Sausage Ragu

Looking over my recent posts, I realized that they've all been vegetarian!  I often try to cook at least 2 meals a week that are vegetarian, but I've been adding in a few more vegetarin meals, I'm up to about 3 or 4 per week.  I find that fall and winter cooking lends itself to vegetarian meals much easier for me; I love fall vegetables and they feel heartier than spring and summer ones. 
That being said, this recipe does have meat, but there are plenty of carrots, onions, and tomato (sauce) to give you your veggie intake.  Yum!

Sausage Ragu

Sausage Ragu 

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ounces bulk pork Italian sausage
2 medium onions, diced
1 1/2 cups carrot, diced 
3 garlic cloves, chopped
10 oz. tomato sauce
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup red wine

Preparation: 
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sausage; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.
Remove sausage mixture to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Remove pan from heat (do not wipe out pan).
Return pan to medium-high. Add onion, carrots, and garlic to pan; cook 5 minutes.
Add sausage mixture, water, wine, and tomato sauce to pan; cook 5 minutes.
Serve over cheesy polenta.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Flatbreads

Tonight, with the cooler temperatures, I decided to make flatbread pizzas now that it's okay to turn on the oven.  I used homemade hot sausage, which my uncle made a few weeks ago when I went to my parent's house for the weekend.  The recipe I used must have LOADED the flatbreads up from the maounts they called for, but I ended up using much less than I thought I would.  I turned the rest into a pasta dish for Matt to eat as leftovers and lunches this week.
These turned out really good and you can serve them with a salad for a complete meal!

Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Flatbreads

Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Flatbreads

Ingredients:
1 tsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. water
6 pieces broccoli rabe
1 (8.8-oz.) pkg. garlic naan (such as Stonefire)
3 ounces hot or sweet Italian sausage, crumbled
1/2 cup marinara sauce
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a medium skillet heat oil over medium heat.  Add broccoli rabe and water.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes.  Set aside.
Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sausage to pan; cook 8 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.
Spread pizza sauce evenly on 1 side of each naan on baking sheet. Dollop ricotta evenly over top; top evenly with 3 pieces broccoli rabe apiece, sausage, and pepper.
Place naan in the oven.  If using two pans, switch top and bottom pans after 4 minutes.
Continue baking until the cheese is melted and the naan bread is golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.
Take pizza out of the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light

Cuban Sandwich

My obsession with Cubans started when I watched the movie Chef. (It's really good!)  If you haven't seen it, a chef decides to open a food truck that sells Cubans.  They looked so delicious that I decided to try my hand at them.  I have made this recipe a few times, but this one was the best.  The key is to make sure you have really fresh bread.  I stopped at the grocery store this morning and picked up a baguette.
The other thing that started my quest to make a great Cuban was that while we were in London, Matt ordered a Cuban at a burger restaurant we went to.  It was terrible!  I told him that I would try to erase the memory of that terrible sandwich and I think I delivered!  These turned out great!
It is important to mention that Cubans are supposed to be pressed.  If you get a real Cuban, they use a machine, kind of like a panini press.  I don't have that so I used a cast iron pan.  I then pressed down on the pan (using pot holders so you don't burn your hands) and got them pretty flat.
I understand that you're supposed to use roasted pork on these, but I didn't have any so I improvised and got thin cut pork chops which I cooked for 3 minutes on one side and 2 on the other and seasoned with adobo seasoning.  If you have roast pork, feel free to use that instead!

Cuban Sandwich

Cuban Sandwich

Ingredients:
2 tsp. canola oil
2 sandwich-sized piece of baguette (about 1/2 of baguette)
Yellow mustard
2 thin pork chops, cooked
4 slices deli ham
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 sliced dill pickles (the long ones)

Preparation:
Slice baguette open to assemble sandwiches.
Spread a liberal amount of mustard on one side of the bread per sandwich.  (You might think you used too much, but use a little bit more, it will be delicious, I promise!)
Top with Swiss cheese, ham, pork, pickles, and the other slice of cheese.  Close sandwich.
In the same pan you cooked the pork chop in, or a medium sized skillet over medium heat with 2 tsp. canola oil, place the sandwiches.
Top with a heavy pot and cook about 5 minutes.  Place pot holders inside of pot on top and press down in order to flatten the sandwiches.
Flip the sandwiches and cook, flattening, for another 4 minutes.
Remove from heat and serve with a simple arugula salad.
Enjoy!

Weeknight Sausage Pasta

It is Monday of the first full week of school.  I am exhausted.  Matt wasn't even home for dinner, so I needed an easy, weeknight meal, or else it was going to be pizza.  This fit the bill, coming together in about 30 minutes and without too much work.  As an extra plus, it was really tasty! All in all, this was a super tasty, easy dish with ingredients you probably already have in your house.  A+

Weeknight Creamy Sausage Pasta

Weeknight Sausage Pasta

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
12 ounces pasta (I used farfalle)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 lb. bulk sweet Italian sausage (or removed from casings)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 large tomato, diced
8 oz. tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
½ cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
5 basil leaves, cut in ribbons

Preparation:
Heat a large pan over medium heat.
Spray with cooking spray.
Add onion, and cook a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add sausage and cook until browned, stirring occasionally.
Add garlic, cook for about 1 minute, stirring.
Add canned tomatoes, tomato, tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt, and pepper.  Simmer 10 minutes, or until thickened slightly.
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions.
Add cream to sauce.  Simmer 3 more minutes.
Combine pasta and sauce in a large bowl, making sure to get sauce all over pasta.
Top with fresh basil.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Spicy Southern Kitchen

Breakfast Enchiladas

Now, you guys definitely know how much I love enchiladas by now. (Need proof, check out some of my favorites: Spinach and Black Bean Enchiladas, Cheesy White Chicken Enchiladas, Chicken and Avocado Enchiladas, and Vegetarian Crockpot Enchiladas.  Now, I found a way to have enchiladas for breakfast too!  (Not that I didn't eat the aforementioned as leftovers for breakfast).  These are great because I can see myself putting whatever I want in them... I was thinking bacon and leeks next time!  They would also be SUPER easy to make vegetarian as well!
Note that these enchiladas soak in the egg mixture overnight, so if you want to eat enchiladas immediately, try a different recipe!

Breakfast Enchiladas

Breakfast Enchiladas

Ingredients:
2 cups cubed and cooked ham
½ cup chopped green onions
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
8 flour tortillas (6-8 inches)
1¼ cup half-and-half
4 whole eggs
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon flour
salsa, sour cream, and additional green onions for serving

Preparation:
In a medium bowl stir together ham, green onions and 1 1/2 cups of cheese (save the remaining ½ cup for later). Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray. Place a good amount of ham mixture onto a tortilla, careful not to over fill them. Roll up tortilla and place seam side down in the baking pan. Roll up all tortillas and place them into the baking dish with the sides touching.
Whisk together half-and-half, eggs, salt, and flour. Pour over tortillas. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, preheat oven to 350º. Bake covered for 30-40 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle remaining ½ cup of cheese over enchiladas. Bake for 10 more minutes or until tops are golden brown and the egg mixture is set.
Serve with salsa, sour cream, and additional green onions.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything

Pork Florentine

Pork Florentine sounds very fancy, looks very fancy, but is not that hard to make, my favorite!  Plus it's healthy because of the spinach... right?  (Definitely not, but that's okay).
The great thing about florentine is that you can florentine just about anything... don't eat pork?  No problem!  You can make chicken florentine or salmon florentine or tofu florentine!  (I haven't tried that one, so let me know how it goes!)  The florentine sauce is super yummy and a great splurge for a chilly fall night.

Pork Florentine

Pork Florentine

Ingredients:
10 oz of baby spinach leaves, chopped into large pieces
1 lb of thinly sliced boneless pork chops (about 4 to 5 chops)
4 tablespoons of flour, divided
½ of a white onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of chicken broth
½ cup of heavy cream
1 cup of grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
3 Tbsp. Olive oil

Preparation:
In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and saute until wilted. Lightly season with salt, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Season the pork chops with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Place 2 tablespoons of flour in a shallow bowl and lightly dredge the chops, shaking off any excess flour. Add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and cook until brown on both sides and completely cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil.
Add a tablespoon of oil to the skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour and cook until fragrant, about 45 seconds.
Slowly add the chicken broth and heavy cream, stirring constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper and let simmer until sauce thickens. (This happened for me in about 2 minutes).
Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the spinach and Parmesan.
Plate the chops, top with the spinach cream sauce and eat.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Egg Me On

Pork Schnitzel

If you're like me and did not grow up in a German household, your only interaction with "schnitzel" probably came from The Sound of Music, "... doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles..."  However, I came across this recipe recently and thought I should try it; good thing because it's delicious!  I served mine with garlic sweet potato mash and a caprese salad.  Yum!

Pork Schnitzel

Pork Schnitzel

Ingredients:
5 boneless pork chops, thinly sliced
2 large eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup bread crumbs, I used Panko
salt and pepper to taste
vegetable oil for frying

Preparation:
Preheat oven to lowest setting.
Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium high heat.  (I used about 1/4 cup in total).
Place the flour, egg, and breadcrumbs in 3 separate shallow bowls. Dip the chops in the flour, the egg, and then bread crumbs, coating both sides and shaking off excess at each step.
Make sure the cooking oil is hot enough at this point.
Fry the schnitzels for about 3-5 minutes on both sides until a deep golden brown. Transfer briefly to an oven safe plate.  I had to do mine in batches, so I kept the extra in the oven.
Repeat until all the pork is done.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Jo Cooks

Roasted Hard Apple Cider Pork Loin

The only way I cook a pork loin is an amazing recipe out of How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman.  It's more time consuming than I usually go for, basting the meat every 15 minutes, but the end results more than make up for it.  I took that recipe this week and used hard cider instead of the white wine usually called for (and changed some of the spices accordingly) and I must say, it was great.  I used hard apple cider over regular because it has less sugar and I didn't want the end result to be super sweet.  (Also I had some leftover in my fridge that was open, so no one was going to drink it.)

Roasted Hard Apple Cider Pork Loin

Roasted Hard Apple Cider Pork Loin

Ingredients:
3-4 lb. boneless pork loin
1 tsp. dried rosemary
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups hard apple cider (I used Stella Artois Cidre because it's less sugary)
1 Tbsp. butter

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 450.
Mix rosemary, garlic, and a liberal amount of salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Rub all over the pork.  Put pork in a roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes.
Pour about 1/2 a cup of cider over the pork, lower the oven to 325 and roast for 15 minutes.  Continue to roast, adding about 1/4 cup of liquid every 15 minutes.  (If there is liquid in the bottom of the pan, baste instead of adding more.)
Start checking the roast after 1 1/4 hours (though mine usually takes about 1 1/2 hours).  It will be done when a meat thermometer reads 145-150. Transfer meat to a platter.
Place roasting pan over 2 burners, add the rest of the cider (if you didn't use it) and the butter.  Reduce to about 3/4 cup of liquid, scraping up the brown bits in the pan as you stir.
Serve the roast with the sauce over top.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

Denver Frittata

Today I decided to clean out all of the leftovers in the fridge, and that amounted to all the ingredients for a Denver omelet.  However, with my new pots and pans, I have not figured out how to properly cook an egg.  (They're stainless steel, how do you work those things!?)  Anyway, I figured since it was the weekend I would use the oven and bake it up.
I also only had a yellow pepper, but I would normally use a green pepper in this dish, as per a traditional Denver omelet.  (Though it was still very good!)
The best part about this meal is that it is great for any meal of the day!  Though we served it for dinner, it could be a great breakfast or lunch.  I served mine with homemade bread.  Yummy!

Denver Frittata

Denver Frittata

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 cup ham, diced
8 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400.
Spray a 9 or 10 inch round pan with cooking spray.
Over medium heat, add butter to a large skillet.  Once the butter is melted, add onion and peppers.  Cook 3-4 minutes, or until the onions get soft.  Add the ham, and cook until warmed through.
Meanwhile, add the eggs and milk to a large bowl.  Whisk until combined.  Add ham mixture and cheese.  Stir well. Add to greased pan.
Cook 20-25 minutes, or until the egg is no longer runny (when you insert a knife in the middle, it should come out clean).
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Girl Who Ate Everything

Pork and Apples

This dish ended up really yummy. I will say that it was a tad on the dry side, however, I used individual pork chops rather than a loin, so I'm going to chalk it up to that.  The flavor ended up being delicious though, and that's what counts, right??

Pork and Apples

Pork and Apples

Ingredients:
1 pork loin, (24 oz.)
1 large onion, sliced
1 large apple, sliced
1/2 cup white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
3 Tbsp. apple butter, divided
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. flour

Preparation:
In a heavy pot or dutch oven with tight-fitting lid, brown pork in oil for about 10 minutes.
After turning pork, add sliced onions.
Add wine, chicken stock, 2 Tbsp. apple butter, basil, and rosemary.  Turn heat to low, cover, and braise for 45 minutes.
Slice apples, about the same size as the onions. Add to pot.
Cover and cook for 30-40 minutes longer.
Remove pork, onions, and apple to a bowl; cover to keep warm.
Turn heat up to medium and add flour and remaining Tbsp. of apple butter.  Reduce until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
Slice pork and serve with sauce.
Enjoy!

Recipe Adapted from Thyme for Cooking, the Blog

Summertime Macaroni and Cheese

What says summer more than hotdogs?  I really was in the mood the some hotdogs today, but macaroni and cheese was already on the menu.  So, why not both?  I didn't see a reason why not!
Also, it's been really hot here in Philly, so this is for stovetop, but if it's cooler where you are, feel free to throw it in the oven!

Summertime Macaroni and Cheese

Summertime Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients
1 pound hotdogs, sliced
1 onion, diced
2 Tbsp. butter
8 ounces shell macaroni
2 cups milk (I used skim)
3 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbsp. ground mustard
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup canned french fried onions, optional
1/2 cup fresh tomatoes, diced, optional

Preparation
If you plan to use the french fried onions, preheat broiler, if it's too hot, that's fine too.
In a large pot, cook pasta according to directions.  Drain.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute butter and onions over medium heat.  After about one minute, add in hotdogs. Cook until onions are translucent.  Set aside.
Using the same skillet, combine milk, flour, pepper, and mustard, whisking constantly.  Cook for about four minutes, or until thick.  Remove from heat and whisk in cheese.
Combine cheese mixture, pasta, and hotdog mixture in large pot.  Mix well.
*If putting macaroni and cheese in the oven, transfer to casserole dish and top with french fried onions. Broil 3-4 minutes.
Top with fresh tomatoes if using.
Enjoy!

Recipe Adapted from Cooking Light

Pork Tinga Tacos

Today I had a job interview (wish me luck!), so I decided to throw one of the pork tenderloins I bought last week (BOGO, YAY!) The recipe I found was super easy, and it involved tacos, which are clearly the best thing ever, and my slow cooker, aka the greatest invention known to man.
I also liked this recipe because it had tons of leftovers!  Matt and I ate this for about three days afterwards, and it was still delicious!

Pork Tinga Tacos 

Pork Tinga Taco

Pork Tinga Tacos

Ingredients:
4 medium russet potatoes
2 pounds pork loin, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1 tsp. dried oregano
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 medium white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Corn tortillas, for serving
1 cup crumbled feta cheese, for serving
2 large avocados, cut into small pieces, for serving

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients, except for feta, tortillas, and avocados in slow cooker, being sure to mix the juices all around.
Cook for 6-7 hours on low.
To serve, heat tortillas on a plate, covered with a damp paper towel in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Scoop some taco mixture into tortilla, and top with feta and avocado.

Recipe adapted from: Everyday Mexican by Rick Bayless

Sausage and Balsamic Tomatoes

I have tons of sausage in my freezer.  It's a little silly.  Every time I'm home, I buy Gianelli sausage because they don't sell it here, so in turn, I have about a trillion sausages hanging out in my freezer.  (Okay, maybe not a trillion, but a lot.)  I found this recipe while I was digging through Pinterest and it sounded yummy.  Plus, it's so simple!  The best kind of yummy! (Extra plus, it made my house smell DELICIOUS!)

Sausage and Balsamic Tomatoes 

Sausage and Balsamic Tomatoes

Ingredients:
6 turkey sausages
1 medium white onion, sliced in 8ths
1 pound cherry tomatoes
4 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. oil
1 handful fresh basil, ripped up
pepper
salt

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350.  Put sausages and garlic in baking tray.  Pour in oil and season with salt and pepper.  Bake for 15 minutes.
Take out the tray, add tomatoes and vinegar, put it back in the oven for another 15 minutes.
Stir in basil.  Enjoy!

Source: Kayotic Kitchen