Juicy Pork Loin with Potatoes, Carrots and Onions

This is an easy meal to make. A tender juicy pork loin baked in the oven with potatoes, carrots and onions. It is a complete meal to serve in just a fraction of the time.  You can also make some gravy with the liquid in the roasting pan to make the meal perfect.

Ingredients

2 to 3 lb. pork loin
1 to 2 Tbs. olive oil
1 Tbs. salt
1 Tbs. garlic powder
1 Tbs. onion powder
1 Tbs. paprika
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. sage
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. rosemary (optional)
2 c. chicken stock
3 or 4 potatoes, halved lengthwise
12 or so baby carrots or 5 large carrots cut in sections
1 onion cut in quarters

Directions

Heat oven to 350°.

Place the pork loin on the prepared pan. 

Rub the olive oil over the pork loin, coating all sides.

In a small bowl, combine salt, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, pepper, sage, thyme and rosemary.

Sprinkle the seasoning over all sides of the pork loin. Rub the seasonings into the meat.

Place the pork loin in a roasting pan.  

Add the potatoes, carrots, and onion around the pork loin. 

Pour in the chicken stock.

Bake for an hour, or until the internal temperature reads 145°.

Spicy Refried Beans

The refried beans you buy at the store often lack taste. By making your own refried beans at home, you can make them as spicy as you like. This is a simple recipe to make, and it doesn't have to always go with a Mexican style dinner. They are good to eat any time.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. oil 
1 onion, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, chopped
2 can (16 oz.) pinto beans
3/4 tsp. chili powder
3/4 tsp. cumin
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp. chicken bouillon
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c. shredded cheese

Directions

In a large cast iron skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeno peppers. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they are tender. 

Stir in the pinto beans, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and chicken bouillon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Using a potato masher or a hand held blending wand, mash the beans to your desired consistency. They should be like mashed potatoes. If the mixture is too thick for you, add a little water to thin it.  

Cook and stir over medium low heat until the contents are heated through. Top with cheese.

Herb Chicken and Gravy

 

This is an easy meal to make that does not take a lot of time.  The chicken is tender, juicy and flavorful. We usually double our gravy because we like to pour extra gravy over mashed potatoes. 

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper
1 Tbs. oil
3 Tbs butter
1 onion, cut in half then thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 c. whole milk
1 chicken bouillon cube, dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. mustard powder
1/2 tsp. parsley
1/4 c. flour
3/4 c. chicken broth

Directions

In a small bowl, combine onion powder, garlic and Italian seasoning.

Season both sided of the chicken breasts with salt, pepper. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the onion, garlic and Italian seasoning. 

Heat oil over medium high heat, in a heavy cast iron skillet. Cook the chicken breasts until browned. Then turn them over to brown the other side.  Turn the heat to medium low, cover the skillet with a lid and continue to cook the chicken until it is fully done, or the internal temperature reaches 165° on an instant read thermometer. 

Place the chicken on a plate, cover and set aside while you make the sauce.

Add the butter into the skillet.  Over medium heat, add the onion and garlic. Sauté until tender.  

Stir in the flour.  Cook and stir for a minute or two to remove the flour taste. 

Whisk in the milk, stirring constantly. Add in the chicken bouillon cube dissolved in the hot water, onion powder, garlic powder, basil, oregano, mustard powder, and parsley

Cook and stir until the mixture has thickened.  Taste the gravy and add more salt and pepper if needed.  

Return the chicken to the skillet.  Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 to 8 minutes, spooning the gravy over the top of the chicken.

Serve with mashed potatoes, or noodles.

Notes

We like extra gravy to put over mashed potatoes, or noodles.  Simply double the milk and flour mixture for more delicious gravy.

Add about a tablespoon to 1/4 c. sour cream to the milk mixture for more flavor.

BBQ Shake and Bake Chicken or Pork Chops Seasoning Mix

If you love the boxed BBQ seasoning mix that you buy in the store, you will love this recipe.  It is amazing how the cost of those two little packets can cost so much money when you can make your own seasoning for a fraction of the price. Best of all, most if not all the ingredients can be found in your kitchen or pantry.

Ingredients

3 c. dried bread crumbs, ground fine* See notes below
3 c. flour
3/4 c. brown sugar
3 Tbs. cornmeal
3 Tbs. corn starch
3 Tbs. smoked paprika
3 Tbs. chili powder
2 Tbs. cumin
2 Tbs. garlic powder
2 Tbs. granulated onion
1 1/2 Tbs. salt
4 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 Tbs. ginger
2 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. oregano
1 1/2 tsp. pepper
3/4 to 1 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
1 Tbs. creole seasoning.  (Tony Chachere's is the one we like.)

Directions

In a mason jar or a bowl, add bread crumbs, cornmeal, corn starch, smoked paprika, granulated onion, salt, chili powder, ginger, cumin, thyme, oregano, granulated garlic, and pepper.  Mix thoroughly until very well blended. 

If using a mason jar, seal with a lid.  If using a bowl, transfer the ingredients to a container that has a tight-fitting lid.  Store in a cool place. 

Use about 1/2 cup of the shake and bake seasoning mixture to 2 1/2 pounds of chicken or 6 to 8 pork chops.

Hamburger Buns

Nothing tastes better than a great tasting hamburger on a bun. Going to the store to buy buns may leave you in sticker shock when you see the price for a few buns. Of course, you can go out and eat at a local hamburger place, but what you would spend for one meal, you can make a whole meal for your family and have lots of money left over.  You can easily make your own buns at home, and it's a lot cheaper. 

Ingredients

1 2/3 c. warm water
2 Tbs. honey or sugar
2 1/2 tsp. yeast
1/4 c. dry milk powder
2 Tbs. soft butter or oil
4 1/2 cups flour 
1 1/2 tsp. salt 

In a large bowl, combine warm water, sugar and yeast. Set the yeast mixture aside in a warm location for about 8 to 10 minutes. This will show you that the yeast is alive, and your dough will rise beautifully. 

Add the milk powder, 1 cup flour, butter or oil and beat well. 

Stir in the salt. Stir in the flour, one cup at a time, until you have a soft dough.  When the dough becomes too hard to stir with a wooden spoon, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 7 to 10 minutes, adding more dough as necessary.  The dough should be soft and tacky, but not sticky.   You may not need all the flour, or you may need more. It depends on how much humidity is in the air.

On a lightly floured surface, turn dough out an

Lightly oil the bowl that you mixed the dough in. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it over once so all sides of the dough is coated with oil.

Cover the bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap. Place in a warm location for 60 minutes to 2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.  If you have the time, punch the dough down, and allow it to rise again. This gives you a light and fluffy bread bun

Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into 8 pieces  for large buns or 12 pieces for slider buns.  Shape each piece of dough into a ball.  With the palm of your hand, flatten each dough ball until it is about 3-inches across.

Place the dough on a lightly greased baking sheet. Lightly oil the tops of the dough and cover with a tea towel or a greased sheet of plastic wrap. Set in a warm location until doubled in size.  This takes about an hour. 

Heat the oven to 350°. Bake large buns for 15 to 20 minutes, or the slider buns for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. 

Run a stick of butter over the tops of the hot buns for a soft, buttery crust.  

Allow to cool and then slice them horizontally for hamburgers or your favorite sandwich filling.

Beef Tips and Gravy

Tender, flavorful beef in a seasoned gravy, served over mashed potatoes or rice. This meal doesn't take a lot of time to prepare, but it does take some cooking time to get the meat tender.

Ingredients

2 lbs. beef roast
1 Tbs. garlic powder
1 Tbs onion powder
1 Tbs. seasoned salt
1 Tbs. worcestershire
1 tsp. pepper
2 Tbs. oil
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1/3 c. flour
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs. butter
1/3 c. flour
4 c. beef stock or broth

Directions

Trim off excess fat, then cut the beef roast into 1-inch cubes. Place them in a bowl. You can also buy beef stew meat that is already cut up for you. However, if you are wanting to save some money, just buy your own beef roast and cut it up yourself.

Season the beef with garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, Worcestershire, and pepper.  Mix the beef cubes, so the seasonings are coating each cube.

In a cast iron Dutch oven or a large and deep skillet with a lid, heat oil over medium high heat.  Brown the beef cubes in the hot oil. You don't need to fully cook them.  You may need to cook the beef in batches as well. Remove the beef when browned and put it in the bowl you had it in earlier.

Add the olive oil and butter to the skillet. Stir in the bell pepper and onion.  Sauté them until they are tender. 

Stir in the flour.  It will be like you are making a roux.  Cook and stir the flour for a couple of minutes to remove the flour taste.

Whisking constantly, pour in the beef broth. 

Carefully add the seared beef back into the Dutch oven.  Make sure you have enough broth to completely submerge the beef.  Bring the contents to a bubble.

Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and lower the heat.  Cook for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. The liquid will reduce, giving you a nice thick gravy and tender meat. Taste the gravy and season with more salt and pepper if desired.

Serve this over mashed potatoes, rice, noodles, or bread. 

Notes

You can add other vegetables. Try adding some carrots, mushrooms or celery.

If you want some extra spice, add in some cayenne pepper.

Sweet Potato Pie

 

Sweet Potato Pie. We think of sweet potatoes around the holidays and use them as a side dish. But did you know that they can be used to make a delicious pie? It is like a pumpkin pie, but it is sweeter, smooth and creamy. 

To save time, we use canned sweet potatoes. They are already cooked, and peeled. Just drain off the liquid and mash them up.

Ingredients

Crust

1 (9-inch) pie crust 

Or you can make your own

1 1/2 c. flour
2 tsp. sugar (optional)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. shortening
3 to 6 Tbs. ice cold water

Pie Ingredients

2 c. sweet potatoes
3/4 to 1 c. brown sugar* See Notes
1/2 c.  butter softened
2 eggs
1/2 c. evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
whipped cream (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. 

Cut in the shortening using a pastry blender, a fork or two table knives held together until it resembles small peas. 

Add cold water, one tablespoon at a time, stirring with a fork, until the dough holds together.

Form the dough into a flat disc. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap or in a plastic bag and place in the refrigerator. Chill for 30 minutes or longer. You can chill the dough up to 2 days.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out, starting at the center of the dough and rolling outward to the edge until you have an 11-inch circle. The dough will be about 1/8-inch thick.  Be sure to lift the dough up and lightly flour underneath to keep the dough from sticking as you roll it out. 

Carefully fold the dough into quarters. Transfer the dough into a 9-inch pie pan.  Unfold the dough, pressing it against the bottom and sides of the pie pan. Trim and crimp the edges as desired. Set aside as you prepare the filling.

In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, brown sugar, and butter.  Mix with an electric mixer or a potato masher until the mixture is creamy.

Add butter, evaporated milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves and salt. Mix until thoroughly combined.

Pour the sweet potato mixture into the pie shell. Sprinkle some cinnamon over the top if desired.

Bake for 1 hour, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  

Cool completely before cutting. Serve with whipped cream on top and enjoy.

Notes

Some people prebake their pie shells slightly.  To do this, once you have the crust in the pie pan, poke holes in the dough with a fork. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes. 

You can use all brown sugar, or you can use all white sugar. You can also use half brown sugar and half white sugar. Brown sugar gives the pie extra flavor.