Ricotta Stuffed Meatballs

Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Sirloin
- 1 lb hot pork sausage
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1/2 onion diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp pepper
- 1 Tbsp Oregano
- 1 Tbsp Basil
- 1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
- 1 cup ricotta cheese spiced with basil and salt

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients except ricotta and 1/2 cup of bread crumbs, in large bowl. mix to combine well

2. Put in fridge for several hours

3. Set up an area to create and stuff the meatballs including the cheese, meat, remaing bread crumbs in small bowl, and broiler pan.

4. Form meatballs into about 2 inch balls. Make sure they are formed very tightly. To stuff the meatballs you will be turning the ball into a bowl with high sides. I found the best way to do this was to hold the meatball in one hand. With other hand stick one finger into the top of the meatball, and make a circular motion. the goal is to get that bowl shape, and work the sides not only outward, but also upward. Once the hole is about an inch wide and deep, spoon in about 1 tbsp of the ricotta. Seal the opening to form back to meatball shape. Be sure the hols is fully closed.

5. Once meatballs are formed coat in the bread crumbs.

6. Place in preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until the meat and cheese reach 160 degrees. Remove from oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Southwestern Eggrolls

Ingredients
-2 Cans Black Beans, drained
- 1 Can Corn, drained
- 1 Frozen Spinach Brick, thawed and drained
- 4 Cloves Chopped Garlic
- 1/2 Onion, Minced
- 1 Red Bell Pepper, Minced
-1/2 cup Monteray Jack cheese (or vegan cheese sauce)
- 1/2 cup refried beans
- 1 tbsp Chili Powder
- 1 tbsp Cumin
- 1 tbsp Pepper
- 2 tsp Salt
- dash Oregano
- 15 - 20 Flour Tortilla, 7 Inch
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- toothpicks


Directions
1. In large fry pan or pot, heat Olive oil. Add Onions. Cook several mintes
2. Add garlic and bell pepper. Cook until fragrant.
3. Add black beans, corn, spinach.
4. Add spices.
5. Cook 10 minutes over low heat.
6. Add cheese and refried beans. Take off heat.
7. Spoon about 1/3 cup into center of tortilla. Fold over so that you are folding away from you. Pull the top flap back while pushing down, to bring the stuffing back. Fold sides in and roll tightly.
8. Secure with toothpick.
9. After rolling all of the egg rolls, place in a dish and freeze. It is important that the eggrolls are not touching each other, so that they do not freeze to each other.
10. Freeze about 4 hours.
11. Once ready to cook, heat enough oil for deep frying to 375 degrees F.
12. Cook about 12 minutes.
13. Once cooked, place on paper towel to drain oil.
14. While cooking the rest, put the cooked ones in a warm oven to keep warm.
15. Cut in halves and serve.

Curry Split Pea & Rice Soup

Ingredients

Ham Stock
- 4 Pork Hocks
- 2 bay leave
- 3 tsp chopped garlic
- 1/2 Tbsp Thyme
- 1 Tbsp Pepper
- 1/2 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 2 Carrots, with skin speared
- 1/2 onion

Soup
- 16oz Green slit Pea
- Stock
- 1 Tbsp Curry
- 1 tsp powered ginger
- 1 Tbsp Pepper
- 6 cloves Garlic, chopped
- 2 Carrots sliced
- 1/2 Cup Brown Rice
- 3 Tbsp Butter
- 1/2 onion diced

Directions

Stock
1. Put all ingredients in large pot. Add enough water to cover.
2. Bring to boil.
3. Lower to about medium heat, to maintain a simmer.
4. Let simmer for 6 hours, adding water as the water level drops.
5. Strain
6. You need about 8 cups worth.

Soup
1. Melt Button over low-medium heat
2. Once melted add onions and sweat about 3 minutes.
3. Add garlic. Cook for about 2 to 3 more minutes.
4. Add curry, ginger, pepper, carrots, peas, rice and stock.
5. Raise heat to high and bring to boil.
6. Once at boil, cover and lower heat to low.
7. Simmer for 30 to 45, until both rice and peas are done.
8. Carefully blend using an immersion blender
9. Add water if soup is too thick.
10. Serve.

Salmon and Brown Rice Risotto

First before I give the recipe, the risotto, since it is made with brown rice, takes a long time, just under 2 hours. Next time I make it I will be using white rice and will put that recipe on, which I assume will end up being the same, just much less time consuming.

Salmon
Ingredients
- Salmon
- Smoked Papirika
-Tarragon
- Salt
- Pepper
- Lemons
- Butter

Directions
1. Set oven to Broil
2. Season the salmon first with a layer of the smoked paprika, then tarragon, pepper and salt.
3. In preheated oven place several inches below the coil
4. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the salmon reaches 130 degrees or until flakey.
5. Take out and let sit for about 5 miuntes.
6. Serve with melted butter and lemon juice



Brown Rice Risotto

Ingredients
- 1.5 Cups Brown Rice
- 8 Cups Chicken Broth
- 2 Cups water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 diced onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1/2 tablespoon basil
- salt and pepper
- 4 tablespoons butter

Directions
1. Bring Broth and water to boil. Lower heat and keep at a steady simmer
2. Heat olive oil. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add Garlic, and cook until fragrant
3. Add rice and basil. Stir to coat with oil
4. Add about 3/4 to 1 cup of broth. You want the rice to have enough liquid to cook in, but not for the rice to be swimming in it.
5. As the rice absorbs the broth, add more broth about 1/2 cup at a time. Continue this process until the rice is cooked. Once rice is cooked all the way, allow it to soak up most of the liquid in the pan.
6. Add butter and cheese. Stir until melted and mixed in.
7. Add Parsley, salt and pepper.
8. Serve.

Home Mongolian BBQ Stirfry

This is more of a general recipe to imitate what you may get at a Mongolian BBQ restaurant. You can change any part of this recipe to your own taste.


Ingredients

-Rice or Asian noodles of any sort
-veggies (I like to use celery, cabbage, and carrots, all sliced)
-meat (I like to use pork chops cubed up)
-Soy Sauce
-Mirin
-Fresh Ginger
-Chopped garlic
-Peanut Butter (an old fashion, unsweetened crunchy is best)
-Various stir fry sauce
-spices (salt, pepper, chili powder, ect.)
-Any other ingredients you may like in a stir fry, one suggestion, which I have tried is tofu


Directions
1. Prepare all veggies and rice
2. Cook the meat. For my pork I heat a small amount of olive oil in a pan. Add the pork, along with equal amounts of mirin and soy sauce, plus salt, fresh garlic, powdered ginger, and pepper. I find a little black is a good thing on this.

.

3. Once all is prepped, create sauce which may include any combination of the stir fry sauces, soy sauce, mirin, spices, garlic, ginger, and peanut butter. (You could just use one of the bottled sauces, but I find you can make a much better one by mixing it. Also the peanut butter is one of the most important components.) In addition to these ingredients add water so that the mixture becomes creamy. Once you the mix is complete add desired veggies and meat.

4.Heat fry pan on high heat, you want the pan as hot as possible. Add water to the pan, just enough to cover the bottom (it should boil). Add the mixture of sauce, veggies and/or meat to the pan.





5. Put several scoops of rice on top of the veggies mix. This will act as a lid, and help steam the veggies. Be sure to keep adding water to the pan. There needs to be water in it the whole time, about an inch.




6. After severl minutes mix the rice in the rest of the mix. If you want the veggies cooked longer, be sure to keep water in the pan. Keep adding water and mixing until cooked to your desired amount. Once the veggies are just right, stop adding water and allow the sauce to reach desired thickness, once there, remove from pan.




7. This will be extremely hot and takes a long time to cool down. So enjoy with caution.

Smelly House Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients
1 Boneless Pork Roast (about 2 to 4 pounds)
2 Tbsp Creole Season
3 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Salt
1/2 C Vinegar
1 C Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Tbsp Pepper

Directions
1. The night before, mix together the creole seasoning, 3 Tbsp Brown Sugar, and 1 Tbsp Salt. Rub on roast. Let sit in fridge over night. Also night before mix together both vinegars, pepper, and remaining brown sugar and salt. Let sit over night in fridge to fix flavors. You may want to cover this tightly, otherwise your fridge will smell like vinegar.

2. Allow roast to come to or near to room temperature.

3. Preheat Oven to 225 degrees F

4. Place roast in a baking dish. Baste with vinegar mixture. Place in oven, basting about every 30 to 45 minutes. This will make your house smell like vinegar. While it may smell horrible now, it does not taste how it smells.

5. Bake until internal temperature is 160 degrees F. Cook time will be about 4 to 6 hours.

6. Once done, allow to rest for about 20 minutes.

7. Use 2 forks to pull meat apart. Mix with BBQ sauce and put back in hot oven to heat.

8. Put on large bun and enjoy.

Steak and Asparagus Negimaki

Ingredients

· 1 Large Sirloin steak, the thicker the better

· 1 Bunch of asparagus

· 1 bunch Green onions

· ½ Cup Soy Sauce

· ½ Cup Mirin

· Oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400º F

2. Mix together mirin and soy sauce. Set aside

3. Slice steak about ¼ to ½ thick. You want the longest slices possible.

4. Prepare the asparagus and green onions by cutting off tips. There is no need to peel or precook the asparagus.

5. In one slice of steak place 2 stalks of asparagus and one onion. Brush the vegetables and meat with mirin mix. Roll the steak so that the slice does not overlap itself. You may need a tooth pick to secure the meat, or you if rolled tight enough, you will be able to put the ends of the meat in between the stalks of asparagus.

6. Place is a slightly oiled baking dish and brush the outside of the meat with mirin mixture.

7. Place in oven. Brush with mirin mixture every 5 minutes. Repeat until the steak is cooked.

8. When it appears that you are brushing on for the last time, boil the remaining mirin mix. Once slightly thickened, take off heat and brush on Steak one last time when you pull it out of the oven.

9. Serve and enjoy.

Shepard's Pie

This is a simple recipe but time consuming recipe. It has been made vegan by using vegan ground "beef". This is a base recipe and I change it about every time I make it.

Ingredients:
-Ground Beef (vegan or real)
-Cheddar Cheese or Vegan cheese which will melt well
-Potatos
-Mixed Veggies

Directions
1.Boil Potatos




2. Cook Meat, season with pepper, garlic and anything else good.



3. Once meat is browned, add mixed veggies.



4. Once potatoes are done, Mash. I enjoy making into garlic mashed potatoes.



5. Transfer meat/veggies mix to casserole dish. Mix in cheese into meat, and leave layer ontop of meat



6. Put mashed potatoes ontop on meat



7. Bake at 400 for about 30 minutes. or until top of potatoes are golden and crispy. The picture shown below has crumbled Ritz crackers on it.

Creole Seasoning

Ingredients

• 2.5 Tbsp Paprika
• 2 Tbsp Salt
• 2 Tbsp Garlic
• 2 Tbsp Pepper
• 1 Tbsp Onion Powder
• 1 Tbsp Oregano
• Cayenne to taste

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients
2. Store in jar for future use
   

Creole Rump Roast

Ingredients

• 1 Rump roast (about 3 lbs)
• 1 Sliced Onion
• 3 Cups Beef Broth
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 3 Tbsp Creole Season (see here)
• 2 Tbsp chopped garlic
• 2 Tbsp Corn Starch
• 1/4 Cup Water
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees
2. Rub entire roast with creole season
3. Heat oil in dutch oven over medium-high heat
   
4. Brown each side of meat, about 3 to 4 minutes on each side
5. Remove Meat and add onions and garlic to oil and cook 1-2 minutes
6. Put roast back in pot and add beef broth
7. Put in oven, uncovered
8. Cook about 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until meat temp is 135 degrees
9. Remove from oven, and place roast on cutting board.
   
10. Place the dutch oven on a stove top and heat over high heat. Stir in cornstarch/water mixture and stir until thickened.
    
11. Slice meat thinly and serve with gravy and mashed potatoes.
    

Orange Pork

Ingredients

Meat

• 3 Pork Chops, cut into strips or cubes
• 3/4 C Flour
• 3/4 C Corn Starch
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 egg
• 1 C Milk
• 2 Tablespoons honey

Sauce

• 4 tbsp Orange Juice
• Orange Zest
• 3 C Water
• 1/2 C Lemon Juice
• 1/2 C White Vinegar
• 5 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp Honey
• 2-3 clementines wedged (or mandarin oranges)\
• Corn starch/Water
  

Veggies

• 1 C sliced carrots steamed to desire doneness
  
• 1 C broccoli steamed to desire doneness
• 1 C Sliced Mushrooms
• Salt
• Desired Spices
  

Directions

1. In large pot, mix water vinager, orange juice, lemon juice, soy sauce. Put on medium-high heat. While heating mix in zest, brown sugar, honey, garlic. Bring to boil. Add clemintine wedges, cover, and take off the heat. Set aside
2. Heat several inches of oil to 350 degrees. Mix Batter ingredients in large bowl. Mix well. Coat pork pieces in batter and fry in oil. (Avoid allowing pieces to touch. They will stick to each other.) Cook until pork is cooked through. When cooked. Put on plate with paper towel. Repeat until all Meat is cooked.
   
3. While pork is frying, heat small amount of olive oil in fry pan. Put in mushrooms, with salt and other desire spices. Once most the moisture of mushrooms is cooked out, put in remaining veggie. Cook several minutes.
4. Once all Meat and veggies are done, reheat sauce on high. Add corn starch and water mixture to desired thickness. Once thickened and hot, stir in pork and veggies.
5. Serve over rice or noodles.