~If you're interested in sending review copies of cookbooks or products for testing, please feel free to contact me at cowgirlmin07 [at] gmail [dot] com.
Glazed Stuffed Pork Chops
4 VERY thick pork chops
8 slices oatnut bread
butter
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup apricot pineapple jam, room temperature**
1 tablespoon peach schnapps
1 large lemon, juiced
Preheat oven to 350°.
Slit each pork chop along 2 sides to create a large pocket.
*Toast each slice of bread well and then lightly butter.
Cut each piece into small squares.
Toss with thyme, garlic salt and pepper.
Stuff each pork chop with 1/3 cup of mixture.
Whisk together the jam, peach schnapps, red pepper flakes, ginger and lemon juice.
Place chops in a square greased baking dish.
Arrange remaining stuffing around the edges.
Glaze chops and stuffing tops.
Bake uncovered 30 minutes.
Turn chops, glaze chops and stuffing again. Bake another 30 minutes.
*If you prefer, prepare 1 box of stove top stuffing instead.
**Tonight I used Lemon Curd and had a distinctively fresh flavor with the same consistency. Use whatever flavor speaks to you.
Once you taste this pork, you will never believe it has only three ingredients! It is succulent and flavorful and simply amazing. We plan to make it again and again. We made two batches of this to feed two families totaling 10 people (5 adults and 5 kids). We ended up stirring the two slow cookers into one after the meat was shredded. I don't have a picture because we proceeded to eat a TON of pork sandwiches. We'll be making it again soon though, so stay tuned!!
The recipe comes from January 2014 The Costco Connection, attributed to Michelle Tam. I used Red Hawaiian Sea Salt from Frontier for the recipe. (follow the link to purchase--I am glad I bought a pound of red salt as this recipe is a keeper!) The only thing we changed was adding more bacon and slow-cooking the meat overnight, then we shredded it and reheated before dinner. The salt colors the outside of the meat a deep, beautiful red, and any crunchy outside bits are the best! We served ours on rolls with coleslaw (on top or on the side). It makes a lot. Buy the best pork roast you can find and make this recipe!
Slow Cooker Kalua Pork
Serves a lot.
3 bacon slices (we used 1/2 package of bacon per slow cooker)
5-pound Boston butt pork roast (bone in or boneless)
1-1/2 tablespoons coarse (or 1 tablespoon fine) Red Hawaiian Sea Salt toasted rolls, for serving coleslaw, for serving
Line the bottom of the slow cooker with strips of bacon. Evenly salt the pork with the red Hawaiian sea salt. Place the roast in the slow cooker on top of the bacon, skin side up.
Cook the roast on low for 16 hours. Shred the meat with a couple forks, discarding any excess fat chunks. You can either do this right in the slow cooker, or by taking the meat out, shredding it on a pan, then mixing it back in with the liquid in the slow cooker. This reheats beautifully, so if you don't want to get up at 1 or 2:am to turn on your slow cooker, it's not a big deal to cook it when it's more convenient. Just be sure you allow 16 hours for cooking!
2-pound boneless pork loin roast with a thin layer of fat,
optionally tied
½ cup fresh orange juice
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1. Using a large heavy knife, mince and mash the garlic
to a paste. Add oregano, salt and pepper and mash together. Rub mixture all
over pork, tied if desired.
2. Put
orange juice, lime juice, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in gallon-sized,
resealable freezer bag and shake to combine.
3. Add
pork to marinade in bag and seal. Refrigerate, turning occasionally, for at
least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
4.
After marinading pork, lift it from marinade and pat it dry with paper towels.
Reserve marinade.
5. In
3- to 4-quart heavy ovenproof pot with lid, heat butter and remaining 1
tablespoon olive oil over moderate heat until foam subsides.
6.
Brown pork on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Remove pot from heat and pour
reserved marinade around pork.
7.
Cover pot and roast at 325°F. until thermometer inserted diagonally at least 2
inches into center of pork registers 145°F, about 45 minutes.
8.
Transfer pork to a plate and let stand, loosely covered with foil, for 10
minutes, during which time its internal temperature will rise 5°F to 10°F.
9.
Bring cooking juices to a boil and boil until reduced by half, 5 to 10 minutes.
10.
Slice pork and serve with sauce.
NOTE: I
used a pork top loin roast successfully though original recipe specified
center-cut. The combination of orange and lime juices mimics the tang in a
marinade of bitter oranges, which would be used in Cuba. May want to serve with
rice and black beans and a tossed green salad.
OVEN BBQ PORK CHOPS
1 1/2 to 2 pounds pork rib chops, trimmed of fat
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 teaspoons safflower oil, divided
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup orange juice
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
2-3 cups prepared white rice
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Generously sprinkle pork chops with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large ovenproof skillet over high heat.
Add the pork chops and sear to brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the pan.
Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened.
Stir in garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant.
Add orange juice and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Stir in barbecue sauce until well blended.
Return the pork chops to the pan, turning several times to coat with the sauce.
In a large baking dish layer the rice on the bottom, smoothing the top.
Add pork chops to top of rice.
Pour remaining sauce over the chops and rice.
Transfer the dish to the oven and bake until the pork chops are barely pink in the middle and an instant-read thermometer registers at least 145 degrees. 10-15 minutes.
Hi, everybody! My name is Megan, and I'm owner/writer of Kitschy Suburbia, a blog about family, food and nail polish. Weird combo, I know, but it works! I found The Bad Girl's Kitchen while searching for a new recipe to try. Not only did I find some great recipes, I found a community of great cooks that I wanted to be a part of.
I "found" this recipe when a fellow blogger gave me the head's up. It's from Kevin & Amanda - they have a *bunch* of great recipes. This is the first I've tried and I promise I'll be trying more (and sharing them with you, of course). Don't be intimidated by the amount of ingredients or the number of steps - they are ALL worth it.
Perfect Pulled Pork
1 whole bone-in Boston butt
Dry Rub 1 Tbsp ground cumin 1 Tbsp garlic powder 1 Tbsp onion powder 1 Tbsp chili powder 1 Tbsp cayenne pepper 1 Tbsp salt 1 Tbsp ground pepper 1 Tbsp paprika 1/2 cup brown sugar
Mix well and store in an air-tight container.
Brine Solution 1/2 cup salt 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 quarts cold water 2 bay leaves 3 Tbsp dry rub mix
Add salt to cold water and stir until all the salt is completely dissolved. Then add the brown sugar, dry rub and bay leaves. Stir well to combine.
Pork shoulder prep: Rinse the pork shoulder and place in a large container. Pour in the brine solution until the shoulder is completely covered. Cover the container and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Remove pork shoulder from brine solution; pat dry with paper towels. Place pork shoulder in baking pan that is bigger than the shoulder by at least an inch in length and width and at least 3-inches deep. Sprinkle dry rub on to the surface of the shoulder and massage in so that it adheres to the surface. Coat all sides and be sure to get in to all the nooks and crannies. Make sure the fat layer on the hsoulder is facing up before cooking! Place baking pan, uncovered, in a 225* oven on the middle rack. Insert a probe thermometer into the center or the thickest part of the shoulder, but not touching the bone. Monitor the temperature throughout cooking (a digital thermometer with an alarm function is the easiest way to do this). Do not remove from the oven until the center of the shoulder reaches 200*; shut off the oven and let the roast cool for a couple of hours before removing from the oven. If the bottom of the pan is dry (or crusted with dried spices), cover the pan with foil to retain internal moisture of the meat during the cooling period. When the temperature drops to 170*, remove from the oven. Place on a large clean work surface, such as a cutting board, and remove the large sheet of crusted fat off the top. Pull apart with two forks; it will pull apart very easily.
NOTES: This is a VERY looooong process. I cheated and didn't let the pork get all the way up to 200 and then cool back down because we ended up being short on time. I put the pork in the oven at 11 and it wasn't finished even at 7. I had no idea it would take THAT long! It didn't shred quite as easily than if we had waited the entire time, but it was still delish!
BONUS RECIPE!
I got this wonderful recipe from my bestie. She's my partner in crime - whether as a fellow mom, a kitchen goddess, or beauty queen, this lady is always there for me!
Scalloped Potatoes 6-8 large baking potatoes shredded Cheddar cheese - 1 small bag Heavy Cream- 1 1/2 to 2 cups Seasoned salt - as desired Salt- as desired Dried thyme- as desired
Preheat oven to 400* Use 9x10 baking dish - grease lightly
Slice all potatoes thinly, add a layer in baking pan Add a layer of cheese and spices 2 layers of Potatoes Layer of cheese and spiced Do this until all the cheese and potatoes have been used. Make sure you have enough cheese for the top of the potatoes. Once you have layers complete, pour heavy cream over entire thing and sprinkle left over cheese on the top.
Bake for 60 minutes.
NOTES: This is my bestie's recipe and it's from memory, so it's not the most precise, but you get the picture.
Be sure to have some disposable gloves for this one - it gets messy!
The hardest part of making this recipe was smelling the pork in the oven ALL day. It smelled soooo good - it was very hard to wait.
The end result. We served the pork with fresh deli rolls and a couple BBQ sauces. The pork was not dry by any means, we just had some really good sauces to share that we picked up from the Fiery Foods Show back in March.
So...it was nice to meet you! Here's to many new bloggy buddies and many great new recipes to be had.
Shell recently returned from a humanitarian trip to a tiny village in Mexico. I told her the food would be great! Here's a recipe she found that I've translated for her--I can't wait to see how it turns out, Shell! Follow the link below for the original recipe in Spanish.
Pozole Verde Guerrerense (Green Pozole from Guerrero--this is the traditional recipe from the Mexican State of Guerrero, and is "officially" consumed on Thursdays.)
½ kilogram of Hog's Head ½ kilogram of pork backbone 500 Grams Green Tomato 1 kilogram of hominy 1 onion 2 cloves garlic 100 grams Pork meat (possibly ground) 1 bunch radishes 3 bay leaves 1 Lettuce 2 Poblano Chiles Salt, oregano and lemon to taste
Pozole: A Mexican dish that dates back to prehispanic times. Pozole in Nahuatl means foam, by the appearance of Cracked grains in stock. Originally white and pork, but now is made with beef or chicken, among other ingredients.
1 Place the hominy (corn) in a pan with enough water, add bay leaf, garlic, onion and salt to taste after the first boil. *(does this mean you boil the hominy separately first? I don't know) Let cook for 3 to 4 hours.
2 Prepare a sauce with tomatoes and peppers and pour into the pot with the corn. It is important that it's hot.
3 In another pan, cook pork along with the ground, a bit of onion and garlic. Shred the pork and add it to the other cooking pot when the corn pops.
4 Allow to cook a little longer and serve your pozole accompanied by lettuce and finely chopped radishes. Add oregano, salt and lemon to taste.
"That meat looks yummy and smells yummy." - H-Bomb, upon seeing the ribs come out of the oven.
This recipe comes from Real Simple magazine, and it is a WINNER all-around. It's so easy to prepare, just mix up a quick rub, then baking it in the oven is completely hands-off! Grilling the meat and basting with barbecue sauce for a few minutes before serving puts the perfect finishing touch on a wonderful dish. Everyone loved these ribs! The sauce is delicious too, there were barely any leftovers!
1 scant tablespoon chili powder (or 1/2 tablespoon if your chili powder is strong) 1 tablespoon ground coffee 1 scant teaspoon ground cumin 4 tablespoons brown sugar (divided) 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (divided)*I leave this out entirely* Kosher salt and black pepper 6 pounds spareribs (2 racks), trimmed of excess fat 3/4 cup ketchup 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup molasses 2 tablespoons tomato paste
Heat oven to 275 degrees F. Make the rub: In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, coffee, cumin, 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of the cayenne, 2 teaspoons Kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper.
Place the ribs on a large rimmed baking sheet. Rub the ribs with the spice mixture and tightly cover the baking sheet with foil. Bake until tender and the meat easily pulls away from the bone, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a saucepan, combine the ketchup, vinegar, molasses, tomato paste, the remaining 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer 1/2 cup of the sauce into a small bowl for serving.
Heat grill to medium-high. Grill the ribs, basting with the remaining sauce and turning occasionally, until just beginning to char, 4 to 5 minutes. Serve with the reserved sauce.
I'd never had this stew, despite living in the Four Corners region...but I had a pork shoulder thawed and waiting to be used. I also have all these ingredients in the pantry, and there is hardly any prep work. Perfect for a day I don't really feel like cooking...although my pork roast is twice the size the recipe calls for, I guess we'll see what happens!
Currently in the slow cooker, pictures and review tonight!
Navajo Stew Serves 4 to 6
Here is real home cooking from Four Corners (where New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Arizona meet). This is a fast, easy meal. Serve it with bread, rice, and a green salad.
Cooker: medium or large round or oval Settings and cook times: LOW for 7 to 9 hours, then HIGH for about 20 minutes; chickpeas and chiles added during last 20 minutes
One 2- to 2-1/2 pound Boston pork butt, trimmed of all fat (I didn't trim) 1 large yellow onion, cut in half and sliced into half moons Water to cover One 15-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained One 4-ounce can roasted whole green chiles, drained and cut into 1/2- to 1-inch-wide strips Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
In the morning, put the pork butt and onion slices in the slow cooker and add just enough water to cover. Then cover and cook on LOW until the pork shreds easily when pressed with a spoon, 7 to 9 hours.
When ready for dinner, cut the pork butt into cubes or break into uneven pieces. Return to the cooker, add the chickpeas and chiles, turn the cooker to HIGH, and cook until hot, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. You can thicken the sauce if you like by taking off the lid and cooking for another 15 minutes on HIGH. Serve in bowls.
A long, long time ago, I made Pork Tenderloin Medallions in a Port Wine Sauce. It was an amazing dish, but I've lost the recipe. One day I'll recreate it. Today, as I searched for something similar, I ran across this recipe from Everyday Food magazine. I happened to have all the ingredients, including a bunch of spinach that we need to use up.
I didn't have pork tenderloin, rather an almost five pound pork loin roast, so I had to improvise. I cut the roast in half, and stuck half in the freezer. I browned the half roast in oil on all sides as directed, then placed it in a pan and in a 400 degree F oven for about 10 minutes to start. After 10 minutes, I checked the temperature, and just kept roasting until it was done. It ended up roasting for about 35 minutes, then I tented it with foil while I steamed the spinach.
This is delicious and savory, and the spinach is a perfect accompaniment.
Pork Tenderloin with Garlic Orange Vinaigrette and Sauteed Spinach Serves 4
4 tablespoons olive oil 2 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each), trimmed and patted dry Coarse salt and ground pepper 1/4 cup orange juice 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon honey 1 garlic clove 4 bunches flat-leaf spinach (about 2 pounds total), thick stems removed, washed well
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium; season pork with salt and pepper. Add pork to skillet, and cook, turning occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 145 degrees, 20 to 25 minutes (reduce heat if pork browns too quickly). Transfer pork to a plate, and cover loosely with aluminum foil; let rest 5 to 10 minutes (reserve skillet).
Meanwhile, in a blender, combine orange juice, mustard, honey, garlic, and 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper, and blend until smooth; set vinaigrette aside. In reserved skillet (if bottom of skillet is blackened, use a new one), heat remaining tablespoon oil over high. Add as much spinach as will fit; toss until wilted, adding more spinach as there is room, 3 to 5 minutes total. Drain off excess liquid, and season spinach with salt and pepper.
Slice pork and drizzle with vinaigrette; serve with spinach.
Spaghetti & Meatballs Dinner Challenge: Last night I cooked up 2 different Spaghetti & Meatballs recipes, and with the help of my good friend Amy and her family, had a taste test to see which one was preferred. It was a fun thing to do on a Saturday night, and Spaghetti & Meatballs is one of my favorite comfort foods when it is cold and snowy out. One of the recipes was my recipe that I've made for as long as I can remember. The other other was a recipe by Emeril Lagasse (courtesy of the Food Network website). I call it "no-fuss" because it is essentially a 1 pot meal.
I followed Emeril's recipe as written with a few exceptions. First, 80/20 beef AND ground sausage just sounds like a grease-fest to me (no offense intended, Emeril), so I used 93/7 beef. Second, I did add a small splash of red wine to the sauce -- it is genetically impossible for me to make tomato sauce without adding wine. Just can't be done. Lastly, I put a bottle of the Essence seasoning in my grocery cart, but somehow it wasn't in the bags when I got home, so I ended up leaving that out. Other than these few changes, I've followed his recipe below. I have to admit, I was a little nervous about putting raw ground meat into the tomato sauce, but they did cook through and were very tasty.
The final verdict was a draw. Amy and her younger son liked my Spicy, Beefy Spaghetti & Meatballs, and her husband and oldest son preferred Emeril's. Actually, her husband liked Emeril's meatballs, but my sauce better. I didn't vote since I'm partial to my recipe, and that seemed a bit self-serving. So, I am posting both recipes (2 different posts). You can decide which is your favorite. :-)
In the picture below, Emeril's recipe is on the right, and my recipe is on the left.
No-fuss Spaghetti & Meatballs
Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 cup diced onion 1-1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes 2 15-ounce cans tomato sauce 1/2 6-ounce can tomato paste 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano salt & pepper 12 ounces ground chuck (80/20) 8 ounces ground pork sausage 2 Tablespoons red wine 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1/2 cup minced green onion, white part only 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 3 Tablespoons grated parmesan 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon Essence Creole Seasoning (also called Bayou Blast)
Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until softened and translucent, about 8 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste and season with basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and partially cover.
4. Place the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix together just until combined.
5. Form meatballs by rolling meat mixture into 1 Tablespoon-sized balls. Place meatballs on a plate as they are formed. Note: To prevent the meatballs from sticking to your hands, wet your hands with water first.
6. Add meatballs into the simmering sauce 1 at a time. Allow the sauce to return to a simmer and cook, partially covered. Let the meatballs cook undisturbed for the first 25 minutes before stirring.
7. When the meatballs rise to the top, stir gently. Simmer, partially covered, for an additional hour, stirring occassionally to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
This is a tried and true recipe that I make several times a year, usually a few days after we've had a big ham for dinner! It's just good and warming and comforting and delicious. Be sure to start it ahead of time, because you never know how truly fresh your beans are (and how long they will take to cook!) I nearly always double the recipe, and I always add carrots to the mix.
It comes from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. There are many, many editions of this cookbook, mine was published in 1996, and it is an indispensable resource for basic recipes and tips.
**picture tomorrow, the beans aren't done yet!**
Ham & Bean Soup Prep: 20 minutes Soak: 1 hour Cook: 1 1/4 hours Makes about 8 cups (5 main-dish servings)
1 cup dry navy beans (or any small, white bean) 1 to 1 1/2 pounds meaty smoked pork hocks or one 1- to 1 1/2-pound meaty ham bone 1 1/2 cups diced celery (3 stalks) about two carrots, peeled and diced 1 cup chopped onion (1 large) 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1 bay leaf
1. Rinse beans. In a large saucepan combine beans and 4 cups water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. (Or, place beans in water in pan. Cover and let soak in a cool place for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.) Drain and rinse beans.
2. In the same pan combine beans, pork hocks or ham bone, celery, carrots, onion, thyme, pepper, bay leaf and 4 cups fresh water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 1 hour or till beans are tender. Remove meat. When cool enough to handle, cut meat off bones; coarsely chop meat. Discard bones and bay leaf. Slightly mash beans in saucepan. Return meat to saucepan. Heat through.
For a while, we had a Schwan's delivery guy who used to be chef. He said he was "Irish-Mexican" and that his dream job would be cooking on a ranch like ours. He was large, round, friendly and nice, and we talked quite a bit about food. He shared the ingredients for his "secret" Green Chile, and I wrote them down. I didn't write down the technique, amounts, or anything else, so I'm just going to wing it here.
Just so you know, here are all the notes I started with:
Green Chile-- chicken stock roasted green chiles chicken bouillon cumin mexican oregano pork sirloins or chicken cornstarch to thicken (don't if freezing) pureed tomatoes
And that's all I've got. He said that green chile is "peasant food" or something to that effect, and that he used to make and serve it in a restaurant where he cooked. He also said something about feeling okay to share the "recipe" with me because I live in the middle of nowhere, basically "who are you going to tell?" Ahem.
But, you know, I am making this up as I go along, and I'm also going to add more ingredients, and completely improvise the method. So it's not really like I'm divulging any big secrets here. I don't think, anyway, given the end result.
I pulled a 5-pound package of pork loin ribs out of the freezer, but didn't realize that they were not boneless, but that's all I had. That's okay, since I was cutting the meat up anyway, I just had an extra step of removing all the bones. Incidentally, the slab of meat wouldn't fit into our microwave for defrosting, so I did it a different way: I stuck it into the biggest frying pan I have (it didn't all fit, some was sticking over the edge), put a cup of water in the pan and perched the lid on top of the meat. I turned it on medium to sort of "steam-thaw" it until I could get the ribs apart and cut them into bite-size pieces. It worked pretty well, I just tried not to cook the meat very much in the process. It would be much easier with advance notice and having meat that was thawed.
And although this started out to be a somewhat "authentic" Chile Verde, it ended up being something quite different. I embraced the "peasant food" label and ran with it, boiling and straining the pork rib bones for broth, adding ingredients that we had in the pantry to extend the recipe when I didn't think it looked like enough to feed 14.
It was a bit too spicy for the kids, but they ate leftover pesto instead...If you're concerned about it being too spicy, just leave out the can of jalapeños and reduce the cumin. Either way, it's delicious!
Min's Pork Chile Verde Stew serves about 14
Butter Olive oil 5 pounds boneless pork ribs 1 cup flour 1 1/2 yellow onions, diced (about 2 cups) 2 carrots, peeled and cut in 1/4-inch dice 4 cans chicken broth (2 cans if using pork "broth") 7 cubes chicken bouillon 4 4-ounce cans fire-roasted diced green chiles 1 4-ounce can fire-roasted diced jalapeños 6 to 8 red potatoes, washed and cut in 1/4-inch dice 1 can garbanzo beans 1 can whole kernel corn 1 tablespoon cumin (or to taste) 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano, crushed 1 can diced tomatoes Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Pour flour into a large ziploc bag. Cut pork into 1/2-inch pieces, add to ziploc bag, seal and shake to coat. Starting with two tablespoon each, add butter and olive oil to a large soup pot over medium heat. Remove pork from flour with a slotted spoon, and fry in butter and oil until golden brown and cooked through, stirring occasionally. Remove cooked pork to a plate, and repeat until all pork is cooked and on a plate, using more butter and oil as necessary in equal amounts.
Add diced onions to the pan, along with an additional tablespoon each of butter and olive oil, if necessary. Saute over medium-low heat until onions are translucent. Add carrots, stirring in and cooking for a few minutes. Add chicken and pork broth, and chicken bouillon cubes. Return pork to the pot.
Add everything else except tomatoes, salt and pepper, and stir well. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until potatoes are tender. Stir in tomatoes and warm through. Taste and adjust for spices, add salt and pepper if needed.
Serve with tortillas or crusty bread on the side and plenty of Corona.
Another night, another 5:00 scramble for dinner. We're so busy trying to finish up the last touches on our house addition that sometimes dinner time just sneaks up on us. For the second night in a row, I turned to Everyday Food: Great Food Fast for a quick, delicious recipe. (it even has a Make Ahead option, see below!)
We had a bunch of mushrooms that needed to be used up, and a search for "mushrooms" in the index yielded this simple recipe. It even has bacon in it! Perfect.
Number One helped me by cooking the bacon and the pasta while I chopped mushrooms and picked parsley and rounded up the other ingredients from our newly-built and newly-organized pantry!
Simple yet satisfying, this mushroom bacon sauce is excellent without being overpowering. The flavors are just right, even the boys loved it. As H-Bomb said, "Mushrooms and bacon! Yum!"
We even had leftovers for tomorrow. Here you go.
Mushroom Ragout, before Pasta
Mushroom Ragout with Pasta Serves 6Prep time: 30 minutesTotal time: 1 hour
4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces (we used 1/2 pound of bacon) 1 small onion, finely chopped 2 packages (10 ounces each) cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered 2 packages (10 ounces each) white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered (we used about 12 ounces of creminis and a package of oyster mushrooms) 1/4 cup tomato paste 2 teaspoons dried thyme 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar 1 pound spaghetti Shaved Parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)
1. In a large 5-quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid (that will be used later), cook the bacon over medium heat, uncovered, stirring until crispy, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel to drain. Set aside.
2. Add the onion to the saucepan; stir until golden, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms; cover. Cook until the juices have evaporated, about 20 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, thyme and 2 cup water until combined; cover. Cook until the sauce has thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley and vinegar. Add the bacon, reserving some for garnish, if desired.
4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and return to the pot.
5. To serve, toss the pasta with the ragout. Garnish with the reserved bacon and shaved Parmesan, if desired. Serve immediately.
*The sauce for this dish can be made a day or two ahead (keep the bacon separate) and refrigerated. Gently reheat as the pasta boils; add the bacon to the sauce during the last few minutes of heating.
Not having this recipe here is an oversight! I was reminded of it when my friend Karen was looking for savory blueberry recipes. It's from the Venison Cookery cookbook, and I am not exaggerating when I say every single recipe of the more than one dozen we've tried from this cookbook has been a winner. (If you have venison or elk, go buy this cookbook today!)
The sauce is wonderful, and I know it would be a great, natural accompaniment on pork as well as venison. We served ours on venison steaks instead of roast. Let me know what you think!
We will be making this again, stay tuned for a picture!
1 1/2 cups dry red wine 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots or onion 1 cup beef or venison stock 1/2 cup dried blueberries 3 tablespoons butter, softened 2 to 3 tablespoons maple syrup 1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage Salt and pepper to taste
Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Make shallow slits in roast with tip of sharp knife. Insert garlic sliver into each slit. Place roast on rack in roasting pan. Brush with oil. Sprinkle roast with pepper. Roast for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F. Roast to desired doneness, 20 to 30 minutes per pound. Sprinkle roast with salt.
Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, combine wine and shallots. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until liquid is reduced by half. Stir in stock and blueberries. Return to a simmer. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until liquid is again reduced by half, stirring occasionally. (For a thicker sauce, stir in 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 teaspoon water at this point).
Whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir in syrup, sage, salt and pepper. Serve sauce with roast.
Our friend came over today and brought pork chops for dinner. I decided on a citrus marinade because we had a bunch of oranges that needed to be used up. I found a recipe, but it called for reducing the juice, added some super spicy peppers, etc. I just combined a couple recipes that called for ingredients that sounded good, and went for it.
The pork was tasty, tangy and delicious, perfectly grilled by Number One. Try this marinade, you won't be sorry! Just don't overcook your pork, or you will be sorry!
Citrus Marinade
Juice of 4 oranges (just over 1 cup) Juice of 2 limes (about 1/4 cup) 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon orange zest 2 teaspoons dried oregano 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar freshly ground pepper kosher salt
Combine all ingredients in a large plastic bag. Add pork, seal and refrigerate for several hours, turning bag about every half hour.
Heat grill, remove pork from marinade and grill until pork is done, being sure not to overcook it.
My partner for this month's Taste & Create was Susan of Life at Quail Hollow. Taste & Create is a monthly food blog event hosted by my friend Nicole of For the Love of Food. Participants are randomly paired off and asked to prepare a recipe from their partner's blog. It is very fun, and I encourage each and every one of you to sign up!
So Life at Quail Hollow certainly seems idyllic, and Susan seems to always be hosting gatherings of friends and family in her lovely home. I enjoyed perusing her blog, and it didn't take me long to decide on Polpettine d'Oliva, AKA Alessandra's Meatballs. I am a sucker for an "authentic" recipe for anything, and after reading that Alessandra's kitchen is IN Italy, Tuscany to be exact, and that Susan learned to prepare this meal AT Alessandra's house in Tuscany, I was hooked.
I will admit that cooking the meat prior to forming the meatballs seemed counter intuitive to me, but I did it. I even doubled the recipe from the start because they just sound so delicious.
Although the recipe calls for green olives, I decided to use a mix of Paesana stuffed olives we had in the refrigerator, and just chopped them up. We simply had to have a taste before chilling the meat mixture, and it is amazing! We were thinking of other dishes we could use this meat mixture in, and trying not to eat the whole pan with a spoon. We were greatly anticipating the meatballs.
After the meat was chilled, we pulled it out of the fridge and were dismayed to find it difficult to form into balls. We debated adding a couple more eggs, but first we simply stirred up the meat. Some of the binding egg mixture had settled at the bottom, so to our relief just mixing the meat again corrected the problem, no added ingredients necessary.
Number One formed the meatballs (more than 80 of them!) and I dipped the ones we ate tonight in flour, egg and bread crumbs. Just regular bread crumbs, of course, because the store doesn't carry panko. You're not surprised, are you? I wasn't. We fried them in olive oil until golden brown, then served them up an a bed of spinach with some of the dipping sauce as described below.
The rest of the meatballs went onto a cookie sheet and into the freezer. When they are individually frozen, I will put them in a ziploc bag to store them for future use.
These are the best meatballs we have ever had. I'm so glad we have about 80 of them in the freezer!!
Alessandra's Meatballs
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup onion, chopped
3/4 cup carrots, chopped
3/4 cups celery, chopped
1/2 pound ground chicken
1/2 pound bulk sausage
1 1/4 pound ground beef
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup green olives, chopped
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Pepper to taste
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
Panko bread crumbs
Saute the vegetables in the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the meats and cook until done, stirring to break the meat into small pieces. Drain, if needed.
Return to the skillet and add the wine. Cook until the wine is absorbed.
Remove the mixture from the heat and add the Parmesan, 1egg, olives and the seasonings. Mix well and chill.
Once chilled, form into 1-inch balls. At this point the meatballs can be chilled or frozen.
Roll the meatballs in flour, egg and bread crumbs and fry in olive oil until brown. Serve with mayonnaise seasoned with Worcestershire sauce, basil and oregano. Makes 40 meatballs.
We had our first monthly Bunkhouse Brunch last Sunday, and it was a smashing success! We had a great turnout, were surrounded by friends and family, and everyone brought such fabulous food! We made a Strata with Asparagus, Sausage and Fontina. Among the other dishes were roasted sweet potatoes, sausage links, donut holes, coffee, an assortment fruit, Yoghurt Coffee Cake (with roasted almonds instead of walnuts!), and fresh squeezed orange & grapefruit juice, and a new taste sensation, Espressicles. Quite a spread!
Since the brunch is a monthly event, we are already thinking about the next one...
Various things pushed the brunch a bit further into the month of March, but what a lucky thing that turned out to be. With the March Bunkhouse Brunch scheduled for March 15, we are running with an Irish theme in honor of St. Patrick's Day.
In preparation, and honestly just because they sound delicious, we are trying out several new recipes. My ancestry is almost completely Irish, but sadly the only Irish dish that comes to my mind is Boiled Dinner. I'm not a big fan, but I feel like I ought to give it another try at some point. Just not right now. First, I ran across this recipe for "Dublin Coddle."
The recipe sounds fabulous: bacon, sausage, potatoes, onions and carrots slow-cooked in beer or broth. I found it in The Gourmet Slow Cooker: Simple and Sophisticated Meals from Around the World, and I can't say if I've ever tried a recipe out of the book before. Looking through it the other day, I know I will be trying several more out of this fantastic little book. Lucky you!
This stew is savory, hearty and delicious, and H-Bomb says "Super yummy!" Dublin Coddle Serves 6Dublin Coddle is true Irish comfort food: no fancy sauces, and none of the spices found in hotter regions. Yet every Dublin pub and every Dublin mum has a version of it. It sounds simple--just bacon, sausage, potatoes, onions, carrots and water or hard cider--but the flavors meld together into a delicious stew. Note: This dish is an exception to the better-the-day-after rule. I like it hot out of the pot.
4 slices lean bacon (I used 6 slices) 1 1/2 pounds pork sausages (6-8 sausages) ~I used about 10 I think 2 yellow onions, sliced Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced 2 carrots, peeled and sliced 1 cup water, hard cider, chicken stock or beer (I used a dark Oatmeal Stout beer) 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Heat a large saute' pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and fry for 7 minutes, or until crisp. (If there is one thing I can do with bacon, it is fry until crisp!) Using tongs, transfer to paper towels to drain.
Add the sausages to the pan and cook, turning frequently, for 10 minutes, or until browned. Using tongs, transfer to a plate. Drain any excess fat from the pan.
Add the onions to the pan and saute', stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Spread half of the onions in a layer in the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place half of the potatoes in a layer on top of the onions and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay the strips of bacon over the potatoes. Lay the sausages over the bacon. Spread the carrots over the sausages and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the remaining onions over the carrots and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Add the water. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, until the vegetables are very tender.
Transfer to a warmed serving dish and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve immediately.
To Drink: Harp Lager or Newcastle Brown Ale. (we'll be drinking Oatmeal Stout)
Instead of exchanging gifts this year, Number One's brother and sister-in-law suggested that we cook fabulous meals for each other and our families during their visit to the ranch. This is an excellent idea; each couple will get a night off to relax, socialize and drink a little more wine, and we will all enjoy splendid meals together.
To that end, I decided to prepare a Mexican feast. We have wonderful memories of our trip to Mexico with Number One's brother and our niece, and we all enjoy authentic Mexican food. H-Bomb declared that he doesn't want my Famous Lamb Tacos, so I pulled out my trusty cookbook. There are several recipes I've been wanting to try in Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen, and this is one of them. I plan to follow Rick's menu suggestions:
All three recipes sound like there will be some work involved, but not what I would call "labor-intensive." There is enough work that I am excited to tell you: all the dishes above can be made ahead of time! I will post the variations that I am preparing, due in part to an ingredient-deficient grocery store, as well as the original version. What are we waiting for? Let's get to it!
**I had planned to make this in advance. I had every intention of making this in advance. It did not happen. Dinner is in three hours, and I am preparing this dish now. **
Costillas de Puerco con Verdolagas
I doubled the recipe below in order to serve 8 adults and 3 children. The store didn't have country pork ribs, so I used thick pork chops. I don't have a pan large enough to put all the meat in one layer, and I had already used my dutch oven pan for the squash soup, so I used my soup pot and browned the pork in batches. This greatly increased the time it took to prepare this recipe, and we ended up eating much later than anticipated. I also ran out of time and scrapped the dessert plans altogether. It didn't matter--the soup and the pork were so delicious that everyone ate plenty. Wine with dinner, and CG pulled out some store-bought truffles, and it was a perfect meal.
We will definitely make this again. Ahead of time.
Costillas de Puerco con VerdolagasTomatillo-Braised Pork Country Ribs with Mexican Greens
Serves 4 to 6
FOR 2 1/4 cups Essential Simmered Tomatillo-Serrano Sauce Base: 1 1/2 pounds (15 to 18) tomatillos, husked and rinsed Fresh hot green chile to taste (roughly 5 serranos), stemmed 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus a few sprigs for garnish Salt, about 1 1/2 teaspoons, plus some for sprinkling on the meat ______________________________________
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil 3 pounds (about 6 good-size pieces) pork country ribs (or 1-inch-thick pork blade chops) 2 small white onions, finely chopped, plus a couple of slices separated into rings, for garnish 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped 8 medium boiling potatoes (like the red-skin ones), quartered 3 cups (about 12 ounces) fresh purslane (verdolagas), rinsed and thick bottom stems removed OR 6 cups loosely packed, sliced (1/2-inch pieces) chard leaves (you'll need a 12-ounce bunch) OR two 10-ounce packages frozen leaf spinach, thawed, squeezed dry and roughly chopped **this last "shortcut" variation is the one I have to go with.
1. Making 2 1/4 cups Essential Simmered Tomatillo-Serrano Sauce base. Lay the tomatillos and chiles on a baking sheet and place about 4 inches below a very hot broiler. When they darken and soften, about 5 minutes, turn them over and broil the other side.
Roughly chop the chiles, then transfer them and the tomatillos (along with any liquid) to a food processor or blender. Puree, then add the chopped cilantro, 3/4 cup water, and salt.
2. The meat and potatoes. Over medium-high heat, heat the oil in a Dutch oven or Mexican cazuela large enough to hold the meat in a single layer. Sprinkle the meat with salt, then brown on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Turn on the oven to 325 degrees. Pour off all but a thin coating of oil from the pan. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes; add the garlic and cook 2 minutes longer. Stir in the tomatillo sauce base, let come to a rolling boil, then return the meat to the pan. Cover and bake in the oven until the meat is just tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and skim off any fat that has risen to the top of the sauce.
Add the potatoes to the hot pot, push them down into the sauce, cover and continue baking until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Finishing the dish. Stir the greens into the meat and potatoes, set the cover in place again, and bake 10 more minutes. Taste and season with a little more salt if necessary. Transfer the ribs to a warm, deep serving platter. Arrange the potatoes around them, then spoon the sauce and greens over and around the meat. Strew the onion rings over the top, garnish with cilantro, and carry the impressive platter to the table.
ADVANCE PREPARATION--The dish may be prepared very successfully through step 2; cover and refrigerate. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove before continuing with step 3.
SHORTCUTS--Two 10-ounce packages frozen leaf spinach, thawed, squeezed dry and roughly chopped, can replace the fresh greens; add them just before serving.
VARIATIONS AND IMPROVISATIONS: The classic combination of purslane, potatoes and tomatillos can be made as a great vegetable dish or taco filling: Omit the meat, simply fry the onion and garlic, add the sauce base, then let reduce until thick; stir in 1 cup beef broth. Simmer until medium-thick, then add the potatoes, simmer 15 or 20 minutes, add the greens, simmer 5 to 10 minutes more, season, and serve (this is good with cubes of queso fresco as garnish).
An equal weight of chicken thighs or beef short ribs can replace the pork, as can thick tuna or swordfish steaks (thin the sauce base to a spoonable consistency with broth once it has come to a boil; add the potatoes-but not the browned fish-and bake 20 minutes, then nestle in the greens and fish and bake until both are as done as you like).
My husband got a BBQ cookbook last year for Christmas and he has made several things from it... all fantastic. The Barbecue Bible by Steven Raichlen to be exact. If you love to grill or you know someone who does, this is a great cookbook for them.
The pork is tender, juicy and VERY fragrant! You'll want to hang out next the grill the entire time it's roasting and breathe deeply. My husband made this for our Christmas Eve Feast and it was a BIG hit. Nice thing about it was that it freed up my oven to cook the sides and keep things warm.
Here's what you'll need...
6 cloves of garlic, peeled.
1 bunch of fresh rosemary, stemmed (about 1/4 cup of leaves)
1 Tbs course kosher salt
1 Tbs freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 boneless pork loin roast (about 2-lbs)
1. Combine the garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper in a mortar and pound to a smooth paste with the pestle, then work in the oil. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, combine all the ingredients in a spice mill or mint chopper and process to a puree. My husband's side note here... process everything but the olive oil FIRST, then add the oil. If you put everything in together, it doesn't mix well and you don't get the "paste" consistency.
2. Using a long, sharp knife, butterfly cut the pork roast (cut almost in half lengthwise, starting at one side and open up). Open out the meat as you would a book, then cut a lengthwise pocket down the center of each side, starting and ending about 1/2 inch from each end and cutting almost all the way through to the other side. Spread half the herb paste over the surface and into the pockets of the opened out roast, then bring the sides together so the meat resumes its original shape. Tie the roast at 1-inch intervals with butcher's string, then spread the remaining herb paste over the entire surface. If desired, loosely cover the roast with plastic wrap, and let marinade in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours bringing it to room temperature while you preheat the grill.
3. Set up the grill for indirect grilling. You'll need a gas grill with 2 heating zones. Preheat the grill on high then turn off one side of burners and reduce the other to medium-high or medium. Place a drip pan under the grill on the OFF side. Adjust the gas so the temperature in the grill maintains around 350 degrees. When ready to cook, oil the grill grate. Place the roast on the hot grate over the drip pan, cover the grill, and cook until the internal temperature registers 160 degrees (about 1 - 1 1/2 hours).
4. Transfer the roast to a cutting board or platter and let it stand for 5 minutes, then remove the string and cut the roast into thin slices. Serve hot, warm or (as they do in Italy) at room temperature.
This is an excellent recipe that I haven't made in a while. It was brought to mind while I was perusing my latest Taste & Createpartner's website...she was lamenting her lack of coleslaw to put atop a BBQ sandwich--which also happens to be MY favorite (and almost only) way to consume coleslaw. I really don't enjoy BBQ without a healthy dollop of coleslaw...and the same goes for these pork tacos from Everyday Food magazine, if I remember correctly. They are delicious, and the slaw is crunchy and flavorful without being too...mayonnaisey. I remember making these tacos once when company was coming for lunch, and what a hit they were. I can't wait to make them again.
Also, stay tuned for T&C XVI to see what Southern Grace recipe I decide to make!
1 tablespoon olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 6 garlic cloves, minced ½ teaspoon dried thyme ¼ teaspoon dried oregano 2 bay leaves coarse salt and ground pepper 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1 boneless pork shoulder (3 pounds), cut in half lengthwise 1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes in juice 1 large chipotle chile in adobo sauce (from a small can), minced (about 4 teaspoons) 16 toasted corn tortillas (6-inch)(see note) 1 cup crumbled queso fresco, feta or goat cheese 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional) Crunchy Slaw with Radishes
1 In a large (5-quart) heavy pot, heat oil over medium.Add onion, garlic, thyme, oregano, and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper.Cook until onion has softened, about 5 minutes.Stir in tomato paste.Add pork, tomatoes (breaking them up) and their juice, chipotle, and 1 cup water.Bring to a boil.Reduce heat; cover and simmer until meat is very tender, 2 to 2 ½ hours.Discard bay leaves.
2 Using tongs, transfer meat to a large bowl; shred with two forks, discarding any large pieces of fat or gristle.Return meat to pan, and simmer until sauce is thick, 30 to 45 minutes more.Season, if necessary, with salt and pepper.Proceed to next step, or cover and refrigerate, up to 1 day.
3Spoon pork and sauce into toasted tortillas, using 2 tortillas for each serving; top with queso fresco and cilantro.Top or serve with Crunchy Slaw with Radishes, if desired.
NOTE:TOASTING TORTILLAS
Holding them with tongs, place tortillas directly on the grates of a gas burner, flipping frequently until beginning to brown and warm.Or warm them, one at a time, in a dry skillet over medium heat, 30 seconds.*(I just use my fingers instead of tongs, it’s easier for me, and we have a gas stove so that’s what I use).
I've created this site as a place everyone can come and post their favorite recipes...to share with friends, to encourage experimentation, to enjoy cooking for our families.
It is my hope that each of us will find new family favorites, have some fun, and maybe even learn something in the process! If you try a recipe from this site, please leave a comment on that recipe, let us know how it went, what you loved, what you hated, what you modified, etc! We want to know! Any (non-Spam) comments are welcome!
I look forward to frequent posts from all Bad Girls! I know you're all out there cooking, so tell us what!
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from Frontier for the recipe. (follow the link to purchase--I am glad I bought a pound of red salt as this recipe is a keeper!) The only thing we changed was adding more bacon and slow-cooking the meat overnight, then we shredded it and reheated before dinner. The salt colors the outside of the meat a deep, beautiful red, and any crunchy outside bits are the best! We served ours on rolls with coleslaw (on top or on the side). It makes a lot. Buy the best pork roast you can find and make this recipe!
, and it is a WINNER all-around. It's so easy to prepare, just mix up a quick rub, then baking it in the oven is completely hands-off! Grilling the meat and basting with barbecue sauce for a few minutes before serving puts the perfect finishing touch on a wonderful dish. Everyone loved these ribs! The sauce is delicious too, there were barely any leftovers!
, which has some very different, tasty and relatively easy recipes in it.
. I happened to have all the ingredients, including a bunch of spinach that we need to use up.
. There are many, many editions of this cookbook, mine was published in 1996, and it is an indispensable resource for basic recipes and tips.
for a quick, delicious recipe. (it even has a Make Ahead option, see below!)
cookbook, and I am not exaggerating when I say every single recipe of the more than one dozen we've tried from this cookbook has been a winner. (If you have venison or elk, go buy this cookbook today!)
, and I can't say if I've ever tried a recipe out of the book before. Looking through it the other day, I know I will be trying several more out of this fantastic little book. Lucky you!
, and this is one of them. I plan to follow Rick's menu suggestions:
to be exact. If you love to grill or you know someone who does, this is a great cookbook for them. 
