Sauteed Asparagus

16 oz young asparagus
3 Tbsp butter, melted
3 cloves garlic, minced

Salt, to taste

3 dashes ground black pepper

lemon juice, optional

Cut the bottom part of the asparagus stems, about 1 - 2 inches

Heat up a skillet on medium heat and add the butter.  Saute the garlic until slightly browned before adding the asparagus.  Toss with a spatula to combine well with the garlic.  

Add salt and ground black pepper.  Add a squirt or two of lemon juice, if using.  Once the asparagus becomes tender and just cooked, remove from heat and serve immediately.  Do not overcook the asparagus. 

Honey Garlic Salmon

I am trying to add more seafood to my diet and this salmon recipe is the latest addition.  This is sweet with just a little bit of heat and really, really good!

12 oz salmon with skin on

Salt

Black pepper

1 pinch cayenne pepper

2 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp warm water

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar

1 Tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lemon, sliced into wedges

1 Tbsp chopped parsley

Season the salmon with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper.  Set aside.

Mix the honey, water, lemon juice and a pinch of salt together.  Stir to combine.  

Heat an oven-safe skillet (cast-iron skillet preferred) over medium-high heat.  Add the olive oil.  Pan-fry the salmon, skin side down first, for about 1 minute.  Turn the salmon over and cook for 1 minute.  Turn it over again so the skin side is at the bottom.  

Reduce heat to medium.  Add the garlic into the pan, saute until slightly browned.  Add the honey mixture and lemon wedges into the skillet, reduce the sauce until it's sticky.  

Spoon the sauce over the salmon.  Finish it off by broiling the salmon in the oven for 1 minute or until the surface becomes slightly charred.

Top with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.    

 

Oven-Roasted Pulled Pork Sandwiches

 Dry Rub

3 Tbsp paprika

1 Tbsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp dry mustard

3 Tbsp coarse salt

1 (5 - 7 lb) pork roast, preferably shoulder or butt

Cider Vinegar Barbecue Sauce

1 1/2 cups cider vinegar

1 cup yellow or brown mustard

1/2 cup ketchup

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Mix the paprika, garlic powder, brown sugar, dry mustard, and salt together in a small bowl.  Rub the spice blend all over the pork and marinate for as long as you have time, as little as 1 hour or up to overnight, covered, in the refrigerator.  

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  

Put the pork in a roasting pan and bake for about 6 hours.  Basically, roast the pork until it's falling apart, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 170 degrees.  

To make the barbecue sauce:  combine the vinegar, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, salt, cayenne and black pepper in a saucepan over medium heat.  Simmer gently, stirring for 10 minutes until the sugar dissolves.  

Remove the port roast from the oven and transfer to a large platter.  Allow the meat to rest for about 10 minutes.  While still warm, take 2 forks and pull the meat to form shreds.  Put the shredded pork in a bowl.  Pour 1/2 of the sauce on the shredded pork and mix well to coat.  

To serve, spoon the pulled pork mixture onto the bottom half of the hamburger bun, and top with spicy slaw.  Serve with pickle spears and the remaining sauce on the side.  

Stained Glass Bars

I found this recipe on Kraft's website.  It's really delicious and it just looks pretty!

5 1/2 cups boiling water, divided

1 pkg (3 oz) Strawberry flavored Jell-o

1 pkg (3 oz) Lime flavored Jell-o

1 pkg (3 oz) Orange flavored Jell-o

1 pkg (3 oz) Lemon flavored Jell-o

2 envelopes Knox unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup cold water

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

Add 1 cup of boiling water to each flavor of Jell-o in separate bowls.  Stir for 2 minutes until completely dissolved.  Pour each flavor of gelatin into separate small shallow baking dishes sprayed with cooking spray.  Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.  

Sprinkle unflavored gelatin over cold water, let stand 1 minute.  Stir in remaining boiling water.  Add condensed milk, mix well.  Cool slightly.

Cut flavored gelatin into cubes.  Randomly place cubes in 13 x 9" pan sprayed with cooking spray.  Pour milk mixture over cubes; stir to evenly distribute gelatin cubes.  Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm before cutting into bars.  

Rosemary-Orange Roasted Chicken

When you need dinner to not only be delicious, but look impressive too, this is just the recipe.

1/4 cup of butter, softened

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, minced or 1 tsp dried

2 tsp orange zest

1/2 tsp pepper, divided

1 fresh chicken (approx. 4 lbs.)

1/3 cup orange juice

1/2 tsp salt

2 medium onions, quartered

1 medium apple, quartered

1 large carrot, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

4 fresh thyme sprigs

4 fresh parsley sprigs

2 bay leaves

1 fresh rosemary sprig

2 cups chicken broth

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine butter, minced rosemary, orange zest and 1/8 tsp pepper.  With fingers, carefully loosen skin from the chicken; rub butter mixture under the skin.  Brush chicken with orange juice.  Sprinkle salt and remaining pepper over chicken and inside cavity.

Place one onion and half of the apple inside the cavity.  Tuck wings under chicken; tie drumsticks together.  Place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan.  Arrange carrot, celery, thyme, parsley, bay leaves, rosemary sprig and remaining onion and apple around chicken.  Pour chicken stock into pan.  

Roast 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170 - 175 degrees; basting occasionally with drippings.  Cover loosely with foil if chicken browns too quickly.  Cover and let stand 15 minutes before carving.  

For gravy, pour drippings and loosened browned bits into a measuring cup.  Skim fat.  Add enough chicken broth to the drippings to measure 1 cup.  In a small saucepan, melt 3 Tbsp butter.  Stir in 2 Tbsp of all-purpose flour until smooth.  Gradually add broth mixture and stir constantly until smooth.  Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened.  Serve with chicken.