Very Versatile PORK 'PICNIC' ROAST

Hot out of my recipe notebook -- multiple uses for the same crockpot pork!  The photo below is of tonight's 'Golden Noodle Soup' - proudly named by my son! ENJOY!! -Sabryna

 

Very Versatile PORK 'PICNIC' ROAST

Serves 6-8; Prep: 20 mins, Cook: approximately 6 hours

 

Non-stick spray

1 large onion, peeled & trimmed, cut in half thru ends, then cut into 1/2" half moons

1 TBSP Latin-Inspired Geasoning or your favorite spice blend

4# picnic pork roast (2 med-sized roasts) --> yield: 3 pounds trimmed & cubed into 2"

1 cup apple cider

3 TBSP Hoisin sauce (Korean BBQ Sauce)

1 TBSP cider vinegar
 

Spray a medium or large crockpot or slow-cooker insert with non-stick spray. Add onions and layer pieces of seasoned pork on top. In a measuring cup mix: apple cider, Hoisin Sauce, and apple cider vinegar; pour over pork. Cover & cook on HIGH 5-6 hours. 

Remove meat and onions, chop or pull; cover and keep warm until ready to use. Reserve cooking liquid.

 

**SIX OPTIONS (yes, feel free to count them!) to suit your mealtime mood:
 

Rustic with a quick sauce: In a small bowl mix 2 TBSP cornstarch and 1 TBSP COLD milk into a paste with a fork or small whisk until smooth. Stir in 2 more TBSP COLD milk. Whisk into simmering reserved cooking liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer for approximately 10 minutes until sauce thickens to your liking. Taste & reseason, if desired. Serve sauce over meat with roasted vegetables. *For a more 'refined' sauce, strain prior to serving.

 

Korean-Mexican Fusion Meal: Serve with warmed tortillas & KimChi (I used Trader Joe's brand - 10 oz pkg. sold in refrigerated produce case).

 

Chinese-style Meal: Quickly sauté thinly sliced Napa Cabbage, shredded carrots & green onions (cut into 2" lengths and julienned) with a finely chopped meat. Spread a few teaspoons warmed hoisin and a TBSP so of filling mixture on half of a crepe; fold into quarters and serve. *Note: When I don't have time to make my own crepes, I use MELISSA's Ready-To-Use Crepes (ten 9" crepes per pkg) found in the refrigerated cooler in the produce section of many grocery stores.
 

Southern BBQ Meal: Add pulled meat to warm BBQ sauce. Serve on buns with pickles and coleslaw.
 

Latin-style Meal: Warm your favorite tortillas; fill with chopped meat, shredded cheese, thinly sliced cabbage/lettuce, salsa, sour cream, fresh sliced avocados/guacamole, etc. Serve with rice and beans.
 

Golden Noodle Soup: Soak 4 oz mung bean or bean thread noodles in warm water 8 minutes. Meanwhile, sauté 3 carrots (cut thinly on the bias), 2 celery stalks (cut thinly on the bias) and 1/4 tsp Geasoning (or your favorite spice blend) for about 5 minutes in 1 tsp oil a medium pot until are just about softened. Add 1/2 cup thinly sliced cabbage, 1 medium zucchini peeled, quartered & sliced thin, 2 cloves garlic minced, 2 TBSP ginger minced (we love ginger) and sauté 3 minutes more. Add 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth, 1 cup water, 3 TBSP reduced-sodium soy sauce, 2 tsp dark sesame oil, 2 tsp garlic chili pepper sauce (optional) & a pinch of red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer; add drained noodles and 1 cup chopped pork (from recipe above) and simmer 2 minutes more. Taste broth and adjust seasonings if desired. Stir in a handful of thinly sliced scallions. Serve immediately. Garnish with sesame seeds, red pepper flakes and lime wedges; fresh herbs such as mint, cilantro &/or Thai Basil would be lovely as well!

 

--Courtesy Sabryna A. Roberson, The Traveling Culinarian -- October 2012.

GINGER-LEMON ZINGERS (bite-sized cheesecakes with a twist!)

GINGER-LEMON ZINGERS Yield = 36 mini bite-sized cheesecakes; Prep: 20 mins; Inactive: 4 hours to Overnight

I created these little tasty morsels for the Fall Harvest Staff Appreciation Luncheon at my son's elementary school. Inverted Ginger Snaps cookies in mini cupcake papers speed things up and to make this recipe even easier!! I modified a No-Bake Cheesecake recipe (#135379) from Food.com -- submitted by crazycookinmama.

1 (12 oz. box) Ginger Snap cookies *I used Hy-Top brand, as they have a good amount of ginger! --SR

1 (8 oz. pkg) cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 a lemon, zested & juiced - need 1/4 cup of lemon juice, so you may need to use the other have of the lemon for more juice

3 oz. Dulce de Leche (canned in condensed milk aisle of store) *I use La Lechera brand by Nestle, it will be a thick caramel! --SR

4 oz. Condensed milk *NOT evaporated milk!!! --SR

Garnishes: drizzling top of cheese cakes-bites with warmed DdL (*careful it will be HOT!!) & a light crumble of crushed ginger snaps on top

Place 36 mini-cupcake papers in mini muffin tins. Insert Ginger Snap cookies UPSIDE DOWN into the paper cups; press down gently to level cookie and leave about 1/2' of room to the top of the paper cup. *If you do not have mini-baking tins, you can place these paper cups side by side on a rimmed baking sheet. Just make sure the cups are all compressed together to give the paper stability and so the cheesecake mixture will not ooze out the sides of the paper cups. --SR

In a medium-sized bowl beat room temperature cream cheese for about 1 minute on medium-high speed until nearly smooth. In 4 additions, add in Dulce de Leche and Condensed milk; scrape down sides of bowl. Slowly drizzle in lemon juice & vanilla while beaters are on. Scrape down bowl and beat for 1 minute more. Using a small portion scoop or two small spoons, place about 1 TBSP or so of the cream cheese mixture on top of each ginger snap cookie.

*Note: This is not be as firm as regular baked cheesecake, as there are no eggs and the mixture is not baked. To make mixture firm up a bit more, you may want to add 2 more ounces of room temperature cream cheese to your mixing bowl.

Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

I have yet to try it, but I also think these would be great FROZEN! Sorry there is NO PHOTO, I forgot to take one before my hubby took them out the door to deliver them to the school! --Courtesy Sabryna A. Roberson, The Traveling Culinarian - October 16, 2012.

LAMB TIPS with KALE, GRAPES & ONIONS

LAMB TIPS with KALE, GRAPES & ONIONS          Serves 4 to 6; Prep: 10 mins; Cook: 20 mins

Fall is upon us and comfort food is in great demand!  Although I desire comfort food, I did not want a ‘heavy dinner.’  After reading the Spicy Kale recipe that follows, I set off to Trader Joe’s for some assistance on the protein to round out my plate.  The cooked lamb reminds me of the flavor of my Aunt Terry's AMAZING Garlic-Rosemary & Red Wine Leg of Lamb!! (Yes, Vixens, "My Greek Aunt!!)  Make quick pan gravy with pomegranate juice or red wine, plus some broth to bring the meal together.  The result is a hearty and comforting meal full of flavor, yet not heavy!  My entire family enjoyed this dish!  From the four year old to the 40 year olds!  CHEERS! –TC 

1 pkg. Trader Joe's Burgundy & Pepper Lamb Tips, cooked per package directions to desired temperature

Grapeseed oil, as needed
Seasoning blend or Kosher salt, to taste
1-2 TBSP cornstarch
Pomegranate juice -- 1-2 TBSP COLD, plus ¼ cup more (OR red wine)
¼ to ½ cup stock or broth *I use low-sodium --TC
Salt & pepper, to taste

I seared the lamb tips in grapeseed oil and season when all the tips are turned to brown the other side. May need to sear the lamb tips in two batches, depending on the size of your pan.  Do NOT overcrowd the pan or you will stem the meat instead of brown it!

Make a quick pan gravy:  After sautéing the lamb, and pour off the fat and add about 1/4 cup Pomegranate juice to deglaze the pan, scraping up the 'fond' - (all the delicious brown bits).  Then add a slurry of 1TBSP cornstarch to 1 TBSP Pomegranate juice, then whisk into 1/4 cup pomegranate juice or  or red wine.  Whisk this mixture vigorously into the pan and add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of low-sodium broth or stock and simmer 10 minutes; whisking frequently, until thickened. Taste & reseason, if necessary.

The side dish was a fast, earthy sauté of 'Spicy Kale with Fried Grapes and Frizzled Red Onions.'  The recipe from the Tasting Table Test Kitchen is below.  (My only change on this recipe would be to add more balsamic vinegar and red pepper flakes to suit my personal tastes. --TC)  To stretch the meal (and enable the adults to hoard more of the kale), I served brown rice drizzled with some pan gravy along with the kids' kale, lamb and fresh grapes.

To stretch the meal (and hoard more of the kale for the adults), I served brown rice drizzled with some pan gravy along with the kids' kale, lamb and fresh grapes.

Hubby and I thoroughly enjoyed our meal with a 2010 Van Ruiten Old Vine Zinfandel from Lodi, CA.

*Nutritional Notes for Lamb Tips: There are 140 calories in a 4 oz serving of Trader Joe's Burgundy & Pepper Lamb Tips. Fat: 6g (Saturated Fat: 2.5g). Carbs: 0g (Fiber: 0g, Sugar 0). Protein: 20g.

**Random note: My 4th grader asked if we could come in while he was sleeping and pour the 'meat juice' (aka pan gravy) into his mouth while he was sleeping!!!  What a compliment!!   --Courtesy Sabryna Roberson, The Traveling Culinarian – October 2012.

---------------------------------------------------------------------- 

'Spicy Kale with Fried Grapes and Frizzled Red Onions' - recipe from the Tasting Table Test Kitchen.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar *I added another tsp Balsamic Vinegar --TC
⅛ to ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
1¼ teaspoons salt, divided, plus extra for serving if needed
1¼ cups halved seedless red grapes
1½ bunches Lacinato kale (about 6 ounces)--stems removed, leaves stacked, rolled and sliced crosswise into wide ribbons

1. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of the olive oil with the balsamic vinegar and the red pepper flakes. Set aside.

2. In a large skillet set over medium-high heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until the onion is brown and frizzled around the edges, about 4 minutes. Add the grapes and cook until browned, about 2 minutes.

3. Pour the oil-balsamic mixture into the pan and immediately add the kale. Use tongs to stir and turn the kale into the onion-grape mixture. Once the kale starts to wilt, after about 1 minute, turn off the heat and transfer the kale mixture to a serving bowl.  Taste and season with the remaining ¾ teaspoon of salt.  Serve warm or at room temperature.  

--Recipe courtesy http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/chefs_recipes/10568

I took the two pictures shown here in the Kale recipe to show the progression of the dish. 

--Sabryna, The Traveling Culinarian - October 2012.