Lasagna with Homemade Basil Noodles and Sausage-Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

for the sauce:
2 lb bulk Italian sausage (casing removed if necessary)
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cubanelle pepper, minced
56 oz canned coarse ground tomatoes
14 oz canned diced tomatoes
6 oz tomato paste
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
red wine (optional)
10 basil leaves
salt
pepper

for the pasta:
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup finely minced basil
3 eggs

for the filling:
1 lb ricotta
1/2 lb frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1 1/2 cup mixed Italian cheese*
1 egg
salt
pepper

extra shredded cheese for sprinkling

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Start the sauce first. Brown the sausage in a large, heavy pot (I used this dutch oven) breaking up any large pieces. When nearly fully cooked, drain off as much fat as possible. Add the onion, garlic and pepper. Cook until the onion is translucent. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic, salt and pepper. Simmer as you make the pasta. It should reduce by about an inch and half or so. Add wine if desired periodically. Stir occasionally. When the sauce is cooked, stir in the basil leaves.


for the pasta:
While the sauce is bubbling away, pour the flour onto a clean counter top. Create a well on top and add the eggs. Knead together until a ball forms then work in the basil. Knead until a flexible dough forms. Divide into 9 equal balls. Roll through a pasta machine according to the package instructions. We rolled ours out through #5, rolling at each level twice on this machine. Hang until you are ready to use them.

for the filling:
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside until ready to use.

assembly:
Ladle a even layer of sauce over the bottom of a standard 9x13 inch pan, covering it thoroughly. Arrange three noodles in a single layer. Top with 1/2 of the cheese mixture then ladle more sauce on top. Repeat. Top for the remaining three noodles and cover with sauce.

Sprinkle with cheese. Cover in foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake an additional 30 minutes or until heated through. Allow to sit for a couple of minutes before slicing.



*I used a shredded six cheese blend that included Mozzarella, Provolone, Parmesan, Fontina, Romano and aged Asiago.

My thoughts:

This was a fun weekend food project. We planned out what we wanted to do and was on sauce and filling duty while Matt rolled the pasta out. It was surprisingly easy! Why has it taken so long for us to make fresh pasta for the first time. It didn't take as long as I would have thought and I think with practice we will get every faster. I think lasagna was a good first homemade pasta experiment because it was not only delicious (I loved the hint of basil) but we didn't have to bother boiling the noodles before using them because they were going to be baked buried in sauce. It sounds silly but eliminating that one step was great, I went right from finishing the noodles to layering to popping it in the oven with no lag time. Let me tell you, it was a spectacular lasagna. The sauce was complexly flavored, the noodles were awesome and well, we liked it so much, we had it for dinner twice vs. our usual leftovers for lunch/frozen for later new food for dinner routine. Yum. I already want to make it again.

Note: while it looks like a lot of sauce, I promise you will end up using all of it!


If you use sausage in your pasta dishes, enter this Johnsonville contest.

Raspberry-Avocado Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
for the dressing
8 raspberries
2 oz balsamic vinegar
2 oz avocado oil
1 teaspoon whole grain Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds (optional)
salt
freshly ground black pepper


for the salad
2 heads of romaine, chopped
2 avocados, diced
3 oz soft goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup raspberries


Directions:
Muddle the raspberries in the bottom of a jar or dressing container. Add the remaining dressing ingredients. Cover and shake to thoroughly mix. Toss the salad ingredients together. Divide into four bowls. Drizzle with dressing.

My thoughts

As odd as it sounds, raspberries are a good substitute for tomatoes, which are just now coming into their true season, they are sweet-tart, flavorful enough to stand up to salad dressing and their soft texture contrasts nicely with the crisp lettuce. Raspberries are also delightfully mashable so it is possible to incorporate them into a salad dressing with minimal effort. I like how their texture contrasts with the avocado, I wasn't sure about the pairing at first, but it was so good, I had to share. An easy way to sneak fruit into dinner.

Rosemary-Dijon Grilled Lamb Chops

4 lamb loin chops
1 lemon cut into thin slices
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seed

marinade:
1 large shallot
5 cloves garlic
2 teaspoon crushed rosemary
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Dijon mustard


Directions:
Place the lamb, lemon slices and mustard seed into a smal marinating container or quart sized resealable bag. Set aside. Place all of the marinade ingredients into a blender (I used my Vita-Mix)and pulse until smooth. Pour into the bag. Refrigerate up to 4 hours. Prep your grill according to the manufacturer's instructions. Place the lamb chops on the grill and cook, turning once, until medium-rare, just a few minutes on each side.

My thoughts:

These diminutive lamb chops cook up like a dream on the grill; crisp outside and juicy and tender inside. The marinade gives the chops a lovely piquancy that complements the slight gamey "wild" flavor of the lamb. Truly one of my favorite ways to cook lamb; easy but incredibly delicious.

Since they are on the small side, I like to grill them alongside a side dish of some kind (corn, potato salad or wedges, grilled eggplant) because there is plenty of room left on the grill.

Raspberry-Balsamic Crumble

Ingredients:
3 cups raspberries
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

topping:
1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Toss the berries with the sugar and vinegar. Pour into a 28 oz baking dish or two 14 oz dishes. In small bowl, use a fork to combine the topping ingredients. When they start to stick together, sprinkle over the berries. Bake for 20 minutes or until the berries bubble and the topping is toasted.

My thoughts:

Not only is making crumble a good excuse to sing the crumble song and to use my super cute berry shaped baking dishes, it is a wonderful way to use up raspberries fairly quickly and effortlessly. Raspberries are so delicate, that any time I have more than a pint or so I panic that I won't be able to eat all of them before they spoil. Muffins are great for this but sometimes a bit of dessert is needed. I timed it so it could bake while we were outside eating dinner, our house heats up fast when the oven is on and while I take advantage of that in the winter, it can be pretty unbearable in the summer.

These raspberries were on the tart side so I mellowed them a bit with sweet-tangy balsamic vinegar. It was a great shortcut to flavor rather than having to mess around with measuring out spices when I had dinner to concentrate on. I hate anything that obscures the flavors of raspberries; their growing season is so short and I don't eat them out of season. When I do have them, I really want taste the berries, which makes this crumble the perfect berry dessert for me.

Strawberry-Apricot Slow Cooked Pork Short Ribs

1 large onion, diced
4 1/4 lb pork short ribs


for the barbecue sauce:
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 apricots, pitted
1 habanero
1 cup diced strawberries
8 oz tomato paste
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons dark brown sugar (optional)
1 teaspoon hickory liquid smoke
salt
freshly ground black pepper



Directions:

Place all of the sauce ingredients in a blender (I used my Vita-Mix) and pulse until smooth. If necessary, cut the short ribs in half to fit into your slow cooker. Broil until lightly browned on each side. Drain off excess fat. Place the onions in a single layer along the bottom of a oval four or 6 quart slow cooker. Top with the ribs and then pour the sauce over top. If the ribs are cut in half, place one layer on top of the onions then pour half of the sauce on top. Add the remaining ribs and remaining sauce. Cover and cook on low 8 hrs.

My thoughts:

I know when one hears "slow cooker recipe" one normally thinks of winter-friendly hearty soups and stews but when I was writing my slow cooker cookbook last summer, I realized how much I liked using it in the warm weather. We live in an older (1930s) house without central air conditioning and only have one window unit so the kitchen gets pretty hot once warmer weather hits. Using the slow cooker allows me to cook without heating up the kitchen at all.

I like to cook using seasonal, local produce so I started experimenting with using summery ingredients like berries and vegetables in my slow cooker recipes. For this recipe I made a barbecue sauce that is naturally sweetened with fruit to go over budget-friendly pork short ribs. The ribs can be a little fatty so I cut off some obvious fat and broiled them to remove even more which meant the final dish was pretty lean. Strawberry barbecue sauce sounds a little odd but it totally works; it is slightly hot from the pepper and has a fruity sweetness without being a really sweet sauce. It is pretty thick, which good for slow cooker recipes, you don't want it running off the meat when it cooks. I planning on making the sauce again and using it on something else.

If you don't have a slow cooker, try cooking it slow and low in the oven.

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken cut into bite sized pieces
pizza dough (with or without the garlic/pepper)
1 red onion, thinly sliced
8 oz smoked Gouda, shredded
3 oz mozzarella, shredded


for the barbecue sauce:
1 large shallot
12 ounces tomato paste
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons mustard powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground chipotle
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon hickory liquid smoke
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
salt

Directions:
For the barbecue sauce: Pulse all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan and simmer on the lowest setting until heated through. Allow to cool.

For the pizza: Place the chicken in a resealable bag with about 1/4 cup of the sauce. Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes. Heat oil in a skillet. Saute the chicken until just cooked through. Mix the two cheeses together in a small bowl. Spread about 1/4 cup of sauce on each pizza. Top with the cheeses then onion and chicken. Follow the pizza directions for baking. Sprinkle with cilantro prior to serving if desired.


Yield: 2 pizzas

My thoughts:

When I was in college I loved this barbecue chicken pita this one locally owned restaurant served. It had a not too sweet sauce, red onions, Gouda and a sprinkle of cilantro in a homemade pita. I must have eaten that at least once a month (and often more) for a year or two. The place also sold a lot unusual pizzas (and oddly, Egyptian food) and had a similar pizza version on the menu but I didn't like it as much as the sandwich. I think their ratios were slightly off. I stopped ordering the sandwich after a there was some staff turnover and it just wasn't as good any more. But I've sort of missed it. I was going to try and recreate the sandwich (but better!) but I thought I'd try to make the pizza instead. That really stuck out as something I thought would be amazing but was kind of sub-par. I knew I could do a better job! I started with homemade barbecue sauce that was slightly thicker than what I might want to use on say, ribs, as both a sauce and marinade for the chicken. I also used smoked Gouda instead of regular for extra depth of flavor. Gouda isn't the meltyest cheese so I mixed with with a bit of mozzarella to ensure maximum pizza coverage. The perfect barbecue chicken pizza.

Rachel's French Onion Soup

Ingredients:
4 lbs yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 quarts beef stock
1/3 cup vermouth
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
6 sprigs thyme (tied together)
2 bay leaves

to serve:
bread rounds (day old slices of a baguette or artisan white does well)
shredded Gruy�re (I used cave aged Gruy�re)

Directions:
Heat the olive oil and butter in large skillet or saucepan. Add the onions. It is okay if they are mounded high in the pan, they will cook down quickly. Cover and cook the onions until just beginning to soften, stirring occasionally so they cook evenly. Stir in the balsamic and remove the lid. Cook until the onions are caramelized, stirring very occasionally, about 40 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the vermouth. Add the stock, salt, pepper, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and thyme. Bake the bread and cheese on a baking sheet for 5 minutes at 350 and transfer them to the top of the soup. Alternatively, divide the soup among oven safe bowls. Top with a slice or two of bread and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 10 minutes at 350. If you have broiler safe bowls and a roomy broiler, top with bread and cheese and broil until the cheese melts.


Note: I wanted to speed up the dinner process so I caramelized the onions and deglazed the pan in the morning and then refrigerated them until I was ready to make dinner. You could do this the night before if desired. Follow the rest of the directions as written about.

My thoughts:

I don't see French onion soup on menus very often anymore (too '60s?) which is shame because it is one of the few soups that can pull off being elegant and rustic at the same time. Luckily, it is easy to make at home. It is slightly time consuming, there is nothing difficult about the recipe. Caramelizing onions is a hands off activity for the most part and you barely need to stir the soup as it cooks. There are a lot of variations in recipes for the soup: everything from using sweet onions (not needed, yellow onions a quite sweet once caramelized, no need to make candy) to including apple cider (ew!) and a lot of different cheeses. I created this recipe to make my own ultimate French onion soup, one that is very flavorful but not too rich. I dispense with the sugar many recipes call for and use balsamic vinegar to help along the caramelization process while adding to the depth of flavor. I am also fond of floating a slice of bread on the top of the soup rather than broiling the whole thing. Same flavor, maybe slightly less cheese and no need to buy broiler safe bowls.

Broccoli-Cauliflower Cheddar Soup

Ingredients:
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock, divided use
1 1/4 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar
1/2 cup milk
1 medium onion, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1 stalk celery, diced
1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets (about 4 1/2 cups)
1 head broccoli, cut into florets (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
salt

Directions:
In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and celery and cook until the onions and shallot are soft and translucent. Do not let them brown. Add the cauliflower, spices and 2 cups stock. Bring broth to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce to a simmer and cook 20-30 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender and easily cut, stirring occasionally. The broth will not totally cover the cauliflower but don't worry- stirring will be enough to ensure the cauliflower cooks through.

Using a regular blender or immersion blender, blend the cauliflower mixture until very, very smooth and creamy. If you are using a regular blender, you will probably have to do this in steps so pour the blended soup into another large pot as you go. If using an immersion blender, you can blend the soup right in the same pot. Once blended, add the milk, remaining stock, vinegar and broccoli. Return to heat and allow to simmer until the broccoli is fork tender. Pulse the blender until the soup is mostly smooth. Stir in the cheese and serve.

My thoughts:

I love the idea of broccoli-cheddar soup more than I actually like the soup itself. It is just a little too rich for me. I've seen "light" versions of the soup but they all seem to call for reduced fat cheese (blah) or using milk which I think makes the soup too thin. I remembered how creamy this cauliflower soup was that I made (could it really be four years ago?) and posted. That soup was rich and creamy but the body of the soup came from the cauliflower, not heavy cream. Why couldn't I use pureed cauliflower as a base for a broccoli soup? I experimented and I have to say, the results were great. The cauliflower blends into a smooth, creamy soup that has a rich, thick mouthfeel without the need for heavy cream and unless you were told, I don't think most people would guess that the "secret ingredient" was cauliflower. The broccoli and cheddar flavor is much stronger and of course complements each other just as it does in the full fat versions.

Blueberry-Balsamic Slow Cooker Pork Ribs

Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless pork ribs
3/4 cup chili sauce (like Heinz)
1/3 cup blueberry jam*
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon mesquite liquid smoke
1 teaspoon thick Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon ginger juice
2 teaspoons ground chipotle
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground jalapeno
1/4 teaspoons salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced

Directions:
Rub both sides of the pork with the chipotle, salt and pepper. Quickly brown on each side in a nonstick skillet. Place in a (preferably oval) 4 quart slow cooker. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour over the ribs. Cook for 8 hours.

*I used yummy Spoon NYC jam which is just sugar + blueberries and has really true blueberry flavor.

My thoughts:

This is a great weeknight meal, you are basically making a simple barbecue sauce (which can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight) and pouring it over the meat and then walking away. The pork stays juicy and the sauce hits that perfect not too sweet with a bit of a kick balance. I love using jams as a short cut to flavor in quick barbecue sauces, it adds a not too sweet, fruity flavor without a lot of effort or adding sugar. Not to mention that adding jam helps me use up all of the jams I seem to accumulate/compulsively buy but since I don't actually eat jam or jelly or preserves on toast or bread or whatever people eat jam on I end up with piles and piles of them, unopened and wasting their potential. I tasked myself with finding alternative uses for them and found that barbecue sauces were a surprisingly good fit. Jam is especially great in the slow cooker because one of the potentially tricky bits associated with slow cooker is that nothing evaporates while cooking, so you need ingredients that will add some moisture/flavor but that won't give off so much liquid things become soup or need to be reduced. You can drain off sauces and reduce them in a pan but that sort of defeats the one pot, ready-to-eat charm of the slow cooker. Jam is thick enough that it doesn't really water anything down but provides much needed moisture. And you should believe me because I, um, wrote the book on slow cooking. (How long have I been waiting to make that joke?)

Nutella Black Bottoms

Ingredients:
for the filling:
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
6 oz miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup Nutella
1 egg, at room temperature

for the batter:
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (sounds icky, but makes them nice and fluffy)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.
for the filling:
Cream together the Nutella, cream cheese and sugar. Beat in egg until well mixed. Fold in chocolate chips. Set aside.

for the batter:
Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa and baking soda in a large bowl. Add water, oil, vanilla and vinegar. Beat VERY thoroughly. Line mini muffin pans. Fill pans less then 2/3 full with chocolate batter. Do not overfill. Drop approximately 1/2 teaspoon of the filling on top. Bake on the center rack for 20 minutes or until toothpick stuck in the center of a center cupcake comes out clean. Cool briefly in the pans on a wire rack. Remove from pan and cool completely.

Yield: 6 dozen.

Note: Resist the urge to use a standard sized cupcake pan, the ratio of chocolate to cream cheese filling gets thrown off and they just are not nearly as good.

My thoughts:

I love Nutella. When we were in Belgium this fall we brought back a huge "family sized" jar of Nutella. The customs people looked at me like I was crazy but it was worth it, Nutella is tastier (no HFCS) and cheaper in Europe. Last year for Nutella Day I made Nutella Cheesecake Squares which ended up becoming one of my most read/made recipes in the nearly six years I've been posting recipes here. I loved the Nutella/cream cheese combination so I decided to revisit it in a twist on the black bottom recipe my family has been making and perfecting since I was born. Or at least the early '80s. I can't remember a year when we didn't make a batch (and often, a double batch) of black bottoms at least once. These black bottoms lose a bit of their color contrast drama thanks to the Nutella, but they are so delicious, I don't think anyone will mind. I think of black bottoms as being a marriage between cupcake and cheesecake and these are no different, they just have shot of chocolate-y hazelnut-y lusciousness. I sent some home with my mother and she called three times to say how good they were and how everyone who tried them to loved them.


Six dozen sounds like an insane number but they are very small and take a fair amount of effort so I don't mind making a lot. I only have one mini cupcake pan but it makes two dozen cupcakes at once so it goes pretty quickly. If you make them in batches refrigerate the batter and filling between batches. While the recipe can be doubled, I do not recommend halving it. Luckily, black bottoms freeze really, really well. Since we are only a two person household, I like to make a batch and freeze some in individual portions to send home with friends when they visit and for dessert emergencies. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or on the counter. They taste best at room temperature.

Spaghetti with Sopressata Sauce and Chicken Meatballs

Ingredients:
for the meatballs:
1 lb ground chicken
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, grated
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon minced basil
1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 egg
salt
pepper

for the sauce:
1 onion, chopped
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 oz finely chopped thin cut sopressata
30 oz canned diced tomatoes
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
1 tablespoon minced basil
1 tablespoon minced oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt
pepper

to serve:
1 lb spaghetti, cooked to package instructions

Directions:
Start the sauce first. Heat the olive oil in a medium sized saucepan. Add the sopressata, shallot, onion and garlic. Saute until the onions are softened. Add the remaining sauce ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally.

In a medium sized bowl, add all of the meatball ingredients. With a gentle hand, combine all ingredients and form into 1 to 2 inch meatballs. Place on a (oiled or nonstick) broiler pan and broil for about 5 minutes or until just starting to brown. Add to the sauce. Continue to cook until the meatballs are fully cooked and most of the liquid has been cooked out of the sauce. Serve over hot spaghetti.

My thoughts:

My husband has a tendency to go a little crazy at our local Italian shop. For some reason, every time he picks up ingredients for panini, he overbuys the sopressata. It is a pretty strongly flavored sausage so you only need a couple of slices on a sandwich so we always end up with lots leftover. Sopressata is generally served in sandwiches or on crackers but we had so much of it, I didn't see any reason not to use in a pasta sauce. I hate to waste food and couldn't really see the point in buying new Italian meats to accompany it on still more sandwiches when I had some good Italian canned tomatoes and pasta in the cabinet. I noticed I had a pound of ground chicken in the fridge that was nearing the expiry date so the idea of a sopressata-tomato sauce with meatballs was born. I really liked how it came out; the sauce was rich and spicy. Chicken meatballs, while generally tasty, aren't always the most exciting thing in the world but when mixed with this sauce they really come alive. Using chicken also kept the dish from being overwhelmingly heavy despite the bits of sausage in the sauce. Beef would have been pushing it over the edge I think.

The leftovers were exceptional, both the pasta and the meatballs absorb some of the sauce and the whole thing reheats really well. I let it sit out about 15 minutes before reheating so the meatballs weren't quite so cold going in. Is there anything worse than mushy pasta and meatballs that are still cold inside?

Chipotle-Pomegrante Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:
1 shallot
1 clove garlic
2 chipotle chiles in adobo
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup pomegranate arils
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons mesquite liquid smoke
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Place all ingredients EXCEPT the arils into a blender. Plus until smooth. Pour into a small pan and simmer until slightly reduced. Stir in the arils.

My thoughts:

I came up with this recipe because I really wanted to make a barbecue sauce that featured an winter-appropriate ingredient. So many barbecue sauces seem so summery that they seem out of place in January. Pomegranates are only available here during the colder months and I like to pick some up whenever I see them. Their tangy tartness pairs wonderfully with meat, especially pork. I love this sauce on pulled pork sandwiches or in any recipe that calls for barbecue sauce. The texture isn't strictly traditional thanks to the arils but they provide a delicious burst of flavor.

Pomegranate Pulled Pork

Ingredients:
3 lb boneless pork shoulder roast or tenderloin (trim off excess fat)
3/4 cup pomegranate arils
1/4 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup pomegranate molasses
1 1/2 teaspoons mesquite liquid smoke
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons Mexican hot chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
juice and zest of one lemon
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic


for the spice rub:
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons chipolte
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons smoked paprika

Directions:
Mix the spice rub ingredients together. Rub them on the pork. Sear the pork on each side in a hot, dry, nonstick skillet. Add it and all remaining ingredients to a 4 quart slow cooker. Cook for 8 hours on low. When done, meat should shred easily with a fork. Remove roast from slow cooker. Shred with a fork and set aside. Mash any solid bits of the sauce with a potato masher. Return the pork to slow cooker and toss to evenly coat in sauce. Serve on rolls.

Note: If a slow cooker is not available, place the pork in a dutch oven and bake, covered for 4 1/2 hours at 375.

My thoughts:

This is a really decadent tasting pulled pork. The pomegranate arils (the seeds) just melt into the meat making it amazingly flavorful and tender. For even more pomegranate flavor, I used pomegranate molasses. You can buy it bottled at some grocery stores but Middle Eastern or Greek markets always carry it. It is actually made by boiling pomegranate juice down to a thick, syrupy liquid so it is possible to make it at home if need be. Anyway, I love pomegranate very much and realized that I had virtually no pomegranate recipes on the blog. That just needed correcting. I've made a lot of pulled pork but this one is just amazing: juicy and smoky and fruity and spicy. Admittedly, the ingredient list is long but it requires virtually no work or effort on your part and the results are so fabulous that it is foolish not to make it.

Roasted Pork with Caramelized Onions and Roasted Potatoes and Apples

Ingredients
5-6 lb boneless pork shoulder roast*
2 large onions, sliced
2 apples, cored and cut into wedges
1-2 lbs Russet potatoes, quartered
olive oil

the marinade:
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoon bourbon
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon mesquite liquid smoke
1 teaspoon hot chile powder
1 teaspoon hot paprika
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground jalapeno

for the roasting liquid:
1/4 cup bourbon
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup water



Directions:
In a small bowl, combine all of the marinade ingredients. Place the pork and marinade in a nonreactive container and marinate at least 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 450. Splash the bottom of a roasting pan with olive oil. Sprinkle the onion slices over the center part of the bottom of the pan. Place the pork over the layer of onions in a roasting pan. Pour any remaining marinade over the pork. Meanwhile, whisk together the roasting liquid. Set aside. After about 1/2 hour, add the roasting liquid and cover with a lid or foil and lower the temperature to 325. Toss the apples and potatoes with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. Set aside. After an additional 45 minutes add the apples and potatoes to the bottom of the pan. Roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast measures 160�F, about 1 1/2-2 hours. Allow to sit 10 or so minutes before removing the netting and slicing.



*Boneless pork shoulder roast is generally sold with some string wrapped around it or in netting. This holds the roast together and needs to remain in place during the roasting. If you can't find a boneless shoulder roast, use a bone-in and either debone and truss before roasting or roast it bone-in cut around the bone to serve. Bone-in meat will take longer to cook.

My thoughts:

The weather in Baltimore has suddenly turned from reasonably pleasant to down right uncomfortable: highs in the mid '40s and constant rain. In other words, it is the perfect weather to make this cozy, homey dish. Not only is it an extremely tasty (and seasonal!) one pot meal, it makes your whole house smell delicious. An added bonus is that the extended cooking time really heats up your house, especially if you, like me, haven't turned the heat on yet.

Baked Spaghetti

Ingredients:
1 lb spaghetti
28 oz canned crushed or ground tomatoes
28 oz canned diced tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 small to medium carrots, diced
1 jarred whole pimiento, diced
1 onion, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon basil, finely chopped
1 tablespoon oregano, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste


bread crumbs
grated Parmesan

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. If you'd like, break the spaghetti in half. Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions until just barely al dente. Drain and set aside. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and carrots. Saute over low heat until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and pimiento. Saute until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and herbs and cook, stirring occasionally, on low until it thickens-about 10 minutes. Stir in the spaghetti. Pour into a olive oiled casserole dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and Parmesan. Bake covered for 15 minutes then uncovered for an additional 10 or until piping hot.

Yield: about 6 servings

My thoughts:

Although I am no stranger to baked pasta dishes, baked spaghetti was never on my radar until I began noticing it being made on several British television shows. Not cooking shows, just regular dramas. Invariably, someone would be pulling out a casserole of baked spaghetti at some point during the series. I honestly don't know if this is some sort of typical British dish (my research turned up nothing definitive) but after seeing it for the fifth or sixth time, it really started to look good. I am actually not a fan of spaghetti, preferring other pasta shapes, but when baked it takes on a different texture and sticks together in away that I enjoyed more than the usual worm-like slippery strands. Of course I have no way of knowing what went into those TV casseroles but I do know that this is one tasty pasta bake. The balsamic vinegar adds a fruitiness that complements the the touch of sweetness that the carrot and pimiento lend, which in turn melds with the herbs and tomato to create an complex tastying yet easy and totally comforting sauce. Perfect for those first chilly nights of fall.

Rachel's New Classic Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:
1 large shallot
12 ounces tomato paste
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Coca-Cola
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons mustard powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground chipotle
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon mesquite liquid smoke
salt

Directions:
Pulse all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan and simmer on the lowest setting for 15 minutes or until heated through and slightly thickened. Allow to cool completely. Pour into an airtight container and refrigerate.

My thoughts:

This year I have found a new interest in making homemade barbecue sauces. It wasn't that I had been using bottled sauces until now, I hadn't been using any barbecue sauce at all until this summer. The few times I encountered a bottled sauce they were always too sweet or weak tasting.

So I decided to start making my own. It seemed like most of the tomato-based recipes I came across called for my old nemesis, ketchup. Since I detest ketchup and its cloying sweetness, I knew that was not for me. So I decided to use intensely flavored tomato paste as a base and add some of my favorite ingredients to create my own ultimate sauce. The balsamic adds a fruity roundness, the coke adds a light sweetness (and no one would guess that it was an ingredient at all!) and the savory Worcestershire sauce adds an extra depth of flavor. I wanted a spicy-smoky note in the sauce so in went a dash of my favorite mesquite liquid smoke and ground chipotle pepper. The result? A tangy, spicy, smoky, not-too-sweet sauce that is perfect for any meat.

This sauce is also fantastic drizzled over pork or beef sandwiches, meatballs or in pulled pork.

Can't Beet Red Velvet Cupcakes

Ingredients:
3/4 cup beet puree
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup dutch process cocoa (I used Guittard's Cocoa Rouge)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon plain yogurt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, at room temperature

roux frosting

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease or line 12 wells in a cupcake pan. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside. Mix together the oil, yogurt, beet puree, vinegar, milk and eggs. Slowly add the dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Fill 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick in the center of the center cupcake comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack before icing.

My thoughts:

Today is my husband's birthday and he requested cupcakes. He said he wanted red velvet. Of course I already had a go-to recipe for that but when I mentioned to him that I had heard of beets being used to naturally redden the cupcakes, he was intrigued. So I came up with this recipe. The beets not only redden the batter (and your hands) they also add sweetness and tons of moisture to the cakes. They are less red than the chemically laced variety but the beets and dutch processed cocoa does a pretty good job. They do have the classic "velvet" texture though. While the cupcakes themselves are slightly nontraditional, I frosted them with the classic accompaniment to a red velvet cake, a roux based frosting. And no, they don't taste particularly beet-y.

Strawberry-Asparagus Salad with Strawberry-Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
1 bunch spring lettuce
1 bunch baby spinach
2 strips crisp bacon
3/4 lb fresh asparagus
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1/3 cup bee pollen dusted hazelnuts
2 oz ch�vre

for the vinaigrette
2 oz avocado oil
2 oz pomegranate infused balsamic vinegar*
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 strawberry, mashed**

Directions:
Place the vinaigrette ingredients in a jar or salad dressing mixer. Shake until a smooth, emulsified dressing forms.

Place the lettuce in a large bowl. Top with the spinach. Cut the bacon into bite sized pieces. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook for about 2 minutes. Drain and cut into manageable sized pieces. Arrange on the salad. Add the sliced strawberries. Dot with goat cheese. Toss in the hazelnuts and bacon. Drizzle with vinaigrette.

*I used locally bottled Pompeian vinegar.
**I just put it on a cutting board and mashed with with a potato masher until pretty smooth.

My thoughts:

A while back I was invited to do a cooking demonstration at the Maryland Heartland Sustainable Living Fair which is going on today. Of course I agreed to do it. The major challenge was designing a recipe that made the most of what is in season in the end of May in Maryland. Which, unfortunately, isn't terribly much as May is pretty much the beginning of the growing season here. I had thought of doing some sort of stir fry but when I looked at the list of what was in season I realized that a big salad might be a better choice. I used locally grown strawberries, lettuce, spinach and asparagus along with some local fresh goat cheese. I tossed in some bacon because it just smells so good and thought it might draw some people in to watch the demo. It also adds a smoky note to the salad. I used some hazelnuts from a family owned farm (in Oregon) that were dusted in local bee pollen for some crunch. The dressing was simple but extremely tasty and added an additional fruity note to the salad. Unfortunately some of the dressing ingredients were not quite local but there is a drawback to living in the mid-Atlantic; no avocado or olive trees for oil.

All of these seemingly disconnected ingredients came together to from a very satisfying salad that felt light and fresh. I loved the asparagus and the strawberries, they made the salad feel hearty despite the near absence of meat. The perfect springtime meal salad.

Chicken-Spinach Meatball Pasta Bake

Ingredients:
1 lb shells, cooked to package instructions
10-12 oz ricotta
4 oz sliced fresh mozzarella

sauce:
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
28 oz canned ground tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano or Italian herb mix
2 tablespoons olive oil


meatballs:
1 lb ground chicken
1/2 cup frozen spinach, defrosted
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano or Italian herb mix
1 egg or 2 egg yolks
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup matzo meal or bread crumbs
salt
pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, mix together the cheese mixture ingredients. Set aside. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Saute the onion and garlic until softened and fragrant. Add the tomatoes and spices and simmer on low. In a bowl, knead together all of the meatball ingredients. Form into small meatballs. Place on a broiler pan and broil, turning once, until pretty much cooked through. Place the meatballs in the sauce and continue to simmer about 5 minutes. Toss the cooked pasta and the sauce together. Pour half of the mixture in a 13x9 baking dish. Dot with ricotta. Top with remaining sauce. Bake, covered in foil, for about 10 minutes, then remove the foil and cook an additional 10 minutes or until bubbly.

My thoughts:

This a meal that was sprung from the need to use up some ingredients. I picked up some ground chicken for 99 cents that on its sell-by date and had bit of ricotta and mozzarella leftover from other recipes that needed to be used up. I also had a bag of herbs that a friend of the family brought back from Italy that I hadn't tried yet. I don't know much Italian but I am fairly confident that the mix includes oregano, basil, summer savory, and thyme. I was really happy with the end result. The meatballs and sauce had a ton of flavor and the leftovers were just was tasty as the meal was fresh. Perfect for a cozy evening at home.

Hello, Hawaii, How Are You? Pulled Chicken

Ingredients:
1 1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/4 cup chili sauce (like Heinz)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup spiced ginger preserves
1/4 cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoons dark rum
1 tablespoon yellow hot sauce (I used Miss Hatties)
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon mesquite liquid smoke
1 1/2 teaspoon Mexican hot chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground jalapeno
1 habanero pepper, seeds removed and chopped
juice and zest of one lime
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced



Directions:
Add all ingredients to slow cooker. Cook on low in the slow cooker 2 1/2-3 hours or 1 hour on high plus 2 1/2 hours on low. When done, meat should shred easily with a fork. Shred chicken with a fork. Toss to evenly coat with sauce. Serve on rolls.

My thoughts:

This is a pretty "quick" recipe as far as things in the slow cooker go. While you couldn't quite work a whole day and come home to a completed meal, it is perfect for a weekend when you might spend just a few hours shopping, doing housework or better yet, lazing around not wanting to cook and still have a homecooked dinner. This Hawaiian-inspired pulled chicken is perfectly balanced between fruity sweet and spicy and it yields just right level of sauce. The pineapple-ginger-balsamic combo should become a new classic, it is that good.

I had actually never had pulled chicken before (sticking to my beloved pulled pork instead) but I am now a total convert and you will be too- who doesn't love saucy, juicy chicken sandwiches? The first day I served them on big, sesame seed buns but the leftovers made a great sourdough-coleslaw-sharp cheddar-pulled chicken panino.

Side note:I used thighs from Just Bare Chicken which have a neat gimmick, each package has a number that you can use to look up the exact farm your chicken is from. Plus it is tasty!