Slow Cooker Autumn Pork Stew

3/24/2023

I love slow cooker meals for when we're doing projects around the house on the weekend...or when I'm feeling lazy. Here's an easy one that's full of autumn flavors!

Slow Cooker Autumn Pork Stew

Ingredients

2 lb. pork loin, diced
3 carrots, diced
2 large sweet potatoes, diced
2 apples, diced
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 cups chicken stock
1 cups apple cider
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1/2 tsp. chili powder
6 oz. tomato paste
Salt & pepper, to taste

Serves 6-8
Cook Time: 4-8 hours

Combine all ingredients in a large slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6-8 hours (low and slow recommended.)

Sardine Cakes

3/24/2023

These quick and inexpensive cakes are a good alternative to salmon or tuna cakes and a great way to get healthy sardines into your dinner routine.

Sardine Cakes

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. avocado oil
3 small red potatoes (or any waxy potato)
2 scallions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 jalapeño, chopped
1 roasted red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup panko
2 tins sardines packed in water
Salt & pepper, to taste

Serves 4-6
Cooke Time: 20 minutes

Grate potatoes, mix with a few pinches of salt and set in a colander to drain. Squeeze to ring out excess water and combine with scallions, garlic, jalapeño, roasted red pepper, parsley, and Salt & pepper, to taste in a medium bowl. Add egg and mix to combine.
Debone sardines and add to mixture. Shape into patties and coat with panko.
Meanwhile, preheat a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sauté cakes on both sides until cooked through.

Cheesy Pecan Crackers

3/24/2023

These cheesy little bites are a great addition to a charcuterie board!

Cheesy Pecan Crackers

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 cup pecan flour
1 cup pub cheese
1/2 stick butter, softened
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. salt

Makes 50-60 crackers
Time: 10 minutes

Beat butter in a stand mixer with the beater attachment; add cheese and blend until combined. Meanwhile, whisk together flour, pecan, flour, salt, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Add dry mixture to butter/cheese mixture.
Turn out onto a floured surface and bring dough into a cohesive ball. Using a small ice cream scoop, portion out individual scoops. Then roll scoops between your palms to create a ball; put dough balls on a baking sheet and press your thumb into each ball to create an indentation for the jelly. Refrigerate dough for at least one hour.
Preheat oven to 350; bake crackers for 10-12 minutes. Once cooled add a dollop of pepper jelly (or any savory jelly) to the indentation and serve.

*To make pecan flour just grind a heaping 1/2 cup of pecans in a blender or food processor - you don't need a fine flour, a little chunky will be fine.

Great Aunt Sadie's Berry Cobbler

3/24/2023

When I was a little kid my Granny and Grandpa would come visit at the end of the summer to pick blackberries in a patch beside our house. The day would end with Granny making a blackberry cobbler - for years I have tried to find the recipe she used - I tried a lot of great cobblers, but were just right. After she passed, the cousins divided up her recipe collection. I came across this recipe on an old recipe card in a folder of Granny's recipes my cousin Meagan had. By the looks of the card, and the notes that it had been her sister Sadie's recipe, I knew it was the recipe. I gave it a try and it was!

Great Aunt Sadie’s Berry Cobbler

Ingredients

8 Tbsp. butter
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 cup sugar, divided
3/4 cup milk
1 quart berries of your choice, mixed or all one kind, fresh or frozen (peaches are good too!)
vanilla ice cream, optional

Serves 4-6
Cooke Time: 45 minutes

Preheat oven to 325; while oven is preheating melt butter in a 2-quart baking dish. While butter is melting sweeten berries (or peaches) with 1/4 cup sugar (more less as needed, according to your taste). When butter is melted pour sweetened berries into dish and spread in an even layer.
Meanwhile, whisk all dry ingredients together (including sugar) and add milk. Quickly whisk in milk until batter resembles thin pancake batter. Pour batter over berries and back 45 minutes to one hour, checking to make sure top doesn't burn.
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Egg Roll in a Bowl

3/24/2023

When you're craving egg rolls, but looking for a healthier option than something deep-fried try Egg Roll in a Bowl.

Egg Roll in a Bowl

Ingredients

Stir-Fry

2 Tbsp. avocado oil
1 lb. ground pork breakfast sausage
1 red onion, sliced
1 head cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, shredded
duck sauce, optional
wonton strips, optional
Stir-Fry Sauce
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 Tbsp. ginger, grated

Serves 4
Cook time: 20 minutes

Heat a large sauté pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add avocado oil and sear sausage (you want it mostly, but not completely cooked through). When mostly cooked push sausage to the perimeter of the pan, or remove if you're using a smaller pan.
While sausage is cooking, chop vegetables and to pan once sausage is cooked; add onion, once it begins to soften add cabbage and carrots. Meanwhile, make stir-fry sauce: combine soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic in a mason jar and shake to combine. Once cabbage is cooked to your taste (I like a bite in all my vegetables) add stir-fry sauce. Stir to combine and cook until sausage is cooked through and pan is deglazed.
Drizzle with duck sauce and top with wonton strips to serve.

Scalloped Green Tomatoes

3/23/2023

I like to freeze slices of green tomatoes at the end of the summer and use them throughout the winter. They remind of my bountiful garden in the summer! Using green tomatoes this way is a great way to remind you of summer too!

Scalloped Green Tomatoes

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. butter
1 small onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 lb. green tomatoes, sliced
1 1/2 cups cream
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs thyme
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan
salt & pepper, to taste

Serves 4
Cook time: 45 minutes

Preheat oven to 350.
Lay sliced green tomatoes on paper towels or dish towels, salt and allow to drain while making the sauce.
In a medium sauce pan over medium heat sauté onions in butter until softened, add garlic and cook for one more minute. Add cream, bay leaf, and thyme and cook until cream thickens; salt and pepper to taste.
Add about 1/4 of the breadcrumbs to a greased baking dish, top with 1/3 of the sliced green tomatoes, followed by 1/3 of the cream sauce, add 1/4 of the breadcrumbs, another 1/3 of the green tomatoes, and 1/3 of the cream sauce, follow with another 1/4 of the breadcrumbs, 1/3 of the green tomatoes, and 1/3 of the cream sauce. Finally, top with the remaining breadcrumbs and sprinkle with Parmesan.
Cook for 45 minutes, allow to rest 15 minutes before serving.

Pepper Jelly Chicken Salad

3/23/2023

This chicken salad is ideal for winter days when you're craving chicken salad, but looking for something a little more seasonal. The bell pepper adds a great crunch while the pepper jelly adds a nice wintery flare. Enjoy as a sandwich, salad, or in phyllo cups for a last minute party!

Pepper Jelly Chicken Salad

Ingredients

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup bell pepper, minced
1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped
1/4 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup pepper jelly
1/4 cup parsley, minced
salt & pepper, to taste

Serves 4-6

Combine ingredients and serve in a sandwich or in phyllo cups for a starter.

Chicken & Leek Pie

3/15/2023

A relative of the beloved Chicken Pot Pie, a Chicken & Leek Pie is a simpler version, but no less delicious! It can easily be made in advance and cooked off the next day.

Chicken & Leek Pie

Ingredients

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
4 Tbsp. butter
2 large leeks, cleaned and sliced
1/3 cup flour
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup cream
salt & pepper, to taste
1 sheet puff pastry
1 egg, beaten

Serves 4-6
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Preheat oven to 400. Melt butter in a deep saute pan and saute leeks until softened and just beginning to brown (about 5 minutes). Add flour and stir to coat leeks; cook flour until no longer raw. Gradually add in chicken stock stirring frequently to thicken. Once mixture is thickened and smooth add cream and chicken. Cook for about two more minutes then pour into a greased deep pie plate.
On a lightly floured surface roll out puff pastry until just big enough to cover pie plate. Brush rim of pie plate with beaten egg and cover with puff pastry. Cut off excess pastry and crimp to pie plate using a fork. You can use the leftover puff pastry to decorate the pie if you would like. Brush puff pastry with egg and cut vent holes for steam to escape. Refrigerate pie for at least 15 minutes to solidify the butter in the puff pastry.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until puff pastry is puffed and golden brown. Allow to stand for about 15 minutes before serving.

Southern Autumn Salad With Creamy Sorghum Dressing

3/14/2023

Here's another great salad for cooler months: it's got seared pork cutlets, fresh juicy plums, pepperjelly candied pecans, and sweet roasted candy roaster squash (though butternut squash is fine too). A delicious and easy addition to your salad repertoire!

Southern Autumn Salad

Ingredients

Salad

2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 thin sliced pork cutlets
8 cups salad greens of your choice
1/2 a candy roast squash, sliced into rings (roughly a pound)
4 plums, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup dried figs, stems removed and halved
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup pepper jelly
Dressing & Marinade
3 Tbsp. sorghum syrup
3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
salt & pepper, to taste

Serves 3-4
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Combine all dressing/marinade ingredients and divide in half; save half for the dressing and pour the remaining half into a zip-top bag with the pork cutlets; marinate for at least two hours or overnight.
Preheat a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, when heated add olive oil. Remove pork from marinade and pat dry with paper towels; discard marinade. Sear pork on both sides, then lower the heat and cover until pork reaches 145. While pork is cooking, heat pepper jelly in a small pan over medium heat; when jelly is liquified add pecans and toss to coat. Allow pecans to cook for about 5 minutes, but watch for burning. Spread pecans out on a sheet of parchment paper - they will still be sticky.
Meanwhile, toss salad ingredients together; when pork is done allow to rest for 10 minutes then thinly slice against the grain and toss into salad. Drizzle with dressing, sprinkle with pepper jelly pecans and serve immediately.

Red & Black Bean Burger

3/14/2023

These burgers are healthy and flavorful! They've got black beans and red kidney beans, grilled onions, and a creamy feta sauce. They go great with sweet potato fries!

Red & Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients

Burgers

2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 red onion, sliced lengthwise
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
4 hamburger buns
4 slices white cheddar
2 large roasted red peppers, halved
sliced pickles
salt & pepper, to taste
Feta Sauce
4 oz. feta
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. buttermilk (milk will do if you don't have buttermilk)
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
salt & pepper, to taste

Serves 4
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Heat a medium saute pan over medium high heat and caramelize red onion. Meanwhile, combine beans in a bowl and smash with a pastry cutter (or fork); add nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper and form into four patties. When onions are caramelized to your liking set aside and use the same pan to fry the patties until golden brown on each side, about 5 minutes per side. Add cheese to each slice and put lid on; cook until cheese is melted.
While patties are frying make the feta sauce: chop or crumble feta in a small mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine; using a fork mash feta to create some thickness to the sauce and make the feta smaller (remember, you're topping a burger with this, not using it as a salad dressing).
Assemble burgers: put a roasted red pepper slice on the bottom bun, top with a bean patty, then add feta sauce, caramelized onion, and pickles.
Goes great with sweet potato fries with the leftover feta sauce as a fry dip!