The Nifty Foodie

Pork/Ham/Bacon

Bacon, Egg & Cheese Quiche

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The first few weeks of the COVID-19 crisis was really impacting my mental health. I was having nightmares about my loved ones getting sick, I was mourning the loss of what I used to know as normal, and I was almost completely immersed in the news. It was just so negative, and what I was missing was some semblance of positivity.

I turned to gratitude journaling (counting my blessings), and I realized that one of the things that helps me during a tragedy is to somehow help. When Hurricane Katrina hit, I volunteered on my college campus. I was at LSU at the time, and the campus turned into a hub for buses full of people after the storm passed. Emotions were high, but small things like an open ear and a hot meal went a long way.

However, how was I able to help for this? In a tragedy where you can’t be near others, this was a tough one. I thought long and hard about it, until I saw on Facebook that there was a need for fabric masks in the local hospitals.

It wasn’t much, but I took out my sewing machine & sewed up 50 masks for a local hospital. It was comforting to know that I was somehow able to help in this crisis – even if it was something as minuscule as fabric masks.

When it comes to finding comfort, I have also found it in the kitchen. I admit that I was not much of a cook during the week – my commute is about an hour each way, so by the time I got home, it was pretty darn late. It has been really nice to be back in the kitchen almost every night, and one of my favorite meals is BRINNER (breakfast for dinner, of course).

These individual quiches are an easy option for brinner, breakfast – whatever you want! This makes 9 quiches too, so if you are looking to make breakfasts ahead of time, these freeze really well!

Bacon, Egg & Cheese Quiche
Source: an original

Ingredients:

  • 5 large eggs
  • 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1 tsp. onion salt
  • 1 tsp. cajun seasoning
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 4 slices cooked bacon, diced
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • cooking spray
  • 1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees with the rack in the center position, and spray the inside of a muffin tin with cooking spray.
  2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the eggs, dried thyme, onion salt, cajun seasoning, and heavy cream together until the ingredients are well-mixed. Add the bacon and cheese to the egg/cream mixture, and mix well. Set aside.
  3. Prepare the puff pastry sheet by rolling it into a 12×12 inch square. Cut the puff pastry into 9 equal squares.
  4. Place each square into the inside of a muffin tin, being sure to leave a little piece of each corner hanging over the edge. Pour 1/4 cup of the egg/bacon/cheese mixture into each puff pastry-lined muffin well.
  5. Bake the individual quiches for 20-25 minutes, until the quiches are golden brown.

Check out what other bloggers are sharing during Brunch Week this week:

Beverage Recipes

Bread, Grains, and Cereal Recipes

Egg Recipes

Fruit and Veggie Recipes

Meat, Poultry, and Fish Recipes

Dessert Recipes

Bacon Cheddar Scones

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This post is sponsored in conjunction with #BrunchWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the #Brunchweek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

For my final #brunchweek recipe, I want to share with you these savory scones. I’m sure you are like “savory scones?!”, but trust me – these are delicious! They are FULL of crispy bacon and melty cheese – it’s the perfect addition to a brunch! I used Dixie Crystals granulated sugar, as well as Cabot’s amazing Vermont Sharp Cheddar in this recipe! Thanks so much to these sponsors for sending these quality ingredients my way!

**Be sure to look below the recipe for the other recipes that food bloggers are sharing for #brunchweek, as well as the great #brunchweek giveaway! So many great ideas are being shared this week!**

Bacon Cheddar Scones
Source: mildly adapted from King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tbsp. baking powder
  • 2 tsp. granulated sugar
  • 4 tbsp. cold unsalted butter
  • 1 cup very coarsely grated cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 lb. bacon, cooked, cooled and crumbled (about 1 cup)
  • 3/4 cup (+ 2 tbsp) heavy cream – you may want to have 1 cup handy, in case you need more to make the dough come together

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F, and move a rack in the middle or upper third shelf. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Using a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour mixture, until the mixture is crumbly with a few remaining larger pieces of  butter. Mix in the cheese and bacon, until everything in the mixture is well distributed.
  3. Add 3/4 cup of the cream, and stir it in to combine the dough. After it’s mixed in, try squeezing the dough together with your hands. If the mixture is crumbly/won’t stay together as a cohesive piece of dough, add more cream (a little at a time) until the dough forms. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface.
  4. Form the dough into a smooth 7″ disk about 3/4 inches thick. Once it’s formed, transfer the dough to your baking sheet. Use a knife to cut the disk into 8 wedges, and separate the wedges about 1 inch apart on the sheet.
  5. For a final touch, brush the scones with some cream – this will help the dough brown. Bake the scones on the middle/upper-third rack for 22-24 minutes, until the dough is golden brown on top. Remove the scones from the oven, and allow them to cool on the pan.
  6. Enjoy these scones warm or at room temperature. Any leftover scones should be refrigerated or frozen, and reheated before service.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Take a look at what the #BrunchWeek Bloggers are creating today!

BrunchWeek Beverages:
Guava Lemonade from Shockingly Delicious
Mango Lemonade Vodka Cooler from The Redhead Baker

BrunchWeek Appetizers and Salads:
Bacon Ranch Tortilla Rollups from The Mandatory Mooch

BrunchWeek Egg Dishes:
Bacon Cheddar Cheese Souffle from Cookaholic Wife
Lobster Eggs from April Golightly

BrunchWeek Breads, Grains, and Pastries:
Bacon Cheddar Scones from The Nifty Foodie
Savory Palmiers from Caroline’s Cooking
Vegan Biscuits & Gravy from The Baking Fairy

BrunchWeek Desserts:
Easy Champagne Cupcakes from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
Giant Donut Cake from For the Love of Food
Lavender Panna Cotta with Lemon Curd from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Pineapple Paradise Layer Cake from Love and Confections
Ricotta Cookies from April Golightly
Rosemary Lavender Macaron from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
Streusel Kuchen (German Coffee Cake) from Platter Talk
Sugar Cookie Bars with Peach Frosting from Sweet Beginnings
White Chocolate Snack Clusters from Family Around the Table

Disclaimer: Thank you to #BrunchWeek Sponsors: Dixie Crystals, Cabot Cheese, Joyjolt, Sweets & Treats, Torani, Sarcastic Cooking, Dessert for Two, Sweet Phi, and The Little Ferraro Kitchen for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #BrunchWeek recipes. All opinions are my own. The #BrunchWeek giveaway is open to U.S. residents, age 18 & up. All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Six (6) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. Winners have 48 hours to respond once chosen, or they forfeit the prize and another winner(s) will be chosen. The #BrunchWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #Brunchweek posts or entry.

Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Cheesy Sausage Dip

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Cheesy Sausage Dip

Hello y’all! I can’t believe we are finally officially in SPRING! It’s time to plant new flowers, have the semi-annual fight with pollen (ha), fork out the warm weather clothes, and well…have more parties!

When it comes to hosting family and friends in our home, I’ve learned that simpler is better. I used to make elaborate meals for parties, but it’s hard to enjoy a party when you’re stuck in the kitchen the whole time! I really only go all-out for Christmas or Easter. Other than that, I prefer to stick with easier recipes. I especially love spring, because typical spring parties = crawfish boils in Louisiana. However, sometimes the guests come hungry (way before the crawfish are finished), so a quick/easy dip recipe that stays warm in the slow cooker is just the ticket!

I like to make this dip just before the guests arrive, so the cheese on top is nice and melty for everyone to enjoy. It’s ridiculously simple to make and it’s always a crowd pleaser! 🙂

Slow Cooker Tex-Mex Cheesy Sausage Dip
Source: adapted from Southern Bite

Ingredients:

  • 16 oz. sweet Italian sausage
  • 16 oz. Velveeta, cubed
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, cubed
  • 10 oz. can RoTel Diced tomatoes and chiles, drained
  • 11 oz. can Mexican corn, drained
  • 1 tsp. taco seasoning
  • 1 cup shredded taco blend cheese

Directions:

  1. Brown the sausage fully in a pan. Once the sausage has fully cooked, drain and discard the leftover fat.
  2. Add the cubed Velveeta and cream cheese to the pan with the sausage, and cook/stir on low heat until the cheeses have melted.
  3. Add the drained tomatoes, corn and seasoning to the pan, and mix until fully incorporated.
  4. Transfer the dip to your slow cooker and set the slow cooker to warm. Sprinkle the cheese over the top of the dip. Cover, and serve with tortilla chips after the shredded cheese starts to melt.
  5. Enjoy!

 

One-Pot Cheesy Sausage Pasta

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Cheesy Sausage Pasta

Since daylight savings time ended a couple of weeks ago, it seems like my evenings are flying by. It doesn’t help that it’s dark just after 5pm…it just mentally throws me off to where I feel behind, no matter what time I start cooking. So lately, I’m a fan of quicker meals.

I’m pretty sure I’ve made this dish at least a handful of times the past couple of months. It’s a quicker recipe, and you only need one (oven-safe pot) to make it happen. I didn’t think I’d really like this dish, but the combination of flavors and the subtle richness from the heavy cream, makes for a quick comfort food (perfect for weeknights).

You can also lighten the recipe up with a few adaptations. I sometimes substitute regular sausage with chicken or turkey sausage. I also have used whole wheat pasta with success. However, I haven’t messed with the heavy cream in the recipe. I feel like it’s such a small amount for the entire dish, and it just goes well with the cheese in the recipe to make for a wonderfully creamy dish.

One-Pot Cheesy Sausage Pasta
Source: mildly adapted from Kevin & Amanda, originally from America’s Test Kitchen

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp. canola oil
  • 1 lb. smoked sausage
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, grated or minced
  • 15 oz. can low-sodium chicken broth
  • 10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes and green chiles (mild or regular, depending on how spicy you want it)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 8 oz. penne pasta
  • 1 tsp. cajun seasoning
  • 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
  • 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions

Directions:

  1. Add the canola oil to an oven-safe large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and onions, and cook the mixture, stirring often until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add and stir in the garlic, and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
  2. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, cream, pasta and cajun seasoning to the mixture. Stir everything together well, and bring the mixture to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the skillet. Simmer the pasta until tender, about 15 minutes, uncovering and stirring every minute or so to make sure the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
  3. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in 1/2 cup of the shredded monterey jack cheese. Top the pasta with the remaining cheese, as well as the sliced green onions. Place the pan in the broiler (or at a super high heat, like 450°F), and broil the pasta until the cheese is melty and starting to brown. Enjoy!

Skillet Baked Ziti

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Skillet Baked Ziti

Even though I’m back to calorie counting, I just love a good, comforting meal sometimes. I try to limit my splurges to one splurge meal per week, eating something I normally wouldn’t want to admit to MyFitnessPal :-). I made this dish for the first time last fall, and I was shocked at how flavorful it was for being a fairly simple recipe. I ended up making two batches of this ziti, one for us and one for my dear friend, who had just had a baby. She and her husband absolutely loved the dish, as well and ended up asking for the recipe! I consider that the biggest compliment of all!

This dish is a dream for clean-up…you make everything in the skillet from start to finish. I ended up making this in a braiser pan, and it worked just fine. This also makes a good bit of food…we had leftovers for a couple of days between my husband and I (and we totally went for seconds the first night). It was SO good, and I shouldn’t be surprised…it was from America’s Test Kitchen, and also, one of my favorite bloggers, Pink Parsley, blogged about it before (which is where I originally read about the recipe first).

Skillet Baked Ziti

Skillet Baked Ziti
Source: Pink Parsley, originally from America’s Test Kitchen

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (28-oz.) can crushed tomatoes
  • 3 cups water
  • 12 oz. ziti
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 4 oz. (about 1 cup) freshly grated mozzarella cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet (I used a 3 1/2 qt. braiser pan), brown the sausage over medium-high heat, breaking up the large pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink (about 4 minutes). Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking for about a minute (until fragrant). Add in the crushed tomatoes, as well as 1/2 tsp. of kosher salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer everything gently for 8-10 minutes.
  2. Add in the water and ziti, then carefully stir everything to combine. Cover the pan, increase the heat to medium, and cook at a simmer, stirring often for about 15-18 minutes, until the pasta is just tender/al dente in texture.
  3. Remove the mixture from heat, and stir in the cream, 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, and 3 tbsp. of basil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle in the mozzarella, as well as the remaining 1/4 cup of parmesan on top of the pasta. Transfer the pan to the oven, and bake until the cheese has melted/browned, and the sauce is bubbling (about 10-15 minutes). Before serving, sprinkle with the remaining tbsp. of basil. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos

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pulledporktacos

I’m such a huge fan of the slow cooker. We don’t use it often enough, but every time I use it, I make it a goal of mine to use the darn thing more often. That never happens, though, because I just always seem to forget about the slow cooker when menu planning. ::sigh::

One of my favorite things about the slow cooker is the amount of time it takes to be in the kitchen. This recipe is a great example of that. It requires just a few ingredients, and you just let the slow cooker do its job for 8 hours. Not much work at all, and you have a delicious, homemade meal ready for you for dinner that evening.

A meal like this is perfect for a new mom, actually, and today I’m so excited to be a part of Katie’s (of Katie’s Cucina and Sew Woodsy) surprise virtual baby shower, which was organized by Julie of The Little Kitchen and Christine of Cook the Story.

Katie is a good blogger friend of mine, who I met at Food Blog Forum last year. When I met Katie, I felt like we were just instant friends. She’s just super sweet…just like she comes across on her blogs!

Food Blog Forum 2013

She and her husband, Jon, are expecting their first baby…a BOY in March. 🙂 Since they’re pretty much DIY gurus, I’ve especially enjoyed following the nursery planning on their DIY blog, as well as her Instagram. I’m sure it’s going to come out amazing!

For Katie’s baby shower, the theme is easy recipes & crafts for busy families. I instantly thought of the slow cooker for this theme, and since tex-mex cuisine is a favorite of mine, I just had to share this recipe with y’all.

This is such a great, basic recipe for a meal. The pulled pork takes very little prep time, and it’s super versatile. You could use it for tacos (like I’m showing y’all today), enchiladas, serve it over mexican rice, quick tortilla “pizzas”, nachos, etc. Also, since this calls for 3 lbs. of pork, you can easily make this for a dinner one night, freeze the leftover meat, and use it for dinner another evening.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a shower without a whole variety of recipes/crafts to try! Check out these amazing ideas from the other bloggers who contributed to Katie’s shower. Congratulations again, Katie…can’t wait to “meet” your little one!

Katies-Cucina-Virtual-Baby-Shower-500

Easy Broccoli & Cheddar Soup from The Little Kitchen
Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Peppers from Cook the Story
Individual Tortilla Caprese Pizzas from a farmgirl’s dabbles
Easy Cheesy Potato Corn Chowder from A Little Claireification
Slow Cooker Jambalaya from A Spicy Perspective
Italian Style Stir Fry from Aggie’s Kitchen
Apricot Chicken from Bombshell Bling
Easy Baked Spaghetti from Chocolate & Carrots
Cuban Casserole with Whole Grain Mustard Butter Biscuits from Climbing Grier Mountain
Freezer-Friendly Quinoa Meatballs from Cooking with Books
Baby Boy Subway Art Printable from H2OBungalow
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Cake from Inside BruCrew Life
Asparagus And Leek Quiche from Kokocooks
Roasted Lemon Parmesan Chicken with Red Potatoes from Life After Empty Nest
Yogurt Blueberry and Honey Smoothie from My Sweet Zepol
Pesto Parmesan Chicken Salad from Shaken Together
Printable Baby Whale Themed Cards and Project Life Mini Album from Simply Kelly Designs
Coconut Cookie Butter Sandwich Cookies from Simply Southern Baking
Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Garden Vegetables from Sweet Remedy
Easy Kofta Kebabs from Tasty Chomps
Crock Pot Fajitas with Chicken and Quinoa from The Dinner-Mom
Overnight Oatmeal from The Hungry Housewife
Honey-Dijon Chicken, Apple & Quinoa Wraps from The Kitchen Prep
Slow Cooker Italian Chicken Soup from The Lemon Bowl
DIY Whale Art from While They Snooze
One Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice from Yellow Bliss Road

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos
Source: inspired by Can You Stay For Dinner

Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs. boneless boston butt/pork shoulder
  • 1 jar of store bought salsa
  • 1 batch of taco seasoning

Directions:

  1. Pour the jar of salsa in a 5-6 qt. slow cooker. Gently place the boston butt/pork shoulder over the salsa. Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the top of the pork. Set the slow cooker on the low setting and cook for 8 hours. Shred the pork using two forks and enjoy…..or for a more crispy texture, follow the next step.
  2. Optional: To give the pork a crispier texture for some pieces, shred the cooked pork and place it in a rimmed baking sheet, spreading the meat as evenly as possible. Place the meat under the broiler on “low” and allow it to bake, checking it every minute or so, until the meat starts to brown/crisp on top (about 5 minutes).
  3. I served mine with plenty of chopped cilantro and white cheddar, but you could also opt for finely chopped red onion, salsa and/or sour cream, to name a few ideas! Top them however you like!

 

Pressure Cooker Pork Carnitas

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carnitas

Since we got our pressure cooker for Christmas, I’ve sadly only used it a handful of times. We don’t cook much for dinner anymore, since usually all we want after an evening gym work-out is a protein shake with lots of fruit. It’s kind of hard to stand up for 30 minutes – an hour when you’re feeling ravenous and your legs are also feeling like jello. So, usually our big meals are on weekends. When my husband came home from a conference, I decided to surprise him with some carnitas. I saw this recipe a while back on Table for Two and thought it would be nice to give this recipe a try in the pressure cooker, rather than cooking in the oven for a couple of hours. In the summer, this is so awesome, because you aren’t heating up your house for 2 hours. In Louisiana, the less the A/C has to work, the better.

This recipe came out beautifully, and I’m still so shocked at how perfect the meat cooked up in 20-ish minutes (once it reached pressure). I ended up freezing this in 1 lb. portions, because there was no way my husband and I were going to eat this much pork within a few days. However, for a party (maybe a taco bar?), this would be perfect!

Just to note: I’m going to type out the directions that I used for the electric pressure cooker (this is the one we own), however, for the conventional method, feel free to check out Table for Two’s post.

Pressure Cooker Pork Carnitas
Source: directions adapted from Table for Two, originally from Cooks Illustrated

Ingredients:

  • 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2″ cubes
  • 1 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 3/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 1 tsp. cumin
  • 1 onion, peeled and halved
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 medium orange, juiced and keep the spent halves

Directions:

  1. Place all of the ingredients in the electric pressure cooker (including the spent halves of the orange) and set the cooker to the “simmer” setting.
  2. Once the mixture has come to a simmer, cover the pressure cooker and seal it. Set the pressure cooker to the “high pressure” setting, and set the timer for 20 minutes. (Note: do not use a kitchen timer…it’s crucial to use the timer on your appliance since the timer starts when it reaches the desired pressure to cook.)
  3. Once the pressure cooker is done, allow the cooker to naturally release pressure before attempting to open the pressure cooker, and then uncover.
  4. Turn your oven on to the broil setting, and line a jelly roll pan with heavy duty aluminum foil. Using a slotted spoon, scoop out the cooked pork and place it on the foil lined pan. You can discard everything else (vegetables/aromatics) at this time, except for the cooking liquid. Turn the pressure cooker to the “brown” setting, which is high heat, and boil the liquid until it’s thick and syrupy (about 20 minutes).
  5. While the liquid mixture is heating, use two forks to shred the pork (and discard fatty pieces). Once the liquid mixture has thickened, add the pork back into the liquid and gently mix the pork into the liquid, to avoid breaking up the pork further.
  6. Using a slotted spoon, place the pork back on the lined pan, and place the pan in the oven under the broiler for 5-8 minutes. After that’s done, flip the pork and allow it to brown on the other side for another 5-8 minutes. Be sure to watch the pork carefully to ensure that the pork doesn’t burn.
  7. Serve immediately. You can also refrigerate (for up to 5 days) or freeze the leftovers.

 

 

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

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Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Happy first day of summer! It feels like it’s been the summer here for quite a few weeks already…the humidity is crazy, it didn’t rain for about two weeks, and bugs are everywhere. Yay Louisiana summer!

One of the great things about summer is that it’s grilling season. Man, I love grilled foods…the flavor…the pretty grill marks on food…the fact that I don’t do the grilling. 😛 Yeah…grilling outside is my husband’s thing. He’s great at it, and I don’t like dealing with fire.

We had a pork tenderloin in our fridge that I had other recipe plans for, but ultimately decided on grilling it, because it seemed quick/easy. This recipe is from Alton Brown, who has never steered me in the wrong direction. The marinade for the pork is flavorful and very simple to throw together. I was a bit worried with the addition of the chipotle pepper, but it just gave the pork a little bit of smokey flavor and heat. It was nothing over-bearing. I especially love that you just marinate the meat the day before, and the next day, just grill it. It’s perfect for a weeknight dinner!

The only thing we did differently is that once the grilling was done, we let it finish in the oven until it reached an internal temperature of 155 degrees. I know that 140 degrees is OK for pork (which is what Alton’s recipe is written for), but my preference is for the pork to be well-done.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin
Source: Alton Brown

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole pork tenderloin, appx. 1 pound
  • 1 lime, zest finely grated
  • 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
  • 1 tsp. vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

  1.  Trim the fat and skin off of the pork tenderloin, and place it in a gallon ziploc bag. In a jar with a lid, add the lime juice, lime zest, honey, salt and garlic powder, and shake everything to combine. Add half of the marinade to the ziploc bag with the pork, as well as the chopped chipotle pepper, and seal the bag, making sure to remove as much air as possible. Place the bag in a container to catch any leaks, and allow the pork to marinate in the fridge for 24 hours (rotating the bag halfway through to make sure the marinade gets in on both sides). Place the rest of the marinade in the fridge for later use.
  2. Remove the tenderloin from the fridge, and allow it to sit at room temperature while the grill preheats. Also, remove the jar of marinade from the fridge. Preheat the grill to medium heat.
  3. Brush the grill area that you’ll be cooking on with the vegetable oil once it’s preheated. Remove the tenderloin from the bag, and place the pork in the center of the grill. You can discard the ziploc bag with the used marinade at this time. Cover and cook the pork for 12-15 minutes, turning every 2 minutes, until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees. Move the tenderloin from the grill, and place it on a large piece of heavy-duty foil. Fold in the edges of the foil on the sides to create a packet, and pour in the reserved marinade. Wrap the top of the packet well.
  4. If you’d prefer the pork to be cooked more, place the foil packet in a preheated at 350 degrees oven, and let it finish cooking until it reaches 155 degrees (this took 7-10 minutes for us). Then, take it out of the oven, and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before serving. If you prefer the pork as it is, just allow it to rest in the foil packet for 10 minutes before serving.
  5. To serve, take the pork out of the foil, and garnish with cilantro. Then, slice the pork and enjoy!

 

 

Favorite Party Recipes

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Part of me cannot believe that the Superbowl is Sunday. I mean, that’s the end of football season until next Fall. I have to wait at least six months to watch another game after this. Sad.  (If you know me, you know I’m being dead serious about how sad this is to me. Crazy football fan here!) A perk of Superbowl Sunday? Watching Millie run up to the TV when I randomly switch over to the Puppy Bowl.

To mourn celebrate the end of another football season, here’s some great recipes that will definitely disappear if you serve them at your Superbowl parties.

Queso Blanco
Restaurant Style Queso Blanco

Restaurant Style Salsa
Restaurant Style Salsa


Crawfish Pies


Crawfish Cheesecake

Jambalaya
Pork and Sausage Jambalaya

Berry Mash Bruschetta
Berry Mash Bruschetta

Sugar Cookie Bars
Sugar Cookie Bars

Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies
Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies

IMG_4426
Oreo Cupcakes

Oh, and if you have an occasional puppy bowl break, I’m pretty sure the dogs at your party would love you for these!

Peanut Butter and Pumpkin Dog Treats

Pumpkin PB Treats

Pork and Sausage Jambalaya

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Jambalaya

Around here, Jambalaya is a staple. If you live in Louisiana, you’ve had it. If you live in Louisiana and you haven’t had it, let’s just say you haven’t fully lived yet. 🙂

The best jambalaya is usually cooked in huge quantities in a large cast iron pot. If you’re going to a tailgate out here, they’re probably serving jambalaya. Same goes for huge family reunions. Heck, we had jambalaya at our wedding. It’s one of my favorite foods for a gathering and with good reason. It’s absolutely delicious!

Now, at home, we usually would make jambalaya from a mix. I really had no idea how to make jambalaya from scratch….until now. My friend Kayla, who used to have a food blog (hint hint, Kayla…), posted this recipe for jambalaya, which comes from her husband. When my husband and I tasted this, we were absolutely floored! This recipe tastes just like the amazing jambalaya that is made in those huge cast iron pots. I call it tailgating jambalaya in a much more manageable amount. However, be warned (in a good way)…..this makes enough jambalaya to completely fill a 5 qt. dutch oven. We had leftovers that filled up a gallon ziploc bag, which we happily ate throughout the week and even shared with the in-laws.

So yes…make this. For those of you who are wondering, there are no ingredients in this jambalaya that are regional (to my knowledge). Anyone can make this! Just do it. 🙂

On an unrelated note: If you have a minute, I would really appreciate your vote for my entry (Peppermint Bark Cheesecake Truffles) in a local holiday dessert recipe contest. Voting ends on Wednesday, and the top 10 entries (by popular vote) move on to be finalists! I know that you have to register to vote, but I’d completely appreciate the support! You can also vote once/day if you wanted to be extra nice. 😛

Jambalaya
Source: Scrumptiously Sassy (recipe posted on Cooking with Christen)

Ingredients:

  • 2.5 lbs. boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1.5″ chunks
  • 1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 3/4 cup green onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 4 cups long grain rice
  • 8 cups water (for rice)
  • 3 tbsp. Kitchen Bouquet browning & seasoning sauce
  • Seasoning (salt, red pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, etc.)
  • Extra water (for meat)

Directions:

  1. In a 5-6 quart cast iron pot, heat up the vegetable oil.  Season pork to taste and brown thoroughly (do this in small batches, putting the browned pork in a bowl as it’s done browning).  If the pork starts to stick to the pan, you can add a little water to the pot.
  2. Once you’ve browned the pork and removed it from the pot, add the sliced sausage to the pot to brown it as well. Once it’s browned, add the vegetables and cook until tender and translucent. Add the pork chunks back in the pot and stir to combine. Add enough water to cover and simmer on medium-low until almost all of the liquid has evaporated.
  3. Add the 8 cups of water to the pot and season to taste. You want the liquid to taste spicier and saltier than your preference, since the rice will soak up those flavors. After the liquid is spiced to your preferences, add the Kitchen Bouquet to darken the liquid.  Once the liquid starts to boil, add rice, parsley and green onions. Keep stirring the pot until most liquid is absorbed, then turn the fire to low and cover for 20 minutes. During those 20 minutes, do not remove the lid.
  4. Remove the lid and stir to fluff. Once the mixture is well stirred/fluffed, put the lid back on and cook on low for 10 more minutes.  Again, do not remove the lid.
  5. Once the jambalaya is finished, uncover the pot and once again, stir/fluff the mixture. Serve and enjoy!