Spicy Lady Saves the Day
Pork is such a temperamental protein. When cooked for a few minutes too many, you end up with tough, chewy meat that even a dog would refuse, but for many years, you could get violently ill from under cooked pork. However, due to changes in farming techniques, you no longer have to cook pork to a jerky like state. Why did the USDA require pork to be cooked to 160 degrees F? A nasty little villainous parasite called trichinosis. Trichinosis is a type of roundworm infection. People who get trichinosis have food poisoning symptoms, including diarrhea, fever, muscle ache, and cramps. It was found in pork that wasn't properly cooked. Thanks to improvements in farming, the likelihood of contracting trichinosis is low, but you can protect yourself in two ways. First, freezing pork can kill the parasite. Second, cook any non-ground cut of pork to at least 145 degrees F, followed by a three-minute rest. For ground cuts, continue to cook to 160 degrees F. Not only will the decrease in cooking temperature speed up the cooking process, but those 15 degrees make a world of difference in the taste and texture of your pork. As a general precaution for ANY cooking, follow the USDA food preparation guidelines:
Ever since the guidelines changed, I can't get enough pork. Not only is it versitile, it's also cheap! I got the roast pictured for $1.99 per pound. I also bought two more. Those went into the freezer. Pork can freeze for 2-6 months, so if you see a sale, go for it! Today's recipe is one of my favorite ways to prepare pork. I used some Strong A.R.M. in the garlic and balsamic rub and it tasted fantastic. In the photos, you'll see the roast was really long before cooking, in order to speed up cooking time and prevent overcooking, I cut the roast into two pieces. This recipe does better with long marinade time, but I was short on time, so I put the meat and marinade into a food sealer, vacuumed out the air, and let it do it's thing! When it came time for cooking, I browned all sides in my cast iron pan, luckily no fire alarms this time, then I let it roast in the oven. While that was going down, I decided to make some mashed potatoes. I added Alvi's Incredible to my mashed potatoes and they were amazing! 5 garlic cloves, finely minced or crushed
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoons Save the Day Seasoning Strong A.R.M. 3 lb pork tenderloin (this can be one piece, or two 1 1/2 lb roasts)
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When I'm not busy being culinary superhero Spicy Lady, I work a 9 to 5 job. Last week was particularly busy, meaning by the end Friday afternoon, all I wanted to do was go home, find a corner, and hide. Some days, cooking dinner is not in my list of things I want to do. In an effort to try to reduce fast food in my family's diet, I try to find the simplest recipes. That doesn't always mean it's done in 30 minutes, sometimes it's a set-it and forget-it kind of meal. After a day that left me wondering how easily I could skip town with two dogs, a cat, my husband, child, and hubby's collection of trucks and truck parts, I was able to Save the Day with a chicken and rice bake. This recipe is nice because you can interchange your veggies, omit the cheese, and switch up the seasoning blend. I used Jamaican in the soup and water mix and then sprinkled it on the chicken before baking. This easy recipe will have you feeling like a Superhero in no time. Superhero Chicken and Rice Bake
Yesterday was just not my day. Work was hectic, so I planned on cooking my favorite meal, steak and potatoes, for dinner. It started out on a good note until while searing my steaks, the smoke alarm went off. This scared my kiddo bad enough that she came running up from the basement, screaming at the top of her lungs, ran right passed me as I stood in the kitchen, and right out the garage door... Let me tell you, she's pretty damn fast for a four year old. I guess she learned some stuff on that fire station field trip. After I convinced her that the house wasn't on fire, she agreed to come inside. As I was preparing to move my cast iron pan with the seared steaks into the oven, my pot holder slipped. There was an awful momemt of terror as I felt the heat enter my hand, then pain, then realized dropping the pan would result in a burn and broken oven door. I set the pan back on the stove, fixed the oven mitt, put the pan in the oven, then put my hand under cold water.
After calling my mommy, I figured that I have the smartest friends a girl could ask for, so I went to Facebook to ask for suggestions on home remedies. Alas, I was told mustard... Uh, I'm not making a sandwich, I'm treating a burn. The pain was killing me, so I gave in. It worked!!! When I first put the mustard on, it actually hurt worse because of how cold it was. But after the initial pain from putting it on, the cold of the mustard helped. It even seemed to stay cold longer than the ice pack or cold water I tried first. After fifteen minutes, the redness decreased dramatically and the pain was so much better. I ended up putting some lavender oil around the burn area and that made it possible to sleep. This morning, I just have a minor blister and some sensitivity, but minimal pain. Although no hospitals or colleges are studying the healing effects of mustard, it's believed that a compound in mustard called allyl isothiocyanate can help relieve minor burns. Allyl isothiocyanate can also be found in radish, brussel sprouts, kale, horseradish, wasabi, cabbage, and other cruciferous vegetables. It's a counter-irritant and may also act as a vasodilator. There's also some interesting research out of the National Center for Biotechnology Information showing allyl isothiocyanate may act as a cancer chemopreventative phytochemical, mostly in the bladder. I know, my science nerd is showing. I feel I must add a disclaimer at the end of this post: I'm not a doctor. This is not medical advice, just me having luck with a minor, but painful burn. Please, please, please do not try this for any burn that appears to be second degree. And as always, if you're questioning it, visit your doctor! Apologies for the delay in posting my latest recipe. My sister and I, along with the creator of Save the Day Seasonings, spent Friday and Saturday at the What a Woman Wants Expo at the South Towne Expo Center. Even though I came home feeling extremely sore, it was worth showing how beneficial our product is to users, especially users with gluten or soy allergies. Today, we received confirmation that we are going to be representing Save the Day Seasonings at the Gluten-Free Expo in Sandy, Utah on October 8th. This is monumental. Save the Day Seasonings are gluten-free, MSG-free, no additives, dairy-free, and soy-free. Now, for the today's topic: eggplant. Eggplant is a versatile item to add to your diet. They can be roasted, fried, grilled, stewed, sauted, stir-fried, used in place of noodles, and used as a meat-substitute for burgers, meatballs, and meatloaf. My favorite application is eggplant parmesan. Eggplants vary in size, color, and shape based on the type of eggplant.
People are frequently scared away from eggplant due to the debate over sweating an eggplant. Sweating an eggplant means that after slicing, dicing, or cutting, you sprinkle a generous amount of salt on the eggplant and let it sit for 30-60 minutes. Every cooking publication has an opinion: "Sweat only if you're frying" "Don't sweat at all" "Sweat no matter what"... The theory is that salting an eggplant causes osmosis, which pulls out excess liquid, including bitter liquid. Recent theories claim the bitterness lies in eggplants that are close to the end of their shelf life or have a lot of seeds. I figure better safe then sorry, so I'm a sweater! Eggplant Parmesan Stacks
* Here's a little PSA. When I went to flip my eggplants, I realized I didn't have my mini-flipper ready, so I grabbed one of my daughters plastic Ikea forks. I figured I'd be okay for a one to two second flip... BIG MISTAKE! After flipping the third disk, I realized the fork was missing all four tines.... and it was getting shorter... So yeah, don't use plastic Ikea forks in frying pans, even if it's just a two second flip! Please don't tell her that her pink fork is gone... I am not a fan of mornings. I never have been. On more than one occasion (can we say daily) I had maybe 15 minutes to get ready and get to school during my senior year of high school. I've always favored late nights, frequently staying up until midnight. I thought having a kid would help me adjust to being a morning person, but it hasn't worked. Mainly because if I step into her room before 8 am, she climbs out of bed, hangs from the ceiling, and spews bland, under seasoned pea soup in my direction, all while her head spins in circles. Needless to say, she's not a morning person either. I've always had a bad habit of having either no breakfast or a horribly unhealthy breakfast on my late mornings. (Shout-out to Denise on the AM shift at McDonalds!) Not only is fast-food breakfast greasy, it's full of saturated fat (the bad kind). Not only that, but you waste valuable time in the drive thru that could be spent sleeping in... I mean, getting ready for work. One meal can set you back $5. It may not seem like much in one day, but in one M-F week, you're spending $20 bucks. In one month, over $80... and that's just for breakfast. How about a completely customizable breakfast that can be warmed up in sixty seconds? The version below is about 100 calories each. You could drop the calories by either making it vegetarian or changing to turkey sausage. I usually have two to three and am completely satisfied for 3-4 hours thanks to the 8 grams of protein per egg cup. Say hello to Breakfast Egg Cups! I really have no better name figured out for them. I guess Crust-less Mini Quiches sounds kind of fancy, so we'll go with that. Say hello to Crust-less Mini Quiches!
These can be made on a Sunday and eaten throughout the week. They freeze okay, but I've never had a problem just throwing them in a sealed bag in the fridge. I warm them up in the microwave for about sixty seconds. You can also warm them up, crumble them up a little, and put them in a tortilla with some salsa. Be creative with your variations! If you want more of a Mexican style egg cup, try some chorizo, peppers, onion, and queso fresco with Save the Day Mexican seasoning. Maybe ground chicken, carrots, zucchini, string beans with Save the Day Jamaican seasoning. Bell peppers, beans, tomatoes and Indian seasoning. The sky is the limit with the base recipe, just make sure you don't feel your muffin cups over 3/4 full before cooking! I hope these save your mornings like they have mine! Good news locals! We are hosting a booth at the What a Woman Wants show in Sandy this weekend - Sept 16 and 17. Stop by to try these amazing spices and take some home.
Don't have a ticket to the What a Woman Wants Show? Message me! I have a few free ones that are looking for owners! #savethedayseasonings #WhatWomenWantXP As I have mentioned previously, I am addicted to football. I enjoy turning on NFL Network or one of the Sunday morning pre-game shows while I do a little cleaning in preparation for a long day of touchdowns, sacks, and bad referee calls. Yesterday morning was a little busier than normal. I had to pick up my parents from the airport bright and earlier, so after dropping of the sleep-deprived, sun-tanned love birds (insert Jimmy Fallon "Eww" sketch here), my mini-me and I hit up the grocery store. I had to finish getting her school supplies ready and figured I'd get my grocery shopping done too. As I walked the isles, I tried thinking of an easy lunch and dinner since I wanted to spend the majority of my day perfecting my couch groove. I found a scrumptious veggie tray and thought a charcuterie (shahr-koo-tuh-ree) platter would upscale my redneck afternoon. I decided on some proscuitto, hard salami, and pepperoni for the meats; swiss, sharp cheddar, and colby jack as my cheeses; carrots, snap peas, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and celery for veggies; and some crackers. I also made some some Alvi's Incredible dip. This stuff is like ranch, BUT SO MUCH BETTER! (Yes, I meant to yell that!) I may have dipped everything, including the meat and cheese. And it was good! After I got everything ready for the charcuterie plate, we went outside to talk to our neighbors for a little bit and every two or three minutes, my mini-me would run outside with a piece of salami. She cannot be trusted with a plate of salami and no adult in the room... I also planned a simple dinner. It's easy to order pizza or take-out on Sunday's so I don't miss any of the game, but I've found it's actually quicker for me to throw something together. The best part is my meals are made from better for you ingredients and less expensive than fast food options. I was able to find some top sirloin steaks for $3.99 per pound at the store, so I decided to go with steak skewers with potatoes and green beans. As previously mentioned, I love steak. You know Brick's love of lamps, yeah, that's me and steak. (Anchorman, anyone?) So between the Giants/Cowboys game and the Pats/Cards, I set out on a task to make dinner. This is a meal you can get done in 30 minutes or less. One time, I made a recipe similar to what I'm posting, but wasn't a fan of the spices it used, so I change a few things to reduce the number of ingredients needed. I have it down to six (in the picture) or seven if I remember to take a picture of everything. I usually just do russet or fingerling potatoes for this recipe, but decided to give the sweet potatoes a try. In another recipe (which will be posted soon) I made crustless mini breakfast quiches. I added breakfast sausage and sweet potatoes to a muffin pan with egg whites and Save the Day Cajun seasoning. I am now in love with Cajun seasoning with sweet potatoes. I'm sorry all other potatoes. Also, the last photo, not the dog, has canned green beans. Yes, we eat canned green beans, purchased by the case actually. I have a four year old who would rather perish than eat a fresh or frozen green bean. Green beans are her favorite vegetable. Until she's old enough to recognize the error in her culinary ways, we will feast upon the weirdly green green beans and I will not complain. Steak and Potato Skewers
My husband and I started dating in January of 2008. I was unaware at the time that his family was serious about camping. Twice a year, every year, they camp. Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend are reserved for the mountains. Our first trip ever, my husband bought a truck camper. He got it for $500, so the lanoluem was reminiscent of the Stayin' Alive era. When we arrived to camp, we were greeted by snow, so of course, every inch of camp was muddy. This was the first time I camped in more than a decade, so I packed like I was going to a hotel instead of a campground. At one point, we drove into town to find boots for my sister-in-law and myself. Over the years, we upgraded trailers, but those boots remain in our trailer as an emergency pair. They came in handy this year, as it seems they do every year. My crazy neighbor and myself religiously hunt for puddles while camping. When we find a puddle worthy of our presence, we hop on a side-by-side and gun it! This year, my husband was the seeker of the puddles and took me through a triple puddle. To puddle addicts, a triple puddle is like finding bigfoot riding a unicorn through a field of pumpkin spice lattes. I was completely drenched from head to toe and froze on the ride back to camp. It was a blast though! When we camp, we are so active between, gathering wood, playing horseshoes, going on walks, riding the ATV's, etc, that we need filling, hearty meals. One of my favorite is adapted from the girlfriend of a state champion dutch oven chef. The original recipe uses onions and other spices, but I hate emptying my cabinet of all the spices I *might* need and finding places to store them in the trailer. This last camping trip, I went with two spice blends: Strong A.R.M, which was used for steaks and hamburgers and Alvi's Incredible Low Salt for my cheesy chicken and potato recipe. Original Alvi's Incredible can be used, but due to the saltiness of the bacon and cheese, I opt for the Low Salt variety, which is amazing and only about 7% sodium per serving! This recipe combines salty bacon, a rich cream sauce, ooey-gooey cheese, hot potatoes, and perfectly seasoned chicken. The instructions in this recipe are pretty basic, but it makes it easy to prepare, especially camping. It even reheats great too for leftovers! Cheesy Chicken and Potatoes
2 slices peppered bacon, roughly chopped 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces 2 teaspoons Alvi's Incredible Low Salt blend 4 medium potatoes, diced (you can use any variety, but I'm a fan of russet or golden potatoes) 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup 2/3 cup milk 1/2 cup sour cream 6-8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded or diced (usually I use medium, but I accidentally bought mild)
I apologize for the brief hiatus. I took a break for our annual camping trip. :) Back to our delicious chicken! So if you are a house of three, like mine, there is a very small chance your family can eat the entire beer can chicken in one sitting. I say small chance but I may have done it before... a few times... Beer+brown sugar+spice rub+chicken=very happy and stuffed me! I usually cut all the meat off the bones, then shred or chop any additional to use for another meal. There are a lot of options for the shredded left overs, but my favorite is White Chicken Enchilada Casserole. I used to make my enchiladas with the red canned sauce, but hated the flavor. I felt that after a second helping, I would turn into the tin man. Blerg! I made them under the assumption that my husband enjoyed red enchiladas. One day, he mentioned that he liked white enchiladas better... Uh, hold the phone... There are WHITE ENCHILADAS?! Number one, why was I not notified of a white sauce based enchilada and number two, I felt like I married a stranger. (just kidding, babe, kinda) Again, this was during our newlywededness, so he ate what I cooked and seemed to like it! After picking myself up off the floor, I grabbed my recipe notebook and Googled. I found hundreds of recipes varying in difficulty, ingredients, and funkiness. I settled upon a basic recipe and after a few attempts, developed my own White Chicken Enchilada recipe that fit my excessive love of cheese (Go Packers!) and my husband's fondness of casseroles. I'm not a fan of rolling the tortillas with meat inside, instead I go the lazy route and layer my ingredients, then call it a casserole. (It was William Arthur Ward who said, "If you can imagine it, you can achieve it." Well, I imagined it was a casserole and ta-da, it became a casserole. Same concept, right?) I'm not going for authenticity here, just competing the recipes of my husband's youth.
So for part two of my last post, I'm going to show you what i did with that beautifully brines bird. I like putting the bird on thw can and foil lined baking sheet before doing the rub dow. portion. !fter mixing the Strong A.R.M. and brown sugar, rub just a little olive oil or vegetable oil all over the chicken, then start rubbing it down with the brown sugar mix. Make sure you pul the skin on the breasts away from the breasts and shive some mix down there too. When you feel you've succesfully gotten to second base with your bird, dump the remaining mix down the neck hole. Bake at 350 degrees f until a meat thermometer reads 175 at the thigh. This may take one to two hours depending on the size of your bird. If the breasts seems done, but the thighs are not, place a tin foil tent over the breasts.
You can also throw some onions, potatoes and carrots on the baking sheet. They will end up with a nice sweet, but savory flavor. The carrots are my favorite. Enjoy! |
The Spicy LadyHi! My name is Amanda and I'm the Spicy Lady. I have had a love for cooking since I saw my first episode of Emeril. Although I've worked mainly in the customer service sector, my love of cooking and recipe development was sparked by a friend and I'm here to share my recipes! ArchivesCategories |