Grilled Pork Loin in Tequila Mustard Marinade

Last week my kitchen took root where the family gathered and the cooking began. This time I made a pork loin roast. I've been making this marinade for chicken and decided to try it out on the pork. I'm glad to report that the family was happy with it.  You see, I write a cooking blog, but my whole family knows its way around a kitchen. Talk about pressure! My brother and I enjoyed some friendly competition (he does make a mean rack of smoked pork ribs) while our sister was out of commission with a sprained wrist. 

As is usually the case, we had more than enough food so we didn't have to cook every day. In fact, the pork roast leftovers are a perfect addition to a main dish salad on these hot summer days.  We also grilled vegetables and fruit while the grill was hot.

Oh, I do love dining al fresco!




Time: 5.5 hours (4 hours marinating time plus cooking time)
Level: Easy but requires a gas grill
Yield: Serves 12

Baked Chicken and Artichokes

Spring is finally here and the longer daylight hours entice me to stay outdoors as long as possible. This recipe will take only 20 minutes (maybe less) in prep, and the rest is oven time.

If you're anything like me, you welcome a new way to prepare skinless and boneless chicken breasts. Of course, this will work with any cut of chicken (or turkey) but I like this recipe best for breast meat because it stays moist throughout the baking process.

I've been working on a few versions of this one so my friends and loved ones are about over chicken and artichokes by now.

The first version is one I read about in Epicurious magazine and I stayed close to the original recipe with a few variations (more garlic and the addition of red pepper flakes). The second version follows.

Aside from succulent chicken and an easy recipe, clean-up is a cinch. Happy Spring!

Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Level: Easy
Yield: Serves 4

Beef Stroganoff

Here it is, late May, Memorial Day weekend is approaching,  and it's barely 50 degrees outside! It's too warm to start a pot of stew on the stove, but cool enough to want something that warms you from the inside out.

This recipe is a combination of one I saw years ago on America's Test Kitchen and some advice from my mother-in-law who was an old pro at feeding hungry, growing boys and how to make a small amount of steak go a long way.

It's slightly more time consuming than the old cream of mushroom soup stand-by but, once you try it, you'll never go back. The vegetables far outweigh the meat in this dish so, if you enjoy savory meals and want to cut down on the amount of red meat you eat, this is a great recipe to try.

The extras, like sherry and a bit of tomato sauce, make this a meal fit for company. Serve it in individual bowls, over fancy cut egg noodles and garnish it with snipped parsley. Of course it's also great served family style on a large platter over the noodles.  Add a salad and you're done!


Time: 1 hour
Level: Easy
Yield: Serves 4 (or maybe 2 hungry dudes)

Edamame Dip

Edamole? Guacamame? I couldn't decide what to call this stuff!
 
Living in the Pacific Northwest has introduced  me to a lot of new foods and turned me away from others; at least seasonally. Take avocados for example, I love them but I can't find them here except in the summer months. Other times of the year we get them from far-off places where they're shipped unripe and never ripen properly. They should be soft and flavorful. I've used all the time-honored tricks (in a bag, at room temp, wrapped in newspaper with an apple slice added) but it just isn't the same. My best efforts produce soft, flavorless avocados and the guacamole is little more than disappointing green stuff on a chip.

So, with Memorial Day weekend coming up, I decided to try replacing the avocados with edamame. They're available frozen year-round and some folks are having luck growing them here, in Oregon. If you're interested in planting these in your garden I suggest you read this first. Mother Earth News will walk you right through it!
For this recipe, you'll need a food processor. I started out with my favorite guacamole recipe and learned that a few tweaks made for a more flavorful and creamy dip. I hope you enjoy this one.


Time: 1 hour
Yield: A lot!
Level: Easy  
 

Asparagus and Mandarin Orange Salad

Great for a Spring day!

Was there ever a time that you didn't like asparagus? When I was a kid it seemed to be one of those vegetables, like peas, that I could easily do without. Then I tasted asparagus in a salad -- it was bright green, a little crunchy and, well,  kind of sweet. What a difference! I didn't realize that the asparagus (and the peas) I had years ago was over-cooked. It was soggy, flavorless and a most unappealing shade of olive drab. 

I think it was in the 80's when asparagus became mainstream. We all learned how to cook vegetables properly. Suddenly they were crunchy, brightly colored and the nutrients were still there. Better still, they tasted great! Oh, I just discovered another reason to remember the 80's fondly! Before this my recall of that decade was Madonna, fern bars, and really big hair!

As usual, I encourage you to change it up a bit. Make it yours and use whatever dressing you like. I like this lightly dressed with lemon and olive oil dressing so the recipe is included.

Time: 30 minutes
Level: Easy
Yield: Serves 4

Spring Brunch Mini Pie

Are you looking for brunch ideas for Mother's Day? How about adding these mini pies to the menu. They're very easy to make and you can play with the ingredients according to Mom's taste. My version is all about cheese with some flavorful pepperoni added to give it a little zest. If you knew my Mom, you'd know how much she appreciates a little zest -- in her food and her life!

I made these in ramekins that are 5 inches in diameter and only 1 1/2 inches deep. They cook quickly and are removed from the ramekins before serving.

Serve this with asparagus and mimosas.

Time: 1 hour
Level: Average
Yield: Makes two 5" mini pies

Greek Chicken with Lemon Couscous

Spring Chicken!

This Greek inspired chicken is filled with feta cheese, fresh spinach and roasted red peppers.

The filling keeps the bird juicy, so don't worry about serving dried-out chicken. The only rule here is to get creative. If you like olives, chop some kalamatas and use one per chicken breast. How about sun-dried tomatoes? Feel free to replace the red pepper with them. I like the spinach, feta and garlic combo, so I usually start there -- everything else is flexible.

To accompany this I made couscous flavored with lemon and a few strands of saffron. On the side you see this year's fresh asparagus with a light drizzle of lemon juice, a few drops of balsamic vinegar and toasted, slivered almonds.

This meal is quick and easy to prepare and bursting with the flavors of the Mediterranean. Don't plan on having leftovers!

Time: 40 minutes
Level: Easy
Yield: Serves 2

Spiced Shrimp with Mango Salad and Orange Poppy Seed Dressing

I love fruit in salad! These days the weather has been so warm and dry that I've been making a lot of salads as the main dish. I don't generally think of adding fruit until Summer when locally grown fruits are available and tempting me from the market.

With company visiting, I knew I wanted to serve something healthy and easy to make. Looking for inspiration while I was shopping, I walked by that mango. Just once. The truth is, I couldn't resist bending the regional food rule. At least it's organic...

The Orange Poppy Seed Dressing is about as easy as it gets, and the subtle tang of the orange juice really adds a lot to the flavor. It's great on a spinach salad as well.

I served it with with seasoned shrimp but you may opt to make this a vegetarian dish and add black beans directly to the salad.

My friends brought a bottle of Sweet Cheeks Pinot Gris and it was perfect for lunch on a sunny day.


Yield: Serves 4
Level: Easy
Time: 30-40 minutes

Lemon-Caper Sauce

Ready for something quick, versatile and not made of turkey left-overs? Yeah, we all are! After Thanksgiving and the football game last weekend, it's nice to find a respite from over-indulgence on all levels.
This might be just what you need.
Over the years this has become a favorite. I like it over fish or chicken but it works nicely as a warm dipping oil for bread. It's definitely fancier than olive oil and no one has to know how easy it is to make.

Enjoy! 


 


Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Level: Average

Citrus & Maple Glazed Tempeh

To marinate, or not to marinate? That is the question.
Recipes for marinades abound but I find myself skipping it because I don't have the time. Here's an option for a glaze that will get your dinner on the table in less than an hour. The citrus and ginger combo really brightens the flavor of tempeh, and the maple syrup caramelizes and adds a little sweetness.
If you're not familiar with tempeh, I encourage you to give it a try. I used organic tempeh from Surata Soyfoods in Eugene. I like the multi-grain, version for its nutty flavor but the original flavor is great, too.

Pair it up with Cream of Curried Pumpkin Soup in the fall, or salads in the warmer months. It's also great inside a wrap year-round.

Yield:  4 servings

Total Time:  45 minutes

Level: Easy