Recipe: Maple-Brined Pork Loin

Ingredients

• 1 quart cold water
• 1/4 cup salt
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 (2 1/2 pound) boneless pork loin roast
• Boneless Pork Loin Half 1 Lb
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

 

Directions

1. Mix water, salt, 1/3 cup maple syrup, garlic, ginger, rosemary, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Place pork loin in brine mixture and refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours.
2. Remove pork from brine, pat dry, and season all sides with salt and black pepper.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
4. Heat vegetable oil in an oven-proof skillet over high heat. Cook pork, turning to brown each side, about 10 minutes total.
5. Transfer skillet to the oven and roast until pork is browned, about 40 minutes.
6. Mix 2 tablespoons maple syrup and Dijon mustard together in a small bowl.
7. Remove pork roast from the oven and spread maple syrup mixture on all sides. Cook for an additional 15 minutes, until the pork is no longer pink in the center. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

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Recipe: Chef John’s Grilled Garlic & Herb Shrimp

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh lemon thyme leaves
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, or as needed
• 2 pounds extra large shrimp (16-20), peeled and deveined, tail left on
• skewers
• Sauce:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

 

Directions

1. Place salt, lemon zest, and 3 cloves garlic in bowl of a mortar and pestle. Pound with the pestle until mixture begins to form a paste, about 2 minutes. Add chopped basil, parsley, oregano, and thyme and pound with pestle until mixture begin to come together, about 5 minutes.
2. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of the olive oil into herb mixture. Grind together until mixture begins to form a sauce for marinating, about 1 minute. Pour in the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Stir mixture with a spoon until mixture is thoroughly combined, adding additional olive oil as needed. Mixture should be fairly thick but pourable.
3. Place shrimp in a large bowl and mix in about 2/3 of the sauce, reserving 1/3 for serving. Stir until shrimp are evenly coated with the sauce, about 2 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce.
4. Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil the grate.
5. Thread shrimp onto skewers (pierce each twice, once through large part of shrimp, once through small part). Place skewers on hot grill. Cook on each side until shrimp are bright pink and opaque and exterior is beginning to caramelize, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer skewers to serving platter.
6. Pour remaining sauce into mixing bowl. Whisk in 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Spoon sauce over shrimp. Serve with lemon wedges.

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Recipe: Shoyu Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup water
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika (optional)
• 5 pounds skinless chicken thighs

 

Directions

1. Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, garlic, onion, ginger, black pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, and paprika in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Add the chicken thighs, and toss to evenly coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

2. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate.

3. Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade. Discard the remaining marinade. Grill the chicken thighs on the preheated grill until cooked through, about 15 minutes per side.

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Recipe: Spicy Bacon-Wrapped Scallops

Ingredients

• 10 slices bacon
• 10 sea scallops
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

 

Directions

1. Arrange bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until lightly browned but still pliable, about 5 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on paper towels.
2. Wrap each slice of bacon around one sea scallop and secure with a toothpick. Season with Cajun seasoning.
3. Heat olive oil in a clean skillet over medium-high heat; sear scallops until golden and bacon is crisp, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Squeeze lemon over scallops. Serve immediately.

Pro Tip:

“Very nice and oh so quick. Here is a secret to a good sear on the scallops. Get your pan screaming hot – I used Grape Seed oil, as it has a high smoke point – place your wrapped scallops into the pan – don’t over crowd them – and DO NOT MOVE them. The temptation is to shake and move the scallops around but hands off! About 3 minutes, give them a flip and the same thing with the other side. Let them sear without moving them. Have everything else for dinner ready and waiting. I served these with a lovely salad with sliced oranges, red onion, baby lettuce and sliced mushrooms.”

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Recipe: Grilled Marinated Shrimp

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
• skewers

 

Directions

1. In a large bowl, stir together the garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce, and red wine vinegar. Season with basil, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add shrimp to the bowl, and stir until evenly coated. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring once or twice.
2. Preheat grill for medium heat. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard marinade.
3. Lightly oil grill grate. Cook shrimp on preheated grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque.

 

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Recipe: Jamie’s Cranberry Spinach Salad

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered
• 1 pound spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons minced onion
• White Onion, Large
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook and stir almonds in butter until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and let cool.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, onion, paprika, white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, and vegetable oil. Toss with spinach just before serving.
3. In a large bowl, combine the spinach with the toasted almonds and cranberries.

 

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Recipe: Summer Garden Crustless Quiche

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil, or as needed
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 cups chopped kale
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 grinds fresh black pepper, or to taste
• 1 cup diced tomato
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 5 eggs
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 7, 1/2 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch pie dish with 1 teaspoon olive oil.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic in the hot oil until garlic is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add kale, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until kale is wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir tomato and carrots into kale mixture; cook for 5 more minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
3. Whisk eggs and milk together in a bowl. Stir Cheddar cheese, kale mixture, and parsley into egg mixture; pour into the prepared pie dish.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until quiche is set in the middle and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool in pie dish for 2 to 3 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving: 297 calories; 20.5 g fat; 12.6 g carbohydrates; 17.7 g protein; 195 mg cholesterol; 406 mg sodium.

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Recipe: World’s Best Honey Garlic Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 2/3 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 6 (4 ounce) (1-inch thick) pork chops

Directions

1. Preheat grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
2. Whisk ketchup, honey, soy sauce, and garlic together in a bowl to make a glaze.
3. Sear the pork chops on both sides on the preheated grill. Lightly brush glaze onto each side of the chops as they cook; grill until no longer pink in the center, about 7 to 9 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 145 degrees F (63 degrees C).

Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe 6,

Total Fat: 5.6g

Saturated Fat: 2.0g

Cholesterol: 65mg

Sodium: 441mg

Potassium: 426mg

Total Carbohydrates: 13.5g

Dietary Fiber: 0.1g

Protein: 25.6g

Sugars: 12g

Vitamin A: 187IU

Vitamin C: 3mg

Calcium: 11mg

Iron: 1mg

Thiamin: 1mg

Niacin: 13mg

Vitamin B6: 1mg

Magnesium: 30mg

Folate: 3mcg

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Recipe: Greek Burgers

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef sirloin
  
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
  
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 1/2 cups thickly sliced button or cremini mushrooms
  
• 2 small red onions, sliced
  
• 1 red sweet pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into strips
  
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
  
• 4 kaiser rolls, split and toasted

Directions

1. In a large bowl combine beef, Worcestershire sauce, half of the oregano, salt and pepper (try not to overmix). Shape into four 1/2-inch thick patties. Set aside.
2. In a large cast-iron skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onions and sweet peppers. Cook and stir for 4 to 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove skillet from heat. Stir in remaining oregano. Transfer vegetable mixture to a medium bowl; cover to keep warm.
3. Return skillet to stovetop; add remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Heat over medium-high heat until oil is very hot. Add beef patties. Cook patties for 12 to 15 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in centers registers 160 degrees F, turning once. (Reduce heat if burgers brown too quickly.)
4. Serve burgers topped with vegetables and feta on toasted buns.

Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe 4, Riboflavin (mg) 1, sat. fat (g) 13, Niacin (mg) 11, carb. (g) 37, vit. C (mg) 51, Fat, total (g) 37, Thiamin (mg) 0, chol. (mg) 126, Trans fatty acid (g) 2, Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 1, Monounsaturated fat (g) 17, Folate (µg) 94, Polyunsaturated fat (g) 3, Cobalamin (Vit. B12) (µg) 3, calcium (mg) 159, pro. (g) 41, cal. (kcal) 652, iron (mg) 6, vit. A (IU) 1239, fiber (g) 3, sodium (mg) 840, sugar (g) 5, Potassium (mg) 832

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Recipe: Honey-Lime Lamb and Melon Skewers

Ingredients

• 1 1/4-1 1/2 pounds boneless lamb sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
  
• 3 teaspoons shredded lime peel
  
• 1/3 cup lime juice
  
• 1/3 cup honey
  
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh tarragon or 1-1/2 tsp. dried tarragon, crushed
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  
• 12 1 – inch cubes cantaloupe
  
• 12 1 – inch cubes honeydew
  
• 1 6 – ounce carton plain yogurt
  
• 6 soft flatbreads, warmed
  
• Fresh arugula (optional)

Directions

1. Place lamb in resealable plastic bag set in dish. For marinade, in bowl whisk together 2 teaspoons of the peel, the lime juice, honey, 2 teaspoons of the tarragon (or 1 teaspoon dried), the garlic, salt, and pepper. Reserve 1/4 cup marinade. Pour remaining over lamb. Seal bag; turn to coat. Refrigerate 1/2 to 2 hours; turning once. Remove lamb; discard marinade.
2. On twelve 6-inch skewers thread lamb and melon, leaving 1/4-inch space between. For charcoal grill, place on rack directly over medium coals. Grill, uncovered, 12 to 14 minutes or until meat is slightly pink in center, turning and brushing often with reserved marinade.
3. Stir remaining peel and tarragon into yogurt. Serve skewers with yogurt, flatbreads, and arugula. Makes 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts

Servings Per Recipe 6, carb. (g) 62, vit. C (mg) 37, pro. (g) 27, vit. A (IU) 1846, iron (mg) 4, cal. (kcal) 409, calcium (mg) 131, Potassium (mg) 773, sodium (mg) 616, sugar (g) 27, Cobalamin (Vit. B12) (µg) 3, fiber (g) 3, Folate (µg) 93, Polyunsaturated fat (g) 1, Monounsaturated fat (g) 2, Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 1, sat. fat (g) 2, Niacin (mg) 9, Riboflavin (mg) 1, chol. (mg) 62, Thiamin (mg) 1, Fat, total (g) 6

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