Sweet Pork Barbacoa (Cafe Rio style)

2 pounds pork (I like to use the pork butt/shoulder)
2 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can diced green chilies
3/4 can enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso 14 ounce can)
1 c. brown sugar (this was too sweet for my taste, next time I'll only use 1/2 cup)

Put the pork in a reclosable bag to marinate, pour in one of the cans of Coke and 1/2 c. brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight. 

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of Coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours. Remove pork from crock pot, drain off liquid, shred pork. (I use two forks because I’m too impatient to wait until it’s cool.)

Mix together (in a bowl or in the blender) other 1/2 can of Coke, can of chilies, enchilada sauce and brown sugar.

Put shredded pork back in the crock pot, cover with sauce, heat just until warmed through.

(For a party of 10, we doubled pork, rice, and dressing. We had plenty of everything except the rice - so triple the rice next time, and way too much dressing - one recipe is plenty! So for a party of 10 - double pork, triple rice, single dressing.)

Green Beans with Balsamic Butter

(From Our Best Bites)

2 lbs fresh green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup salted butter
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 green onions, chopped (whites and greens)
2 cloves garlic, minced

Combine the onions, garlic, and vinegar in a small saucepan. Cook on medium, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes - until most of the vinegar is reduced into a thick syrup and has been absorbed by the green onions. Remove from heat and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add butter to the vinegar mixture - combine and set aside.

When water boils, add green beans. Cook for 3-5 minutes - until beans are crisp-tender. Drain and toss with the balsamic butter sauce. Serve immediately.

Serves 8.

Garlic Rosemary Roasted Baby Potatoes

1 1/2 lb fingerling or baby potatoes, washed (try to pick bite-sized potatoes)
2 1/2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 TBS coarse-grain or Dijon mustard
2 1/2 TBS chopped fresh rosemary (no stem)
5 cloves of garlic, minced
black pepper
salt

In a large pot of salted, boiling water, boil potatoes for 10 minutes or until they are easily pierced with a fork. Preheat oven to 425

While potatoes are boiling, combine olive oil, mustard, rosemary, and garlic. When potatoes are done, drain and then toss with mustard mixture. Spread out on a foil lined sheet pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes - until the skins are browning and sizzling. Be sure to scrape all the seasoning bits off the pan and pour over potatoes when serving.

(May prepare ahead up to the baking - refrigerate covered for up to 6 hours. When ready, preheat oven to 425 and bake.)

Avocado Edamame Tomato Salad

1 medium avocado
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
3/4 cup shelled edamame
1/4 cup finely diced red onion or shallot (I prefer shallots - they're more mild and I go easy on them)
1 TBS fresh lime juice

Dressing:
2 TBS fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp Spike! seasoning (I had never heard of this before, but had no problem finding it in the spice aisle and it really is good.)
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

Dice avocado into bite size pieces and immediately toss with 1 TBS lime juice. Halve or quarter cherry tomatoes into bite size pieces. If using frozen edamame, thaw. Finely dice onion or shallot. Combine all ingredients.

For the dressing: combine lime juice and seasonings and then slowly whisk in the olive oil. pour over salad and gently toss. Serve immediately.

Pork Tenderloin with Chimichurri

2-3 lb pork tenderloin (2 small-med pork loins)
1 1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup loosely packed oregano leaves (fresh is best, but if you don't have access to fresh oregano, you could use 1 TBS plus 1 tsp of dried oregano leaves)
2 TBS fresh lime juice
1 TBS red wine vinegar
3 TBS chopped garlic (6-7 cloves)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place parsley, cilantro, oregano, lime juice, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor. Pulse several times until finely chopped.

Transfer to a bowl and add the red pepper flakes. Stir in extra virgin olive oil by hand. Don't put the olive oil in the food processor because you run the risk of turning the entire sauce bitter.

Put about 1/2 - 3/4 cup chimichurri and place in a ziploc bag with the pork. Cover the remaining chimichurri and set both aside for about an hour.

When ready to cook, preheat grill. Remove tenderloins from bag and let excess marinade drip off. Place on grill and cook for about 5-8 minutes before flipping to the other side. You want the internal temperature to be about 160, so check with the thermometer and take it off the grill when it reaches 155-158 since it will continue to cook a bit as it sits. Remove from the grill and let stand 5 before cutting. Slice and serve with remaining chimichurri drizzled on top.

Taken from Our Best Bites

Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Tarts

2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil

1 TBS butter

1 1/2 cups chopped onions

1 TBS sugar

salt

4 oz goat cheese, room temperature

1 large egg

2 TBS heavy cream

1 tsp freshly chopped thyme leaves

1 (14 oz) box refrigerated pie crust

mini muffin tin

In a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, add the oil and butter. When the butter is melted, add the onions, sugar, and salt to taste. Cook until the onions begin to brown. Adjust the heat to low and cook slowly, turning often, until the onions are golden brown and caramelized, about 10-15 minutes. Remove the onions from the heat and set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 375.

In a bowl combine the goat cheese, egg, cream, and thyme. Pour the mixture into a small resealable plastic food storage bag. Snip off a corner of the bag to use it for piping.

Lay the pie crusts out flat on a clean surface and with a 2 1/2 inch round cutter, cut out 12 circles from each crust. Press them into the cups of the mini-muffin tin. Fill each cup 1/2 way with the cooled onions. Pipe the cheese mixture on top of the onions, filling the cups. Bake the tarts until the filling is set, about 15-20 minutes. Let the tarts cool slightly and then remove them from the muffin tin and serve.

Makes 12 tarts.

Bangers and Mash

2 pounds potatoes

8 links Italian sausage

1 TBS oil

1 large onion

2 TBS flour

4 cups chicken stock

4 TBS cream

2 TBS butter

2 TBS creme fraiche (to make: 1 cup whipping cream, 2 TBS buttermilk. Combine in a glass container. Cover and let stand at room temperature from 8-24 hours or until very thick. Stir well. Refrigerate up to 10 days.)

2 TBS grainy mustard, plus more for dipping

salt and pepper

Peel and dice potatoes. Place in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, add salt and simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, prick sausages with a fork, heat a skillet and brown the sausage in 1 TBS oil. Slice the onion. Remove the sausage to a plate and add the onion to the pan. Cook onions until soft, then add 2 TBS flour, cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and return the sausages to the pan, cooking it through for about 15-20 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and run them through a food mill into a saucepan. Add the cream, butter, creme fraiche and mustard. Season salt and pepper.

Serve potatoes, sausages, and gravy. May serve with a side of grainy mustard for dipping.

Serves 4