Crock Pot Pork Carnitas

Don't skip the step to broil the shredded pork under the broiler. This is what makes the flavors develop and the crispy pork adds a lot to your meal.

3-4 pound boneless pork shoulder roast
12 oz bottle beer (I used a lager)
2 oranges, juiced (4 oz)
1 large lime, juiced (about 2 oz)
5 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 large onion, cut into large chunks
1 recipe of the Spice Mix below

Spice mix 
1/2 Tbsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper

Mix well in a small bowl.

Toppings
10 tortillas (flour or corn)
white onion, diced
1 avocado, thinly sliced
shredded Mexican cheese (of your choosing)
hot sauce (your choosing)
sour cream (optional)

1. Pour beer and juice from oranges and lime in the bottom of a crock pot
2. Add onion, saving about 1/4 of it to put on top of the roast
3. Rub spice mix and garlic clove into the meat on both sides
4. Place meat into the crock pot and place the onion you set aside on top of the roast
5. Cover crock pot and turn to high setting for about 5-6 hours or on low setting for 7-9 hours or until roast is tender and shreds with a fork.
6. Shred pork, salt and pepper to taste, and place on a foil-lined metal baking pan (may use 2 pans)
7. Preheat broiler on low broil setting.
8. Place meat under broiler, mixing periodically until meat begins to brown and get crispy.
9. Remove pan and assemble carnitas into tortillas with toppings of your choice.
10. Tastes great with homemade refried beans in the tortillas or on the side.
11. Reheats well for leftovers or can freeze leftovers and use another day.

Egg Roll in a Bowl

This low carb meal takes some prep work, but once that's done, it cooks in 10 minutes or less. The five-spice powder is a must-add ingredient. Making fresh five-spice powder (recipe below) is even better.

1/2 Tbsp oil (olive, canola, or coconut all work)
4 cups cabbage, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped or slivered
1 red pepper, chopped
2  large cloves garlic, minced
2 generous tsp. chopped ginger root
3 (about a 1/2 cup) green onions (with tops), sliced
4 oz. or more whole mushrooms (sliced) - (optional)
1 can water chestnuts, diced
1 pound or more cooked pork loin, chicken, or beef, thinly sliced
fresh bean spouts, rinsed and drained (optional)
1 large handful cilantro, chopped

Sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
4 tsp dry sherry
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1-2 tsp five-spice powder (see recipe below)
pinch red pepper flakes (add sparingly unless you like it spicy)
1- 2 tsp cornstarch
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Mix all sauce ingredients into a bowl and set aside.

Five Spice Powder
1/2 tsp each - whole cloves, whole fennel seed, whole star anise, whole peppercorns, whole or ground cinnamon) - place whole spices in a coffee grinder or spice grinder until well crushed. Save leftover spice for another day

Instructions
1. Add oil to a wok or large non-stick skillet. Heat until it shimmers (be sure to turn on your stove vent)
2. Add cabbage, onion, and red bell pepper. Stir fry until veggies begin to soften (about 2-3 minutes). 3. Add garlic and ginger, green onions, mushrooms and water chestnuts. Cook until veggies are to your likeness (at least 2 minutes longer).
4. Add the sliced, cooked meat and stir until meat is hot.
5. Add the sauce and toss together thoroughly. Cook an additional minute.
6. Add bean sprouts, if using and remove from heat. Stir well and place into a serving bowl.
7. Top with cilantro and serve.
8. For additional heat, top with Sambal Oelek or Siracha sauce.

This dish is great without any accompaniments, but if you want some carbs, serve with fried rice or top with crunchy chow mein noodles.

Smells and tastes amazing!

Emeril's Essence

This is a reproduction of Emeril's Essence from this link: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/emerils-essence-recipe.html

Just want to make sure this recipe is somewhere on my blog in case the link goes away! I've cut it in half and modified it a bit!

1 & 1/2 Tbsp. paprika (or you can use half regular and half smoky paprika)
1 Tbsp. granulated garlic
1/2 Tbsp. black pepper
1/2 Tbsp. onion powder or granulated onion powder
1/2 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1/2 Tbsp. dried thyme
1-2 tsp. kosher salt (you can add up to 1 Tbsp., but I don't like mine this salty)

Mix together and keep in a tightly sealed spice jar. Makes about 1/3 cup.

Taco Seasoning Mix

I haven't used store-bought taco seasoning in years. I just mix together spices from my cupboard to create a tasty taco seasoning that doesn't have all the added ingredients that you cannot even pronounce! I love spicy food, so delete the red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper for a milder version of this spic mix.

1 Tbsp cumin

2 Tbsp chili powder (I use Frontier Brand)
1 tsp paprika 

2 1/2 tsp Kosher salt 

2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (only add if you want a spicier version)

1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Store in a small glass jar (such as a small mason jar) on your spice shelf.

 
To use: Add 2-3 Tbsp. of mix on 1 pound ground beef (drained of fat and rinsed if you want to eliminate all fat), chicken, etc. When adding this to make tacos, put 1 Tbsp. flour in with the seasoning and stir to coat the beef or chicken. Then add 1/4-1/2 cup cold water to the pan to create a taco mix that will stick to the meat. You can also use arrowroot or cornstarch as a thickener instead of flour.

Make this in larger batches to have on hand when you're cooking up some tacos for a quick meal. This is so much healthier and tastes tons better than the packets of store-bought taco seasoning mix.

Mexican Seasoning Mix

To make a delicious shredded beef in the crock pot, here is a great seasoning mix that will knock your socks off.

1 Tbsp. EACH

 paprika

celery salt (or 1/2 that with celery seed)

granulated garlic,

dried parsley flakes

Plus:

1/2 tsp. EACH

ground black pepper

chili powder

cayenne pepper

seasoned salt

dried tarragon leaves

Rub all over a 3-5 pound beef roast and follow the instructions for my Crock Pot Shredded Mexican Beef recipe.

This spice mix can be used for many other Mexican dishes as well, such as shredded chicken, pork, or even shrimp. It is not a taco seasoning. That is in another post!

Ranch Seasoning Mix

This is the dry buttermilk to use. You can find it in the baking aisle of your grocery store.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon fresh parsley flakes or 2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp fresh chives or 1/2 tsp dried chives

1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fresh dill or 1/4 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp teaspoon onion powder
1/4 tsp dried mustard
1/8 tsp paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup dry buttermilk (optional) - use only if you want a buttermilk flavor, like for a ranch salad dressing.

Directions:  Mix all ingredients except the fresh herbs (if using dried herbs, you can add those to the rest).  Store in an airtight container such as a mason jar.

Contains no gluten or artificial ingredients. It may taste less salty than the store-brand version, but you can always add your own salt.

For Ranch Dip: Add fresh herbs and dried ingredients to one cup of sour cream. You can also use this for any recipe that calls for ranch seasoning. It's absolutely better than any store-bought Ranch dip seasoning mix.

For Ranch Salad Dressing: Add fresh herbs and dry ingredients to 1 cup of mayonnaise and 1 cup sour cream. To thin, use milk or cream.

For my recipe using real buttermilk for a Ranch Salad Dressing, use this recipe instead.

Greek Seasoning

Greek Seasoning

• 4 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoon dried mint
• 2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon dried minced onion or onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried minced garlic or granulated garlic

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 6 months.

Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Spinach and Feta

1/2 c. onion, chopped
16 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
2 - 1 pound pork tenderloins
5-7 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1 tsp. dried oregano
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 garlic cloves crushed (or 1 tsp. granulated garlic powder)
Greek seasoning (see below)
Kosher salt
Olive oil
kitchen string

Heat 1 Tbsp.  oil in a large frying pan. Add onions and saute till soft. Add crushed garlic cloves and saute an additional 30 seconds. Add spinach and saute until all moisture evaporates from spinach. Add oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Cut each pork tenderloin lengthwise to about 1/2 inch of cutting through to butterfly the tenderloin. Pound pork to 1/4 inch thickness. Distribute half the spinach over each of the tenderloins. Top with feta cheese. Roll each tenderloin like a jelly roll, starting at the long side. Tie in 5 places with kitchen string to hold in place. Coat the outside of each tenderloin with 1 1/2 Tbsp. of Greek seasoning and Kosher salt (to taste). Allow pork to stand about 30 minutes on the counter (this will warm the meat, so it will stay juicier)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil in an iron skillet (or oven-proof skillet). Add tenderloins and saute' turning to brown all sides. Place skillet in the oven and roast about 25-30 minutes (internal temperature of 150 degrees in thickest part). Transfer pork to cutting board and cover. Allow to rest for about 10 minutes. Cut kitchen string and slice pork into 1/2 inch slices. If desired, serve with sauce below.

Greek Seasoning

• 4 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoon dried mint
• 2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon dried minced onion or onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried minced garlic or granulated garlic

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 6 months.

Sauce
Drippings from pan
1 c. dry white wine
1 c. low salt chicken broth

Place skillet over medium to high heat and add wine to deglaze pan. Add broth and boil until thickened (about 10 minutes) Spoon sauce over pork.

Herbs

Here's the scoop on using herbs...dried and fresh.

Recipes often call for fresh herbs, but we don't always have those on hand. So here's a guide for using dried herbs in place of fresh herbs:

If your recipe calls for 1 Tablespoon of fresh basil -- use 1 tsp. dried basil (1/3 of the fresh)
If your recipe calls for 1/4 cup fresh parsley -- use a little over 1 Tbsp. dried parsley

What if you have fresh herbs you want to use in place of dried herbs? Now you have to triple the amount called for in the recipe.

If your recipe calls for 1 tsp. dried basil -- use 1 Tbsp. fresh basil
If your recipe calls for 1 Tbsp. dried parsley -- use 3 Tbsp. fresh parsley -- heck just put in a 1/4 cup!

One more thing. Be sure to add dried herbs at the beginning of the cooking process so their flavors are released. This is just opposite of fresh herbs -- add those at the END of the cooking process so they don't get brown or lose their fresh flavor. Usually I add fresh herbs just after I put my food in the serving bowl -- not in the food while it is cooking. It gives your food a nice earthy flavor.

Jerk Seasoning

1 Tbsp. dried onion flakes
1 Tbsp. onion powder
2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
2 tsp. dried chives
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. EACH - allspice, cayenne powder, black pepper
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Mix together and store in a tightly-sealed container. Use as seasoning for Crock Pot Chicken Jerk Sandwiches.

Greek-Spiced Feta Burgers

Create your own Greek spice mix and add some Feta cheese to the ground beef to make the burger. To complete the burger, make a homemade Tzatziki sauce add some veggies, stuff it into a pita and you've got yourself a Greek sandwich you will never forget! Let's get started!

Greek Spice Mix
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
1/2 tsp. granulated onion
1/2 tsp. dried minced garlic
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Optional: 1 tsp. dried mint leaves

Mix thoroughly and set aside.

Burgers
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, chuck or ground round works best
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 1/2 Tbsp. Greek Spice Mix (see above)
Salt
4 pita pocket bread - sliced on top so burger can fit inside

Thinly sliced English cucumber (about 20 slices)
2 thinly-sliced Roma tomatoes (about 20 slices)
1/4 medium purple onion, thinly-sliced
Chopped lettuce (optional)
Tzatziki Sauce (see recipe below)

Mix the feta cheese and Greek spice into the ground beef. Then roll into a log and cut into desired number of burgers (we made 4). Press out to burger size and salt meat. (see photo below)

Grill burgers for 4-6 minutes on a side on medium high heat. Toast pita bread just before taking burgers off the grill.

Place one burger inside each of the pita pocket bread, then fill the pocket with 2 Tbsp. of Tzatziki sauce. Add cucumber, tomatoes, onion and lettuce to complete the sandwich.


Tzatziki Sauce
1/2 cup Plain (unflavored) Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup peeled cucumber, finely diced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp. dried dillweed
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate for about 15-30 minutes to allow flavors to blend.