Pork Scallopini with Lemon, Caper and Dill Sauce

1 lb Pork Tenderloin

½ Cup Chicken Broth

¼ tsp Kosher Salt

½ tsp Ground Black Pepper

½ cup Flour

1 Tbs Olive Oil

2 Tbs Butter

2 Tbs Lemon Juice

1 Tbs Capers, drained

1 Tbs chopped Fresh Dill

Cut the pork into 1 inch medallions and then flatten them with a meat mallet until they are about ¼ inch thick. Season them with salt and pepper. Then coat them with flour, and pat off the excess.

Heat 1 ½ tsp of olive oil and 1 ½ tsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When it is heated up add as much of the pork as will fit in the pan without crowding.  Cook until browned on the first side (1-2 min), Turn and cook the other sides just until the juices until done (3-4 min). Make sure they get a good crisp to the outside.  Remove them to a platter. Add another tsp of oil and butter to the pan and cook the remaining meat the same way. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm.

Reduce the heat a little (medium low), add the broth, lemon juice, dill and capers to the pan. Cook the sauce until it reduces to about a ¼ cup. Stir in remaining butter and pour over the scallopini. The sauce will be thin.

I like to serve this with roasted red potatoes (or mashed) and broccoli or green beans

Roasted Red Potatoes

4 red potatoes

2 Tbs olive oil

1 ½ tsp kosher salt

½ tsp black pepper

½ Tbs dried rosemary

Preheat oven to 400’. Line baking sheet with tin foil and spray with cooking spray.

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Cut each half in lengthwise again. Cut each quarter into slices, from 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch in width.

In a medium bowl, combine potatoes, olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary.  Stir thoroughly to combine. Pour on to baking sheet in a single layer, making sure to spread potatoes out so they roast and don’t steam.

Cook 20 minutes. Stir potatoes. Cook an additional 15-20 minutes, until sides are browned. Remove and serve hot.

Baked Manicotti

Baked Manicotti

By America's Test Kitchen

Tomato Sauce
• 2 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes in juice
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• salt
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves
Cheese Filling and Pasta
• 3 c. part-skim ricotta cheese
• 4 oz. grated Parmesan cheese (2 c.)
• 8 oz mozzarella, shredded (2 c)
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 16 no-boil lasagna noodles (we like Barilla brand)

For the sauce, pulse the cans of tomatoes in a food processor/blender until coarsely chopped. The flavor in the diced tomatoes is better than the crushed tomatoes, but it requires this extra step.
Heat the oil, garlic and pepper flakes in a large sauce pan over medium heat until fragrant but not brown--1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and 1/2 tsp salt and simmer for 15 minutes until thickened slightly. Then add the basil and season with salt to taste.

For the filling, mix all the cheese, eggs, salt, pepper and herbs in a medium bowl. Set aside.

To Assemble pour 1 inch boiling water into a 9x13 pan and lay the noodles in there, one at a time. Let them soak for 5 minutes, until pliable. It is important that you use "no bake" lasagna noodles or this won't work. Remove the noodles and place on a clean towel in a single layer. Dry the baking dish.
Spread the bottom of the baking dish with 1 1/2 c. tomato sauce. Using a spoon, spread 1/4 c. cheesy filling evenly on the bottom 3/4 of each noodle, leaving the top quarter exposed. Roll the noodle into a tube shape and arrange in the baking dish, seam-side down. Do all 16, then top evenly with the remaining sauce, making sure the pasta is completely covered.
Cover the manicotti with aluminum foil, bake about 40 minutes. Remove the foil, and sprinkle with 1 c. parmesan cheese. Broil until the cheese is spotty brown, 4-6 minutes. Cool 15 minutes then serve.
This is also delicious with a little bit of prosciutto on each noodle, or chopped up and mixed in with the cheese. We've also put a spinach leaf or two on each noodle before the cheese to make ourselves feel better about how unhealthy but delicious this is.

Spinach Stuffed Shells

1 pkg. jumbo pasta shells
1 jar favorite spaghetti sauce
1pkg chopped spinach, thawed
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1 lg carton cottage cheese
1 egg white

Thaw spinach and drain well. Cook shells according to the package directions ( I always slightly undercook them by a minute). Mix in a large bowl; cottage, cheese, mazzarella, parmesan, spinach and egg white. Stuff mixture into shells and place in 9X13 baking dish (I usually use 2 smaller sized ones because my family does not eat a whole 9X13 for dinner.) I spray the baking dish with cooking spray and pour a little bit of sauce in the bottom. Stuff mixture into shells and place into prepared dish (or dishes). Pour spaghetti sauce over shells. Cover and freeze or you can bake it immediatly at 350 for 30-45 minutes until heated thru. If you freeze it plan on adding an additional hour to your baking time. I love freezing this meal, but it is also a great recipe to make earlier in the day and keep in the fridge. Then all you have to do is throw it in the oven for dinner.

-From thesisterscafe.com

Cafe Rio Style Sweet Pork Salad

I took this from favfamilyrecipes.com if you haven't checked out this site, DO IT!
I made the pork, rice, beans and dressing then I used the delicious cook em yourself tortillas and romaine lettuce and built my salad and I top it with feta cheese and squeezed limes. No picture for this, they were looking blurry and barfy and the salad was too delicious to insult it with my picture...

SWEET PORK:
2 pounds pork (we like to use boneless pork ribs)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can diced green chilies
3/4 (1ooz) can red enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness)
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry). Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!


CILANTRO-LIME RICE:
1 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.


BLACK BEANS:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

CILANTRO RANCH:
1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (we like it SPICY so we kept the seeds in it, if you like it mild, just remove the seeds)

Cheesecake

Cheesecakes scare me a little bit but this recipe turned out great even if it was overdone or underdone.
Plain Cheesecake with Fresh Berries.
Crust:
2 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
1 Stick Melted Butter
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

Mix ingredients and press into a 9 inch springform pan. Bake on 350 for 8 minutes

Filling:
4 Blocks Cream Cheese
1 3/4 Cups Sugar
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
2 tsp. Vanilla
3 Tbsp Flour
5 Large Eggs

Cream together cream cheese, sugar, lemon and vanilla until mixture is smooth. Add flour and eggs and beat until blended, be sure to scrape down the sides and along the bottom. Pour filling into crust and put in oven on the middle rack. On the bottom rack place a sheet pan and a dish of water. Close oven and drop temperature to 325. Bake for 60-70 minutes. It is done when edges are puffed up, cracking and slightly brown. The middle will be jiggly, but not dangerously jiggly. (The recipe said the middle will be just set, but it should still jiggle a little more than jello). Remove from oven and cool for one hour, transfer to refridgerator and chill for 8 hours. Top with fresh berries and enjoy!!

Philly Cheese Steaks

Im am not a food stylist or a photographer!

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches
Steak- I used the top sirloin tip that is already sliced thin. I seasoned it with salt and pepper
Green and colored peppers- sliced
Sweet onion- sliced
Mozzarella cheese- traditionally Phillies have provolone but I like to use shredded mozzarella
Sandwich rolls
Sauté the steak until it's cooked, set aside and sauté the onions and peppers until they are soft. Add steak and a handful of mozzarella and mix until it's gooey and juicy. Toast bread under broiler, add steak mixture to bread and top with more cheese for the healthiest gooiest sandwich experience, broil till melted.

Caprese Salad
Mozzarella- fresh and sliced
Basil vinaigrette- I use the Wish Bone Romano Basil Vinaigrette
Sliced tomatoes
Marinate the mozzarella and tomatoes in the dressing, layer and top with fresh basil if it hasn't withered to a crisp in your garden. Also a few drips of balsamic vinegar is a nice touch too.

Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potato peeled and sliced in rounds, drizzled with oil and salted. Bake at 400 for about fifteen minutes, if they aren't getting brown spots turn the broiler on until they bubble a little and get toasty spots.

Gillespie Family Tacos

1 lb ground beef
1 small can of tomato sauce
1 can of refried beans
1 packet of taco seasoning
tortillas
cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, avocados, hot sauce, etc.

Brown the hamburger, drain off the fat, add the tomato sauce, beans and spices.  Simmer for a bit.  Serve like you normally serve tacos!

I like this recipe because it uses beans and meat in the same dish.  You could also chop up an onion and green bell pepper and toss it in with the meat while it is cooking.  You know, if you like vegetables.