Green Beans with Bacon and Bleu Cheese

I love making green beans this way... the salty bacon pieces, the heat from the red pepper, and the creamy bleu cheese is the perfect balance. Only one pan is used to make this side dish, as the beans are steamed/sauteed in the same skillet you use for the bacon. Easy clean-up, only a few ingredients, and done in about 8 to 10 minutes!

Here's what you need:

• about 10 oz. fresh green beans, trimmed
• 4 slices of bacon, diced
• 1/4 c. water (not shown)
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. (to your taste) crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/3 c. crumbled bleu cheese

On the stove top, preheat a large skillet to medium heat. Add the diced bacon and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to allow any excess grease to be absorbed.

Reserve about 1 tbsp. of bacon grease in the skillet.

Add the beans and the water to the skillet. Cover with a lid, and allow to steam for 3 to 5 minutes, or until just tender. Remove lid, season beans with a pinch of salt and the crushed red pepper. Saute for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Add the bacon pieces back to the skillet, and saute for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. The water in the pan should have evaporated, and the beans should be tender. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with bleu cheese. Serves 3.

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This recipe is linked to The Country Cook's "Weekend Potluck"



Pulled Pork BBQ with Cole Slaw

With the upcoming Super Bowl in mind, I'll be posting "Game Day" recipes all throughout this week! This pulled pork BBQ is a great one for Game Day (or any other gathering) because it's cooked in the crock pot and can be made in advance. The pork cooks up nice and tender, and the sauce is tangy and flavorful. I love the creamy cole slaw on top of the BBQ because it balances out the tang of the sauce perfectly. I know there are lots of versions of cole slaw out there. Where I live (in PA Dutch territory), this cole slaw is a popular one. It's sweet and creamy, and the recipes comes from one of my favorite cookbooks: From Amish and Mennonite Kitchens by Phyllis Pellman Good. The Pulled Pork recipe is my own.

Here's what you need:

• 3 to 3-1/2 lbs. of pork tenderloin - (I had 2 small ones in my freezer that equalled 2.5 lbs.)
• 1/2 c. ketchup
• 1/3 c. apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1/4 c. tomato paste
• 2 tbsp. smoked paprika (If you don't have it, regular paprika is fine.) 
• 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp. yellow mustard (If you don't have yellow, just use what you have.)
• 1-1/2 tsp. salt
• 1-1/4 tsp. pepper

Place the pork in a crock pot lightly coated with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients together to make a sauce:

Pour the sauce over the pork. Cook on low 8 - 10 hours, or high for 3 to 5 hours (depending on your crock pot).  Remove pork, let rest for 15 minutes. Using 2 forks, pull the meat apart so it is in shreds:

If you have any animals in the house, they will be at your heals right about now : ) This is Tucker...staring me down for a piece of pork. (Yes, I gave in.)

So while you're shredding pork and shooing animals away, bring the sauce to a boil. Once your pork is completely shredded....

...add it back into the sauce. Keep warm in the crock pot.  It will keep in the fridge for several days, and it freezes well too.  This recipe should serve 10 - 12. Serve on hearty, toasted kaiser rolls with a side of creamy Cole Slaw.......

Creamy Cole Slaw

You need:

• 6 c. of shredded cabbage (I used a bag of pre-shredded cabbage with carrots mixed in.)
• 1 c. mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. vinegar
• 1 tsp. mustard
• 1/2 tsp. celery salt

Blend the mayo, sugar, vinegar, mustard, and celery salt together.

Pour over the cabbage and mix well.

This recipe serves 12 to 14. (Note: The pictures show a half-recipe here because I just needed enough for my family - not a large crowd.)

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Roasted Parmesan Potatoes

I just realized that I haven't posted any side dish recipes yet. This is one of our favorites. I know there are a lot of variations of roasted potatoes out there. But I just love the flavors of this one so much, I could snack on the leftovers cold.....not that I've ever done that : ) If you're baking pork chops or chicken breasts in the oven, these can go right in alongside of them. They're also great for brunch... you know those seasoned "breakfast potatoes" you can get at diners? These potato wedges beat them hands down. Here's what you need:

• 1-1/2 to 2 lbs. baby potatoes, scrubbed (I had the yellow ones in my pantry, but the red ones work great too.)
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. seasoned salt
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• salt & freshly ground black pepper

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Coat a baking dish lightly with cooking spray.

Cut the larger baby potatoes into quarters and the smaller ones into halves, so they are all about the same size. Place the potato wedges in a baking dish and drizzle them with the olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt, and grind about a 1/4 tsp. of black pepper over them. Toss them to coat.

In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan, basil, seasoned salt, and garlic powder. Sprinkle this mixture over the potatoes, and toss again to coat.

Make sure the potatoes are in a single layer in the baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden brown and tender. Serves 4 - 6.

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