Happy Lunchbox, Wraps!

My husband spends 12+ hours a day in his tractor. He often works along countryside roads where there no place to stop and find lunch. When I'm not on tour, I love making him a lunchbox to take with him. I enjoying thinking up new, cool meals that can be easily packed and eaten while he's on the road.

More people are taking their own lunches to work and school. You have better control over what you're consuming and its sooooooo much cheaper than paying for meals at cafés everyday.

We all know how to make a tasty sandwich or salad, but I thought it was time for a wrap in that box.

Wraps can be made with any meats, fish or all veggies. Roasted or grilled veggie wraps are fantastic! Add beans, seeds, nuts or tofu to boost your protein content to ensure you'll be full and have great energy.

For this wrap I decided to make pulled pork. I bought a small, inexpensive pork roast. Seasoned with Creole spices, cumin, fresh cilantro and stuffed it with garlic. I put it into the slow cooker on low for several hours and let it get tender and fabulous.

When it was cooled it put it into a large bowl, along with the juices from cooking and shredded it using two forks.

For my Cole slaw I followed a basic slaw recipe but I replaced the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt and coconut oil. Choose healthier fats whenever possible. I added grated horseradish for a nice spicy kick.

I placed a bed of fresh baby spinach and then slaw on my tortilla. I use plain large flour tortillas for Fuzzy, I prefer using whole wheat for myself. You can use any variety you'd like.

Sprouts and little squirt of coarse mustard...

Then top it with your shredded pork...

Roll it up and wrap it in wax paper or aluminum foil. Wraps can be fun, versatile and they're easy to pack and eat. When you keep your meal choices interesting you tend to avoid poor habits.

Now, GO EAT!!

If you enjoy the blog, please share with your friends. #teedycooks

Slow Cooker Sweet & Savory Pork Roast with 'Gumes & Roots!

My fabulous husband got me a super-duper fantastic slow cooker!! Now, the reason for my excitement is that until last year, no one in Norway even knew what the Hell I was talking about when I asked about slow cookers or crock pots. This is something very new to Norway.

As an American, crock pots have been a part of our lives for decades. They were the "go to" way of cooking for working folk or if you wanted to slowly cook meats, beans, chickens, hens and such. Now that I have one here in Langevåg, life will never be the same. In a good way.

Cheaper cuts of meat or fattier meats will tend to benefit the most from slow cooking. The long low cooking process tenderizes the meat and the more fat content, the juicier the meat.

I had this lovely center cut pork roast just waiting to find a home in my cooker. Last night I seasoned it up:

Pork Roast Prep

1kg center cut pork roast
6 cloves garlic
2 tbsps molasses syrup
salt
crushed red pepper
2 tsps cumin powder
Creole Seasoning, to taste (optional)
1 tbsp dried marjoram
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp balsamic creme
1 tbsp olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, large slices
2 large carrots, large slices
1 small leek, sliced, washed

Cut pockets into your roast so that the garlic tucks deeply inside without peeking out. You don't want it burning or slipping out while you're searing it.

Cover it with all of the spices, herbs, molasses syrup, balsamic creme and oil. Let it rest for 1 hour.

After the roast rests for an hour, cover it with the sliced veggies, cover it well and put into the refrigerator over night or for at least 8 hours.

Most people think when you slow cook it's all about throwing everything into a pot, setting it and not having to think about it until it's time to eat. Some slow cooker recipes are like that, this is not one of those. It's going to be some work involved here.

Remove the roast from it's little nest under the veggies. It's going to smell like heaven!

To ensure a lovely, juicy roast I like to sear the meat. I heat a skillet with a touch of oil on high heat. When it's nice and hot, sear the meat on all side for a couple of minutes to get a nice brown crust.

My slow cooker has a stainless steel rack, if your's doesn't, it's okay you can make a little riser for the roast with your veggies. I place half the veggies on and under the rack, the roast on top and then the rest of the veggies on top of the roast.

Set the cooker to medium and set a timer for 5 1/2 hours. Now onto my side dishes!!

You may be wondering what 'Gumes & Roots is all about. 'Gumes is my short word for Legumes or beans and their relatives. Roots are root vegetables of which there are many. The legumes I'm using are white beans and dark red kidney beans. I soaked them over night so they were ready to cook today.

My roots are sweet potato, new potatoes and carrots.

'Gumes & Roots

1/2 cup dried white beans, soaked overnight
1 cup dried dark red beans, soaked overnight
1 small sweet potato, cubed
2 new potatoes, cubed
2 small carrots, cubed
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 tsps oregano
2 tsps basil
2 tsps thyme
salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp Spanish paprika powder
1/2 tbsp olive oil

In a saucepan, heat your oil and sautee onions, garlic, bell pepper and celery until your onion are slightly transparent. Add herbs, beans a cover with water, about 2-3 inches over the beans. Add spices and stir. Cover and simmer over medium low heat. I like them to cook for 4-4 1/2 hours, adding more water as needed. In the last 30 minutes of cooking add diced root veggies and cook until those are tender. They will also help to thicken the liquid in the beans. Adjust salt & pepper as needed.

Fuzzy is in charge of sharpening the knife and slicing this pretty roast. After it comes out of the cooker, I let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

I serve with steamed brown rice.

Now...

Go, eat!!

If you enjoy the recipes, please share my blog with your friends.

Posted with Blogsy

Tortellini with Pork and Green Sauce

Hiya Folks!

I have a quick delicious meal for dinner that I made last night and my good friend and fabulous cook, Jennifer Rooney (featured along with her husband, David in Friendly Foods) asked me for the recipe. So, here ya have it!!

When you've been running about all day or just coming in from work and need to make a dish that's quick, easy and fantastic in your mouth, pasta is always a great choice.  I chose tortellini because my husband loves it and I can always find an interesting variety in the food boutiques here in our tiny town. I only use the kinds that I find in the refrigerated section of the store, I am not a fan of the dry packaged kinds. That's my personal preference. My 2 favorites are the mixed mushroom filled or 3 cheese filled. For this dish I used the 3 cheese filled.

PASTA

500g package (serves 4-6)
prepare to package instructions
DON'T OVER COOK!!!
Tortellini will break up and become total chaos if over cooked.

Once it's cooked, I drain the pasta and drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil so that is does not get sticky. Don't drown it in oil or you'll have an oily, sloppy mess when you add your sauce.

Pork and Green Sauce

400g pork, thinly sliced
3 sprigs green onion, finely sliced
2 cups spinach, finely chopped
1 tbsp basil pesto (prepared or homemade, it's up to you!)
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, don't use canned peas. They get squishy.
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
6 shitake mushrooms, finely sliced
salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsps freshly grated Parmesan
1 tbsp olive oil

Heat a large, deep skillet over medium high heat and add olive oil. When the oil is nice and hot, add pork strips and sautee until most of the "pink" is gone but not completely cooked. Thin pork strips cook quickly and over cooking will make it tough and no fun to eat.

Reduce the heat to medium, add spices, chopped veggies, mushrooms and frozen peas. Sautee until the peas are warmed through. Add pesto and Parmesan cheese. once the pesto and cheese have come together with your other ingredients, turn off the heat. Add your cooked tortellini and gently mix together. Don't mix it roughly or you'll break up the pasta. It will still taste good, of course, but will look like a gelatinous mess!

This is a great meal, even for a dinner party with friends. The lovely shades of green with specks of red from the bell pepper make for a beautiful presentation.

Now...

Go, eat!!

If you enjoy the recipes, please share my blog with your friends. If you have a recipe you'd like to share in Friendly Foods, please send it in. Photos are also appreciated! teedycooks@gmail.com

Posted with Blogsy

Grillades & Grits! (Friendly Foods)

My fantastical, magical, über talented friend, Vatican Lokey sent me this delicious recipe of a New Orleans classic!

Grillades & Grits!
submitted by Vatican Lokey

2 lbs. veal or beef round, about 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup whole wheat flour with 2 Tbs. corn meal, 1 Tbs Zatarain's
4 Tbs. butter
1 cup minced onion
1/2 cup each minced celery, green peppers, carrots
1 can (16 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 Tbs. chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. thyme
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup good red wine
1 cup grits
4 oz. Velveeta or other processed cheese spread
Onion powder, garlic powder, salt & pepper to taste

Pound veal or beef with a meat mallet until 1/4th inch thickness. Cut away any gristle or extra fat while slicing up meat into 1 inch squares. Douse in seasoned flour & cornmeal until covered. Sift away excess. In a deep skillet, melt down half of the butter until it begins to brown then add meat and brown together. Remove meat to separate platter. Use remaining flour & butter to make a roux. Add onions*, peppers, celery, & carrots and cook until soft, around 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Return the meat to the pan and add tomatoes, parsley, thyme, & 1/2 cups of broth & red wine. Stir together slowly while bringing mixture to a boil. Cover & simmer for an hour (you may need to add more broth & wine during cooking.)

20 minutes before grillades are ready, bring remaining chicken broth & milk to a boil & add grits. Return to a boil, then simmer uncovered on medium-high heat until grits are smooth & creamy. Remove from heat, then add processed cheese spread, onion powder, garlic powder, salt & pepper to taste.

Spoon grits onto a warmed plate, then serve grillades on top. Serves 6 regular people or 2 Orleanians.

*I like to carmelize the onions before I add them to the dish. In that instance, only toss in the celery, peppers, & carrots to soften, then add the carmelized onions last before simmering.


Go, eat!!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Maple Glazed Ribs

Maple Glazed Ribs
Servings: 6


3 lbs. baby back pork ribs
¾ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon mustard powder




1. Place ribs in a large pot, and cover with water. Cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until meat is tender. Drain, and transfer ribs to a shallow dish.
                         
2. In a small saucepan, stir together the maple syrup, brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, pepper flakes, garlic, salt, and mustard powder. Bring to a low boil, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Cool slightly, then pour over ribs, and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
                         
3. Prepare grill for cooking with indirect heat. Remove ribs from marinade. Transfer marinade to a small saucepan, and boil for several minutes to thicken sauce.
                         
4. Lightly oil grate. Cook for about 20 minutes, basting with the cooked marinade frequently, until nicely glazed.


Now...


Go, eat!!

Braised Veal Shanks with Tomato, White Beans, and Basil

Braised Veal Shanks with Tomato, White Beans, and Basil


Serves 4 - 6


Beans, ¾ pound frozen or fresh beans or ½ pound dried white haricot, cannelloni, or Great Northern beans (soaked overnight, if dried)
1 carrot, trimmed, peeled, and cut in half
2 medium onions cut in half through the roots
1 head garlic, cut crosswise to expose the cloves
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs thyme
10 black peppercorns
Spring Stock [or other stock] or water, to cover
2 tablespoons butter
Coarse or kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper


Veal - 4 veal shanks (about 2 pounds)
Coarse or kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced thin
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup white wine
6 ripe tomatoes, cut in half and seeded
2-3 branches basil leaves, torn into small pieces,
3 cups Spring Stock [or other stock] or water, more if needed




1. If you are making this dish with dried beans, place them in a bowl, cover them with water, and soak them overnight. Drain and rinse them, picking out any bad beans or stones before proceeding with the recipe. 2. Put the beans in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Drain and rinse the beans once more. Add the beans back to the pan along with the carrot, onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and pepper-corns. Pour stock over the beans, covering them by 4 inches (this allows room for evaporation). Place the pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 50 to 60 minutes, until the beans are just tender, not mushy, and yet no longer chalky. Taste one to see. Drain, and discard the herbs and vegetables. Stir in the butter and season the beans with salt and pepper. You should always season beans after cooking. If you salt their cooking liquid, the skins will be tough.
3. Prepare the veal shanks:  Season them with salt and pepper. In a heavy braising pot or deep flameproof casserole fitted with a lid, large enough to fit the shanks in one layer, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the veal shanks on all dies, browning them well, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the shanks to a plate.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the onion and bay leaves. If you have electric heat, you may want to do this off the heat because your stove will take a while to cool to a temperature that won’t char the onions. Soften them slightly until translucent and wilted, stirring them in the oil in the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and stir vigorously to coat the onion and cook the flour. Pour in the wine and bring it to a boil. Reduce by half.
5. Place the veal back in the pot, add the tomatoes and half the basil, and pour in the stock until it is about 3/8 inch below the top of the veal shanks. Add more stock if necessary. Bring to a low boil, and then reduce the heat so the liquid is just percolating. Cover and braise the veal until it is extremely tender, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
6. Turn the veal once or twice while braising so it cooks evenly, and add the beans when you think the veal is just about done, so they can absorb some of the braising liquid and soften a touch more, about 10 minutes. The veal is done when it appears to be pulling away from the bone and when the tines of a fork slide in and out of the meat without any difficulty. Taste the braising sauce for seasoning, adding salt and freshly ground black pepper as desired. Sprinkle over the remaining basil.
7. To serve:  Place a veal shank on each of four individual shallow bowls or plates. Using a slotted spoon, spoon some beans and tomato over the shanks, and then spoon over some sauce. Serve. If you have leftover beans and sauce, you can make soup by adding more veal stock and some blanched green beans and beet greens.

Blackened Chops with Pineapple Salsa

Blackened Chops with Pineapple Salsa
4 servings


I have done blackened chops as a main meat dish many times but when a friend made a pineapple salsa for a barbeque, I knew that this sweet tangy salsa would be a perfect compliment to these chops.


4 boneless pork chops, 3/4-inch thick
1 cup chopped fresh or canned pineapple
1 medium red or green bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ of a jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
Salt and pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vegetable oil


To prepare salsa, in a medium bowl combine pineapple, red pepper, onion, lime juice, 1 teaspoon chili powder, jalapeno pepper, 1/8 teaspoon cumin and cayenne. Season to taste with salt and pepper; set aside. 


In a small bowl combine 2 teaspoons chili powder, coriander, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, paprika, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir in 1 teaspoon oil. Rub the mixture all over the chops. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chops for 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until evenly browned on both sides, and chops are just done. Serve chops with the salsa.

Authentic New Orleans Red Beans and Rice

Authentic New Orleans Red Beans and Rice
8 servings

1 lb. dry kidney beans
¼ cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 stalks celery, chopped
6 cups water
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon dried sage
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon Creole or Cajun seasoning
1 lb. andouille sausage, sliced
               ½ lb. salt pork, diced and browned
4 cups water
2 cups long grain white rice


Rinse beans, and then soak in a large pot of water overnight.

In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Cook onion, bell pepper, garlic, and celery in olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes. Rinse beans, and transfer to a large pot with 6 cups water. Stir cooked vegetables into beans. Season with bay leaves, cayenne pepper, thyme, sage, parsley, and Cajun seasoning. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 2 1/2 hours. Stir sausage and browned salt pork into beans, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the rice. In a saucepan, bring water and rice to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve beans over steamed white rice with crusty French bread and butter.