Ham and Egg Cups

A few months ago my sister sent me a picture of these breakfast cups that she had found online and let me know that we had to make them ASAP.  

How could I disagree? I love breakfast and they looked super easy, win-win!

Pork Souvlaki

Can this be? TWO posts in a row and neither is dessert?? 

Oh dear, I promise I'll do my best to get back on track for you guys.  I'm pretty sure you have come to expect more than your/our fair share of desserts on this blog these days! I promise that I do have some new sweet things to share, so no worries alright? :)

In the meantime, let's fire up the BBQ!  When we had our Greek-themed dinner a couple of weeks ago (when we served the Marinated Feta and Red Peppers salad) we decided to take advantage of our amazing summer and throw something on the BBQ.  Not only does it get us outside, but it takes the cooking portion of the meal off of me, win-win right?

Sweet and Spicy Pork Tenderloin with Mango Salsa

I have no experience with cooking pork tenderloin, but when I saw this recipe on skinnytaste.com it immediately went on the menu for that week!


This is an incredibly easy recipe, and the pork tenderloin came out super juicy and flavourful. When topped with the mango salsa you will find yourself wolfing the meal down! 

Cheesy Baked Chicken, Bacon, and Mushroom Pasta

You know how in my last post I mentioned how I may be slightly incredibly busy lately? 


I think it caught up with me.


I have spent the last few days at home. Sure a couple days off of work sound nice, except that I have the worst cold EVER (I may be exaggerating, when I had the good ol' H1N1 it maaayyy have been worse than this. maybe.). Between the stuffed sinuses, runny nose, headaches, aches and pains in places I didn't know could ache and pain, and the inability to sleep at night due to coughing, I am a real treat to be around.


Apparently every once in a while your body forces you to slow down!  So I am going to take this chance and try to catch on my my blog a bit :) Sound good? Then I'll nap, I promise!

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo!

Our May hostess, Denise, of There’s a Newf in My Soup!, challenged The Daring Cooks to make Gumbo! She provided us with all the recipes we’d need, from creole spices, homemade stock, and Louisiana white rice, to Drew’s Chicken & Smoked Sausage Gumbo and Seafood Gumbo from My New Orleans: The Cookbook, by John Besh.

Here it is, my very first Daring Cooks challenge: Gumbo!!

Even though they give us an entire month to cook up the new challenge, I procrastinated.  I procrastinated hard. 

So why did I put it off until the very last free night before ‘posting day’?

It wasn’t because it seemed like a lot of work, I enjoy that part.

It wasn’t because it was a brand new dish, because that is why I joined in the first place.

But it was rather because I was afraid that I just wouldn’t like it.

Weird, right?  I mean, I love veggies, chicken, sausage, and soup, so why wouldn’t I be all over this? I think it was because of a couple factors that struck me right at the beginning.

1. It said to chop up an entire chicken into 10 pieces. I have never attacked the whole chicken before, and the thought of little bone shards in my gumbo terrified me
2. They kept the skin on their chicken in the original recipe. Ugh, I could not come to terms with adding that much… well, that much grease to my dish
3. The chicken was placed in the gumbo with the bones attached to the meat. Bones in my soup? Weird, right? And kinda grody too

But I decided to suck it up. With the amazing reviews this recipe was getting from other participants, I knew I had to get over it and get cookin’!

Instead of attacking an entire chicken and making enough gumbo to feed the whole neighborhood, I decided to halve the recipe and just bought a few chicken legs, thighs, and breasts to throw into the gumbo. I cut all of the skin off of the thighs and legs (I just couldn’t add it with the skin!) and cut the chicken breasts in half to get more uniform pieces.  I then seasoned the chicken with my home-made Creole spice (side note: This stuff is fabulous! I plan on using it to BBQ throughout the summer) and threw any extra chicken in with some seasoning and froze it for later.

I added the legs and thighs as-is (well, skinless, but with the bones) as per the original instructions.  It actually worked out really well! The chicken becomes so tender that it falls right off of the bones!  Whew.

I made this on Monday night, but didn’t whip up any rice until Tuesday night.  As a result, my first bowl was rice-less and I can definitely see the need for rice in the dish.  Don’t get me wrong as it is wonderfully delicious by itself, but the addition of rice makes it a full and fantastic meal!

Would I make this again? Definitely!  It was extremely tasty, and very filling.  It reminded me of a stew or another fall/winter meal though, so I probably won’t try it again until the weather cools off.  We are finally breaking 20 degrees (Celsius) here, so BBQ and fresh salads just seem more appropriate :)

Here is the halved recipe, it made enough for about 6 - 8 full bowls!

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 large onion, diced
• about 2 lbs chicken  (thighs, legs, breast)
• 1 tbsp Basic Creole Spices (recipe below if you want to make it yourself)
• 1 lb smoked sausage, sliced
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 orange bell pepper, diced
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• sprinkle of thyme (or 1 sprig), approx 1/4 tsp
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 ounces Mundare sausage, diced
• 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper, to taste
• hot sauce, to taste
• 3 cups of cooked rice (to serve it with)

1. Prepare the Basic Creole Spices (if you want to make it yourself)
2. Season the chicken with about 1 tbsp of the Creole spices and set aside
3. Slice and dice everything before beginning to make the roux. You will have to watch the roux very carefully so it makes the dish much easier to make if everything is ready at the start
4. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
5. Add the flour, and whisk constantly until the roux is a nice deep brown (this took me about 15 minutes)
6. Add the diced onions, and stir with a wooden spoon for about 10 minutes over medium-low. 
7. When the roux is a glossy dark brown, add the chicken and stir
8. Stir the chicken and turn the pieces until they are beginning to brown on all sides
9. Add the smoked sausage and stir for a couple of minutes
10. Add the celery, bell peppers, tomato, and garlic and stir for about 5 minutes
11. Sprinkle in the thyme, pour in the chicken stock, and add the bay leaf
12. Bring the gumbo to a low boil, and then turn down the heat until it simmers
13. Let the gumbo simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you left the skin on the chicken, you will want to skim the fat off every once in a while
14. Add the Mundare sausage and the Worcestershire sauce.
15. Add some salt, pepper, and tobasco to taste
16. Stir, and then let simmer for 45 minutes again while still stirring occasionally. The gumbo will start to thicken up beautifully!
17. Remove the bay leaf before serving, and serve over rice 
18. Enjoy!

Basic Creole Spices

• 2 tbsp celery salt
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice

1. Whisk all of the spices together in a bowl
2. Store in a airtight container or spice jar
3. This will store well for about 6 months :)

Carnitas

Lately I have been finding myself with some intense cravings for Mexican food.  This may have something to do with the fact that 2 weeks from today I will be marrying my favourite person on a beach in the Mayan Riviera, or it may be because I really love Mexican food.  Maybe a little bit of both.


That's right! On January 8th we are leaving this cold and snowy weather with 45 of our family and friends to hang out in sunny and warm Mexico, and are throwing a wedding in there as well!  We will be gone for two wonderful weeks, so the activity on this dear blog of mine will be a bit slower than usual. I hope you can forgive me :)

This was us in Mexico in January 2010, a few days after we had gotten engaged :)

This recipe for carnitas comes from tastykitchen.com, and it was absolutely amazing! Even better, it was incredibly simple to make and requires a small list of ingredients.  This had so much flavour, the leftovers were gone in record time. This recipe makes about 6 servings.

I hope everyone had an absolutely amazing Christmas! We had a wonderful time with some friends up North this year. I think I am still full. It may have to do with the fact that there was ham, and scalloped potatoes, and brussels sprouts, and salad, and carrots, and stuffing, and gravy, and homemade apple pie, and homemade blueberry peach pie, and and and, it was wonderful.


Carnitas

• 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, fat trimmed and cut into cubes
• Juice of 1 orange
• Juice of 1 lime
• 7 cloves of garlic, peeled and left whole
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1/4 up beef or chicken stock 
• 1 bottle mexican beer, to deglaze the pan (optional)
• 2 tbsp olive oil

1. Combine all ingredients together in a slow cooker (except the beer and olive oil) and stir
2. Make sure the pork is spread out on the bottom of the slow cooker, and cook for 8 hours on low (or about 4 hours on high)
3. After the pork is done cooking, remove from the juices and shred with a fork
4. Heat up a pan on the stove with 1 tbsp of olive oil, and place half of the pork in the pan
5. Cook until some of the pork is crispy (this adds a delicious texture), and deglaze with some of the beer (about 1/4 of a cup)
6. Cook until the beer is evaporated, then repeat with the other half of the pork and remaining olive oil
7. Serve in tortillas with avocado, chopped green onions, fresh lime wedges, and whatever other fixings you like
8. Enjoy!

Steamed Pork Buns

Wow, post #99! How did this happen? Time has really flown by since I started posting the happenings of my kitchen :)  Now I have to decide what to do for post #100! It is such a great milestone, I can barely believe it! So exciting.


I first made these this summer after we had gone for Dim Sum and I found out that they were my fiance's favourite dish to get.  I have made them a few times since, and they are a hit every time! They don't involve any complex ingredients, but do require a fair bit of time to produce.  The nice thing about them is not only are they tasty, but they freeze extremely well and therefore make a quick supper for another day.


We cook the pork in our slow cooker, and this makes it so tender and easy to work with.  We usually cook ours on high for 5 or 6 hours, and it comes out juicy every time!  The dough isn't very complicated to make either. If you make the dough while the pork is cooking, then once the pork is finished you can start making the buns as soon as the pork is seasoned.


The filling and closing of the buns is probably the most complex part.  Here is a step-by-step guide to how I have managed to make it work for myself.


After I roll out the dough, I score it with a knife to make sure that I get 24 equal pieces of dough. 

I then stretch out each piece of dough to about 4" in diameter (one at a time).  In the centre of each circle place about 1 to 2 tbsp of the pulled pork.

To close up the buns, fold up opposing sides and pinch them together. Continue folding up opposite sides and pinching them together until it is completely sealed.

Place the completed bun seam-side down onto some aluminum foil, and then cover with a tea towel.  Repeat with the remaining dough and pork until all is used up (I get 2 dozen buns from this recipe).  Let them rise for about an hour.

They will get nice and puffy after all that time rising!  At this point, you can cook or freeze the buns. To freeze them for a later date, place them on parchment paper in a freezer safe bag or in a freezer safe container. Do not layer the buns until they are completely frozen, or they will squish each other. To cook frozen buns, let them thaw for a couple hours first so that they cook thoroughly.


To cook the buns, place them in a parchment paper-line vegetable steamer above some simmering water (be sure to use a knife to poke out holes in the parchment paper to let the steam through). Once the water is boiling, add the buns to the parchment lined vegetable steamer, and cover for 10 minutes.


I also posted these a few months ago on tastykitchen.com :)


These are great! 


Steamed Pork Buns

• 1 pound Pork (boneless)
• 1 cup Water
• 1 Tablespoon Teriyaki Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Hoisin Sauce
• 1 pinch Salt
• 1 pinch Pepper
• 1 package Active Dry Yeast (.75 Ounce Packet)
• 1 cup Warm Water
• 4-½ cups All Purpose Flour, divided use
• ¼ cups White Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
• ½ cups Boiling Water
• 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• ⅔ cups Hoisin Sauce

1) Brown the pound of pork in a pan until brown on all sides. We use any kind of pork we happen to find on sale.
2) Place the pork in a slow cooker with 1 cup of water, and season with the teriyaki, hoisin sauce, salt, and pepper. Cook on low for about 8 hours, or on high for about 5 – 6 hours.
3) While the pork is cooking, place the 1 cup of warm water in a large mixing bowl and add the package of active yeast. Add one cup of flour, then cover it with a tea towel and let stand until bubbles appear on the surface (15 – 20 minutes).
4) Add the sugar and the vegetable oil to the 1/2 cup of boiling water, and mix to dissolve the sugar. Let cool until warm to the touch. Then mix the yeast mixture, the sugar/oil mixture, and the remaining flour all in a large mixing bowl.
5) Mix the dough until it becomes stiff, and then place on a floured surface and knead it until it becomes nice and smooth (this takes me about 15 minutes, but I am no expert ‘kneader’!)
6) Coat a large bowl with the 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and put the smooth ball of dough into the bowl. Coat the dough with the vegetable oil and then cover the bowl with a tea towel. Allow the dough to rise for about 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
7) When the pork is cooked through, remove from the juices in the crockpot and pull the pork apart. It should come apart very easily at this point. You can use two forks or whatever method works for you. Then add to the shredded pork about 1/4 cup of the juice from the crockpot (if pork is dry). Season with the remaining 2/3 cups of hoisin sauce until the taste is wonderful. (I find I just keep seasoning and tasting the pork, without using a specific amount of the hoisin sauce. It is all about personal preference.)
8.) Roll the ball of dough into a large log, and then slice off pieces that are approximately 1 inch thick. Flatten each piece into a 3.5 - 4 inch circle, and place 1 to 2 tablespoons of the seasoned pork in the middle.
9) Pinch all of the edges together over the filling to seal, and then place pinched-side down on aluminum foil. Cover with a tea towel and allow them to rise for about 1 hour.
10) Fill a pot with about 2 inches of water, and place a vegetable steamer on top. If you line the vegetable steamer with parchment paper, and then use a pencil to poke out the holes of the steamer, this will allow the buns to come out nicely and not stick to the pot.
11) When water is boiling, place 3 or 4 buns in the steamer (do not layer them or they will stick together), and cover with a lid. Allow them to cook for 10 minutes, then remove and enjoy! Repeat with the remaining buns.