Category: Chef in Training

Easy Slow Cooker Pork Rice Bowls

Easy Slow Cooker Pork Rice Bowls

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

I never quite know how to prepare pork, so I continually search for new ways to use pork as a main protein in dishes. These pork bowls come together quickly and are great if you have leftover pork. I love using a slow cooker pork recipe for these bowls.

Ingredients

  • Pork (see this easy slow cooker pork recipe for inspiration)
  • Desired vegetables: fresh spinach, cucumber, red onion, squash or zucchini, sweet potato, hash brown potatoes, cabbage (red or green), carrots, edamame, snow peas, or any other desired vegetables
  • Preferred rice (horrible at cooking rice? No problem! Check out these simple rice tips for Instant Pot rice)
  • Glass noodles (optional)
  • Other protein of choice (optional)-fried, boiled, soft boiled eggs, diced chicken, and beef are great options
  • Sesame seeds for garnish (if desired)
  • Sauces-add your favorite Yum Yum, hoisin, or teriyaki sauce for more flavor

Directions

Add all ingredients to the bowl and ENJOY! This meal is great because it is so customizable. There is something for everyone in this dish and it’s a great quick meal with things you already have on hand.

Easy Slow Cooker Pork Loin

Easy Slow Cooker Pork Loin

by Engineered Mama ♥ 1 Comment

I always purchase pork loins when they’re on sale and they travel to the back of the deep freeze never to be seen again. Every time I try something different I’m disappointed. I finally found this recipe from foodess that I adapted that works great to make Easy Pork Quesadillas or Pork Rice Bowls. The sauce is simple and the dry rub adds so much flavor!

Ingredients

Slow Cooker Liquid

  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 1 large onion sliced

Pork

  • 4 lb pork loin cut in half as needed to fit in slow cooker
  • 3 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 2 Tbsp avocado oil

Sauce

  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 3 Tbsp honey
  • 4 tsp minced garlic 4 large cloves
  • 2 Tbsp butter

Directions

Prepare slow cooker cooking liquid:

  1. Add the chicken broth, soy sauce and sliced onion to slow cooker and give it a stir.

Prepare pork:

  1. Mix salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Rub this mixture over the pork loin.

Cook:

  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey and garlic.
  2. Place the pork loin on top (fat-side up) of the onions and brush the pork all over with this balsamic vinegar mixture.
  3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Once done, the pork will be fall-apart tender and delicious. Transfer pork to a serving platter.
  4. Whisk butter into the liquid left in the slow cooker. This turns it into a glossy sauce to serve with the pork. Add salt and pepper if desired.
Easy (No Cook!) Chicken Caesar Wrap

Easy (No Cook!) Chicken Caesar Wrap

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Ingredients

Dressing:

  • 2 tsp yellow mustard
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp fish sauce (if you don’t have any fish sauce on hand, you can substitute 1 tsp anchovy paste or 1 tsp soy sauce)
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Wrap:

  • Flour tortillas (large burrito size)Shredded rotisserie chicken
  • Chopped romaine lettuce
  • Shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

  1. Make Caesar dressing by mixing all dressing ingredients well. Refrigerate at least an hour to ensure all flavors integrate well.
  2. Add chicken, lettuce, cheese, and dressing to a flour tortilla. Wrap all ingredients tightly and enjoy!
Dutch Oven Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

Dutch Oven Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

As much as I love grabbing a rotisserie chicken while I’m picking up groceries, there’s just nothing like a homemade roasted chicken. I have adapted this recipe from Cooking for My Soul, which is simple and flavorful and it’s my go-to when I want to roast a whole chicken. The best part of this recipe is you can save the carcass and vegetable scraps to make homemade bone broth later!

Ingredients

Vegetable Bed

  • 9-12 small potatoes (I prefer Little Duos or Little Trios from The Little Potato Company for some variety)
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and quartered
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Chicken

  • 1 5-pound whole chicken – giblets removed
  • 1 stick herbed butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
  • 5 sprigs fresh rosemary, divided
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme, divided

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Place the cut up vegetables for the vegetable bed (potatoes, carrots, onions) in the bottom of a large 7-8 quart Dutch oven pot. Toss with a few drizzles of olive oil, plus salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
  3. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel thoroughly, including inside the cavity. Rub half of the herbed butter under the skin (carefully separate the skin from the flesh to create “pockets” for the butter, mainly around the breast and legs). Then, rub the remaining half butter on the outside, all over the top, legs, and wings. Tip: Patting dry the chicken thoroughly will help you get crispier skin.
  4. Stuff the cavity of the chicken with 1 quartered and peeled onion, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, and 2 sprigs fresh thyme.
  5. Place the prepared chicken in a roasting pan, breast side up. Tuck in wings under the chicken, or clip the wing tips to prevent them from burning. Place the remaining 3 sprigs of rosemary and 3 sprigs of thyme around the chicken.
  6. Cover with the lid securely, and roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes COVERED. Then, UNCOVER and roast for another 30 minute to allow the skin to crisp up and turn more golden brown. If the vegetables look like they are burning, add a few splashes of chicken broth. It’s ready when a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F. Tip: Avoid opening the oven too much to prevent the heat from escaping. If needed, rotate the chicken if you notice certain spots browning more, or tent any spots that are browning too fast with aluminum foil. 
  7. Let it rest in the Dutch oven for 15 minutes before serving, along with the vegetables. Serve and enjoy!
Air Fryer Honey Glazed Salmon

Air Fryer Honey Glazed Salmon

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

The air fryer has changed my life! Ok, well, it has changed my diet and has made me a little more culinarily adventurous at least… I found this recipe from Healthy Fitness Meals and it is SO good!

Ingredients

  • 4 salmon fillets, skin on
  • 1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1½ tsp toasted sesame oil
  • ¼ tsp kosher salt, or to taste
  • ⅛ tsp ground pepper, or to taste
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • ¼ tsp crushed chili flakes, or to taste

Directions

  1. Place the salmon fillets into a shallow dish. Whisk soy sauce, oil, salt, and pepper in a small mixing bowl. 
  2. Pour the dressing over the salmon fillets and gently rub all over the fish. Allow it to marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, preheat the air fryer to 425°F. 
  4. Place the fillets into the air fryer basket, skin side down, and cook at 400°F for 8 minutes.
  5. Lightly brush with honey and sprinkle with sesame seeds and chili flakes. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Serve with your favorite side.
Copycat Carrabba’s Mama Mandola’s Sicilian Chicken Soup

Copycat Carrabba’s Mama Mandola’s Sicilian Chicken Soup

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This is hands down one of my favorite soups! It’s right up there with Zuppa Toscana and has a great bite to it from the white pepper this recipe calls for from Food.com.

Ingredients

  • 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 medium  sweet onions
  • 2 1⁄2medium  green peppers
  • 8 stalks celery
  • 8 -10 medium  carrots
  • 8 medium sized potatoes, roughly diced
  • 10 -12 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 quarts chicken stock
  • 5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 2(28 ounce) cans petite diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup of chopped parsley
  • 2 Tbsp white pepper (this is what gives the soup its kick, so if you don’t prefer a spicy soup, halve this amount or add according to taste)
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp black pepper 
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp salt 
  • 2 lbs ditalini, as needed when serving or other small pasta of choice

Directions

  1. In a large stockpot (16 quart minimum / 20 quart recommended), heat olive oil medium-low to medium heat.
  2. “Sweat” onion, celery, green pepper, and some salt (to draw off moisture) for about 30 minutes — this is lower than browning and makes the veggies somewhat translucent. Cover and mix every few minutes to prevent browning.
  3. Add carrots, garlic, some white pepper, and some black pepper and continue to heat under “sweat” conditions while mixing now and then.
  4. Add chicken stock, chicken breasts, tomatoes, potatoes, and more white and black pepper. Cover and simmer on low heat for 1.5 to 2 hours.
  5. Remove chicken and let stand to cool to shred.
  6. Add chopped parsley to pot and return the shredded chicken to the soup.
  7. Salt to taste and add more white and black pepper if desired.
  8. Simmer while cooking ditalini (or other pasta).
  9. Serve soup over cooked pasta to taste.
Perfect Instant Pot Rice

Perfect Instant Pot Rice

by Engineered Mama ♥ 3 Comments

After searching for what seems like forever for a tried and true way of making rice, this is it! I found this recipe from Green Healthy Living and it’s foolproof! I use this recipe for all types of rice and it has really upped my chicken fried rice game.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rice (any kind will do-adjust cooking time according to rice type listed in directions below)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions

  1. Rinse rice thoroughly using a fine mesh strainer. Add all ingredients into the Instant Pot. Double, triple or quadruple all ingredients in same amounts if a larger portion is desired.
  2. Make sure sealing ring is placed properly in lid, add lid, turn shut and turn knob to sealing position.
  3. Cook on high pressure for the number of minutes instructed below depending on the type of rice:
    • White Rice (Basmati or Jasmin): 3 minutes
    • White Sushi Rice: 5 minutes
    • Brown Rice (Basmati): 22 minutes
    • Short Grain Brown Rice: 24 minutes
    • Red Rice: 30 minutes
    • Wild Rice Blend: 28 minutes
    • Wild Rice: 30 minutes
    • Black Pearl Rice: 30 minutes
  4. Natural Pressure Release until pin drops. Takes on average 9-12 minutes (max. 18 minutes for 1 cup and max 30 mins for 4 cups).
  5. Remove all rice from pot immediately to avoid it sticking to the bottom. If needing to keep warm, leave rice in pot after natural pressure release without opening the lid to avoid steam being released and drying out the rice, which makes it stick to the bottom.
Easy Wreath Vegetable Tray

Easy Wreath Vegetable Tray

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

The great thing about this vegetable tray is you can use any vegetables, fruits, or cheeses you like to decorate it! Have fun, choose what your family loves, and get creative!

Ingredients

  • Sliced cucumber
  • Sliced celery
  • Sugar snap peas
  • Chopped broccoli
  • Grape tomatoes
  • Red and yellow bell pepper
  • Black olives
  • Mozzarella pearls
  • Vegetable dip

Directions

  1. Place the vegetable dip in the center of a large platter. Place vegetables around the dip in the center of the tray. Decorate the vegetable wreath with grape tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, grape tomatoes, and bell pepper.
  2. Enjoy!
Easy Christmas Tree Cheese Ball

Easy Christmas Tree Cheese Ball

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

This is about as easy as it gets-premade spreadable cheese of your choice shaped into a cone shape with your favorite additions. Boom. Instant festive cheese ball!

Ingredients

  • Premade spreadable cheese (I prefer Alouette, but any kind will do!)
  • Toppings of choice:
    • Fresh dill
    • Fresh parsley
    • Almond slices
    • pomegranate arils
  • Crackers for serving

Directions

  1. Shape the spreadable cheese into a cone shape by placing the cheese into saran wrap and rolling it on a flat surface.
  2. Place the cone shaped cheese onto a cheese board or serving tray.
  3. Add preferred garnishes to decorate the “tree”.
  4. Serve with Ritz crackers, Triscuits, or other preferred crackers.
Lasagna with Italian Sausage

Lasagna with Italian Sausage

by Engineered Mama ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

There are so many different ways to lasagna… this one is my personal favorite! It’s also perfect to make in large batches to freeze. This recipe was adapted from an original recipe from allrecipes.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
  • 1 24 oz jar tomato basil pasta sauce
  • ½ cup minced onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 12 lasagna noodles
  • 16 ounces ricotta cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Cook sausage, onion, and garlic in a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium heat until well browned.
  2. Stir in pasta sauce and simmer until mixture is heated through.
  3. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water.
  4. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, fresh parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
  5. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  6. To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with 1/2 of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/2 of the Parmesan cheese.
  7. Repeat layers, top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese. If freezing lasagna, place on level shelf in freezer. Thaw frozen lasagna in refrigerator and follow the next steps to fully cook.
  8. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes.
  9. Rest lasagna for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!