Fried Pork Chunks (Masitas de Cerdo Frita)

I grew up eating pork in many different ways, grilled, roasted and fried.  These Fried Pork Chunks are crispy and seasoned to perfection.  I don't cook pork as much as I do chicken but from time to time I do enjoy some pork with a side of Arroz con Gandulez (Pigeon Peas Rice), some fried Tostones (Fried Plantains) or Mofongo.  

There are many people that prefer staying away from the pork for health reasons.  The only thing I can say is that everything is good with moderation.  A piece of pork once in a while is not going to kill you.  Roasting it or grilling it are other great options if you are trying to stay away from fried foods.

I like to cut the meat in small chunks and season it very well.  Fry the chunks until browned and crispy and enjoy with your favorite side dish. 

Ingredients

3 pound pork shoulder cut up into chunks

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/2 tbsp garlic powder

1/2 tbsp onion powder

salt to taste

1/2 tbsp black pepper

oil for frying

Season pork chunks with white vinegar, garlic powder, onion, salt, and black pepper.   Add enough oil to a frying pan and heat on medium heat.  When the oil is hot enough start frying the chunks of pork.  Do not over fill the pan.  You can do this in two batches.  Pork chunks should be fried until golden brown. 

Pork Roast (Pernil)

The secret to a tasty, tender Pork Roast is a lot of garlic, coarse black pepper and cooking it at a low temperature.  I seasoned this pork shoulder the day before, allowing it to marinade for at least 24 hours before roasting.  The meat just came right off the bone, tender and juicy.

I decided to make some Pigeon Peas Rice (Arroz con Gandules) and some potato salad to go with it.  This is also great with a side of Mofongo, either way you can't go wrong.

Slow Cooked BBQ Ribs

I love cooking in my slow cooker.  I have cooked chicken, pork roast and even brisket.  The meats come out super tender and juicy.  The best part about the slow cooker is that you can set it early in the day and have the meat ready for dinner time.

I decided to make barbecue ribs in the slow cooker.  Place all of the ingredients in the slow cooker and just let it cook for a few hours.  This is a great way to have barbecue ribs all in one pot without having to add barbecue sauce.  When the cooking is done you will have super tender, delicious, falling off the bones ribs in a barbecue sauce.  

These ribs are great and the slow cooker did all of the work.  I cooked the ribs for 4 hours on high. The ribs turned out exactly how I wanted.  If you don't have a slow cooker, I suggest you get one and give it a try specially if you are a busy person.  

Ingredients

3 pounds  pork spareribs, cut into single ribs

2 cups ketchup

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

2 cloves of garlic minced

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper-optional

Place the ribs in the bottom of a slow cooker. In a medium bowl mix together all of the other ingredients.  Pour the mixture over the spareribs.  Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high. 

Slow Roasted Herb Chicken

Roasting a chicken is one of the easiest things you can do. Using fresh herbs to season the chicken is the way to go.  The chicken comes out moist and tender with great flavor. The best way to eat this Slow Roasted Herb Chicken is with some homemade Mashed Potatoes or Roasted Baby Potatoes and perhaps a side of vegetables.

 

Chicken Stir-Fry

It's a very cold night outside and I was debating on what to cook.  I looked in the freezer and I saw the chicken breasts and the stir-fry bag.  So I said, Chicken Stir-Fry over White Rice it is.  This is an easy, quick and delicious dish.  I had dinner on the table in less than an hour and everyone was happy.

The stir-fry bag that I used has broccoli, sugar snap peas, green beans, yellow squash, red peppers, carrots, yellow peppers and water chestnuts. You can find other ones at the supermarket in the freezer or you can just add the kinds of vegetables that you like. 

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts cut into thin strips

2 tbsp olive oil

1 pound bag of stir fry vegetables

2 garlic cloves minced

Salt to taste

1 cup chicken broth

3 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp sugar

White Rice Recipe

In a skillet heat the oil on medium heat, add the chicken and cook until no longer pink and chicken starting to brown.  Add the garlic and vegetables, cook for about 5 minutes.  In a small bowl mix the chicken broth, soy sauce, cornstarch and sugar, mix well.  Add to the chicken and cook until thick.  Add salt to taste.  Serve over White Rice.  

Chicken Piccata

This Chicken Piccata is a classic Italian dish that is very light with a lemony sauce.  You can enjoy it with a side of roasted potatoes, root vegetables or mashed potatoes and a nice glass of wine.  This is an outstanding dish for any day of the week.

This is a very easy dish and it only takes a few minutes to cook.  The chicken is tender and the sauce is really, really good.  Great choice for a Monday night dinner.

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half and pounded into cutlets

salt and black pepper

all-purpose flour

nonstick spray

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 tsp mince garlic

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tbsp drained capers

2 tbsp unsalted butter

fresh lemon slices

Season cutlets with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour.  Coat a saute pan with nonstick spray, add oil, and heat over medium-high.  Saute cutlets 2-3 minutes on one side.  Flip cutlets over and saute the other side, covered, 1-2 minutes.  Transfer cutlets to a warm platter; pour off fat from the pan.

Degraze pan with wine and add minced garlic.  Cook until garlic is slightly brown and liquid is nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes.  Add broth, lemon juice and capers.  Return cutlets to pan and cook on each side for 1 minute.  Transfer cutlets to warm plates. Finish sauce with butter and lemons.  Once butter melts, pour sauce over cutlets.

Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve immediately. 

Tip:  Turkey tenderloin makes a great substitute for chicken breast.

Source: Cuisine at Home

Thai Pork Loin

Cold weather is not going to stop me from grilling.  I decided to make a Thai Pork Loin and I did it right on a stove top grill plate.  If you don't have one of these, I suggest you get one.  You can grill all winter without having to step out on your deck to do so.

By marinating the pork loin, it gave it a nice flavor and it's super tender too. Enjoy with a side of Brown Rice or this Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice, Original Recipe.  You can find it in the supermarket in the rice isle.  Just follow the instructions on the box.  enjoy!!

Ingredients

2-3 pounds pork loin

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 thinly chopped shallots

2 garlic cloves minced

1 1/2 tsp minced ginger

2 tbsp brown sugar

3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

Rinse and pat dry the pork loin.  Place the pork loin in a plastic bag.  In a bowl add all of the other ingredients and mix well then pour into bag. Shake the bag to make sure the pork loin is covered with the marinade.  Marinade the pork loin over night or at least a couple of hours before grilling.  Place on a grill and cook on medium-low heat until well done.

Steak, Onions and Peppers Wrap

I wanted to start the new year eating healthier than I have been for a little while now.  I wanted to make something quick, delicious and figure friendly.  I made this Steak, Onions and Peppers Wrap using all low fat ingredients and the wrap is low carbohydrates too.

Roasted Turkey

During Thanksgiving I had my family over for dinner.  We made a bunch of different dishes and this Roasted Turkey was one of them.  It came out extremely moist and juicy.  This is a 16 pound turkey that I seasoned a day before and had in the refrigerator ready to roast.

I love turkey and I will be making another one for Christmas this year.  My husband and I love the leftovers to make sandwiches.  Turkey never goes bad in my house. 

I usually roast an 19-20 pound turkey.  But this year I decided to roast a smaller one just because we had so many other meats to eat.  I also made a ham and a pork roast.

I took some of the juices from the turkey and made gravy, I also added some to the stuffing.   Everything turned out delicious.

Ingredients

14-16 pound turkey

1 1/2 stick of butter melted

8 garlic cloves minced

2 tbsp garlic powder

2 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp dry thyme
1 tsp dry rosemary

3 tbsp sofrito

2 tbsp salt

1 tbsp pepper

1 cup of water

Everyone has their own way of roasting a turkey.  Some people start with high temperature at around 450-500, others with a low temperature around 300-350.  I personally like to bake my turkey at a low temperature then raise it towards the end of roasting.  It takes longer but, I believe this process gives you a moist turkey and not dry.

2 or 3 days before start thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.

A day before baking wash and clean the turkey.  Pat dry.  Combine all ingredients except the water to create a paste, Rub the turkey inside and out, and under the skin.  Place in roasting pan. Place in the refrigerator until ready to roast. 

Place rack in the lowest level of oven.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Before roasting add 1 cup of water to the roasting pan.   This will keep the turkey moist through the cooking process.  Cook at 325 degrees for about 3 hours with the cover on, then raise the temperature to 350 and bake for another 2 hour, then lower the temperature to 300 and cook for another hour.

If you only have one oven I suggest doing this the night before, or early in the morning so that you have enough time to cook the turkey.  

If Using a Thermometer:

Roast the turkey until a thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh reads 180 degrees.

Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!

Arroz con Pollo (Chicken and Rice)

Arroz con Pollo (Chicken and Rice) with a side of Habichuelas Guisadas (Stewed Beans), brings back so many memories of my mom.  I grew up with a mom that used to cook seven days a week.  Not only did she cook dinner, but she also made breakfast and lunch.

I remember as a kid, waking up and having these big breakfast, and lunch was always a full meal that sometimes included rice.  I have nothing but great memories of my mom's cooking.  Everything she made had this amazing taste.

Arroz con Pollo was a dish that everyone loved in the house.  She always made a big pot and leftovers were even better the next day.  I learned a lot from her, however, I know there are many dishes that I wish I had recipes for.  

Slow Roasted Brisket

If you are having company over and don't know what to cook, I suggest this Slow Roasted Brisket.  Brisket is a tough kind of meat that when braised and cooked slowly, is super delicious and tender.  I cooked this Brisket for about 5 hours in the oven.  Not only is the meat tender, but it's extremely juicy. 

Another way of cooking brisket is to cook it in a smoker. Something I have not done, but I hear it's really tasty.  My husband bought a smoker over the summer and we used it once for a whole chicken and a pork shoulder.  Next time, I'm going to smoke a brisket too. 

This recipe is great in a slow cooker too.  Season the meat the night before and sear it in the morning.  Drop it in your slow cooker, add the vegetables and other ingredients and let it cook all day. 

Ingredients

oil for searing

3-4 pound  brisket

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

2 med size onions, chopped

1/2 pound baby carrots

2 celery stalks, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced

1-14.5 ounce can beef broth

1-14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 cup of water

1 tsp dry oregano

1 tsp dry thyme

1 tsp dry rosemary

4 bay leaves

Preheat oven to 300 Degrees F

In a large skillet add the onions and carrots.  Cook for about 4 minutes, take vegetables out  and set aside. Season the brisket on both sides with a generous pinch of salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Sear the brisket in the hot skillet until browned, about 4 minutes per side.

Place the brisket, carrots, onions into a  roasting pan and start adding the other ingredients.  Add the garlic, celery, beef broth, diced tomatoes, water, oregano, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves.

Cook in the oven for about 4-5 hours.  Until meat is fork tender. Make sure it has enough salt. Let the brisket rest for a few minutes before slicing.  Enjoy!!

Tip: If you want to use red wine in the dish, just substitute 1/2 cup of water for 1/2 cup of red wine.

Braised Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Potatoes

Chicken is a very versatile protein, that you can be very creative with.  There are so many ways you can cook chicken, that you really don't have to cook the same dish twice.  This is a Braised Chicken Thighs with Carrots and Potatoes dish.  It's been cooked in chicken broth and white wine.

Braising is a cooking technique in which the main ingredient is seared, or browned in fat, and then simmered in liquid on low heat in a covered pot.

Apple Stuffed Chicken Thighs

These tasty chicken thighs have been stuffed with an apple stuffing.  I continue to use my apples in every way possible.  I used Stayman Winesap apples, but you can use Granny Smith or McIntosh too. 


I like the combination of apples and onions.  I used bread crumbs, but you can use a couple of toasted slices of bread cut in small pieces..or if you have some stuffing, you can use that too.

Smoked Turkey and Cheese Stuffed Chicken

For a while now,  I wanted to make Chicken Cordon Bleu, but I wanted to change a couple of things in the recipe.  I wanted a healthier version without sacrificing flavor. Chicken cordon bleu  usually has a bread crumb crust and is stuffed.

 I decided to make it without the bread crumbs and use low fat cheeses.  Making small changes to food we enjoy eating will eventually pay off.

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Rosemary and Garlic

Lately, I have been cooking like a mad woman.  Cooking and baking is what I love to do.  There are so many dishes that I one day would like to make and share with you.  Cooking for me is like therapy to my soul.  My mom was an excellent cook and so are my aunts.  I take after them.

My mom used to make chicken and pork in many different ways. From her, I learned that you can take the most inexpensive piece of meat and transform it into a delicious dish.

Today, I decided to make Roast Pork Tenderloin with Rosemary and Garlic.  Perfect combination of flavors.  I love rosemary and garlic together, the more garlicky the better.


My hubby likes pork, but he likes it better with some kind of sauce.  So, I decided to make this pork tenderloin with a side of  roasted sweet potato rounds, and make a gravy out of the juices from the pork loin.

Blackened Grilled Pork Chops

I couldn't make up my mind on what I wanted to cook today.  Chicken seems the obvious choice...but I wanted to make something that had a little spice to it..not too much.  I'm not a fan of extremely spicy foods, but a little kick, I'm okay with.

Once again, I pulled out one of my Cooking Light cookbooks and I came across this recipe.  The recipe I found was actually for Blackened Chicken, but I didn't want to make chicken.  So, I decided to make Blackened Grilled Pork Chops.

Thai Beef Lettuce Wraps

I have been collecting cookbooks for a few years now, I have over 250, not counting magazines.  A week ago I started checking out one of my Cooking Light cookbooks.  I came across many recipes that I would love to create.

This recipe I found in the cookbook. I had been looking for a great Thai beef marinade for a little while, and this one just caught my eye.  The only change I made was I substituted the fish sauce for soy sauce. 

The top sirloin steak comes out tender and juicy and the taste is just amazing.  I decided to go a healthier route and use bibb lettuce as my wrap, but you can certainly use flour tortillas if you like.

Garlic and Lime Grilled Chicken

The end of summer is right around the corner, but that does not mean that we have to stop grilling.  I will be grilling until the cold weather begins.  So for now I'm going to enjoy it as much as I can.  This garlic and lime marinade is excellent on wings too.  The combination of the lime and garlic is perfect.  The chicken was so juicy and tender and the lime flavor gave it a nice kick. I highly recommend this recipe.

I'm a chicken breast kind of girl, but my husband likes dark meat. These chicken quarters came out so delicious that I saw my husband taking out the BBQ sauce, and I told him to put it away.  The lime came thru so good...I didn't want to hide that flavor with BBQ sauce..my husband agreed. 

Ingredients

4-6 pieces of chicken quarters

1/2 tsp of garlic powder

1/2 tsp of onion powder
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp rosemary

1 tbsp of olive oil

6 garlic gloves minced

juice of 3 limes

Wash and clean the chicken. Set aside.  In a small bowl mix all other ingredients, it will become a paste like texture.  Rub the chicken with the paste, specially under the skin.  You can marinade the chicken the night before and refrigerate. Set the grill on low to medium heat and cook on both sides, turning the chicken a couple of times.  Cook for about 25-30 minutes or until juices are running clear.

Chicken Parmesan

Every time I visit an Italian restaurant the first thing I do is look at the menu to make sure they have Chicken Parmesan listed.  I've been to many Italian restaurants but, I always go back to my two favorite locations.

My first choice is Prime Italian on South Beach Florida.  Their Chicken Parmesan is to die for.  The chicken breast is pounded very thin with a nice crust. My second choice is La Torreta, in Weston Florida.  This is a family own restaurant, and their Chicken Parmesan is really tender, cheesy and simply delicious.

This Chicken Parmesan recipe is one that I have done many times.  This is a classic Chicken Parmesan recipe that you are going to really enjoy.  The chicken is very tender with a nice crust and the homemade sauce just makes it even better.

Grilled Kabobs

Labor Day weekend is the final weekend of summer.  Grilling is a must.  I decided to make some grilled sirloin steak kabobs, but you can make them with pork or even chicken.

Ingredients

2 pounds of beef sirloin steak cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes

1/4 soy sauce

2 tbsp light brown sugar

2 tbsp white vinegar

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

juice of one lemon

green and red peppers cut into 2 inch pieces

onion cut into 2 inch pieces

zucchini cut into rounds

squash cut into rounds 

skewers (soak in water for about 1 hour)

Place the beef sirloin steak cubes in a  plastic resealable bag.  In a bowl mix together soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, onion and garlic powder, salt and pepper and lemon juice.  Pour into the bag, make sure to cover all of the meat with the marinade.  Let marinade overnight or a minimum of 2 hours before grilling. 

Preheat grill to high heat.  Thread steaks, green peppers and onions.   Then thread the zucchini, squash, onions, and peppers.  Separating the vegetables is better because they will cook quicker.  Cook the beef kabobs on the grill for at least 10 minutes, turning them a couple of times on each side.  Cook the meat to your desire doneness. Baste with your favorite BBQ Sauce.

Cook the vegetables for about 6 minutes total. Turning them a couple of times on each side.

Tip: Soaking the skewers in water will prevent them from burning during grilling.