Garlic Cilantro Ribs

I got this one from Better Homes and Garden.  Charlie's a fan of cilantro and marinade, so this was for him.  I'm a good wife like that.  It made him happy, and I thought they were pretty tasty.  

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp minced garlic (I'd recommend more)
• 1 large bunch cilantro
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 cup Asian sweet chili sauce
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 lb. baby back pork ribs

Directions:

1. In a blender or food processor combine garlic, cilantro, and sugar; blend or process until ingredients form a paste. 
2. Add soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, and vegetable oil. Pulse until well combined. 
3. Pour the mixture over the ribs in a large glass, plastic, or stainless steel container, turning ribs to coat well. 
4. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Preheat grill. 
6. Remove ribs from the sauce, shaking off any excess. Reserve remaining sauce. Flip and grill another 4 minutes. (Um, we have no grill so this didn't happen.)
7. Transfer ribs to a 9×13×2-inch baking dish and pour reserved sauce over ribs. Cover with foil and bake 3 hours. 
8. Remove and serve immediately.

Meatloaf (with gravy)

 

I have been wanting meatloaf.  I searched through some recipes online and although they were all pretty similar nothing in particular struck me.  So I turned to facebook.  I got lots of comments with recipes and suggestions and even more messages with tried and true favorites.  None of them were just right because they all contained some sort of tomato (sauce or ketchup).  I imagine most people go with that since meatloaf is really just a giant meatball.  Meatballs, pasta, and red gravy...yummy.  But I wanted meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and brown gravy.

So after reading through some recipes and suggestions, figuring out what I had on hand, and consulting with Liz this is what I came up with.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs ground beef
• 0.5 lbs Italian sausage
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 toes garlic, chopped
• 0.5 cups Italian breadcrumbs
• 0.5 cups shredded Parmesan
• 0.33 cups flat leaf parsley, chopped.

Directions:

1. Melt butter in heavy pot.
2. Brown onions and garlic.  Let cool.
3. In a bowl mix all ingredients, including browned onions and garlic.  Take time to ensure mixed evenly.
4. Mold into a free form loaf.*
5. Place in same pot used to brown onions.
6. Bake at 350 degrees, covered for 70 minutes.
7. Remove cover to allow loaf to brown and bake another 20 minutes or until internal temperature is 170 degrees.
8. Remove loaf, place on plate, and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
9. Use pan drippings for gravy...place pot on stove top over a low flame.  Add one cup beef bouillon/broth and some instant roux and simmer, stirring to ensure no lumps.
10. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes!

Notes:

• *If you're not interested in gravy you can mash it into a loaf pan, but I wanted drippings to use for gravy! 
• Be careful if adding salt.  The sausage, Parmesan, and breadcrumbs are already pretty high in sodium.
• Next time I'd like to get more veggies in it...celery, shredded or finely chopped carrots, and spinach.
• A few recipes I read browned the onions.  I like the flavor from browned onions so went with this but not sure how much of a difference it made.  
• I think I'd add more garlic, too.

This meal made me very happy.  And Charlie liked it too.  Love meatloaf sandwiches the next day!

Don't worry.  We had a green salad too!

Pulled Pork

This is a pretty popular meal on Bordeaux. I usually serve it up on a bun or pistolette topped with coleslaw and a side of corn pudding or mac and cheese. I know some folks would love it slathered in BBQ sauce.

Ingredients:

• Pork Butt...that's the cut folks. Love me some pig behind. Boston Butt and Pork shoulder are good too. I am not sure if it's the same cut of meat though, but it works. I think I usually get one that's about 4 lbs. Sometimes I get the one with the bone, depending on what's on sale. It is pretty fatty though.
  
• 1 cup vinegar, white or apple cider
• 1/2 cup water
• Seasoning salt or cajun seasoning or salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup worchestire sauce

Directions:

• In a dutch oven, brown all sides of pork over medium heat.
• Add remaining ingredients. Be generous with the seasoning.
• Cover and place in 350 degree oven for 3-4 hours or until pork is tender.
• Remove pork from pan and allow to cool.
• Shred pork and discard fat.

Variations:

• Add apple juice
• Add some brown sugar
• Cook on a lower temperature for 5-6 hours.
  
• Wondering if this works in the crock pot? Thoughts, anyone?
  

I usually try to buy a small piece of pork (on sale) but there is always plenty. That's ok though because I find that eating leftovers is a good way to save money...and time! So we'll have sandwiches for another night or two and then I place what remains in a pan with some salsa and cook it down even further to use for Huevos Rancheros or enchiladas! I have also frozen the pork after I've cooked it down with the salsa to use at a later date.

Huevos Rancheros

I am exploring other ideas for pork butt leftovers, so please pass on anything that comes to mind. An easy recipe for Pork Green Chili would be great!

Brisket

Ingredients

1. Powdered garlic
2. 1 pkg. onion soup mix
3. 1 can coke
4. 1 c. catsup
5. 1 brisket of beef (3 or 4 lb.)

Directions:

• Sprinkle brisket with garlic.
• Mix coke, soup mix and catsup together.
• Pour mixture over brisket.
• Bake with fat side up at 325 degrees for 3 hours (loosely cover pan with tin foil).

"I know, I know, a recipe with soup mix, garlic powder, and a can of coke?" you say. But this is really very good! I do, however, prefer the Elizabeth-ized version.

Liz helped me with this recipe one day, and when I discovered my cupboard was void of soup mix, she chopped up some onion, and browned the brisket and onions with some minced garlic. She then subbed some "Better than Bouillon" from the pantry. Still easy, and ten times better than the recipe itself.

So tonight we'll have this with a starch and some veggies and then I'll slice the rest, and reheat in the gravy to have on sandwiches. Yum, yum, good.