Spicy bacon-wrapped pork roast

This was really yummy! And came from my new cook book: The ultimate one-pan oven cookbook by Julia Konovalova

Spice rub
2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp cayenne (I only used 1/2 tsp and it was plenty spicy)
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried thyme

Pork Roast
1 1/2 lbs boneless pork rib roast (or buy a cheaper cut.  I did a boneless picnic roast.  I think a pork sirloin would work.  The book says a tenderloin also works)
1 tsp vegetable oil for the pan
4 slices of bacon (I used like 6 so they were really close together).

Preheat the oven to 375˚ F.  While the oven is preheating, make the spice rub.  Rub the spices all over the meat.

Brush the vegetable oil (put down aluminum foil and spray with pam).  Place the pork on the pan and wrap it with bacon.  Roast in the oven for about 1 hour or until internal temp reaches 145-150˚ F.  Cover with foil and rest for 10 minutes.

Broiled Parmesan and Lemon Chicken

Don't die of shock but I'm putting up a recipe.  Sara I can't believe you haven't put this one up??-have you??  I looked but didn't see it.  I like that I had everything on hand!! Hooray!! Dad and I think it would be yummy to double the sauce stuff and cook it all under the broiler and serve it over pasta.  Dad said"this is good!!"  So I think I'll be making it again.  I hadn't done the chicken under the broiler and it was good and easy.  I did cut my chicken lengthwise- it cooked wonderful.

I forgot-this is from Mel's

Note: If the chicken breasts I am using are on the thicker side, I like to slice them lengthwise to form two thinner chicken cutlets. It helps the flavor infuse into every bite and they cook more evenly.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Stir in the dried basil, pepper, salt, onion powder and garlic powder. Mix well and set aside.
3. Arrange the chicken breasts in a single layer on the prepared pan. Lightly season each side of the chicken with salt and pepper. Broil a few inches from the broiler element for 4-5 minutes. Flip the chicken over and broil for a 3-4 more minutes, until mostly cooked through. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and spread an equal amount of the Parmesan mixture over the top of each chicken breast. Broil for another 2-3 minutes until the topping is golden and bubbly and the chicken is completely cooked through. Serve.

Recipe Source: adapted from this one on allrecipes.com

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

This recipe rocked. So good. So easy. So fast.

Sam liked it because it didn't dry out like traditional cordon bleu is wont to.

I used homemade breadcrumbs. Just threw a few pieces of bread in my blender and then put them in the oven for 5 minutes. They were awesome. I highly recommend this.

Honey ham was on sale so we used that but I definitely think black forest would be better.

For the sauce I would cut back on the dijon mustard. It added a great flavor but was a little overpowering. I also might add lemon juice next time.

Really everyone should try this.

I also halved this one so just used 2 chicken breasts and cut them into thinner pieces. So I think I used like an 8x11 pan instead and still didn't fill it all the way. If you had a square pan it would be perfect for the two chicken breasts.

Mmmm

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2011/06/chicken-cordon-bleu-the-easy-way.html

INGREDIENTS

For the Cordon Bleu:
• 3 large chicken boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half length-wise (to form two thinner chicken breast cutlets)
• 12 slices deli ham
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/3 to 1/2 pound thinly sliced swiss cheese
For the Parmesan-Dijon Cream Sauce:
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules (or 1 bouillon cube, crushed)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs and melted butter. Set aside.
2. Lay the cut chicken breasts in a single layer in the 9X13-inch dish. Layer each chicken breast with two slices of ham and top with 2 slices of swiss cheese, shingling across the chicken breast to make sure the entire chicken breast is covered with ham and cheese. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top of the chicken.
3. Bake the chicken for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through completely, the cheese is bubbling and the bread crumbs are golden.
4. While the chicken bakes, in a medium saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour, whisking constantly, while cooking the flour/butter mixture for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking quickly. Stir in the chicken bouillon granules and salt. Whisk constantly over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer and thicken, about 3-5 minutes. Once the sauce has bubbled and thickened, remove from heat and stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Keep the sauce warm until the chicken is finished baking.
5. Serve each chicken cordon bleu portion with warm sauce.

NOTES

Make Ahead Instructions: Assemble the chicken, ham and cheese according to the recipe. Store the prepared bread crumb/butter mixture in a resealable plastic bag or other container. Cover the casserole with plastic wrap and store it and the bread crumb mixture in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours. When ready to bake, sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top and bake according to the recipe, adding anywhere from 5-15 extra minutes since it was refrigerated prior to baking. Make the sauce while the casserole bakes or make it ahead of time, let it cool, and store it covered in the refrigerator for 1-2 days, reheating over low heat and whisking to recombine before serving.

Mel's Greek Tacos

So I tried these Greek Tacos with the flat bread that Sara put up a little while ago.  I loved the bread.  Loved, loved, loved the tzatziki and the tomato/cucumber salsa.  The meat was ok, however, I think this is me, not the recipe because (1) the boys I fed my leftovers to had no complaints and seconds and (2) I have made another of Mel's Greek things and a Greek recipe from a different website and same problem.  But I thought I would put this up anyways because I think the rest of you would really enjoy it.

From: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2013/09/big-fat-greek-tacos.html

INGREDIENTS

Cucumber Tomato Salsa:
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 firm large tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 English cucumber, seeded and diced
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• Salt and black pepper to taste
Feta Mint Tzatziki:
• 1 English cucumber
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1-2 tablespoons minced fresh mint
• Salt and black pepper to taste
Lamb or Turkey:
• 2 pounds ground lamb or turkey (I used turkey)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup minced red onion
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano (I don't really like oregano, so I did 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp marjoram and 1 tsp of basil)
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup broth (chicken, vegetable or beef)
For the pitas:
• 6-8 non-pocket pita or soft wrap breads (I used our favorite soft wrap bread)

DIRECTIONS

1. At least one hour or as early as one day before you are serving, prepare the salsa and tzatziki. For the cucumber salsa, toss the olive oil, vinegar, tomatoes, cucumbers and onions in a bowl and season with salt and black pepper as needed. Cover and refrigerate for one hour or up to 24 hours to marry the flavors.
2. For the tzatziki, peel the cucumber and shred on the large holes of a box grater. Place the shredded cucumber in a clean kitchen towel and wring out the excess water until the cucumber is very dry. In a medium bowl, stir together the strained cucumber, yogurt, feta, garlic and mint. Again, season with salt and pepper to taste. The tzatziki can be refrigerated up to 24 hours. Give it a good stir before serving.
3. For the meat, heat a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the ground lamb or turkey with the salt, pepper, onion and garlic, breaking up the meat into small pieces and cooking until the meat is cooked through, 8-10 minutes.
4. Drain any excess grease. Stir in the oregano and tomato paste and cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the broth and let the mixture simmer for 5-10 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
5. Warm the pita breads in a cast iron skillet or in the microwave until soft and heated through. Serve the tacos by spooning meat into the center of a pita bread and topping with cucumber salsa and tzatziki.

Smothered Pork Chops

So Sam's parents gave him pork chops for his birthday, and unlike Danielle, I am not absolutely, positively in love with the way we grew up with them. So I wanted something new. These were amazing. So good. And since it's in the crock pot the pork chop is all tender falling apart delicious instead of tougher like when you cook them on a skillet. 

We only had 2 bigger pork chops. And I put them in when we got home from church (around 1) so I cooked on high for 2 hours and on low for 3 and everything was cooked. Mel pleads (and I agree) that you do the steps before throwing it all in the crock pot and I would say it is very worth it. This was a fancier, Sunday meal, and we loved it! I served it with mashed potatoes and corn from our grandparents.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2011/06/smothered-pork-chops-slow-cooker.html

INGREDIENTS

• 5 slices bacon, chopped
• 6 bone-in pork loin chops, about 3/4-inch thick
• Salt and Pepper
• 2 yellow onions, peeled, halved and sliced into 1/2-inch thick half moons
• 1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until lightly browned, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, leaving the drippings in the pan. If you have more than 2 tablespoons drippings, drain the excess. If you don’t have quite that much, supplement with canola oil. When the bacon is cool, transfer to a small bag or tupperware and refrigerate until later.
2. Heat the skillet with the drippings over medium or medium-high heat until rippling and hot. Meanwhile, pat pork chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook pork chops until they are golden brown on each side, about 2 minutes per side, cooking them in batches in the skillet if your skillet isn’t big enough to hold all six at a time in a single layer. When golden on each side, transfer the chops to the slow cooker and repeat with remaining pork.
3. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of fat from the skillet; add onions, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup water to empty skillet. Using a wooden spoon, scrape browned bits from bottom of the pan and cook over medium-high heat until onions are soft, about 4-6 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour onion mixture over chops in the slow cooker. Add broth, soy sauce and remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar to skillet, bring to a boil and add bay leaves. Pour mixture over onions in slow cooker.
4. Cover slow cooker and cook on low until pork is tender, about 8 hours (or cook on high for 4 hours).
5. When ready to serve, carefully transfer chops to serving platter with a large spoon and tent with foil. Discard bay leaves and pour liquid through a mesh strainer into a saucepan, reserving the solids. Transfer solids to a food processor or blender with 1 cup liquid and blend until smooth. Stir the blended mixture back into remaining liquid in the saucepan. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons water together in a small bowl and stir into sauce. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar, season with salt and pepper, pour over chops and sprinkle with reserved bacon and parsley. Serve. If the gravy doesn't thicken enough, mix another tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water and mix it into the gravy and bring it to a boil.

Backed Chimichangas

SO Jenn gave me a bunch of these and Eric and I thought they were really good.  She used our refried beans and Costco tortillas which I think definitely helps too.

Baked Chicken Chimichangas

From:Jenn Alvey

2 1/2 c. chicken, cooked & cubed or shredded--she highly recommends shredded
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 c. onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Tbsp chili powder
16 oz salsa
1/2 tsp cumin
pinch salt ( I don't use any)
6-10 tortillas
1 c. refried beans
Olive oil, for basting
Sour cream
Guacamole

Preheat oven to 450. In lg. pan saute onion and garlic in oil til tender. Stir in chili powder, salsa, and cumin. Stir in chicken. Let cool. Grease rimmed 15 x 10 x 1 pan. One at a time-spoon beans on tortillas. Top with scant 1/2 c. chicken mix. Fold up bottom, top, and sides, secure with toothpick, if needed. Place in pan seam side down. Brush all sides with oil. Bake for 20-25 min til golden brown and crisp, turning every 5 min.

Serve with guacamole and sour cream

I add cheese to mine. When you place them in the pan I use a cookie sheet and then make sure they aren't touching so they can get crisp all over.

Grilled Chicken and Pineapple Quesadillas

These looked wild and exciting so I had to try them out. Mmm grilled pineapple. They were a little messy but quite good. And different. I served it with pico de gallo, refried beans, and chips. Yum!

I tried it with the jalapeno, but with cayenne/ cumin spiced chicken, it made it quite warm. So either cook the jalapenos before or omit them.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/05/grilled-chicken-pineapple-quesadillas/

Ingredients

• 8 whole Flour Tortillas
•  Butter Or Margarine
• 2 cups Grilled Pineapple, Sliced
• 3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
•  Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 3 cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
• 1 whole Jalapeno, Sliced
•  Cilantro
• 3 Tablespoons Barbecue Sauce

Preparation Instructions

(To grill pineapple: cut wedges, stick on skewers, and grill over low heat. Cut into slices.)

(To pound chicken, place inside a Ziploc bag and pound with a mallet or large can to flatten to uniform thickness.)

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and Cajun spice (or cumin/cayenne, etc.) Drizzle olive oil on a grill pan and grill on both sides until done, brushing with barbecue sauce. Set aside and slice into very thin slices.

Warm griddle over medium heat and put sizzling butter or margarine in the pan. Slightly warm and toast tortillas on both sides, then remove from griddle and set aside.

To assemble, sprinkle four browned tortillas with grated Monterey Jack. Arrange chicken slices evenly over the surface. Add pineapple slices and jalapeno slices. Sprinkle on cilantro. If desired, drizzle extra barbecue sauce over the top. Add second browned tortilla on top of each one. (You'll have four complete quesadillas at this point.)

Add to oven to warm, or back to skillet to warm, until cheese is melted. Cut each quesadilla into six wedges. Serve with sour cream, pico de gallo, and lime wedges.

Super Fast Roasted Red Pepper Pasta

So I've decided it's possible I've tried everything on Mel's site. Ok not entirely true but it's feeling like it.  And nothing sounded good on Friday. So I branched out and started looking at Pioneer Woman stuff. This looked different, and super fast. Which I'm all about.

I thought it was good, but could have used a little more depth. I think I would add roasted red pepper flakes next time. Oh and I threw in some pepperoni so it had meat because I felt bad for feeding Sam another meatless dish. I didn't have basil so I didn't use it, if I had I bet it would have been awesome.

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2013/05/quick-and-easy-roasted-red-pepper-pasta/

Ingredients

• 12 ounces, weight Pasta Of Your Choice (I Prefer Short Ones Like Rigatoni, Penne, Etc.)
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 1/2 whole Large Onion, Finely Diced
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 jar (15.5 Ounces) Roasted Red Peppers, Drained And Roughly Chopped
• 1 cup Vegetable Or Chicken Broth
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt, More To Taste
•  Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream (more To Taste)
• 1/2 cup Parmesan Shavings (more For Serving) I used grated
•  Finely Minced Parsley
•  Chopped Fresh Basil (if You Have It!)

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes or until starting to soften. Add the chopped red peppers and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until hot.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Carefully transfer the contents of the skillet to a food processor or blender. Place on the lid and puree the pepper mixture until totally blended (there will still be some texture to the peppers.)

Heat the other 2 tablespoon butter back to the skillet over medium heat. Pour the pepper puree back into the skillet. Add the broth, salt, and pepper, and stir until heated. Splash in the cream and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings if you need to.

Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet. Add Parmesan and parsley/basil, then stir it together to coat the pasta.

Serve in bowls with extra Parmesan and a sprinkling of parsley on top.

Skillet Summer Vegetable Lasagna

This looked interesting and fresh so I tried it. It was great! Next time I think I would add green peppers and I'm also considering cut up pepperoni. But it was good. Sam really liked the sauce... which is diced tomatoes and water with ricotta cheese. Anyway very cheap because there's no meat and super fast. Woo!

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2011/07/skillet-summer-vegetable-lasagna.html

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped fine
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes- I used Italian Seasoned ones
• Salt and pepper
• 10 curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch lengths
• 1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 1 small yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 1/4 cup shredded fresh basil
• 1 cup part skim ricotta cheese
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Drain tomatoes into a 2-cup liquid measure. Add water to tomato liquid to make 2 cups. Add tomato/water mixture and 1 teaspoon salt to skillet.
2. Scatter noodles into the skillet, layer tomatoes over the noodles and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, covered, stirring occasionally (so the noodles won’t stick!) for about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in zucchini and squash, cook, stirring now and then, until noodles and squash are tender, about 8 minutes. Add basil and half of the rictotta cheese and half of the Parmesan cheese to the noodles, stirring until the sauce is creamy. Dollop remaining ricotta cheese over the noodles, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.