Jan25

Sweet and Tangy Cole Slaw

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I use this cole slaw as a side dish or as a topping for sandwiches or tacos. I like my slaw to be pretty tangy, but you can reduce the vinegar to mayo ratio if you prefer a creamier slaw. The sweetness mainly comes from the carrots, so you can adjust this as well if you want a spicier/more onion-y slaw.

Sweet and Tangy Cole Slaw

1/2 head cabbage, shredded
4 small carrots, peeled and shredded
3 green onions, sliced
1 jalapeno, halved longways and thinly sliced
1/2 c cilantro, roughly chopped
1/4 c mayo
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
kosher salt
black pepper

Put the vegetables in a large bowl.

Combine the mayo, vinegar, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.

Add the dressing to the vegetables. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Jan24

Slow-cooker pulled pork

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On weekends, I make pulled pork in the oven. The delicious smell of roasting pork will fill your house and get your guests excited for the meal to come. However, this slow-cooker method is perfect for making pulled pork during the week, if you have to leave the house, or when you don’t want to heat up the house by turning the oven on.

Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork

2 1/2 lbs pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
1/2 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
3/4 tsp kosher salt
black pepper
cumin
chili powder
3/4 c bbq sauce
1/4 c water
1 T mustard
1/4 c apple cider vinegar

Line the bottom of a slow-cooker with the onions and garlic. Add the pork shoulder, then season with salt, pepper, cumin, and chili powder.

Add enough water to cover about 2/3 of the pork, then cover and cook on the high setting for 4-6 hours, or the low setting for 8-10 hours.

When the pork is tender, remove it from the slow-cooker and allow to cool. Shred the meat with two (large) forks or your fingers.

Remove the cooking liquid and onions from the slow-cooker. Return the shredded pork to the slow-cooker, then add the bbq sauce, mustard, 1/4 c of water, and apple cider vinegar. Stir to combine, then cook for another hour on the low setting.

I served this on toasted rolls with cole slaw.

Jan23

English pancakes (crepes)

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My mom is from Liverpool, England, and she used to make us crepes all the time growing up. She called them “English pancakes,” and we’d eat them with lemon and sugar.

She’s out of town right now, so I could not get the recipe from her. Instead, I used a basic one from allrecipes.com. The recipe does not say that you have to refrigerate the batter before making the crepes, but my mom would always chill her batter for a thinner consistency.

Crepes
Adapted from allrecipes.com

2 eggs
1/2 c milk
1/2 c water
1/4 tsp salt
1 c flour
2 T butter, melted, plus extra for greasing the skillet

For filling, you can use any of the following: Granulated sugar, lemon wedges, sliced apples, fruit preserves, sugar, Nutella, berries

Whisk together the eggs, milk, and water. Add the salt and flour, and stir until the batter is smooth. Stir in the melted butter.

(Optional) Chill for 30 minutes or more.

To cook, heat a skillet over medium high heat and grease with butter. Pour 1/4 c of batter into the skillet, and swirl it around so that the it coats the pan. When the bottom is golden and it can be removed from the bottom of the pan easily, flip the crepe and cook the other side.

Fill the crepes with the filling of your choice and roll loosely to serve.

Jan20

Emmentaler stuffed mushrooms

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Stuffed mushrooms are really easy to make, and you can stuff them with almost anything you have on hand. They are definitely one of my go-to hors d’oeuvres. This version is vegetarian, but I often incorporate sausage or bacon.

Emmentaler Stuffed Mushrooms

15 large button or crimini mushrooms
1 T butter
1 T olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
kosher salt
black pepper
1 egg
1/3 c bread crumbs
1/4 c parsley, finely chopped
1/2 c grated emmentaler
1/4 c red wine (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop the stems pretty finely.
3. Heat a small skillet over medium heat with the butter and olive oil. Add the garlic and mushrooms, and saute until the mushrooms are soft. Season with thyme, salt, and pepper, then pour the red wine in and allow it to reduce.
4. While the mushroom stems are cooking, add the egg, bread crumbs, parsley, and emmentaler to a small mixing bowl.
5. Allow the mushroom stems to cool. Once they are room temperature, add them to the bowl with the bread crumbs and egg. Stir everything to combine.

6. Put a spoon of filling into each mushroom cap. Rest them face up on a baking sheet, and bake for 25 minutes or until the mushrooms have released a little bit of liquid and the filling is golden brown.

If you are going to take these somewhere, they are good room temperature as well.