Glazed Pork Loin with Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes

A lovely lovely meal. It was delicious and went splendidly with a Rioja wine. The pears were particularly delicious roasted in the mustard sauce. Yum.

The only change I made to the original recipe was the internal temperature of the pork. I like it more on the just barely done side, so I cooked it to 140°F-145°F (rather than 150°F).

Glazed Pork Loin with Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes
Courtesy of Rachael Ray



1 1/2 pounds pork loin, tied
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons grainy mustard plus more for serving
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise
1 pound sweet potatoes cut into wedges
4 sprigs thyme, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 firm-ripe bosc pear cut into chunks

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Season the pork all over with salt and pepper. Place in the center of a roasting pan.

In a small bowl, stir together the mustard, vinegar and brown sugar and brush over the pork. Scatter the brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes and thyme around the pork. Sprinkle with the oil, any remaining mustard glaze, salt and pepper and stir to coat.

Transfer to the oven and roast, tossing the vegetables occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork registers 140°F-145°F, about 30-35 minutes. (If vegetables stick to the pan, add 2 tablespoons water; stir.)

Remove pork from pan and let rest. Stir in the pear, return pan to oven, and roast until the vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the thyme. Thinly slice pork and serve with the vegetables. Garnish with more thyme and serve with more mustard.

Drunken Risotto with Sausage and Spinach

I have successfully made risotto! The last time I made it, it was way too crunchy. I took my time, which helped a lot. The flavor of this one is awesome too. Which is a pleasant surprise since I usually find Rachael Ray dishes a bit on the bland side. I will be making this again.

Drunken Risotto with Sausage and Spinach
A variation on this recipe from Rachael Ray



3 cups dry red wine
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 pound bulk Italian sweet or hot sausage
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
Salt and pepper
1 (5-ounce) package baby spinach, chopped
Freshly grated nutmeg, to your taste
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat wine and stock and keep warm over low flame.

Use a heavy pot with rounded sides to prepare risotto. Add 2 turns oil to the pan and heat over medium to medium-high flame. Add sausage and brown and crumble for a couple of minutes, then add onions and garlic and soften them up for a couple of minutes more. Stir in rice and combine, season with salt and pepper.

Start adding warm liquids a couple of ladles at a time, stirring vigorously each time you add the liquids to develop the starch. Allow liquids to almost fully evaporate before adding more. From the time you begin adding the liquids, the risotto will take 18 minutes to prepare. In the last 5 minutes of cook time, stir in the spinach, wilting it in one handful at a time. Stir a little freshly grated nutmeg into the risotto, about 1/8 teaspoon. In the last minute of cook time melt in 2 tablespoons butter then stir in cheese - a couple of handfuls of grated Parmesan.

Chicken Barley Soup

Not a bad soup, but I still have yet to find the really satisfying chicken soup I've been hunting for. Hrmph.

Chicken Barley Soup
Courtesy of Kalyn's Kitchen



2 cups diced cooked chicken (or 2 boneless-skinless chicken breasts)
8 cups chicken stock, homemade or canned
1 quart water
1 generous tablespoon Better Than Bouillon organic vegetable soup base (optional, but recommended for best flavor, other types of veggie stock cubes can be used)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 onion, chopped small
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup sliced or diced carrots
1/2 cup pearl barley
Fresh ground black pepper to taste, salt if desired

If you don't have leftover chicken, put two chicken breasts in a small saucepan with some water and a little bit of Better Than Bouillon Organic Low Sodium Chicken Base and simmer over very low heat about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is barely done. Let chicken cool, then dice into small pieces.

In a large stock pot, combine chicken stock, water, vegetable soup base, dried thyme, poultry seasoning, and dried parsley. Simmer 15 minutes while you chop veggies and chicken.

After 15 minutes, add chopped onion, chopped celery, sliced carrots, and barley. Start to simmer, and when the barley is nearly done (about 45 minutes) add the diced chicken. You may want to add a cup or so of water if the soup reduces too much.

When the barley is done to your liking, season the soup with fresh ground black pepper and salt to taste, and serve hot. (Be sure to taste before adding salt if using canned chicken stock, which can be rather salty.)

Creamy Butternut Squash and Cashew Curry

This definitely needed a bit of added salt, but the spice level and general flavor are lovely. I used butternut squash rather than pumpkin because that's what I could find. And I couldn't find curry leaves or coconut cream, so I just left the leaves out and used a full can of full-fat coconut milk.

Creamy Butternut Squash and Cashew Curry
A variation on this recipe from Bon Appétit



2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
4 1/2 cups 3/4-inch cubes peeled seeded sugar pumpkin or butternut squash (from about one 1 3/4-pound whole pumpkin)
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 small red onions, cut into 1/3-inch wedges
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
3 dried chiles de árbol, chopped
3/4 cup unsalted roasted cashews
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro plus additional for garnish
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Steamed basmati rice

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add squash and cook until golden, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to bowl.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to same skillet. Add mustard seeds; cook until seeds pop and leaves sizzle, 30 seconds. Add onions, garlic, and ginger. Sauté until onions are golden, 4 minutes. Add chiles, cashews, turmeric, and cumin; stir-fry 1 minute. Add coconut milk. Increase heat to medium-high. Boil until thickened, 2 minutes. Return squash to pan; reduce heat to medium. Simmer until squash is tender, 4 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup cilantro and lime juice. Spoon over rice; garnish with additional cilantro.

Chicken with Mustard Sauce, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, and Rosemary Potatoes

This is easy and delicious. The only thing I tweaked were the Brussels sprouts since I much prefer them roasted rather than sautéed (12 ounces of them, trimmed and quartered, tossed with salt, pepper, and olive oil, and roasted at 450°F for 15 minutes).



Chicken with Mustard Sauce
A variation on this recipe from Cooking Light

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup unfiltered apple cider
2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; add to pan. Cook 3 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken; place pan in oven. Bake for 9 minutes or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.

Heat pan over medium-high heat. Add broth and cider; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 4 minutes or until thickened. Whisk in mustard, butter, and parsley.

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Rosemary Potatoes
Courtesy of Cooking Light

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 ounces quartered red potatoes

Preheat oven to 450°F. Combine olive oil, thyme, rosemary, salt, black pepper, and potatoes in a bowl. Spread potatoes on a jelly-roll pan. Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown and tender.

Chicken Fajitas with Mexican Black Beans and Rice

I decided to make our last Sunday dinner a little easier by making it, primarily, a crockpot meal. And it was pretty tasty. The chicken itself wasn't my favorite. I definitely prefer the grilled/sautéed chicken I've had when I've had fajitas at a restaurant. The black beans and rice were quite good though. I've been enjoying having the leftovers with a little shredded cheese on top.



Chicken Fajitas
Courtesy of Stacy Makes Cents

1 yellow onion, sliced
3 sweet peppers, sliced
1 ½ pounds boneless chicken breast or thighs
½ cup chicken broth
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cumin
1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
Squirt of lime juice
Tortillas
Fajita fixings

Combine sliced onion and peppers in the bottom of a greased crockpot. Lay chicken on top of veggies. Pour chicken broth over top. Sprinkle everything with cumin, salt, and chili powder. Give a nice quirt of lime juice over the top. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. When meat is done, shred with two forks and stir back into juices. Serve meat mixture with slotted spoon on tortillas with your choice of fixings.

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Mexican Rice
Courtesy of The Pioneer Woman

2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 whole large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups long grain rice
1 can Rotel (10 ounces)
1 can whole tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
2 cups low sodium chicken broth (more if needed)
1 teaspoon cumin (more to taste)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onions and garlic, then cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add rice and garlic. Stir constantly, making sure the rice doesn’t burn. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Add Rotel and tomatoes. Stir to combine and let cook for 2 minutes. Finally, add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 additional minutes or until rice is done. Add more liquid as needed; rice shouldn’t be sticky.

Just before serving, sprinkle lots of freshly chopped cilantro over the top. Serve immediately.

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Mexican Black Beans
Courtesy of Bon Appétit

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 large jalapeño chili, seeded, chopped
1/2 teaspoon (generous) ground cumin
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed, drained
1 14 1/2-ounce can low-salt chicken broth
Fresh lime juice
Chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, chili and cumin and sauté 30 seconds. Add beans and broth and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Coarsely mash beans with potato masher. Continue boiling until thick, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with lime juice, salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Tandoori Chicken and Indian Potato Salad

I saw Aarti Sequeira make a version of this tandoori chicken on The Best Thing I Ever Made, and I had to try it. I tweaked things a bit since I couldn't find all of the ingredients in the grocery store. And I'm going to tweak how much tandoori spice I use next time since the dish could have used a bit more spice. I made a ton of tandoori spice, so I have plenty with which to experiment. I will also be using chicken breasts instead of thighs next time. I usually really only like using chopped chicken thighs in a dish. Otherwise, there's a lot of extra fat with which to deal.

On the show, she served the chicken with potato salad, but she didn't supply a recipe. So I found this one. Which I wasn't crazy about. But oh well. There are plenty of other ones out there to try.

Tandoori Chicken
A variation on this recipe from Aarti Sequeira



1 bottle dried pickling spice
1 dried chile de arbol
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 cup whole fat plain yogurt
1/4 cup peanut or canola oil
2 tablespoons malt vinegar or lime juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
Pinch cayenne pepper
8 cloves garlic, minced
2-inch thumb ginger, peeled and minced
1 packet boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 1/2 pounds usually)
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Couple of extra limes, for garnish

To make the marinade, toast the pickling spices, whole chiles and fennel seeds in a skillet until fragrant, 3 minutes or so, shaking the pan. Then, pour the spices into a spice grinder and grind them until you get a fine powder. Store in an airtight container.

In large bowl, whisk together 2-3 teaspoons (more or less, depending on your taste) spice mixture you just made with the yogurt, oil, malt vinegar, salt, ground cinnamon, paprika, turmeric, cayenne pepper, garlic and ginger until well combined. Taste and adjust with more salt if it needs it.

Reserve 1/3 cup of the marinade and set aside; you're going to make a sauce out of this reserved marinade.

Prick the chicken with a fork. Add the chicken to the rest of the marinade, and toss to coat. Marinate at least 1 hour in the fridge, and at most overnight.

When you're ready to cook, line a baking sheet with foil, and turn your broiler on. Place each chicken breast on the baking sheet, making sure each one is coated with the marinade, but isn't swimming in it. Cook the chicken breasts under the broiler until starting to blacken, about 5 minutes. Then turn the oven to 350°F, and cook until a meat thermometer inserted in the meatiest part of the thigh registers 165°F, another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven.

While the chicken is cooking, pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan, along with 1/2 cup water and the honey. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-low heat, whisking all the time. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and pour into a small bowl or gravy boat for serving.

Serve the chicken breasts on a platter with a fresh squeeze of lime and a drizzle of the sauce.

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Indian Potato Salad
Courtesy of Bon Appétit



3 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
1 cup chopped shallots (about 3)
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cups (packed) chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, divided

Bring large pot of salted water to boil; add potatoes. Cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with knife, about 25 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until very cold, at least 3 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

Puree shallots, mayonnaise, ginger, and lemon juice in processor. Transfer to small bowl. Stir in 1 1/2 cups cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Peel potatoes; cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Place in large bowl, add dressing, and toss to coat. Refrigerate until cold, about 4 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with remaining cilantro and serve.