Pressure Cooker Carnitas

Pressure Cooker Carnitas

Found at callhimyeschef.com

Makes 8 servings
Total Time:  about 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ancho or chipotle chile powder
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 3 lbs. boneless pork shoulder roast, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed with the flat part of a knife
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 cinnamon stick (3 inch)
• 1 1/2 cups strained fresh orange juice
• 1/2 cup strained fresh lime juice

Directions

1. Whisk together oil, salt, cumin, chile powder, and pepper.
2. Toss pork in oil-spice mixture.  Brown pork in pressure cooker over high heat.
3. Stir in onion, garlic, oregano, and cinnamon stick.  Add orange and lime juices.
4. Cover pressure cooker, lock on lid and bring to high pressure over high heat.  Cook pork at high pressure, 25 minutes.  Remove cooker from heat.  Allow pressure to release naturally.  Remove lid and transfer pork to a baking sheet.
5. Preheat broiler to high with rack 6 inches from element.
6. Degrease liquids from cooker in a fat separator; discard fat.  Shred pork with two forks on baking sheet.  Pour 1 cup strained cooking liquid over pork.
7. Broil pork until it starts to crisp, about 10 minutes.  Stir and broil 5 minutes more.
8. Serve pork with tortillas, avocado, salsa Verde, queso fresco and remaining cooking liquid.

Grilled Chicken Shawarma With Tzatziki Sauce

Grilled Chicken Shawarma With Tzatziki Sauce
Marinade
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1. In a small bowl, combine marinade ingredients. Place chicken in a plastic bag and pour marinade over the top. Shake to coat and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours.
2. Grill chicken on a pre-heated BBQ, on medium high heat, closing the lid to the BBQ, until all sides have nice grill marks, about 8 minutes each side.

Tzatziki

• 1 cucumber (to make about ½ - ¾ cup grated cucumber after squeezing out juice)
• 1¼ cups plain  yogurt
• 2 tsp white wine vinegar 
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (or more if you want richer)
• ½ garlic clove, minced
• 2 tsp dill
• ½ tsp salt
• Black pepper
• 
  

1. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise. Use a teaspoon to scrape the watery seeds out. Coarsely grate the cucumber using a box grater. Then wrap in paper towels or a tea towel and squeeze to remove excess liquid.
2. Place cucumber in a bowl. Add remaining ingredients then mix to combine. Set aside for at least 20 minutes for the flavors to meld.

Pork Chops with Balsamic Vinegar and Mushrooms

2 bone in pork chops

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 tbsp finely chopped shallot, or 1/4 finely diced onion

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 cup plus 2 tsp beef broth

3/4 tsp cornstarch

Heat a large frying pan over medium high heat with about a tbsp of oil until nice and hot. Put the chops in the pan and cook about 6 minutes per side. This should make them about medium-rare. Remove the chops from the pan, place on a platter and cover with aluminum foil. Sitting on the platter they will cook to medium.

While the chops are resting, add butter to the frying pan along with mushrooms and shallots (or onion) and saute until the mushrooms are browned and tender, about 4 minutes. Once they are done cooking, add them to the platter with the chops.

Add the vinegar and soy sauce to the pan, making sure to scrape up the delicious browned bits on the bottom. Let cook about 2 minutes and then add broth and let simmer. While the sauce is simmering, add remaining 2 tsp of broth to a cup with the cornstarch. Stir them together and add to the pan and stir well. As it starts to simmer it will thicken up the sauce. Take the entire plate of chops and mushrooms and return them to the pan along with any meat juices that have accumulated. Turn the chops over in the sauce letting them get covered and delicious. Serve the chops with the sauce and mushrooms smothered over top.

Scalloped Potatoes

I tried this, used my new expensive stainless steel 5x6 1/2 pan!! 50 cents at the thrift shop!! Scalloped Potatoes 2 medium potatoes sliced thin 2 TBS butter 1 heaping TBS flour 1 cup milk 1 cup of cheddar cheese Salt Pepper Garlic powder Onion powder Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour, stir good. Add the milk, stir till no lumps. Add the cheese and spices. Stir till cheese is melted. Grease a small pan. Layer potatoes in the bottom . Add half of cheese mixture and repeat. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes. Serves 2

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cake

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cake

1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal

1 1/3 cup boiling water

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter- room temperature

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour (I used 1 cup white ad 1/2 cup of wheat)

1 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup coconut

1/4 cup half and half

6 Tbs. melted butter

Boil the 1 1/3 cup water. Measure the oats in a small bowl. As soon as the water begins to boil, pour all of it over the oats. Stir, and set aside to allow the water to soak in. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugars. Add the eggs and mix well until fluffy. Sift all the dry ingredients together. Give the oats mixture another stir. Most of the liquid should be absorbed. Now, pour half of the dry mixture in the mixing bowl. Stir slowly. Add half of the oatmeal. Stir slowly. Now- do that again…dry mixture and then the oats. Mix  just until well-combined.

Pour into a greased 9×13 pan. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes- until the cake tests done. it is done when a small knife inserted in the middle will not be gooey. The topping needs to be applied to the cake while it is still hot. So, as soon as the cake is taken out of the oven- start working on the topping.

For the topping:

Melt the butter. Add the other topping ingredients and mix until the sugar is dissolved and everything is well-incorporated. Pour all of this over the hot cake, and carefully spread it out so that it covers the whole cake. Turn the broiler of the oven onto high. Make sure the rack inside the oven is at the very top position.

Slide the cake to the top rack. Keep the oven door cracked open so you can keep an eye on the cake.

The broiler is very hot and will burn the cake very quickly. So- keep an eye on it constantly.

As soon as the topping on the cake begins to bubble, give it about 30 seconds- just until the topping is melted and the coconut is starting to brown.

Upcycled Leather Jacket into a Bag!!

Upcycled leather jacket into a modified Trail Tote. Haha there's a loaf of rye bread in it so it stands up!

Bacon Macaroni Salad Recipe

Bacon Macaroni Salad Recipe

     

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

1 large tomato, finely chopped

2 celery ribs, finely chopped

5 green onions, finely chopped

1-1/4 cups mayonnaise

5 teaspoon white vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 pound bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

Directions

1. Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in tomato, celery and green onions.

2. In a small bowl, whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour over macaroni mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, at least 2 hours. Just before serving, stir in bacon. Yield: 12 servings (3/4 cup each).