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Mediterranean Chicken Wrap

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Wraps are one of my favorite ways to take food on the go… which my family (and perhaps yours!) seems to need a lot of these days. Made with pre-cooked proteins, you can get a nice assembly line going of these and make some for the whole family or set out all the fixings and let everyone make their own.

One of my favorite things about lavash flatbread is that it softens up as it sits, making it that much more yummy and easy to eat. It’s so adaptable and a great way to use up leftovers, too. One of the mistakes that is often made with wraps is they don’t have enough of a base and end up being dry. Always error on the side of a little more base, in this case, healthy hummus. Another way to keep your wrap from being dry is to toss some of your ingredients, like the chicken or lettuce in a salad dressing, just not too much as it can make your wrap soggy. The sky’s the limit with these flatbreads.

Soon, I’ll share my other favorite wrap using pre-cooked chicken and a family favorite, for sure.

Cheers,

Christina

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Mediterranean Chicken Wrap

Lavash flatbread is one of the easiest ways to wrap up healthy proteins and veggies and take it on the go. I always like to have some sort of spread as a base to keep the wrap from being dry – hummus or yogurt tahini sauce, a protein – usually roasted or grilled chicken, greens – often crunchy romaine, arugula or spinach and a drizzle of a full flavored sauce. Rolling it up and wrapping in parchment paper makes for an easy, healthy, fast food option for busy days.

Course Main Course
Keyword wrap
Servings 1 wrap
Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

  • 1 whole grain lavash flatbread, room temperature or slightly warm
  • 2-3 tbsp hummus
  • ½-1 cup mixed greens
  • ½ cup roasted or grilled chicken, shredded or sliced
  • 1-2 tbsp kalamata olives, chopped
  • 1-2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 1-2 tbsp crumbled feta cheese
  • ¼ cup roasted cauliflower florets optional
  • drizzle Sriracha optional

Swiss Chard and Spiced Sweet Potato Hash

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File this dish under one of my top 10 (maybe 5!) favorite things to eat. The word hash was never one of my favorite words – brings to mind a college beach camping trip where someone popped open a can of pink chopped up something (corned beef I now realize) that they called hash and put an egg on top of it. I’m not entire sure, and maybe it was good, but I didn’t eat much meat at the time and wasn’t going to ruin my trip this particular morning.

But really hash is just a dish of chopped up food things, and often uses leftovers, and it’s awesome! I’ve made it with actual corned beef, braised pork shoulder, and other amazing combos.

Perfectly seasoned sweet potatoes
Sweet onions with the beautiful chard ribs and stems – never throw these away!
Giant pile of swiss chard
Delicious combo – eat the rainbow!

My favorite will probably always be a combo of greens and veggies, and this one tops one of my favorites. I love the sweetness of the onions and sweet potatoes and the deep flavor from the spices. The tomatillo sauce is something I often keep in the refrigerator for dishes just like this one, but any hot sauce works and is pretty important to balance the sweetness of the dish.

I hope you try this and love it!

Cheers,

Christina

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Swiss Chard and Spiced Sweet Potato Hash

This hash is a perfect side dish to grilled or roasted chicken, pork carnitas or black beans – and one that my whole family loves. But the dish I look most forward to, is the next morning. I have a hard time coming up with a more delicious brunch dish than this hash blanketed with 2 fried eggs, tomatillo salsa, hot sauce and a sliced avocado. Heaven on a plate for this brunch loving girl!

Course Breakfast, brunch
Keyword fried eggs, spiced sweet potatoes, swiss chard
Servings 4 servings
Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, cubed
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp chipotle chili powder
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • ½ tsp Mexican oregano
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt

Swiss Chard and Onions

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 large onions, sliced
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1 large bunch of swiss chard, roughly chopped ribs and stems removed and thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped

Instructions

  1. Cook the sweet potatoes first- heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the sweet potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally. When they begin to get slightly tender, add the spices and continue to cook until they are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Remove to a medium bowl and set aside.

  2. Next, cook the onions and swiss chard- in the same pan heat the remaining olive oil over medium-low. Add the onions and salt, stirring occasionally until the onions are sweet and translucent. Increase the heat to medium and add the garlic and chard stems. Saute until about 2 minutes, or until the stems are no longer crisp. Add the chard leaves, stir and cover briefly while the leaves wilt.

  3. Add spiced sweet potatoes back to the pan and gently combine. Taste for seasoning.

Baked Turkey Meatball Sub Sandwich

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If this isn’t a way to change up the work and school week, I don’t know what is! I recently made these turkey meatballs in the morning to prep ahead for dinner, and, well… let’s say they just didn’t make it that far.  We were on day #527 of the pandemic, or something like that, and it was a Wednesday, and it just felt like these dinner meatballs were destined for some garlicky, cheesy, meatball sandwiches for lunch at home.

During normal pre-COVID, pre-sheltering in place times, Wednesday was always the day I’d change up the breakfast or lunch routine for my family.  A hot breakfast of waffles and bacon or a special school lunch delivery by mom was just what my crew often needed to get through the school or work week.  Being home the past 8+ months has been easier for our family of 5 by keeping some routines and normalcy intact as much as possible.  Making sure I keep a Wednesday special breakfast or lunch routine seemed like an easy thing to do, even when I had to check in with Siri to ask what day it was.  

For these sub sandwiches I was inspired by many of my favorite meatball recipes, but this is my favorite combination. I elevated the flavor by going all in- not just dried herbs, but fresh, too.  Not just minced garlic, but also added garlic powder, which has a nice garlic flavor without the harshness garlic can sometimes have.  Toasting the panko brought out a lot of flavor in otherwise bland tasting breadcrumbs.  A little red pepper flake goes a long way, too.

Dutch Crunch rolls – there’s nothing more tasty!
Broiled with butter, garlic and mozzarella cheese

Two notable changes with these meatballs – they are made with ground turkey thigh, not ground beef or a combination of meats.  Dark turkey meat has SO much more flavor than lean turkey breast it isn’t even fair to compare the two.  I do not ever buy lean ground turkey breast, as I cannot think of another food product that lacks flavor like ground turkey breast. 

The other difference is – I don’t shallow-fry meatballs.  I hate the mess on the stove and it’s just too easy with flavorful results to pop them on a rimmed baking, brush with a little olive oil and bake them in the oven.  Splattering oil all over my stove happens only once in awhile in my house and it has to be worth it with no other possible ways to achieve such a lovely crust – potstickers, cast-iron seared steak/pork chop and corn fritters are a few notable ones worth the mess.  Simply put, if it is just as tasty oven baked over fried, then that’s an easy choice for me.

These are delicious and will make you and your whole family smile. I hope you enjoy! 

Cheers,

Christina

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Baked Turkey Meatball Sub on Garlic Bread

These baked meatballs have so much flavor! Both fresh and dried herbs are used to give even more flavor to this dark turkey meat. They are a great meal with marinara sauce and grated parmesan, on top of cooked pasta or piled onto toasted garlic bread for the ultimate sub sandwich- a family favorite! This recipe makes enough for a tasty family dinner for 4 as well as delicious lunch leftovers the following day.

Course Main Course
Keyword sandwich, turkey meatballs
Servings 6 sub sandwiches
Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

For the meatballs

  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ cup panko bread crumbs, lightly toasted
  • ½ cup finely chopped onion
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley
  • ¼ cup chopped basil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning Penzey's Pizza Seasoning is also a great option
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 lbs dark turkey thigh, ground
  • olive oil spray or use olive oil and brush

For sub sandwiches

  • dutch crunch rolls, split in half any sweet or Italian roll will do
  • butter or olive oil
  • garlic salt
  • ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup jarred marinara sauce, warmed Rao's is an excellent brand
  • chopped basil optional
  • grated Parmesan optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400° Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Spray or brush with olive oil. Set aside.

  2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix vigorously for 20-30 seconds. The mixture will be soft and sticky.

  3. Using an ice cream scoop (about 1½ tbsp), scoop about 26-28 meatballs. Place on the baking sheet and spray or brush the tops of the meatballs with olive oil. Cook until golden and cooked through, about 20 minutes.

  4. Meanwhile, place cut rolls on a baking sheet. Brush each side with olive oil or butter and sprinkle with garlic seasoning. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of shredded mozzarella cheese on one side of each roll.

  5. When meatballs are finished cooking, pull out of oven and let sit for a few minutes while you toast the rolls. Turn the oven to broil and place sheet tray of rolls on the upper rack, broiling just until the bread is golden and the cheese is bubbling.

  6. Assemble subs by placing about 4 meatballs each on half of the rolls. Top with warmed marinara sauce and chopped basil and Parmesan cheese, if using. Top with other half of rolls and serve immediately.

Grilled Brie, Prosciutto and Fig Panini

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These delicious, and incredibly simple panini have been a household favorite longer than I can remember! Something about the crispy buttery outside, melted pungent brie, herby rosemary and sweet fig spread combo that is so satisfying. My family cheers when I make these!

99% of the time I make these sandwiches exactly as the recipe below states and it’s my favorite. In the past I’ve left out the rosemary, it’s delicious. I’ve made them vegetarian for guests by leaving out the prosciutto, still delicious. And for kids, I’ve swapped out the brie for a more child-friendly white cheddar, and it’s beyond delicious!

Thankfully 4 out of 5 of my crew absolutely loves it just the way I make it. Although I’ve never been much of a short order cook, until my youngest develops some more mature taste buds, I’ll keep the white cheddar handy to make everyone happy!

An assembly line makes these really easy to make ahead, refrigerate and press when you’re ready
Salted butter is nice, but so is a smear of mayonnaise or olive brushed on the outside – all make a lovely golden panini
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Grilled Brie, Prosciutto and Fig Panini

A delicious sweet and savory toasted panini that my family has enjoyed for over 10 years. These sandwiches pair perfectly with a bowl of soup or a green salad for lunch or dinner. They also make a great appetizer when cut into fourths and piled on a tray. There's no doubt this one is a hit with family and friends!

Course Appetizer, Main Course
Keyword brie, fig jam, panini, proscuitto
Servings 4 sandwiches
Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

  • 8 slices country white bread sourdough is a great option as well
  • 8 slices thinly sliced prosciutto about 4-5 oz
  • 12 slices thinly sliced brie, partially frozen for easier slicing about 4 oz
  • 4 tbsp fig spread
  • ½ tsp fresh rosemary, chopped finely optional
  • 4 tbsp butter, salted or unsalted, room temperature mayonnaise or olive oil are excellent substitutions

Instructions

  1. Preheat panini press or griddle. If using a skillet, wait to heat until sandwiches are assembled.

  2. Make an assembly line with all your ingredients. On a cutting board, make 4 stacks of bread, two slices each. Butter outsides and turn each stack on itself so the butter side is facing inward and dry sides are facing outward. Spread about a tablespoon of fig spread on each of the 4 slices on top and sprinkle with chopped rosemary, if using. Then place 2 slices of prosciutto each folded in half, followed by 3 slices of sliced brie. At this point, the assembled sandwiches will keep for several hours in the refrigerator and can be grilled or pressed when ready to eat.

  3. Place sandwiches, butter side out, in a hot press and cook until golden and brie is melted and gooey. If using a griddle or skillet, flip and cook other side. Transfer to a cutting board and to avoid all the deliciousness from oozing out, wait just a minute before slicing and enjoying.

Salmon Sandwich with Bacon, Pesto Mayo & Apricot Jam

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This is dish is a Shoup family favorite and was a perfect meal for our Father’s Day dinner. We were enjoying some time in Lake Tahoe last week and this tasty sandwich/burger was an easy one to plan ahead for – nearly all the ingredients can be prepared in advance and the bacon and salmon are the only components that need to be cooked when you’re ready to eat.

Any seasoning works for this, but I enjoy a mesquite grill seasoning with a bit of smoked paprika and brown sugar.

Prepared pesto and mayonnaise mixed together are a nice herbaceous contrast to the sweet apricot jam.

Crisp little gems or peppery arugula are both great choices for this sandwich as well a lightly toasted buttery brioche. Other buns that also work well are pretzel buns and potato rolls.

We don’t usually have sides when we eat this sandwich – but when we do it’s usually a side of sweet potato oven fries or fresh fruit. It’s hard to say how much we love this dish! I hope your family loves it, too.

Cheers,

Christina

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Salmon Sandwich with Bacon, Pesto Mayo & Apricot Jam

This sandwich is a house favorite! The salty bacon, sweet jam, smoky mesquite seasonings and peppery lettuce makes for a very satisfying dish. It's a hit with adults and kids alike and a highly requested recipe in our house.

Course Main Course
Keyword salmon, sandwich
Servings 4 sandwiches
Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

  • 1⅓ lbs salmon fillets
  • 1 tsp mesquite grill seasoning optional
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp brown sugar
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 slices cooked bacon
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup pesto
  • ¼ cup apricot jam
  • 1 cup arugula mixed greens and little gems work as well
  • 4 brioche hamburger buns

Instructions

  1. Place salmon on a sheet tray lined in parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with mesquite seasoning, paprika, brown sugar and salt. Roast salmon at 375° until done, about 15 minutes.

  2. Meanwhile, mix mayonnaise and pesto. Set aside.

  3. Make an assembly line of pesto mayo, apricot jam, bacon (broken in half) and lettuce.

  4. Separate brioche buns and place on a sheet tray. Toast these in the oven for a few minutes after pulling out the salmon.

  5. When ready to assemble, spread about 1 tablespoon of pesto mayo each on half of the buns and 1 tablespoon of jam each on the other half. Place one portion of salmon on the mayo, followed by the bacon and lettuce. Top with remaining buns spread with apricot jam.

Southwest Grain Bowl with Roasted Poblano Dressing

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Bowls have been popular for some time now, and I’m in no hurry to have them go away. Grain bowls, poke bowls, burrito bowls, breakfast bowls, smoothie bowls – I love them all! The one thing they have in common is that they have a lot of components, that’s both a positive and a negative.  They take some time to make each part at home, but when the prep work is finished, you’ve got several meals that can be assembled in no time at all and for a fraction of the price as a purchased bowl.  

For grain bowls, the key components are: Grain + Veggie + Protein + Dressing + Topping

My favorite grain to use in a bowl is farro.  It’s easy to cook and high in protein, thus making a very satisfying vegetarian meal.  Other good options are brown rice and quinoa.  Cooking the grains in vegetable or chicken stock imparts more flavor, but water works too, just be sure to adequately salt that cooking water.  Tossing the cooked grains in a little oil and vinegar is another way to give this important base some flavor.

Spreading cooked grains out on a sheet pan helps keep them from getting gummy

The veggies I use for this recipe are grilled, a favorite way to cook during the warmer months for corn, peppers, asparagus, zucchini, onions, etc.  Roasting is my other favorite way to cook veggies as this method brings out the natural sweetness in broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, root vegetables such as sweet potatoes and carrots.  It can also just be a handful of your favorite greens – I’m a big fan of arugula or kale.  Tomatoes or thinly sliced radishes also make a nice texture contrast.  

Ready for the grill

Protein can be as simple as grilled or store-bought rotisserie chicken, sauteed shrimp or roasted salmon.  I also know that if I use a protein-rich grain such as farro or quinoa, I don’t worry about the need for additional protein – especially since most of my bowls have protein in the form of a crunchy seed or nut on top.  Yum!

The dressing for the bowl is key – it can be a simple vinaigrette that is tossed with several of the individual components and then lightly drizzled on top, or it can be a chunky salsa or thick sauce atop everything that winds up getting all mixed together once served.  Your bowl, your choice.

Farro bowl with roasted chicken and grilled peppers, onion, asperagus and zucchini

And the best part of the bowl just might be the toppings.  You can go wild here.  And depending on the overall tone of your bowl, you can change the personality or nutritional content just based on the topping you choose.  Adding roasted nuts or seeds, chili crunch, sliced avocado, fresh herbs, spicy sriracha or a crunchy raw vegetable are great ways to round out your bowl.  

Farro bowl with arugula, grilled veggies, avocado, pepitas and feta

I have many more favorite bowls I’ll be sharing this summer.  One of my teenagers is a big fan of acai smoothie bowls and since those can demand a pretty hefty price tag from the local juice bar- and she doesn’t drive- I’m thankful she taught herself how to make delicious smoothie bowls at home.  

Cheers,

Christina

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Southwest Grain Bowl with Roasted Poblano Dressing

This southwest grain bowl is perfect for summer when the corn, tomatoes and peppers are in peak season. It's also easily adapted to whatever grain, veggie or hot pepper you have on hand or is in season. The farro is high in protein making this a satisfying vegetarian meal, but roasted or grilled chicken is a great addition as well.

Course Main Course
Keyword grain bowl, poblano dressing
Servings 4
Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

Dressing

  • 2 tbsp canola oil plus more for brushing
  • 2 poblano peppers
  • 2 ears of corn, shucked
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 2 green onions, white part only, thinly sliced green parts reserved for bowl
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • Kosher salt

Grain Bowl

  • 2 ears of corn, shucked
  • 2 medium zucchini
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 sweet bell pepper any color
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
  • cilantro leaves garnish
  • 1½ cups farro pearled or unpearled work, cooking times differ
  • 2 cups spinach, arugula, or any mixed greens
  • ¼ cup pepitas, toasted optional
  • ¼ cup goat cheese or feta, crumbled optional

Instructions

For the dressing:

  1. Light a grill and brush the grate with canola oil.

  2. Prepare the corn and poblanos for the dressing as well as the corn, zucchini, red onion and bell peppers used in the bowl by brushing with canola oil and sprinkling with salt and pepper. Grill over moderate heat, until all veggies have grill marks and the corn and poblanos are lightly charred all over.

    Transfer to a sheet pan to cool slightly. Peel, seed and chop the poblanos. Cut the corn kernels off the cob. Cut all other veggies into bite-sized pieces and set aside to for the grain bowl.

  3. In a blender or mini food processor, combine 2 tbsp of canola oil, olive oil, lime juice, apple cider vinegar, honey, green onion whites, chopped cilantro, poblanos and 1 cup of the corn kernels. Pulse until a chunky dressing forms. Season with salt.

For the grain bowl:

  1. In a medium pot, boil water and cook farro according to the direction on the package. Drain any excess liquid and spread on a sheet pan lined with parchment to cool. This step also prevents the grain from getting gummy and stuck together.

  2. Toast pepitas in a saute pan until lightly golden and begin to pop. Set aside to cool.

To assemble:

  1. Divide farro among 4 bowls. Top with each bowl with grilled vegetables, dressing, pepitas, green onion, and cheese.

Recipe Notes

This dressing was inspired and adapted from Food & Wine magazine. 

Grilled Pork Chops with Stone-Fruit Relish

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With Memorial Day weekend behind us, the first heat wave has passed quickly followed by unseasonable rain, and school distance learning winding down – all signs point to summer.  And even though it often feels like Groundhog day, things are slowly and carefully opening back up and we may feel like there’s some summer fun on the horizon. There’s no doubt about it, this summer won’t have many of the familiar markers of summer- pool parties, overseas travel adventures, and overnight camps, but if we try to incorporate our favorite parts of the season, nobody can take the carefree feeling of summer away from you! 

 I, for one, look forward to more farmer’s markets on the weekends as well as making time for the summer mid-week markets that are beginning to open up locally.  One of the biggest changes I’m making this summer is to have my three kids (ages 15, 13, and 10) make dinner every Wednesday.  I will give them about 3 – 4 of my most trusted cookbooks, and let them pick out the meal, write a grocery list and have it ready for me by the beginning of the week when I do my food shopping.  They have to cook and clean up the dishes they use for preparing the meal- but dad and mom are in charge of the dinner dishes – reverse roles.  

One of my favorite ways to make dinner during the summer is to marinate some type of protein (usually chicken or pork) early in the day, and when dinner time rolls around, quickly and easily throwing that on the grill with a veggie (usually summer squash, bell peppers, corn or asparagus) and serving with a salad or seasonal fruit.  Could not be easier and keeps the heat and the mess outside.  

This recipe for Grilled Pork Chops with Stone-Fruit Relish is one of my favorite summer dishes. It’s got grilled protein, fruit and veggie(ish) and lots of flavor- all rolled into one dish!  It’s based on a recipe from Gourmet Magazine- a beautiful magazine that I wish was still in publication. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Cheers,

Christina

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Grilled Pork Chops with Stone-Fruit Relish

This easy summer dish uses peak of the season ingredients and is as beautiful as it is tasty. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts also works well with this flavorful fruit relish. Smoked paprika makes for a deep smokey flavor and if you like more of a kick, use a serrano instead of the jalapeno. This recipe was adapted from Gourmet Magazine.

Course Main Course
Keyword fruit salsa, pork chops
Servings 4 servings
Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

Marinade

  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • 3 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 pork chops (¾ – 1" thick) boneless or bone-in

Salsa

  • 1 nectarine, diced peaches or plums also work
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 2 scallions, finely chopped use white and green parts
  • 1 tbsp seeded, finely chopped jalapeno pepper use serrano for more kick
  • 3 tbsp chopped basil
  • 2 tbsp chopped mint
  • 2 tbsp red-wine vinegar

Instructions

  1. For the marinade, combine all ingredients into a ziplock bag or a shallow glass baking dish. Add the pork chops and make sure they are well coated. Let sit while you prepare the relish.

  2. For the relish, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  3. When ready to cook, prepare gas grill by brushing the grates with oil and heating grill to medium.

  4. Remove pork chops from marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper. Grill chops, turning once, until internal temperature reaches 135°, then tent with foil and rest for 5 minutes. Serve with relish.

Sweet and Smokey Baby Back Pork Ribs

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Let’s talk about barbecue for a moment… I am not a huge meat eater.  We eat mostly chicken and fish, as well as the occasional pork products- bacon, pancetta and sausage. We buy beef almost entirely in the form of grass-fed ground beef for the purpose of flavorful chili and quick weeknight tacos, and even then it’s only 1-2 times a month.  So, when I asked for a Traeger smoker for my 41st birthday, my husband was understandably curious about this request.  What he wasn’t confused about was my love of saucy pulled pork. And fall off the bone ribs. As well as a good everything bagel with smoked salmon.  Although these dishes aren’t ones we eat very often, somehow I felt justified asking for a smoker for a birthday gift —  and a few years later, I’m sure glad I did.  Because when the craving is strong, there’s not much stopping me! Plus, knowing how to confidently throw something on the smoker for a crowd (whenever we can have those again) is pretty badass, no?

An excellent birthday gift a few years back

One of the best things to come off our smoker in awhile were these baby back pork ribs — they were sweet and smokey, simple, mainly hands off, as well as left us with incredible leftovers.  I used a common smoking method of 3-2-1… smoke for 3 hours, wrap and grill for 2 hours, and sauce for 1 hour.  If you have strong opinions about how much work should be required to get the meat off the bone for the most enjoyable rib experience, this is most definitely not the method for you.  I am not a fan of gnawing on bones or eating meat that is remotely chewy.  I’d rather put effort into shaking a cocktail or properly buttering every inch of my cornbread.  Priorities.

Truly fall off the bone tender

This recipe is very flexible- it’s really a method rather than a required list of ingredients.  I only ask you don’t skip the smoked paprika- it’s key to this recipe! Change up the seasonings by adding an element of heat like cayenne to balance the sweet.  Swap the yellow mustard for other varieties of vinegary mustards.  The liquid is also very flexible.  I recently used a diet Dr. Pepper because we are still under a shelter-in-place order in the Bay Area and quickly swinging by the grocery store for one item isn’t as easy as it used to be.  The bigger question is- who drinks a Dr. Pepper anymore, let alone a diet one? This unfortunate beverage inevitably came from some team sports potluck that we hosted a while back as evidenced by how deep I found it in our beverage fridge in the outdoor kitchen.  All I know is it worked well for these ribs.  

And now at the end of May, and heading into summer and grilling season – consider adding this recipe to your weekend plans. You can also find this yummy potato salad on Food Family Friends recipe index- perfect dishes for Memorial Day!

Cheers,

Christina

Sticky, smokey and sweet
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Sweet and Smokey Pork Baby Back Ribs

These pork ribs are everything I want in a pork rib… fall off the bone tender, smokey and sweet, caramelized and sticky — and it feeds a crowd. This recipe was adapted from the Traeger Everyday Cookbook and uses a simple cooking method of 3 hours of smoke, 2 hours wrapped, and 1 hour with sauce on the grill. Best way to serve- with a side of potato salad, corn bread, and paper towels.

Course Main Course
Keyword pork ribs
Servings 8 people
Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

  • 3 racks pork ribs about 8 lbs
  • ¾ cup apple juice, Coke, or Dr. Pepper divided
  • ½ cup yellow mustard
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • sweet mesquite seasoning I used Kirkland brand
  • ½ cup brown sugar I used smoked brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup honey warmed
  • BBQ sauce I like Kinders

Instructions

Smoke the ribs- 3 hours

  1. Prepare the ribs by removing and discarding the membrane from the bone-side of the rib.

  2. In a small bowl, combine mustard, ½ cup of the juice or soda, and Worcestershire sauce. Spread on both sides of the ribs, followed by the smoked paprika and enough mesquite seasoning to completely cover the ribs. Set aside on a rimmed baking sheet while you prepare the smoker.

  3. Turn the Traeger to the smoke setting. Leave the lid open and wait for the fire to establish, about 4-5 minutes. Smoke the ribs meat-side up with the lid closed for 3 hours. Transfer the ribs to a clean baking sheet and set the grill to 225°

Grill the wrapped ribs- 2 hours

  1. Place each rack of ribs in a separate piece of foil large enough to wrap completely.

  2. Divide the brown sugar evenly among the racks, followed by the honey. Fold up the sides slightly and add remaining juice or soda. Carefully gather the two long sides of foil at the top and fold down tightly a few times. Fold in the sides a few times to tightly form a sealed packet.

  3. Return foil packets to the grill and cook for 2 hours.

Sauce the ribs- 1 hour

  1. Bring a rimmed baking sheet close to the grill, along with the BBQ sauce and a pastry or silicone brush. Using tongs, carefully open each packet and slide the racks onto the grill, taking care not to spill the liquid or burn yourself with the steam. Remove the foil to the baking sheet and discard.

  2. Brush the meat side of the ribs with BBQ sauce and continue to cook for 30 min- 1 hour. They will likely (and hopefully!) be too tender to flip over to coat the back side of the ribs with sauce. This is just fine.

  3. Remove ribs to a cutting board and after a few minutes of resting, cut between ribs as desired and serve warm or room temperature.

Crispy Pork Carnitas Tacos

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I’m not sure where my love of Mexican cuisine began, but it is no doubt my favorite cuisine.  “Authentic,” not authentic, Tex Mex, Cal-Mex, it’s all my favorite.  I’m lucky that my family likes things on the spicy side, so it gives me plenty of room to experiment with recipes using a variety of fresh and dried chilies, salsas and more.  I trained them well, I suppose.

Since today is Cinco de mayo and Taco Tuesday, it is no big surprise in my house that we are having my favorite Carnitas Tacos with all the fixings.  But, when those two fall during a pandemic and we are all home together, it’s a quiet feast in the backyard, just the 5 of us. The majority of the cooking is very hands-off —  it just takes a bit of planning as the pork marinates overnight and the black beans as well as the rice for horchata both benefit from a good long overnight soak.  

The menu:

Mezcal con Pepino (search for recipe on website)

Mezcal Con Pepino
One of my favorite drinks with Mexican food

Guacamole and Chips

Loaded Guacamole with CA avocados from The Good Fat

Carnitas Tacos

Overnight marinated pork shoulder with citrus and bay leaf
No extra fat needed- this crisps up perfectly under the broiler

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Almost as easy as corn and so worth it!
Cast iron pan is perfect for the job
6 inch flour tortillas- perfect for tacos
Corn tortillas are great, too!

Drunken Black Beans

My favorite brand of beans- the Midnight Black Beans are a gorgeous deep purple when soaked

Homemade Horchata

Basmati rice soaked overnight with cinnamon stick and vanilla bean
Fun sweet treat

I cannot wait until it’s safe to gather again… I need to make this menu for friends and family!  For now, I say cheers to my favorite people and thankful we have this time at home together. 

Cheers,

Christina 

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Carnitas Tacos

These pork carnitas tacos are at the top of my most favorite foods. They are adapted from the famed tacolicious cookbook by Sara Deseran — one of my favorite cookbooks in my growing collection. The majority of this dish is completely hands off and with the crisping happening under the broiler rather than fried, it's full of flavor, not grease. We take the time to make homemade tortillas which takes this meal over the top delicious. It feeds a crowd, or in my house, a meal and some rockin' leftovers.

Course Main Course
Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

  • 4-4½ lbs pork shoulder cut into 1½-2 inch chunks; bone reserved
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 5 cloves garlic, skins removed and smashed
  • 5 tbsp brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp kosher salt
  • 3 tbsp dried Mexican oregano
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 5 strips orange zest
  • ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • ½-1 tsp dried red chili flake
  • 1 cinnamon stick optional

Instructions

  1. The night before: Combine all ingredients in a large heavy pot with a lid. Toss to coat and place covered pot in the refrigerator overnight.

  2. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 300°. Give the pork a toss so it is evenly covered with marinade and place covered pot in the oven for 3 hours. Be sure to give the pork a quick stir once or twice over the 3 hours. When the pork is tender and pulls apart easily, remove from oven.

  3. To crisp the pork: Move rack near the top of the oven and turn on broil. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a cooling rack in the pan. Spray the rack with nonstick spray. Using tongs, remove the pork pieces from the pot and place on the rack, giving space between pieces if possible. Be sure to remove any large chunks of fat. Keep a close eye on the pork, broil until desired crispiness.

  4. Serve pork with tortillas, cilantro, radish, cilantro, hot sauce and lime wedges.

Crispy Chicken Sandwich

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As a typical kid who grew up in the 80s, we ate our fair share of fast food- namely Taco Bell and Burger King. A popular item at the King was a chicken sandwich (because we thought we were being healthier by eating the FRIED and BREADED chicken sandwich over the burger). It was such a simple item on the menu- soft bread roll, breaded chicken, mayo, romaine. If we were feeling fancy we got the “deluxe” which had sliced tomato and a slice of American cheese.

My mom would often make her version of the Burger King Sandwich which was so dang good it landed in our family recipe book, and below is my version of that version. 🙂 The components are the same: soft French roll, chicken cut or pounded thin and smeared with Dijon mustard, coated in breadcrumbs, and baked in the oven. Toast the roll, smear a good amount of mayo and top with crisp romaine lettuce. That. Is. It.

My version: brine the chicken breasts for a few hours (I only do this half the time), pat dry, spread Dijon mustard on both sides and coat in toasted panko breadcrumbs. Spray a baking rack with non-stock spray and bake on a parchment lined baking sheet at 400 degrees until cooked through and crispy- about 25-30 min.

Meanwhile, make your house sauce of mayo, sriracha, lime juice and a touch of salt. Split your rolls in half and spread a little butter or mayo on each side and sprinkle garlic salt. Toast the rolls till lightly golden. Assemble the sandwich with house sauce, chicken and romaine lettuce. Wait for your kids to devour your fast food.

Cheers,

Christina

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Crispy Baked Chicken Sandwiches

This baked chicken sandwich is just as satisfying as the fried version, but without all the grease and mess! It's inspired by the childhood favorite of so many of us – the original chicken sandwich from Burger King. Although my kids don't know this fast food favorite of the 80s and 90s… they sure love Mom's fast food. Keep it simple with a smear of Best Foods mayo or play with a few ingredients and make your own House Sauce. It doubles as a great fry sauce for a side of baked sweet potato fries!

Course Main Course
Servings 4
Author Christina Shoup

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 4 tbsp melted butter divided
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp Italian seasoning optional
  • salt and pepper
  • 4 soft French rolls
  • ¼ tsp garlic salt
  • romaine lettuce
  • mayonnaise or house sauce

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°

  2. Combine 2 tbsp melted butter, garlic powder, italian seasoning and panko on a rimmed cookie sheet. Toast in the oven until lightly golden.

  3. After toasting bread crumbs, remove and set aside. Raise the oven temperature to 400°.

  4. Spray a cooling rack with nonstick spray and place it on a rimmed baking sheet.

  5. On a cutting board, place chicken between two pieces of parchment paper and pound thinly. Season each side with salt and pepper. Brush one side with mustard and place mustard side down onto breadcrumbs. Gently press to adhere.

  6. Turn chicken over and brush with mustard. Again, gently press the chicken into the bread crumbs to make sure it is fully coated. Cook chicken until fully cooked though and outside is crispy, about 25 minutes.

  7. Meanwhile, prepare rolls. Open each roll and place on a cookie sheet. Brush each side with remaining 2 tbsp of melted butter. Sprinkle with garlic salt. When the chicken has just a few minutes remaining, place the rolls in the oven to lightly toast. Alternatively, broil the rolls after removing the chicken from the oven.

  8. After chicken is cooked, place on a clean cutting board and cut lengthwise so they fit into the roll. Smear mayo or house sauce onto roll, then place chicken and lettuce.

Recipe Notes

One of our favorite parts of this sandwich is the house sauce – it’s different each time, but almost always includes a combo of mayo, sriracha, honey, lime juice and a touch of salt.