BBQ Root Beer Pork

1 bottle quality root beer - IBC is my Root beer of choice
Pork tenderloin or loin
1 bottle BBQ sauce - Sweet Baby Ray's is my fave!
Salt and pepper
Buns

Cooking


1. Trim fat from pork and place in crock pot.

2.Pour bottle of root beer over pork. Season the meat with salt and pepper.

3. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.

4. Shred pork and mix with BBQ Sauce. Serve on a bun alongside chips and potato salad.

That's it!

Balsamic Chicken and Vegetables

Ingredients

1 cup diced onions
1 cup baby carrots
4 ounces sliced baby bella mushrooms (rinsed)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
cooking spray
1 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. Place onions, carrots, and mushrooms in microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on HIGH 5 minutes or until hot. 2. Preheat large sauté pan on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Cut chicken into 1 1/2-inch-wide strips; coat with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan and sprinkle with steak seasoning. Cover and cook 2–3 minutes, turning once, or until chicken begins to brown. 3. Drain vegetables and stir into chicken. Cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring once, or until vegetables begin to brown. 4. Remove lid and cook 3 more minutes, stirring once, or until vegetables are well browned. Stir in balsamic vinegar and serve. Makes 4 servings.

Slovenian Goulash

1 pound lean beef
1 pound lean veal (or all beef)
3 tlbs. fat
1 large onion
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
1 cup strained tomatoes
8 small peeled potatoes

Cut meat in cubes and saute with onion in hot fat, stirring occasionly to brown evenly. Add seasonings and strained tomatoes. Simmer about 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Add potatoes after one hour of cooking; add more strained tomatoes if necessary. Serve hot. 6 servings

Coca Cola Roast Beef

5 lbs bottom round
1 tbsp each of salt and chili pepper
1 tsp each of thyme leaves, basil leaves, oregano leaves, paprika, black pepper, chervil, dry mustard
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 cups Coca Cola (DO NOT USE DIET!!)

Place the roast in a large roasting pan. Blend the seasonings. Pour the coke along side the beef.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, reduce temperature to 300 degrees and continue to bake for 3 hours.

Remove beef, slice and serve.

I've also done this in a crock pot with the same temps.

Bourbon-Glazed Salmon

1 cup packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons bourbon
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, crushed
8 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)
Cooking spray
4 teaspoons sesame seeds
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add salmon fillets. Seal bag, and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning bag once. Remove fillets from bag; discard marinade.

Preheat broiler.

Place fillets on broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 11 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Sprinkle each fillet with 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds and 1 tablespoon onions.

Onion-Stuffed Sirloin with Mushroom Saute

Ingredients
1/2 of a small onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon margarine or butter
1/8 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning or pepper
1 8-ounce boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut 1-1/2 inches thick
3/4 cup sliced fresh shiitake or other mushrooms
1 tablespoon margarine or butter
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon instant beef bouillon granules
1 tablespoon dry red or white wine

Directions
1. For stuffing, in a small saucepan cook the onion and garlic in margarine or butter until onion is tender but not brown. Remove from heat. Stir in the lemon-pepper seasoning or pepper. Set aside.
2. Make a pocket in the steak by cutting a deep horizontal slit. Spoon the stuffing into the pocket. If necessary, secure opening of the pocket with a wooden toothpick.
3. To grill, place steak on the rack of an uncovered grill. Grill directly over medium-hot coals to desired doneness, turning once. (Allow 14 to 18 minutes for rare, 18 to 22 minutes for medium, or 24 to 28 minutes for well-done).
4. Or, to broil, place steak on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat to desired doneness, turning once. (Allow 14 to 18 minutes for rare, 19 to 22 minutes for medium, or 23 to 28 minutes for well-done).
5. Meanwhile, for mushroom sauce, in a small saucepan cook the mushrooms in margarine or butter until tender. In a small bowl stir together the cornstarch, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon granules, and 1/2 cup water. Carefully add to the saucepan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Stir in wine. To serve, cut steak in half. Transfer steak halves to individual plates. Pour sauce over steak.

Makes 2 servings.

Chicken Saltimbocca

Ingredients
1/4 cup flour
1 lb boneless chicken cutlets
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 slices prosciutto (about 2 1/2 oz)
1/8 teaspoon pepper4 small fresh sage leaves (rinsed)
4 thin slices Swiss cheese
1 cup specialty tomato basil pasta sauce

Steps
1. Preheat large sauté pan on medium-high 2–3 minutes. Place flour in shallow bowl. Dip chicken in flour, coating both sides, then shaking off any excess (wash hands).

2. Place oil in pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken (wash hands); cook 3–4 minutes on one side.

3. Turn chicken; reduce heat to medium. Place one slice of the prosciutto on each cutlet and sprinkle with pepper; add one sage leaf and top with one slice of the cheese. Cover and cook 3–4 more minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

4. Meanwhile, place pasta sauce in microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on HIGH 3–4 minutes or until hot. Spoon sauce onto serving plates, place chicken on sauce, and serve.

Cumin-Dusted Chicken Breasts with Guacamole Sauce

Sauce:
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 ripe peeled avocado, seeded and coarsely mashed

Chicken:
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray

To prepare sauce, combine first 8 ingredients; set aside.

Preheat oven to 400°. To prepare chicken, combine sugar, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; sprinkle evenly over chicken. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken over. Place pan in oven; bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until done. Serve chicken with sauce.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 breast half and about 3 tablespoons sauce)

Herb-Marinated Grilled Chicken Paillards with Pan Sauce

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, tenders removed and trimmed of any cartilage
1 lemon, zested and juiced, 1 tablespoon juice reserved
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Salt, for seasoning
Pepper, for seasoning
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon cold butter

One by one, place the chicken breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap, or inside of a resealable plastic bag, and pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin or heavy-bottomed pan until about 1/2-inch thick.

In a glass baking dish, combine the zest and all but 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice with 1/4 cup of the olive oil, the shallot, garlic, and a little more than 2 tablespoons of each of the chopped fresh herbs. (Reserve the remaining chopped herbs.) Add the pounded chicken breasts to the herb mixture and turn to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper, cover the dish with plastic wrap, and put in the refrigerator to marinate, at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the chicken breasts to the pan and cook, turning once, until cooked through and golden brown on both sides, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Cook the breasts 2 at a time if the pan is too small. Transfer to a serving platter and keep warm. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and the white wine to the pan, scraping to loosen any brown bits, and reduce until almost dry. Add the chicken broth and reduce by half, then off the heat add the reserved herbs and cold butter, swirling to melt the butter and thicken the sauce. Pour over the chicken paillards and serve immediately.

Gruyère, Arugula, and Prosciutto-Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Caramelized Shallot Sauce

Ingredients
Chicken:
6 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
6 (1/2-ounce) slices prosciutto
6 (1/2-ounce) slices Gruyère cheese
1 1/2 cups trimmed arugula
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil

Sauce:
1 cup thinly sliced shallots
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 cups dry white wine
2 1/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare the chicken, place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap (I use a large ziploc bag;) pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Discard plastic wrap. Top each chicken breast half with 1 slice prosciutto, 1 slice cheese, and 1/4 cup arugula, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edges. Fold in half, pinching edges together to seal; sprinkle with salt and pepper.

(The chicken can be prepared up to a day ahead and refrigerated at this point. Stuffing the chicken a day ahead and refrigerating it makes it easier to sauté.)

Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes on each side. Place chicken in a shallow baking pan; bake at 350° for 5 minutes or until done. Keep warm.

To prepare sauce, add shallots to skillet; sauté 4 minutes over medium-high heat or until browned. Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in wine; bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until reduced to 1 cup (about 6 minutes). Add broth; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half (about 8 minutes). Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring with a fork until smooth. Add cornstarch mixture to sauce; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

Yield 6 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and about 1/4 cup sauce)

Bistec Encebollao - Vinegar Steak

Prep: 15 minutes plus 4 hrs refrigerating. Can be made a couple of days in advance (or frozen for later use).
Servings: 3-4

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef steak, thinly sliced
  
• 1/2 cup olive oil
  
• 2 Tbs minced garlic
• dash dried oregano leaves
• 2 large white onions, sliced in rings
• 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1 cup beef stock or water
• 1 tsp salt
  

Directions

1. Dump all ingredients in a gallon-size plastic bag and turn so that all the ingredients mix together. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or a couple of days (or freeze for later use).
2. Dump contents of bag in a heavy skillet and bring it to a boil. Lower heat to low, cover and cook for about 40 minutes or so. The meat will be very tender and tasty.

Serve with white rice and tostones (recipe to be posted another time).