Pork with White Beans and Cherry Tomatoes

Pantry staples are a must in a large family. Weekly shopping is tedious enough for us without having to resort to trips throughout the week to stock up. This is especially true in the winter when much fresh produce just isn't the same quality or affordability that it is in warmer months.

Turning to your pantry for more than half of your meals isn't a bad thing, it's a decidedly good thing, especially with quality canned goods. ShopRite has standards that many other brands don't, and it's evident in the beans and tomatoes used for this recipe. The imported cherry tomatoes are like little orbs of sunshine in a can. The flavor is bright and blends well with tiny little white beans. If you can't find fresh cherry tomatoes at any time of year, the imported babies from ShopRite are a very fine substitute.

This can be made with pork or chicken, the cooking time is just about the same for both. The leek adds a dimension of flavor that we really love here, but if you aren't mad about leeks, shallots or even spring onions will do well. About a cup of chopped green onion or 2 small shallots should do the trick.

Pork with White Beans and Cherry Tomatoes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons ShopRite Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large leek
1 pound 1/2 - inch thick boneless pork chops
1 can (14.5 ounces) ShopRite Fat Free Chicken broth with 50% less sodium
1 can (15 ounces) ShopRite Small White Beans
1 can (14 ounces) ShopRite Imported Whole Cherry Tomatoes in juice
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Cut the dark green portion from the leek and discard. Cut leek in half lengthwise and rinse well to remove any sand or grit. Slice thinly.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add leeks. Cook briefly until leeks begin to wilt. Push aside and add pork.
3. Sear pork on both sides, 3 minutes per side and add chicken broth to pan.
4. Cook over low heat until broth is reduced slightly and pork is cooked through - about 5 minutes.
5. Add beans, thyme and drained tomatoes. Heat through for another 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Orange Pork Cutlets and Baby Bok Choy

Baby bok choy is the smaller and more tender version of regular bok choy. It cooks quickly and does not need to be separated or chopped to cook.

Orange, soy and garlic combine in a delicious sauce that coats pork chops and baby bok choy perfectly. If baby bok choy is not available, use the more mature version and cut into large chunks. Serve alone or with rice or rice noodles.

Orange Pork Cutlets and Baby Bok Choy

Hands-On Time: 15 minutes
Ready In: 20 minutes
Yield: Serves 4

Ingedients:

1 1/2 pounds thin cut boneless pork chops - about 8
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
juice and zest from 1 large orange - about 1/3 cup juice
1 large clove garlic - minced
2 tablespoon soy sauce
4 to 8 heads baby bok choy (we eat 2 each because we love it)

Directions:

1. Combine flour, cornstarch and salt in a shallow bowl.
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and add chops. Brown chops for 6 minutes per side and set aside.
3. In the same pan add garlic, soy, juice and zest. Simmer for 2 minutes and add bok choy to pan.
4. Cook for another 4 minutes and push to the side. Add chops back into pan to coat with sauce.
5. *Optional* Serve with rice or rice noodles.

**Note: Any citrus will yield more juice if you first roll it back and forth, using medium pressure, on a firm surface.

Pineapple Pork Chops

Pineapple Pork Chops and Rice

Pineapple Pork Chops are the perfect blend of sweet and savory, full of color and easier to make than you might think. They're also budget friendly and can be made for any weeknight dinner and are pretty enough to serve for company.

Pineapple Pork Chops and Rice

Pineapple Pork Chops
Hands-On Time: 25 minutes
Ready In: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 bone-in center cut pork chops 1/2-inch thick
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
4 Tablespoons cooking oil, divided
1/3 cup each red, yellow and green sweet peppers - diced (or 1 cup of any one color)
1/2 cup red onion chopped
1 cup canned or fresh pineapple chunks
1 1/2 cups pineapple juice (from canned pineapple or other)
2 Tablespoons soy sauce (use the good brewed stuff, I love Kikkoman)
2 Tablespoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Hot cooked rice - about 2 cups prepared


Directions:

1. Rinse pork chops to remove any traces of bone from cutting and pat dry . Set aside.
2. Blend flour with salt and pepper and dredge chops in mixture until well coated.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add chops.
4. Cook until browned well on both sides, about 6-8 minutes per side. Remove to a platter and keep warm.
5. Add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of oil to the skillet over medium-high heat and add peppers and onions. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until vegetables begin to release juices into the pan.
6. Add pineapple and juice, cook until bubbling, 2-3 minutes.
7. Stir together brown sugar, soy sauce and cornstarch. Whisk into pineapple and peppers. Cook until thickened.
8. Add pork chops to pan and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until chops are heated through and coated with sauce. Serve over rice.

Spicy Pulled Pork and Jalapeño Mayo

Spicy Pulled Pork and Jalapeño Mayo

This is a recipe I've been working on for months. Yes, months. I made it once and then found that no matter what I did I couldn't seem to duplicate it. I was frustrated. I think I've made pulled pork 6 times in the last two months trying to get this right.

Let's step back a moment. The first time I did this it came from the slow-cooker version of Italian Beef that's been floating around for a long time. Italian dressing mix packets and a good beef roast slow cooked for hours and then made into sandwiches. I thought - what's good for the beef is good for the pork, and I was right.

However, the first time I made it was with a 3 pound pork butt and a couple jalapeños. It was spicy. Boy, oh boy was it spicy! It was so good I decided to do it again but on a larger scale with a full 10  pound pork shoulder. Why not?

Once it was done it shredded beautifully and it was good, but not the same. Not spicy, not as flavorful. OK, I needed to step up the dressing packets and peppers. Or maybe try something different. I tried more packets, more peppers, extra garlic, extra black pepper. No, no, no and no.

So, I went back to the drawing board. A smaller roast, a slightly different method ... and BINGO.

Here's the recipe, and pay attention to the method so you don't skip out! Also, the may was a stroke of genius. These are dainty and proper sandwiches just because the barbecue sauce is missing - no, these are messy and divine.

Perfectly Roasted ... isn't that a beautiful crust?

Spicy Pulled Pork and Jalapeño Mayo
Printable Recipe

5 pound pork shoulder
4 medium jalapeños diced
3 packets Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing and Recipe Mix - divided
2 cups water

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Rinse pork and dry well. Place in a large roasting pan, fat side up.
3. Rub 2 packets of dressing mix all over pork.
4. Add jalapeños around roast and pour water into bottom of pan - do not pour over pork.
5. Roast for 5 hours or until fat forms a crisp crust and pork is easily shredded. Strain pan drippings well and set aside.
6. Cool until able to handle and remove excess fat and shred well.
7. Sprinkle last packet of dressing mix over pork and mix well.
8. Pour pan drippings over shredded pork and mix well.
9. Mound onto rolls and top with Jalapeño Mayo.

Jalapeño Mayo

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tablespoon minced jalapeño
1 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

Combine all and let stand for 10 minutes before using for shredded pork sandwiches.

Green Almonds

 Fresh green almonds.

The first time I believe I saw green almonds was on an episode of Chopped, "One in a Hundred". I honestly don't recall what the chefs made with them, but when I saw them at a local store, I scooped up handfuls of the soft green fuzzy fruit and ran home to investigate and see what I could make with them.

Mostly it seems that green almonds, also called spring almonds and immature almonds, are eaten straight-up and lightly salted as a snack, mostly in the Middle East. There are other preparations from salads to stews and sometimes they more mature of the immature (if that makes sense) are sprinkled over ice cream and the like. Let me explain.

The center of very young almonds.

Very young almonds are edible as a whole. While mildly crunchy, they are pliable and very green in flavor with a slightly bitter finish. The very center, which would become the actual nut once fully mature, is a gelatinous mass. If the nuts are left to mature for even a few weeks' time the center becomes more nut-like though still softer and smaller than the usual nut we're all used to finding readily available in any corner market across the globe.

Gelatinous centers of green almonds.

The ones I bought were the very young variety, being fully fuzzy on the outside (a few still had leaves attached) and gel-like in the center. The first one I tried was as-is. I washed it well and took a bite. Green. I salted the other half lightly and noticed a slightly bitter finish to the fruit. I was still very unsure of what to make of, or with, them.

As part of a lovely Facebook group belonging to David Leite's, owner of Leite's Culinaria, I noted that one of the readers was making a stew she had found on a friend's blog ... the recipe is here. Stew sounded great, but I was still unsure of what to do with the almonds I had. The most common stew is heavy in spices and I couldn't reconcile the soft spring-green color of these almonds with so much spice. I had also read in several different places that heating them caused them to be more bitter. I can say I didn't encounter this in any way.

I decided on fennel, spring onions and pork for my stew. Fennel in its fresh state is deep in flavor, but stewed or braised, it becomes subdued and very delicious. With the green almonds being slightly lemony, I thought the pairing would go well, and I was right. I added to that new potatoes and flat-leaf parsley, which carries over the lemon theme, and a bit of cream to pull it all together. The end result was a very smooth and flavorful stew - the almonds still had a bit of crunch to them, which contrasted well with the sweet pork, tender potatoes and fennel.

I'm still undecided about these fuzzy little fruits, but as they're only available 8 weeks a year, I may buy them again and if I do, I'll share the recipes and results here.

Green Almond and Pork Stew

Green Almond and Pork Stew
Serves 6 - 8
Printable Recipe

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large fennel bulb
1 bunch spring onions (green onions)
2 pounds pork - cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
8 ounces green almonds - cleaned well and cut in half
2 pounds new potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 small bunch Italian flat-leaf parsley chopped
1 cup half and half
1/2 Tablespoon Kosher salt
freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Wash green almonds well and dry. Set aside until ready to use.
2. Heat oil in a large heavy bottomed pot and add fennel and onions. Saute briefly - do not brown.
3. Add pork and cook until no longer pink on the outside.
4. Cut the stem end from each almond and then cut almonds in half following the natural seam in each.
4. Pour stock into stew and add almonds. Simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Add potatoes and cook for another 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
6. Remove stew from heat and stir in parsley, salt and pepper and half and half. Serve hot.

Salsa Pork and Cheesy Polenta

Salsa Pork and Cheesy Polenta

In my house polenta is usually called cornmeal mush, but for this spicy-meets-creamy dish, polenta fits better. Using whichever heat level you like for the salsa, the cool cornmeal with cheese evens it out and the result is pure deliciousness.

Salsa Pork and Cheesy Polenta
Hands-On Time: 10 minutes
Ready In: 2 hours 30 minutes
Serves: 8
Printable Recipe

Salsa Pork

2 pounds pork loin, trimmed of visible fat
1 jar (16 ounces) - I like ShopRite Special Edition Pico de Gallo Syle Salsa for this
2 cloves garlic - minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 cup chicken stock
1 can (4 ounces) diced green chiles

Cheesy Polenta

4 cups chicken stock
1 cup finely ground corn meal
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

1. In a large heavy-bottomed pot combine pork, cut in half to fit if necessary, with salsa, garlic, cumin, oregano, chicken stock and green chiles. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally and turning pork once or twice during cooking time.
2. Remove pork from sauce and turn heat to high. Cook for 5 - 10 minutes or until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly.
3. While sauce is reducing, shred pork well. Add back into sauce and lower heat to keep warm.
4. For the polenta, heat 3 cups of the chicken stock and salt to boiling. Stir together remaining cup of stock and cornmeal until smooth. Whisk into boiling stock and reduce heat to low.
5. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until polenta is thickened. Remove from heat and stir in shredded cheese.
6. Serve salsa pork on top of polenta.

Royal Foodie Joust Entry: Pork and Asparagus Rolls on Wilted Spinach

Here is my entry for this month's Royal Foodie Joust for which the 3 ingredients are, lemongrass, almonds and asparagus. Even the littlest noseminers liked this one.


Pork and Asparagus Rolls on Wilted Spinach
Serves 2
Printable Recipe

12 spears asparagus
4 one-inch thick slices pork tenderloin
2 four-inch lengths of lemongrass
1/4 cup whole unsalted almonds
2 teaspoons orange marmalade
6 ounces fresh baby spinach
1 Tablespoon thinly sliced green onion
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon Sherry
2/3 cup beef stock
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste
neutral oil such as canola for frying

Remove woody ends of asparagus spears and tie the spears together. Cut the outer leaves of the lemongrass away from the tender centers and set aside. Steam asparagus spears with water prepared with these outer lemongrass leaves and salt. Steam lightly for 2-3 minutes only. Set aside.

Pound tenderloin slices thin. Do this very gently. Pork tenderloin is already very tender and over-pounding will cause them to break up. Spread 1/2 teaspoon orange marmalade on each pounded filet.

Cut asparagus spears into 3 inch lengths. Set 3 cut spears (the end with the top intact) onto the smaller end of the filet. Roll up tightly and set aside, seam side down while you roll the other filets and asparagus.

Grind 1/4 cup almonds fine. Add salt and pepper to taste and roll each pork and asparagus roll in the almonds.

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add each coated roll, seam side down, to the pan and cook
until well browned on each side. This takes 6-8 minutes for each roll. Set aside and keep warm.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Chop one length of lemongrass (with harder outer leaves removed) and add to the oil. Heat briefly until fragrant - just a few seconds will do it. Add spinach and stir just until wilted. Remove to 2 plates and top each mound of spinach with 2 asparagus and pork rolls.

For sauce - stir together soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon thinly sliced lemongrass stalk, green onion, garlic, Sherry, stock and cornstarch. Pour sauce ingredients into the same pan used for the spinach and heat until thickened.

Pour sauce over rolls and serve immediately.

Scrapple

The Great Gray Lump

Scrapple is made from exactly what one would expect: scraps. Its name is quite fitting then, no? It's one of those foods made from offal meats - the extras like innards and scraps left over from meat processing; something done quite often in leaner times and then carried over as tradition. Who knows, with the way things are going these days, we may be back to using every last piece of everything to make ends meet.

Mixed with seasonings and cornmeal, it's a type of meat pudding that is very commonly eaten here in Pennsylvania - especially for breakfast.

This is a very traditional recipe and not the way store bought scrapple is made any longer. If you want authentic, though - this is the way to go ... if you dare.

Scrapple
Printable Recipe

1 hog's head
Salt & pepper
Corn meal, yellow
Water
1 teaspoon sage, powdered

Separate one hog's head into halves. Take out the eyes and brains.
Scrape and thoroughly clean the head.

Put into a large kettle and cover with 4 or 5 quarts of cold water.

Simmer gently for 2 or 3 hours, or until the meat falls from the bones.

Skim off grease carefully from the surface; remove meat, chop fine and return to the liquor.

Season with salt & pepper to taste and 1 tsp sage.

Sift in granulated yellow corn meal, stirring constantly, until the mixture
is thickened to the consistency of soft mush.

Cook slowly for 1 hour, watching carefully as it scorches easily.

When sufficiently cooked, pour into greased oblong tins and store in a cool place until ready
to use.

Cut in thin slices and fry in hot fat until crisp and brown.

Source: Pennsylvania Dutch Cook Book - Fine Old Recipes, Culinary Arts Press, 1936.

Royal Foodie Joust Entry: Gingered Pork Wontons

This month's Royal Foodie Joust ingredients had me excited at first; and then I had too much time to think. I got to the store today and told my oldest daughter what the three ingredients were and asked her opinion on them. She drew a blank as well as I because of the butter.

You see, the three ingredients are ginger, apricots and butter. I've been baking quite a bit lately and didn't feel like a pastry was in the cards for me, so I was going a savory route. The butter ... the butter kept throwing me. Salad; no - what would I do with the butter? A steak with gingered butter; nah, not inventive enough.

So, my frustrated eldest sighed and said, "OK, pretend it's a 'Quick-Fire'." If you don't watch Top Chef, you won't know what that is. It's the short segment at the beginning of each episode where the chefs are given a quick assignment and a short time-span in which to finish. I laughed and told her that after an hour and a half of milling around Whole Foods I would be disqualified.

I feared my cries of, "I am SO in this month!" would be all for naught and I would have to sit this one out.

Then, as we walked past the wonton wrappers, instant inspiration struck and I raced off for the rest of my foodstuffs. Here, then, is the culmination of all that angsty brain work. By the way, each and every one of my kids thought these were just the best. I think they're pretty good, too.



Gingered Pork Wontons with Apricot Plum Sauce
Printable Recipe

16 ounces ground pork
1 inch peeled ginger
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons brewed soy sauce
2 tablespoons sliced green onion
48 wonton wrappers
oil for frying

Mince together ginger and garlic until it almost forms a paste.
Mix this with pork, soy and green onion.
Drop a teaspoonful of pork mixture on each wonton and close diagonally, sealing with a small amount of water. Fry each in hot oil until golden brown. Serve with Apricot Plum Sauce.

Apricot Plum Sauce

4 tablespoons butter
1 inch peeled ginger, cut into 4 thick slices
1/2 cup dried apricots, diced
3 black plums, pitted and diced - skin on
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro - minced

Melt butter over very low heat.
Add ginger and simmer until fragrant - about 5 minutes.
Toss in apricots and plums, stir and continue simmering until apricots are soft and fruits begin to caramelize.
Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Once cooled, puree with honey, orange juice and cilantro until smooth.
Run through a fine sieve and reheat just until warm.

Sunday Dinner

• Pork Stew
• Layered Salad
• Whole Wheat Bread with Honey
• Ice Cream Sundae Dessert

Pork Stew
Serves 6-8
Printable Recipe

2 lb pork stew meat-cubed
4-5 medium potatoes-peeled and cubed
4 medium carrots-peeled and cut into chunks
1 medium onion-peeled and cut into chunks
3 stalks celery cut into diagonal chunks
1 c frozen peas
1/2 c flour salt and pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
dry thyme
bay leaf


Toss pork cubes in flour that has been seasoned to taste with salt and pepper.
Fry pork in 2 T of oil until browned. Add vegetables (except peas) and seasonings and add enough water to cover all. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer until vegetables are tender and pork is cooked through; about 30 minutes. Thicken if necessary and remove bay leaf before serving.


Layered Salad
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

3 c shredded greens
1/2 c celery cut diagonally
1/2 c diced green pepper
1 c shredded carrots
10 oz frozen peas
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 c. mayo
2/3 c. sour cream
1/2 t. garlic powder
pinch dry basil
5 strips turkey bacon cooked and crumbled

In a clear salad bowl, layer greens, celery, pepper, carrots, peas and cheddar. Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, garlic powder and basil. Mix well and pour on top of salad. Top dressing with bacon and refrigerate, covered, overnight. Mix well before serving.


Whole Wheat Bread with Honey
three small or two large loaves
Printable Recipe

3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoons honey
1 pint milk
1 T salt
2 pkgs dry yeast
6 c whole wheat flour (King Arthur white whole wheat is great)

Proof the yeast in 1/2 cup of milk that has been warmed to 110-115 degrees F.
Melt butter and honey in the remainder of the milk in a saucepan over low heat. When lukewarm add the yeast and salt. Stir while adding flour until the dough is stiff enough to knead. Knead on a floured board for 6 to 8 minutes. Put into a greased bowl and let rise until doubled in bulk.
Turn out onto a floured surface and punch down. Divide into 3 small or 2 larger loaf pans and let rise again. Bake in a preheated 350-375 degrees F oven about 50 minutes or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.


Ice Cream Sundae Dessert Serves 12-16
Printable Recipe

2 cups (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (12 oz) vanilla wafers, crushed
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 quarts vanilla ice cream or other flavor, softened

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt chocolate chips with milk and salt; cook and stir until thickened, about
25 minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside. Combinewafer crumbs and butter; set aside 1 cup. Press
remaining crumbs into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. pan. Chill for 10-15 minutes. Pour chocolate over
crumbs. Cover and freeze for 10-15 minutes or until firm. Spread the ice cream over chocolate. Sprinkle with
reserved crumbs. Freeze at least 2 hours before serving.

R,S,C #23 Recipes

Here are the submissions for this week's R,S,C! I'm hoping to be invited to dinner soon. Enjoy!

From Ian at The Gallumphing Gourmand using maple, pork AND chocolate!:

Maple-Glazed Pork Roast with Raisins, Pine Nuts and Chocolate
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

Preparation time less than 30 mins
Cooking time over 2 hours

2 tbsp olive oil
2 kg (4 lbs) pork shoulder roast
2 medium onions, sliced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
3/4 C red wine
3/4 C chicken stock
1/2 C maple syrup
salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 C red wine vinegar
1/4 C sugar
2 tbsp dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 C raisins
1/4 C pine nuts, toasted on a dry pan, or hot oven until golden for three
minutes.
Enough rice for 6 people

Pre-heat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Place a large saucepan, or dutch oven on high heat.
When very hot add the olive oil and brown the roast on all sides. Remove
the roast from the pot and set aside.
Add the onion and stir on heat for a minute until the onion is slightly
golden. Add the roast back into the pot, then add the sliced carrot, red wine,
chicken stock and maple syrup, and bring to the boil.
Season with salt and pepper, cover, and place in the pre-heated oven.
Cook for 2 - 2.5 hours, until the meat is tender and falling apart, basting
every 20-30 minutes. Make sure the liquid does not completely boil away,
adding some more chicken stock or wine if necessary. While the meat is cooking, place the red wine vinegar and the sugar in a small saucepan, stir till the sugar dissolves and then boil for two minutes. Add the chopped chocolate, stir it, add the raisins and then set aside to allow the raisins to plump up in the liquid.
When the meat is cooked, shred with two forks and add the chocolate and
vinegar mixture and the toasted pine nuts.
Serve with rice.

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From Truth at Piece of the Puzzle using seasoned tomatoes (and OLIVES! They aren't on the list, but I love them):

Chicken with Tomatoes and Green Olives
Printable Recipe

4 Boneless Chicken Breasts Cut up
1/4 cup olive oil + 2 TBS
1/2 cup white wine
2 cloves garlic
1 cup chicken broth
1 14.5 oz. can Hunt's Diced tomatoes w/balsamic vinegar, basil, & oil
1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms
1 TBS lemon juice
3 oz. jar green salad olives

Saute chicken in olive oil until golden brown. (I add a little salt and pepper.) Add garlic and saute a minute longer. Add wine, tomatoes and chicken broth. Simmer 45 minutes. Saute mushrooms in 2 TBS oil or butter in a separate pan. Add lemon juice and olives. Combine all ingredients. Serve over rice. (I like the wild rice/brown rice combination.) This is a recipe that I have made. My husband loves green olives.

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My own recipe using salmon and seasoned tomatoes:

Smoked Salmon Bruschetta
4 Servings
Printable Recipe

1 15 oz can Italian style seasoned tomatoes , drained
1/2 yellow bell pepper, seeded, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 pound thinly sliced smoked salmon
French baguette sliced lengthwise and again into 6" lengths making 4 pieces
fresh garlic clove, cut in half

Sautee onion and pepper in olive oil until translucent. Add tomatoes and lime juice and heat through. Cool to room temperature.

Rub the baguette lengths with the garlic cloves (discard or keep for another recipe) and toast under a broiler until golden-turn if desired.

Lay slices of salmon on each toast and top with tomato mixture. Sprinkle with a *chiffonade of basil.


*Chiffonade ~Lettuces, sorrel, basil leaves and other leafy vegetables cut into julienne strips.

For My Loyal Readers, A Little Luck!

I've been having some technical difficulties with my computer (no ... not because I'm blonde) and so I am working offline mostly on a post, but for those of you who are STARVING, here are a few traditional New Year's recipes.

OK, I know, New Year's is over~but I didn't want to hang onto these until next year!

New Year's foods around the globe:

· Japan: Noodles at midnight at Buddhist temples
· Pennsylvania Dutch: Pork and sauerkraut on New Year's Day for luck
· Cuba: 12 grapes at stroke of midnight to signify the 12 months of the last year
· German folklore: Herring at midnight for luck in the New Year
· Polish: Pickled herring as the first bite of the New Year for good luck
· Southern United States: Black-eyed peas for luck, corn bread for wealth and greens such as cabbage, collard greens, mustard greens, kale or spinach for money
· Philippines: An abundance of food on the table at midnight in order to ensure an abundance of food for the coming year
· Denmark: Boiled cod
· Holland: Olie Bollen, a doughnut-like fritter

Since I'm in Pennsylvania and my mother-in-law is part PA Dutch, here is a traditional recipe for Pork and Sauerkraut. If you've never had it, give it a try. It sounds so simple but is very rich in flavor.

Sauerkraut with Pork (Sauerkraut Und Speck)
Source: Pennsylvania Dutch Cook Book-Fine Old Recipes, Culinary Arts Press,1936.
Printable Recipe

3 lb piece of pork
1 qt sauerkraut
water
salt & pepper

Wipe piece of pork with a damp cloth, place in large stewing pan and
cover with cold water. Set over flame to cook slowly for one hour.
Add the sauerkraut and more water if necessary and continue cooking
for another hour or until meat has become thoroughly tender. Season
with salt and pepper. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Choucroute Garnie
Printable Recipe

Literally "garnished sauerkraut"-this is typical French provincial fare and my favorite version of pork and sauerkraut.

1 medium onion-sliced
5 slices bacon-diced
2 cloves garlic-minced
1 lb kielbasa cut in 2" lengths
1 lb pork cut in 2" cubes
1 lb sweet sausage -like country style- cut in 2" lengths
2-16 oz cans or bags sauerkraut-rinsed and drained
6 medium potatoes peeled and cubed
2 cooking apples peeled-cored and cut in thick slices
2T brown sugar
4 whole cloves
4 juniper berries-or 1 shot of gin-optional
1 bay leaf
1t freshly ground pepper
1c white wine

Saute bacon and onion with garlic in oil until onion is
tender-don't brown.
Add meats and saute until no longer pink.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer until potatoes and
meats are tender-about 45 min.
Remove bay leaf, cloves and juniper berries before serving.

Hoppin' John
Printable Recipe

1 pound dried black-eyed peas
½ pound salt pork, cubed
½ pound cooked ham, cubed
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 ham bone
¼ teaspoon (more to taste) crushed red pepper
Pepper to taste
3 cups cooked rice

Rinse peas and pick over, removing any small stones or particles. Cover with cold water in a large pot, bring to a boil for a minute, remove from heat, cover and let sit for one hour.

In a large skillet, sauté the salt pork to render fat, add onion and garlic, and cook until onion is soft, about five to six minutes. Add the onion mixture along with the ham bone and seasonings to the pot with the peas. Add enough water to cover the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 1 to 1½ hours or until black-eyed peas are tender and not mushy. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over hot, cooked rice. Serves eight.

Southern-Style Collard Greens
Printable Recipe

2 pounds collard greens
6 to 8 thick slices partially cooked bacon
4 to 6 cups water
1/2 to 1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons salt

Wash collard greens in about 3 changes of water, until no sediment can be felt in bottom of sink or bowl. Cut out thick stalks and any thick veins. Roll leaves and cut in 1/2-inch strips or chop coarsely. Cook diced bacon to render some of the fat; discard fat or save for another use.
Bring water to a boil. Add the chopped onion, cooked bacon and salt. Add greens to boiling water. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for about 1 hour, or until greens are tender.
Serves 4 to 6.


Ollie Bollen
Printable Recipe

1 Cake yeast (2/3 oz)
1 Cup Milk
2 1/4 Cups Flour
1 Egg
1 1/2 Cups Currants and Raisins
1 Tart (Cooking) Apple Fat for Deep Frying
2 tsp Salt

First blend the yeast with a little lukewarm milk. Sift the flour and salt. Add Milk, mix to a batter with yeast and egg. Add currants, raisins, and peeled, minced apple. Leave batter in a warm place to rise to double its size. Heat the fat to 375 degrees F. Put two metal spoons into the batter. Shape balls with the two spoons and drop them into the fat. Fry them for 8 minutes until brown. The doughnuts should be soft and should not be grease-soaked inside. If they are fried to slowly the crust becomes hard and tough and the doughnuts become greasy. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve then piled on a dish and thickly with sifted confectioner's sugar. Eat while hot if possible.

Eat up~and I hope the start to your 2006 has been great so far!