Everything in My Fridge Casserole

Tags

artichokes, broccoli, casserole, cheese, food, main dish, pork, wild rice

I had a fridge full of food but none of it was in any semblance of an actual meal. So I created a dish inspired by this recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

Wild Rice, Pork, and Broccoli Cheese Casserole

• 3 tbsp butter
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 2/3 cup wild rice blend
• 1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1/2 lb fresh broccoli, cut into small florettes
• 1 can artichoke hearts, halved (I used leftover artichokes)
• 1/2 tsp ground mustard powder
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2/3 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• 8 oz cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a medium sauce pan, melt 1 tbsp of butter. Add the onion and saute until translucent. Add the rice and continue to cook for another minute. Add 1 1/3 water and a generous amount of salt. Cover with a lid and bring to a simmer. Cook until soft. When done, set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a cast iron skillet, add the broccoli and the pork. Fry together until the pork is done. Cover intermittently to help the broccoli steam a bit. When done, combine the broccoli/pork mix with the rice and the artichoke hearts.

In the rice pot, melt 2 tbsp of butter over medium heat. Add the mustard powder, cayenne, and garlic. Let cook for a minute then whisk in the flour. Allow to cook, constantly whisking, for another minute or so. Slowly add the milk, continuing to whisk. Then add the broth. Bring to a summer and allow to thicken slightly. Whisk in 1/3 of the grated cheese. Season with desired amount of salt and pepper.

Pour the sauce over the rice/pork mixture. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese over the top. Bake casserole for 10 to 15 minutes, until bubbly and the cheese is slightly browning. Serves 4.

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Spicy Pork and Mustard Green Soup

Tags

Asian, food, green, mustard, pork, rice noodles, soup, spicy

After my hubby and I went to our local Japanese restaurant, I craved the Asian flavors for the next two weeks. I ordered Thai one day at work. I ate supermarket sushi. I made this soup. It is delicious. The tenderness of the pork is perfectly complimented by the texture of the greens. The noodles and mushrooms make it more filling. I served it along side spring rolls. The leftovers were pretty dang tasty too!

Spicy Pork and Mustard Green Soup (inspired by this recipe)

• ½ lb ground pork
• 2 cloves garlic, microplaned
• 2 tsp peeled ginger, microplaned
• 1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
• ¾ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ tsp ground cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• Salt to taste
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 bunch mustard greens, stems removed and torn into bite size pieces (about 4 cups)
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 4 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 8 oz. wide rice noodles

In a large bowl, mix the pork, garlic, ginger, pepper, red pepper flakes, and cumin until all is well incorporated. Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the pork and fry until browned and cooked through. In a separate pot, cook the rice noodles according to package directions. Add the broth and bring to a broil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the greens, scallions, mushrooms, soy and fish sauces. Stir and allow to continue cooking until the greens are tender. When they are done, add the rice noodles. Ladle the soup into bowls. Serves 6.

Making Sausage

Tags

bratwurst, DIY, homemade, hot, Italian, mild, pork, sausage

Last year for Christmas, my loving hubby gave me several attachments for my Kitchen-Aid mixer. Specifically the grinder and sausage stuffer. I have been wanting to use it but just haven’t had the extra hands to help with such a momentous project (oh the joy of shift work). Black Friday was the perfect opportunity. My parents and I cut and ground 20 lbs of meat then spiced, mixed, and stuffed it into natural hog casings. It took a full 8 hours start to finish and was great fun, though next time I think I will grind the meat and stuff the sausages on separate days. (On a side note, I used my mixer nearly the whole time. It didn’t overheat or have any troubles at all. I was pretty impressed!)

Below are the recipes we used and how the look prior to being stuffed. The Hot Italian smelled the best.

Hot Italian Sausage

5 lbs pork
1 cup cold red wine
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
5 tsp salt
1 tbsp garlic powder or-4 to 5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp fresh ground pepper
3 tsp cayenne
5 tbsp fennel seed
2 tsp crushed chili peppers
5 tbsp paprika

Combine all, mix well & stuff into hog casing.

Bratwurst

5 lbs ground pork, fine grind
4 tsp sugar
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground sage
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp dried rosemary
1 tbsp dry mustard
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp nutmeg
4 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients, mix well & stuff into hog casing.

Sweet Italian Sausage

10 lbs ground pork
4 tbsp salt
1 cups ice water (the original recipe called for 2)
1 tbsp cracked fennel seed
2 tsp coarse black pepper
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tbsp coriander
3 tsp crushed hot peppers

Combine all ingredients, mix well & stuff into hog casing.

The picture below is me rinsing the casings and looking for holes. About 7 had small holes and I set them aside, though we did use nearly all of them. We just cut the pieces smaller to avoid them and continued on with the idea that smaller sausages could be bun length.

After the casings were selected, you grease the stuffer attachment with crisco and gently (but with purpose) thread the casing on. Then run your meat mixture through the attachment and into the casing. At first we were rather slow but with practice we were able to speed up fairly significantly.

As you can see, the sausage was a great success! Can’t wait to taste it!

 

Pork and Pimento Cheese Patty Melt

Tags

cheese, food, main dish, patty melt, pimento, pork, sandwich, Southern

What do you do when you plan on burgers only to realize you don’t have buns?! You make patty melts!

Pork and Pimento Cheese Patty Melts

• 1 lb ground pork
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of pimento cheese
• Butter
• 8 slices of bread

Prepare you grill to medium heat. In a bowl, combine the pork and the cumin. Divide pork mixture into four even balls. Press each one into very thin patties. Grill until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.

Heat a skillet over medium heat while spreading one side of each piece of bread with desired amount of butter. Place four slices butter side down in the skillet. Top with a pork patty and desired amount of pimento cheese. Top with second slice of bread. Grill the bread on each side until lightly browned and the pimento cheese is melted. Makes 4 patty melts.

Pork Burgers with Peppers and Onions

Tags

burgers, food, main dish, onions, peppers, pork, sandwich, summer

The Kentucky State Fair is being held in Louisville this week. My husband and I plan to visit on Friday. I am super excited! When I was a kid, my grandparents used to take my siblings and I every year. We would have a group discussion about when we should go- the beef cattle week or the dairy cattle week. (There are many points to consider here. 1) We grow beef cattle. Do we really want to see what we know already? 2) What other animals are there this same week? Pigs? Fowl? Goats? Sheep? Mules and horses? 3) What did we see last year? There are other points but you get the idea.) We would get up really early and make the two hour drive to the fairgrounds. Then we would meander around for hours, looking at all the exhibits. Some of them twice. On the way home, we would discuss the whole experience and each try to pick out our favorite part of the day. This usually occupied us until we got home or we fell asleep.

Food was also a big point of consideration. Under the food tent are so many things that need careful consideration. Which to choose – pork or beef or catfish or mutton from their local producers? Do we leave room for the Erhler’s ice cream later in the afternoon? My grandfather usually picked a rib eye steak sandwich while my grandmother chose a pork burger.  In honor of these precious memories, I decided a pork burger would be a nice change from our usual beef burger. The texture of a pork burger is somewhat different. The meat is more tender and less grainy in texture. The pork is a more subtle flavor that can be easily complimented with spices, such as the cumin I used here.

Pork Burgers with Peppers and Onions (from Martha Stewart)

• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 4 slices Pepper Jack cheese
• 4 toasted buns

Prepare your charcoal grill to medium high heat. In a bowl, combine the pork with the cumin. Form into 4 patties. Make a foil packet to hold the onions, peppers, and the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill the burgers until the juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side (maybe a bit longer depending on how hot your grill is). Grill the veggie packet until the veggies are tender. On the toasted buns, add a burger. Top with a slice of cheese and a good amount of the peppers and onions. Use other condiments if desired (I used mayo). Serves 4.

Spice Rubbed Baby Back Ribs

Tags

baby back ribs, food, grilling, main dish, meat, pork, Southern

After a lot of thought, I have decided to schedule my posts instead of posting when it is convenient. Typically I aim for a daily post but lately it seems I have failed miserably at this. So much has been going on. Lots of work stuff, my aunt’s wedding, a trip out of town. I just haven’t been cooking like I normally would. For the sake of consistency, I am going to try to post Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Of course, I will post more frequently if I do a week of themed posts like Bacon Week or NOLA Week. And if I am off on vacation and cooking up a storm, I’ll be sure to post all the fun.

Dear readers, any thoughts or feedback about this or anything else? I want my readers to be happy!

Spice Rubbed Baby Back Ribs (a variation of this TasteFood recipe)

• 1/8 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tbsp cayenne 
• 2 racks baby back pork ribs

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Combine all of the rub ingredients together in a bowl and mix well. Rinse and pat ribs dry with a paper towel. Rub the spices all over the ribs on both sides, coating well. Bake in oven for 3 hours. Prepare grill for low to medium heat. Grill until the meat darkens and the fat starts to get crispy. (I did low and slow for about 30 minutes so that that the smoky flavor would really get into the meat.) Serves 4. 

Onion Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Tags

food, garlic, main dish, meat, onion, pork, rosemary, tenderloin

Periodically I get stuck in a rut. I tend to use an ingredient like crazy then totally forget it exists. I have been using a lot of chicken as of late and very little pork. After the delicious pork tacos the other day, I was reminded of just how awesome pork is. So here is another great recipe embracing the beauty of pork.

Onion Crusted Pork Tenderloin 

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Add olive oil to an over-proof saute pan (I used a Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. In a saute pan, over medium-high heat and add butter, onion, garlic, and rosemary. Cook until onions are softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Rinse the tenderloin and pat dry. Season liberally with salt and pepper and place pork in pan. Pour shallot mixture over the pork. Roast until a thermometer placed in the center of the meat registers 155 degrees, about 20 minutes. Remove the pork from oven and let rest in the pan for 5 minutes. Slice tenderloin and garnish with additional rosemary.

Shredded Pork Tacos

Tags

food, gluten free, main dish, meat, Mexican, pork, tacos

Mexican food is the best food ever. If I was ever on death row (god forbid!!), I would pick Mexican food as my last meal… With a load of guacamole and a good Corona with two limes. Can you have alcohol in prison if it is your last meal?! I digress. The pork in these tacos is that mentioned in yesterday’s post – A Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder.

Shredded Pork Tacos

• Shredded pork
• 1 avocado, sliced
• Fresh cilantro
• Salsa verde
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Corn tortillas, steamed or fried

Fill each corn tortilla with pork, avocado, cilantro, salsa, and cheese. Serve with more salsa or sour cream.

A Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder

Tags

food, meat, oven roasted, pork, shoulder, spiced

It is going to be a long work week. I need plenty of left overs so we can make it through the week without eating junk. I don’t this tomorrow’s recipe – Shredded Pork Tacos – will count as junk.

A Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder (thanks to Meatballs and Milkshakes)

• 1 pork shoulder (approx 5 lbs)
• 2 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp ground pepper
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp coriander
• 1 tbsp cayenne
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 4 sprigs of rosemary
• 6 garlic cloves, microplaned

Combine the spices, brown sugar, and garlic together. Score the skin through the fat layer but not into the meat in about a 1 inch cross-hatch. Rub the spice rub all over the pork shoulder, making sure to get inside the cuts. Place the shoulder into a baking dish with some of the rosemary sprigs below. Add a couple on top and a couple extra whole garlic cloves if you want. Place in a 350 degree oven for 4-5 hours, until the meat is tender and you can pull it apart with a fork. The skin should be crispy and the meat moist.

Bacon Week Part 1: Bacon! Bacon! Bacon!

Tags

bacon, celebrate, cured meat, list, pork, Southern, week

Bacon \ˈbā-kən\ the back and sides of the hog, salted and dried or smoked, usually sliced thin and fried for food.

Ladies and Gentlemen! The rest of the week on AnnaShortcakes will be devoted to bacon recipes. Bacon is one of the few foods that improve nearly every recipe it is added to. Vegetables, salads, desserts, main dishes, appetizers. Can you think of anything that isn’t improved by bacon?!?

We will kick off the week by reviewing all the previously posted bacon recipes.

Brie, Basil, Bacon and Blue Grilled Cheese

Bacon Cheddar Scallion Breakfast Tart with Grits Crust

Bacon Brussels Sprouts

Grilled Romaine with Blue Cheese-Bacon Vinaigrette

Bacon and Mushroom Risotto

Sage Biscuit Sandwiches with Fried Eggs and Sugar Cured Bacon

Bacon and Blue Cheeseburger

You pretty much can’t get away from bacon or whiskey in the South. Put a doughnut in it and you’d be good to go. ~ Hillary Scott