Chinese Slow Cooked Pork Shoulder

Ingredients

5 lb pork shoulder

1 tablespoon Chinese five spice powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

4 cups reduced sodium chicken stock

1.5 cups low sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

4 scallions, ust into 1'' pieces

1 garlic head cut in half

1 piece (2'') of ginger unpeeled cut into slivers

8 shitake mushrooms

Directions

Rub the meat all over with the Chinese five spice and the salt. In a large slow cooker combine the chicken stock, soy sauce, sesame oil and red pepper and mix thoroughly. Add the scallions, garlic, ginger, mushrooms and the pork. Cover and cook on the high setting for 4 hours. Then set the cooker to Low for an additional 2 hours.

Sweet Sara Baked Ziti

Ingredients

1 lb ziti

2.5 cups of Classico tomato sauce

1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained

1 lb fresh mozzarella, half cut into 1/2'' cubes & half thinly sliced

3/4 cup fresh grated parmesan, divided

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Fill a large pot with water and a splash of EVOO and bring to a boil. Cook ziti approximately 1-2 minutes less than package directions. Drain.

In a large bowl combine the sauce, spinach, mozzarella cubes, half the parmesan and red pepper flakes. Once thoroughly combined then add the drained pasta.

Prepare a 9'' by 13'' baking dish (spray it with canola oil spray). Add the pasta mixture to the dish and cover with the slices of mozzarella and the rest of the parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes. If it's not browned enough then put the oven on broil for an additional 5 minutes...but watch it so it doesn't burn.

Asian Grilled Salmon

Ingredients

3 salmon fillets

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

1 tablespoons coarse ground mustard

4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

7 tablespoons EVOO

3 garlic cloves minced

Toasted sesame seeds and parsley for garnish

Directions

Whisk together the mustards, soy sauce, EVOO and garlic in a medium sized bowl (big enough to fit the fillets in comfortably). Reserve 3 tablespoons in a small bowl. Put the salmon in the remaining mustard soy sauce mixture for 10-15 minutes.

On a hot grill cook the salmon 4 minutes on each side. Transfer the fish to a serving platter. Drizzle the remaining mustard mixture over the salmon and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and parsley.

Veal Piccata

Ingredients

1 lb spaghetti

2 tablespoons EVOO

1 cup all purpose flour

S&P

4 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon hot sauce

4 veal cutlets

1 cup white wine

1 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons capers

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Fresh grated parmesan for garnish

Directions

Bring a large pot of water with a splash of EVOO to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook according to package directions.

Set a large saute pan over medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons of EVOO. In a shallow bowl combine the flour and the S&P to taste. Lightly coat cutlets in the flour. Combine the eggs and hot sauce in another bowl. Dip the cutlets in the egg mixture and then place directly into the hot saute pan. Cook about 2 minutes on each side until golden. Set veal aside on a plate and tent with aluminum. Deglaze the pan with the wine and reduce by half. Add the lemon juice, capers and 1 tablespoon of parsley. Then add 2 tablespoons of butter thicken the sauce. Taste and season with additional S&P.

Toss the pasta with the remaining butter and season with salt and parmesan.

Serve the pasta on plates topped with the veal. Drizzle with caper/lemon/butter sauce and garnish with the remaining parsley.

Cream of Tomato Basil Soup

Ingredients

3 lbs of roma tomatoes, cut in half

1/3 cup EVOO + 2 tablespoons

2 yellow onions, chopped

S&P to taste

6 cloves garlic, minced

sprinkle of red pepper flakes

1 (28 oz) can of san marzano tomatoes

1 cup fresh basil, packed

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

4 cups low sodium chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream

Directions

preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the tomatoes with EVOO and S&P and put them on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.

In a large stock pot saute the onions with garlic with some EVOO for ten minutes until they start to carmelize. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme and chicken stock. Add the oven roasted tomatoes with the juice from the baking sheet. Then add the heavy cream. Simmer for 40 minutes and then use an emersion blender to smooth it out.

French Onion Soup

I was in William & Sonoma today and bought a cool blow torch thingy and butane. When I got it home I couldn't figure out how to put the fuel in (yes I am a blonde). So, instead I used ramekins and browned them in the oven. I am returning it tomorrow, unless they can show me how to use the bloody thing...lol.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 lbs red onions thinly sliced

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme

2 cloves, minced

1 cup chardonnay

7 cups low sodium chicken stock

fresh ground pepper

1 toasted 1/2'' slice of baguette per ramekin

1 cup grated Gruyere

Directions

Thinly slice the onions on a mandolin (carefully...go slow...I did some damage to my fingers once).

In a large pot melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and 1 teaspoon of sea salt and stir to get all the onion coated with the butter. Cover, but stir occasionally for 3o minutes. Then remove the cover, increase the heat to medium high and cook until the onions caramelize, stirring often. Cook for 25 minutes and then add the thyme and garlic. Stir to combine and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Then add the wine, using a wooden spoon scrape the bottom of the pot. Reduce the wine by half for about 2-3 minutes. Add the broth and the pepper. Cover and cook for another 30 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Ladle the soup into ramekins. Top each ramekin with a slice of the baguette and Gruyere. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and place in the oven for about 4 minutes.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Ingredients

1 stick of unsalted butter

1 1/2 lbs fresh broccoli cut into florets

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

S&P

4 tablespoons flour

6 cups low sodium chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Directions

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium high heat. Add broccoli, onion, carrot, and S&P and cook for 10 minutes. Add the flour and cook for another few minutes until the flour turns a blonde color. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Pour in the cream and the cheddar. Puree the soup with an immersion blender.