Ham and Cheese Sliders

 

These are a surprise hit with the kids. In fact, they’ve lately become my go-to thing for something easy I know they’ll eat. I usually make 6 to 8 sandwiches.

Ingredients:

• Rolls of some kind (we usually use hamburger buns, but you could also use cocktail buns)
• 1/2 pound (ish) sliced ham (I have used deli ham as well as leftover Easter ham)
• Swiss cheese (one slice for each sandwich)
• mayonaise (a little for each sandwich; optional)
• honey mustard sauce (recipe follows)

for the sauce

• 4 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 tablespoon mustard (yellow or Dijon, as you prefer)
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon dried minced onion (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line a cookie sheet with foil (for easy cleanup)
2. Assemble the sandwiches (minus the honey mustard sauce) on the cookie sheet
3. Mix all the sauce ingredients together and brush on top of each bun (if I have extra sauce, and I usually do, I just lift up the top of each bun and brush some sauce on top of the cheese)
4. Bake, covered with foil, for 10 min; remove the foil and bake another 2 minutes

Asian-Style Braised Pork Loin

This dish was super easy and delicious. The boys asked for seconds (actually, Simon ate thirds), and I’ve never seen Simon eat so much broccoli. Win, win, win, win. 

I didn’t use the green onions (Simon doesn’t like “yunyuns,” and I am trying to avoid mealtime drama). I didn’t have reduced-sodium soy sauce, so I used regular. It was plenty salty, so I would definitely suggest going for the reduced-sodium version if you can. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 quarter-sized slices unpeeled fresh ginger
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 whole star anise
• 2 pounds boneless pork loin roast
• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 8–16 ounces broccoli (1–2  bunches)

Directions:

1. Combine water, 4 green onions, soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, and star anise in a medium Dutch oven. Add pork and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 40 minutes, turning pork after 20 minutes. Turn pork again and simmer until meat thermometer inserted into center of pork reads 145 degrees (about 12 minutes). Transfer to cutting board and let cool.
2. Pour pot liquid through sieve into glass measuring cup or bowl.
3. To make sauce, combine 3 tablespoons cooking liquid and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil in small bowl. Set aside.
4. Steam broccoli, then toss with 1/2 cup cooking liquid and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil in medium bowl.
5. Cut pork into slices. Transfer pork and broccoli to plater; drizzle with sauce and remaining 2 green onions.

Soy-Braised Pork Tenderloin, Mushrooms, and Leeks

(Originally posted in April 2011.) I put off trying this recipe because I was intimidated by leeks. I finally watched a few YouTube videos about how to clean them, and I’m glad I did. Leeks are delicious, and this super-easy recipe has become a once-a-week staple at our house.

Ingredients:

• 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 4 leeks, cleaned and halved lengthwise
• 1 pound mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed of visible fat and cut into 1-inch thick medallions
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet on medium for 1 minute. Carefully place leeks, cut sides down, across the bottom of the hot pan. Cook undisturbed for 4 minutes, then flip over.
2. Add mushrooms and soy sauce. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Stir in garlic and ginger and continue to simmer for at least 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. In another large skillet, heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil on medium for 1 minute.
5. Arrange pork in pan. Cook 2 minutes, then flip over each medallion and repeat until pork is cooked through.
6. Add medallions to leeks mixture. Deglaze the skillet used to cook pork by removing it from heat and adding 1 tablespoon water and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Rub spatula across bottom of pan several times to bring up the juices and add to the mushroom mixture.
7. Cook everything, uncovered, for 2 minutes over medium heat.

Pozole

We attended a wedding several weeks ago where the reception was a soup luncheon. One of the soups was a pozole that was delicious. So delicious, in fact, that we couldn’t stop thinking about it. We made two attempts at making some pozole of our own, but both efforts were pretty disappointing, to say the least. We finally got a hold of the right recipe, thanks to Emily Moss, and it was as good as we remembered.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds of pork roast
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 10 cups of chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons ground red chili or chili powder
• 3 cups hominy, canned

Directions

1. Cook the pork slowly until it shreds easily. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Saute onion and garlic cloves in the bottom of a heavy pot.
3. Add meat, broth, and other ingredients.
4. Reduce heat to low and let it all simmer for 90 minutes.
5. Add seasoning according to taste.

When you’re ready to eat, the pozole can be garnished with shredded cabbage, onions, cilantro, lime, tortilla chips, hot sauce, radishes, and/or cheese.

Note: When you buy the pork, ask the butcher to cube it for you while you do the rest of your shopping. Doing so will save you a lot of time.

Pork Tenderloin

A favorite from the old Zion Cookbook  – this was our Christmas Eve dinner.

Ingredients

• 3-4 pounds pork tenderloin
• 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

Combine all ingredients and rub onto meat. Marinate overnight.  Place meat in a baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes per pound. Internal temperature should be 160 degrees.

One-Pan Whiskey-Flavored Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 (6-ounce) bone-in center-cut pork chops, trimmed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup whiskey

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Combine sour cream, water, flour, salt, sage, and pepper in a small bowl.
3. Sprinkle pork with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
4. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Add pork, sauté 5 minutes on each side or until golden.
6. Remove pork from pan.
7. Add onions and mushrooms to pan, and sauté for 3 minutes.
8. Carefully add whiskey to pan, cook for 1 minute, or until liquid almost evaporates.
9. Stir sour cream mixture into pan. Return pork to pan, spoon sauce over pork.
10. Wrap handle of skillet with foil. Cover and bake at 300 for 1 hour.

I believe this recipe originally came from Cooking Light. I cooked the whiskey an extra two or three minutes just to make super sure that all the alcohol cooked out. :)