Pork Baby Back Ribs

Ribs are something I really didn't enjoy growing up. (I know; you're sensing a theme here, huh.) I've always been a picky eater and when it came to ribs I only ate my step-dad's ribs. He would slow-boil them all afternoon with some special juices and they would almost fall off the bone. They were perfect! I have tried for a while now to improve my ribs, but not have to stay in the kitchen all afternoon while they cook. I have to say that this recipe is one of the best. I've tested crock-pot recipes and stove-top and this is what I've found to make the perfect baby back ribs!

Pork Baby Back Ribs

Adapted from: Kelly's Kitch original

Yields: 1 rack; 3-4 servings

1 rack baby back ribs

juice of one lime

juice of one lemon

Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce

Cut the ribs every two bones to separate them. Place into a large pot or dutch oven and fill with enough water to cover, plus a little extra. Stir in the juices, lemon and lime halves, and bring water to a boil stove top. Once water is slowly boiling, turn the temperature down to medium-low and allow to simmer for 1-2 hours (or however long you can allow). 

Once the ribs are cooked, remove them from the water and slather with BBQ sauce. NOTE: If you make these a day ahead of time, you can store the cooked BBQ ribs in an airtight container overnight and cook the next evening. This gives the ribs a chance to soak in some of the sauce. 

Place ribs on a grilling tray lined with foil and cook on the grill on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway. Since you've already cooked the ribs stove top, all you're doing on the grill is giving them a bit more flavor and reheating them. 

They will be tender, but not completely fall apart. Add more BBQ sauce as desired and enjoy!

Biscuits & Gravy

Growing up I was told my mother made the best biscuits and gravy, but I wouldn't know because I was too afraid to try them. Gravy for breakfast always made me cringe and I wasn't a huge fan of sausage either so it made sense that I never tried it. I'm saddened now about all the great food I've missed out on, including this!

I got this recipe from my husband's best friend's mother (still following? me either). She apparently makes biscuits and gravy so good there's never any leftovers. I got some tips from her about what ingredients to use and not use and this amazing breakfast is what I came up with. I would suggest making Bisquick Biscuits, unless you have a great, fluffy breakfast biscuit recipe. The ones I made from here (without the chives) were flat and not very tasty, although they were very flaky so it made for some good biscuits for these, in my opinion.

Biscuits & Gravy

Adapted from: Kelly's Kitch original

Yields: 4 servings

1 pkg buttermilk biscuits (Bisquick)

1 lb pork sausage

1/2 cup 2% or whole milk

1-2 cups all-purpose flour

salt and pepper, to taste
 
Bake the biscuits according to package directions. Meanwhile, brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Once cooked through, add the 1/2 cup of milk to the pan and mix briefly. Add the flour in 1/4-cup increments, mixing constantly, until the gravy is your preferred consistency. We used about 1 1/2 cups. Add salt and pepper as desired and serve immediately with biscuits.

Ham & Cheese Sliders, revisited

I have made these sliders before, usually during baseball season, but these little sandwiches are so easy to put together we make them a lot now. With football season well under way (and since I'm participating in fantasy football this year), neither one of us ever want to cook on Sundays. This is our perfect go-to meal nowadays since they involve no cutting boards and knives, pots or pans, etc. Put the few ingredients together and you've got dinner or snacks for a lot of hungry friends!! When I first made these I mentioned in my original post that I wasn't a huge fan, but I did eat them. Now I'm 100% on board and love these little sandwiches. I will probably try some kind of turkey combination soon, too!

Ham and Cheese Sliders
Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally The Girl Who Ate Everything
Yields: 12 mini-sandwiches

For the sandwiches
12 slider rolls (I bought Hawaiian rolls and sliced them down the middle)
12 slices honey ham
12 slices Swiss cheese
mayonnaise

For the topping
3/4 Tbsp yellow mustard
4 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 Tbsp finely minced onion
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
poppy seeds, for topping

Preheat oven to 350°F. Start by placing the slider rolls on a baking sheet and slicing them, if needed. Slather on some mayonnaise on the top bun, as much as desired. Place a few small slices of ham and cheese on top of the bottom bun and place tops on sandwiches. Mix the sauce ingredients, except poppy seeds, and baste on the tops of the sandwiches. Sprinkle poppy seeds on top immediately. Cover baking sheet with foil and bake 10 minutes, until cheese has melted. Uncover and bake an additional 2 minutes. Serve warm.

Penne and Smoked Sausage

Ever get into a slump when it comes to weeknight meals? I know I usually do. When it comes to smoked sausage I have two recipes. Two. How sad is that?! I can make hundreds of things with ground beef, chicken, etc. Why should smoked sausage get ignored? Not anymore! I was inspired by some recent commercials of a woman making a pasta dish with her smoked sausage. Seemed like a great idea. This pasta turned out better than I'd expected, but my husband wasn't totally impressed. It was good enough for dinner, but not for leftovers. You can decide for yourself, but I think it was rather tasty. It has very few ingredients and is a quick weeknight dinner for those with a family!

Penne and Smoked Sausage
Adapted from: Taste of Home
Yields: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked penne pasta
1 lb cooked smoked sausage, halved and diced
1 1/2 cups milk
1 can cream of celery soup (10.75 oz)
1 1/2 cups french fried onions, divided
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup frozen corn

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 13x9 casserole dish and set aside. In a large bowl, combine milk and soup. Mix well and add 1/2 cup french fried onions, 1/2 cup shredded cheese, corn and sausage. Mix until well incorporated.

Transfer contents of bowl to the greased baking pan. Flatten slightly with a spoon. Cover with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbly. Remove foil and top with remaining 1 cup of french fried onions and 1/2 cup cheese. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Enjoy!

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops

I’m not really the type of person who strays from the norm. My husband, however, loves pork chops and lots of red meat. I do not. I try not to cook it since I know usually how awful it is for you (and I already have high cholesterol. He probably would prefer any other type of meat over chicken, but I’m a chicken girl at heart. I do try new things once in a while so that he can get his meat fix (besides chicken of course). This time the recipe was actually really good! The crunchiness of the crust on the pork chops was perfectly flavored and went really well with the mashed potatoes and corn we also had for dinner. This is such a classic food and in the winter you really have to get creative with how to cook meat not on the grill. Zero degree temperatures = nobody wants to even BE outside. This will sure warm your kitchen up .. and your bellies too!

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops
Adapted from: All Recipes
Serves: 3-4


¼ cup all-purpose flour
Dash salt and pepper
¾ cup soft bread crumbs
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tsp rubbed sage
½ tsp grated lemon zest
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 boneless pork chops
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp butter


In a pie dish, combine the flour, salt and pepper. In another pie dish, combine the bread crumbs, cheese, sage and lemon peel. Place egg in a small bowl. Coat the pork chops with flour, dip in egg and then coat with bread crumb mixture. Let stand for 5 minutes.


Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425˚F and grease a 9x13 baking dish. In a skillet, lightly brown the chops in the oil and butter on medium heat. Cook about 2 minutes on each side and transfer to the greased baking dish. Bake, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until cooked throughout and juices run clear. A meat thermometer should read 160˚F.

Pot Roast

Welcome to Black Friday 2010! While out shopping, why not throw something in the crock pot for when you come crawling in the door late afternoon, exhausted from fighting other people to get that $40 Tom Tom. Getting your toes stepped on 50 times, getting pushed so many times that you become numb to it, and standing out in the blistering cold with nothing to do; now that's Black Friday. You should come home to a wonderful (and warm) dinner that you "slaved over" all day to make. ;)

Pot roast has always been a staple in our house growing up and still is today! This is by far the easiest recipe (thank you, mr. crock pot) and one of the first that I ever learned how to make. The beef comes out so juicy but tender (I've tasted some dry roasts before, yuck) and the veggies complement it very well. My husband also requested some bread and butter on the side this time. We had some on hand and the loaf must've caught his eye. This would also work well with just about any dinner roll, too.

Pot Roast

Kelly's Kitch Original

Serves: 4

2-4 pound boneless pork rump

3 large potatoes, peeled diced into 1-inch pieces

4-5 large carrots, peeled and chopped into 2-inch-long pieces

1 can mushroom soup

2 Tbsp Italian seasoning

Place all ingredients into crock pot and fill it with enough water to just cover the roast. Mix the soup and spices in well. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. Use a slotted spoon to dish out the meat and place on a separate plate, dividing into equal-sized portions. Using the slotted spoon, scoop out potatoes and carrots and place on serving dishes with the meat. Enjoy!

If you want to save the roast for leftovers/lunch the next day, place into airtight tupperware container and spoon in some of the crock pot liquid to preserve the moisture.

Cider-Braised Pork Chops with Apples

Now that October is finally here, my house is full of pumpkins, apples and apple cider. Apple cider is one thing I missed as a child. I never liked it much but now I absolutely love it; especially warm apple cider on a crisp, chilly and snowy night. If you live in a cold-weather state, you know exactly what I'm talking about! Hot cocoa and apple cider help us get through the snow shoveling and black ice days. Well if you have onion and pork chops, then you've got an amazing dinner!

This is the third time I've made these chops and they are absolutely amazing and get rave reviews each time. I actually might just use the sauce and soak a bunch of apples in them because it was that good. The onions bring a lot to the flavor of the meal so don't omit them or anything else. Now I normally don't like pork chops (I'm a chicken kind of gal, myself), but in this sauce and with these toppings it's amazingly delicious! Try it and you won't be disappointed, especially since you will be using up all that cider you've stocked up on.

Cider-Braised Pork Chops with Apples

Adapted from: Essentials of Healthful Cooking (Williams-Sonoma)

Serves: 3-4

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp allspice (any brand will do)

1/2 tsp sweet paprika

salt and pepper, to taste

4 thin, boneless pork chops (1 lb)

4 tsp canola oil

1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

1/3 cup sweet apple cider (3 oz)

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 fuji apple, peeled, cored and sliced into 12 wedges

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup evaporated milk

To make the spice rub, in a small bowl, mix together: oregano, allspice, paprika, salt and pepper. Coat the uncooked pork chops evenly on both sides with the rub mixture. Set meat on a plate for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp of oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until lightly browned, 4-5 minutes. Transfer onion to a plate.

Add the remaining 2 Tbsp oil into the skillet and keep on medium to medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and sear until lightly browned on the bottom, about 3-4 minutes. Flip and brown the meat on the other side, 3-4 minutes. Transfer meat to plate with the onion.

Return the pan to medium heat and pour in the cider and vinegar. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the meat and onion to the pan and place the apple wedges on top of the meat. Pour in the chicken broth, cover, and simmer until the chops are opaque throughout, about 8-10 minutes. Reduce the heat if the liquid begins to boil.

Transfer the chops, apple wedges and onion (strained) to a warmed platter. Pour the evaporated milk into the pan, raise heat to high, and boil until the liquid is reduced by one-third, about 5 minutes. Pour that sauce on top of the pork chops and serve warm.

Ham and Cheese Sliders

I saw these on a blogger's website and thought to myself that I would probably never make these because of my everlasting hatred for ham. I have despised the fatty taste of ham ever since I can remember and will ONLY eat it from HoneyBaked Ham now. Since I have decided to change my mind for what is probably the most fattening yet delicious ham ever I decided to give this a try, too. Although it's nothing I would brag about, my husband and his teammates thoroughly enjoyed these! I even ate two myself!! I wanted to wait until football season was in full swing to make these, but I just couldn't wait since the perfect opportunity presented itself. My husband plays in an Adult League Baseball team here and they had a double header the other night: 6pm and 9pm. I knew he wouldn't eat anything unless I brought it to him well before the game so I quickly threw these together and they inhaled them! Not that those guys are picky, but I would definitely call this a success!

Ham and Cheese Sliders
Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally The Girl Who Ate Everything

For the sandwiches
12 slider rolls (I bought Hawaiin rolls and sliced them down the middle)
12 slices honey ham
12 slices swiss cheese
mayonnaise

For the topping
3/4 tbsp yellow mustard
4 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tbsp finely minced onion
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
poppy seeds, for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Start by placing the slider rolls on a baking sheet and slicing them, if needed. Slather on some mayonnaise on the top bun, as much as desired. Place a few small slices of ham and cheese on top of the bottom bun and place tops on sandwiches. Mix the sauce ingredients, except poppy seeds, and baste on the tops of the sandwiches. Sprinkle poppy seeds on top immediately. Cover baking sheet with foil and bake 10 minutes, until cheese has melted. Uncover and bake an additional 2 minutes. Serve warm.

All-In-One Pulled Pork Sandwiches

I am not a big fan of pulled pork. Recently, however my taste buds have been quite intrigued watching Man vs Food and seeing Adam eat all those pulled pork sandwiches! My husband said that Chicago has some of the best pulled pork places ever .. and therefore is inspiring us to make a weekend trip soon. Well based on a previous recipe I have made (oh please ignore the awful picture) and some new inspiration from the TV show, I have decided to make my own version of a one-sandwich meal that is sure to please any hungry husband. How did I come up with it? I just figured that instead of having the fries on the side we could stuff them onto the sandwiches. Saves time right?! ;) Also, I threw on some mayo and tomato for good measure. Well, this is by far the best pulled pork sandwich I have ever tasted and is 110% better than my first attempt because there are so many new flavors that it just absolutely does not compare!

Also please note that a lot of the ingredients are "as needed" which is because we tend to do a lot of leftovers. I am not sure how many sandwiches this recipe yields; it depends on the size of the pork tenderloin you get. Ours are pretty small since it's just the two of us so we don't use the entire bottles of BBQ or root beer.

All-In-One Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Adapted from: Kelly's Kitch Original

2-4lb pork tenderloin (if it has a bone you can cut out before or after cooking, after is easiest)

2 liters root beer, as needed

1 bottle BBQ sauce, as needed

tomato slices, as needed

hamburger buns, as needed

mayonnaise, to taste

frozen, seasoned french fries (just enough to layer one cookie sheet)

Immerse the pork tenderloin in root beer and cook in crock pot on low heat for 6-8 hours. When completely cooked, remove pork and allow to cool slightly on a plate. Dump contents of the crock pot out and wipe with a paper towel (doesn't have to be perfectly clean). Shred the pork with a fork and return to empty crock pot and add enough BBQ sauce for preferred texture/taste. We probably added about 3-4 oz for a 2lb bone-in pork tenderloin. Keep crockpot on warm.

Cook frozen french fries according to package directions (usually turning halfway) and during last minute of cooking, place hamburger buns on top of fries to warm. Meanwhile, slice enough tomatoes for each sandwich. Once fries are cooked, remove from oven and make your sandwich: pulled pork, fries, tomato, mayo. Serve immediately.

Spinach and Sausage Stuffed Shells

Sometimes I wish I had excellent photography skills. This is one of those times. My picture does absolutely nothing for this fantastic recipe. This is surely a household favorite now! The original recipe was only stuffed spinach shells but I now know better from when I attempted to feed my husband spinach lasagna. If there is no meat, he won't eat it. End of story. So I decided to add some spicy Italian Sausage and my oh my was it a wonderful addition! It was also wonderful that I got to use my new 5 quart casserole dish that I haven't been able to yet. I was so excited it could have been a complete flop and I wouldn't have cared since I got to use my new dish. Since it was a complete success it made it just that much more worth it!

Spinach and Sausage Stuffed Shells

Adaped from: New Cookbook, Bridal Edition (Better Homes and Gardens)

1 lb Italian Sausage (I used Hot)

20-25 dried jumbo shell macaroni

3/4 lb package frozen spinach, thawed (about 7 oz)

2 eggs, beaten

8 oz shredded cheese (I used mexican blend)

1-1.5 cup ricotta cheese

26-28 oz pasta/marinara sauce

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again and set aside. Meanwhile cook the Italian Sausage in a medium skillet over medium heat crumbling as it cooks until completely browned. Once browned, place into a large mixing bowl with drained spinach 1.5 cups of cheese, ricotta and eggs. Spoon about 2-3 tbsp (or enough to fill pasta) into shells and place into large baking dish. I used a 5 quart and completely filled it up.

Then pour the marinara sauce over the shells. Bake, covered at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until heated through. Sprink with remaining shredded cheese before serving.

Spicy Sausage & Rice Casserole

First things first .. I didn't actually make this dish, my husband did. I prepped everything and he did the bulk of the work. Either way, it is the spiciest thing I have ever made!! I think it had a lot to do with the extra spicy sausage I got from the grocery. It was on sale so I stocked up and made some for breakfast with my eggs too. It was delicious!

Well this recipe did not disappoint. I loved every single aspect of it. I loved the spiciness of the sausage, the peppers, onions, and especially the rice. I have never purchased or used long-grain rice before but it seems to take longer to cook in the oven. I think I might have liked it better if it was partially cooked beforehand. Some of it was still a little crunchy, but not much. I also put some cheese on top which the original recipe didn't call for. I am a cheese person .. what can I say. This was definitely a dish I could have kept going back for seconds and thirds and so on.

Spicy Sausage & Rice Casserole

Adapted from: Joelen's Culinary Adventures, originally All Recipes

28 oz spicy pork sausage

1 cup uncooked long-grain rice

3/4 cup onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 bell peppers chopped (I used 75% green, 25% red)

2 cans diced tomatoes (14 oz)

1 cup chicken broth

salt and pepper, to taste

1 tsp cayenne pepper

shredded cheese, to taste (for topping)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, brown the sausage on medium heat while chopping into smaller pieces. Drain grease and return to skillet on medium-low heat. Add rice, onion, garlic, and peppers. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, broth, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Mix well and pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 55 minutes making sure the rice is completely cooked. Top with cheese as desired and cook an additional 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

You can also cover the casserole and freeze for a later day and time at this step.

BBQ Pulled Pork

A few weeks ago I decided against my better judgement (and personal taste) to make one of my husband's favorite dishes. He loves BBQ pulled pork. I emailed a recipe to myself from a well-known website but was disappointed to find out that it was no longer a working link so I just winged it. I couldn't remember everything that it included but I did remember a recipe I passed on that sounded gross where you immerse the pork in root beer. Well, it was the only thing I had to go on. Turned out great and the husband loved it too!

BBQ Pulled Pork

2-4 lb boneless pork tenderloin (I just cut the bone off before cooking)
2 liters root beer, as needed
1 bottle BBQ sauce, as needed

Cook pork tenderloin completely immersed in root beer for 6-8 hours on low to medium heat in crock pot. When done cooking, shred pork with a fork removing all fat. Return to the warm crock pot and add the BBQ sauce and serve.