SPICED SHREDDED PORK TACOS ~ CLASSIC GOOD EATS

CLASSIC GOOD EATS ~ SPICED SHREDDED PORK TACOS
4 pound pork shoulder roast
1 KNORR cilantro cube
1 KNORR onion cube
1 MAGGI pollo cube
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large onion, sliced thin and separated into rings
1 cup white wine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1 cup apple juice

  • Rinse and pat dry pork roast.
  • In a small food processor add: cilantro, onion and chicken cubes.  Pulse until granulated.
  • Add cumin, chili powder and oregano.  Pulse until well blended.
  • Add brown sugar, olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the wine. Pulse until well blended into a paste.
  • Rub paste into all surfaces and crevices of your roast.
  • Layer onion rings on bottom of roaster.
  • Place roast over onion rings.
  • Combine remaining wine and apple juice. Carefully pour around the roast.
  • Cover tightly and roast at 300 degrees for several hours, turning ever now and then.
  • When it’s fork tender, remove the lid, turn up the temperature to 400 degrees and roast another 20 minutes or so.
  • Remove from oven and let pork roast rest for 15 minutes.
  • Shred the roast and return the meat to the juices.
  • Serve with fresh warm tortillas, lime wedges, fresh cilantro, sour cream, guacamole and all other toppings of choice.

A New Beginning… and Lucky

I’ve been struggling with a way to get back into the swing of things here in blogland. You see just 2 months ago today I was struck with those words that we all fear hearing from our doctor. You know,  any phrase that includes the words cancer, chemotherapy, radiation or surgery. For me it was the worst Christmas present imaginable so I persevered and didn’t really let on to most of the family in the beginning – no sense ruining anyone else’s holidays since no further testing could be scheduled until after Christmas.
You truly do go through the 5 stages of grief augmented with periods of disbelief and a lack of comprehension.  It doesn’t matter how well schooled you are or how intelligent you are, those words hit you like a ton of bricks.
Last year when I began my food blog, Always Eat On The Good China, I developed the name after reading a letter that Erma Bombeck wrote when she knew she was dying from cancer.  I even put a quote from her on my side bar that I found extremely poignant.
It was around that same time that I had an appendicitis attack – I still had my appendix and it had been chronic since I was 9 years old.  Or at least I thought I was having an appendicitis attack.  We now know that I was having pain from my ovary that was growing into what was being described as a cantalouped size mass.
Fortunately for me at my well woman exam the nurse practitioner noticed what she thought was an enlarged uterus and she ordered an ultrasound because she feared uterine cancer.
The ultrasound was on the Tuesday after Christmas. The words changed, but stayed the same, cancer was still in the phrase, but now it was ovarian cancer.  To it they added terms like tumor and oncologist.
My brand new doctor (I’d never met him prior to the ultrasound tech calling him into the exam) in a brand new town thought I was in shock because I didn’t cry and react hysterically. He just didn’t know  me well enough to know I was really okay.  But, I’m a fixer, so my next phrase is always, what next?  What next turned out to be a referral to MD Anderson Cancer Center and an oncologist, whom I adore by the way!.  She and her team made it possible for me to stay both positive and see the light at the end of the tunnel. Their Motto is “making cancer history” which struck me as the right positive note for me.
The next 2 weeks and 5 days were a whirlwind of blood draws, X-rays, CT scans, MRI’s, chemical stress tests, consultations, clearances and…
I underwent surgery on the 1st knowing full well all the fine print, legal jargon and potential pitfalls of this diagnosis.  I also knew that because of the size, I would awake to only a possible pathology.  I awoke to hear things like “self-contained”, “non-invasive cancer” and “surveillance” as well as that the cantaloupe was actually a volleyball with a balloon twist.  While we are still awaiting final pathology I am now at home after a week in the hospital and catering to the whims of a 10 inch zipper through multiple layers of muscle and the needs to get my energy back and regenerate the tissue.
With that, for now, I’ll leave you with this email story that crossed my desk.  True or not, it’s heart warming and endearing and worth the read.  I choose to believe in the bright and positive.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mary and her husband Jim had a dog named ‘Lucky.’

Lucky was a real character. Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open because Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his fancy. Inevitably, someone would forget and something would come up missing.

Mary or Jim would go to Lucky’s toy box in the basement and there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky’s other favorite toys Lucky always stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys stay in the box.

It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer. Something told her she was going to die of this disease….in fact; she was just sure it was fatal.

She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders. The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky. A thought struck her…what would happen to Lucky? Although the three-year-old dog liked Jim, he was Mary’s dog through and through. If I die, Lucky will be abandoned, Mary thought. He won’t understand that I didn’t want to leave him! The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.

The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated and Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks. Jim took Lucky for his evening walk faithfully, but the little dog just drooped, whining and miserable.

Finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home, Mary was so exhausted she couldn’t even make it up the steps to her bedroom. Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap.

Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn’t come to her when she called. It made Mary sad, but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed.

When Mary woke for a second she couldn’t understand what was wrong. She couldn’t move her head and her body  felt heavy and hot. But panic soon gave way to laughter when Mary realized the problem. She was covered, literally blanketed, with every treasure Lucky owned! While she had slept, the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement bringing his beloved mistress all his favorite things in life.
He had covered her with his love.
Mary forgot about dying. Instead she and Lucky began living again, walking further and further together every day. It’s been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free.
Lucky… He still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his greatest treasure.
Remember….live every day to the fullest. Each minute is a blessing from God. And never forget….the people who make a difference in our lives are not the ones with the most Credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care for us.
 
If you see someone without a smile today give them one of yours! 
Live simply. 
Love seriously. 
Care deeply. 
Speak kindly. 
Leave the rest to God.
A small request
Dear God, I pray for the cure of cancer.
Amen

ZUCCHINI, PEPPERS & POTATO BAKE

This is a great side dish that I make often. What’s great about it is that you can adapt it to your own tastes. In the mood for spicy?  Add some cayenne.  Or do what I often do and add more garlic! 

This is healthy and delicious and goes with just about everything!
Zucchini, Peppers & Potato Bake 
3 potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs), cut into bite size pieces
1 zucchini (about 1 lb), quartered and cut into bite sized chunks
1 onion (I didn’t use this but I usually do), chopped in large chunks
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1/3 cup bread crumbs (I used garlic and herb)
2 tbsp. olive oil1/2 tsp. paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste

Toss together veggies in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and toss with bread crumbs. Season with paprika, salt and pepper. Put on a baking sheet covered with cooking spray and cook in a 400 degree oven for about 1 hour or 1 1/4 hours. Stirring occasionally until potatoes are tender and lightly brown. You may need to adjust cooking time depending how done you want your veggies.

Total calories = 1170
6 servings = 195 calories

1 Orange Chipotle Rib + Zucchini, Peppers & Potato Bake = 595 calorie dinner

HOMEMADE SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Spaghetti Sauce.  A food that everyone seems to have their versions of.  This is the best spaghetti sauce that I have ever tasted.  It is my nana’s recipe and I have never tasted another remotely like it.  Everyone that has tasted it has enjoyed it and gone back for seconds.  I make a double batch and freeze the leftovers for busy weeknights.  Serve with a salad and big,crusty bread and you have a complete meal.  Nana’s recipe calls for ground beef but you can certainly lighten it up with ground turkey.  And please don’t leave out the Heinz 57 sauce.  It is crucial to the outcome.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Nana’s Spaghetti Sauce
3 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Heinz 57 steak sauce
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • Brown onion and green pepper in a large skillet in a small amount of oil.
  • Add ground beef to the onion and green peppers; cook until brown.
  • Carefully drain the hamburger mixture and return to the skillet.
  • Add the tomato sauce, onion salt, salt, garlic salt, oregano, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, Heinz 57 and Italian seasoning.
  • Stir well and simmer on low heat for 2-3 hours.
  • Serve over your favorite pasta with garlic bread and a salad.

Heavenly Hash Brownies

A few weeks ago, I was organizing some recipes in my binder, and I came across this recipe clipped from a newspaper.  I cannot even tell you from which paper, as it was the recipe alone.  I’m fairly certain this is from my mother’s collection, as on the back of the recipe there is a portion of a grocery ad for a penny sale, as in 10 cans of tomato paste for 10 cents.  Ancient, yes?  Anyway, I vaguely remember making these for a family get together some years ago, but I couldn’t remember if I liked them, really liked them, or what have you, so I figured I’d give them another audition. 
The verdict?  They’re good, as in really, really good.  I made these for our Super Bowl buffet, but they are perfect for anytime you want something decadent, yet fairly easy.

Heavenly Hash Brownies
2 sticks butter
4 tablespoons cocoa
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup pecans, toasted & chopped
1 cup almonds, toasted & chopped
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
10 oz bag miniature marshmallows

Icing
1 stick butter
1/2 cup half & half
6 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla

For the brownies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 13×9 square baking dish with non-stick spray and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on opposite sides so that you can lift out the bars when they are done.
In a small saucepan, melt the two sticks of butter and 4 tablespoons cocoa.  Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, and vanilla until thickened. 
Mix in the cooled butter & cocoa mixture.
Add in the flour, nuts, and salt.
Pour mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes.
Remove from oven and immediately pour bag of marshmallows on hot brownies; set aside and prepare icing.

For the icing:
Combine all icing ingredients, except vanilla, in a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, until butter melts, and the icing is thick and creamy. 
Stir in the vanilla.
Pour hot icing over brownies.
Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.
Enjoy!