Orange Cranberry Pork Stew

INGREDIENTS
1    medium orange
1    teaspoon sesame oil
1    pound pork loin, cut to 1 inch pieces
½   cup coarsely chopped white onion
5    large cloves garlic, minced
¾   cup low sodium chicken broth
1    tablespoon dark brown sugar
2    tablespoons soy sauce
1    tablespoon rice vinegar
2    tablespoons chopped mild chilies, fresh or canned
1    cup fresh cranberries or ¾ cup dried
 
4    cups cooked long grain rice
2    tablespoons diagonally sliced green onions

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Peel and section the orange, removing as much membrane as you can. In a large skillet, add the sesame oil and brown the pork cubes over medium-high heat for 5 minutes until browned on all sides. Add the onion and gasrlic and cook for 2 minutes.

Pour the pork and onions into a baking dish and add the orange slices, broth, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and chili. If you are using dried cranberries, add them now with ¼ cup more of broth. Cover and bake for 1 hour. Add the fresh cranberries and bake, covered, for 30 minutes more or until pork is fork-tender.

To serve, place 1 cup of rice on each individual plate, cover with ¾ cup of the pork stew and garnish with the sliced green onions

Based on a recipe from Cooking Light  magazine

Chicken Spinach Salad

INGREDIENTS
1    pound fresh baby spinach
½   cup chopped walnuts
1    tablespoon butter or butter substitute
2-3  shallots, peeled, cut into strips
½   cup Emiles Port
1    tablespoon aged Balsamic vinegar
½   pound chicken nuggets or chicken breast cut to ½ inch pieces
½   cup crumbled feta cheese
½   cup fresh or dried cranberries

METHOD

Place the spinach into a large salad bowl. In a large skillet, toast the walnut pieces over medium heat for about 2 to 3 minutes – do not let them burn. Remove to the salad bowl. Melt the butter in the skillet and add the shallot strips. Cook them until they soften and almost begin to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add these to the salad bowl.

Put the port and the Balsamic into the skillet and add the chicken pieces . Cook the chicken, stirring often, for 6 to 8 minutes until it is thoroughly cooked. Add these to the salad bowl and pour the pan juices over the salad. Add the feta and cranberries to the salad, serve and enjoy.

Pork Poblano Stew

INGREDIENTS
1   pound pork loin, cut to ½  inch pieces
2   teaspoons chili powder
3   tablespoons olive oil, divided
2   fresh poblano or Anaheim chilies, seeded, cut to 1 inch
1   large red bell pepper, seeded, cut to 1 inch
1   medium white onion, coarsely chopped
4   cloves garlic, chopped
1   can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
1   cup reduced sodium chicken broth
1   piece, 3 inch, cinnamon stick
¼  cup fresh squeezed orange juice
2   teaspoons grated orange rind

METHOD

In a large bowl, mix the pork pieces and the chili powder and stir to coat the pork well. In a large sauce pan, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat and add the pork pieces. Cook the pork, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes or until the pork is browned. Remove the pork to the large bowl and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the sauce pan and add the chilies, red peppers, onions and garlic. Cook the vegetables, stirring now and then, until they become tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, broth, and the cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 6 to 7 minutes.

Add the pork to the sauce pan along with the orange juice and orange peel. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, remove the cinnamon stick, and serve. Will provide 4 servings.

NOTE: Do not cut back on the orange peel or skip it entirely – it is what gives this dish a kick and makes this dish heavenly to eat

Adapted from a recipe in Better Homes and Gardens magazine

Yukon Gold Potato Cakes

INGREDIENTS
2    medium to large Yukon Gold potatoes, about 1 pound
¼   cup half-and-half
¾   cup chopped green onions
1    egg, lightly beaten
2    tablespoons all-purpose flour
½   cup grated Parmesan cheese

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Prepare a baking sheet by evenly spreading about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the surface.

Peel and shred the potatoes. There should be about 1 ½ cups of shredded potatoes. Bring 5 cups of water to a boil in a large sauce pan and add the shredded potatoes. Cook for 2 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Put into a large mixing bowl and add all the remaining ingredients, mixing well to evenly spread the green onions.

Divide the mixture into 8 portions and place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving room between for spreading.. Press each portion down to about ½ inch thick and put into the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes until they begin to brown. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving.

Green Bean Casserole

 INGREDIENTS
2   pounds green beans, trimmed
2    tablespoons butter
1    pound white mushrooms
3    cloves garlic, minced
3    tablespoons all-purpose flour
1    cup low-sodium chicken broth
1    cup half-and-half

1    cup canned fried onions for topping
¼   cup Parmesan cheese for topping

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Cut the green beans to about 2 inches in length. In a large sauce pan, bring 3-4 cups of water to a boil and add the beans. Boil for 5 to 6 minutes until they are crisp-tender and bright green. Drain the beans and run cold water over them to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet or sauce pan, add and melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until they begin to release their moisture. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Slowly add the flour, stirring constantly. Add the broth and mix thoroughly. Add the half-and-half and mix it in. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Add the beans to the sauce and mix to coat all the beans. Pour into a 3 quart baking dish and arrange into a flat layer. Sprinkle the fried onions over the top and sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan cheese. Cook in the oven for about 15 minutes until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Serve immediately.

Based on a recipe from Cooks Illustrated

Corn Fritters

 

INGREDIENTS

½   cup all-purpose flour
½   teaspoon baking powder
1    egg, lightly beaten
¼   cup half-and-half
¼   teaspoon salt
1 ½  cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Prepare an edged baking sheet by spreading 2 tablespoons of olive oil evenly over the sheet.

Combine the flour and baking powder in a large bowl and mix. Add the egg and half-and-half and mix in. Add the corn and stir together. Place small portions of the corn batter on the prepared baking sheet  Each “dollop” should be about 2 tablespoons and you should end up with about 8 to 10 fritters. Leave room between the fritters because they will spread.

Place into the middle of the oven and bake for about 10 minutes until are slightly browned on top and the edges are browned. Cool for a few minutes and serve.

Beet, Orange, Fennel Salad

Roasted beets and braised fennel make this salad a bit more difficult and time-consuming, but your guests will be amazed by the combination of ingredients and tastes.
 
INGREDIENTS
2   medium red beets, peeled, cut and roasted
2   medium gold beets, peeled, cut and roasted
2   small fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
½  cup dry white table wine
1   large navel orange
2   tablespoons olive oil
2   tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

ROAST THE BEETS:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 F. Peel each of the beets, wearing gloves to prevent your hands from becoming stained red. Cut each beet into 8 pieces, cutting length-wise. Place the pieces into a medium bowl and mix with 2 tablespoons of olive oil making sure each piece is covered. Place the beet slices upright on a baking sheet (rounded part down) and place into the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, remove and allow them to cool.

BRAISE THE FENNEL

Place the slices of fennel in to a large skillet over medium heat and dry-fry for 6 to 8 minutes, turning often. Add the white wine, cover and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes, turning often, until the fennel has browned slightly. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.

ASSEMBLE THE SALAD

Peel the orange and remove as much of the white pith as you can. Cut the top and bottom off the orange, about ¼ inch slice each, and cut the remainder into 4 slices. Cut each slice into quarters. Each of the 4 salad servings will receive 4 orange pieces, 4 red beet slices, 4 gold beet slices and ¼ of the fennel. Start with the orange slices, add the beet slices and top with the fennel. Sprinkle with a bit of olive oil and garnish with the chopped parsley. You could also garnish with chopped fennel greens if you wish.

Vegan Butter Bean Soup

 INGREDIENTS
3   tablespoons olive oil
1   cup celery, finely chopped, tops and stalks
1   cup carrots, finely chopped
1   cup white onion, finely chopped
2   cups dry white table wine
1   cup water
1   cup shredded yellow or Yukon Gold potato
1   tablespoon dried basil
2   cans (15 ounces) butter beans, rinsed, drained
1   can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes

METHOD

In a large sauce pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the celery, carrots and onion. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until softened and add the wine, water, potato and basil. Cook over a simmer for 10 minutes.

Working in batches if necessary, add to a food processor or blender and process to a puree. Remove to a clean sauce pan and add the butter beans and tomatoes. Continue to simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, remove from the heat and serve. This recipe will provide 8 to 10 servings

Roasted Squash Garlic Soup

INGREDIENTS
1    acorn squash, about 1 to 1 ½ pounds or similar
12   fat cloves garlic, unpeeled
1    cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1    cup dry white table wine
1    cup water
½   teaspoon ground ginger
2    tablespoons olive oil
1    medium white onion, chopped

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Cut the squash into quarters length-wise, remove all the seeds and stringy stuff and place on a small roasting pan, skin side down. Place the garlic cloves into an oven proof bowl. Put the roasting pan and the garlic bowl into oven and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the garlic bowl and allow it to cool. Continue cooking the squash for 10 minutes. Remove the squash and allow it to cool.

In a large sauce pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the onions. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until they are translucent.

Scrape the squash out of the skin or peel the squash and cut it into cubes. Add the squash to the sauce pan. Remove the roasted garlic from each clove and add to the pan. Add the broth, wine, water and ginger, stirring each ingredient into the mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes to thoroughly cook and meld the flavors.

Working in batches if necessary, place the soup into a food processor or a blender and process to a puree. Return the soup to a clean sauce pan over medium heat, reheat for a few minutes and serve.