Boots McBlog

Over the years I have collected notecards, scribbles, pages ripped from magazines of recipes I’ve wanted to try.   These miscellaneous papers are tucked into cookbooks, desk drawers, and any random place they are “hidden”  when I’ve cleaned the kitchen.   Fast forward a few years and now I have  the best little secret for keeping up with recipes I want to try.   It’s a fun little online pinboard called PINTERST.    If you’ve wondered where I’ve been with my blogging,  I’ve probably been too busy “pinning” food, fashion, and photography finds.    One of the things that caught my eye was this recipe for Thai Pork Loin with Peanut Sauce (slow cooker).    I pinned it on my board titled “epicuriousty”  (go figure) .   Tonight, I decided to give it a whirl.     Oh my,  delish-hush-you-mouth.

The recipe was originally posted on a cute little blog called Prepareaheadanddinein.com.   She recommends throwing all the ingredients in the slow cooker  bowl overnight and refrigerating.  OR you can do like me and wake up,  run to the grocery store with unwashed hair, no make up,  pray you want see anyone you know, come home and THEN put it in your slow cooker for the day.   Absolutely easy.

Eight hours later,  The Angler gave it thumbs up.   Although, I will disclose he considers this a “family  meal” not a “company meal”.   Pish posh, I think  it would make a great easy dinner for guests.   We both agreed, it is definitely blog-worthy.

Ingredients:

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

2 pound boneless pork tenderloin, cut into 4 pieces

2 red bell peppers, cut into thin strips

1/2 cup prepared Teriyaki sauce  ( Here’s that  - Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki  I told you about earlier)

2 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 tsp red pepper flakes

3-4 cloves of garlic

3 Tablespoon creamy peanut butter

Garnishes:

green onions, chopped

roasted peanuts, chopped

lime wedges

cilantro, chopped   (optional)

In a non stick pan, lightly  brown /  quickly sear the pork tenderloin pieces in the olive oil.  About 1-2 minutes per side

Place the seared tenderloin in your slow cooker.    Add peppers, teriyaki, vinegar, pepper flakes, garlic.    Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours

Before serving , remove pork from sauce and pull it apart.    Mix peanut butter until dissolves into the sauce in the crockpot.   Toss the poke back into the slow cooker and coat with sauce.

Serve this over jasmine rice.    ( tip:   instead of water, I cook my rice in equal parts chicken broth and white wine to impart a more fragrant flavor)

Top with garnishes and enjoy!

Summer is here!  Time to fire up those grills.    Here are just a few of my favorite seasonings sure to give your chicken and fish a KICK in minutes.

Potlatch Seasoning by Williams Sonoma is one of my best food discoveries lately.      As a dietitian,  I recommended my clients consume salmon twice a week for the generous amount of heart healthy  Omega3 Fatty Acids.   To be honest,  working it into our diets here in the McCottage has proven difficult at best… until now.   While the spice mix seems like a small fortune at $9 per can,  I can guarantee you will not have tasted anything better.    Apply this rub liberally to salmon fillet or salmon steak.   Grill atop a cedar plank over hot coals.    Voila, perhaps the best salmon fillet in town.

Soy Vei Very Very Terriaki -  available at your local grocer in the Asian foods section.    This sweet, sesame terriyaki glaze is delicious on chicken or pork.    I often marinate boneless, skinless chicken thighs in this sauce.  Throw on a hot grill.   Before serving,  glaze chicken with fresh sauce.  Serve with couscouse and grilled summer squash or atop fresh spinach, red onion, almonds, orange slices, avocado with Ken’s Steak House lite Asian Dressing.   Delish!      (I also use this to roast whole chickens in the oven with onions & carrots in a dutch oven in the winter months.   If my experiment goes well today,  you’ll see a crock pot use for it in the coming days)

Caribbean Jerk Seasoning –  perhaps, my favorite spice mix in my grill arsenal.    McCormick Spices Company and several store brands market this AMAZING spice mix found in the spice aisle.      Marinate your favorite chicken in 3 Tablespoons Jerk Seasoning, 3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce,  2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar for 30 minutes – 3 hours prior to cooking on a hot grill.  Can’t get to the islands this summer.  No problem, mon.  This chicken will transport your tastebuds there in no time.    The seasoning is also a great rub for hamburgers or steak served with grilled pineapple, blue cheese coleslaw, and baked beans.   YUM!

No need to stress over being the grill master this summer.   Grab these seasonings, a cool drink,  and grill-lax.

Cheers, Y’all!

If you’ve ever hopped over to the “about me” section of this blog,  you’ll see my confession of love… for burgers.   Surprisingly,  I’ve yet to blog a burger recipe.   Here is one of the faves in the McCottage  -  Baby Bleu Burgers.    These mini burgers make a yummy quick weekend meal or a fun hearty party food.     You might want to put these on your Memorial Day menu.

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds  Ground Round

3 Tablespoons William Sonoma Ultimate Burger starter    OR   2 Tablespoon McCorkmick Grill Mates Montreal Seasoning

1 package of Hawaiian Bread Dinner Rolls ( 12 count)

3 Tablespoons Bleu Cheese Salad dressing

12 hot and sweet pickle slices*

3 Tablespoon red onion,  finely diced

To make the mini burgers,   mix ground round with the Grill Seasoning of choice.

(For test purposes:  I used the Ultimate Grill Seasoning available  from Williams Sonoma.  This is a shortcut  mixture of onions, dijon mustard, garlic, and spices.   Another option is to  use McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Seasoning which is available in the spice section of major grocers.  If using the Montreal Seasoning,   add  1 Tbsp of cold water or Worcestershire sauce for juicier burgers)

Divide the meat into 12 small sections.   Form each section into a small meatball and flatten to a burger shape – nearly 1-2 inches in diameter.    Pinch alongside the round edges of the burger to  help seal the edges and prevent breakage on the the grill.

Place the burgers on a medium hot grill and cook for 4-5 minutes per side.  Turning once.   Remove and let rest for 5 minutes.     (  Tip:  A fish grill basket may make it easier to flip these on the grill)

Once the burgers have rested,   you can begin assembly.     Slice each dinner roll in half.   We’ve found that the Hawaiian Bread Rolls have a great texture and sweetness with the spice of the burgers.   Top bottom half of roll with mini burger.   Top with 1-2 tsp of blue cheese dressing,  a  hot and sweet pickle slice, and a 1 tsp of minced red onion.   Finish with top of bun.      Yield:  12 mini burgers

Serve with sweet potato fries for a unique twist on this all american pairing.

Bon Appetit, Y’all!

I still had a few limes on hand from the Cilantro Lime Soup I posted a couple of weeks ago.  Using my Family and Consumer Science education ( that’s what we used to call home economics) to it’s fullest,  I thought there HAD to be a way to use the remaining limes.  Each time I spied the bowl of limes over the last few weeks, I  would remember the lyrics to a silly 1970′s tune, “Put the lime in the coconut and shake it all up.”     Lime and coconut are two great tastes that compliment each other in our favorite tropical treats.   That got me thinking,  ”What happens when you pair lime with the unexpected?”   A few google searches later,  I’ll tell you what happens…an absolutely  delicious and EASY side dish.

Lime, simple syrup, and ….sweet potatoes!    Yes, ma’am – we’re talking Lime Glazed Roasted Sweet Potatoes.

4 – 5 cups of sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes.

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons white sugar

1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon fresh lime zest

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.   Toss potatoes with butter, salt, and pepper.

Spread seasoned potatoes on a cookie sheet.  Roast for 20 minutes. Stir potatoes twice while roasting.

Meanwhile,  bring water, sugar, and lime juice to a boil in a small saucepan.  Simmer the syrup mixture until it reduces to 2 tablespoons and becomes a very light caramel color.  ( about 5 minutes)

Using one of my favorite kitchen tools the handy – dandy Arkansas born Microplane,  zest one lime for 1/2 teaspoon of fresh lime zest.

Toss roasted potatoes with  lime syrup, lime zest, and chives.

We paired these divine little potatoes with a hot of the grill rib eye steak and a tossed green salad.   These would also sing alongside Caribbean Jerk Chicken  or grilled salmon.  Put the lime in the potatoes,  you’ll eat this bowl up!

Yield  8  1/2 cup servings,  approx 160 calories

Bon Appetit, Y’all!

xxoo,

boots

While we are just a few weeks away from the “official” start of spring,  there is nothing better than starting to cook with fresh herbs.    This great recipe is light and with only 215 calories per serving, it will get you beach body ready in time for summer.     There are a few local Mexican restaurants that serve a version of this soup and I was determined to find a similar recipe to make at home.   The base for this recipe I found on Epicurious.com.  I made a few tweaks to my tastes.    Way back in my Junior League cookbook days and as a graduate of “Cookbook University”,  I learned,  ”once you make three changes to a recipe,  it becomes your own original recipe”

So,  here’s my “original” version of a very EASY, very delicious soup.

Cilantro Lime Soup

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Onion, chopped

3-4 garlic cloves

1 TBSP Chili powder

3 skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 3/4 inch pieces

5 cups chicken stock  / canned chicken broth

1 cup  (2 ears) of fresh corn kernals

1 10 oz can of Rotel tomatoes and peppers

1-2  fresh jalepenos, sliced (optional)

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro sprigs, tied together with kitchen string

toppings

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup  fresh squeezed lime juice ( about 3 limes)

1 avocado, sliced

Sour Cream

Preparation:    Heat oil in a heavy, large saucepan over medium high heat.  Add onion and garlic.  Sauté until softened about 3 minutes.

Add Chili powder and stir for one minute.  Add chicken and stir for 2-3 minutes

Meanwhile,   cut corn from the cob.      (A half cup white or brown minute ice could be substituted  for the corn.)  Add corn to  chicken mixture.

Next, add 5 cups of chicken stock or broth to your chicken and onion mixture.    Pro tip : Be sure to use a LIQUID measuring cup as pictured when measuring liquid foods.  The volume of liquid when using the flat dry cup is quite different.

Add 1 can of Rotel Tomatoes to the soup mixture.   When tomatoes are in season 1 cup of fresh tomatoes can be substituted.    I also like my soup on the spicy side.  At this point,  I toss in a couple of  sliced fresh jalepenos.

Add the cilantro bunch to saucepan and bring to a boil.    Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through about 10 minutes

Discard cilantro sprigs.   Add chopped cilantro, lime juice to soup.   Season with salt and pepper to tast.  Garnish with sour cream and avocado.

This makes an wonderful low calorie meal on it’s own.     When I need something a little hardier, I serve this with a southwestern tossed salad and a wedge of a cheese quesadilla.

¡Salud, Y’all!