Kalua Pork

6 pound pork shoulder (also called pork butt)
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt (or 1 tablespoon table salt)

If your pork shoulder is significantly smaller or larger than 6 pounds, adjust the amounts of liquid smoke and salt accordingly.


Rub the liquid smoke and salt into the pork and cook on low in a crock pot for 16-18 hours. I start it the night before and it's ready for a midday to evening meal. An hour or so before serving, take out any bones and shred the pork and put it back in its juices. The meat will soak in most of its juice. You could also do it in the oven on a low temperature - maybe 225-250 degrees for the same amount of time. If it cooks too long, it will still taste good, but will be a little 'mushier'.


One note of caution: The first time that I did this was for Riley's 1st birthday and we woke up in the middle of the night because the smell was so strong, and rather unpleasant. When we found out it was the pork, the smell didn't seem as bad, but I now I cook it in the garage. 


Serve in tacos, on buns with barbecue sauce, etc. Leftovers freeze and reheat well.

Crusty Overnight Bread

3 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 3/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon yeast

1 1/2 cups water

The night before:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast. Add water and mix until all the flour is mixed in. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside (not in the fridge) for 12-18 hours. 

The next day:

Heat oven to 450 degrees. When the oven has reached 450 degrees, place a cast iron pot with a lid in the oven* and heat the pot for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape (roughly) into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest while the pot is heating. Remove hot pot from the oven and drop in the dough. (I spray my hands with cooking spray first.) Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 10-15 minutes, depending on how dark you like your crust. Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.

*You don't have to have a cast iron pot for this. Anything that can take the heat, will hold at least 2.5 quarts, and has a tight-fitting lid will work. I use my Calphalon dutch oven or a round Corningware casserole dish. I've also heard of people successfully using clay pots with lids, a pizza stone with a bowl to cover the bread, the insert of a crock pot (as long as the lid's handle isn't plastic), or an old cast iron dutch oven. You could probably also use a baking dish covered with aluminum foil.

Bee-bim Bop

Bee-bim=mix, bop=rice, so this common Korean dish is mixed rice. We made it for the first time before we brought Tyson home, and the kids love it so much it's become a regular in our dinner rotation. The meat is essentially bulgogi, and you can use any combination of veggies that you'd like.

2 cups white rice

Marinade
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, chopped
5 teblespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, roasted (optional)
1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Meat
1 pound tender, lean beef (such as sirloin tip)

Vegetables
2 carrots, peeled and julienned
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced1 pound fresh spinach, washed
1 (6-oz.) bag fresh spinach
8 ounces bean sprouts

Other ingredients
4 eggs
salt and pepper
vegetable oil for frying

Serve with
Sriracha (Asian chili sauce)
Kimchee

Cook the rice in a rice cooker or on the stove.

Mix all the marinade ingredients in a large bowl or gallon-size plastic bag.

Slice the beef across the grain into very, VERY thin slices. (You'll want a good, sharp knife for this.) Add the beef to the marinade. Seal the bag and mix it together with your hands, then squish the beef (we tell the kids to "give it a massage") for 2-3 minutes. This makes it nice and tender. Set the beef aside.

Break the eggs into a large measuring cup. Beat the eggs with a fork until the whites and yolks are completely mixed together.

Put a teaspoon of vegetable oil into a small nonstick frying pan and heat over medium heat for about 1 minute. Pour about 1/4 of the egg into the pan. Rotate the pan quickly so the egg spreads out in a thin layer on the bottom. Cook the egg for 1 minutes. Using a wide spatula, flip the egg over and cook the other side for 1 minutes. You now have an egg "pancake." Flip the pancake out onto a cutting board and leave it there to cool. Repeat until you've cooked all the egg, adding a little more oil, if needed. When the pancakes are cool enough to handle, stack them on top of each other to make a neat stack. Rill up the stack tightly. Cut the roll into 1/4-inch slices. Put the slices into a medium-sized bowl, unroll them, and toss them around a little, so they look like a bunch of yellow ribbons. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large frying-pan or wok over a high flame and stir-fry the carrots over high heat until tender. Empty the carrots into a bowl and set aside.

Repeat with the mushrooms.

Blanch spinach in a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes, drain, and let cool for a few minutes, then squeeze some of the water out. Put 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil into the frying pan and stir-fry the precooked spinach for 2-3 minutes until tender. Empty the spinach into a bowl, season it with salt and pepper, and set it aside.

Boil 1 cup of water and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan. Add bean sprouts to the boiling water. Cover the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain the bean sprouts and empty them into a bowl.

Put the large frying pan over high heat. Heat the pan for about 30 seconds. Take the bowl of beef and marinade and dump it into the frying pan - all of it at once. When the beef hits the hot pan, it will sizzle loudly. Using a spatula or a wooden spoon, spread the beef out in the pan. Stir for 2-3 minutes until all the red meat turns brown. Turn off the heat. There will be cooked beef and some gravy in the pan.

To serve, put the rice, the bowls of egg strips and vegetables, and the pan of meat where everyone can reach them. Each person puts a pile of rice in the middle of a soup bowl or plate and some meat and vegetables on top. (Be sure to pour a couple of spoonfuls of meat juice on your rice.) Top with egg ribbons. If you like spicy food, add some Sriracha.

Now "bee-bim" everything together. It's ready to eat (with some kimchee on the side, if you like.)

Tequila Lime Chicken

From Applebee's, via topsecretrecipes.com.


Marinade
1 cup water
1/3 cup teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon mesquite liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup tequila

4 chicken breasts

Mexi-Ranch Dressing
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons minced tomato
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon minced canned jalapeno slices
1 teaspoon minced onion
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon Tobasco
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon cumin
dash garlic powder
dash ground black pepper

1 cup shredded cheddar/jack cheese blend
2 cups crumbled tortilla chips or fried tortilla strips

Prepare marinade by combining marinade ingredients. Add chicken and chill for 2 to 3 hours (not more, or the lime juice may toughen your chicken).

Make the Mexi-ranch dressing by combining all of the ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix will until smooth, then cover and chill until needed.

When  you are ready to prepare the entree, preheat the oven to high broil. Also, preheat you grill to high heat. When the grill is hot, cook the marinated chicken breasts for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until they're done.

Arrange the cooked chicken in a baking pan. Spread a layer of dressing over each piece of chicken (you'll have plenty left over), followed by 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese blend. Broil the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes, or just until the cheese has melted.

Spread a bed of 1/2 cup of the tortilla strips or crumbled tortilla chips on each of four plates. Slide a chicken breast onto the chips on each plate and serve with your choice of rice, and pico de gallo or salsa.

Chicken Satay

Serves 6.


2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
½ cup soy sauce
Juice of ½ lemon or lime (about 1½ tbsp fresh)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons curry powder (can use less)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cubed or cut into strips

In a mixing bowl, combine marinade ingredients. Stir in chicken to coat and refrigerate. Let the chicken  marinate for at least 2 hours or even overnight. Preheat grill to high heat. Weave chicken onto skewers, then grill about 5 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.

Our Favorite Falafel

1 cup dried chickpeas
1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried hot red pepper
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon baking powder
4-6 tablespoons flour
Soybean or vegetable oil for frying
Chopped tomato for garnish
Diced onion for garnish
Diced green bell pepper for garnish
Pita bread
Tahini sauce

Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain. Or use canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed.

Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onion in th ebowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.

Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons for flour, and pulse. You want to add enough flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl, covered, for several hours.

Form the chickpea mixture into balls abut the size of walnuts, or use a large cookie scoop.

Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep pot or wok and fry balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Stuff half a pita with falafel balls, chopped tomatoes, onion and green pepper. Drizzle with tahini thinned with water.

Makes 5 servings.

Mint Lemonade

1 (12 ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 fresh lemon
1¼ cups white sugar
½ cup fresh mint leaves

Pour the lemonade concentrate into a large pitcher. Stir in enough water to make 1 gallon. Grate the zest from the lemon and add to the pitcher, then squeeze the lemon juice from the lemon into the pitcher. (Don't worry about keeping the seeds out. You'll be straining it all later.) In a small bowl, crush the mint leaves into the sugar using a muddler or a wooden spoon. Stir into the lemonade. Cover and chill for several hours, then strain to remove the leaves and zest before serving. Serve over ice and garnish with a sprig of mint.

Lemon Butter Chicken

The ingredients are incredibly simple, but left to marinate for a few hours, this chicken is some of the most flavorful I've had!

Ingredients

1 stick margarine

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon salt

Melt all ingredients together and marinate chicken. Grill or bake.

Grandma Andrus' Orange Rolls

Note: Grandma's verbal instructions are in italics.
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups hot water
5-6 cups flour
1 tablespoon yeast

Glaze:
1/2 cube butter + 2 tablespoons margarine (Keeps butter from separating.)
1/2 cup sugar
Grated rind from 2 oranges

In a glass or metal bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, oil, and salt. Add the bubbly yeast mixture, then mix in 3 cups flour. If using SAF yeast, mix it with 1 cup of the flour before adding to the liquid mixture.

Add remainder of flour (2-3 cups). Dough should be sticky and not as stiff as bread dough.

Put in covered greased bowl and let rise 1 hour. Punch down and refrigerate overnight, covered.

When ready to roll out (about 2 hours before serving) roll into one large rectangle. Brush with glaze and cut in half the length of the dough. roll as you would cinnamon rolls and cut each half into 18 slices. Put in greased muffin pans. Cover with light towel and rise until double in bulk (about an hour).

Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes.

Cranberry and Orange Oatmeal

1 cup steel cut oats
1 cup Craisins
2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup almonds, toasted and chopped

In a nonmetal bowl, combine steel cut oats, Craisins, orange peel, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Stir in milk. Cover and chill for 8 to 24 hours.

To serve, transfer to a medium saucepan. Heat just to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes or until oatmeal is done, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in butter until melted. At this point you may want to add additional milk to make it the desired consistency. Spoon into four bowls; sprinkle with sugar and nuts.

Makes 4 servings.

California Chicken

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Italian salad dressing
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground black pepper
2 avocados - peeled, pitted and sliced
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
1 (8 ounce) package Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 10 slices

Marinate chicken in salad dressing for a few hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grill chicken or cook in hot skillet for15 minutes or until chicken is browned and just about done. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place chicken on cookie sheet and top each breast with 1 to 2 slices of tomato and 2 to 3 slices of cheese. Place in oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until cheese melts. Remove from oven, add 2 to 3 slices of avocado on top of each breast, and serve immediately.