Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Oh my goodness this roasted pork is SO full of flavor!  Every once in a while Costco will put their pork tenderloins on sale and when they do, we stock up.  It's always fun to find new ways to use it up and this recipe knocks it out of the park.

 1 pork tenderloin, 7-8lbs.

1 stick of butter, softened

2 tsp. dried rosemary

2 tsp. salt

1 head of garlic, minced

2 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 cup milk

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

In a large cast iron skillet, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil until hot, but not smoking.  Sear the pork roast on all sides, 5-6 minutes or until a nice golden crust forms.

While the roast is searing, combine the butter, rosemary, salt, and garlic.

Once the roast is seared, spread the butter all over the top and sides of the pork and add the chicken broth to the bottom of the skillet.

Place the skillet in the oven and roast for 1 hour or until a meat thermometer reads an internal temp of 145 degrees.

Once the pork is finished, remove it from the skillet and place it on a plate tented with foil to rest.  While the pork is resting, add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and half a cup of milk to a small bowl and combine until no lumps remain.  Place the skillet full of pork drippings over medium heat.  Pour the cornstarch mixture through a strainer into the skillet.  Whisk constantly until a nice thick gravy forms.

Serve the pork and gravy with your favorite mashed potatoes.

Taco Seasoning Packet

 

Taco Salad night and Nacho Night are two of my family's favorite nights.  We seem to go through a lot of taco seasoning!  There are so many unnecessary ingredients in commercial taco seasoning, I decided to play around and found that we LOVE this recipe.  It's super simple and you probably have everything you need.  I also love that it's for one pound of ground meat so I can make it fresh.  If you're making more than one pound of meat, just double or triple all of the ingredients.

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon dried minced onion

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Brown and crumble your meat in a skillet.  Combine all seasonings in a small bowl. 

Once the meat has cooked through, sprinkle the seasonings over the meat.  Add one cup of water per pound of meat.  Simmer 5-10 minutes or until the sauce is the consistency you like.

Peanut Butter Cheerio Bars

 

Lately I've been making a pan of these on Saturday's to have for breakfast for the week ahead.  The kids love them and will usually have them with a side of yogurt and piece of fruit.  They're only three ingredients and SUPER quick and easy to make.

8 cups Cheerios

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup honey

In a large glass measuring cup (I use my 4 cup measuring cup) add the peanut butter and honey.  Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and microwave an additional 30 seconds.  Mix well to combine.

In a large mixing bowl add 8 cups of Cheerios.  Pour the peanut butter/honey mixture over top and mix well to combine.

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray, place the cheerio mixture into the baking dish and press into the bottom of the pan.  Cover and refrigerate for one hour or until set.  Slice into bars.  Keep refrigerated.

Leftover Turkey Salad Spread

 

Honestly, the reason we buy a whole huge turkey for Thanksgiving is for the leftovers.  Cold turkey for a midnight snack, yes please.  Turkey and noodles, absolutely.  But this turkey salad spread is what my husband absolutely goes crazy over.  His grandma always made it the week after Thanksgiving and it is something we all crave and look forward to.  The consistency isn't what you expect when think of turkey or chicken salad.  It's a spread.  It's delicious on your favorite bread or crackers.  It would also be amazing with a thin slice of tomato and some thin sliced red onion.  For us, we prefer it alone on a leftover roll.

Leftover Thanksgiving turkey, dark and/or white meat, we usually use white

Mayonnaise

Dill Pickles

Salt and Pepper

Fill a food processor with as much turkey as you desire.

Add a couple dollops of mayonnaise.

Cut 3-4 dill pickles into 1 inch chunks and throw them in along with a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Pulse your food processor to get everything started and then turn it on high.  Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally until it's a smooth, paste consistency.  I usually have to add a bit more mayonnaise and salt and pepper and just taste as I go until it's how we like it.

Serve on your favorite bread, cracker, or rolls.  Keep refrigerated.  

Stuffing Balls

 

Another favorite for our Thanksgiving table is the super easy and yummy Stuffing Ball appetizer!  These were my favorite when I was a kid!

1 6oz box Stove Top Stuffing, chicken flavor

1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup butter, melted

3/4 cup water

1 cup swiss cheese, shredded

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium mixing bowl combine the egg, butter, and water.  Stir in the stuffing mix and cheese.

Form the mixture into bite size balls and place on the parchment lined baking sheet 1 inch apart.  

Bake for 8 minutes, flip them over, and bake 8 more minutes.

Aunt Norma's Cheese Ball

 

Thanksgiving is NEXT WEEK and I finally got my hands on my Aunt Norma's cheese ball recipe.  This cheese ball is so good my baby sister HAD to have it for her wedding reception.  We made so many cheese balls that week I dreamt of them for a very long time.  I love to eat this with just a good 'ol Ritz cracker.  

2 pkgs. cream cheese, softened

2 Tablespoons butter, softened

2 jars dried beef, minced

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. dried onion flakes

1 tsp. horseradish

In a medium bowl mix together the cream cheese, butter, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, onion flakes, and one jar of the minced dried beef.  Form the mixture into a ball.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the remaining minced dried beef and pecans.  Spread the beef and pecan mixture evenly over a flat surface.  Roll the ball around the mixture until the entire surface is covered.  Place the cheese ball on your serving plate, cover, and refrigerate until chilled.  If you're not ready to place it on your serving plate, wrap the ball in plastic wrap and place in the fridge until you're ready to serve.  Serve with your favorite crackers.

Cast Iron Tuna Noodle Helper

 

This is a homemade version of the Tuna Helper from the box you all know...and maybe love?  My family devours this homemade version.  It makes A LOT, like a lot A LOT, so if you have a large family, this will be perfect for you.  It's enough to feed my family of 6 plus get a few lunches out of it for my husband to take to work for the week.

8 cups chicken broth

2 cans Cream of Chicken soup

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

pepper to taste

16oz. bag of egg noodles

1 1/2 cups frozen peas

4 cans of tuna, drained

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 

In a large, 14" cast iron skillet, add the chicken broth, canned soup, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Whisk until well combined.

Stir in the egg noodles and frozen peas.  Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to Low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender, approximately 15 minutes.

Turn the heat off and stir in the tuna and shredded cheddar.

Give the tuna a few minutes to heat through and serve immediately.

Pork Chops and Sauerkraut

 

My entire life my family has made pork and sauerkraut on New Year's Day.  It's a very German thing to do and we have a lot of German in our ancestry.  Every year of my childhood I tried to like sauerkraut.  I couldn't do it.  It took me 38 years to get brave enough to make it for my family.  My husband LOVES sauerkraut and my kids are down for trying anything.  My baby sister came through with the recipe that made us all sauerkraut lovers!  So even if you've never been a fan, give this recipe a try.  It's SO good!

6 pork chops, 3/4 inch thick

2 lb. bag of sauerkraut, drained

1/2 cup brown sugar

half of a green apple, diced

salt and pepper to taste

Lightly salt and pepper both sides of your pork chops.  Brown both sides of the pork chops in a hot skillet and place into the bottom of a slow cooker.

Cover the pork chops with the drained sauerkraut.

Sprinkle the sauerkraut with the brown sugar and top with the diced apples.

Cook on high for 4 hours.  Serve with your favorite side dishes.

Puff Pastry Braid

 

Lately this has been my go-to dessert for everything!  It's SO versatile and the easiest thing ever to make.  My most recent one was an Apple Cinnamon one and it was DELISH!  I'll put more suggestions at the bottom of the recipe, but the possibilities are endless.  This recipe is enough for two braids.

2 puff pastry sheets, thawed (I buy the Pepperidge Farm two pack, found in the freezer aisle)

1 block cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1 can of pie filling

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla.  Set aside.

On a parchment lined baking sheet, lay out one sheet of puff pastry.  Cut slits on the outer thirds as shown in the picture. 

Place half of the cream cheese mixture down the center third of the puff pastry.  Top with half of a can of pie filling.

Take the pastry slits and begin placing them on top of the fruit filling, alternating each side to give it a braided look.

Beat the egg and water together in a small bowl.  Use a pastry brush to brush the top of the pastry.

Repeat the process for second puff pastry.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 18-20 minutes.

If you want it to look extra fancy you can drizzle it with a topping of your choice.  You could make a powdered sugar glaze or drizzle caramel or nutella over it depending on what flavors you're going for.

Filling Ideas: (Keep in mind the cream cheese mixture stays the same.)

Apple Pie Filling (sprinkled with cinnamon)

Cherry pie filling

Blueberry Pie Filling

Raspberry Pie Filling

Strawberry Pie Filling

Peach Pie Filling

Lemon Curd

Nutella

Chocolate Chips

The Most Amazing Pork Carnitas

Y'all.  I can't even with these.  These are melt in your mouth DELICIOUS!  

4 pound boneless pork shoulder or butt

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 onion, diced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 jalapeño, deseeded and finely diced

1 orange, juiced

In a small bowl mix together the oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper.

Trim the excess fat from the pork shoulder, but leave some intact because fat equals flavor!  Place the pork shoulder in the crockpot and pour the seasoning mixture over the top.  Rub the spice mixture all over every surface of the pork.

Add the onion, garlic, jalapeño, and orange juice to the crockpot.  Cook on Low for 8-10 hours.

Carefully remove the pork from the crockpot. I have to use a huge fork and spatula because it is so fall apart tender.  Place the pork on a foil lined baking sheet.  Use two forks to shred the meat.

Pour 1 cup of the cooking liquid over the pork and broil on High for 5-10 minut4s or until the meat becomes golden brown and starts to get crispy on the edges.

Our FAVORITE way to eat this is on a flour street tortilla topped with shredded cabbage, this pico de gallo, cilantro lime crema, finely shredded cheese, and queso.

Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings

 

This was SO easy and everyone loved it!  It's perfect for a chilly Fall or Winter evening.

1 onion, diced

1 can cream of celery soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 tablespoon parsley flakes

1 tsp. poultry seasoning

black pepper to taste

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cups chicken broth

1 10oz bag of frozen peas and carrots

1 10oz bag of frozen mixed veggies

1 can of refrigerated biscuits (8 count)

Place the diced into the crockpot and lay the chicken breasts on top.

In a small bowl, combine the canned soups, parsley, poultry seasoning, and pepper.  Spread the mixture over the chicken.  Add the chicken broth.

Cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 5 hours.

Approximately 90 minutes before serving, roll each biscuit flat and cut into 4 strips.  

Use two forks, or a ground beef chopper, to shred the chicken in the sauce.

Add the frozen veggies to the crockpot and stir.

Place the biscuit strips on top of the chicken mixture in as even of a layer as you can.  Work kind of fast so you can get the lid back on as quickly as possible.

Continue cooking for the remaining 90 minutes.

Once finished, give it another stir.  This will break up some of the dumplings.  Cook another 10 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Dutch Baby

 

I recently discovered and fell in love with the Dutch Baby pancake!  You may have heard of it by another name.  It goes by many.  Dutch Baby, German Pancake, a Bismarck, Dutch Puff, Hooligan, Hootenanny...whatever you choose to call it, you'll for sure call it delicious.  We are currently a family of 6 with our foster placements so the recipe I'm posting is enough to make two 9x13 baking dishes and we eat every last bite.  Also, what I REALLY love about it, is that you mix it all up in your blender.  No mixing bowls, no whisks, just dump everything in and you're done!

12 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups milk

2 cups flour

2 sticks butter

Two 9x13 baking dishes

Place one stick of butter in each baking dish.  Place the baking dish in a cold oven.  Turn the oven on 425 to preheat.

While the oven is preheating and the butter is melting, add the eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla, and milk into a blender.  Blend for 30 seconds on high speed.

Add the flour to the egg mixture and pulse until incorporated.  Let sit until the oven is preheated.

Once the oven has preheated, carefully remove the hot baking dishes and slowly pour half of the mixture into each baking dish.

Place the baking dishes back into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges are super puffy and nice golden brown.

Serve immediately with all of your favorite pancake toppings.  

Crockpot Chicken Carbonara

 

I don't know exactly how "carbonara" this is, but it is tasty!  It's a super easy weeknight, throw it in the crockpot meal, that our family loves!

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed

2 Tbsp. Italian seasoning

2 cups heavy whipping cream

2 cups chicken broth

1 onion, diced

2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms or peas

2 scoops minced garlic, or 1 head of garlic minced

1/2 block cream cheese

2 Tbsp. butter

1 cup Italian style shredded cheese

1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 lb. cooked pasta (we like penne or spaghetti)

salt and pepper

parmesan cheese 

Totally optional, we like to add a little Creole seasoning or blackening seasoning for a little kick

Add your cubed chicken to the crockpot and season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.  

Next add the chopped onion, mushrooms (or peas), garlic, heavy whipping cream, and chicken broth.  Stir to combine.

Add the cream cheese, butter, Italian cheese, and bacon.  Stir again.

Cook on High for 4 hours or Low for 8 hours.

Once it's done cooking add in your cooked pasta, stir to incorporate, and let sit for about 15 minutes before serving.  Top each serving with a little creole or blackening seasoning, if desired, and a good shake of Parmesan cheese.

Homemade Cheeseburger Hamburger Helper

 

Who doesn't love the Cheeseburger version of Hamburger Helper?  It's hands down my favorite one but one look at the ingredient list and that's a hard no for us.  

This homemade version is so much healthier.  You can control the salt, the quality of the ingredients and still have all of the gooey, cheesy, comfort food you're looking for.

1 pound ground beef

1 white onion, diced

1 heaping tsp. onion powder

5 cloves garlic, minced (or however much your heart tells you to use)

2 Tablespoons flour

4 cups beef broth

1 (8oz) can tomato sauce

1 heaping tsp. Italian seasoning

1 heaping tsp. seasoned salt

1/2 heaping tsp. smoked paprika

1/2 heaping tsp. garlic powder

17.6oz penne pasta (weird amount...it's just what Costco carries)

1/2 cup heavy cream or half n half

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot with a lid, brown the ground beef over medium heat.  Add a generous sprinkle of salt and the onion powder.  When the meat is nearly done, add the onion and cook until the onion has softened.  Add the minced garlic for the last minute or so of cooking.

Once the beef is cooked and the onion is soft, add the flour and stir to cook for about 1 minute.  

Add the beef broth, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, seasoned salt, smoked paprika, and garlic powder.  Bring to a boil.

Once the mixture has started to boil, add the penna pasta (or whatever cut pasta you prefer) and stir to combine.  

Cover with the lid and reduce the heat to Low.  Simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Once the pasta is cooked, add the cream and the shredded cheddar.  Stir and warm through until the cheese is all melted and gooey.

Give it a little taste test and adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Enjoy!

The Good "Ranch" Dressing

 

Have you ever been to a little local restaurant and it has the BEST Ranch or House dressing?  In Fredericksburg, it's Vinny's.  In Fairbanks, it's Chowder House.  I've been trying for years to crack the code on how to get that perfect Ranch/House dressing and I finally did it.  It's definitely not a "clean" recipe but I can live with that.  And I wish I could say it's "homemade", but it's not.  Again, I can live with that.

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1/2 cup milk (you may not use it all)

1 packet of Hidden Valley Creamy Dill Dip mix

1/2-1 tsp. salt

In a medium mixing bowl combine the sour cream and dip mix.  Slowly thin the mixture until it's your desired consistency.  I tend to like it a little on the thicker side.

Season with salt until it's just almost too salty to eat on it's own.  I usually do about 1/2 tsp of salt.  When you combine it with all of your salad ingredients, it dilutes to the perfect flavor.  If you get it too salty, just dilute with a bit of milk.

Store in a mason jar with a finger tight lid.