Roasted Pork and Sweet Potatoes

Some recipes just seem too easy to be true. This is simply pork, sweet potatoes, and a couple spices from your pantry. Only two things to remember at the store: pork roast and sweet potatoes. So, next time you find yourself stopping at the store without a plan in mind, just pick up those two things and come home and make this dish.

The recipe gives instructions for making it stove top, but I’ve had great success with it in the crockpot, too. Like most meats in the slow cooker, it does benefit from browning first, but if you are in a true hurry and just want to throw it all in the pot in the morning, you will come home to a delicious dinner. And the house will smell great, too.

One more thing, the recipe does not call for any salt. That’s not an oversight. It really doesn’t need it. Of course you can add it if you prefer, but for those looking for low-sodium recipes, this one is a winner.

To read more on Roasted Pork and Sweet Potatoes, just click here.

I’m on a bit of a mission to figure out how to make all those packets (salad dressing, taco, soup starters, etc.) right in my own kitchen. When you read the label, you’ll see why! Right off the top is the sodium content. It is through the roof. Even the low sodium versions. Then there are preservatives and monosodium glutamate (MSG).  Even if none of that bothers you, you might want to make your own just because it’s practically free. Most, if not all, of these spices are probably in your cupboard already. If you’re missing one or two, try it anyway. I think a fresh, minimal spice blend will always taste better than a stale blend full of chemicals and salt.

So, I started with Taco Seasoning. I mix up the spice blend in this recipe in larger quatities and store it in a jar in my spice cupboard. It’s always ready to go. And since tacos are such a favorite by all the kids and grownups in my house, it gets used often.

If you have some extra time, try frying your own taco shells. It’s worth the effort. All you need is a pan, a pair of tongs, and a package of corn tortiallas. They taste a million times better than the boxed version of taco shells. If you have some tortiallas left over, make some chips, too. My brother-in-law cuts the tortiallas into triangles and fries them. As soon as they come out of the oil, he sprinkles them with chili powder and salt. Yum!

To read more about making your own taco seasoning or shells, just click here.

Beer Bread

For some reason, Beer Bread has a following in my area. One of the home party companies has a packaged mix, and all you have to do is add a bottle of beer to it to make bread. I tried it, and we all liked it, but the package was about $6, and I wasn’t sure what was in it. So, I did some research, and found a recipe online that I liked. But, it called for self-rising flour, and that just isn’t something I keep around the house. So, then I figured out a good substitute for self-rising flour (again, thank you world wide web), and I had my recipe.

It is perfect with soups and grilled food. A great summer bread. We go to the beach for a week every summer, and I’ve made up baggies of the dry ingredients here at home.  All I had to do later was dump it in a bowl and pour in a beer. It doesn’t get any easier than that! It’s also great for potlucks. Everyone loves fresh bread.

For variety, try different kinds of beer and/or adding in some dried or fresh herbs. Rosemary is nice. I prefer the lighter beers, myself, but give it a try with your favorite and let me know what you think.

To try Beer Bread, click here.

Top Shelf Margarita

Due to youthful shenanigans, I couldn’t even look at anything with tequila in it for well over a decade. I would go out with friends and while they would order margaritas, which were evidently served in gold fish bowls with a stem attached, I would drink my beer. Aside from drunken embarrassment, I wondered what I was missing.

Fast forward a few years and I found my aversion lessening to a degree. Occasionally, Sheree would give me a drink of one she liked. I could start to see what all the fuss was about, but I still wasn’t sure if they were for me.

Then a few years back we were in Chicago and ate at Rick Bayless’ Frontera Grill. While the food was exceptional, it was the sublime margaritas that I really remember. The mix of freshly squeezed lime juice, premium tequila, hint of orange liquer, and touch of salt was like limeade of the gods.  My recipe is adapted from his Topolo Margarita recipe.  If you are ever in Chicago, definitely give his a try.  In the mean time, click here to see mine.