Pork Carnitas

 This was delicious!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/pork-carnitas-recipe.html

Chicken Carnitas

My husband and I did not care for this recipe.

Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

8 hours

Total time

8 hours 5 mins

Author: Steve Cylka

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 5 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
• 1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, minced (seeds removed)
• ½ tbsp cumin
• ½ tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Place all the ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours.
2. Once the cooking time is done, take the chicken out of the crock pot dish and shred with two forks.
3. Strain the juice out of the crock pot into a bowl to reserve. Leave the cooked tomatoes, onions and peppers in the crock pot. Mix in the shredded chicken. If the mixture seems too dry, add a bit of the reserved liquid.
4. Serve the mixture on taco shells with desired toppings like: cheese, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, chopped jalapenos or fresh cilantro.
5. This mixture is also great on salad or even nacho chips.

Incredible Baked Meatballs

I forgot to take a picture of these.  I wouldn't say they're incredible, but they are one of the two best meatball recipes I've made so far.  But, since I can't find a meatball recipe that I am absolutely in love with, my next step will be to experiment and come up with my own recipe.

1 lb hamburger
2 eggs, beaten with 1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup panko or bread crumbs
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup minced fresh basil

Mix all ingredients with hands.
Form into golfball sized meatballs.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Turkey Meatballs

My mom gave me this recipe.  I didn't care for it a ton, but Tim and Nico liked it.  For the Parmesan cheese, we finally stopped using the Kraft Parmesan that you find sitting on the shelf, and we switched to a grated refrigerated kind from Trader Joe's that tastes much more natural and delicious.  One of these days, I'll make the effort to grate my own cheese.  It's just hard to do now with my busy boy following me around the kitchen.

1.25 lb. ground turkey

1 Tbsp. (or to taste) Lee & Perrins worcestershire sauce – shake bottle before pouring

6 green onions, cut lengthwise and chopped finely – may use white onions but the results are not as tasty

2 garlic cloves, chopped finely

1 cup grated parmesan cheese – not the stuff in a green container

salt and pepper to taste

1 egg

2/3 cup Progresso Italian breadcrumbs

Put everything together in a bowl and mix with your fingers.  Roll in balls to make about 20 meatballs.

Transfer meatballs on your aluminum covered jelly roll pan (the one I gave you).

Bake at 325 for about 20 min. on one side and turn over for another 15 minutes or so.  Don’t get them too brown as they will harden.  They’re done done also when you smell the meatballs.

Cayenne-Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa with a side of Lime-Cilantro Quinoa Salad

This chicken recipe is the total bomb!  One of my absolute favorites and also from Everyday Food magazine.  I first made these two recipes with my friend, Karen, and after that, we were hooked, although the chicken dish I like more than the quinoa one.  The next time I made this recipe, I was blessed to cook it with the help of my brother who was in town.  :)  I doesn't seem like it should be a time-consuming recipe, but it is, so I was glad for my brother's help and company, of course!

http://www.marthastewart.com/338117/cayenne-rubbed-chicken-with-avocado-sals

Ingredients

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 Hass avocado, pitted and cut into chunks

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne; rub all over chicken.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium. Add chicken, and cook until browned on the outside and opaque throughout, 8 to 10 minutes per side.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine onion and lime juice; set aside. Just before serving, fold avocado chunks into onion mixture; season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken topped with salsa.

http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/06/14/recipe-lime-cilantro-quinoa-salad/

Traditional Adobo (Filipino Stew)

I'd like to continue the family tradition of making this dish, so this was my first attempt at making Filipino-style adobo.  It is so simple to make and turned out really well, although still not as good as when my mom and 93-year-old grandma make it.  :)

2-1/2 lbs. country-style pork ribs, boneless (do not remove fat), cut into 2 in. cubes plus 2-1/2 lbs. mixed chicken drumsticks and skin & bone-in thighs*

Marinade

1-1/3 cups store-brand red-wine vinegar

8 TBSP. light soy sauce
4 tsp. salt

12 medium-large garlic cloves, minced & smashed

4 bay leaves

1 heaping tsp. black pepper

5 heaping TBSP. light-brown sugar
2 cups water

Combine all ingredients in a large ceramic baking dish or dutch oven. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours.  Preheat oven to 325 F.  Bake for 1 hour, uncovered.  Turn meat and bake for another hour.  Turn meat again skin-side up and bake until they are are a nice golden brown and meat is tender.  Discard bay leaves and skim off some of the fat.  Serve meat and sauce over hot rice.  Enjoy!

 *Or use 4-1/2 to 5 lbs. of chicken or pork only, if you prefer.  Serves a small crowd!

Curried Chicken Pitas with a side of Whole-Wheat Couscous

This recipe comes from the cookbook ‘Cooking With All Things Trader Joe’s.  I won’t add the recipe since I couldn’t find it online already, but you can send me a message if you want it.  I really like it and especially how the flavors in it are not typical of what I usually eat.  Finally, you can buy whole-wheat couscous at Trader Joe’s.