Happy New Year!

The new year is a great time for fresh starts and new goals. Our family is particularly anxious to put 2018 behind us and we're fervently praying for 2019 to be filled with family adventures, health, and nothing exciting at all. I've had my fill of surprises in 2018 and appreciate the growth that all of the unexpected activity has brought into my life. 2018 has been a year of tremendous emotional, spiritual, and marital growth. We have been blessed. 

Keeping with tradition, we will be scarfing down our black eyed peas tomorrow in the form of a yummy pork based soup. In an attempt to combine the northern tradition of pork and sauerkraut (cabbage) with the southern tradition of black eyed peas and cornbread, this soup was born.

Black Eyed Pea Soup

2 lbs ground pork

1 large onion chopped 

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 cups beef broth

1 28oz. can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup roughly chopped cabbage

3 cans black eyed peas, drained and rinsed

1 4oz can chopped green chilies

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cumin

In a large pot, stir together pork and onion and cook until the meat is no longer pink. Drain excess fat and return meat/onion mixture to pot. Stir in garlic and heat for just a couple of minutes then add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer for about 15-20 minutes allowing flavors to combine. Serve with cornbread and top with sour cream, if desired. 

May your 2019 be merry and bright! 

Chocolate Mousse Tart

This is not a recipe for the gluten-free, dairy-free friends in my life. I have successfully replicated this crust with vegan cream cheese and gluten free flour; however, there is no replicating the filling without the heavy cream. It just doesn't work. This dessert is perfect for the holidays because of its rich, decadent texture making it the perfect once-in-a-while indulgence. You can also make it well ahead of time.

Crust

1/2 cup butter, softened
4 oz. cream cheese, softened (1/2 of the standard size 8oz package)
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. table salt
1/2 cup finely chopped, toasted pecans

Mousse

1 (12oz) package semisweet morsels
2 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided 2 cups and 1/2 cup
1 Tbsp. bourbon *optional*
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

To prepare the crust, beat together on medium speed the butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the flour and salt, beating at low speed until just blended. Shape into a disk, wrap with plastic warp, and chill for 1 hour. After chilling is complete, preheat oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease aa 12"x8" tart pan. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface into a rough 13x9 rectangle. Gently press dough into pan and press up side, trimming excess dough. Bake dough for 15-17 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely.

For the mousse, microwave the 1/2 cup cream and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl for 1 1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in bourbon and vanilla; let stand 5 minutes. Beat remaining 2 cups of cream at med-high speed until medium peaks form; fold cream into chocolate mixture and combine well. Spread in cooled tart shell. Topped with coarsely chopped pecans. Chill for at least 4 hours, but at least overnight is preferred.

Sheet Pan Supper #2

I tried to like the Instant Pot. I really did. I tried many times over to get the hang of it and make it do all of the things so many promised me that it could do. My Instant Pot failure is another notch on my belt that proves to me....

Things that are popular just never work out for me.

I think my expectations are a little too high. If it's popular and receiving rave reviews, then it must be some sort of magical. If the Instant Pot is supposed to be faster than the crockpot, maybe I expected it to be George Jetson fast. Like super-futuristic-nearly-magical fast. Perhaps I wasn't patient enough.  At any rate, I feel the IP is never gonna work for me and I can't keep small appliances around that don't carry their weight in productivity. The only food I successfully cooked from the Instant Pot were super yummy, buttery, golden potatoes. However, for an appliance to hold a spot on my pantry shelf....you gotta be able to make more than potatoes.  I guess I'm old school when it comes to kitchen cooking tools and I couldn't get on board with the IP fascination that so many of my friends have come to enjoy. I felt the same way about Botox. I tried to like it, I really did.  Everyone told me it was wonderful...everyone was wrong. The headache, the inability to move my muscles - My GOD-given muscles! Yes, I know that is supposed to be the point, but I guess I didn't close the loop on what Botox actually is/does until it was too late. WHAT are we doing to ourselves?! Does it really improve my life to  inject toxin into myself? Not one bit. I think it actually made my life worse. I may be the only person to spiral into a full on panic attack....from Botox. Won't be doing that again any time soon. Just let it be already. YOU ARE FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE. (Psalm 139:14) We get to Jesus at the finish line no matter what sefl-inflicted, fountain-of-youth tactics we do to ourselves beforehand. However, true to my gender, I reserve my right to change my mind at any point that I feel like trying something irrational again in the future. I digress... 

When the Instant Pot did not work out for me, I went back to my tried and true oven and my ever faithful sheet pans. 

Preheat said oven to 350 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Toss 6 plums (halved) with 1 Tbs. of olive oil, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp. nutmeg. Spread them onto parchment lined sheet pan. Thinly slice 1 red onion and coat with 1 Tbs. olive oil. Add onion to the sheet pan. Season entire pan generously with salt and pepper. 

I realize from looking at the picture that I used more than six plums or else I most likely quartered them. You get the point though. Throw some plums on the sheet pan. Add some thinly sliced onion. Heat 3 Tbs. of butter in a cast iron skillet and lightly sear two pork tenderloin roasts...

Place seared pork tenderloin on your bed of plums and red onion....

Roast uncovered in 350 degree oven for about 45-50 minutes or until pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Let meat rest for about 15 minutes before serving. 

Slice pork and serve with roasted plums/onions and a complementary vegetable - steamed asparagus works for our family, but caesar salad would be nice as well or a buttery green bean. Do what works for you! Enjoy! 

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Sheet Pan Supper #1

I adore cooking and find it very relaxing especially after a long day of baking. I know it may seem contradictory to enjoy being in one kitchen after having spent your entire day in another, but as any foodie will tell you....cooking and baking are two entirely separate beasts just as owning a bakery and managing a home kitchen are two boats in completely different ponds. That said, I've been dying for more simplicity when it comes to dinner time with 6 people. We are not fast-foodies or even convenience-foodies which only serves to complicate dinner when there are limited shortcuts between beginning the meal prep and all of the ingredients actually reaching edible. I am venturing into sheet-pan-suppers and trying to find ways to get our evening meal executed with minimal cookware, resulting (with any luck) in minimal dishes. This sheet-pan-supper was my first attempt and turned out incredibly savory. So simple and a very flexible recipe that will allow for a myriad of seasonings and vegetables for numerous variations. Change it up! 

Start by placing your veggies of choice on a sheet pan. I opted for baby carrots and onion, but potatoes would be oh so yummy as well. I will definitely try with fresh brussel sprouts next time. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dried oregano. Dice and cook 8 oz of bacon and cook in a skillet.  Remove bacon and sprinkle on top of your sheet pan veggies. Cut up a whole chicken (or buy it already cut up if you prefer), season chicken well with salt/pepper, and brown chicken portions in the bacon fat of your skillet. You may have to do this in batches to get all of the chicken browned. Layer your seared chicken portions on top of your veggies and pour any remaining bacon fat and juices from your skillet over the sheet pan of chicken/veggies. Place your sheet pan in a 400 degree oven and carefully pour in 1/2 cup chicken broth and 1/2 cup dry white wine (sauvignon blanc is my favorite to cook with) OR you can use 1 cup of chicken broth and skip the wine if you prefer. Set your timer for 1 hour and roast it all together until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees. You will have ample yummy broth in your sheet pan to pour over your plated chicken.  Or use the fluid to make a flavor filled gravy to drown your day in as many calories as possible. Why not?  Sometimes life calls for exactly such salve. Enjoy!

My apologies for the photo quality - I didn't set out to blog this recipe, but when I witnessed how delectable it was shaping up to be, I couldn't help whipping out the iPhone an snapping what I could before my people devoured the goodness.