Cafe Rio Pork

Cafe Rio Pork

1 C Pace salsa (I just use whatever kind I have in the fridge)

1 C brown sugar

pork sirloin roast (about 3-4 pounds)

Mix salsa and brown sugar together and pour over a pork roast. I just put mine in the crock pot all day on low. Shread with forks and stir before using as burrito filling or on top of salads.

Photo Source: Chef in Training....by the way, next time I make this recipe, I want to try the Chef in Training's!  

Vegetable Shepherd's Pie

So our family is big on vegetables. My husband grew up taking care of a HUGE garden with his family and grew up on eating freshly grown.....well...just about everything. I have had to learn to like a lot of vegetables. I ate vegetables growing up, just nothing too exotic. I now shop for all my produce at a farmers market because Walmart has burned me just way too many times. Lets face it: Walmart does NOT have everything. ;) Our family also tries to eat meatless meals around 3 times a week by substituting beans or other protein sources for the meat. Somethimes this happens and sometimes it doesn't. I think our society eats WAY too much meat and its not necessary to have it at every meal. See the book, "The China Study" for more information on this topic.

Anyway, this recipe is really good for a meatless dish. Its hearty and filling. I added a can of green beans to the recipe because I was out of frozen peas and it worked well. Also, the "gussied up" mashed potatoes add a yumminess that makes this meal satisfying. Go for it...try it.....GO MEATLESS :)

Vegetable Sheperd's Pie
Ingredients:
1c diced carrots
2 stalks celery, diced
1 small onion, diced
1/2lb frozen peas, (don't thaw)
3/4-1c corn
1-2tsp olive oil
2Tbsp worchestershire
2-3 Tbsp tomato paste
2-3 Tbsp ketchup
salt and pepper

For mashed potatoes:
3-4 medium-sized potatoes
2 Tbsp butter
1/4c milk (I use skim)
sour cream (I usually use about 1/4c)
salt and pepper
3/4 c cheese of choice (cheddar, white cheddar, gruyere, parmesan, etc.)

Directions:
Prepare mashed potatoes by washing and peeling the potatoes and halving them. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook until very tender and starting to fall apart. Drain and stir in butter and milk. Add salt, pepper, and sour cream to make a sturdy mashed potato (you don't want it watery or thin). While potatoes are still quite warm, stir in about 3/4c of your desired cheese and stir until well combined and cheese is mostly melted.

Meanwhile, in a large pan, saute carrot, celery, and onion in olive oil until cristp-tender (this took me about 5 minutes. You want it to have a little bite left since it will cook longer in the oven). Salt and pepper to taste. Stir in corn, tomato paste, and worchestershire sauce. Cook 2-5 minutes or till sauce thickens slightly. Stir in additional worchestershire or tomato paste as necessary. Stir in 1 Tbsp ketchup. Cook 1-2 minutes and taste. Season as necessary, then stir in peas. Pour into a 2qt casserole dish (I use my round one or my 11 x 7). Top with mashed potato mixture. Rough up the surface of the potatoes with a fork (I usually just make a design).

Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes or till potatoes start to turn golden or you can't wait any longer.

Source:
http://mymuffinthursdays.blogspot.com/2009/01/vegetable-shepherds-pie.html

Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Rounds

These cookies are really good. They are a mix between peanut butter cookies and oatmeal cookies-so yum. I have also made them before with mini Reeses Pieces (found in the baking section) sprinkled on top, which is the perfect touch. In this recipe I omitted the peanuts (I never put these in because the hubby doesn't like them) and added butterscotch and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter-Oatmeal Rounds
Source: Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book

Prep: 30 minutes
Bake: 10 minutes per batch
Oven: 375 degrees F

3/4 C butter, softened
1/2 C peanut butter
1 C granulated sugar
1/2 C packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 C all-purpose flour
2 C rolled oats
1 C chopped cocktail peanuts or semisweet chocolate chips (or mini Reeses Pieces)

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium speed about 30 seconds or until combined.


2. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.


3. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.


4. Beat in flour with the mixer. Stir in rolled oats and peanuts or chocolate pieces.


5. (I always put the dough in the fridge for about 20 minutes at this point until the dough becomes firm enough to roll into balls without sticking to your hands). Drop dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for about 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool.

Ice Cream Sandwiches

Every other Tuesday we have Activity Days that I am in charge of bringing the treats for. I was going to just buy ice cream sandwiches....and then I decided to just make them because that would be cheaper than buying 2 boxes from the store. They were pretty easy and really good. The most time-intensive part was making the chocolate cookies. This chocolate cookie recipe is very good and I would use it for other things other than just ice cream sandwiches. The cookies turned out soft and moist, but sturdy enough to support the ice cream in the middle-a perfect combo!

The only thing I would do different is put more ice cream in the middle. The cookies are kind of overpowering if you don't have enough ice cream in them. After all, they are ICE CREAM sandwiches. Also, make sure to double the recipe if making more than a few for the family.


Ice Cream Sandwiches

Chocolate Cookies:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup white granulated sugar

1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips or coarsely chopped white chocolate (optional)

Ice Cream (Vanilla, Maple Pecan, Strawberry or your favorite flavor) (Homemade or Store Bought)


Ice Cream Sandwiches:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In bowl of electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).

3. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.

4. First sift together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and then add to the butter and egg mixture. Mix just until incorporated. (I didn't sift, I just dumped them in and mixed and they turned out fine).

5. Fold in the the white chocolate chips or chunks. (I didn't add these).

6. Drop the batter onto the prepared baking sheet, using either a 1 1/2 - 2 inch (4-5 cm) ice cream scoop or with a rounded tablespoon. Flatten the rounded mounds of dough slightly with your hands. (I put the dough in the fridge for awhile so they would be firmer and easier to roll into balls.)

7. Bake for approximately 8 - 10 minutes (I baked them 12 minutes) or until the the cookies are still soft in the center but are firm around the edges. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before removing the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 20 - 4 inch (10 cm) cookies. I doubled recipe to get the amount shown above! I wanted bigger cookies, so make sure you take that into account when making this recipe.

For Ice Cream Sandwiches: Take two chocolate cookies and place a scoop of your favorite ice cream between the two cookies. Gently press together and serve. (If not serving right away, put them into the freezer on a cookie sheet. They also don't travel very well so think about that when making these).

Recipe Source : here

Thai Shrimp Bisque

I have substituted cubed, cooked chicken for the shrimp sometimes OR use both shrimp and chicken to make the dish go further.  Also, in my opinion, using regular coconut milk tastes better than using light, but either one works fine. Make sure to use fresh ginger. Dried ginger works in a pinch, but you won't get that Thai flavor that makes this dish so good. Serve the bisque over hot rice and it is so yummy! Enjoy!


Thai Shrimp Bisque
Sara Redd

From start to finish: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

2 C brown rice, prepare as usual and keep warm
1 lb uncooked, tail-on medium shrimp

1 TBS vegetable oil
¼ C sliced green onions OR regular onion, chopped
1 inch piece peeled and grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, pressed

2 TBS cornstarch
1 TBS sugar
2 TBS Hoisin sauce (found in Asian section of grocery)
1 tsp salt
1 TBS tomato paste
1 tsp curry powder (to preferred taste)
dash of cayenne pepper (optional, can be slightly spicy already from the ginger)

2 C chicken broth
1 can lite coconut milk (or regular)
fresh lime juice, to taste

8 oz sliced mushrooms (or less if desired)
1 can plain diced tomatoes, drained (or 1 C diced fresh tomatoes)
2 TBS snipped cilantro



DIRECTIONS:

1. Clean and remove tails from shrimp, set aside.
2. Heat oil in a medium pot. Add onions, ginger and garlic; cook and stir 2-3 minutes.
3. Stir in cornstarch, sugar, Hoisin sauce, salt, tomato paste, curry and cayenne.
4. Gradually add broth, coconut milk and lime juice. Bring to a boil.
5. Add mushrooms. Simmer 3-4 minutes.
6. Add shrimp and tomatoes; simmer 3-4 more minutes until shrimp turns pink and is cooked through.
7. Ladle into soup bowls; top with hot cooked rice and snipped cilantro.


Photo Source: here

Broccoli Salad

Ingredients
1 head broccoli
6 to 8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (I just chopped a regular tomato)
1/2 cup raisins, optional
4 ounces sharp Cheddar, cut into very small chunks (optional)
1/4 C sunflower seeds or slivered almonds

Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoons white vinegar
1/8 cup sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions
Trim off the large leaves from the broccoli stem. Remove the tough stalk at the end and wash broccoli head thoroughly. Cut the head into flowerets and the stem into bite-size pieces. Place in a large bowl. Add the crumbled bacon, onion, raisins if using, and cheese. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, stirring well. Add to broccoli mixture and toss gently. Add nuts just before serving to prevent sogginess.

Recipe Source: The Food Network
Photo Source: here