Perfecto Pork

Ingredients:

• Boneless pork loin (NOT tenderloin) cut 2/3rd's though lengthwise on non-fat side
• 2 teaspoons salt
• pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon sage
• 1/2 teaspoon ground bay leaves
• 3 cloves mashed garlic

Directions:

1. Mix together garlic, salt and herbs and coat pork with mixture. 
2. Cover and refrigerate 2-24 hours. 
3. Pull pork out of the fridge 1 hour before you begin to cook it. 
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 
5. Cook pork until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. 
6. Flip pork so fat side is up and broil on high until the fat melts and turns brown, be careful not to burn it.
7. Remove from oven and let rest at least 10 minutes before you slice.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds Russet Or Yukon Gold Potatoes, Peeled And Rinsed
• 3 heads To 5 Heads Roasted Garlic
• 1-1/2 stick Regular Salted Butter (3/4 Cup)
• 8 ounces, plain Greek Yogurt
• 1/2 cup Or So Half-and-half or other cream
• Salt To Taste
• Black Pepper To Taste

Directions: 

1. Cut the peeled potatoes into pieces and cook in boiling water until fork-tender. 
2. Drain water and return to pot, and mash potatoes with a masher, not a hand mixer, until lots of the steam has escaped.
3. Next, mash in softened butter, cream cheese, half-and-half, and salt to taste. 
4. Dump in three to five heads of roasted garlic cloves; stir together, then check seasoning. Be sure to salt adequately.
5. Add some fresh ground black pepper, and serve with one or two roasted garlic cloves on top.

Victoria Tea Pastry

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cups flour
• 3 eggs
• Another 1/2 cup butter 
• 2 Tablespoon cold water
• 1 Tablespoon almond extract

Topping:

• 1/4 cup butter softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tablespoon milk
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Bring 1 cup water and 1/2 cup butter to a boil in a sauce pan. 
3. Remove from heat and immediately stir in 1 cup flour and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.
4. In a stand mixer combine 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup cold butter (cut into little pieces) and blend well with the pastry attachment.
5. Slowly add 2 Tablespoons of cold water. 
6. Mix until dough forms into a ball. 
7. Divide in half and place side by side on a cookie sheet sprayed with oil. 
8. Flatten to about 1/2 inch thick and keep 1 inch apart. 
9. Add 3 eggs to the first mixture, one at a time. Fully mix in each egg before adding the next. 
10. Add almond extract and mix well. 
11. Evenly spread on each dough strip.
12. Bake 1 hour at 350 degree, do not open the oven during this time. 
13. Cool 10 minutes and frost with topping. 
14. For the topping combine 1/4 cup butter (softened) with 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon milk and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. 
15. Spread on warm pastries and sprinkle to toasted almonds on top. 

Homemade Pie Crust

Ingredients:

• 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 and 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• 3/4 cup  coconut oil (should be solid at room temperature, chill if your house is warm)
• 1/2 - ice water

Directions:

1. Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add cold unsalted butter and shortening. Using a pastry blender or two forks, cut the butter and shortening until the mixture resembled coarse meal.
2. Slowly drizzle in the very cold water 1 Tablespoon at a time, stirring with a large spatula after every Tablespoon of water that you add. You  may need up to 2/3 cup of ice water. Do not add any more water than you need to. Stop adding water when the dough begins to clump. I usually use around 1/2 cup.
3. Roll out the dough on a floured work surface. The dough should come together easily and should not feel overly sticky. Form the dough into a ball. Divide in half. Flatten each half into 1-inch thick discs using your hands. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks).
4. Proceed with the pie per your recipe's instructions.

Shiitake-Mushroom Stuffing with Sausage and Cherries

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large onions, chopped (6 cups)
• 4 leeks, white and pale-green parts only, quartered, finely chopped, and rinsed well (5 cups)
• 1 bunch celery, finely chopped (4 cups)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms or other 'exotic' blend
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
• 10 cups dried white Pullman bread or sandwich bread, crusts removed, bread cut into 1/2-inch cubes (from 2 loaves)
• 2 cups dried cherries, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 2 cups homemade vegetable or chicken stock
• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 

Directions:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large straight-sided skillet over medium heat. Add onions, leeks, celery, and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent and tender, about 20 minutes.
   
2. Add mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a plate, and let stand until cool, about 5 minutes. (Onion-mushroom mixture can be refrigerated overnight.)
   
3. Return skillet to medium heat. Stir in sausage, and cook, breaking into small pieces, until browned, about 9 minutes. Remove from skillet using a slotted spoon, and transfer to paper-towel-lined plates. Let drain. (Sausage can be refrigerated overnight.)
   
4. Combine onion-mushroom mixture, bread, cherries, sage, and thyme in a large bowl. Just before baking, pour stock and melted butter over top of mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine.
   
5. Let stuffing stand for 10 minutes, allowing bread to soak up liquid.
   
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Transfer stuffing to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, and bake until top is crisp and stuffing is heated through, 45 to 50 minutes. Serve warm.

 

Bran Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 
  
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 
  
• 1 1/2 cups bran
• 3/4 cup banana or squash or pumpkin

Directions:

1. Mix first set of ingredients
2. Add second set
3. Add third set, mix just until moistened
4. Pour into muffin pan
5. Bake at 400 for 18-22 minutes

Granola Bars

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup peanut butter (almond butter)
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup honey (agave)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup flax seed
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 4.5 cups oats
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Mix first 3 ingredients 
2. Add dry ingredients.  
3. Spread into 8x10 baking pan
4. Bake at 350 for 18 minutes.
5. Let cool and cut into bars

Lemon Thyme Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 4-5 medium small Potatoes, cut into cubes
• 4-6 Tbls Butter
• 1 Lemon
• 1 Tbls Thyme (fresh or dried)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 4-6 Cloves Garlic

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Cut potatoes into cubes and put in a bowel
3. Melt the butter and toss with the potatoes
4. Mince 4-6 garlic cloves and add to the mix
5. Squeeze half a lemon into the mix.
6. Slice up the rest of the lemon into thin slices and add to the bowl.
7. Chop up the thyme and throw it in. 
8. Add at least 1 tsp of salt and some pepper
9. Put mixture in a roasting pan and cook until slightly crispy, about 45 minutes. 

Honey Sweetened Corn Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup stone ground cornmeal
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup  plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup honey (see note)
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
4. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the yogurt, milk, honey, and melted coconut oil and whisk to combine well.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together until just incorporated. The batter should be light and fluffy, so try not to stir too much and deflate the batter.
6. Fill the 12 muffin cups and then bake 10-12 minutes or until the muffins are just cooked through. As all ovens vary, check a few minutes early; they will cook quickly at the high oven temperature and over-baking will create a dry baked good.
7. Serve warm with butter and/or your favorite jam, as desired.

Balsamic Glazed Salmon

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, divided
• 1 cloves garlic, finely minced
• Salmon, about 1 lbs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp olive oil

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan combine balsamic vinegar, white wine, honey, dijon mustard, 1/2 Tbsp of the chopped rosemary and the garlic.
2. Heat mixture over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer over medium-low heat until sauce has thickened and reduced to 1/3 cup, about 13 - 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  
3. Remove from heat and pour into a heat proof dish (using a rubber spatula to get it all out) and allow to cool. 
4. Season both sides of salmon with salt and pepper. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tsp of olive oil.
5. Once pan and oil are hot, add salmon and cook, without moving, until salmon has nicely browned on bottom, about 3 - 5 minutes. Carefully flip salmon to opposite side and continue to cook 3 - 5 minutes longer until bottom is browned and salmon has cooked through. 
6. Serve warm drizzling salmon with balsamic rosemary glaze and sprinkling tops with remaining 1/2 Tbsp of rosemary.