Pork Loin Roast with Garlic and Rosemary (Crockpot)

Here is an easy and delicious Pork entrée for the Crockpot:

Skillet Brown Roast First then add to Crockpot

Ingredients:

·         2-3 Pound Pork Loin (I buy a Whole Loin, when it’s on sale, then purpose portion and freeze)

·         2 Sprigs rosemary, coarsely chopped or 1 Tablespoon Dry

·         1 Large onion, (Coarsely Sliced)

·         2 Cups water

·         2 Cloves Garlic (minced)

·         1 Large Bouillon Cube (Chicken)

·         1 Tablespoon sea salt

·         1 Tablespoon Olive Oil for browning the roast

·         For the Gravy

·         3 Tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch

·         1 Teaspoon sea salt

·         1/4 cup white wine (I use vermouth)

·         1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

Instructions

1.       Preheat a cast iron skillet, add the oil and brown the roast over medium-high on all sides. Put Water, Bouillon and Salt into a Crock Pot and turn on the heat.  Remove roast from skillet and place in the crock-pot. Place onions around the roast, smear the minced garlic over the roast and sprinkle rosemary over the top. Turn crock-pot to high and cook 8 hours or until tender and falling apart.

2.       When ready to serve place the roast on a serving platter and cover to keep warm. Transfer liquid and onions from the crock-pot to a pan on the stove. Add the Mushrooms and bring to a boil then reduce liquid to a simmer.

3.       Mix together the arrowroot and Wine then add a little of the boiling liquid to the mixture to temper it. Then, slowly add the arrowroot mixture to the simmering liquid whisking all the while. Season to taste and simmer for a few minutes until thickened. Transfer to a serving container and serve with the roast.

Note! I am always asked what the difference between Flour, Corn Starch and Arrowroot is for Thickening.  Here is my response:  There are two categories here; Grain Starch and Root Starch and they all will thicken, however produce different results.  Flour in a 1 -1 with fat (typically butter) is a basic Roux in French Cooking, and is used in 3 of the 5 French Mother Sauces, i.e., Béchamel, Espagnole and Veloute.  It adds flavor, stands up to long cooking and produces an Opaque Sauce. Arrowroot does not stand up well to long cooking and is generally used toward the end of a sauce.  It is more expensive and has a neutral flavor, with a silky feel to the tongue and makes a translucent shiny presentation that does not gel when cooled. Finally Cornstarch is a more efficient thickener, than flour and you need less.  It gelatinizes at a higher temperature, gels when cooled and produces a shiny but semi opaque sauce.  There are other types of thickeners but these are the top three.

Enjoy

David

Two Minute Chocolate Lava Cake with Caramel Toffee Sauce

Ok, for all of

Chocolate Lava Cake with Caramel Toffee Sauce

you Chocoholics that are reading my Blog, this one is a real winner:  I love Chocolate, Period.  It’s always a challenge, when you have that chocolate pang, what to make that is quick and simple that will drive away the withdraw from the last fix.  I promise this is the quickest and best chocolate dessert cake you have ever had.  The dessert, I kid you not, takes 2 minutes to make, one to mix and one to cook.  Alright, I lied, that’s only for the cake the sauce actually takes about 5 times that amount of time.

I like to use plastic baggies and make batches of the dry ingredients so all I have to do is mix with the wet, when I am ready make one of these.  (Here’s a hint, make these for dessert for a dinner party and your guests will think you slaved for hours)  You will not believe, how light, spongy and Chocolate oozy moist these are, until you make your fist one.  The original Idea for these came from a pinterest post I saw about a year ago, but that recipe I hated, as it called for peanut butter.  It was dry and nasty, so I began to do my thing and eventually came up with this recipe.  Please People, if you are going to do this, make your own sauce, don’t buy it in a jar.  The Caramel Toffee Sauce will last in the fridge for a couple of weeks or you can freeze it.  Just warm it up before serving.  Also, if you are going to substitute, please don’t tell me (I can see the Milk chocolate and Bosco flying now) it won’t taste the same.  Here we go:

Note#1 Make the Caramel Toffee Sauce First and set aside or prepare in advance and refrigerate.  Make the cake(s) just before you are ready for dessert and serve hot.

Note#2 if you substitute 1/4 cup of Chopped Dates in place of the Apple Sauce you will come fairly close to English Sticky Toffee Pudding, which I love when visiting the UK. (Note!, save your cards and letters, yes I do know English Sticky Toffee Pudding does not use Chocolate, this would be the colonies version, Specifically New Jersey)

For Caramel Toffee Sauce

(Note, this is a half recipe Sauce will serve 4)

1/4 cup sugar

3 1/2 Tablespoons butter

3 ounces Heavy cream

Directions:

Melt the Butter in a small sauce pan over Medium High Heat.  Add the Sugar and keep stirring until the mixture darkens to caramel color then add the cream and cook on Medium heat until the sauce achieves a desired thickness. 

The Lava Cake

1 Tablespoon (Packed) brown sugar

1 Tablespoon flour

1 Tablespoon Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa

1/4 Teaspoon baking powder

1 Egg

2 Tablespoons (Chunky) Applesauce

1/8 Cup Large Bitter Sweet Dark Chocolate Chips (I use Ghirardelli’s 60% Cacao)

Directions:

In a small bowl, stir the egg, brown sugar, Apple Sauce, flour, cocoa and baking powder with a fork. Stir in the chocolate chips and pour batter into a “Pam Sprayed” ramekin or Coffee mug.

Microwave for 60 - 90 seconds. (Eyeball this, as each Microwave is different and depending on the Size and Quantity of Cups at one time, will vary slightly) invert onto a plate. Cover with warm sauce and serve hot, sprinkled with a little Powdered Sugar and Whipped Cream if desired.  Serves 1.

Hope you enjoy this, I love it.

David

Loaded Potato Soup (Crock Pot)

Crock Pot Potato Soup

I probably have at least a dozen recipes for Potato Soup.  Some with Onion or without, with cheese or without, Cream, Milk or a mix thereof, with butter or without, Puree or Chunk, Thick and Thin.  This recipe however is one of my favorites for a number of reasons.  First it contains Garlic and I love Garlic, then it doesn’t heat up the kitchen, time is not critical, finally the smells in the house are incredible.  The point I am making, is start with the Potato then use your imagination to create what you enjoy.  Of course, I hope you enjoy this recipe.  Pare it with a couple of slices of crusty Garlic Bread.

Ingredients & Directions:

5 large Eastern Potatoes, Peeled and Cubed to bite size.

Serve with some nice Toasted Garlic Bread

1 Large Vidalia Onion, Diced

1 Large Carrot, Diced

1 large stalk of Celery, Diced

5 Cups of Water

4-5 Chicken Bouillon Cubes (I actually like this better than Stock)

3 Cloves Garlic, Minced

1/2 Stick (1/4 cup) Butter

1 Tablespoon Parsley (use half this amount if dry)

1/2 Teaspoon Thyme

1 Tablespoon Salt

Pepper to taste

Combine the above ingredients in a large crockpot; cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8-10 hours (potatoes should be tender). In the last hour stir in the Chives, Milk, Cream and Cheese

3 Tablespoons Chopped Chives or Spring Onion

1 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1 Cup of Milk

1/2 Cup of Heavy Cream

Serve with a large Dollop of Sour Cream, sprinkled with Bacon and more Cheese

8 Strips of Bacon Fried Crisp and Crumbled

Sour Cream

 

Enjoy

David

Chocolate Espresso Cake with Frangellico Butter-cream Frosting

Chocolate Cake with Crushed Almonds and Frangellico Butter-cream

I never could leave well enough alone:  My cousin, posted on our group Facebook page, her moist Chocolate cake, recipe yesterday and I thought is sounded really good.  This one, however,  is with my twist on that recipe.  I think it takes a moist and delicious Great Cake to a Decadent level.

Moist Chocolate Cake:

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

2/3 cup Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Cocoa

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

Blend dry ingredients together in a mixer then add:

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup Canola oil

1/2 cup Walnut oil

1 cup strong hot coffee

3 eggs

Directions: 

Mix all ingredients together adding Eggs Last, one at a time until smooth.  The batter will be watery thin.  Pour into a greased and floured Bunt Pan and bake at 325 F for 45 minutes.  A toothpick test in center should come out clean.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes before attempting to unmold.  Invert on a plate until free (don’t force it, as it cools it will unmold) then allow cooling for 20 more minutes before frosting.

Frangellico Butter-cream Frosting:

Ingredients:

4 ounces butter, softened

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

3 teaspoons Frangellico (or your favorite Digestif.  I could see Grand Mariner or Kirschwasser going very well with this Chocolate cake.

Directions:

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer. With the mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar a Tablespoon at a time until smooth and creamy. Beat in the Frangellico.  Continue beating until light and fluffy. The frosting should be fluid, but not too thin.  If too thick add a little more booze or milk.   Dollop over the cake and allow to flow the sides.  Sprinkle with Chopped Toasted Almonds and Garnish with whole Almonds. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar and Cocoa.  Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving. 

Hope you enjoy

Dave