Pancetta-Wrapped Pork Roast

I recently started trying out Giada’s recipes, especially for celebrations. This recipe is a very simple preparation, but it  will make your house smell amazing and comes to the table looking very impressive. Please note: that it needs to be prepared at least one hour before you want to start cooking to give the spice rub and pancetta time to set on the pork roast.

If you aren’t familiar with it, pancetta is Italian bacon. It is pork belly that is salt cured and then seasoned with such spices as nutmeg, fennel, peppercorns, dried ground hot peppers and garlic before being dried for at least three months. Traditionally it is cut almost paper-thin and is oh-so-delicious.

You will need:

• 8 large cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1 T fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 T fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 (3.5 – 4 lb) tied boneless pork loin roast
• Salt and pepper
• 8 oz thinly sliced pancetta
• 1 1/2 c chicken broth
• 1 1/2 c dry white wine

Then you will…

1. In a small food processor, blend the garlic with the rosemary, thyme and olive oil, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, until the garlic is minced.
2. Sprinkle the pork roast generously with salt and pepper.
3. Arrange the pancetta slices on a work surface, overlapping slightly and forming a rectangle.
4. Spread half of the garlic mixture over 1 side of the pork and between the two loins that meet in the center of the tied pork roast.
5. Place the pork, garlic mixture side won, in the center of the pancetta rectangle.
6. Spread the remaining garlic mixture over the remaining pork.
7. Wrap the pancetta slices around the pork. Place the pork in a roasting pan. (I placed it on a metal roasting rack in the pan so it could have heat on all sides for crispy pancetta all around. If you have one, go for it; if not, don’t worry!).
8. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
9. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
10. Pour 1/2 cup of the broth and a 1/2 cup of the wine into the roasting pan. Add more broth and wine to the pan juices every 20 minutes.
11. Roast the pork until a meat thermometer inserted into the center registers 145 degrees for medium-rarte, about 1 hour.
12. Transfer the pork to a cutting board. Tent with aluminum foil and let stand for 10 minutes.
13. Pour the pan drippings into a glass measuring cup and spoon off any fat that rises to the top (or use a gravy separator).
14. Using a large sharp carving knife, cut the pork into 1/4-inch slices and serve with the pan juices.

Sausage and Spinach Baked Manicotti

This recipe is loosely based on a sausage and peas stuffed manicotti recipe by Giadi De Laurentiis. I made a few tweaks and served this up pre-15 k race for some friends. It was a hearty dinner that got us through the race!

You will need:

• 3/4 c milk
• 1/2 c cream
• 3 c grated Italian hard cheese (ex. Pecorino Romano, Asiago etc.)
• 1/4 c fresh basil, chopped
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 lb chicken sausage, casings removed and broken into chunks
• 1/2 medium onion, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 c white wine
• 3/4 c frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained and squeezed of excess water
• 1/2 c skim ricotta
• 12 manicotti shells
• 1 jar (26 oz) tomato sauce
• 2 c shredded mozzarella

Then you will…

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9×13 glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a medium non-stick saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, and whisk in the hard Italian cheese until melted and smooth.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the basil. Set aside.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, onions and garlic. Cook until the sausage is cooked through and the vegetables have softened, about 10 minutes. As you cook, continue to break up the sausage into bite-sized pieces.
5. Increase the heat to high. Add the wine and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
6. Cook until the wine has just about evaporated, about 2 minutes.
7. Add the spinach, ricotta and 1 cup of the cheese sauce to the sausage mixture. Stir to mix evenly. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the manicotti and cook until just tender, about 7 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water.
9. Spread half of the tomato sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
10. Using a small spoon or your fingers, fill the manicotti with the sausage and cheese mixture. Arrange in a single layer in the baking dish.
11. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the top of the filled shells.
12. Drizzle the remaining cheese sauce over the top of the tomato sauce.
13. Sprinkle with the mozzarella. Bake until bubbly and golden, about 30-40 minutes.

Turkey-Bacon Meatballs

 

On a recent visit to my sister’s, we decided to make these meatballs. You start with light ground turkey and then add in a few slices of crispy bacon. The end result is deliciously baked meatballs. Because turkey is a leaner meat, these are best when simmered in some sauce prior to serving.

You will need:

• 4 slices thick cut bacon
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 c grated Parmesan
• 1/2 c bread crumbs
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T oregano
• 1 T basil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Then you will…

1. Cook the bacon until crispy. Allow to cool on a piece of paper towel before chopping.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey with the chopped bacon, egg, cheese, bread crumbs, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper.
3. Line a 9 x 13 baking dish with tinfoil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Form meatballs approximately an inch in diameter and place in the prepared baking dish.
5. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through.

Six Spice Pork Tenderloin

This is a super easy way to make some delicious pork tenderloin. You may even have all of the spices already on hand, since they are not so non-traditional! What I loved about this recipe was the combination of a quick sear on the stovetop and then some high heat baking, which made for a very juicy tenderloin. Of course, you could always grill this too (which would be incredibly delicious!).

You will need:

• 1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed of excess fat
• 1 t garlic powder
• 1 t oregano
• 1 t cumin
• 1 t coriander
• 1 t thyme
• 1 t paprika
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 T olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half

Then you…

1. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, oregano, cumin, coriander, thyme and paprika. Add in salt and pepper to taste.
2. Pat the pork tenderloin dry with some paper towel.
3. Dust with the dry spice mixture on both sides and then rub in with your hands until the loin is covered.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with edges with some tinfoil.
5. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, nonstick skillet. Add the garlic.
6. Sear the tenderloin in the skillet about 5 minutes each side, or until golden.
7. Transfer the pork to the prepared baking sheet and finish cooking in the oven, about 20 – 30 minutes.
8. Allow the pork to sit for at least 5 minutes after baking before cutting to ensure juicy pork!

Minestony Soup

Everyone needs friends like I have. Especially when they include a friend with a dad who cures his own Italian sausage every winter. It really turned this minestrone soup into a mines-”tony” soup.  If you don’t have any homemade hot sausage in your freezer, just pick up your favorite sausage from the store!  This is a hearty soup that freezes well. Makes about 12 cups.

You will need…

• 1 lb sausage
• 2 T olive oil
• 4 pieces thick cut bacon, chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 3/4 c carrot, chopped
• 3/4 c celery, chopped
• 1 small head of cabbage, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3-5 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked off
• 1/2 c packed basil leaves
• 1/2 c packed parsley leaves
• 1 can (14 oz) whole tomatoes, drained and crushed
• 1 can (15 1/2 oz) cannellini (or white beans), rinsed and drained with half of them mashed
• 10 c chicken stock
• 2 t salt
• 4 oz whole wheat elbows
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Grated cheese to garnish

Then you…

1. In a skillet, brown the sausage. Put to the side.
2. In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil. Add the bacon and cook until crispy.
3. In a small bowl, combine the rosemary, basil and parsley. Chop using kitchen shears.
4. Add the onions, carrot, celery, cabbage, garlic, rosemary, basil, and parsley to the bacon. Cook while stirring until the greens start to wilt down, about 7 minutes.
5. Stir in the tomatoes. Cook another 3-5 minutes.
6. Stir in the beans, stock and salt. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer, partly covered, about 30 minutes.
7. Mix in the elbows and the cooked sausage. Simmer for another 15 minutes.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Serve topped with grated cheese (Parmesan or Italian blend).

Punkin’ Pasta

Fall is a great time of year (although DC has been jumping back and forth between summer and fall weather lately). You can get your fill of fresh, crisp apples and gobble up lots of pumpkin. I wanted to try an autumn-inspired pasta dish, and this one won out today.  It’s hearty and comforting with all sorts of flavors you love from pumpkin to mushroom to sage.

You will need:

• 1 T butter
• 8 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 c white wine, such as pinot grigio (divided)
• 2 T olive oil
• 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 3 oz pancetta, chopped
• 2 c chicken stock
• 1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin puree
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1/4 t cinnamon
• 3/4 t Dijon mustard
• 1/2 c marscapone cheese
• 1/2 c Parmesan, grated
• Salt and pepper to taste

Then you…

1. Season a large pot of water with salt for the pasta and bring to a boil. Prepare according to the pasta directions, stopped about 2 minutes shy of al dente (the pasta will continue to cook in the sauce later).
2. In a large, heavy skillet, melt the butter and saute the mushrooms until starting to turn golden. Add 1/4 c white wine and season with salt and pepper. When the wine has cooked off, remove the mushrooms and reserve in a bowl.
3. In the same skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add in the onion, garlic and pancetta. Allow to brown until the pancetta is nice and crispy.
4. Stir in the chicken stock to deglaze the pan. Mix in the pumpkin.
5. Stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg and mustard. Whisk in the marscapone and Parmesan. Stir in the mushrooms. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Add the other 1/4 c white wine and allow to simmer until sauce is bubbly.
7. Mix in the cooked pasta. Enjoy!

Hammy Hot Pockets

So what do you do with leftovers from a 10-lb ham??  How about some ham, cheese, and broccoli hot pockets? These are pretty quick to pull together, plus you could make them bite-sized for parties or larger for a meal.  I cheated and used store-bought crescent roll dough, but feel free to make your own!  Using two cans will give you 16 pockets, and you could estimate about 2-3 per person for a meal along with a salad.

You will need…

• 2 cans reduced-fat crescent roll dough
• 1 1/5 c cooked ham, chopped
• 3/4 c broccoli, chopped
• 3/4 c cheese, shredded (I used a combination of cheddar and jack)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Dijon mustard, to taste
• Paprika, to taste (optional)

Then you…

1. Preheat the oven to 350.  Line a cookie sheet (or two) with aluminum foil or parchment paper.  This will make your clean up much easier.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ham with the broccoli and cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. Remove the crescent dough from its can.  For each triangle, lightly stretch the wider end and then spread a little of the mustard in the middle of the wider part.
4. Spoon about 2 T of the ham mixture in a small mound on top of the mustard.  Fold and stretch the dough over the top and press the edges to seal.  You’ll get a sense of how much filling you can use per pocket as you try it out.  If you want bite-sized, just cut each triangle into smaller pieces and adjust accordingly!
5. Place the filled pocket with the edge-side down on the lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired.
6. Bake about 15 minutes, or until lightly golden and cooked through!
7. Remove and let cool on a cooling rack at least 5 minutes before digging in.

Orange-Fig Holiday Ham

I read about this recipe from Paul Deen’s sons and thought it looked like an interesting one for Easter.  It’s not too sweet and goes really well with any good bone-in ham.  My family liked enough that they opted not to have any mustard with this ham!  Success!

You will need…

• 1 spiral sliced half ham (I used a semi-boneless 9.5 lb ham from Whole Foods)
• 1 c fig jam
• 2 T Dijon mustard
• Zest of 1navel orange
• Juice of 1 navel orange

Then you…

1. Preheat the oven according to the ham packaging.
2. Cook the ham according to its instructions.  A half hour before it’s done, remove from the oven.
3. Meanwhile, combine the jam, mustard, zest and juice in small saucepan over medium heat.  Cook and stir until the jam is melted; do not bring to a boil.
4. Coat the ham with half of the glaze and bake for the last 30 minutes.
5. Remove the ham from the oven and coat with the remaining glaze.
6. Serve hot or at room temperature!

Honey Mustard Pork Chops

Pork chops can be very quick and easy to make, especially if they are cut on the thin side.  Plus they can get crispy on the outside and juicy in the middle.  One of my favorite pork chop recipes is a balsamic-glazed version, so this is something a little different.  I can’t take credit for thinking up this recipe, since it comes from “30 minute meals” by Rachael Ray, but I think you will like it I served it up with some mashed potatoes that had cooked broccoli and cheddar cheese mixed in.  Yumm!

You’ll want:

• 4 thin-cut boneless pork loin chops
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 c grainy Dijon mustard
• 1/4 c honey
• 2 T apple cider vinegar
• 1 c bread crumbs (I had Japanese-style Panko crumbs in the house)
• 1 T thyme
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 T butter
• 2 T  flour
• 2 T apricot preserves
• 1 cup chicken stock

To start…

1. Pat the chops dry and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
2. In a shallow dish combine the mustard, honey and vinegar.  On a plate combine the bread crumbs with the thyme and zest of the lemon.
3. Add the chops and turn to coat in sticky sauce. Press chops in the crumbs to coat evenly.
4. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil, a couple turns of the pan, in large skillet over medium heat. Cook the cutlets until crisp, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. (You can keep the chops warm on a baking sheet with the rack and put in a low temp. oven to keep them crisp.)
5. To the skillet, over low heat, add the butter and melt. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the preserves, then whisk in the stock.
6. Cook for a couple of minutes to thicken and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the chops from the oven to a serving platter and douse with sweet-savory gravy before serving.

Honey Mustard Pork Chops & Mashed Potatoes