breakfast quesadillas... 25 minutes

the goods:

1 pound bacon
1 onion, diced
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon butter
8 large eggs
1/4 cup half-and-half
6 whole wheat tortillas
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup grated monterey jack cheese
2 avocados, pitted, peeled, and sliced
salsa, for serving
sour cream, for serving

In a large skillet, fry the bacon over medium until crisp, drain on paper towels.
Pour the grease out of the skillet and return it to the stove over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno and cook for several minutes until they start to soften and onions start to caramelize. Transfer them to a plate and reduce the skillet to medium-low. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-ha;f, and season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into the pan. Cook eggs, stirring them often, until they're set. Transfer to a plate.

Build the quesadillas: Melt some butter in a clean skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lay a tortilla on the butter. Add a sprinkling of cheese, some bacon slices, eggs, avocado, another layer of cheese (don't skimp on the cheese, this is the glue that holds it all together), and a layer of the sauteed veggies. Top with a second tortilla, then flip to the other side once cheese is starting to melt and tortilla starts to brown.
Cut into wedges and serve with sour cream and salsa.

pulled pork lettuce wraps with avocado aioli... 8 hours

 the goods:

pulled pork:
pork shoulder (about 2 pounds)
1/2 and onion, sliced
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder

avocado aioli:
1 avocado
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 limes, juiced
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper, to taste

lettuce wraps:
1 head iceburg lettuce, broken into cups
sliced sweet peppers

Trim pork shoulder of excess fat (cutting in half if necessary). Place onion slices in the bottom of a slow cooker. Place pork shoulder on top. Whisk together maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, salt, and chili powder. Pour over the pork. Cook on low heat for 8 hours or until pork is fall-apart tender. Remove from slow cooker and place in a large bowl. Shred using two forks, adding cooking liquid as needed to moisten.
Meanwhile, add the avocado, mayonnaise, lime juice, and garlic to a food processor. Pulse until smooth, season with salt and pepper, and pulse again until smooth.
Pile pork into lettuce cups, top with avocado aioli, and sliced sweet peppers. Enjoy!

italian sausage tortellini... 25 minutes

 the goods:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 lb. mild italian sausage, in casings
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth
1 can (14.5 ounces) petite diced tomatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
20 ounces fresh tortellini
3 cups fresh baby spinach
grated parmesan, for serving

Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions. Squeeze the sausage from the casing into little "meatballs" straight into the pan. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage is browned and onions are soft, about 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add garlic, stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the broth, tomatoes, cream, and tortellini to the skillet. Stir to combine, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil.
Cover, then reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes, until tortellini are tender and heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add in spinach and stir until wilted. Remove from heat and serve topped with parmesan.

slow cooker korean tacos... 8 hours

the goods:

1 boneless pork tenderloin, cut in half

1 cup hoisin sauce

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 scallions, thinly sliced

1 package (16 ounces) broccoli slaw mix

3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

small flour tortillas

Add the pork to the bowl of a slow cooker. Add the hoisin sauce, garlic, and scallions. Toss meat around to coat with all the sauce and spices. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours.
Prior to serving, toss broccoli slaw mix with rice wine vinegar and brown sugar in a medium bowl until combined.
Remove pork from slow cooker and shred meat using 2 forks. Place pork back in slow cooker and toss with sauce. Warm tortillas up and serve with pork and slaw.

crockpot caramelized pork ramen noodles... 8 hours

the goods:

2-3 pound shoulder roast (or butt), trimmed of excess fat

4 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon thai chili paste

juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 cups wild mushrooms, left whole, or button mushrooms, sliced

4 packs ramen noodles, seasoning discarded

4 fried eggs, for serving

julienned carrots, sliced scallions, and minced cilantro, for serving

roasted acorn squash:

1 medium acorn squash, peeled, seeded, and diced

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

1 tablespoon brown sugar

Add pork to the bowl of a crockpot. Pour in the chicken broth, 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, and fish sauce over the pork. Add the chili paste, ginger, lime juice, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. (low and slow is preferable.)
About 40 minuted before you're ready to eat, roast the squash. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl mix together coconut oil, brown sugar and a good pinch of pepper. Add the squash to a greased baking sheet and pour the oil over the squash. Toss to combine. Bake for 30-40 minutes, tossing a couple times during roasting.
Meanwhile, remove the pork from the crockpot and add the mushrooms. Cover the crockpot and crank the heat up to high. Lightly shred the pork with 2 forks.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sesame oil. Once hot, add enough pork to cover just the surface of your skillet, do not crowd. Sprinkle a little brown sugar over the pork, add 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, toss. Allow the pork to caramelize, about 2 minutes. Stir, and allow the pork to continue to caramelize, another 2 minutes. Remove the pork to a plate, and repeat with remaining pork.
Add the ramen noodles to the crockpot and allow them to cook 5 minutes. Once the noodles are cooked, Stir in about half the pork. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with extra caramelized pork, roasted acorn squash, and an egg. Garnish with carrots, scallions, and cilantro.

loaded pulled pork nachos... 10 hours

the goods:

pulled pork:

2 pounds pork shoulder/butt, trimmed of excess fat

2 cans (4 ounces each) diced green chiles

1 can (12 ounces) Dr. Pepper

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons liquid smoke

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

zest of 1 orange

1 cup barbecue sauce

nachos:

3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed

white corn tortilla chips

1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

3 sweet peppers (red, orange, and yellow), sliced

1 avocado, chopped

2 scallions, sliced

sour cream

barbecue sauce for drizzling

Lightly spray the bowl of a slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Add pork. In a medium bowl, whisk together the chiles, Dr. Pepper, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, liquid smoke, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, paprika, ginger, red pepper flakes, and orange zest. Pour over pork. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours. Remove pork to a cutting board and shred. Drain slow cooker of any remaining liquid. Return pork to slow cooker and add barbecue sauce; stir to combine.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a layer of tortilla chips evenly to cover the pan. Top with pulled pork (as much as desired), then sprinkle with black beans and corn. Drizzle with a little bit of barbecue sauce then top with a generous amount of cheese. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Top with avocado, sweet peppers, sour cream, and scallions. Serve immediately.

tortellini soup with italian sausage, spinach, and tomatoes... 30 minutes

the goods:

1 pound ground italian sausage

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small white onion, diced

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 can (28 ounces) fire roasted crushed tomatoes

6 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1/4 cup roughly-chopped basil leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 package (about 1 pound) refrigerated tortellini

2 big handfuls of fresh baby spinach

grated parmesan, for serving

Cook the italian sausage in a large stockpot over medium-high heat until browned, breaking the sausage up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Transfer sausage with a plate with a slotted spoon, then drain excess grease from pot. Return pot to heat and add olive oil. Add white onion and saute for 7 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute, until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes, stock, basil, salt and pepper, and the cooked sausage, and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer. Add the tortellini and continue to to simmer for 8 minutes until tortellini is cooked through, stirring occasionally. In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add spinach and stir to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve with parmesan.

spicy sausage fettuccine with basil and parmesan... 40 minutes

the goods:

1 tablespoon olive oil
half an onion, chopped
3 italian sausages, casings removed
2 cups tomato sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 pound fettuccine
8 basil leaves, chopped
parmesan cheese, for serving

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to package instructions.
Heat olive oil in a large pan set over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add onion and saute 5-7 minutes, until it is soft and beginning to brown. Add sausages to pan (without casings), and break into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon. Continue to cook and break it up until it is browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add tomato sauce and garlic to the pan and stir to combine everything. Reduce heat to medium-low and let sauce heat, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Drain pasta and return it to the pot. Pour in sauce and stir to combine. Serve with basil and parmesan.

bacon cheddar chicken burgers with guacamole... 40 minutes

the goods:

5 slices bacon
1 Vidalia onion (sweet), sliced into rings
1 pound ground chicken
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 ripe avocado
1 large tomato, sliced
4 slices white cheddar cheese
4 hamburger buns

In a large skillet, fry bacon over medium until browned and crisp, transfer to paper towels to drain. In the same pan, add onion slices and let saute in bacon grease until caramelized, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
For guacamole, peel avocado and remove the pit. In a small bowl, mash the avocado with the back of a fork, until slightly chunky. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of paprika.
To make the burgers, combine, ground chicken, parsley, and paprika in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and massage together with your hands. Form meat into 4 patties. Cook patties in same pan you took the onions out of. Be diligent that you cook them all the way through, since it's chicken. About 7 minutes per side. During the last minute of cooking, top each patty with a slice of cheese and tent the skillet with foil to allow cheese to melt.
Assemble the burgers by placing a patty on each bun, topped with caramelized onions, bacon, guacamole, and a slice of tomato and top of bun.

asparagus, bacon, and strawberry salad with poached eggs

the goods:

vinaigrette:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of sugar

salad:
4 ounces thick-cut bacon
1 pound asparagus, rough ends trimmed
splash of vinegar
4 large eggs
1 bag spring mix salad
12 strawberries, quartered

Add all vinaigrette ingredients to a jar, close lid tightly and shake vigorously. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and fry until crispy, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan and let drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. In the same skillet, add the asparagus to the bacon grease and cook until tender and slightly roasted, 5-8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus stalks.
Bring a pot of water to boil. Add a splash of vinegar and turn the heat back to medium-high. Crack 1 egg into a cup. Give the water a stir before dropping the egg in all at once. Add the remaining eggs in the same manner and poach for 2-4 minutes. Remove eggs with a slotted spoon.
To assemble, divide salad mix among 4 plates. Cut the asparagus into thirds and scatter over the lettuce. Divide the strawberries and bacon among the plates, then drizzle with vinaigrette. Top each salad with a poached egg and season with salt and pepper.

chipotle pork burgers... 25 minutes

the goods:

1 and 1/2 pounds ground pork

2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 slices colby jack cheese

1 avocado, sliced

4 tablespoons mayonnaise

4 english muffins

In a medium bowl, mix chipotle peppers, cilantro, garlic powder, salt and pepper into pork with your hands. Form into 4 patties.
Preheat grill to medium-high. Clean and lightly oil hot grates. Grill burgers 6-8 minutes per side, top with cheese after flipping.
Split and toast english muffins, and lightly spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise on each muffin. Top with burgers and avocado.

roasted red pepper and tomato soup with apple-bacon grilled cheese... 1 hour

the goods:

soup:

2 red bell peppers

3 heaping tablespoons frozen corn

1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1 medium yellow onion

3 cups chicken broth

2 roasted green peppers, jarred

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

sour cream, and minced chives, for serving

sandwiches:

sliced sourdough bread

butter

thinly sliced apple

cooked bacon

sliced sharp cheddar cheese

Roast bell peppers on a grill or over a gas cooktop until blistered and blackened in spots. Place them in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to steam for 10 minutes. Peel peppers, remove stems and seeds and give them a rough chop. In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Saute the onions until translucent and soft. Add the garlic and peppers and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring. Add tomatoes, broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, thyme, and oregano. Bring to a boil. Cover, and boil over medium heat for 20-25 minutes. Using an immersion blender, or doing it in small batches in your blender, puree soup just slightly (you still want it to have some texture). (If you are using your blender, puree only about half the soup.) Add corn and turn heat up to high for a couple minutes to heat through. Serve with sour cream and chives.

Make sandwiches: (I prepped all the sandwiches while the soup was bubbling, then grilled them up at the end while the soup cooled.) Butter the outside of 2 slices sourdough, On the unbuttered side, layer cheese, bacon, apple, and cheese. Top with other slice of bread, butter-side-up. Make as many as needed. Heat a skillet to medium. Cook sandwiches until cheese is melted and bread is golden and toasted. Serve with soup.

korean style pork chops... 25 minutes (plus marinating)

 the goods:

4 boneless pork chops
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
2 teaspoons sriracha sauce
black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and sriracha sauce. Add pork chops and allow to marinate for about 20 minutes.
Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork chops (without marinade), and cook for about 5 minutes on the first side, or until it's nice an golden brown. Flip the pork chops then pour marinade over the top. Cook for another 5 minutes. Place the skillet in the oven and roast for 10 minutes, or until the pork chops are completely cooked through (this time with vary depending on the thickness of your chops). Serve immediately.

hawaiian grilled cheese... 15 minutes

the goods (per sandwich):

2 slices sourdough bread

2 slices fresh pineapple, cored

3 slices canadian bacon

4 slices (depending on size of bread) monterey jack cheese

softened butter

oregano

parsley

 In a cast-iron skillet, brown the canadian bacon. Butter outside of each slice of bread and season with oregano and parsley. On the un-buttered side, stack cheese slice, canadian bacon, and pineapple, finishing with another cheese slice. Top with bread butter side-up. In same cast-iron skillet, or on a flat griddle over medium heat, cook sandwiches until bread browns and cheese melts, flipping once. Slice and enjoy!

pork tenderloin with peppers... 15 minutes

the goods:

1 pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1-inch thick medallions
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 and 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
4 canned anchovy fillets, drained and ground into a paste
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add pork to pan; cook for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; turn pork over. Add 1 teaspoon rosemary, anchovies, garlic, and bell peppers; cook 7 minutes or until peppers are tender and pork is done. Drizzle with vinegar. Top with remaining 1/2 teaspoon rosemary.

bacon guacamole grilled cheese sandwich... 15 minutes

the goods (per sandwich):

3 slices bacon
2 slices sourdough bread
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1 slice monterey jack cheese
1 slice cheddar cheese
1/4 cup guacamole

Cook the bacon until crispy and allow to drain on paper towels. Butter 1 side of each slice of bread. Place a slice of cheddar cheese on the unbuttered side of a slice of bread. Top with bacon, then guacamole, then monterey jack cheese. Place the other side of bread on top, butter-side-up. Heat a skillet to medium and cook sandwich until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and toast the other side until golden brown and cheese has melted. Slice in half and serve.

slow cooker lasagna... 4 hours and 35 minutes

the goods:

1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound Italian sausage (casings removed if necessary)
2 jars (24 ounces each) spaghetti sauce
2 cups water
1 container (15 ounces) whole milk ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
16 lasagna noodles (NOT no-boil)
1 and 1/2 pounds mozzarella, shredded
1/2 cup grated parmesan

In a large skillet over medium heat, combine olive oil and Italian sausage. Cook, for 10-12 minutes, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Add spaghetti sauce and water, bring to a simmer and turn off heat. In a small bowl, stir together ricotta and parsley and season with salt and pepper. In the bottom of a slow cooker, spread a layer of sauce. Cover with a layer of noodles (breaking them up to fit when needed), spread a layer of the ricotta mixture on top. Pour 2 cups sauce on top of ricotta, sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella and sprinkle with parmesan. Repeat layers 3 more times: noodles, ricotta, sauce, cheeses. Finishing with a nice layer of cheese. Cook on low for 4 hours. Place slow cooker (inside only) in oven and broil until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown. Let rest 20 minutes before serving.

baby back ribs with root beer BBQ sauce... 4 hours

the goods:

2 rack of baby back ribs

1 tablespoon and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons coarse sea salt

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon ground mustard

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 and 1/2 teaspoons black pepper

1 and 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder

root beer BBQ sauce:

3/4 cup ketchup

2/3 cup root beer

1/2 cup honey

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place each rack of ribs on a double layer of aluminum foil.

In a small bowl whisk together the salt, paprika, mustard, garlic powder, pepper, onion powder, and chipotle chili powder. Rub the mixture all over both sides of the ribs, then wrap the ribs in the foil. Place the racks on a rimmed backing sheet and bake for 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the BBQ sauce: Place all ingredients in a saucepan and whisk together until combined. Heat over medium and bring to a boil, then reduce to low and cook for 30 to 60 minutes, until thickened. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat and let sit at room temperature until it cools. Store in a jar in the fridge.

After ribs have been cooking for 2 hours and 30 minutes, gently pour the juice from the foil packets into a glass measuring cup. Whisk in 4 tablespoons BBQ sauce.

Heat the grill to the highest setting and remove the ribs from the foil. Once the grill is hot, clean and lightly oil the grates. Place the ribs (carefully, cause they will fall apart on you!) on the grill and cook for 10-12 minutes, until they are charred and slightly crispy on the outsides, basting occasionally with the BBQ sauce you combined with the juices.

Serve with lots of chilled BBQ sauce!

ham and cheese and spinach puffs... 50 minutes

the goods:

2 sheets puff pastry
1/2 pound cooked ham, diced
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1 cup grated Monterey jack cheese

bechamel sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup warm whole milk
pinch of salt
freshly cracked pepper
ground nutmeg

Cut the puff pastry sheets into 5-inch squares. Set aside in the fridge. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Make the bechamel: melt butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Add flour and salt; cook, stirring frequently until the mixture becomes golden with a nutty aroma. Slowly pour in warm milk while whisking to combine. Cook the mixture, stirring constantly along the bottom of the pan until boiling, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
Stir in spinach and cook for 1 minute. Add ham and cheese and stir well. Remove from heat.
Arrange the puff pastry squares on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Dollop 1 or 2 tablespoons of the bechamel mixture onto each square. Sprinkle with grated cheese and close the pockets by folding the corners on top.
Make an egg wash with 1 tablespoon cold water and 1 egg. Brush the puff pastry with the egg wash and bake for 20 minutes until; puffed and golden. Serve immediately.

BLTA salad... 15 minutes

the goods:

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 boneless, skinless, chicken breast, pounded to an even thickness

1 pound bacon, cooked and drained

2 romaine hearts of lettuce, chopped

1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

half a cucumber, peeled and diced

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

dressing:

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

juice from 1/2 a lemon

In a small skillet, over medium-high heat, add butter and olive oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown and completely cooked through. About 5 minutes per side.

In a small bowl or mason jar, combine dressing ingredients and whisk or shake to combine.

In a large bowl, combine lettuce, chicken, tomatoes, and cucumber. Toss with dressing. Then add avocado, bacon, and blue cheese.