Carnitas

Pork tacos! Yum! My husband grew up eating carnitas while growing up in San Diego and we've been looking for a good recipe to make at home. 

We've found it! You'll start enjoying the slow cooking aroma long before you put the first bite into your mouth, but it will be worth the wait. 

Be sure to finish your tacos off with cilantro and lime, plus any other favorite toppings.

(picture from all recipes.com)

Carnitas

Ingredients:

1 t. salt

1 t. garlic powder

1 t. cumin

½ t. crumbled dried oregano

½ t. ground coriander

¼ t. ground cinnamon

1 (4 lb.) boneless pork shoulder roast

2 bay leaves

2 C chicken broth

Toppings: cilantro, lime, salsa, onion, cheese

Mix together salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, and cinnamon in a bowl. Coat the pork with the spice mixture. Place the bay leaves in the bottom of a slow cooker and place the pork on top. Pour the chicken broth around the sides of the pork, being careful not to rinse off the spice mixture.

Cover and cook on low until the pork shreds easily with a fork, about 10 hours. Turn the meat after it has cooked for 5 hours. When the pork is tender, remove from slow cooker and shred with two forks. Use cooking liquid as needed to moisten the meat.

Serving: 10 (223 calories each)

Recipe Given By: allrecipes.com

Asian Pork & Noodles

I had not purchased Top Ramen in many years, but when I saw this recipe I wanted to give it a try. I'm sure glad I did; it's a big hit at our house. It's like tasty Asian comfort food. Do they have that? I'm sure they do.  I've made it twice in the last month and the leftovers don't last very long.

Asian Pork & Noodle Skillet

Ingredients:

2 medium carrots, peeled

1 medium red bell pepper

5-6 green onions with tops (about 1 ¼ C. sliced), divided

2 pork tenderloins (about 1 lb. each)

2 T. toasted sesame oil

2 T. Asian Seasoning Mix (used an Asian stir fry sauce)

4 pkgs. (3 oz. each) oriental-flavor ramen noodles

1 T. vegetable oil

4 C. water

Cut carrots into julienne strips. Cut bell pepper lengthwise into ¼ in. strips. Slice green onions; set aside tops for garnish.

Trim fat and silver skin from pork tenderloins. Slice pork lengthwise into four strips. Thinly slice strips crosswise. Combine pork, sesame oil, seasoning mix or sauce and two of the ramen seasoning packets. Mix well.

Add vegetable oil to skillet, heat over medium-high heat 1-3 minutes or until shimmering.  Add half of the pork. Cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until browned; remove pork from skillet and keep warm. Repeat with remaining pork.

Add carrots and bell pepper to skillet. Cook 1-2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add water and remaining ramen seasoning packets; stir to loosen browned bits from bottom of skillet. Add ramen noodles and white parts of green onions to skillet. Cover; bring to a boil and cook 4-5 minutes or until noodles are softened. Add pork; stir to break apart noodles. Remove skillet from heat; let stand, covered, 3-4 minutes or until pork is heated through. Garnish with reserved green onion tops.

Serving: 4-5

Recipe Given By:  The Pampered Chef

Ranch Pork Chops

You couldn't ask for an easier dinner. I served these with mashed potatoes and steamed carrots. Super Easy!

Ranch Pork Chops

Ingredients:

1 pkt. (1 oz) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix
¼ t. black pepper
6 pork chops (about ¾-inch thick)
Optional: dash of paprika

Mix together dressing mix and pepper. Rub mixture on both sides of pork chops. Arrange chops in single layer on baking pan or broiler rack. Sprinkle with paprika (if desired.) Bake at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Serving: 4-6
Recipe Given By: Hidden Valley Ranch
Hint: I added a little cornstarch to my pan drippings to make a quick sauce.

Calgary Stampede Ribs

Before you think I'm crazy sharing a recipe that you cook for 2 hours the night before and then finish up the next day, trust me...it's worth it! We've tried a few rib recipes around here and this is our favorite. Although I will let you in on a little secret, if you want to just cut up some ribs and grill or crockpot them in a premade BBQ sauce, then use Sweet Baby Rays! It's the next best thing to two-day ribs. But be adventuresome...give the long version a try first.

Calgary Stampede Ribs

Ingredients:

4 pounds pork back ribs, cut into serving-size pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons each salt, pepper, chili powder and ground cumin

Barbecue Sauce:

1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons ground mustard
1 teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Rub ribs with garlic; place in a shallow roasting pan. Cover and bake at 325° for 2 hours. Cool slightly. Combine the seasonings and rub over ribs. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

In a small saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook and stir until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside 3/4 cup. Brush ribs with some of the remaining sauce.

Grill, covered, over medium heat for 12 minutes, turning and basting with sauce. Serve with reserved sauce.

Serving: 4 servings.
Recipe Given By: Taste of Home

Sausage Gravy

This is one of those recipes that my Great-Grandmother, Grand-Mother and Mother have perfected, but the "milk gravy" gene has stopped with me. I don't think I have enough patience. I also know that a cast iron skillet might have a little something to do with it; I always forget to use that thing! I don't make a "mean gravy," but I do make a passable one. Good luck!

Sausage Gravy & Biscuits

Ingredients:

Canned biscuits
1/2-3/4 pound of sausage (I use bulk pork sausage)
Black pepper - loads of it!
4 cups of milk
4-6 tablespoons of flour

Prepare biscuits as instructed on package. Brown sausage in skillet. As soon as sausage is completely browned, remove from pan. Add flour by the tablespoon, stirring constantly. Let the flour turn DEEP GOLDEN BROWN. If you don't, your gravy will taste like flour. After you have added enough flour to make the gravy as thick as you like, add milk and stir with whisk. Add black pepper to taste. Return sausage to the skillet to rewarm as the milk thickens. *Patience is the key! :)

Serve over biscuits.

Recipe Given By: Angie Martens

Slow-Cooker BBQ Pork Sandwiches

Slow-Cooker BBQ Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 boneless pork shoulder (2 lb.)
3 onions, sliced, separated into rings
½ C Kraft Original Barbecue Sauce (or other)
8 Kaiser rolls, split
8 Kraft Singles

Place meat in slow cooker; top with onions and barbecue sauce. Cover with lid. Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours (or high for 4-5 hours).

Remove meat from slow cooker; cut off and discard excess fat. Chop meat into small pieces or shred with fork. Return to slow cooker; stir until evenly coated with sauce.

Fill rolls with meat mixture and singles just before serving.

Serving: 8
Recipe Given By: Kraftfoods.com

Sausage Wonton Stars

My daughter (away at college) came home last week and this is her favorite appetizer. I made it the afternoon she returned to school so she could take some back with her for snacks.

Sausage Wonton Stars

Ingredients:
4 boxes of small wonton cups
1 lb. bulk pork sausage
2 C (8 oz.) shredded Colby cheese
½ med. green pepper, chopped
½ med. red pepper, chopped
2 bunches green onions, sliced
½ C ranch salad dressing

Set wonton cups on a cookie sheet. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in cheese, peppers, onions and salad dressing. Spoon a rounded spoonful into each wonton cup. Bake for 6-7 min or until heated through.

Serving: 4 dozen
Recipe Given By: Quick Cooking N/D ’01, p. 30