Sweet Potato Chili

Good Morning! It's Secret Recipe Time! I'm so thankful for this club this month.  As you can see, it's the only thing keeping my blog going right now. But more on that later...

Right now let me introduce Judee from Gluten Free A-Z Blog! Judee has great recipes, and it was really hard to pick just one. Then, she posted this chili. The somewhat odd combinations of ingredients intrigued me. Especially since I could make it in my crockpot. An easy, but extremely flavorful dish? One that cooks without any supervision? I'll take it!

The only change I would make next time is to add 1-2 teas. Cayenne or Chili powder. This chili is on the sweet side.

Sweet Potato Chili

Adapted from Gluten Free A-Z

1 medium red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 28 ounce can of fire roasted tomatoes (find the fire-roasted, they are so good!)
16 oz black beans
16 oz kidney beans, drained
1 large sweet potato (I actually used 1 1/2), cubed
1-2 teas cayenne pepper
1 Tb ground cumin
2 teas unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teas ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in the crockpot and stir well.  Cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 4 until potatoes are cooked through. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and cheese.

Enjoy!

Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder

Before I made my "tv debut" last week, I watched several of the videos available to see what to do. One of the videos I watched was a chef from Stein Lodge in Utah making Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder. I knew I had to make it.  Apples, carrots, cider... it just screams Fall.  Plus, it bakes for a few hours in your oven or crockpot, making it a great end of day meal!

The finished product got two thumbs up from me and my husband. The meat is moist, and so flavorful. My 8yr old said "I like pork now!" It's definitely a make-again recipe !

The video can be found on Connect2Utah if you need visuals. I served the pork with some Butternut Squash, which recipe will be up soon!


Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder

Steinlodge.com (KUTV)  
Serves 8-12  
Can also cook in the crock pot! Just brown the meat, saute the onions, and place everything in the crockpot.


Ingredients:
1 pork shoulder (or pork butt)
2 Tb olive oil
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp kosher salt
tsp cinnamon
tsp ground clove
tsp garlic salt
5 bay leaves
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 apples, green or granny smith, cut into wedges
4 cups apple cider
2 Tb Worcestershire sauce
3 tsp cornstarch

Directions:
1. Clean pork shoulder of excess fat, rub the shoulder with the spices (pepper, salt, cinnamon, cloves, garlic salt)
2. Heat a thick bottom roasting pan over medium/high heat. Add the oil to the pan, then add the pork and brown on all sides for 3-5 minutes per side.
3. Add the bay leaves, onions, carrots, apples to pan and saute until onions are softened. Add the cider and the Worcestershire sauce.
4. Place a lid on the pan and place into a pre-heated oven. Cook at 310 degrees for 5 hours.
5. Remove the pork from the pan and pull from the bone, removing the fat.
6. Add cornstarch to the sauce remaining in the pan, place over medium heat and bring the sauce to a simmer.
7. Strain the sauce, adjust seasoning and pour the sauce over the meat.

Enjoy! I know we did! 

Savory Beef Stew

It's getting cold outside, and we've already had a few snow showers. Really, the only thing I love about this time of year is the food. Apples, pumpkin, cider, hot chocolate, and mostly, soups and stews. I crave warmth. Stew provides it!

This beef stew started from a need to use leftover beef. The flavors on the roasted beef were perfect in the stew. In the recipe below, I've added the seasonings to regular stew beef instead of making an entire roast like I did. Stew Beef can be found in grocery stores in the meat department. It's pre-cut chunks, ready to go!  The stew can be slow cooked in a heavy stock pot in the oven, or in your crockpot.

Savory Beef Stew
The Double Dipped Life

For the meat:
1 1/2 lb beef stew meat
2 teas sea salt
1 Tb olive oil
1 teas ground pepper
1 1/2 teas oregano
2 teas dried basil
1/2 teas crushed red pepper
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tb Olive Oil

Season the stew meat with sea salt, cover, and place in refrigerator for a few hours, or overnight.

Remove meat from the refrigerator, and use paper towels to dry the excess moisture from the meat. In a large bowl, mix the meat and all the above seasonings.

In a large stockpot, heat 1 Tb olive oil. Add the meat, and sear on all sides, until nicely browned, but not cooked through.

Add in the soup ingredients:

2 cups beef broth
1 medium onion, chopped finely
1 can (14.5 oz) chopped tomatoes, undrained
8 oz baby carrots, chopped into bite-sized pieces
12 small red potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 bay leaf
2 Tb Worcestershire sauce
4 Tb hot sauce 
water pr stock as needed if stew is too thick

Mix all the ingredients together.  Place in a 300 degree oven for 5 hours, keep on the stove top for 2 hours, or throw everything into a crockpot and cook low for 6 hours, or high for 4 hours.

Serve with warm, crusty bread and Enjoy!

Sweet Pork Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw

I am in search of the perfect shredded pork recipe. While I am more in favor of a spicy pork, this pork hit the spot for it's sweetness. Topped with a fantastic cabbage slaw with Cilantro Lime Sauce, it just made the taste buds dance!

One note. I detest Dr. Pepper. I used Coke instead, which I moderately tolerate. Actually though, you really can't taste the soda in the recipe. I think the carbonation helps tenderize the meat, and also contributes towards the sweetness. Next time though, I think I'll cut down on the brown sugar, so it's a little less sweet.


Sweet Pork Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw
Makeit-loveit.com


Cilantro Lime Slaw 
*I changed the quantities and ingredients of this recipe.

1 package Cole Slaw or whole shredded cabbage (I was the only one who had this, so I did 1/2 shredded cabbage)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 teas minced garlic
1/4 teas Cayenne pepper, or a dash of hot sauce
1/2 teas salt
2 Tb Lime juice
1/2 teas cumin

Combine all but the cabbage in a food processor, and process until smooth. Mix desired amount of dressing with cabbage no more than 30 minutes before serving. (I don't think the leftovers would last long)


Roasted Sweet Pork

6 lbs Pork Shoulder/Butt (I used 3lbs and had enough for 2 adults and 3 kids with leftovers)
1 19oz can Red Enchilada Sauce
1 20 oz can Dr. Pepper or Coke
2 teas Chili Powder
1 teas Cumin
1 teas Salt
1 Garlic clove, or 1 teas garlic powder
1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar (I would reduce to 1 cup)
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Trim the pork of any thick fat. Combine all ingredients except the pork in a bowl. Place the pork in a slowcooker, and pour the sauce over the top.  Cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 6. Shred meat about one hour before serving, and continue cooking.

I served this as burritos topped with the slaw and black beans.  I think the slaw added a nice fresh, crispy bite to the pork.  I'm using the leftovers in another great recipe coming soon!  You could also freeze the leftovers.

Enjoy!

A Baptism and Bean and Ham Soup

McKenzie, Mark (dad), Tanner- the special boy of the night, and Michael.

 Last week my oldest was Baptized. In my church, we are baptized when we turn 8. We are so proud of Tanner for making this decision. It was an amazing night. I was blown away by the number of family and friends that came to witness this special event.  My younger brothers were able to be "witnesses". My youngest brother is leaving on a mission in February, and so he had the authority to stand in the Priesthood circle to ordain Tanner a member of the church.  

I made the mistake of saying the opening prayer. I could barely get the words out, I was so overcome with emotion. My BABY is now old enough for this! I cried that he was old enough, and I cried because this is an amazing act in his young life. Later, as I listened to those around me singing Hymns, I was overcome by the LOVE that filled the room. These people were here for MY family. To celebrate with us, and to support us. It is an overwhelming feeling.

Thank you to those who came. It was a night that we will never forget. 

********

After the baptism, we held a dinner to thank those that came, and to celebrate. We had a variety of appetizers, ham, potatoes, salad, and cheesecake for dessert. Everyone enjoyed the dinner, and some recipes will be shared here in the next few days.

As I was cleaning up, I asked my Father-In-Law if he wanted the ham bones to make soup with. He didn't, and I just couldn't throw them away. I decided to try my hand at it! After cruising a few recipes, I tweaked them into my own. Everyone I shared it with (it makes a TON) loved it. I served it with Homemade Cornbread from Mels Kitchen Cafe. This is seriously the best cornbread ever! 

I made the soup in the crockpot, but it can also be made in a large soup pan. You can also do this without a ham bone- just add more chopped ham.

The Best Bean and Ham Soup

Recipe by The Double Dipped Life

1 (20oz) package of dried beans, soaked overnight (I used Great Northern White, but you can use any kind you like!)

1 ham bone

2 1/2 cups cubed ham (or more if you don't have a ham bone)

1 large onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

5 large carrots, peeled and chopped 

1 (14.5oz) can of diced tomatoes, with liquid

10 cups low sodium chicken broth (I used 10 cups water and 10 teas. chicken granules)

2 TB Worchestershire Sauce

1 TB Chili Powder (I had to use Cayenne, and it turned out great!)

3 Bay Leaves

1 teas. ground black pepper

1 Tb dried parsley

3 Tb lemon juice

1 teas kosher salt

1. Take the beans you have soaked overnight, and drain. Place them in a large pot, and fill with enough water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil, and then simmer on low for at least 20 minutes, while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.  

2. Chop the veggies, and add everything to the crockpot.  Add in the beans.  The liquid should cover the ingredients. (I have a large crockpot, and it was full! I had to siphon off about 1/2 cup of liquid, and add it back in later) 

3. Set your crockpot on high for 6-8 hours. Stir every few hours- quickly.  The more time the lid is off, the longer it takes to cook! 

4. Remove the ham bone and the bay leaves.  

5. Optional step: Take a hand or immersion blender, and blend 1/4 - 1/2 of the soup. It ended up giving it a grainy-looking texture, but the taste was a lot smoother.  

Serve warm with Cornbread! 

Enjoy! 

Quesadillas and perfecting an old recipe

I was cooking for a crowd last week, and really wanted to make my Lime Cilantro Chicken. However, I needed a meal that would travel well. The thought hit me to do the chicken in the crockpot! That way, I could cook all day, and then the crockpot would keep it warm during the 45 min. drive.

This little experiment resulted in the best batch of Lime Cilantro Chicken I have made to date. The chicken just fell apart, and since it was baked right in the sauce, it had more flavor then when I cook it on the stove.

A few hours into the cooking, our family get-together fell through, so I was left with a lot of chicken! I used some to make these yummy quesadillas, and then froze the rest in 2 cup quantities. Now, I can just pull the chicken out of the freezer whenever I need too!



Here is the basic recipe again. I used 5 chicken breasts, so I doubled the sauce ingredients. I left the chicken whole, and just stacked them in the crockpot.

Lime and Cilantro Chicken

Enough skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips, to feed your family
Juice of 2 limes (can also use the zest for an extra kick)
2 TB Sugar
2 teas. dried Oregano
1/2 teas. Cayenne
1 teas. ground Cinnamon
1 bunch Cilantro
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil

For crockpot:
Mix all of the ingredients, except the chicken, together. Lay the chicken in the crockpot. My chicken was even frozen! Pour marinade over the top, and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Shred chicken, stir, and cook until done.

Serve in a burrito, as fajitas, or in a quesadilla!  Serve with Cilantro Lime Dressing!

I spread cheese on half of a flour tortilla, added chicken and salsa, folded the top of the tortilla over the mixture, and grilled until the cheese melted and the tortilla was crisp. Yum!

Roasted Pork in the Crockpot

I love my crockpot. I love the fact that I can start a meal the night before, stick it all in the crockpot, then in the fridge, then cook it in the morning. The wonderful aroma fills the house all afternoon, making us drool.

I usually avoid recipes with steps that I have to do before I start the crockpot. This original recipe was a "just dump it in" recipe, but when I read the reviews, it seemed necessary to do some prep work. I'm glad I did though. I think pre-browning the meat sears in the flavors better. You can always do this the night before as well!

Roasted Pork Loin in the Crockpot
adapted heavily from Allrecipes.com

2 lbs boneless pork loin roast (make sure it will fit in your crockpot!)
6 minced garlic cloves
2 TB dried rosemary
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/2 cup chicken broth or white wine
1 chopped onion
Salt and pepper to taste
Red Potatoes, Baby Carrots optional

Rinse the pork under water, and then pat dry. Heat 1 TB oil in large saucepan, and brown the pork on all sides.

If using, place chopped Red Potatoes and baby carrots in the bottom of the crockpot.

Place browned pork in crockpot, and pierce the top with holes.

Cover pork with garlic, rosemary, and onions- pushing some of them into the holes.
Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and then pour in the chicken broth.

Cook on high for 1 hour, then turn to low for 8 more hours. (Or low for 9 hours)

When pork is done, remove from the crockpot, and cover the meat with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes to preserve the juices.

Serve sliced (or shredded) with sides of potatoes and carrots.

The leftovers are fantastic in salad, burritos, or the meat can be frozen!
We used the leftovers to make Spicy Crockpot Shredded Pork.

Spicy Crockpot Shredded Pork

I am always looking for yummy Mexican dishes. I could literally eat Mexican for every meal, every day. All sorts of leftovers find their way into a tortilla with salsa on top. Why not? It's a great portable meal! So, I was excited when I found this recipe. The original recipe had different measurements, but it turned out way too sweet. We like things spicy! So, here is my adapted recipe to make your mouth happy!

This recipe is amazingly easy. How can you beat having only 3 ingredients? You can brown the pork first, or just dump it all in the crockpot! Fantastic by itself, or serve in burritos, fajitas, or even as sandwich toppings!
You can even use leftover, already cooked pork for this recipe. Just put it all in the crockpot until it's warmed through.

Spicy Crockpot Shredded Pork

2 lb. pork
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups Pace Picante Salsa

In a crock pot add salsa and brown sugar. Mix and then put the roast in. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Half way thru flip the roast. After a few hours break it up into large chunks. An hour or so before serving shred it into small pieces, stir it all together. If it is a little runny still take the lid of and let it cook until it is the right consistency.

That's it!! Enjoy!