Simple Roasted Pork Shoulder

We often use pork shoulder (butt) for pulled pork and carnitas.  But recently I tried this roasted pork shoulder and it was excellent.  It was juicy, tender and had a great flavor.  Even my son who does not care for pork roast told me I could make this again!

Roasted Pork Shoulder

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 (4 pound) pork shoulder

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil garlic, salt and pepper.  Using a pastry brush, spread the mature all over the pork shoulder.
Set the meat on a rack set into a roasting pan.  Roast for 20 minutes, and then reduce the heat to 325 degrees.  Continue to cook until an instant read thermometer inserted into the shoulder reads 185 degrees, about 4 hours.  Remove the pork from the oven and let stand until cool enough to handle, about 30 minutes.

Kabocha Squash Saute

I was at Trader Joe's a couple weeks ago and found this squash called Delicata squash.  It had a label with a recipe on it so I thought I would buy it and try it.  The recipe was a hit and I will be making it again, possibly substituting a different squash if I can not find this one!

Delicata Squash Saute

Ingredients:

4 slices chopped bacon
1 1/2 cups onions, chopped
1 delicata squash, deseeded and diced (I peeled but not necessary with this squash)
salt
pepper
1/4 cup chicken stock
6 leaves chopped sage
lemon zest (optional)
balsamic glaze (optional)

Directions:

Render bacon in a large skillet.  Remove bacon, add the onion to the drippings and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add the diced squash to skillet with salt and pepper and saute for 12 minutes.  Add chicken stock, cover and steam until tender, yet firm, about 5 minutes.  Remove lid stir in bacon and sage.  Remove from heat and dress with lemon zest or a drizzle of balsamic glaze if desired.

Peppery Roast

This is a favorite roast recipe at our home.  The roast is very tender and has great flavor.  The 4 hour bake time is great for Sunday mornings or to put in the oven in the early afternoon and have it for dinner.  Try it, it may become a favorite of yours too!

Peppery Roast

Ingredients:

4 lbs. beef roast
1 Tbsp. liquid smoke
1 tsp. garlic salt
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. onion salt
1 Tbsp. dry mustard
1/2 cup catsup
dash of ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. celery salt
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 drops Tabasco sauce
2 tsp. pepper

Procedure:

Combine ingredients; pour over roast.  Cover and bake slowly at 300 degrees until tender, about 4 hours.

Vermont Maple Granola

I found this home made granola recipe a few years ago.  It is so much better than the granola you buy and so easy to make.  I love to eat it with yogurt and maybe some fresh fruit.  You could use it as cereal if you like also.  

Vermont Maple Granola

Ingredients:

7 cups rolled oats, uncooked
1 cup toasted coconut
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup almonds, sliced or broken up
1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped or broken up
1 cup sunflower seeds, raw or toasted
1/2 Dry Milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup raisins (optional)
additional dried fruit/nuts as desired

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut, wheat germ, nuts, seeds, and milk powder.  Mix well.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the salt, oil, maple syrup and vanilla.  Pour over dry mixturre in bowl, stirring and tossing till everything is very well combined.

Spread granola on a couple of large, lightly greased baking sheets.  Bake in a preheated 250 degree oven for 2 hours, tossing and stirring mixture every 15 minutes or so.  I often stir every 30 minutes.  Remove pans from oven and cool completely.  Transfer granola to a large bowl, and mix in raisins and additional dried fruit, as desired.

Turkey Wild Rice Soup

Leftover turkey is great to have!  I found a recipe this year for a soup that was very good and used up some of that leftover turkey.  It has wild rice in it, and of course living in Minnesota that is easy to find here.

Turkey Wild Rice Soup

Ingredients:

2/3 cup uncooked wild rice
2 cups water
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped carrots
1/3 cup flour
4 cups turkey or chicken broth
2 cups cooked turkey, in small pieces
1/2 tsp. kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper, or to taste
3/4 cup half-and-half cream
1/4 cup chopped slivered almonds (optional)
1/2 tsp. lemon juice

Directions:

Bring the wild rice and water to a boil in a saucepan.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the rice is tender but not mushy, 40-45 minutes.  Drain off any excess liquid, fluff the rice with a fork, and cook uncovered 5 minutes more.  Set the cooked rice aside.
Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium heat.  Cook and stir the onion, celery and carrots until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the flour, and cook until it turns a pale yellowish-brown color, 3 to 5 minutes.  Gradually whisk  in the turkey broth until no lumps of flour remain.  Cook about 2 minutes.  Stir in the wild rice, turkey, salt, peppers and almonds.  Return to a simmer and cook 2 minutes to heat the ingredients.  Stir in the lemon juice and half-and-half, bring the soup almost to a boil, and serve hot.

Dry Brined Turkey with Classic Herb Butter

There is a big debate on what is the best way to roast a turkey.  Many say wet brine is the way to go.  Others claim dry brine is the best.  This year when I made my Thanksgiving turkey I used a dry brine and it worked wonderful.  Maybe next year it will be a wet brine!

Dry Brined Turkey with Classic Herb Butter

Ingredients:

1 fresh or frozen turkey (1 to 1 1/2 lbs. per person)
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
Freshly ground pepper
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. cloves

Directions:

Unwrap the turkey and remove the neck and giblets (reserve for gravy if desired).  Rinse the turkey under cold water and pat dry.  Combine 1/3 cup salt, the sugar and 1 tsp. pepper in a bowl.  Rub all over the turkey and inside the cavity.  Put on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, at least 8 hours or over night.  Rinse well and pat dry.  (A dry brine is a good choice if you're short on fridge space.)

Mix the butter, parsley, sage, thyme, 1 tsp. pepper, the paprika and cloves until combined.  Reserve 4 tablespoons of the butter, then rub the rest under the turkey skin on the breasts and legs.  Rub 2 tablespoons of the reserved butter on the skin; chill and save the rest for your gravy.  Let the turkey stand 30 minutes at room temperature before roasting.

Put the oven rack in the lowest position; preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Put the turkey breast-side up on a rack in a large roasting pan, tucking the wing tips under.  Tie the drumsticks together with twine.  Roast until the skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees, about 15 minutes per pound.  Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 30 minutes before carving.  Whisk the reserved 2 tablespoons flavored butter into your gravy just before serving, if desired.

A Tale of Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I was young I loved the soft chocolate chip cookies my mom would make.  I found the recipe lately and baked a batch.  They were still soft and good.  In the last few years I have found a favorite soft chocolate chip cookie in the book Big, Soft, Chewy cookies.  They are delicious.  Either one of these recipes will be a hit if you like a soft chocolate chip cookie.

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies (Old recipe)
(this makes a large batch)

Ingredients:

1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. baking powder
5 1/2 cups flour
2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix sugar, shortening and eggs.  Add vanilla.  Add soda to sour cream and add alternately with dry ingredients (flour and baking powder).  Mix well.  Add chocolate chips.  Drop by teaspoon.  Bake for about 15 minutes, until set and starting to brown.. Transfer to a rack to cool.


Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies (New recipe)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a mixing bowl cream together butter and both sugars until smooth.  Add the egg, milk, and vanilla and blend.  In a separate bowl, mix together both flours, baking powder, and salt.  Add to the creamed mixture.  Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.  Using a 1/4 cup measure or a 2-ounce ice-cream scoop, scoop level measures of dough onto greased cookie sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.  Bake until cookies are browned and firm to the touch, about 15 minutes.  Transfer to a rack to cool.

Soft caramel popcorn

Oh yum!  I love soft caramel on popcorn.  This recipe is perfect, although a bit sweet.  But that is what caramel corn is.  A treat!!

Soft Caramel for Popcorn


Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1 cup karo syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a small saucepan.  Heat over medium heat until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.  Mix well.  Pour over popped popcorn.

I often cut this recipe in half and use 2 bags of microwave popcorn.