't sauerkraut German? You are correct, but when the region of Alsace became part of French in the 1600s (I will spare you the detailed history lesson), the dish became adopted by many of French chefs. Notice that I refer to this as a dish and not a recipe?  Well, that is because there is not just ONE recipe. So, this might be the ultimate "Make it for you, make it your own" Galley Gourmet recipe.  

Basically, Choucroute Garnie is a dish made of cooked sauerkraut and a variety of cooked meats; mostly pork and/or beef meats like, sausages, pork belly, bacon, pork ribs and sometimes even ham.  As you can see, this is a very pork-centric dish, but you can choose a mixture of whatever meats your tastebuds and little arteries desire.  

For my Choucroute Garnie, I use my Braised Sauerkraut as the base (there is already bacon in that recipe). It also has carrots in it which is not a typical ingredient in Choucroute Garnie, but this is the way I like it. The carrots add a little sweetness and color to a rather neutral hued meal. As for the "garnish" of meats, I generally use a mix of knockwurst, cooked bratwurst, and beef frankfurters. I tend to stay away from uncooked meats because, to me, they often leave the dish too greasy. 

Another ingredient that many "recipes" add is potatoes. Since the dish is in the oven for several hours, that gives me time to make some Parslied Potatoes as a side (the parsley adds more color to the table), but if I am in a time crunch, I sometimes peel and par-boil about a pound or so of Yukon gold potatoes and then add them to the sauerkraut and sausages at the end to warm through. I also like to serve a good crusty Rye Bread  in the bread basket, but I think the absolute must for this dish is a variety of mustards, like a grainy Dijon, a hot/forte Dijon, or even a quality beer mustard to drag your fork of sliced sausages through.

So as you can see, this is not a recipe. It is an any-way-you-like-it dish.  Bon Appetit!

P.S. I have also been known to use duck fat in lieu of the butter in the sauerkraut. Ok, I'll stop with the almost endless possibilities of adaptions!

Cashew Pork with Snow Peas and Ginger

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Spring Break came...and Spring Break went.  Notice that I didn't say vacation?  It was a fairly smooth road trip halfway across the country and back for me and my three children to visit aunts, uncles, and cousins.  Baseball games, riding Harleys, playing with little cousins, watching old home movies with freshly popped popcorn, and just good clean family time made up the vacation part. But being a single parent for a week (my husband is always working hard), daily chores, cooking, and sleeping with one of my children in the same bed on several nights...??  Well, at least the scenery was different.  And seeing flowers in bloom (not to mention green grass) was a bonus for this snow refugee.

Now I'm back in my kitchen and back to the daily grind of chores, cooking, afterschool activities, and sports.  (But at least there are no more children sleeping in my bed.)  It's time to pull out those quick and easy dinner recipes.

A stir-fry provides a great way to get dinner on the table in a flash.  Yes, there is a little prep work like cutting the pork and stringing the peas, but it really doesn't take much time at all.  Better yet... enlist some helpers.  Company is always appreciated in the kitchen☺.

I changed the proportions around a bit to suit the serving size for my family and my need for leftovers for work/school lunches.  I also added an onion because I love them and put them in as many savory dishes as I can.  Just before serving, I like to stir in some Sambal Oelek--I love me some spicy garlic chili paste.  Seriously, I can eat that stuff by the spoonful!  But if you are like my son and can't handle the heat, just serve it on the side and let others add to taste.  Steamed white rice completes the meal.

Sunday Dinner

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Pimento Cheese

Brunswick Stew

Sweet Corn Bread

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Dream with me for a moment... A warm and sunny summer day, sitting in the backyard, sipping a cold beverage, and tending fire to my grill.  The image almost brings a tear to my eye.  Or maybe that tear is because I am using up the last of my hickory smoked pulled pork from the freezer.  Or maybe it's because I know I won't be smoking any meat anytime soon because my grill is still covered in several feet of snow!  Yeah... the latter is the tear jerker.

The only thing that can make me feel better at this point is a Sunday dinner that is reminiscent of summer barbecues and flavors.  Cue the southern classic-- Brunswick Stew.  It is a thick vegetable stew with various meats.  It is more commonly served as a side dish, but with all those veggies and meats, I like serve it as a main dish.  The meats can range anywhere from chicken to squirrel.  I'm not quite so sure about the squirrel, but I do use chicken and I raided my freezer for the last of the pork.  As far as the vegetables, I use the traditional tomatoes, lima beans, and corn.   What really makes this recipe stand out is the addition of hickory barbecue sauce to the base.  It makes it very rich in flavor and helps thicken the sauce.  Season with some good hot sauce to taste and keep dreaming of those warm summer days with every bite.

Sunday Dinner one year ago

Sunday Dinner two years ago

Sunday Dinner three years ago

Braised Pork Hash

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Mother Nature really gave it to us this past week here north of Chicago (or should I say Chiberia).  First it was 48 hours of a non-stop snow storm that left us with almost 2 feet of snow.  Then came the wind, a slight thaw, ice, more snow and wind, and then... a huge plunge in temperature.  Let's just say that a -50ºF wind chill is pretty darn cold and the holiday break was extended for my children for a few more days.

Backing up a few days to Sunday when we were busy shoveling and salting, I needed a Sunday dinner that basically cooked itself.  In comes this little beauty of a recipe.  Throw all the ingredients in a large pot, shove it in the oven, and let it cook low and slow for several hours until tender and falling off the bone.  

The original recipe called for cutting slits into the meat and stuffing them with slivers of garlic and thyme, but I find that really isn't necessary when the meat is braising for that amount of time.  The recipe also called for just two onions (?). Since we love our onions, I triple the amount so that each and every bite of pork is accompanied with a braised sliced of onion or two.  The braising liquid is thickened with a cooked butter and flour mixture (called a roux).  It becomes a velvety sauce to dress and serve with the meat and onions.  It is wonderful the day is is made, but it can be made up to two days in advance.  Any leftovers are excellent when cooked in a cast-iron skillet to achieve a crunchy carnita-like texture.

Sunday Dinner

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Blue Cheese Tart with Cranberry Chutney

Homemade Toulouse Sausage

French Lentils

Bibb Lettuce Salad

Country Bread

Pumpkin-Bourbon Crème Brûlée

There is a method to my Sunday dinner madness this week and it is all because of an afternoon soccer game on the north side of Chicago.  All that driving limits my time in the kitchen so I needed to have a menu that can all be made in advance.  Yesterday I made the tart and chutney.  I also partially cooked the lentils, made the base for the vinaigrette, mixed a batch of dough, and cooked the dessert.  The bonus-- I had some sausage in the freezer from a previous batch.

I started making my own Toulouse sausage years ago when I was unable to find it.  It is a classic French sausage that is mixed with white wine, garlic, and a little white pepper.  I use Jaques Pèpin's technique for forming the sausage.  There is no need for hog casings, just plastic wrap and aluminum foil.  It cures in the refrigerator for several days to allow the flavors to blend.  I form the sausage mixture about 2 1/2 inches in diameter.  Once cooked and sliced, a few slices make for a nice serving size.  

I serve this sausage over French lentils in the fall and winter months and over a French potato salad during the spring and summer months.  I also use it when making my birthday cassoulet (step one of that recipe).

Sunday Dinner one year ago
Sunday Dinner two years ago
Sunday Dinner three years ago

Sunday Dinner

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Manchego Cheese and Quince Paste

Serrano Wrapped Shrimp with a Romesco Dipping Sauce

Cuban-Style Asado Pork with Vino Mojo

Frijoles Negros

Saffron Rice

Cuban Bread

Coconut-Pineapple Tart

It's still February and we will have a good covering of snow on the ground for some time.  Since I don't have a tropical vacation on my calendar in the near future, I'll try to escape the cold through food (and I had a large pork shoulder in the freezer that needed a good home, like the plate in the above photo☺).  

This recipe is a spin on the classic mojo sauce that is prepared in various ways; the most popular version consisting of fresh orange juice for a sour note and copious amounts of raw garlic for a piquant flavor.  This recipe uses a white wine reduction and lime juice for the sourness and roasted garlic and roasted shallots for a milder pungency.  The caramelization of the garlic and shallots lends a deep flavor. Both components are blended with herbs and seasonings and the pork marinates in the mixture overnight.  Then it is roasted in the oven for several hours until it practically falls off the bone.  Serve the sauce on the side and try and hold yourself back from going for seconds and thirds.  But do try because leftovers are wonderful in tacos and sandwiches.  Carnitas and Cubanos anyone??

Sunday Dinner one year ago

Sunday Dinner two years ago

Pork Wiener Schnitzel

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With a busy schedule and a pair of broken glasses, sitting at the computer typing has not been on my to do list.  But now I am sporting a pair of new rims and a have a break in the schedule.  So rewind to last Sunday's dinner menu as I am sharing the main event.

Wiener Schnitzel is the traditional dish of Vienna.   Cutlets of veal are pounded thin, breaded, and fried until wrinkled, puffed, and golden brown.  However, I prefer the German take on this classic and therefore use pork instead of the veal.  I use a boneless rack of pork rather than the tenderloin because I like a little of the tender dark meat along with the white meat on my plate.  A simple garnish of parsley, capers, finely chopped egg, and a squeeze from a lemon wedge round out the flavor palate of the dish.  Leftovers make for one heck of a sandwich.  Ask someone from the Hawkeye State! 

Spicy Minced Pork in Lettuce Bundles

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Not exactly the catchiest title, right?  What this dish lacks in its name, it makes up for in taste and fun-to-eat charm.  Here we have a great, low-carb way to transport a delicious mix of pork and vegetables from the plate to your mouth.  I like to think of them as Asian style pork "tacos".  No matter what you want to call them, you and your fellow diners (my kids love them) will enjoy a light and crunchy, yet savory meal that will make the list for fun weeknight meals.

These can also be served buffet style as an appetizer or light bite.  I normally double the proportions for a weeknight dinner with lunchbox leftovers. To make an even more substantial and healthy meal, I serve the pork and lettuce cups with julienned vegetables, like red bell peppers and carrots.  My children like to add mung bean noodles and sometimes sprouts to their "tacos".  A spoonful of chopped honey roasted peanuts, a sprinkle of additional cilantro, and a dash of extra hot sauce will complete the bundle.  

Grilled Ham Steaks

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I am sure many of you throw your share of pork on the grill during the summer.  I know I do. Smoked pulled pork and grilled pork chops come to my mind.  Both are good representations of the other white meat.  But where on earth is the pink part of the pig, you know, the ham?  Do we consume too much of it during the winter and spring holiday celebrations that we leave it for a humble deli sandwich during the summer?  Well, not me.  I think a juicy ham meal is right for all seasons. 

A simple marinade of brown sugar, apricot jam, and Dijon mustard is all you need to achieve a perfectly tasty and juicy glaze for a couple of bone-in ham steaks.  Marinate the ham steaks the night before, then grill them over some glowing embers until caramelized and warmed through.  This is dinner on the table in twenty minutes.  Serve the ham with a side of succotash, some hot biscuits (gotta get to that recipe soon) and sliced peaches (because they taste really good with a bite of ham) and you have a simple and delicious summer supper.

Apricot, Brown Sugar and Bourbon Glazed Ham

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I don't know about you, but I will consuming my fair share of ham this weekend.  I will not be hosting Easter in my home, but I most certainly will have a ham ready for leftover sandwiches and other yummy eats.  This is hands down the easiest, juiciest, and tastiest (in my opinion) ham recipe I have.  I simply must share it with you before this weekend when many of you will be hosting Easter gatherings and Spring celebrations.

When cooking a ham, the most important thing to remember is that most of them are fully cooked (I'll save the fresh and partially cooked recipes for another time).  This means that the ham only needs to be warmed through-- think of it as reheating at a low temperature.  Like other large roasts, I let the ham come to room temperature before baking.  This ensures even cooking.   

I approach the preparation of the ham in two steps--- baking and glazing. Before baking, I cook the glaze and allow it to cool.  It becomes thick and spreadable, allowing it to adhere to the ham better.  When ready to bake, I wrap the ham in foil.  This prevents the ham from drying out (remember, we are just warming it through).  Once the internal temperature of the ham reaches 125° F, I remove it from the oven and increase the oven temperature to prepare for the glazing of the ham.  The higher temperature caramelizes the sugars in the glaze making for a sweet and sticky crust.  Served warm or at room temperature, this process makes a juicy, delicious ham.  

Sunday Dinner

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Mango Guacamole and Tortilla Chips

Ginger-Braised Spareribs with Cilantro Scented Red Beans

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Key Lime Pudding Cake

Sweet, savory, and satisfying. These three S words best describe this Charlie Trotter dish of a long braise of meat and a good stew of beans. It has flavor working on so many levels that you can pick out a different one to focus on even after several delicious bites.  The cilantro scented beans provide for a flavorful backdrop to everything going on with the pork.  Have a few corn or flour tortillas on hand to wipe up the sauce or even to make an impromptu taco during the meal.  Mmmm!

Sunday Dinner one year ago

Grilled Pork Chops with a Blackberry-Wine Barbecue Sauce

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With summer berries at their peak and the weather perfect for grilling, I wanted to share a unique and delicious recipe that uses both. (Wonder Twins Power activate! In the shape of-- Berries! In the form of Grilling Weather! Can you tell what I watched on Saturday mornings as a kid?!) Initially one might think this would be an odd combination, but berries, barbecue sauce, and pork really compliment one another. The chops are first rubbed with a good Dijon mustard and spice mixture that adds great flavor to a rather blank canvas cut of meat. The sauce is made by simmering together fresh blackberries, a little red wine, and some barbecue sauce. The end result is a sweet and savory combo with a tangy and smoky finish from the sauce.  

We enjoyed these a few Sundays ago, but they are simple enough to be made on a weeknight. In fact, the chops can be prepared with the mustard and spice rub up to a day in advance. The barbecue sauce can be made the day before as well. The only work left to do the next day is grilling the chops and warming the sauce.  

The original recipe strained the berries from the sauce, but I like to keep the plump jewels in for taste and texture.  I also like to use my own tomato-based barbecue sauce, but any quality bottled brand will do.  Garnished with a few fresh sage leaves from the garden, this is a delightfully seasonal dish.  

Hickory Smoked Pulled Pork

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Another American holiday grilling weekend is around the corner and I wanted to share with you my rendition of the smoked pulled pork I grew up with.  I will start with a disclaimer and say that I am by no means a barbecue expert.  I don't have serious smoking equipment and tools, but I do have a great love for this smoked meat.  I will tell you what I use and the technique I employ to ensure a juicy smoked pork shoulder with a perfectly pink smoke ring.

After 6 hours on the grill

I use a Chargriller grill with a side smoke box.  I start my fire with a chimney starter and lump hardwood charcoal (no briquettes or lighter fluid in my backyard).  I soak my hickory logs overnight in five gallon buckets that I get from the hardware store.  That way they smolder and smoke just right.  I use a rub and a mop and then cook it low and slow for a total of about ten hours until it is moist and meltingly tender.

Serve it plate style with coleslaw and beans or serve it on a good bun. Start with a little bit of the Western Carolina Red Sauce on the bottom of the bun, load up a generous pile of the shredded pork, a little more sauce on top with a couple of squirts of the "liquid gold" for a kick and then top if with a serving of coleslaw-- mmm, now I am drooling!

Condiments and Sides

Western Carolina Tomato-Based Barbecue Sauce

South Carolina Mustard Barbecue Sauce

Classic Creamy Coleslaw

Stove-Top Baked Beans

Sunday Dinner

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Stuffed Italian Mushrooms

Sunday Sugo
Rigatoni

Braised Broccolini

Country Bread 
with Roasted Garlic and Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese

Affogato and Amaretti Cookies

Sometimes the anticipation of an experience can overshadow or even diminish its actual occurrence.  The lead up to eating this Sunday Sugo puts the experience of eating it in this form of peril.  The smell of this sauce on the stove all day reaches every corner of the house, causing many a premature stomach grumble.  After eating this sauce plenty of Sundays past, I can assure you that the taste delivers on all of that anticipation.  The pork and sausage bathe all day in the red sauce, each lending the whole pot the full depth of their flavors.  The sauce clings nicely to the rigatoni,  a bite of which can offer a delicious pause while you ponder the "pork or sausage bite conundrum".  Shake on some crushed red pepper flakes, grab a piece of warm, crusty bread and have at it.   

This is the perfect meal to serve to a large gathering of family and friends with bottles of  red wine flowing, though it is equally enjoyed by a small group with leftovers to be had for another weeknight meal.

Chorizo and Potato Stew

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We enjoyed this dish earlier this week and I couldn't wait to write it down.  It was so delicious that we all went back for a little more.  This stew was inspired by two other recipes that I have that include Spanish chorizo.  One recipe is for a chorizo and bean stew, the other is a recipe for chicken, chorizo, and potato stew.  I didn't have any chicken on hand, but I did have chorizo, beans, and potatoes, so I decided to blend the two recipes and-- boy, am I glad I did.   This was just the perfect thing to warm us up on a very chilly night.

The one thing that I do need to point out is the difference between Spanish chorizo and Mexican chorizo.  Spanish chorizo is a cured spiced pork sausage that is easily sliced.  Mexican chorizo is a fresh sausage that  crumbles when it is cooked.  Both are tasty, but make sure you purchase the hard cured Spanish chorizo for this dish.  I use Palacios Mild Chorizo.  

To bring out some smoky flavors, I added some chipotle peppers in adobe sauce and a little smoked paprika.  I felt the broth needed a bit more body to it, so I stirred in a few crushed tortilla chips to thicken it up.  Just before serving, I added a little brown sugar and balsamic vinegar to balance out the flavors.  Served with some crumbled ricotta salata, diced avocado, and some extra tortilla chips--this was a body-warming bowl of good eats.