Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pork

When I wrote my last post at the end of March, I apologized for falling off the face of the earth because of our business move. Well I fell back off. As soon as we got settled in our new office, life got a little crazier. I was feeling relatively terrible because apparently morning sickness and exhaustion are twice as bad when you're pregnant with twins.

Yep, you heard that right. The husband and I are having identical twin boys! They'll arrive sometime in October, and we couldn't be happier. Especially now that I'm in my second trimester and eating more than crackers and cheese.

While the nausea reigned supreme, my family was subsisting on mac and cheese from a box while I laid on the couch like a cranky beached whale. But I'm back in the kitchen! And I was craving pork like you wouldn't believe.

I found this recipe on my Pinterest board, and immediately headed to the grocery store. When we sat down to dinner, I wasn't disappointed. The entire family demolished this meal; it is absolutely delicious. And you can prep everything ahead of time! The Pineapple Coleslaw might seem like an unnecessary extra step, but it's worth it. I ate my weight in slaw. The kids even helped me stir together the dressing.

If you're looking for an easy, delicious, filling, make-ahead meal, give Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pork a whirl. You're whole family will love it. Guaranteed.

Let's get cooking!
Erin

Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pork
Adapted from Half Baked Harvest

Pork 
1 1/4 cups pineapple juice
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sriracha
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
3 pounds pork shoulder roast
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons water
Chopped cilantro, for serving
Coconut Rice (recipe below), for serving
Pineapple Slaw (recipe below), for serving

Mix together pineapple juice, soy sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, sriracha, and ginger. Set sauce aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add pork and sear on all sides until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. Add pork to slow cooker. Pour sauce over pork. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until pork falls apart when you poke it with a fork. (My slow cooker tends to run hot, and my pork was finished cooking in 6 hours.) Remove pork to a plate and shred into bite-sized pieces.

Whisk together cornstarch and water. Whisk into cooking liquid in slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker to high and take off the lid. Allow the sauce to simmer until it's thickened, about 15-30 minutes. Stir shredded pork back into liquid and allow it to warm through again. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with Coconut Rice and Pineapple Slaw.


Pineapple Slaw
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
1 tablespoon plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest
Salt and pepper
2 1/2 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
1 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or canned)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Stir together mayo, pineapple juice, yogurt, vinegar, brown sugar, zest, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cabbage, pineapple, and cilantro. Refrigerate until ready to serve.


Coconut Rice
1 cup water
1 cup coconut milk
Pinch salt
1 cup rice

Bring water, coconut milk, and a pinch of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in rice. Bring the mixture back to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes, until rice is firm but tender. (If you have one, you can certainly use a rice cooker in place of cooking rice on the stove.)

Cilantro Walnut Pesto

Pesto is one of my addictions. I love it on pasta, steak, chicken, shrimp, vegetables -- it's so good on almost anything!

For years I've been a traditionalist, sticking to the basil, pine nut and Parmesan cheese varieties. I usually serve pesto swirled into angel hair pasta, as a side dish to grilled steak.

Boy, was I missing out. Turns out many fresh herbs and vegetables deliciously transform when you whip them into a pesto with some nuts and olive oil. Think fresh peas, or even trimmed broccoli stalks.

This cilantro version is the healthiest pesto I've ever encountered – no oil, no cheese. Trust me, you won't even notice.

I could not stop eating it. First on pasta, then later as a dip for veggies. It's nutty, earthy and fresh – with a little zip! – all at the same time.

If you're ready to welcome spring, add this cilantro walnut spread to your menu.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Cilantro Walnut Pesto
Inspired by a recipe from Dr. Andrew Weil

1 cup walnut pieces
2 heaping cups cilantro leaves, stems removed
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 cup water

Using a food processor, finely grind walnuts.

Add cilantro, jalapeño pepper, salt, vinegar and 2 to 3 tablespoons of water. Blend until combined and smooth. Add more water to thin the pesto mixture.

Serve over pasta, top grilled meats or use as a dip.

To dress up this pesto, you could add a drizzle of olive oil.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

Grilled Cabbage with Thai Dressing

If you need a speedy way to spice up your menu, this grilled cabbage will do the trick.

I don't usually cook cabbage, but my husband and oldest son love it. When I get in a rut, they remind me that I haven't made cabbage in awhile.

In fact, I had not whipped up this side dish in more than a year. Thank goodness for those Facebook flashbacks to remind us of what we were doing so many months ago. This little gem popped up on my feed. Thank goodness. 

Everyone in our house gobbled this up, and my boys even had seconds —which hardly ever happens with a vegetable. We enjoyed the cabbage with a roasted chicken. It makes the perfect lunch all by itself the next day.

The folks over at The Kitchn get all the credit here, and their notes about grilling the cabbage ahead of time are perfect. These cabbage steaks hold up beautifully in the fridge. Just warm them up in the microwave and you are good to go.

I recommend doubling the dressing, because it tastes so good you'll want some leftover for the next time you have salad. 

Mangia! Mangia!

Andrea

Grilled Cabbage with Thai Dressing

Inspired by this recipe from The Kitchn.

For the dressing:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (bottled is OK, too)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon fish sauce

1 to 2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/3 cup fresh cilantro (Leaves and thin stems. Remove thicker, tougher stems)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Place all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Give it a taste. You might want add a bit more lime juice or fish sauce, depending on your taste. The dressing will have an orangey-green hue.

For the cabbage:

1 head green cabbage

Vegetable oil

Preheat your gas grill to medium-high. If you are using a charcoal grill, you'll want low flames. You can also use a grill pan and cook up the cabbage on the stovetop.

Slice cabbage into wedges that are about 1 inch thick. You should get at least eight and you might end up with more, depending on how large the cabbage is. Brush both sides of each cabbage slice with oil.

Grill cabbage for about 6 minutes or until the edges are charred. Flip over and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes, again grilling until the outer leaves acquire some black char. 

Remove from grill, top with dressing, garnish with slices of lime and serve warm.

To warm up leftover cabbage (or if you did your grilling in advance,) place cabbage slices on a microwave safe plate, cover with plastic wrap or wax paper and heat for about 45 seconds a slice.

Grilled Scallops with Blistered Green Beans

I'm having a love affair with scallops this summer — ever since I realized how well they hold up on the grill.

This main dish is easy to prep and super simple to cook.

The husband and I really enjoy these scallops, and so does my youngest, Sam. Add a beer for the grown ups and it's the perfect summer meal.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Grilled Scallops

2 pounds large (sea) scallops, fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice, lime juice or some of both
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Salt to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or Italian (flat leaf) parsley

Thaw scallops if frozen. Pat dry and place in medium bowl.

Mix together oil, lemon and/or lime juice, salt and pepper and cilantro or parsley. Pour over scallops and gently stir to coat all of the scallops. Let sit in refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat your grill to medium high heat. Spray a grill grate with cooking spray.

Place scallops on grill and cook for about 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn scallops and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove from grill and plate these babies up with some green beans.

Blistered Green Beans

1 pound or 1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice (optional)

Toss green beans with oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper in a 9 x 13 metal or foil pan. (I use an old jelly roll pan.)

Cook on grill for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring once or twice. Continue cooking until green beans are lightly browned and blistered on at least one side. Drain off oil before serving.

Grilled Corn Salsa

The sweet corn is at the market and it tastes so good cooked on the grill.

Erin's Corn, Avocado & Tomato Salad and Amy's Chili Lime Corn Salad are delicious ways to make the most of summer produce. This salsa is how we do corn at my house, when we aren't eating it straight from the cob.

I always cook a few extra ears when I make grilled corn in case someone wants seconds — and so I have enough leftover to whip up this side dish.

The combination of lime juice and fresh corn is a taste I just can't get enough of. Yellow or red bell peppers add some crunch, but since my husband is not a huge pepper fan, I usually leave them out.

We like to eat this salsa with chips or pair it with tacos, grilled meat or fish.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Grilled Corn Salsa

3 ears of grilled corn on the cob
1 pint yellow and red grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon lime zest for garnish
Optional: 1 bell pepper, any color, diced

After the ears of corn are cool enough to handle, slice kernels off the cob and place in medium bowl. Hint: Use a bundt pan (shown below) to catch the kernels as you slice them off the cob.

Add tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, bell pepper if using, and lime juice. Add salt and pepper and stir to combine. Sprinkle with lime zest.

Serve immediately or refrigerate for 30 minutes or more. A little chilling lets the flavors combine and really boosts the taste of this salsa.

Green Rice

Summer is a great time to have fun with fresh herbs from the garden. When fellow mother-of-two-boys Molly W. gave me a big bunch of cilantro, I got to thinking about some new ways to use it. Enter this rice dish, which is inspired by the many recipes I've seen for cilantro rice.

As I've said before, we love Latin-inspired meals in our house. And my boys enjoy a little spicy kick, too.

I combined a poblano pepper with the cilantro, some flat-leaf parsley and green onions. The result is quite tasty. I served it with grilled pork tenderloin, but it would also go perfectly with tacos of any variety, especially — steak, fish, DIY or slow-cooker pork. A little guacamole on the side would be nice, too.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Green Rice

1 poblano pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley
2 to 4 green onions, cut into chunks (depending on how much you like onions)
1 or 2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cups chicken stock 
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup uncooked medium or long grain rice

Place first six ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until pureed. Set aside.

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan or skillet with lid. Add uncooked rice and saute until lightly browned.

Stir in puree and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed.

Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff rice with fork and serve.

Cajun Turkey Jambalaya

Tired of leftovers? Here's a great way to disguise last night's turkey or chicken in an entirely new dish. This quickly-prepped dinner is a delicious way to use what's left from a big holiday bird or the weekend's whole roasted chicken. In fact, I ordered an extra large smoked turkey from my butcher this Easter — just so I could stir this up later on.

Why do I love this recipe so much? It's a one-pot meal. It's easily varied. It has bacon in it! And it works equally well with freshly cooked, leftover or smoked turkey or chicken.

But I have to be honest with you. The real reason this is one of my go-to suppers is that the turkey and rice dish is a real crowd pleaser at my house. The jambalaya delivers enough kick to satisfy my husband and oldest son Max, who prefer spicy foods. Yet the heat is mild enough for me and Sam to enjoy, too.

A California Chopped Salad or green salad topped with Apple-Herb Vinaigrette would be a perfect way to round out this meal.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Cajun Turkey Jambalaya
Adapted from About.com Southern Food

4 ounces bacon, chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper (red, yellow or orange bell peppers work here, too)
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups leftover or cooked fresh turkey or chicken (white or dark meat or both), cut in cubes
4 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup chopped cilantro (or parsley or both), divided
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups raw rice
1/2 cup sliced green onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a Dutch oven or large ovenproof pot with lid, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside.

Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic and turkey to the bacon drippings and saute for 20 minutes, stirring often.

Add the chicken stock or broth, 1/2 cup of the cilantro, salt, black pepper, marjoram, cayenne and bay leaves. Stir together and bring to a boil.

Add the rice and stir to combine. Cover and place pot in center of oven. Bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 45 minutes.

Spoon servings onto plates or into bowls. Top with green onions, bacon and remaining cilantro.