How to Season and Protect Your Cast Iron Cookware

Sausage Stuffed Pork Loin with Gravy

Ingredients


 4- to 5-lb boneless pork loin w/ nice fat layer
 1/2 cup kosher salt
 1/2 cup sugar
 12 black peppercorns
 1 teaspoon garlic powder
 1 teaspoon thyme
 1 small yellow onion, peeled and sliced into rings
 6 cups water
 3-4 cups ice cubes
 Fresh sausage links
 1 tablespoon olive oil

 For gravy:

 2 cups chicken stock
 Salt, pepper and paprika to taste
 2 tablespoons butter
 Zest and juice of half a lemon
       


       
                           
Directions

 1. Place pork loin on a cutting board with fat facing down.
Use a sharp knife with blade horizontal to the board. To
butterfly the loin open about 1 inch from the bottom of the loin.
Work carefully not to cut all the way through. Continue to slice
horizontally, opening the loin up until you have a large, thin,
flat piece of meat.

 2. In large saucepan, mix together kosher salt, sugar, peppercorns,
garlic powder, thyme and onion. Add 6 cups water and heat over
medium heat until sugar and salt have dissolved. Remove from heat
and add 3-4 ice cubes. Pour into freezer bag; add loin, seal and set
aside for 25-30 minutes.

 3. Pre-heat oven to 375 F.

 4. Remove loin from brine and pat dry. Place uncooked sausage
lengthwise along the short side of the loin. Pierce casings with tip of
sharp knife to ensure the flavor of the sausage goes into the pork
as it cooks. Roll up loin tightly, jellyroll style. Secure loin with tightly
fitted kitchen twine about 2 inches apart.

 5. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika. Heat 2 tablespoons
olive oil in large cast iron pan over medium heat. Add roast and sear,
fat side down first, 3 to 4 minutes, and then on all sides. When final side
is done, transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the internal temperature
is 145 F, about 45-55 minutes. Remove roast from oven and rest on a platter.

 Gravy:

 1. For the gravy, in the same pan used to cook the meat, add chicken stock
to pork drippings. Simmer 5-6 minutes on the stove. Remove pan from heat
and swirl in butter to thicken. Finish with lemon zest and juice.
Serve over pork loin.

Honey Baked Chicken

  

Ingredients 

 1 (2 1/2 to 3-lb.) whole chicken, cut up 

 1/3 cup honey 

 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted 

 2 tablespoons prepared mustard 

 1 teaspoon curry powder 

 1 teaspoon salt 

         

  

  

         

                             

Directions  

 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

 2. Place chicken in a shallow baking dish.

 3. Mix together honey, butter or margarine, 

mustard, curry powder and salt; pour honey 

mixture over chicken.

 4. Bake 1 1/4 hours, basting every half hour, 

until chicken is tender and nicely browned. 

Yield: 3 to 4 servings 

Coconut Banana Balls

Ingredients 

 1 ripe banana

 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

 1 Tablespoon raw honey

 2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted

 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 dash of salt

 chocolate powder for the topping 

         

  

  

         

                             

Directions  

 1. Preheat oven to 250F

 2. Mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. 

 3. Form small 1 inch balls from the dough.

 4. Bake at 250F for 12-15 minutes.

Slowcooker Italian Pot Roast

Ingredients

 4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
 2 cups baby carrots
 1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch slices
 2-1/2 lb. boneless beef chuck roast
 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
 14-1/2 oz. diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
 1/4 cup water
       
 
 
       
                           
Directions 

 1. Arrange vegetables in a crockpot.
Top with roast; sprinkle with black pepper.

 2. In a bowl, mix undrained tomatoes and
water; pour over roast. Cover and cook on
low for

8 to 10 hours.

Orange and Cinnamon Crock Pot Chicken

Ingredients


 3-4 lb chicken cut into serving pieces
 1 cup chicken broth or  Homemade chicken stock
 1/4 lb butter
 2 cups orange juice
 1 cup raisins
 salt and black pepper to taste
 1/4 tsp cinnamon
 2 Tbs flour
       


       
                           
Directions

 1. Heat butter in large skillet, and brown chicken.
Remove chicken pieces to slow cooker as they brown.

 2. Combine all other ingredients, except flour, mix
well and pour over chicken.

 3. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours, or until
chicken is tender.

 4. Remove 1 cup of sauce from the pot and combine
with flour, mixing well. Return sauce - flour mixture to pot.
Turn pot on HIGH, and cook additional half hour.

How to Sharpen Kitchen Knives

Shrimp Frittata

Ingredients 

 3/4 pound small shrimp peeled and deveined

 6 large eggs

 3 tablespoons milk (whole or 2% only )

 2 tablespoons olive oil

 2 scallions, thinly sliced

 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

 black pepper to taste

         

  

  

         

                             

Directions  

 1. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and milk with a small whisk 

or a fork until lightly frothy.

 2. Heat the oil in a 10- to 12-inch skillet (preferably nonstick) over 

medium heat. Add the scallions and cook, stirring constantly, just 

until they are soft, about 1-2 minute. Do not let them brown.

 3. Add the shrimp and salt; cook, stirring often, until the shrimp 

are pink and firm, about 2-3 minutes.

 4. Reduce the heat to low. Pour the eggs into the skillet and shake 

the pan lightly to distribute the shrimp and scallions evenly in the egg 

mixture. Cover the skillet and cook undisturbed until the eggs are set, 

about 6-8 minutes.

 5. Carefully run a long thin flexible spatula around the sides and under 

the frittata to release it from the pan, and slide it onto a serving platter.

 Cut the frittata in half or into wedges. Serve hot.