Pork Fajitas

This meal is made up of 3 recipes, Fajita seasoning, Pork Fajitas, and Apple Salsa.

Fajita Seasoning:
Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp chicken bullion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin

Mix everything in a bowl and pour into a spice jar or baggie and label. You will only use a few teaspoons for this recipe, but you can use the seasoning on pork, chicken or beef next time you make fajitas... it tastes much better then the pre-packaged seasoning!

Pork Fajitas

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 red pepper cut into thin slices
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp fajita seasoning
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 2 pork chops, cut into thin slices

Mix all of the seasonings and the garlic in a bowl and coat all of the pork slices evenly.

Heat oil in a large frying pan and add the coated pork- stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add the red peppers and onions- stir fry for another 4 minutes

Add lime juice and stir fry an addition 2 minutes, or until meat is cooked and the veggies are tender. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Apple Salsa

Ingredients:

• 2 tart apples, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp fresh cilantro (I was out and just omitted)

Put the chopped apples in a bowl, add all ingredients to the bowl, and toss.

Assemble:

Set all the cooked pork and the apple salsa on the table with the fajitas. Place a spoon in each bowl and allow guests to assemble. ENJOY!!

Macaroni and Cheese with a Twist

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. fusili or your favourite pasta
• 4 cups milk
• 1 tsp Thyme
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed and divided
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese
• 1tsp parsley
• 8 slices bacon, crumbled and divided in half
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1tsp thyme
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
• Salt and pepper

Get your pasta cooking first. It will probably need to boil for about 8-9 minutes to be al dente. Drain it when it’s done.

In a large pot heat your milk with thyme and garlic cloves.

Melt your butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Then whisk in the flour and stir constantly to keep lumps from forming, for about 1 minute. Remove from heat, scrape skillet with a spatula.
Use the same skillet to cook your bacon until crispy. Once bacon is cooked place on a paper towel and crumble.
Strain the garlic from the milk mixture and whisk in the butter/flour mix until it’s nice and smooth. Also add 4 cups of the cheese in and stir so the cheese melts. Add in your cooked pasta, half the crumbled bacon and the parsley - mix it all up. Dish the mac and cheese into a 3 quart baking dish.
Mix your melted butter and breadcrumbs, crumble on top of pasta mixture. Sprinkle an additional cup of cheese on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

While that is baking lets start on the topping.

Saute the onion in the same pan you cooked the bacon (with majority of the grease drained). Add garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook for approx 5 minutes to caramelize. Add remaining crumbled bacon and cook an additional minute. Remove from heat.

When you remove the macaroni and cheese from the oven top with the onion/bacon topping. Allow to sit for about 10 minutes before serving. ENJOY!!

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds peeled and seeded butternut squash , cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 pinch sugar
• 3 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3 cups chicken broth, homemade or from a carton or can
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half (or whole milk)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Garnish: apple slices

To prepare squash: Peel the squash, cut in half at the bulge, and then cut each half again, lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds in the bottom half. Cut remaining squash into 1 inch cubes.Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep saute pan until shimmering.

Add butternut squash, then onion; saute, stirring very little at first, then more frequently, until squash start to turn golden brown, 10 min.

Reduce heat to low and add butter, sugar and garlic; continue cooking until all vegetables are a rich caramel color, about 10 minutes longer.

Add cinnamon; continue to saute until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute longer. Add broth; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until squash is tender, about 10 minutes.

Using an immersion blender or traditional blender, puree until very smooth, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Return to pot, add enough half-and-half so the mixture is soup like, yet thick enough to float garnish. Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed. Simmer for 10 minutes, spoon into bowls, garnish and ENJOY!!

Easy Steak Sandwiches

This recipe is perfect for week nights with little time to prepare dinner!!

Ingredients:

• 2 fresh Italian sandwich rolls or Kaiser buns, split in half crosswise
• 1 white onion, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound rib-eye steak, very very thinly shaved or sliced
• 1/3 pound shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• BBQ sauce
• Garlic butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Heat a cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. When hot add the oil and onions, stirring until caramelized, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and salt, stirring for 30 seconds. Put in a bowl.

Add the meat to the hot pan and cook, stirring and breaking up with the back of a spatula, until almost no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Mix in the Sauteed vegetables. Add some BBQ sauce to lightly coat.

Spread buns with garlic butter, place meat on bun, top with cheese and bake until cheese is melted.

Serve warm and ENJOY!!

Oven Baked Brown Sugar Pork and Apples

This is a great week day recipe, its super fast, and very flavorful... would make for some great leftovers too!


Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup water
• 6 boneless pork chops
• 2 apples

Preheat oven to 350

In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, apple juice, oil, soy sauce, salt , and pepper. Bring to boil. Combine water and cornstarch in small bowl, and whisk into brown sugar mixture. Stir until thick. Divide the sauce in half


Peel and core the apples. Slice into thin rings.

Spray a baking sheet with PAM, and evenly spread chops. Top each chop with 1-2 apple rings. Bush the chops with half of the sauce.


Bake for 20 minutes. Drizzle with remaining sauce before serving. ENJOY!!

Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Apple

This is a great variation of the classic Grilled Cheese Sandwich. If you enjoy raisins you could substitute regular bread for raisin bread.

Ingredients:

• 2 Slices of Bread per sandwich
• Apple slices (approx 1/3 apple per sandwich)
• Margarine or butter
• 2 cheese slices per sandwich.

Heat a frying pan on the stove at medium heat.

Butter each slice of bread on one side. Place the bread in the frying pan buttered side down.

Top with a slice of cheese, apple slices, another slice of cheese and the second slice of bread- buttered side up.
Once the bottom slice of bread has browned, carefully flip the sandwich and brown the bottom
slice of bread.

Serve with your choice of dipping sauce, I use ketchup :) ENJOY!!