Costa Rican Pork Skewers

These kebabs cook up so tender - marinating in a coffee mixture tenderizes the already "tender" pork tenderloin meat. I used Costa Rican coffee, hence the name. However, I also used spices that are frequently used in Caribbean cooking, namely jalapeno, adobo and rum.  

Ingredients: 

1 pork tenderloin, cut against the grain into 1/2 inch strips

1 tsp olive oil

1 spring onion or shallot, diced

1 tsp minced ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbs minced jalapeno or pickled jalapeno

1 tsp adobo seasoning

1 Tbs brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1-1/2 cups black coffee

1/2 cup sauvignon blanc or chicken stock

1 Tbs molasses

1 Tbs rum

Directions: 

Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and cook for about 1 minutes, until you can smell the aroma of the ginger and garlic. Add the jalapeno, the adobo seasoning, the brown sugar, salt, and the white wine or chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and allow to simmer until the marinade is reduced by half, to about 1 cup. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. 

Place the pork pieces and the cooled marinade into a bowl and cover. Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours. 

Drain the pork pieces from the marinade, catching the marinade in a small saucepan. Add the molasses and rum. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 or 2 minutes. 

Thread the pork pieces onto four skewers. Don't worry if some of the onion or ginger pieces adhere to the meat. Grill, about 4 minutes per side, brushing several times with the marinade. Enjoy!

Serves 4

Stealthy Cooking Tip: I served these with a salad and twice fried plantains, also called patacones or tostones. Together these made for a fun and more authentic Costa Rican meal. 

Beef and Barley Stew

This was borne of one of those happy mistakes. I was making what I thought was a beef stew, but noticed that the recipe was missing one item - beef! That's when I noticed I had opened a vegetable barley recipe by mistake. I flipped back to the beef one, and added the beef along with the products necessary for a traditional beef stew. The result was so tasty, that I quickly wrote down what I had done. Here's the result. 

Ingredients: 

1 Tbs olive oil

3/4 cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup chopped celery

3/4 cup chopped carrots

1 pound boneless beef chuck, cut into 1/2 inch dice

1 cup quartered crimini mushrooms

2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

2 tsp chopped fresh sage

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1 Tbs tomato paste

3-4 cups low sodium vegetable, chicken, or beef broth 

1 cup pearl barley

Directions: 

Heat oil in a dutch oven or heavy bottomed soup pan. Add the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots and cook for about 3 minutes, until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add the beef, along with the mushrooms and herbs and cook for several more minutes, stirring so that the beef chunks brown on all sides. Add the tomato paste, stirring to combine, then add 3 cups of the broth and the barley. Cover and cook for 1 hour. Stir occasionally, checking to make sure there is enough broth so that the stew doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Add up to one additional cup of broth if needed. 

Serves 4

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Happy mistakes are so fortunate when they happen! The inedible mistakes are so unfortunate. Keep track of what makes your happy mistakes happy ... so that you can recreate them when you want. 

BBQ Pork Bowl

Considering my love for bowls, it's been way too long since I posted a bowl recipe. Here's one that honors Southern traditional foods, then puts them all together in one bowl. It's got a little bit of each of my favorite Southern foods!

Ingredients:

1 pork tenderloin
1 tsp BBQ seasoning
1 tsp olive oil
2 cups okra, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 Tbs corn meal
1 tsp butter
1 tsp olive oil
2 Tbs low fat mayonnaise
2 Tbs BBQ sauce
2 cups chopped greens, kale or spinach
2 cups microwave rice or rice/quinoa blend
1 small can black eye peas
2 Tbs finely chopped onion

Directions:

Season the tenderloin with the BBQ seasoning. I used Paul Prudhomme's brand, but any brand will work just fine. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the tenderloin and cook until seared on one side, turn one quarter turn and sear again, turning and searing until the tenderloin is seared all around. Each side will take about 2 or 3 minutes to sear, so the whole process will take only a few minutes.  Cut the okra while the pork is cooking, then put the cornmeal in a plastic bag. Toss the okra with the cornmeal. Remove the pork from the skillet when it is seared all around, cover it with a cover, and set aside. It will continue cooking while the okra cooks. Add the teaspoon of butter and olive oil to the skillet, and return to heat. Add the cornmeal coated okra and cook until the okra is done and the cornmeal coating is brown, about 8 minutes. Mix the mayonnaise and BBQ sauce in a small bowl and set aside. Cook the rice or rice blend in the microwave, then remove when done. Place the chopped onion in a microwave safe bowl and cook for about 1 minute, until translucent. Add the black eye peas and cook until hot, about 1 to 2 more minutes. Check to see that the tenderloin is cooked, it will still be slightly pink in the middle, but the juices should not run red. Slice the tenderloin into slices. Arrange the bowls with some of the okra, greens, rice, peas, topping with slices of tenderloin. Drizzle 1 Tbs of the BBQ mayo over the pork and serve.

Serves 4.

Stealthy Cooking Tip: I used pork tenderloin because it's lower in saturated fats then some of the other cuts of pork. Look for low sodium seasonings or BBQ sauces, or better yet, make your own. The other option is similar to what I've done here - use a small amount of the seasonings, and top with a limited amount of the sauce. It everything is moist and fresh, there shouldn't be a need for more saucy toppings. 

Autumn Chili

This is really a cross between a chili and a stew. While I decided to call it a chili because of the beans and corn, it's the sausage that is the crowning jewel. Chicken sausage is a spicy way to add loads of flavor, without adding loads of fat. It does have more than it's fair share of sodium, however, so you'll notice that there is no added salt. Enjoy this with a green salad, and you'll be welcoming autumn to your home, too!

Ingredients:

2 chicken sausages
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp minced garlic (about 1 clove)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1/2 cup chopped Anaheim chili
1/2 cup chopped fennel
2 Tbs minced jalapeno or pickled jalapeno (optional)
1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
1 15 oz. can chili beans
1 14.5 oz. can tomatoes with chilis
1 5 oz. can tomato (or V8) juice
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp fresh minced oregano (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tsp dried chili flakes (optional)

Directions:

Slice the chicken sausages and put them in a glass or microwave safe container. Microwave on high for 1 minute, stir, then microwave for an additional 1 minute. Drain the sausages, discarding the fat. Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot. Add the chopped onion, garlic, mushrooms, fennel, corn, and peppers. Stir and cook for about 4 minutes, until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add a quarter cup of water to the pot if the vegetables begin to stick to the bottom. Add the chili beans, the tomatoes, juice and spices. Turn the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the flavors meld. Taste for seasoning, adding chili flakes if needed.

Serves 4

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Draining the sausage before adding it to the chili reduces the saturated fats in this dish. Sausage is nicely spiced, so while you lose the fat, you won't lose taste. I used a mango jalapeno sausage, which really worked nicely with the other flavors in this dish. 

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

I fondly remember the stuffed cabbage from my youth. It seemed like mom would spend all day in the kitchen, filling the house with the aroma of dinner to come. These have been changed up a bit, though just a bit. Her topping was more Eastern European in nature, adding a bit of sugar and a bit of vinegar to the tomato sauce. My version is more savory and spicy, not so sweet and sour.The inspiration for cooking these at this point in time? I received a wonderful gift of home delivery of certified organic vegetables from one of our local organic growers, Full Belly Farms. This week, our delivery included one very large head of cabbage. When I saw it, I immediately thought of stuffed cabbages. I planned a good amount of time to make these. I remembered them as an all day project. They didn't take nearly as much time as I remembered - perhaps a little less than an hour to put them together, then another 45 minutes to heat them up in the oven. However, I made a largish batch. That means there's leftovers for a second dinner, plus some lunches, too. When you've got a bit of time, and an extra large head of cabbage, enjoy the process and the tasty goodness of these.

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves (1 tsp) minced garlic
1/2 lb ground turkey
1/2 lb sweet sausage
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp parsley flakes
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1 large carrot, shredded (1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups cooked brown rice

1 large head cabbage

1 14 oz can of tomato sauce (or use one can of good marinara sauce, and omit the spices below)
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp basil leaves
1 tsp mined garlic

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook about 5 minutes, until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add the ground turkey to the onion and garlic mixture and continue cooking. Place the sausage in a microwave safe dish and cook on high until it loses its pink color, about 2 minutes. Discard the fat from the cooked sausage, then stir the sausage into the onion and turkey mixture. Add the spices, the shredded carrot, and the cooked rice. Turn off the heat and allow to sit while you prepare the cabbage.

Bring a large stockpot of water to a boil. Remove the core from the cabbage, then add the cabbage to the boiling water. Remove the cabbage leaves, one at a time, from the cabbage as they begin to change color to a bright green and become pliable. This will take about 30 seconds to 1 minute for each leaf. Transfer the leaves to a towel as they become loose from the cabbage head and allow to cool. Cut out the large rib from the bottom of each leaf.

To make the cabbage rolls, place 2-3 Tbs of the rice and meat mixture into the middle of a cabbage leaf. Roll from the bottom, then tuck in the sides, and continue rolling until all of the leaf is rolled. Place seam side down in a baking dish. Continue with all of the cabbage leaves. This recipe should yield about 12 to 14 rolls. Top the rolls with the tomato sauce.

Cover the cabbage rolls with foil. Heat the rolls in a pre-heated 325F oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue cooking for an additional 15 minutes, until the sauce is hot and bubbly.

Serves 6-7 (2 rolls each)

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Cabbage is often overlooked, but it is a workhorse of a vegetable. It makes delicious slaw, is good cooked on its own, and makes the wrappers for these delicious rolls. 

Mushroom Stroganoff with Fava Beans

Spring time is the best time, or the only time, to find fresh fava beans. I admit they are not the easiest to prepare. OK, they're a royal pain to prepare. But, they are sooooo worth it! Their presence on top of this dish calls your attention to them, and do they ever explode in your mouth with little pops of taste excitement. I like the juxtaposition between the light, freshness of the fava beans with a stroganoff that's slightly reminiscent of heavier winter meals. Welcome, spring!

Ingredients:

1 tsp. olive oil
3 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
1 spring onion, sliced thinly crosswise
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves, or 1 tsp. dried
8 oz. thinly sliced pork tenderloin
1/2 cup wine, either red or white
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 pound fava beans, shelled, blanched and peeled to make about 1/2 cup fava beans
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
6 oz. whole wheat pasta

Directions: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions, then drain. Prepare the sauce while the water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the sliced mushrooms, onions, garlic and thyme. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion begins to turn translucent. Push the vegetables to the side of the skillet. Add the pork tenderloin and cook until the pork turns from red to pink, about 3 or 4 more minutes. Add the wine and chicken broth, stirring to combine and cook until slightly reduced, another few minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the yogurt to combine.

To serve, place several ounces of pasta on the plate. Top with some of the sauce, then a sprinkling of fava beans and fresh Italian parsley.

Serves 4

Stealthy Cooking Tip: To prepare fava beans, remove the beans from the pod. Heat a small pan of water to boiling and blanch the beans for 1 minute. Drain the beans in a colander under cold running water. To peel, simply squeeze the beans and they'll easily pop out of their second shell.  Fava beans have a bright, green color and a very fresh taste. They're as dense in nutrients, proteins, and fiber as other beans, and like other beans have the added benefits of no cholesterol or saturated fats.

Jamaican Pork with Persimmons

With persimmons in the market and ripening in coworkers yards, I've been looking for new ways to use them. I was so delighted that this tasted so good! Persimmons are a fruit that have sweet, yet subtle notes. They're a perfect partner for pork. If you can't find persimmons in your area, this recipe works equally well with apples, another perfect pork partner. The spices in this recipe are reminiscent of the jerk seasoning so famous in Jamaican cooking.

Ingredients:

Spice Mixture:
1 Tbs paprika
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp cumin
1 Tbs brown sugar

1 lb pork tenderloin, sliced across the grain into 1/2 inch slices
1 tsp olive oil
1 leek, sliced to make 1 cup
1/2 tsp minced garlic
4-6 fuyu persimmons, sliced to make 1 cup
1/2 cup white wine or chicken stock

Directions: Mix the spice mixture. Spread the spices on a plate, then dredge the pork pieces in the spices. Heat the olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Place the pork in the pan, along with the leeks, garlic, and persimmons. Cook for about 3 minutes, then turn the pork pieces over, Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, then add the stock or wine. Stir to make sure the brown bits at the bottom of the pan are picked up in the liquids. Cook until the stock is hot and the pork is done, another 2 to 3 minutes. Serve.

Serves 4

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Fuyu persimmons are tasty any way you can get them. But hachiya persimmons must be very soft and ripe for the best taste.  Persimmons are seasonally available in the west, and are beginning to make appearances in markets throughout the US. If you can't find them, I think this recipe is equally delicious when made with apples. Use 1 to 2 apples, depending on size. Also, use whatever kind of apple you like best. I think gravenstein apples are delicious, with McIntosh coming in a close second.

Penne with Sausage

Who says sausage can't make an occasional appearance in a healthy meal? Certainly not me. Especially when it's organic chicken sausage. It's lower in sodium than pork sausage, and contains no nitrate or nitrites. Must be good! Don't let the long list of ingredients scare you off, this comes together quickly. The resulting dish tastes similar to one made with pesto ... that's because this contains ingredients in pesto, they're just not ground.

Ingredients:

1/3 pound whole wheat penne pasta
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red or yellow bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 Organic Italian chicken sausages, sliced
1/4 cup white wine or chicken stock
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
2 Tbs Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped basil
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
2 Tbs Parmesan cheese
2 Tbs pine nuts (optional)

Directions:  Heat a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add penne pasta and cook per package directions. Drain when cooked.

Heat the olive oil in a large non stick skillet set over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, peppers, sun dried tomatoes, minced garlic and chicken sausages. Cook for several minutes, until the onion turns translucent and the sausage begins to brown. Add the wine or chicken stock and continue to cook for an additional minute or two. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the Greek yogurt, along with 2 Tbs of the Parmesan cheese, and the basil and parsley.

Add the drained pasta to the vegetable and sausage mixture. Serve, topping each serving with some of the additional Parmesan and pine nuts.

Serves 3 - 4

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Basil is a health powerhouse. It's high in antioxidants, which means it's supports heart health and dealing with free radicals, important to help ward off cancer. It's also filled with antibacterials, meaning it's good for promoting the immune system. Finally, it's a great anti-inflammatory, so it promotes healthy digestion. Using fresh basil, instead of dried, means you get more of the healthy benefits of this herb.

Pulled Pork Tacos with Pickled Onions

Here's my favorite way with pickled onions. This is also a great way to use up left over pulled pork. If you already have the pickled onions in the frig, and some leftover pulled pork, this comes together as a very fast meal. Put together a green salad and you've got a complete meal.

Ingredients:

8 corn tortillas
1-2 cups pulled pork
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 cup cotija cheese, or feta cheese
1/2 cup, plus more pickled red onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 lime, quartered
tomato salsa

Directions: Stir the cumin and chili powder into the pulled pork. Reheat the pulled pork in the microwave until just hot. Cook the corn tortillas in a dry skillet until hot, about 30 seconds per side. To assemble the tacos, place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the pulled pork down the middle of each taco. Top with a teaspoon of the cheese, some of the pickled onions, and the cilantro. Serve with the lime on the side, more pickled onions and salsa in bowls on the table.

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Dish up the tacos and serve. That way you can portion the meat and cheese. By placing the onions and salsa on the table, you can add liberal amounts of them to the dish.

Lamb Ragu with Pasta

I've been enjoying a local French restaurant lately, Plan B, right here in Sacramento. They often have a ragu on their daily special menu, sometimes rabbit or duck ragu, perhaps venison or lamb. What they all have in common is a wonderful melding of flavors, based on that trifecta of French cooking: carrots, onions, and celery, then bound together with spices and the deep color of red wine and tomatoes. The ragu at Plan B is a trade secret, an old family recipe, and is a dish that is as beautiful as it is delicious. My recipe is a best guess, based on a recipe I found at Wine Spectator magazine, then tweaked to taste like the ragu at my local French restaurant. If you make your own pasta, here's a wonderful way to use it. I didn't, but I did purchase fresh pasta, the next best thing.

Ingredients:

1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1 Tbs tomato paste
1 cup red wine
12 oz diced cooked lamb, hard fatty deposits removed
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup diced sun dried tomatoes
1/2 cup diced fennel
1 tsp thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 pinch - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
up to 1/2 tsp salt
12 oz fresh pasta noodles
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions: Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan over medium high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and celery and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften, and the onion looks translucent. Add the tomato paste and red wine and cook another 2 minutes or so, just until the wine evaporates. Reduce the heat to medium low, adding the lamb along with the chicken broth, tomatoes, fennel, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf and coriander. Simmer over medium low heat for about 30 - 45 minutes, until the broth thickens and becomes a deep reddish brown. Taste the sauce, adding peppers and salt as needed.

While the ragu simmers, cook the fresh pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta, then add it to the pan with thefinished ragu. Gently mix together. Serve, topping each serving with some of the Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4

Stealthy Cooking Tip: The carrots, onion, celery, tomatoes, and fennel cook down into a wonderful melange of vegetables, all flavored by the lamb and spices. If you don't like lamb, this would be equally as good with turkey or pork. Using leftover roast lamb, with the fat removed, significantly reduces the fat content of this dish.

Stir Fry Pork and Buckwheat Noodles

It's nice to be back ... I'm still recovering from a nasty cold. It's been weeks of chicken soup and take out! By comparison, here's a quick meal that's healthy and uses several healthy food choices.

Ingredients:

1 tsp coconut oil
2 tsp minced ginger
1/2 tsp minced garlic
6 oz pork tenderloin, cut into 1/4" slices across the grain
1/2 cup shopped onion
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
2-1/2 cups sliced bok choy or kale
1 cup pineapple chunks, fresh or canned
1 pkg buckwheat noodles
1 tsp low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs hoisin sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbs water, if needed
sprinkles of dark and light sesame seeds

Directions: Prepare ingredients by slicing pork, and chopping remaining fruits and vegetables. Heat coconut oil in a large saute pan, or wok, over medium high heat on the stove top. Add the ginger and garlic, then the pork. Cook the pork until it loses its pink color. Push to the sides of the pan. Add the onion, red pepper and bok choy or cabbage. Cook about 3 minutes, until the cabbage turns a bright green. Add the pineapple and buckwheat noodles. Use a fork or chopsticks to break the noodles apart. Add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and sesame oil. Add the water if the mixture seems dry or sticks to the pan. Stir the mixture until it is hot. Serve on plates, topped with sprinkles of sesame seeds.

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Buckwheat noodles are an amazing noodle. Buckwheat is delicious, full of fiber and B-vitamins. Many noodles are gluten free, though check the packaging, the ones I bought had some wheat mixed in with the buckwheat. Deep green vegetables, like bok choy or kale, are also high in fiber and rich in vitamins. I used bok choy in this recipe, and would slice the leaves much thinner next time. That way, they would blend in to the dish easier, and wouldn't taste so "healthy" to one of my picky-eating family members.

Roasted Pork and Carrots

First of all, if you've never experienced the flavor of roasted carrots, you're in for a real taste treat. The carrots retain some of their crunch, but roasting enhances their natural sweetness. They make a wonderful accompaniment to pork. I've used cumin as the unifying spice, by sprinkling some on both the carrots and the pork, but feel free to use your favorite spice. Other good spices to use on both include cinnamon or a chili powder. I included pineapple and lemon in this dish, not only for their flavor notes, but also because I had them available. Sliced apples or plums would be equally good, or the fruits may be omitted.

Also, September was a big month for Stealth Cooking. Over 1000 viewers last month! I know it's just a number, but it's a big one to me, and I'm grateful to all of you! What started out as a way to share family recipes has grown beyond my imagination. Maybe it's the new facebook page, StealthCooking. If you "like" the StealthCooking facebook page, you'll get a facebook notice whenever a new post goes up. Whatever it is that brings you here, thanks!

Ingredients:

1 lb (about 2 bunches) small carrots, or 5 large carrots
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ancho chili powder (or any chili powder)
1/4 tsp sea salt
4-5 slices sweet onion
4-5 slices pineapple
4-5 slices lemon

1 lb pork tenderloin
2 tsp stone ground mustard
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp minced ginger
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Peel and top carrots. Leave small carrots whole or cut large carrots into 2 inch lengths. Place the carrots in a medium size bowl, then pour the olive oil over the carrots and sprinkle with the cumin and chili powder. Toss the carrots to evenly distribute the spices. Place the carrots, together with the onions, pineapple, and lemon on a medium size baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp sea salt, and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes. Prepare the pork while the carrots are baking.

To prepare the pork, mix the mustard with the remaining spices in the mixing bowl you used for the carrots. Cut any visible fat off the tenderloin. Place the tenderloin in the bowl and use your hands to cover the meat with the spice mixture. Spray a skillet with olive oil, or swirl about 1 tsp of oil in the skillet, and heat over medium heat on the stove top. Sear the pork for about 3 minutes per side, so that the tenderloin is brown.

Remove the carrot mixture from the oven. Place the tenderloin on top of the carrot mixture and return to the oven. Bake about 20 more minutes, until a meat thermometer registers 150 degrees. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and cover the pork and vegetables with foil or a cover and let rest for 5 or 10 minutes. Slice the pork and serve.

Serves 4 or 5

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Roasting vegetables concentrates their sweetness, and changes their texture. If you have someone who doesn't usually like vegetables, they may like them roasted! Don't skip covering the meat and letting it rest. This allows the juices to redistribute themselves throughout the meat. Now, when you slice the meat, most of the juices stay in the meat and don't drain all over the cutting board. This gives a juicier (and tastier) meat, and makes clean up just a little easier. This also allows the meat to finish cooking, letting it reach 160 degrees for medium pork.

Pulled Pork Sliders

Here's another recipe that's great for entertaining. It can be made ahead of time, it keeps well warm, and it's easy for guests to serve themselves. You'll notice that I don't have any photos of the actual sliders, This went over so well that people returned for midnight snacks and finished off all the remaining sliders!

Ingredients:

1 6-8 pound pork butt roast
2 Tbs paprika
2 Tbs brown sugar
1 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce
1 cup applesauce

Sauce:
1/2 cup ketchup or BBQ sauce
1/2 cup beer
6 Tbs lemon juice

20 to 30 whole wheat slider buns

Directions:

Mix the paprika, sugar, and spices together. Rub all over the roast. Place the onion and chili in the bottom of a slow cooker. Place the roast on top of them. Pour the applesauce around the roast. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 5-6 hours, until the roast is falling apart. When the roast is cooked, remove it from the slow cooker and shred it with two forks. Pour the cooking juices into a sauce pan, add the ketchup or BBQ sauce, beer, and lemon juice. Cook for about 15 minutes, until the sauce is reduced by half. Return the shredded pork to the slow cooker, then add sauce until the consistency is moist, but not runny. Keep the pork on "warm" until ready to serve.

Serves 20 to 30

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Do use slider buns, as the smaller size bun effectively limits portion size. This recipe goes well with the cole slaw recipe I recently posted. When I served this, I served it next to the cole slaw, which many people piled right on their slider. Talk about a simple way to up the healthy quotient!

Pork 'n Peppas

Here's a way to add some extra veggies to a main meat course. The photo shows this dish made with pork chops, but this is equally delicious when made with pork tenderloin cut into medallions when served. Pepperdaw peppers are whole, small red peppers that can be found in with the olives or pickles. I usually buy them by the pound from the fresh olive bar, but I've also seen them in jars.

Ingredients:

1 pork tenderloin
(or 4 pork chops)
1 Tbs blackening spices
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red pepper
1 cup whole red pepperdaw peppers

Directions:

Dredge the pork in the blackening spices. Heat olive oil in a nonstick or cast iron skillet. Add the pork to the skillet, along with the chopped onion and red pepper. Cook on each side (or all sides if cooking a tenderloin) for about 3 minutes per side. Test the pork for doneness - it should be pink, not bloody, in the middle. Add the pepperdaw peppers and cook everything for about 1 more minute, just enough time to warm the remaining peppers. Serve.

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Using a topping that's vegetables instead of a sauce that's based on butter, and you've increased vitamins, fiber, and nutrients while reducing saturated fats and calories. Something good about that!

Lettuce Wraps

My kids love, love, love lettuce wraps. It's what they always order first when we go to PF Chang's. Here's my version, quick to make for those nights when eating in is a necessity. Traditionally, lettuce wraps are made with ground chicken, which can be hard to find. I've use readily available ground turkey.

Ingredients:

12 large lettuce leaves, like butter or bibb lettuce
1 pound ground turkey
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp minced ginger
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp red chili flakes
1 Tbs low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 Tbs rice wine vinegar
1 8 oz can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
3 green onions, both white and green parts, thinly sliced
2 tsp sesame oil

Directions:

Wash lettuce leaves, leaving them whole, then pat dry with a very clean towel. Arrange attractively on a plate.

Heat a large non stick skillet over medium heat. Add ground turkey, stirring to break into small pieces. Add onion, garlic, ginger, cayenne, and chili flakes and cook until the turkey turns from pink to light brown. Add the soy sauce, hoisin, vinegar, and cook for about two more minutes, until the sauce starts to thicken and the turkey turns brown. Add the water chestnuts and green onions and cook an additional minute for them to warm. Remove from heat and stir in the sesame oil. Spoon the turkey mixture into a serving bowl.

Serve the lettuce leaves alongside  the turkey mixture. Allow each person to spoon some of the turkey mixture into the middle of a lettuce leaf. Fold the leaf, eat, and enjoy!

Serves 4

Stealthy Cooking Tip: I buy ground turkey breast, as it's more lean. The cost per pound becomes quite affordable when I buy 5 pounds at a time. I can't usually use that much ground meat at once, so I make patties, freeze them individually, then store them in the freezer in a dated Ziploc freezer bag. Each patty is about 1/4 pound. I can either cook up patties as burgers, or get out several to use in ground turkey recipes. Frozen ground meats keep for about 3 months in the freezer.

Thai Beef Salad

I usually make this salad with beef, as is traditional. As always, feel free to use whatever kind of protein you prefer. Chicken, pork, fish, tofu - they all work just fine!

Ingredients:

Dressing:

1 Tbs lemongrass from 1 stalk of lemongrass (see directions below)
2 Tbs low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs honey
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs lime juice
4 Tbs finely chopped mint leaves

Salad:

1/2 cup green beans, cut into 2 inch lengths, and blanched for 1 minute
2 fresh Anaheim chilis or 1 fresh red or green pepper,
   finely chopped, or 4 Tbs canned green chilis
1 jalapeno or serrano chili, finely chopped
8 cherry tomatoes
1 green onion, thinly sliced
3 cups mixed salad greens

Protein:

2 4-ounce portions of lean protein,
   tenderloin beef or pork, chicken breast, or tofu slices
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tsp olive oil (or use olive oil spray)

Directions:

Start by making the salad dressing. Lemongrass lends a pungent lemon flavor to the dressing. To prepare lemongrass, remove the hard outer leaves from one stalk of lemongrass, finely chopping the tender inner core to make 1 tablespoon. Mix lemongrass and remaining dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

Make salad mixture by first preparing green beans. Use either yard long beans, green or yellow beans. Cool beans after cooking, then mix with with remaining salad ingredients. Remove seeds and membranes from Anaheim chilis and jalapeno if you like a mild taste, leave them in if you like it hot.

Heat a heavy bottomed nonstick skillet on the stove top. Spray with olive oil, or swirl 1 tsp of oil in the bottom of the pan until the oil just starts to smoke. Prepare the meat or chicken by coating with garlic, black pepper, and optional hot pepper flakes and cayenne. Cook until done to your liking, about 1 minute per side for rare tuna, 2 minutes per side for tofu, 3 minutes per side for medium rare steak, 4 minutes per side for medium pork, or 4 to 5 minutes per side for cooked chicken. Remove meat from pan and cover while you prepare the salad plates.

To serve, spoon half the dressing over the salad greens, toss, then divide among plates. Slice the meat or protein into thin slices, then toss with remaining dressing. Arrange attractively on top of salad.

Serves 4 as a side salad or 2 as an entree.

Stealthy Cooking Tip: If you're accustomed to eating large portions of steak or meat for dinner, 4 ounces won't seem like much per serving. However, thinly slicing the meat, and arranging it on top of a salad fools the eye into thinking there's more. In addition, the array of spices keeps the tastebuds so busy, they don't miss the meat either. Be surprised with the results!

Turkey Curry

Here's another way with holiday leftovers. This recipe uses one of my favorite savory combinations: mushrooms, onion, and peppers. They're mixed together with a tasty mix of spices, then toned down with coconut milk.

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil

1 cup vertically sliced onion

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup sliced red or green pepper

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

1/4 tsp red chili flakes, or to taste

1 tbs fish sauce

2 cups shredded cooked turkey

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup light coconut milk

1 tsp lemon zest

up to 1/2 tsp salt, to taste

cooked brown rice

Directions:  Cook brown rice as indicated on package. Heat oil in a non stick or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add onion, mushrooms, and peppers and cook about 2 to 3 minutes, until onion is translucent. Add garlic, spices, and turkey and cook until turkey is heated through. Add raisins and coconut milk and heat only until coconut milk is hot. Take care to not bring the curry to a boil after the coconut milk is added, as the coconut milk may curdle. Correct the seasoning with the lemon zest and salt, adding the salt a little at a time, tasting after each addition. Serve the curry alongside, or over, the rice.

Serves 3 or 4

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Turmeric imparts a deep yellow or orange color to foods. Incidentally, it stains clothing yellow, too - so wear an apron when cooking with it. Health wise, turmeric's best known qualities are it's anti-inflammatory properties, making it especially appropriate for arthritis, preventing degenerative neurological diseases like Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis. Turmeric can also be used to increase the yellow color in egg dishes or dressings. If, like me, you don't use it often, remember that most spices don't last forever. Replace your turmeric every year.

Marion's Meatballs

It's still tomato season here, and I've been busy posting tomato sauce recipes. Here's an old tried and true  family meatball recipe to spice things up. This meatball recipe goes wonderfully with any tomato sauce. Think spaghetti with tomato sauce and meatballs, or a meatball sandwich covered with tomato sauce and cheese. Yumm.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 cup dry breadcrumbs, finely ground, like Panko
1/4 cup. freshly grated Parmesan
1 Tbs. dried parsley
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup milk (or chicken stock)
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup minced onion
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together, by folding the meat with the rest of the ingredients. Use a light hand! Overmixing can make ground meats tough. Form into 1 inch diameter meatballs. Heat a nonstick skillet and saute the meatballs on all sides until done. Drain on paper towels. For sauce with meatballs, add to the sauce. For meatball sandwich, put two or three meatballs on a sandwich, cover with tomato sauce, and top with mozarella cheese.

Stealthy Cooking Tip: The original recipe calls for ground beef. Try substituting ground turkey, or use half ground turkey and half ground beef. Either way, you'll be cutting down on saturated fats. Also, do drain the meatballs on paper towels, as this further reduces saturated fats. Make sure the meatballs are fully cooked, as ground meats need full cooking. Finally, serve only a few meatballs per person. Make them special!

Romesco Sauce

One of my favorite restaurants is a tapas place here in Sacramento. They serve the most delicious vegetables and pork dishes with a delicious Romesco sauce. This is my best imitation of their tomato sauce, one with a Spanish twist. I served it first over salmon, then had it a couple of nights later with broccoli. I can attest that it's great with meats, fish, and vegetables. Also, it gets better when it sits for a couple of days in the refrigerator.
Ingredients:

1 large tomato, cut into wedges
1/2 red pepper, cut into large strips
1 Anaheim chili, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup blanched, sliced almonds
1/2 slice bread, crusts removed and cubed
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp red wine vinegar (or red wine)
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)


Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking pan with foil. Place the tomatoes and red pepper on the foil and cook for about 15 minutes. I used a golden heirloom tomato from muy garden for this batch. Add the almonds and bread cubes and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until the almonds start to brown. Remove the pan from the oven, immediately putting the almonds into a food processor. Add the bread cubes, spices, oil, and vinegar to the food processor. Squeeze the tomato skins from the tomatoes, then add them to the food processor. Remove the skins from the red peppers, then add them to the food processor. Pulse or process until the almonds are ground - about 1 minute total. Add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.

Serves 4.

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Taste the sauce, then add a small amount of salt. Taste again, adding salt until the dish tastes perfect. Your desire for salt decreases with fresh vegetables and herbs. Also, use a good tasting extra virgin olive oil. This is a dish that will benefit from the additional fresh taste.

Blackened Chicken (or any kind of meat or fish)

I'm just back from fabulous New Orleans. The food couldn't be better! And, it's not difficult to find excellent, healthy food choices among Cajun cooking. Blackened meats, poultry, and fish are one of those excellent and healthy choices. I had blackened catfish one day, then blackened chicken another time. Both were excellent, though they tasted a little different as each restaurant had its own special blackening spice blend. Just like there's a chili recipe for every household, everyone can have their own blackening recipe. The common ingredient is paprika, so after you try my recipe, play with the spice mixture and make your own new favorite. My favorite way with this is on chicken, which I then slice thinly and serve on top of a salad.

Ingredients:

1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp fennel seed
1/4 tsp powdered onion
1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 cup paprika

Directions:

Mix garlic through fennel in a mortar and pestle or a small grinder and grind Add paprika and mix well. Pour blackening mixture on a plate. Dredge chicken, fish, or meat in spices, covering all sides with spice mixture. To cook, heat a cast iron or nonstick pan until hot. Add blackened chicken to pan and cook 3 to 5 minutes per side, until done. Blackened meats may also be cooked on the grill. Preheat grill, then cook 3 to 5 minutes per side, until done.

Serves 4

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Blackening spices add exciting flavor to foods ... without adding unhealthy fats or toppings. Liven up your meals with these exciting, bold flavors!