Posole -Spicy Slow Cooker Pork

This slow cooked recipe is certainly tender and has plenty of delicious add-ons to spice things up!

• 4 Roma Tomatoes Diced
• 1 Shoulder of Pork
• 6 Cups Chicken Broth
• 4 Garlic Cloves
• 1 Onion Coarsley Chopped
• 1 Can Hominy
• 2 Chipolte Peppers Chopped Finely
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Cilantro
• 1 Tablespoon Cumin
• 1 Teaspoon Coriander

Garnishes: Sliced Radishes, Sour Cream, Chives, Chopped Cabbage, Avocado, Shredded Cheese

Optional: Serve with Flour Tortillas

Add everything except for your garnishes to the slow cooker and set on high for 4-5 hours.  The meat should easily fall apart, shred with a fork to evenly distribute in the sauce.  Divide into bowls and top with your favorite garnishes!

Thai Beef

Marinate thinly sliced beef in this heavenly mixture for only 20 minutes and you are ready to cook!

• 1/2 Lb Steak, Thinly Sliced
• 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Fish Sauce
• 1 Teaspoon Honey
• 1 Teaspoon Chopped Ginger

Tenderize the meat and add all ingredients to a bag or pan to marinate for at least 20 minutes.  Heat a skillet on high coated in oil.  Pan fry for a minute on each side.

• Garnish with Scallions and Fried Onions

Macaroni and Cheese Waffles with Ham

What a melty, fun breakfast treat!  Well, I suppose it's good anytime...especially those breakfast for dinner nights.

• 1 Cup Small Pasta Shells or Elbow Macaroni
• 1 Cup Cheese (Any kind is fine, I used Cheddar)
• 1 Slice of Ham
• 1 Egg
• Italian Seasoning
• 1 Tablespoon Parmesan
• 1/2 Cup Breadcrumbs
• Chives to Garnish, If Desired

Boil water to cook your pasta as directed, or using leftover mac n' cheese works too.  Once pasta is tender, drain water and add the cheese.  Slice the ham into small cubes and add to mixture.  Stir until the mixture is well combined.  Let the pasta cool for at least 15 minutes in fridge.  

Make 4 small balls of pasta, rolling each by hand.  In another bowl combine Parmesan, Italian seasoning to taste, and breadcrumbs.  Dip each pasta ball into the beaten egg, then roll in breadcrumb mixture.  Heat waffle iron and coat with non-stick spray.  Place one pasta ball in each quadrant, then press and cook for about 3 minutes or until golden brown.

Slow Cooker Korean BBQ Pork with Pickled Red Cabbage Slaw

I've slow cooked plenty of pork, but this is by far one of the tastiest dishes!  Tangy Korean BBQ sauce and ultra tender meat paired with a pickled slaw will have you cooking this again and again.

Slow-Cooker Pork:

• 4-5 Lb Pork Shoulder 
• 3/4 Cup Soy Sauce
• 5 Tablespoons of Sriracha Sauce
• 4 Tablespoons Clover Honey
• 4 Tablespoons Ketchup
• 1 Tablespoons Hot Sesame Oil
• 4 Tablespoons Hoisin Sauce
• 2 Teaspoons Chinese Five Spice
• 2 Tablespoons Freshly Chopped Ginger
• 5 Crushed Garlic Cloves
• 1/2 Cup Rice Vinegar

Combine all ingredients in your slow cooker, and set to high for 4 hours.  Once meat is cooked, thinly slice or pull the meat of the bone with a fork.  Reserve the sauce from the slow cooker, place in a pan and cook on high until the sauce is thick.  Return your meat to the sauce and toss.  Serve over rice, cabbage, or on a sandwich.  

Pickled Red Cabbage Slaw

• 1 Small Red Cabbage
• 1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Brown sugar
• 1/2 Cup Rice Vinegar
• 1 Teaspoon Soy Sauce

This is best made the day before you make your BBQ pork.  Usually about 24 hours of marinating and your slaw will be perfect.  However, it still tastes great after only an hour.  Thinly slice the red cabbage and combine all the ingredients in a plastic bag.  Shake the bag and place flat in the refrigerator until ready to use. Garnish your slaw with toasted sesame seeds, cilantro, or chopped green onion.

   

Slow Pokes -Escargot Wrapped in Puff Pastry

If you enjoy escargot, try this unique fusion by wrapping the snails in puff pastry and serving with garlic pesto.  They look elegant, melt in your mouth, and are very easy to assemble.  Even if you are not a fan of snails, try a variation mentioned below.

• 1 Package Escargot (I buy my snails on Amazon.com in the can...classy, I know!)
• 2 Sheets of Frozen Puff Pastry
• 3 Tablespoons of Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley
• 3 Crushed Garlic Cloves
• 2 Tablespoons Italian Seasoning
• 2 Tablespoons Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Tsp Cracked Pepper

While your puff pastry defrosts for 30 minutes, heat butter in a skillet.   Prepare your chopped herbs and garlic, then add to the butter and cook for 3-4 minutes.  Add the drained can of snails, lower the heat, and simmer for a few minutes until the flavor has infused with the snails.  Once the pastry has defrosted, use a sharp knife to cut the pastry into small squares.  Place a snail and a bit of the garlic butter sauce in the center of each square.  Then pinch the both ends into a wrapped candy shape.  Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.  Garnish with leftover butter sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan. 

You will usually have a little puff pastry leftover.  Almost anything is delicious in pastry...I love to stuff the extra with spinach, cheese, and sausage!  Try your hand at leftover fridge items, or something creative and zesty like smoked salmon and dilled cream cheese.  Cheddar and broccoli bits are a favorite of almost anyone, or stuff some mozzarella and bacon in the center.  There are endless possibilities, have fun!

Pierogies or Polish Dumplings

The pierogi is so versatile, you can stuff it with almost any filling you like!  I've had some excellent sauerkraut and potato, mushroom, even macaroni and cheese pierogies.  For this recipe, I use the traditional Polish filling of mashed potato and caramelized onion.

The Dough:

• 16 Ounces of Sour Cream (I used the light version)
• 3 Cups of White Flour

The Filling

• 1 Cup Mashed potatoes (I cheated and used the instant version...you'll never know the difference)
• 1/2 Onion Diced
• 1 Tablespoon Butter

Mix the dough ingredients together thoroughly.  If the dough is too tacky, add a bit of additional flour until it is smooth.  Wrap in plastic then let rest while you prepare the filling.  Boil water as directed for your instant mash and stir in the potato.  Transfer the potatoes to a different bowl, then add butter to your hot pan.  Once butter is melted, add the diced onions and cook until transparent.  Combine potatoes and onion, and you're ready to make the dumplings!

On a floured surface, roll out the dough.  Cut round circles by pressing the top of a glass into the dough.  Repeat until you have used all the dough.  Place a hazelnut sized portion of the filling into the center of each disk.  Fold the disk in half and press at the seam.  If your dough will not stick together, brush a little water across the seam.  After you have assembled your pierogies, pan fry until golden brown.  Alternatively, you can boil them for 3-4 minutes.  

Make Your Own Potstickers

I love the texture of chewy dumplings that can be dipped in any array of delicious sauces.  They are a great appetizer to share, or make a nice addition to soup.  This dumpling or 'potsticker' recipe is perfect for all of your creative fillings.  This is also a great way to re-create leftovers from the fridge!

For the wrapper dough:

• 2.5 Cups of Flour
• 3/4 Cup of Cold Water

Drizzle the cold water over the flour while stirring the mixture with a fork or chopsticks.  Once blended, knead until smooth.  The dough should bounce back gently when pressed.  Cover in plastic wrap and let rest for 30-60 minutes.  It will become easier to work with the longer you let it sit.

For the filling:

• 1/2 Lb Meat or Fish (I used leftover pork, but shrimp, beef, or crab works also)
• 2 Celery Stalks
• 1 Large Carrot
• 1 Onion
• 2 Tbls Rice Vinegar
• 2 Tbls Soy Sauce
• 1 Egg
• 1 Tbls Brown Sugar
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

Finely chop everything in a food processor or by hand.  Blend until well combined.  Once your dough is ready, pinch off a small piece of dough (a bit smaller than a golf ball) and roll into a round disc.  Place a scoop of the meat mixture in the center.  Fold the dough in half, making a half moon.  Crimp each side three times toward the center to seal (shown below).

Make sure to keep the dough on an oiled surface or silpat to prevent sticking.  The dough tends to dry very quickly, so keep unused dough moist by covering with a damp towel or covering with plastic wrap.

Steam, pan fry, or broil your creations. I added these to a soup for a filling dinner!

Pressure Cooked Tandoori Masala Wings

 

Amazing wings with mild heat! Easy pressure cooker recipe.

• 1 bag of frozen wings
• 4 cloves of crushed garlic
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 tbls chopped ginger
• 1 tbls lemon juice
• 1/8 cup tandoori bbq masala seasoning

If you do not have pre-packaged tandoori masala, you can make your own:

• 1 tbls coriander
• 1 tbls cumin
• 1 tbls chili powder
• 1 tbls turmeric
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp powdered ginger
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cloves
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp caraway
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cardamom

Place all the ingredients inside pressure cooker for 15 minutes. Using the Instant Pot, I use the poultry selection.  Once the chicken is cooked, arrange on a baking tray covered with foil.  Put your oven on broil and cook chicken about 10 minutes or until crispy on the outside. 

If desired, take some of the sauce from the pressure cooker and simmer in a saucepan.  Add 2-3 tbls butter and whisk on low with the sauce.  Toss your wings with the sauce after broiling.  Serve with Greek yogurt seasoned with pepper and crushed garlic.

"Manti" or Greek Pasta with Meat Filling

In the spirit of more Greek cooking, I found this recipe from one of my dad's cookbooks over my Christmas vacation.  This dish is a fantastic treat and used for celebrations.  Because of the unique pasta shape and beautiful arrangement, I just had to make it! 

Start with the dough:

4 Cups white flour

2 teaspoons salt

4 eggs

4 tablespoons olive oil

Combine ingredients and knead until dough is smooth.  Add additional flour or oil if dough is too tacky or dry.  Wrap in plastic and let rest for 30 minutes.

In a food processor blitz the following ingredients until well mixed:

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

3 cloves of garlic

1 carrot

1 stalk of celery

1 medium onion

1lb of ground beef

For the next part of the recipe you will need:

2 cups plain Greek yogurt

3 tsp crushed garlic

3 tbls butter

4 cups beef broth

Unwrap the pasta dough and roll out into a thin sheet.  Cut out 1 inch squares with a pairing knife and place a small ball of the meat mixture in the center.  Pinch the outside edges and fold over again, using water to seal the corners.  Arrange pasta in a baking dish, pour 3 tablespoons of melted butter on top, and place in over at 350 for about 30 minutes or until the tops of the manti are browned. 

Prepare 4 cups of warm beef stock and pour over the pasta.  Place back inside the over for about 15-20 minutes until pasta is tender.  Drain most of the broth and toss the pasta in yogurt and garlic.  Serve immediately.