Mom’s Sweet and Sour Pork

Ingredients:
3 cups cubed peeled potatoes (Idaho or Yukon gold)
1 cup chopped onion
3 pound pork roast, trimmed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup water
1/2 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar (more if you want it sweeter)
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt

Instructions:
Arrange potatoes and onion in bottom of slow cooker. Place pork on top of potatoes and onion. Spread garlic all over pork.

In a medium bowl, whisk together water, ketchup, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, mustard, black pepper and salt. Pour mixture over pork.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

Slice pork crosswise into thin slices and serve 12 ounces for this meal. Serve with all of potatoes, onions, and sauce.

Corn Bread Stuffing

Corn Bread 2 cups cornmeal, preferably stone-ground 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 Tbsp. baking powder 2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste 1 large egg, lightly beaten 2 cups skim or low-fat milk 2 Tbsp. canola oil Stuffing 2 cups chopped onions (2 medium) 2 cups chopped celery (4 large stalks) 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth  freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil an 8-inch square baking dish or spray it with nonstick cooking spray. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder and 2 tsp. salt in a large bowl and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, milk and 1 1/2 Tbsp. of the oil; add to the dry ingredients and stir just until evenly moistened. Turn the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a rack. Cut into 1-inch cubes.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 1/2 Tbsp. oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and celery and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and add the cubed corn bread and parsley; toss to mix. Slowly add chicken stock, tossing until the corn bread is well moistened. Season with salt and pepper.

Makes about 12 cups, serves 10.
Per serving: 244 calories; 7 g protein, 5 g fat, 44 g carbohydrate; 58 mg sodium; 22 mg cholesterol.

Toffee Crunch Cookies

 

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 (10-ounce) bag toffee candy bits

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup sweetened flake coconut

1 cup chopped whole, skinned almonds

 

Instructions:

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

 

Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla. Beat the eggs slightly; then add to the butter mixture and mix well.  Sift flour, salt and baking soda; then add slowly to the moist ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Mix in the toffee bits, oatmeal, coconut and nuts.

 

Drop dough by the teaspoonful onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Pumpkin Squares

 

 

 

*Grease the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish/pan.  Preheat oven to 350*.

 

Crust 

1 box of yellow cake mix (minus 1 cup – set aside for topping)

½ cup melted butter

1 egg

 

In a medium size bowl combine ingredients  for the crust and press into pan.  Crust should go up the edges of the pan slightly.

 

Filling

1 large can of pumpkin pie MIX 2 eggs

2 tbs vanilla 2/3 cup evaporated milk

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

 

In a large size bowl combine all ingredients together and pour over crust.

 

Topping

1 cup of yellow cake mix ¼ cup brown sugar

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon) ¼ cup butter softened

 

In a small size bowl cut all ingredients together with a fork until crumbly .  Sprinkle over top.  Bake for 50-60 minutes.  Let cool, cut into squares, and serve.  Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

 

 

 

Maple-Roasted Turkey with Sage, Smoked Bacon, and Cornbread Stuffing

Recipe Summary Prep Time: 20 minutes  Inactive Prep Time: 20 minutes  Cook Time: 3 hours 25 minutes  Yield: 12 servings

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature  1/2 bunch fresh sage, leaves finely chopped  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper  2 large onions, finely chopped  1 loaf cornbread, cubed (about 6 cups)  1 large egg, lightly beaten  1/2 cup heavy cream  3 cups chicken stock  1 (12 to 14 pound) fresh turkey  1 cup pure maple syrup  1/4 cup hot water  8 strips smoked bacon  1/4 cup all-purpose flour  1/2 lemon, juiced    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and remove the top rack.Combine the butter and sage in a mixing bowl, mash with a fork or spoon until the sage is well incorporated and the butter has flecks of green in it; season with salt and pepper. In a saute pan, melt 4 tablespoons of the sage butter, add the onions, cook and stir for 15 minutes until soft and golden. Remove from heat. Put the cornbread in a large mixing bowl and scrape the sauteed onion mixture on top. Add the egg, heavy cream, and just enough chicken stock to moisten the stuffing without making it soggy (about 1/2 cup.) Toss well to combine, season with salt and pepper. Remove the neck and gizzards from the inside of the turkey and discard. Rinse the bird thoroughly inside and out with cold water, pat dry. Sprinkle the cavity and skin liberally with salt and pepper. Using your fingers, gently lift the skin from the breast and legs, and slip pieces of the sage butter underneath; massaging it in as you go. Fill the bird with the cornbread stuffing without packing too tightly; cook the remaining stuffing separately in a buttered baking dish. Truss the turkey; place it on a rack in a large roasting pan, and put into the oven. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and hot water to thin the glaze out a bit; use this to baste the turkey every 30 minutes. The turkey should take about 3 hours to cook (i.e. 15 to 20 minutes per pound.) If the legs or breast brown too quickly, cover with foil. About 2 hours into cooking, shingle the strips of bacon oven the turkey breast to cover; continue to roast and baste for another hour or so. The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meatiest part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F (the thigh juices will also run clear when pricked with a knife.) Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes before carving, so the juices can settle back into the meat. Skim off the excess fat from the pan drippings with a spoon and place the roasting pan over 2 burners set on medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up brown bits stuck to bottom of pan. Whisk the flour into the drippings, stirring as it thickens to prevent lumps. Add the remaining chicken stock and bring to a simmer; season with salt and pepper and hit it with a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Simmer for 5 minutes and then strain to remove any particles. Serve the gravy with the maple-roasted turkey and cornbread stuffing.