Kalua Pig - So Yummy!

So I've been trying to find I way to make this excellent dish without having to heat up the whole house for an entire day with the oven on. So I just decided to give the crock pot a chance. All I would be out was the price of the roast, which was less than $10, so I figured, why not. And it turned out FABULOUS! I will definitely be making this again soon as it is a family favorite and is SO, SO, SO easy - since my crock pot and my rice cooker did all the real work.

Kalua Pig

1 pork shoulder roast - sometimes called a picnic roast - whatever size you will need/will fit in your crock pot - mine was a little over 3 lbs and fed us perfectly with just a little left over for a sandwich
1 tbs liquid smoke
1 tbs Hawaiian sea salt - any course sea salt with do, but Hawaiian is the best and does have a subtley unique flavor (or so I've heard)
1/2 cup water

Pout the water into the bottom of your crock pot. Rub the liquid smoke and salt all over the roast. The measurements above are approximate - I just rubbed it all over. Place the roast in the crock pot. Cook on low for at least 8 hours - mine cooked for about 10.
Serve with rice.

A side note: I wrapped my roast in Ti leaves as this is how the pig is traditionally cooked when placed in an imu (undergound oven). However, I don't think this really effected the flavor at all - maybe next time I'll try it without to see if there is any difference.

*If you want to see a pic of a Ti plant, check out my regular blog, MusingsFromParadise.

Kerry's Request

My sister, Kerry, kindly requested some recipes with rice, as her dear hubby is finally starting to eat it again (a mission to Venezuela kind of put him off rice for just a few years). Before offering a recipe I found and tried this week, I will kindly remind her of the recipes in her cookbook (the one I made for her a few Christmases ago) that are served with or over rice:

*Chicken Divan
*Sweet and Sour Chicken
*Apple Chicken
*Brazilian Chicken
*SantaFe Chicken (my personal favorite)
*Hawaiian Haystacks (I know you already mentioned this one, Kerry, but I added it for anyone else interested, too)
*Chili (I know it's a Hawaii thing, but chili on rice is really yummy)
*Bar-B-Q Meatballs

OK that all being said, I tried a Sweet and Sour Meatball recipe that I found online at allrecipes.com, however, I of course changed it (click the link to see the original). Mostly I just cut the meatball amounts in 1/2 but made all the sauce - we're saucy sort of people. And I left out the nutmeg - I'm so not a nutmeg person, in anything, I just don't care for the flavor.

Anyhoo - Cam and I LOVED it; the kids not so much. But I think that was more of a mental thing - they decided before they even tried it that they wouldn't like it. I would think kids would love this, too. I will definitely be making it again, the kids will just have to learn to love it or learn to go to bed hungry!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/4 cup dried onion flakes
3/4 cups dry bread crumbs (I actually crushed up some stale saltines)
1 tablespoon salt
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup cider vinegar
2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tablespoons mustard powder
1 cup water, divided
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine beef, onion flakes, bread crumbs, salt, egg and milk. Shape mixture into 1 inch balls, and place onto a cookie sheet lined with foil (one with edges recommended since the fat will cook out of the beef). Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Lower heat in oven to 350 degrees.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium heat, mix vinegar, sugar, mustard and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil, and boil for 1 minute. Mix cornstarch and 1/2 cup water; add to saucepan, and boil for 1 minute more.
Add cooked meatballs to the sauce, and simmer on the stove for about 20 minutes, or until sauce is thick and meatballs are flavored.
Serve over rice. Makes about 40 meatballs.

Easy Peasy Brownies

Here's the recipe that I promised. I always have all this stuff on hand, so it's not only cheaper than a mix (at least in Hawaii) but it's easier, too. Chocolate chips are crazy expensive, too, so I've been buying the huge bag at Sam's and keeping them in the freezer for just such a baking occasion.

Easy Double Chocolate Chip Brownies
by Nestle Tollhouse

2 cups (12 oz package) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, cut into pieces
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F, grease 9x13 baking pan
Melt 1 cup chocolate chips and butter in a large heavy-duty (or good quality) saucepan over low heat; stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in eggs. Stir in flour, sugar, vanilla and baking soda. Stir in remaining chocolate chips and nuts. Spread into prepared pan.
Bake for 18-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Makes 2 dozen (small) brownies.

Taco Soup - Irene (Law) Ryan

An oldie, but a goodie. I'm sure some of you already have a similiar recipe, but this is what we had for dinner tonight and it's super yummy. I got this recipe from a college roomie when we all took turns cooking one night a week, so we could actually eat real food, but not have to cook whole meal for just one person. It was a brilliant plan - I never ate so good in college as I did that year. This is really great when you're in a hurry, but what something hearty. You just open the cans and dump it all in. I make sure that I have all the ingredients on hand so I can make it at a moment's notice.

Taco Soup

1 lb. Lean Ground Beef, browned and drained
1 medium onion, chopped and sautéed (optional)
1 (15 ½ oz) can Whole Kernel Corn, undrained
1 (10 oz) can Diced Tomatoes with chilies, undrained
1 (15 oz) can Pinto Beans, undrained
1 (10 ¾ oz) can tomato soup, undiluted
1 (1 ¼ oz) pkg. Taco Seasoning
1 cup Water
Fritos (optional)
Cheese, grated (optional)

Combine all ingredients except Fritos and cheese. Simmer on low until heated throughout. Serve with Fritos and cheese, if desired.

Crispy Onion Chicken - Tonia Perl

My one of my best friend in the whole brought this dinner over after I broke my arm back in Feb 2004. It was a hard time in her life, but she still took the time to take care of me and my family. And not only that, but she willing changed Isaac's diapers for me while I had my cast on. Those are the best kind of friends - the ones who answer their door knowing that it's most likely a 13 month old with a stinky diaper. I miss her terribly.

Anyway, this quickly became a family favorite - Cameron requests it all the time. We like it served with mashed potatoes, gravy, and peas.

Crispy Onion Chicken

½ cup Butter, melted
1 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbs. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. Ground Mustard
1-2 Cloves Garlic, minced (or approx. ½ tsp. garlic powder)
¼ tsp. pepper
4 boneless, skinless Chicken Breast Halves
1 (6oz) can Cheddar Flavored* French’s Fried Onions, crushed

Preheat oven to 350°. In a shallow bowl, combine butter, Worcestershire sauce, Lemon Juice, garlic and pepper. Dip chicken in butter mixture, then coat with onions. Place in a greased 9-inch square baking pan. Top with any remaining butter mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.

*I can't find the cheddar flavored onions here in Hawaii, so I have to use orginal flavored, which are OK, but the cheddar ones make the meal - trust me on this.

The Whole Enchilada Pie

This recipe actually comes from a Diane Mott Davidson novel. I don't remember which one, but her novels are about a caterer and she always includes the recipes that are used for different events throughout the book. I haven't read one of her books that I don't like - they are an easy, yet intriguing read - all murder mysteries.

Anyway - this is the only one of her recipes I've tried, but I have a few other's copied down to try some day.

The Whole Enchilada Pie

1 lb. Ground Beef
Medium Onion, chopped
1 clove Garlic, minced
1/3 cup Picante Sauce
1 (16 oz) can Refried Beans (I use 2 cans - we like beans)
1 (10 oz) can Enchilada Sauce
1 tsp. Salt
2 cups crushed Corn Chips
3 cups grated Cheese

Preheat oven to 375°. In frying pan, brown beef, onion and garlic. Add picante sauce, beans, enchilada sauce and salt. Stir and cook until well combined and bubbly.

Layer in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish:
1 cup crushed chips
½ meat mixture
1 ½ cups cheese
1 cup crushed chips
½ meat mixture
1 ½ cup cheese

Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until heated through.
Serve with build-your-own taco toppings: tomatoes, olives, sour cream, guacamole, etc...

**This recipe also works really well using a layer of Flour or Corn Tortillas instead of crushed chips – in fact we like it better that way! And the last time I made this I actually made it into enchiladas and it was still super easy.

Sweet and Sour Chicken - Julie Pinkham

I sit here at the computer, supposedly working on my Physical Science test that is due on Friday - and to create a way to stall, I've decided to post the inaugural recipe on my recipe blog. It is what we are having for dinner tonight. I got this recipe from my dear friend Julie (who practically melted this summer in Arizona). She served it at one of our monthly lunch get-to-gethers, back in the day when all of a 4-some of friends lived in Orem, Utah. It's really yummy and a favorite in our house. Even the kids will eat it.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

1 lb. Chicken – cut into bite size pieces
½ tsp. coarsely chopped or ground Ginger
½ tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Onion powder or salt
½ tsp. Garlic powder or salt
1 Egg
¼ cup Flour
3 Tbs. Butter/margarine
1 can Pineapple chunks
½ cup Brown sugar
¼ cup vinegar (preferably apple cider)
1 Tbs. Soy sauce
2 Tbs. Cornstarch
1 Green pepper - chopped
6 med. Carrots - chopped

Mix together ginger, salt, onion and garlic powders, and flour. In a separate bowl whisk the egg. Coat chicken pieces with egg and then flour mixture. Melt butter over med-high heat, add chicken to brown.*
Boil vegetables until tender crisp (this doesn’t take as long as you think) – keep them warm until added. When chicken is browned add can of pineapple (with juice) to meat. Add vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Heat thoroughly. Take a couple of Tbs. of juice out to mix with cornstarch – whisk with fork until a smooth paste. Add back to meat and let juices thicken. Add veggies right before serving. Serve over rice or noodles.

*When I'm in a time crunch, or really just being lazy, I forgo the egg and flour and just dump the chicken into the pan and sprinkle with the ginger, onion, and garlic powders. It's not as good, but it still works. And if you want the traditional Chinese Restaurant version, you can add a little red food coloring to the sauce.

Enjoy the recipe. I hope to post at least one recipe a month - I'm going to aim for two. We'll see how it goes.
In the meantime - if you try this recipe and want to share your reviews, please feel free to post it as a comment or email me and I'll add it to the post.