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Archive for the month “August, 2013”

25 Aug 2013

Spicy Pork over Cabbage Saute

spicy pork over cabbage

I’ve been having some of THOSE days recently. You know, days when I look at my work and personal schedules and cannot seem to imagine getting everything done. Or, a day when the schedule seems pretty light, but then a crisis or four surface and I long for an overly scheduled day. I cannot always see such days coming, but after I have had seven or eight in a row, like recently, I have to make sure I take a breaks. Every day. My breaks often involve cooking or exercise. I need a break for a few reasons: 1) to remind myself that a crisis is only a crisis because I chose to make it so, 2) I get tired and exercise helps get rid of it, 3) clearing my mind helps reduce said crises, and 4) I get hungry, as does my family. Sometimes THOSE days are few and far between. This time of year, pretty much every year, there is a concentration of THOSE days. Here is a dish that can be made in pieces when you have spurts of time to prep, and then thrown together quickly at meal time, regardless of what type of day I have.

Spicy Pork over Cabbage Saute

2 – 3 pounds pork roast
1 14 ounce can tomatoes and chiles
1 red onion, roughly chopped
2 limes, juiced with meat
1 cup water
Cabbage Saute for serving

First thing in the morning (or the night before if planning to eat it for lunch) toss into a crock pot the roast cut up into three or four chunks, after seasoning it with salt and pepper. Pour over the top the tomatoes and chiles, lime juice, water and onion. Move stuff around so all the meat and veggies are mixed up. Set the crock to low and leave it for eight hours or so. Serve over cabbage saute. The cabbage can be made right before serving or make in advance and reheat – it may depend on whether the day is planned to be busy or not planned.

Posted in cabbage, lime, onion, pork, Takoma Park Kitchen, tomato, wheat free | Leave a Comment
20 Aug 2013
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Cabbage Saute

sauteed cabbageI noticed that my entries are absent of side dishes. Lately I have been cooking some staples for meals, because it is a hectic time of year for us. Stuff that I posted already, likebaked spaghetti squash, taco meat or a fritatta. I have cooking and baking ideas, but a lack of time to implement. I am sure I am not the only one out there that has more project ideas than time to do them. You should see my Pinterest boards! So many things to do, so little time. This is a simple side dish that is easy, high in fiber, filling and my family loves it. Great as a base for many a dish as a substitute for rice, pasta or other grains. Don’t forget the nutmeg – it sounds odd, but works so very well with the cabbage.

Cabbage Saute

3 Tbsp olive oil, butter or bacon grease
1 small head green cabbage
1 tsp ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper

In large saute pan heat olive oil over medium high heat. Chop cabbage in 1/2-inch to 1-inch pieces. Toss cabbage in pan and stir to coat in oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Continue cooking and stirring until about half of the cabbage begins to brown. Turn down heat by half and cover. Cook for another ten minutes or so, until all the larger chunks are softened. Keep covered until ready to serve, then do so immediately while it is hot. If preparing it in advance and chilled, it is easy to toss it in a hot saute pan and serve hot.

Posted in cabbage, side dish, Takoma Park Kitchen, vegetables, wheat free
12 Aug 2013

Cheese Crisps

cheese crisps

I like chips. I like crackers. Don’t eat much of either anymore, but still crave them. I have tried to make cheesy low carb versions in the past but to no avail and pork rinds just don’t always do it for me. Some experimenting on my own resulted in gooey, stretchy cheese pucks. Delicious, but not crispy. I did some research and found this approach. Perfect! Each pan I cooked for a different amount of time to see how the results varied. As you can see from the picture, I came up with three different types of crackers, in a good way. They were all stiff enough to dip or hold stuff piled on them, but the flavor was very different. I used sharp cheddar, and the sharpness really stood out in the browner, crispier crisps. The ones with the browned edges and lighter middle had a nice crispy and chewy balance, but mostly crispy. The lighter ones were not crispy, but were stiff enough to bend without breaking and make mini tacos. They inspired me to try bigger rounds and cool them in a curved, crispy taco shape. I did the basic sandwich thickness slices of cheese, but plan on trying the shredded, herby versions in the near future. I will update you when I do. When I made these the other night it was just me and Little B we ate every single one, experimenting with dipping and loading the different donenesses to test their capabilities. It was fun, we were very full, and Big D will get his own batch very soon.

Cheese Crisps

1 pound block sharp cheddar cheese
Parchment paper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice cheese into reasonably thin (like sandwich cheese thick) slices 1 – 1 1/2  inches in diameter. Place slices at least one inch apart on parchment paper on top of shallow baking sheets. Bake for five to seven minutes until the edges just start to brown, or they are brown all over, depending on preference. Remove from the oven immediately. Slide parchment paper off the sheet onto the kitchen counter or other heat resistant flat surface. Let cool. When cool remove crisps to paper towels to soak up lingering grease. Repeat slicing and baking until cheese is gone, because you will eat all of them. If you do have leftovers they can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container.

Posted in baked, cheese, Takoma Park Kitchen, wheat free | Leave a Comment
04 Aug 2013

Portabello Pizza

portabello pizzaThe first time I ever cooked with portabello mushrooms was about 15 years ago. At the time I was making a lot of pizzas closely following my discovery of pizza stones. They make the crust crispy all around and are  great for even cooking. I got into the habit of topping each pizza with two to three veggies and a meat. On some occasions my dinner guests were vegetarians, so minus the meat, but what to add to make the pizza hearty? I explored the produce section of the grocery store and came upon the portabellos – huge caps sitting over a sign that described them as meaty. Well, why not? If they don’t eat meat, why not serve them meaty mushrooms? The pizza with portabellos turned out great, and marinating the mushrooms added an extra layer of flavor. Since my last pizza stone broke and I started leaning toward low carb, I never replaced it. One recent tendency has been to make pizzas with low carb crust, and another is to reach back into my pizza past and snatch up the portabellos. This time I used them as the crust. They are quick and of course Little B can help with every step. Using tomato paste adds a spike of tomato flavor without adding much liquid. The one flaw, but not really, in this recipe is the wetness of the mushrooms. I will continue to explore how to dry out the mushrooms, because they soaked up a bit of liquid and the result is not what I would call hand pizza, but it tasted great. Grab a fork and knife for this flavorful rounds and dig in!

Portabello Pizza

4 large Portabello mushrooms, stems removed
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 small can Italian herb tomato paste (or plain past mixed with 1 Tbsp Italian herbs)
2 tsp dried oregano leaves
2 tsp dried parsley leaves
2 tsp dried basil leaves
2 tsp garlic powder
8 ounces pepperoni, sliced thick
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
½ cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350F. Place caps stem side up on baking sheet, then sprinkle with lime juice, salt and pepper. Spread tomato paste on mushrooms, followed by a layer of basil, oregano, parsley and basil leaves, along with garlic powder. Place a layer of pepperoni slices and top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until mushrooms are tender and cheese is melted and browning.

Posted in baked, cheese, garlic, lime, parsley, pizza, Takoma Park Kitchen, tomato, vegetables, wheat free | Leave a Comment

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