Arroz con Gandules

Andy heard about this recipe from a co-worker and we had to try it. We really liked all the flavors, and we always enjoy using different ethnic ingredients. This tastes great on its own, or as I discovered, is very good inside a corn tortilla.

• 2 cups long grain rice
• 3 1/2 cups of boiling water
• 1 1/2 cups of chorizo, sliced bite size (we have used ground chorizo or ground pork)
• 2 Tablespoons of sofrito** (we don't make sofrito, we just add some of what we have on hand)
• 2 cans gandules (pigeon peas) can be found in ethnic aisle
• 1 tablespoon of alcaparrado without liquid (an olive mixture, we do not use)
• 1 ounce Cooking ham or smoked ham (we have left this out)
• 1 one packet of Sazon with achiote (again, find in ethnic aisle)
• 4 ounces of tomato sauce
• 2 Tablespoons of oil
• Salt to taste

**Sofrito: 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 Banana or Bell pepper (chopped in fine pieces), 1 tsp oregano, 3 cilantro leaves (chopped), 1 medium onion (chopped), and 2-3 Aji dulce peppers

In a dutch oven pot (or other pot) with lid fry the chorizo in oil. Add the tomato sauce, alcaparrado, sofrito and sazon to the pot and stir together. Cook at medium heat for 4 minutes. Add all other ingredients except the salt, pour the boiling water into the pot so the rice is submerged one inch below the water. Start with 1 teaspoon of salt stir and keep adding and mixing well until you are satisfied with the taste. Don’t cover yet, let the rice absorb the water. Once absorbed stir gently from bottom to top, cover and turn the heat down to low. Stirring once in between, cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until the rice is tender. Cover the Arroz con Gandules with Banana leaves while cooking for that Caribbean flavor! (we did not do this)

The second time we made this, we used leftover rice, mixed all ingredients together and baked them in a 9x13 pan for 30 min at 350º.

Serves 3 to 4

Thai Pork Stew

I got this recipe from a Nashville mamas group I am a part of, and we love it! The sweet potatoes turn to complete mush, you'd never know they are the base of this meal. The recipe calls for pork tenderloin, but we normally use pork chops or steaks.

• 2 lbs. pork tenderloin - cut in 6 pieces
• 2 cups red bell pepper - julienned
• 1/4 cup soy or teriyaki sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce (tuong of toi vietnam - with picture of rooster)
• 2 garlic cloves - minced
• 2-3 sweet potatoes - cut in thirds
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• cooked white rice
• green onions
• peanuts
• lime

Place pork through sweet potatoes in a slow cooker. Cover with lid and cook on low heat setting for 8 hours. Remove pork and coarsely chop. Add peanut butter to liquid in cooker and stir well. Add pork back in.

Serve stew over steamed white rice. Top with chopped green onions, peanuts and serve with lime wedges.

Bonus -- very freezer friendly!!

Crock Pot Pulled Pork

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup worcestershire
• 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp ground mustard
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• dash red pepper flakes
• pinch salt and pepper
• 1 medium onion, chopped (we chop into big chunks to remove after cooking)
• 3 pounds pork tenderloin
• Hamburger buns
• BBQ Sauce (optional)

Combine all ingredients except onion and pork into crock pot. Whisk until well blended. Place pork and onions into mixture, coating both sides of meat. Cook for 8-10 hours on low or 6 hours on high. After meat is cooked, shred with forks inside the crock pot and stir into the sauce. Serve on hamburger buns or rolls, or by itself on a plate, with optional bbq sauce to top.

Tuscan Pork Chops

From the West End Community Church cookbook

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp pepper
• 4 (1 inch thick) pork chops
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup chicken broth
• 3 plum tomatoes, diced
• 2 Tbsp capers

Combine first 3 ingredients. Coat chops. Cook chops in oil over medium-high until golden brown. Remove chops. Saute garlic in drippings 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, broth, tomatoes, and capers. Return pork chops to skillet. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until chops are done. Serve with tomato mixture. This is great over rice.