New Year's Crown Pork Roast with Cornbread Stuffing

http://www.jasonrobertscott.com/

Welcome to 2012! We hosted a great diner party to ring in the new year and our menu was based on a few key components: easy, budget friendly, delicious, impressive.

Amazingly, this meal was all of those and more.  We had each couple bring a component to share: appetizer, salad, dessert and as the host we prepared the main entree.  This not only took a lot of pressure off us for all the little things that can add up in money and time, but it also allowed each guest to contribute something they love.  We chose crown roast pork for it's beautiful presentation and it is very budget friendly at $5/ lb.  Our sides are all produce- whole foods with simple prep and ingredients which we mostly had on hand.  Our grocery list was very small- veggies, herbs, the roast, fresh bread, fresh flowers, wine/ champagne and our cheeses.

Our menu looked like this:

Appetizers:

Assorted Cheeses with Fresh Baguette Slices

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Sliced Tenderloin of Venison

Panko Crusted Shrimp

Shrimp Cocktail

Salad:

Wedge Salad with bacon, avocado, blue cheese, tomato and red onion

Main Course:

Crown Roast of Pork

Sides:

Cornbread Stuffing

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Carrots with Garlic, Lemon and Parsley

Parsnips in a Parsley Herb Butter Sauce

Sauces:

Homemade Butter with Honey

Homemade Chimi Churi

Dessert:

Ice Box Cake, ( Chocolate Cookies layered with Vanilla Ice Cream)

Chocolate Dipped Fruit

We had a wonderful time serving our guests and enjoying the party, everything timed perfectly.  We made sure to prep all our sides the day before and some the morning of.  The parsnips, potatoes and carrots were all tossed in their goodness the day before and in sealed bowls in the fridge, we seasoned and sealed the roast the night before, the Cornbread was baked off in the morning and then all assembled and in the fridge, we made the sauces/ butter day of, and 5 hours before serving time we took out the roast to come to room temperature.  Each of the sides were oven and stove top ready and just needed to be cooked off.  Doing a roast is the perfect way to have an easy dinner party- it needs to cook for a while so you have time to prep ( or nap if the prepping is done!) and then when it rests you can finish off all the cooking in the oven with the sides- while we enjoyed the salad with our guests.  Read below for all our recipes on how we made this easy, budget friendly, delicious, impressive meal:

Cornbread Stuffed Crown Roast of Pork
adapted from Paula Dean
Pork Roast:
6 tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic, chopped
4 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 (10-pound) crown of pork, rib ends frenched
Stuffing:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1 large green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 medium white onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
6 cups crumbled cornbread ( my recipe used is next)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions
For the pork roast: In a blender, puree the oil, garlic, and sage until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Rub the mixture over the pork roast, making sure to cover the areas between the chops. Transfer the pork to a roasting pan and cover it with foil. Refrigerate it for at least 2 hours and up to 48 hours. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before roasting.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Turn the roast upside down (rib bones down) in the roasting pan. Roast for 20 minutes, and then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and roast until an instant-read thermometer reads 155 degrees F when inserted 2 inches into the center of the meat, about 1 1/2 hours more.

For the stuffing: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the green pepper, onion, celery, and garlic and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, for 7 to 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the vegetable mixture with the crumbled cornbread. Add the eggs, broth, rosemary, cilantro, hot sauce, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Slowly stir in more broth, if needed, until the stuffing is moistened. Press the stuffing into a 2-quart casserole.

Thirty minutes before removing the roast, place the stuffing in the oven. Bake until golden, about 45 minutes.

When the roast is done, remove it from the oven, tent with foil, and let stand for at least 15 minutes. When the stuffing is done, mound half of it on a serving platter. Flip the roast upright on top of the stuffing. Fill the center of the roast with the remaining stuffing. Slice at the table


Gluten Free Buttermilk Cornbread Muffins
adapted from The Baking Beauties
Yields 12 muffins

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup low fat buttermilk
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup Pamela's Baking mix
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease muffin pan and set aside.
In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter. Stir in sugar.
Add eggs and stir to combine, Stir in buttermilk.
Add dry ingredients, and stir until few lumps remain, scoop into prepared muffin tin.
Bake for 20 minutes in preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing to cooling rack, crumble and use in the stuffing recipe above!

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Whole Carrots with Fresh Herbs and Garlic
adapted from Tyler Florence

Ingredients
3 lbs assorted fingerling potatoes
1 lb whole carrots, top leaves removed only
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 lemons, halved
6 cloves garlic, left unpeeled
2 cloves, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus for sheet pan
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 500 degrees F and place a baking sheet inside to heat.

Add potatoes, rosemary, sage, thyme, and garlic to a medium bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Remove sheet pan from oven, lightly coat with olive oil, and pour potatoes onto pan. Place potatoes in oven and reduce heat to 425 degrees F. Roast for 20 minutes, or until crispy on outside and tender on inside.

Herbed Butter Parsnips
adapted from Tyler Florence

Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 pounds parsnips, peeled and sliced into circles
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Herb Butter:
1 stick ( 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup mixed chopped parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Put the olive oil and butter into a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and toss to coat them well with the fat; season with salt and pepper. Add 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the Herb Butter by combining the soft butter and herbs together; season with some salt and pepper.

Add the hot vegetables and Herb Butter.


Chimi Churi
adapted from Food.com

1 bunch flat leaf parsley
8 cloves garlic
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 lemon (juice of)
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Pulse parsley in processor to chop. Add remaining ingredients and blend.

Homemade Butter

1 pint heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey

In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, whip cream with salt and honey until it becomes solid and separates from the liquids, 6-8 minutes.  Drain excess liquid and scoop into serving dishes.

Corn Cakes

http://www.jasonrobertscott.com/

With the holidays upon us, so quickly as usual, easy and fast meals are the ticket!  Here you can use easy ingredients that you most likely have in your pantry and fridge to whip up these cakes.  This whole meal is surprising decadent, and filling.  Serve with a small mixed greens salad with fresh cilantro and lime vinaigrette to really round it all out.

Serves 4

adapted from Eating Well

Ingredients:

1 cup instant brown rice

6 scallions, trimmed and sliced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed

1 cup frozen corn

1 cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 large eggs

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed

1 cup tomato salsa, mild, medium or hot

Method:

1.Cook rice with the amount of water called for in the package directions, adding scallions, garlic and thyme to the water. Remove from heat and stir in corn, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Let stand for about 5 minutes to cool slightly.

2.Whisk eggs in a large bowl until frothy. Add the rice mixture and mash with a potato masher until the mixture holds together (it will be fairly soft), about 1 minute. Shape the mixture into 8 patties.

3.Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully transfer 4 patties to the pan with a spatula and cook until browned and crispy, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; cover to keep warm. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and repeat with the remaining 4 patties.

4.Meanwhile, combine beans and salsa in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until hot, about 5 minutes. To serve, divide the beans among 4 plates and top with 2 patties each.

Shrimp Succotash

It's been a long week, 5 days of working after the 4 day week last week, feels like eternity.  With Friday left to go, making an easy recipe like this was a welcome addition to the night!

Fresh, light, bursting with flavor and color- this recipe is the perfect summer meal to fill you up without leaving you with that heavy feeling.  The freshness really shines through with basil and parsley, both easy to pick from your garden!  Plus tomatoes, corn and zucchini are all in season for summertime.  So hooray for Friday and the weekend, and this recipe!  Enjoy,

Ingredients:
Serves 4
Adapted from Ellie Krieger, So Easy
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
15 ounces no salt added corn kernels,drained and rinsed
10 ounces lima beans, thawed
1 medium zucchini (about 1/2 pound) quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 pound shrimp
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 cup parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice



Directions

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, corn, lima beans, zucchini, and tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.

Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and preheat it over medium-high heat.  In the meantime, prepare the shrimp. Pat them dry and season them with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Add the shrimp and cook until the inside is opaque, 3 to 4 minutes, turning once.

Stir the vinegar and basil into the succotash, season with additional salt and pepper, to taste, and serve topped with grilled scallops. Garnish with Parsley Drizzle.

Parsley Drizzle:

1 cup lightly packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water, as needed to slacken

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree.

Yield: 1/2 cup

Soba Noodle Salad

This noodle salad is fast, delicious, and can be served to 4 for a dinner portion, or 6-8 smaller salad portions.  This stores really well and can be brought as lunch for up to 3 days!

8 ounces whole-wheat soba noodles

4 ounces Firm Tofu, diced

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

1 1/2 cups shredded carrot, 2 carrots

1 red pepper, julienne

1/3 cup shredded fresh basil leaves

1/3 cup shredded fresh mint leaves

2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Dressing:

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon lime zest

juice of 1 lime

1 teaspoon fish sauce

   1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce

 

Boil noodles according to package directions. Strain and rinse with cold water.

 

In a large bowl, combine noodles, tofu, shallot, carrot, pepper, basil, mint, and cilantro.

 

Combine all dressing ingredients, season with salt to taste, add to noodle mixture, and toss lightly.

Ratatouille Tart

This is SO delicious and a gorgeous dish to serve as an appetizer; we usually have it as a meal and enjoy leftovers for lunches.  The crust has a great texture and is really decadent with the buttery corn flavors that really enhance each layer of vegetables and cheesy goodness. 

IngredientsCrust:
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/3 cup whole-grain pastry flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
3-4 tablespoons water

Filling:
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Cooking spray
1/2 pound thinly sliced eggplant rounds (about 1/3 medium eggplant)
1 zucchini, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds (about 8 ounces)
3 medium tomatoes, sliced thinly
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 ounce goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions
For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine cornmeal, pastry flour, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to incorporate. Add butter and oil and pulse about 20 times, until mixture resembles small pebbles. Add water and pulse until mixture forms a loose dough. Remove dough from processor and press into bottom and about 1/8-inch up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a detachable rim.  Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until no longer shiny and wet. Remove from oven and let cool.

For the filling: Increase the oven to 400 degrees F. Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat; saute shallots until soft, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Turn off burner and set aside.

Spray 2 baking trays with cooking spray. Arrange the eggplant, zucchini and tomato slices on the trays in a single layer and brush with the remaining olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and roast the vegetables until soft but not browned, about 15 minutes. Remove the vegetables from oven and cool.Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lay the eggplant slices in 2 layers on the bottom of tart; cover with 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese, the goat cheese and some of the shredded basil. Add the zucchini and shallots, top with another 1/3 of the mozzarella and basil, then the tomatoes. Top with rest of the mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and vegetables have further wilted. Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes, and cut into 8 slices. Serve warm.

Spinach and Garbanzo Bean Salad

Light and refreshing salad, great for lunches with high protein, very filling garbonzo beans.

Ingredients:
2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
4 cups baby spinach leaves
Yogurt with Orange Essence, recipe below, optional
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves, optional

Directions


In a medium bowl combine the chickpeas, parsley and onion. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, zest, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the chickpea mixture and toss to combine. Serve the chickpea salad over a bed of spinach leaves. Top with the yogurt sauce and a sprinkle of mint, if using.



Yogurt with Orange Essence:

1/3 cup lowfat plain yogurt
1/4 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 teaspoon honey

In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, orange zest, orange juice and honey.

Mahi Mahi Night

Fish dinner is a great meal if you're in a hurry, plus the health benefits aren't too bad! We try to incorporate some fish in to our menu each week; however it is not always easy to find sustainable, safe and fresh fish here in the midwest. This week we made some US Mahi Mahi fillets from Trader Joes, flash frozen to lock in nutrients and freshness. Plus they are on the "Good Alternative List"


If you are interested in how to choose seafood that are safe and environmentally sustainable, here is some information (thank you Katie!) for finding the right fishies:

http://www.sheddaquarium.org/3163.html

there are slight differences but mostly the 2 sources match
http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=1521
http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=29774

These links include PDF's of pocket guides that you print out and then can carry in your wallet!

So to make our fish bundle:

Place any 2-3 fish filets in a shallow pie plate covered with foil, spray with pam. Drizzle olive oil over, about 1 tablespoon, to coat the fish. Season with fresh minced garlic, slices of lime (or lemon), salt, and pepper. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven till fully cooked- this depends on the thickness of your fillet- follow packaging instructions. To serve, squeeze fresh lime or lemon juice over the top and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
Our sides included Butter Parsley Turnips and Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes, please inquire if you are interested in those recipes!

Fried Green Tomatoes

Sunday at the Farmer's Market, all the good Red tomatoes were gone from our favorite vendor, BUT never fear- we found some really great looking heirloom Green tomatoes... so what else could you make with these tart juicy tomatoes? Well that's what we thought! Fried Green Tomatoes, very simple to make, and not so unhealthy for you if your oil is hot enough. Here's what we did,

The main Star:
1 extra large Green Tomato, evenly sliced 1/8" thick

The Egg Wash:
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup low fat buttermilk or fat free cream or Milk!
dash salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a shallow pie pan or dish, beat all ingredients together, set aside

The Crust:
1/2 cup cornmeal or cornmeal flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
In another shallow pie pan or dish, mix all ingredients together, set aside

To Prepare:
In a frying pan with deep sides, add in 1/4 -1/2 cup canola oil (depending on the size of your frying pan, you want to have a thin layer of oil in the bottom 1/8" high) heat up the oil over high heat.

Dip the slices of tomato in the Egg Wash, then coat them in the Crust mixture.

Gently place the tomatoes in to the hot oil, cook about 3 minutes per side. They should be golden and crispy.

Then transfer to a plate with paper towels on it and sprinkle with more salt/ pepper to taste. Serve with fresh parsley, ranch dressing or all alone. They're all good!

Garden Herb Lentil Salad

Need ideas for an easy salad to take to work with you? This one travels and keeps well, it is also packed with great benefits like fiber, protein, and vitamins A & C. It's also a great way to use all those herbs taking over your garden- fresh mint, basil and parsley make this a refreshing and delicious meal (or side dish) serve warm or cold!

1 cup lentils
3 cups water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
3 cups baby spinach
1 cup tomatoes (cherry of plum), halved of diced
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/8 cup fresh chocolate mint leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the lentils by put the them in a pot with the water, bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer with the lid on an angle for about 20 minutes. You want them to be tender but keep there shape and no be exploding all over. Drain the extra water from the pot and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, medium/ high heat. Toss in the red onion, cook for 3 minutes. Turn off the flame and then add in the spinach, toss for about 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes and herbs. toss to combine. Then add in the lime juice, and season with salt and pepper.

We divided this up in to 4 servings in to-go containers to bring for lunches or use as a side later in the week. It keeps well for about 3-4 days.

photos coming soon

Easy Homemade Monday night Pasta

Jason is the king of sauces, he also has a hard time following a recipe! This sauce is a classic Jason masterpiece with a few surprises like zucchini and baby bella mushrooms.

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 small red onion, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup baby bella mushrooms, chopped

2 teaspoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup thin sliced zucchini (ours was from Jamie and Chris' garden- thanks!!)

1/2 cup red wine

2 cans diced tomatoes, low sodium, drained

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped

1 bay leaf

salt and pepper to taste

unsalted butter as needed

freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 box of your favorite past- cooked and drained

Directions:

In a small pan, sautee the mushrooms and butter over medium high heat for about 3-4 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, set aside.

In a large dutch oven pan with lid, heat olive oil over medium flame. Add the onion and cook till transparent, not brown. Add in the garlic, stir to combine until fragrant- 1 minute. Slowly add the red wine, turning the flame high, and reduce by half. Add in the zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, sauce, 1/2 the basil, all the oregano, the bay leaf and a little bit of cheese. Reduce heat to medium and let the sauce simmer for 10 minutes. Taste test for salt and pepper, more garlic or more cheese... if you find the sauce is too acidic add in a pat of butter to smooth it out. Cook for 5 more minutes, then remove the bay leaf. Divide the sauce in half, blend 1/2 with an immersion blender, then stir it all back together. Serve over the pasta with fresh grated cheese and the basil divided evenly- serves 4