Marinated Pork & Red Onion Kebabs

The pear tree is just starting to bud out. In late spring it is covered with blossoms. Glorious!

It is a cloudy day in late March, and I am longing for Summer. Lazy days, warm weather, gardening, grilling, picnics, I could go on and on. But northern New Mexico weather means it will be months before those dreams are realized...except, maybe the grilling?

Last summer we purchased a gas grill.  What a wonderful purchase. I still use the charcoal grill when I have a lot of time (those long summer days I was talking about.) But I have fallen in love with the ease of almost year-round grilling with the gas version. Flip on the burners and grilling can happen whatever the weather (except hard rain.). How cool to grill with snow on the ground.

So, on this cloudy, dreary, early Spring day we are having marinated port and red onion kebabs for dinner. Grilled. So there!  :)

Marinated for 24 hours, then grilled. This pork dish is delicious.

Marinated Pork & Red Onion Kebabs
(Serves 4)

1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin, cut into 16 pieces
1 red onion, cut into 16 pieces
4-6 bamboo or metal skewers
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons cherry preserves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced

Alternate 2 pieces of pork and two of onion threaded on a skewer until filled. Complete the process on remaining skewers with remaining pork and onion. Place kababs in a glass baking dish and season generously with salt and pepper.

Make the marinade by combining the remaining six ingredients in small bowl. Whisk until combined and pour over kababs. Let stand a minimum of two hours at room temperature, or up to 24 hours, covered in the refrigerator. Whichever method you choose, occasionally turn the kabobs to evenly marinate.

If you have refrigerated the kabobs, allow sitting at room temperature for 1 hour before cooking.

Preheat broiler or light the grill to medium-high. Drain marinade into small saucepan. Cook on grill for 15 minutes, or until meat is cooked through. Turn skewers, and baste often with sauce during cooking.

I served the kababs with rice pilaf and spinach salad. Enjoy!

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BBQ Pork Ribs

So, it is the middle of August.  The perfect time to invite a bunch of friends for a barbecue. Ribs, coleslaw, potato salad, corn on the cob and plum cobbler create a delicious menu that everyone will love. Best of all everything except the ribs and corn can be made ahead of time so you can enjoy the party while manning the grill. Add some cold beer or margaritas and party on!

I discovered this recipe for BBQ ribs a few years ago at Saveur Magazine and it has been my go-to version ever since. I have made very minor tweaks like subbing coconut sugar for brown and white sugar, adding Dijon mustard to the sauce and using fresh garlic instead of powder. And I wrap the cooked ribs in foil and a kitchen towel and let them rest for 2 hours before serving. I have been cautioned by a BBQ expert to NEVER skip this step to ensure tender, juicy, perfect ribs. Other than those minor edits...this is Saveur's recipe.

Happy Mid-Summer everyone...you should throw a party!

BBQ Pork Ribs 

(from Saveur)

serves 4-6

Rub Recipe

1 cup coconut sugar
½ cup paprika
3 Tbsp. ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. kosher salt
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tsp. cayenne pepper
2 racks St. Louis-cut pork spareribs (about 3 lb. each; see Barbecue 101. »)

Mix the sugar, paprika, pepper, salt, chili powder, garlic and onion powders, and cayenne in a small bowl. Rub onto all sides of ribs. Place ribs on foil-lined rimmed baking sheets. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. 

BBQ Sauce Recipe
2 cups organic ketchup
½ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup coconut sugar
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1½ Tsp. cayenne pepper
1½ Tsp. celery seeds
1½ Tsp. minced garlic
1½ Tsp. ground cumin
¼ Tsp. fresh lemon juice

In a bowl, whisk together ketchup, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, celery, cumin, cayenne, garlic, and lemon juice; set aside. 

Prepare your grill using the kettle grill, bullet smoker, or gas grill method, (see links for instructions) using oak wood chunks or chips (see Fuel and Flavor). Place ribs, meat side up, on a grill grate. Maintaining a temperature of 225°-250° (if using a kettle grill or bullet smoker, replenish fire with unlit coals, as needed, to maintain temperature; see instructions), cook, turning once and basting with sauce the last 45 minutes of cooking, until the tip of a small knife slips easily in and out of the meat, 3–4 hours. Remove from grill, wrap in aluminum foil, wrap the foil packets with a kitchen towel and allow to rest for 2 hours. Serve ribs with remaining sauce on the side.

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It is "BBQ" week at Food Network #Summer Soiree roundup. Do you have a favorite BBQ recipe?  Share in the comments section and/or link to your blog if you have one.  

The Lemon Bowl: Tart Cherry Chinese BBQ Pulled Pork
Feed Me Phoebe: Grilled Lamb Kebabs with Lebanese Tomato Salsa
Weelicious: Southern-Style Pork Tenderloin
The Heritage Cook: Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwiches (Gluten-Free)
Napa Farmhouse 1885: BBQ Pork Ribs
Red or Green: BBQ Salmon with Hot Pepper Jelly Glaze and Marinated Tomatoes
Domesticate Me: Fiery Barbecue Flank Steak Tacos with "Summer Mess" Salsa
Devour: 5 BBQ Sandwiches
In Jennie's Kitchen: Ginger-Soy Marinated Flank Steak
FN Dish: The Beauties of Barbecue

best,
diane

napa farmhouse 1885

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California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove!
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Spaghetti & Meatballs

I know, I know...does the world need another recipe for spaghetti and meatballs?  Google alone had over 1,880,000 results when I checked this morning. But I really, really like my version...a combination of my Mom's recipe with my tweaks. And it occurred to me that, after six years of blogging, I have never shared this beloved, comfort-food-at-its-best, dish at Napa Farmhouse 1885.

My mom's meatballs are very similar to mine but she cooks her sauce all day. She starts in the morning...lets it simmer all day...and she does not finish the meatballs in the sauce. She uses the oven method. She cooks the pasta, adds meatballs (she makes really big ones so people normally need just 1 or 2) and she then ladles the sauce over everything. I like the fresher tasting, quicker version sauce to balance out the "meatiness" of the meatballs and I really like finishing the pasta in the tomato sauce. When I make my mom's sauce (will share one day) I either keep it vegetarian or make it a meat sauce by adding ground sirloin at the beginning and let it simmer all day with the rest of the ingredients. My grandmother's sauce was different from both my mom's and mine. I love the way the generations adapt but honor the family recipes.

My grandmother's, my mom's and my sauce recipes are all a little bit different...but equally delicious. Give my version a try and please let me know what you think in the comments section of this post. And, while you are at it, tell me how you make spaghetti & meatballs?

Spaghetti & Meatballs
(serves 4- 6)

1 recipe meatballs (recipe follows)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 26.4 oz box chopped Pomi tomatoes
2 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 lb spaghetti or perciatelli pasta
sea salt
Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated or shredded, for topping pasta

For the sauce
Use the skillet from making the meatballs...You want all the flavor from the oil and bits of meat. Add the additional tbsp of olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Add the onion and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, saute for an additional minute (do not let garlic brown). Add the tomatoes, parsley, wine, pinch of salt and cooked meatballs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Season with small handful of salt. Add the pasta and cook for 1 minute less than package directs. Drain the pasta and add to the cooked sauce. Stir in and cook an additional minute. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve immediately with plenty of parmigiano-reggiano for topping the pasta.

For the Meatballs
(makes 28)

1 lb ground chuck
3/4 lb Italian sausage (I use hot but you can use mild if you prefer a less spicy meatball) casings removed
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup whole wheat panko crumbs
2 tbsp grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Add all ingredients to large bowl and, using your hands, mix just until incorporated. Do not over mix. Use a spoon or ice cream scoop to create 28 meatballs, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Roll lightly between your hands to form the balls.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add the meatballs and cook for 5 minutes or until browned. Turn and cook an additional 5 minutes. If you are making the Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe stop cooking at this point. If you want the meatballs without sauce, place the browned meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet. Place in 375 degree preheated oven for 15- 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees when pierced with a meat thermometer. (do not clean the skillet if you are making the red sauce!)

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Other pasta dishes you may enjoy:

• pasta with italian sausage & peppers
• wild mushroom pappardelle "bolognese"
• fusilli with roasted delicata squash & fresh sage brown butter
• blt pasta

Visit the Recipe Index page for the full list of pasta recipes

It is "Clean Out the Pantry Night" week at Food Network's Sensational Sides roundup. Check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends. Do you have a favorite pantry recipe? Feel free to share in the comments section or link to your blog if you have one. Recipes will be posted at noon on Thursday.

Here is the full schedule for #SensationalSides:

April

3: Clean out the pantry night

10: Kid-Friendly

17: Easy Easter Side

24: Something mashed

May

1: Salad (Lettuces)

8: Cheesy

15: No-cook

Feed Me Phoebe: Artichoke Hummus
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Spaghetti and Meatballs
Red or Green: Sea Bass with Spicy Asian Ginger Sauce
Jeanette's Healthy Living: Quinoa Citrus Mango Avocado Black Bean Salad
The Heritage Cook: Chile Tortilla Soup
Cooking With Elise: Glorious Greek Salad Dressing
Devour: Clean Out the Pantry Night
Weelicious: Greek Nachos
Virtually Homemade: Garlic Rosemary Pizza Crust Bites
Domesticate Me: Fiesta Baked Eggs with Farro and Black Beans
Taste With The Eyes: Mom's Vintage Potato Salad
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Rice and Beans Casserole
The Sensitive Epicure: Salmon and Brown Rice Casserole (Gluten-Free)
Daily*Dishin: Spicy Chipotle Chicken Pasta with Crunchy Roasted Black Beans
FN Dish: Pantry Clean-Out Sides

best,

diane
napa farmhouse 1885

red or green?
california girl in taos
MoseyLove!

please follow me on facebook

I have started sharing my Taos experiences on my newest blog "California Girl in Taos". Please visit and let me know what you think.

Pork Stew in Port Wine Sauce with Grilled Cheese Croutons

I love the way this dish turned out. A delicious pork stew in a port wine sauce slow cooked in the oven then topped with grilled ham & cheese sandwiches cut into croutons. The stew combines pork meat with onions, leeks, garlic, carrots & red bell pepper with seasonings and a fruity port wine sauce. The croutons are made with the best quality extra sharp white cheddar and...to keep the pork theme going...ham, then grilled to an oozy melty goodness.

This is Grilled Cheese Week at Food Network's Comfort Food Feast. I have posted some of my favorite grilled cheese sandwiches over the past few years...apple, fennel & cheddar cheese panini tops the list...so I wanted to try something different. Grilled cheese makes terrific sandwiches of course, but I also like to cut them into smaller pieces and serve as appetizers or floating on top of soup (tomato of course). So tonight I thought the grilled cheese croutons would be the perfect accompaniment to the stew...better than potatoes or pasta and...according to my dinner guests...I was correct!  Enjoy and please tell me what you think.

Pork Stew in Port Wine Sauce with Grilled Cheese Croutons
(serves 4-6)

2 lbs pork stew meat, cut in 2 inch cubes
2 tbsp unbleached flour
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 large leek,(white and light green parts) cut into 1 inch slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp herbs de provence
2 cups fruity port wine
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3 large carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, large chop
grilled ham & cheese croutons (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Season pork with 2 tsp each salt and pepper. Sprinkle flour over meat and toss to evenly coat. Heat a large oven proof skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add olive oil and pork to pan. Cook for 5 minutes without turning. Flip and cook another 3-4 minutes until golden brown on both sides. Remove from pan and add to rimmed plate (like a pie plate).

Add onion and leek to pan. Saute for 5 minutes until beginning to soften and caramelize (stirring frequently . Stir in garlic and saute for 1 minute longer. Add herbs de provence, port and chicken broth. Return pork to skillet adding any liquid from pie plate. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and stir in carrots and bell pepper. Turn off heat, cover pan and place in preheated oven.

Cook stew for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off oven and let stew remain in oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve topped with two or three grilled cheese & ham croutons.

Grilled Ham & Cheese Croutons
(makes 2 sandwiches or 12  croutons)

2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard
softened butter
2 slices sourdough bread
1 cup coarsely grated cheddar cheese
2-3 ham slices, thinly sliced

Heat skillet or grill pan(my preference) over medium high heat. In a small bowl, combine mayo and mustard. Set aside. Spread 1 side of  each slice of bread with butter. Spread the mayo mixture on the other side of each slice. Place 2 slices of bread , butter side down, in the skillet. Mound the cheese on top of the mayo side.   Top the cheese with the ham slices. Top with a second slice, mayo side down. Grill for 3- 4 minutes, or until bread is nicely toasted with deep grill marks (if using grill pan) and cheese is melted. Flip sandwiches and grill second side until golden brown. Remove from heat, Cut each sandwich in half diagonally, the cut each half into three triangles.

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Other cheese dishes you may enjoy:

• apple, fennel & cheddar cheese panini
• salad with apples, cheddar cheese and walnuts
• potato soup with red chile & cheddar cheese
• mac & cheese with roasted cauliflower and leeks
• cheese enchiladas with new mexican red chile sauce (vegetarian)

It is "Grilled Cheese Sandwiches" week at Food Network's Comfort Food Feast. Check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends.  Have a favorite grilled cheese sandwiches recipe of your own? Please feel free to share in the comments section of this post or link to your blog if you have one.  

Jeanette's Healthy Living: Lighted Up Croque Monsieur Grilled Cheese
Blue Apron Blog: The Tastiest Grilled Cheese Fillings
Weelicious: Grilled Cheese and Pickle Panini
Devour: Kelsey's Decadent Grilled Cheese
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Inside Out Grilled Strawberry and Cheese Sandwiches
Daily*Dishin: Grilled Pimento Cheese with Instant Pickles
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Pork Stew in Port Wine Sauce with Grilled Cheese Croutons
Red or Green: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Three Pepper Cheese, Grilled Onions and Pickled Jalapenos
Dishing With Divya: Egg and Mushroom Cheese Sandwich
Domesticate Me: Barbecue Chicken Grilled Cheese
Taste With The Eyes: Bulgogi Panino with Kimchi, Cheddar and Ssamjang Mayo
Virtually Homemade: Creamy Roasted Tomato and Basil Grilled Cheese with Bacon
The Sensitive Epicure: Grilled Cheddar Cheese Sandwich with Apple, Walnuts and Thyme (Gluten-Free)
FN Dish: 10 Grown-Up Grilled Cheeses

best,

diane
napa farmhouse 1885

red or green?
california girl in taos
MoseyLove!

please follow me on facebook

I have started sharing my Taos experiences on my newest blog "California Girl in Taos". Please visit and let me know what you think.

Pork Chop Casserole with Crimini Mushrooms

I was so lucky growing up in that my entire family lived near us in Southern California. Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Grandparents, Great Aunts & Uncles...you name it. And our family got together often. Of course for every holiday...but other times too. We had family dinner at my grandparent's home every Wednesday. We went to the beach...movies...vacations...restaurants...plays. The whole family came to my high school football games because I dated a player. And every summer vacation we had lunch once a month at my Great Aunt Lena's home.

Aunt Lena was an amazing cook...a legendary baker...and a talented seamstress. She frequently made a pork chop casserole for luncheon. Imagine August in Pasadena California. Temps in the high 90's...no air conditioner at Aunt Lena's...and her making and baking a cream sauce based casserole. Her kitchen was almost unbearably hot...but the casserole was delicious. And she always had a homemade dessert! We so looked forward to Aunt Lena's lunches.

This is "casserole" week at Food Network's Comfort Food Feast. I don't make casseroles often but I have been wanting to recreate Aunt Lena's pork chops. I lightened up the dish with fresh mushrooms, peas and added white wine to my version. I don't think she would have minded. I don't have her recipe so this is from memory...I hope I came close. But, either way, Peter loved it...ate it 3 times...and nothing is more comforting to me than people enjoying my food. Enjoy!

Pork Chop Casserole with Crimini Mushrooms
(serves 4 as a main dish)

4 bone in pork chops
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing casserole dish
1 white onion, chopped
6 crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped 
12 oz pkg medium egg noodles
1 1/2 cups peas (fresh or frozen)
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Season pork chops with salt and pepper, set aside. 

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil and seasoned pork chops. Brown chops on both sides. Add onions and mushrooms, saute for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic and saute another minute. Add soup, wine, mustard, parsley and 1 tsp each salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pan and simmer for 1 hour.

While pork chop mixture simmers, bring large stockpot filled with water to a boil. Season with small handful of salt and add noodles. Cook for 5 minutes, drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Stir in peas to pork chop & noodles pan. Grease a large casserole dish with olive oil. Place noodle mixture in dish. Top with pork chops. Cover loosely with foil and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

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It is "casserole" week at Food Network's Comfort Food Feast. Check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends.  Have a favorite casserole recipe of your own? Please share in the comments section of this post.  

The Heritage Cook: Tex-Mex Arroz con Pollo (Gluten-Free)
Jeanette's Healthy Living: Smoked Sausage Chicken Cassoulet
Big Girls, Small Kitchen: Cheesy Butternut Squash Enchiladas
Dishin & Dishes: Black Bean Enchilada Pie
Weelicious: Chicken Wild Rice Casserole
Dishing with Divya: Chicken Mushroom and Black Bean Tortilla Casserole
Taste With The Eyes: Paella Rice with Baby Octopus & Meyer Lemon
Blue Apron: 11 Super Casserole Recipes for a Super Bowl Feast
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Pork Chop Casserole with Crimini Mushrooms
Red or Green: Stacked Cheese Enchiladas with New Mexican Red Chile Sauce
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Chicken and Rice Casserole
The Sensitive Epicure: Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole (Gluten-Free)
Domesticate Me: Mushroom, White Bean and Brown Rice Casserole with Bacon and Gruyere
Daily*Dishin: Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole
FN Dish: The New Age of Casseroles

best,

diane
napa farmhouse 1885

red or green?
california girl in taos
MoseyLove!

please follow me on facebook

I have started sharing my Taos experiences on my newest blog "California Girl in Taos". Please visit and let me know what you think.