Pappardelle With Pork Sugo And Hazelnuts

This one was a weird one.  First what is a Sugo, and second how does Nutella tastes with pork?  Well, that's what I initially thought when I saw Hazelnuts.  It turns out, hazelnuts can be used in other foods besides on waffles.

D made this on Sunday.  It was very good.  An Italian Pulled Pork, basically.  Because Kroger didn't have any tomatoes in stock, we used canned San Marzano tomatoes (thankfully we were at the fancy Kroger). He thought it needed more of a tomato flavor.  I thought it tastes just fine. We also used Penne and not Pappardelle because Kroger charges $5/8.8 oz of Papparedelle, and I think that is ridiculous for some wheat, eggs, and water.

I have no idea if it was easy or hard...he seemed to be in the kitchen a lot.  I would have again.  We had with bread.

Pappardelle With Pork Sugo And Hazelnuts

Photo by ALB

SERVINGS: 8
Adapted from Bon Appetit

Ingredients
5 large plum tomatoes, quartered (Used canned San Marzano tomatoes since Kroger decided not to sell fresh ones on Sunday)
7 garlic cloves, 1 finely grated, 6 left whole
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
Kosher salt Freshly ground pepper
½ cup blanched hazelnuts
2 pounds boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt), fat trimmed, cut into 8 pieces
4 large shallots, quartered
2 cups red wine
2 cups 2% milk
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
5 sprigs oregano, plus 1 tablespoon finely chopped
5 sprigs thyme, plus 1 tablespoon finely chopped
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 ounces Grana Padano cheese, finely grated, plus shaved for serving
1 pound fresh or dried pappardelle (used 1 lb of penne, because 8 oz of pappardelle was $5).

Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°. Toss tomatoes, grated garlic, and 1 Tbsp. oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange tomatoes, skin side down, in a single layer; season with salt and pepper. Roast until browned around the edges, about 25 minutes. Set aside. 


Reduce oven temperature to 350°. Toast hazelnuts on another baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 10–12 minutes. Let cool; coarsely chop. 


Reduce oven temperature to 275°. Season pork with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a large ovenproof pot over medium-high. Cook pork in batches, turning occasionally, until brown, 8–10 minutes; transfer to a platter. 


Add shallots and whole garlic cloves to same pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add wine, scraping up any browned bits; bring to a boil and cook until wine is reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Return pork to pot and add milk, broth, and reserved tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Tie oregano and thyme sprigs together with kitchen twine; add to pot. Cover and transfer to oven. Braise meat until very tender, 2–2½ hours. 


Remove from oven; discard herbs and use a potato masher or pair of forks to shred pork and mash vegetables into medium-size pieces. Gradually add butter and grated cheese, stirring as you go to fully incorporate into sugo. 


Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta, transfer to a platter, and toss with half of sugo. Serve topped with hazelnuts, chopped oregano and thyme, and more Grana Padano.


Do Ahead
Sugo can be made 1 week ahead. Let cool; cover and chill, or divide in half and freeze up to 3 months.

Nutritional Information (My Fitness Pal)
Calories: 679; Total Fat: 29 g; Saturated Fat: 9 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 7 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 89 mg; Sodium: 414 mg; Potassium: 762 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 57 g; Dietary Fiber: 6 g; Sugars: 10 g; Protein: 36 g

Sausage and Kale Sauté with Polenta

This recipe was mailed to me by Cooking Light.  I haven't tried polenta in about 10-12 years, so I decided maybe it was time to retry it.  D said ok.

That led to the issue of where to find polenta.  We both thought tubes were sold in the produce refrigerated section at the Kroger.  It wasn't. Or with the gourmet cheese and hummus.  It seemed it wasn't anywhere to be found.  On Facebook, there were a lot of Italian Section suggestions...it kind of made me laugh, because our Kroger doesn't have an Italian section, unless you are counting pasta and sauce.  The "fancy" Krogers intown sell San Marzano Tomatoes and tomato paste in a tube, but that's about it.  At the 3rd Kroger I decided I wasn't leaving until I found this stuff.  Surely, I wasn't the only person in Atlanta who wanted the Kroger to sell polenta in a tube. It is in the Organic Shelf Section with the Mac and Cheese boxes, on the bottom shelf (I have since found it in the same place at the first 2 Krogers).  There you go.

So back to the review.

It turns out that if you add sausage to anything, it tastes good.  D thought it needed more kale, I thought the kale needed to be cooked a little more, but both of us liked it. And the polenta was good too.   We would have again.  We had with a Caesar Salad.

Sausage and Kale Sauté with Polenta

Photo by ALB

Leftovers from this one-dish hit make for an easy, delicious breakfast--simply reheat and top with an over-easy egg.

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: 2 polenta slices and about 3/4 cup sausage mixture)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces sweet pork Italian sausage, casings removed
8 ounces prepared polenta, cut into 8 (1/2-inch-thick) slices (more like 19 oz to get 8 1/2-inch slices)
6 ounces prechopped kale
1 tablespoon water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups lower-sodium marinara sauce (such as Dell'Amore)
2 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into small pieces

Preparation
1. Preheat broiler to high.

2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high. Add sausage; cook 3 minutes, stirring. Remove sausage. Add polenta to pan; cook 5 minutes. Remove polenta. Add kale, 1 tablespoon water, and pepper to pan. Cover; cook 2 minutes. Uncover; stir in sausage and marinara. Nestle polenta, browned side up, into sausage mixture; sprinkle with cheese. Broil 2 minutes.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 260; Fat: 16.6 g; Sat fat: 5.7 g; Mono fat: 6.6 g; Poly fat: 1.6 g; Protein: 10 g; Carbohydrate: 18 g; Fiber: 3 g; Cholesterol: 33 mg; Iron: 3 mg; Sodium: 408 mg; Calcium: 79 mg

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2014

Bacon, Cheddar and Beer Risotto

This has been on Pinterest for awhile.  I'm always hesitant about beer in food (besides a chili) because if you don't use the right beer, it can give it a weird flavor.  Anyway, we seem to have a plethora of styles of beer in our fridge right now, so we tried this recipe.

It was rather comforting.  Kind of like a savory oatmeal, if you must.  The calories are higher than on Emily Bites.  This is due to using real bacon and butter.

I would have again.  D thought it would be better with smoked paprika instead of cayenne.  I couldn't tell you.

We had with a chopped salad.

Bacon, Cheddar and Beer Risotto

Photo by ALB

Yield: 8 (1 CUP) SERVINGS
Adapted from Emily Bites

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
12 oz bottle of beer (Used Smuttynose Brown Ale)
6 cups fat free reduced sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 oz Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
3/4 cup sharp shredded cheddar cheese (Used Kroger Sharp)
2/3 cup 2% reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese (Used Sargento 2%)
4 slices cooked bacon
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preparation
Make sure your bacon is cooked.

Place the butter in a large sauté pan and bring it over medium-low heat until butter is just melted. Add onions and cook 3-5 minutes until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until garlic is fragrant. Add the rice and stir to combine. Cook an additional 2 minutes, stirring throughout.

Pour in the beer and turn the heat up to high until the beer begins to simmer. Reduce heat back to medium-low and add ½ cup of the chicken broth. Stir until the liquid dissolves and then add another ½ cup. Repeat until all the broth has been added and the rice is creamy and al dente.

Remove the rice mixture from the heat and add the cheeses, bacon and cayenne pepper. Stir until thoroughly combined and serve.

Nutrition Information (MyFitnessPal)
Calories: 308; Total Fat: 11 g; Saturated Fat: 6 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g; Trans Fat 0 g; Cholesterol: 39 mg; Sodium: 710 mg; Potassium: 175 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 41 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugars: 1 g; Protein 15 g

Spiral Pepperoni Pizza Bake

So my friend Diana pinned this, and I decided D and I should have it.  We have pizza every Friday night to "carb up" for a long run on Saturday.  Let's try to be a little different.

I knew D was busy, so I decided to prep this.  One thing led to another, and I ended up making the whole thing.  I halved the recipe, and I didn't layer it, because dirtying a third baking dish seemed stupid.

It was rather kid friendly, meaning bland.  It's definitely a "make again" dish, but I would change things.  D thought we could sub the ground beef and pepperoni for sausage and mushroom, as well. Also to cut back on calories, next time, maybe cut back on cheese.  (Blasphemy!)

We had with a Caesar Salad.

Spiral Pepperoni Pizza Bake

Photo by ALB

Prep: 30 min.
Bake: 40 min.
YIELD: 6 servings

Adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients
1/2 package (8 ounces) spiral pasta (used penne and ziti because that's what we had)
1 pounds ground beef (used 90/10)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt (increase to 1 tsp next time)
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt (increase to 1/2 tsp next time)
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning (increase to 1/2 tsp next time)
1/4 teaspoon pepper (increase to 1/2 tsp next time)
2 Cups Basil and Tomato Pasta Sauce
1 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cups 2% milk
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese
1/2 package (3-1/2 ounces) sliced pepperoni

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8-10 minutes or until beef is no longer pink, breaking up beef into crumbles; drain. Sprinkle with seasonings. Stir in sauce; remove from heat.

3. In a large bowl, mix eggs, milk and Parmesan cheese. Drain pasta; add to egg mixture and toss to combine. Transfer to a greased 3-qt. baking dish. Top with beef mixture, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni (I added the pasta mixture and pepperoni to the Dutch Oven and stirred, then threw the cheese on top).

4. Bake, covered, 20 minutes. Bake, uncovered, 20-25 minutes longer or until golden brown and heated through. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts (from MyFitnessPal)
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 505; Total Fat: 23 g; Saturated Fat: 11 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g; Trans Fat: 1 g; Cholesterol: 129 mg; Sodium: 1151 mg; Potassium: 391 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 43 g; Dietary Fiber: 4 g; Sugars: 9 g; Protein: 37 g

Short Rib Pho French Dip Banh Mi with Thai Basil Chimichurri

I think I saw a picture of this on Pinterest and decided it should be made, which is kind of interesting because I'm not a huge anise fan.  But the picture kept drawing me back.  (Go to Halfbakedharvest.com to see).

Anway, short ribs are one of those foods that are always marked down at Kroger, so I figured eventually we'd get to 5 pounds if I kept buying them.  We got to 3, when we decided to make this.

D finished making it and we realized we didn't have a side, so he put some tater tots in the oven.  You don't really need to do that.  You also can easily make these sandwiches 6 servings (get more bread and add 2 more eggs).  The sandwich was huge and messy.

I'm not really sure of the Nutritional Information.  We had a lot of broth left, and a lot of chimichurri (which was a lot of the calories). I guestimated around 850 calories.  Still I would have again.

Short Rib Pho French Dip Banh Mi with Thai Basil Chimichurri

Photo by ALB

From: halfbakedharvest.com, inspired by The Pig and The Lady in Hawaii.
Prep time: 30 MINUTES
Cook time: 3 HOUR 30 MINUTES
Total time: 4 HOURS (MOST OF THIS IS COOKING TIME)
Yields: MAKES 4 SANDWICHES

Ingredients
Short Ribs
5 pounds bone in short ribs (used 3)
1/2 of a small onion
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 (1 inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled
4 cups beef broth, divided
1 star anise
1 (4 inch) cinnamon stick
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons fish sauce (may use soy sauce, but fish sauce is best)
2 green onions, chopped

Thai Basil Chimichurri
1/4 cup each red wine vinegar 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, chopped
1 fresno chile, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup fresh thai basil (used regular basil)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

1 long french baguette, cut in fourths, halved and toasted
4 slices swiss cheese
Mung bean sprouts
Sliced limes (didn't use)
Pickled carrots (we threw carrots into some rice vinegar/vinegar/red wine vinegar and let it rest)
Pickled jalapenos
4 fried eggs

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat a large heavy bottom dutch oven over medium high-heat. Add the ribs to the skillet and sprinkle with salt + pepper. Sear the ribs on all sides for about 1 minute per side.

To the pot, add the onion, garlic, ginger, 3 cups beef broth, star anise and cinnamon. Cover and place in the oven, cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the meat shreds easily. Check once or twice while the ribs are cooking to make sure there is enough liquid. If needed, add 1 1/2 cups of water to keep the ribs in liquid about 1/3 a way up the pot.

Once the ribs are cooked, remove them from the broth and place on a plate to cool slightly. Carefully strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer and then place back in the pot. Add the remaining beef broth and 1 to 1 1/2 cups water depending on how much water you added during cooking. You want a total of at least 2 1/2 to 3 cups broth. Add the shiitake mushrooms and bring to a boil, cook five minutes. Remove from the heat and add the fish sauce and green onions. Keep warm over low heat if needed. Shred the meat.

To assemble, spread the thai basil chimichurri (recipe below) along the bottom of each baguette and then stuff with meat. Top with a few slices of swiss cheese. Place on a baking sheet and place under the broiler for 1 minute to melt the cheese. Remove and open the sandwiches back up. Top with mung bean sprouts, pickled jalapenos + carrots and a fried egg. Ladle the pho broth into small bowls and serve along side the sammies for dipping. Serve with extra chimichurri.

To make the, chimichurri (I make mine while the ribs are cooking), combine red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, salt, garlic, shallot, and chile in a medium bowl and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in thai basil and cilantro. Using a fork, whisk in oil. Taste and season with salt if needed. Store in the fridge until ready to serve or up to one week.

Tequila-Glazed Grilled Chicken Thighs

So last week, I posted a picture of Tomato Basil Chicken on Facebook, and my aunt texted me asking for the recipe (I hadn't put up the recipe, at the point).  And yes, I am a Facebook Food Putter-Upper.
So I sent her over the recipe and she sent me back this one.  It looked like it would have a lot a flavor.  And it might fulfill my secret plot to get D to refill the gas on the gas grill (we have both gas and charcoal).  So I showed it to him, he said yes, and thus my evil plot worked.

They were really flavorful and juicy.  They were devoured.  We had with a Barbecue Salad (some Dole Chopped Salad thing).

Definitely a hit.

Tequila-Glazed Grilled Chicken Thighs

Brush chicken thighs with a tequila glaze that's been sweetened with pineapple juice and honey for a deliciously tropical grilled chicken entree. Serve with rice pilaf and a mixed green salad for a complete meal.

Photo by ALB

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 thigh)

Ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
6 bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 pounds), skinned
3/4 cup pineapple juice
1/3 cup tequila
1/4 cup honey
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons grated lime rind
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Cooking spray

Preparation
1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat using both burners. After preheating, turn the left burner off (leave the right burner on).

2. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl; rub evenly over chicken.

3. Bring the pineapple juice, tequila, and honey to a boil in a small saucepan; cook until reduced to 3/4 cup (about 10 minutes). Combine cornstarch and 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl, and stir well. Add cornstarch mixture to juice mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Bring to a boil, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in lime rind, 3 tablespoons lime juice, and red pepper.

4. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray over right burner (direct heat). Cover and grill for 5 minutes on each side, basting occasionally with juice mixture. Move the chicken to grill rack over left burner (indirect heat). Cover and grill an additional 5 minutes on each side or until done, basting occasionally.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 241; Fat: 7.6 g; Sat fat: 2.1 g; Mono fat: 2.8 g; Poly fat: 1.7 g; Protein: 18 g; Carbohydrate: 17.2 g; Fiber: 0.4 g; Cholesterol: 64 mg; Iron: 1.2 mg; Sodium: 374 mg; Calcium: 19 mg

Cooking Light, JUNE 2011

Tomato Basil Chicken

So we have a basil plant outside that grows like a weed.  Pretty much the only plant that we have that does.  So this recipe popped up and it was a "must have."  Truth be told, I think this has been on the menu 3-4 times but for some reason we never get around to having it.

Anyway, you should have it.  Very flavorful. We had with Warm Nutty Brussels Sprouts Salad.

The Nutritional information is probably higher than it should be because I counted the marinade.

Tomato Basil Chicken

Photo by ALB

from Plain Chicken

Ingredients
4 plum or roma tomatoes (fresh or canned)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
4 tsp dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh basil
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (used 2 lbs, raw)

Preparation
Cut tomatoes into quarters and place in a food processor. Add the vinegar, basil, oil, garlic and salt; cover and process until blended.

Pour dressing into a large resealable plastic bag; add chicken. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for up to 4 hours. (or longer )

Drain and discard marinade. Light Grill. Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 170°.

Nutritional Information (per serving based off My Fitness Pal)
Servings 4.0
Calories: 378; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 7 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 166 mg; Sodium: 417 mg; Potassium: 1073 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 11 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugars: 9 g; Protein: 52 g

7 Smart Points (my additions/subtractions at 4 servings)

Nutty Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad

My friend Delane turned me onto Brussels Sprouts, so whenever I see them in a way I hadn't thought about and look good, I usually want to try. D and I finally got around to trying this one.

The sprouts tastes like sprouts. The breadcrumb mixture was something that made you want to lick that bowl. Together, it was a great salad.

Definitely would have again. We had with Tomato Basil Chicken.

Nutty Warm Brussels Sprouts Salad

Photo by ALB

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup)

Ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs
3/4 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (about 8 cups)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts, toasted
1/2 ounce shaved Asiago cheese

Preparation
1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute or just until golden, stirring constantly. Add breadcrumbs; cook 1 minute or until lightly browned, stirring constantly. Transfer garlic mixture to a small bowl.

2. Separate leaves from Brussels sprouts; quarter cores. Heat remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Add leaves and cores to pan; cook 8 minutes or just until leaves wilt and cores are crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; toss with breadcrumb mixture, salt, and pepper. Top with walnuts and cheese.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 71; Fat: 3.1 g; Sat fat: 0.6 g; Mono fat: 1.1 g; Poly fat: 1.1 g; Protein: 3.5 g; Carbohydrate: 8.9 g; Fiber: 2.3 g; Cholesterol: 1 mg; Iron: 1 mg; Sodium: 160 mg; Calcium: 47 mg

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2009

Buffalo Chicken Salad

So I'm not really sure why it took me a year to get around to making this.  I've had it on my to-try list that long.

Labor Day came yesterday, and I wanted something tasty but not too caloric.  I showed D two chicken salad recipes and he said this one.  So this is the one we had.

D grilled the chicken, since we needed chicken for 4 meals this week. I put everything else together. He had his on toast, I had mine on a tortilla wrap.  We both added tomatoes.

The taste was flavorful and zesty.  The original version had blue cheese instead of cheddar.  Also if you aren't a cilantro fan, I don't think it would change the taste to leave it out.

Buffalo Chicken Salad

Photo by ALB

Adapted from Prevention RD
Yield: 6 servings, 1/2 cup each)

Ingredients
5 oz non-fat plain Greek yogurt
1/3 cup Franks Red Hot Wings Buffalo sauce
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, shredded
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, minced
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt buffalo sauce, garlic powder, and black pepper. Stir in chicken, celery, cilantro, and cheese. Refrigerate until serving or up to 5 days in the fridge.

Nutrition Information (from My FitnessPal):
Per Serving:
Calories: 147; Total Fat: 8 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0 g; Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 72 mg; Sodium: 546 mg; Potassium: 210 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 2 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugars: 1 g; Protein: 17 g