Category: Pork

Sweet Sausage & Penne in a Vodka Cream Sauce

Sweet Italian sausage is tossed with penne pasta and tomato vodka cream sauce in a lovely comforting dish that we enjoy for both quiet evenings in as well as for entertaining.

Sweet Sausage & Penne in a Vodka Cream Sauce - Sweet Italian sausage is tossed with penne pasta and tomato vodka cream sauce in a lovely comforting dish that we enjoy for both quiet evenings in as well as for entertaining.

Now I know that I promised you a lunch recipe every Wednesday this month, but time got away from me over the past two weeks. Lots of travel and house guests this month has left me feeling like I’m constantly playing catch up. So instead of a classic lunch recipe, I’m taking a post that I had prepared for back to school and decided to share it with you a bit earlier.

But don’t worry – it you’re still wanting lunch inspiration, this recipe came from one of my favorite dishes to pick up and take for lunch during crazy weeks. There’s a chain grocery store in my area that is known for it’s prepared foods. They have a huge buffet that people love for lunches and dinners, and an amazing catering menu that I’ve ordered from for parties. But when my husband goes out of town? I head to the section with prepackaged, made-in-store entrees. While maybe not the cheapest around, they’re convenient and way healthier than the stuff I’d get at work. I load up my basket with enough premade entrees for lunch and dinner while my husband is out of town – those little dishes totally make the week alone with both kids so much easier and less stressful.

Sweet Sausage & Penne in a Vodka Cream Sauce - Sweet Italian sausage is tossed with penne pasta and tomato vodka cream sauce in a lovely comforting dish that we enjoy for both quiet evenings in as well as for entertaining.

One week earlier this summer, we hit on one of those crazy periods. I went looking for my favorite prepared meal – a pasta dish with sweet Italian sausage and a vodka cream sauce – but it wasn’t on the menu at the grocery store that week. I was so disappointed that I decided that it was time to recreate the dish myself. I don’t know why I waited so long. This dish turned out perfectly. It was fairly easy, came together in roughly 30 minutes (hello, weeknight dinner!), and was just as good – if not better – than the store’s version. I bumped up the amount of sausage by a little, both because we like the extra meat and because the package I purchased was a bit more. I also folded in extra mozzarella cheese to thicken the sauce a bit. All in all, it was a great meal, and I have a new dinner that I’ll be adding to my rotation. And knowing how easy it is, I’ll take the time and make this next time my hubby goes out of town, rather than buying the premade versions.

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Sweet Sausage & Penne in a Vodka Cream Sauce - Sweet Italian sausage is tossed with penne pasta and tomato vodka cream sauce in a lovely comforting dish that we enjoy for both quiet evenings in as well as for entertaining.

Sweet Sausage & Penne in a Vodka Cream Sauce

Sweet Italian sausage is tossed with penne pasta and tomato vodka cream sauce in a lovely comforting dish that we enjoy for both quiet evenings in as well as for entertaining.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Total Time 30 minutes
Author Liz

Ingredients

  • 1 - 1 1/3 lb. sweet Italian sausage
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 shallots minced
  • 3/4 c. vodka
  • 1 c. chicken stock
  • 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 16 oz. pasta I use whole wheat penne
  • 1/2 c. heavy cream
  • 1/4 c. fresh basil about 20 leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella

Instructions

  1. In a large, heavy bottomed pot set over medium heat, saute sausage, breaking up into small pieces. When almost completely browned, add garlic and shallots, sauteing for another few minutes until sausage is browned completely and garlic and shallots have begun to soften.
  2. Slowly, add vodka, stirring and scraping bottom of the pan to get any extra bits up. Bring to a boil and simmer until reduced by half. Add chicken stock and crushed tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper (I used a large pinch of each). Stir, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes, before lowering heat to keep warm.
  3. While sauce is simmering, preheat oven to broil and cook pasta according to package. Then drain.
  4. When pasta is almost ready, increase heat to low and stir in cream and basil. Add pasta. Fold in 1 c. mozzarella. Top pasta with remaining 1/2 c. pasta and broil for 5 minutes, until cheese is melted.
  5. Serve immediately, with fresh garlic bread and/or a side salad.

Recipe Notes:

  • I used my Le Creuset dutch oven (<- affiliate link) to make the sauce. Because it’s a heavy pot, it cooked up very quickly with minimal sticking, but you could also use a regular pot/pan.
  • Make Ahead: Do everything up through topping the pasta with mozzarella. Transfer to a large Pyrex or other fridge/oven safe dish. Then top with remaining 1/2 c. mozzarella, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to serve, cook in an oven at 375F, covered with foil, for 45-60 minutes. Remove foil in last 10 minutes of cooking, to melt the cheese.
  • Vodka Cream Sauce adapted from Rachel Ray.
Sweet Sausage & Penne in a Vodka Cream Sauce - Sweet Italian sausage is tossed with penne pasta and tomato vodka cream sauce in a lovely comforting dish that we enjoy for both quiet evenings in as well as for entertaining.

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Grilled Apple Butter Pork Tenderloin #AppleWeek

A sweet apple butter BBQ sauce comes together in minutes, and is generously applied to a pork tenderloin for an easy and flavorful weeknight dinner.

Grilled Apple Butter Pork Tenderloin

Disclaimer: Thank you to #AppleWeek Sponsors: Rodelle, Dreamfarm, Casabella, Flahavan’s Irish Oatmeal, Pryex, Chicago Cutlery, Rainier Fruit, and Veggie Wash for providing prizes for #AppleWeek free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #AppleWeek. All opinions are my own.

If you haven’t already seen the giveaway from our fabulous sponsors, head over here to read about the prize packs. Then scroll to the bottom of this post – leave a comment on this post (and any other #appleweek post published today) to get an extra entry. Share the giveaway via Twitter for another extra entry.

Grilled Apple Butter Pork Tenderloin

Weeknights seem to constantly be crazy in my house. No matter how much I manage to prep on the weekend, the hustle around getting home, getting dinner on the table, the kids bathed and ready for bed always feels like a bit of a frenzy to me. Someone always wants or needs help with something, someone is upset about something (I won’t pick them up, they can’t have fruit snacks for dinner, etc), I can’t remember what I was doing…. it’s always something.

While our slow cooker helps make dinner times easier, our other go-to is the grill. When in a pinch, it takes only a minute to season a piece of meat with salt and pepper or use a store-bought rub or marinade. This recipe increases my prep time by only a few minutes – the apple butter BBQ sauce comes together in under 5 minutes and makes for a sweet, flavorful dinner in under 30 minutes. This recipe also rocks because it uses minimal dishes – two small bowls for the apple butter sauce and one large Pyrex (isn’t the one above, from their Watercolor collection gorgeous?) that I use for prep and after a quick wash, for serving. #Winning

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Grilled Apple Butter Pork Tenderloin

A sweet apple butter BBQ sauce comes together in minutes, and is generously applied to a pork tenderloin for an easy and flavorful weeknight dinner.

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Rest Time 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 Servings
Author Liz

Ingredients

  • 1/2 c. homemade or store-bought apple butter
  • 2 1/2 Tbs. brown sugar
  • 3 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tbs. molasses
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder or minced garlic
  • 1/2 tsp. sriracha
  • 2 lb. pork tenderloin
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbs. minced chives optional

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine apple butter, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, molasses, garlic, and sriracha. Whisk gently with a fork. Set about 1/3 of the mixture aside.
  2. Heat grill on a medium setting. While grill is preheating, trim extra fat from pork tenderloin. Place in a large glass baking dish (i.e. a large rectangular Pyrex) and sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Keeping 1/3 of the sauce on the side, brush pork tenderloin with some of the remaining.
  3. Place pork on hot grill. Grill for 10 minutes, apply more sauce and flip. Apply additional sauce as needed, cooking until the pork reaches 150F in the thickest part.
  4. Remove pork tenderloin from grill and transfer to a clean Pyrex or cutting board. Allow to rest for 5 minutes, covered with foil.
  5. With a clean brush, brush pork with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with chives. Slice and serve hot.

This recipe was adapted from Eazy Peazy Mealz.

Enter to win one of our awesome #AppleWeek prizes, immediately below and then scroll down to find more sweet and savory #AppleWeek recipes. (And again, thanks to Carlee of Cooking with Carlee for hosting!)

Grilled Apple Butter Pork Tenderloin. A sweet apple butter BBQ sauce comes together in minutes, and is generously applied to a pork tenderloin for an easy and flavorful weeknight dinner. books-n-cooks.com

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Apple Yeast Coffee Cake from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
Easiest Ever Applesauce from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Grilled Apple Butter Pork Tenderloin from Books n’ Cooks
Grilled Veggie Tacos with Apple Pico de Gallo from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Honeycrisp and Gouda Grilled Cheese from The Redhead Baker
Italian Apple and Fig Polenta Torta from All That’s Jas
Molasses-Mustard Glazed Pork Chops with Apple Butter from Sew You Think You Can Cook
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Apples from House of Nash Eats
Roasted Pork with Apple Puree from Simple and Savory
Savory Apple Bacon Pizza from Cooking With Carlee
Slow Cooker Honey Apple Pork Roast From Amy’s Cooking Adventures

Disclaimer: Thank you to #AppleWeek Sponsors: Rodelle, Dreamfarm, Casabella, Flahavan’s Irish Oatmeal, Pryex, Chicago Cutlery, Rainier Fruit, and Veggie Wash for providing prizes for #AppleWeek free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #AppleWeek. All opinions are my own.

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Beef & Sausage Lasagna

November was supposed to be a quiet month for me. October was crazy but November was completely open. It was supposed to be a chance for me to relax and recharge before the Christmas holiday season kicked into gear.

As hard as I tried to keep the month open, my plan didn’t really work out. I’m not even completely sure how the month got so busy, or what, exactly, we did. We had a houseguest for a couple days, that we didn’t previously plan, but I think that other than that, it was just very busy with some long days (including weekends) at work, a week of sick kiddos, and struggling to keep up with housework. As the month ended, I ended up feeling more exhausted than refreshed.

beef-sausage-lasaga

The crazy month is why this recipe has taken a bit longer than I wanted to post. This lasagna is a go-to recipe for me, particularly for cooler weather and large-scale entertaining. While it is a good bit of work (it probably takes an hour or so to put together), it has 3 qualities that make it a favorite.

1) It can be made in advance and refrigerated or frozen.
2) It makes a huge dish and can easily serve 8-12 people. Or, it makes a lot of leftovers for weekday lunches or busy weeks when leftovers are all that we have for dinner.
3) Everyone loves it.

Unlike a lot of other lasagnas, it’s light on the cheese and full of meat. Also a little different from other recipes, I added a few extra layers – for a total of 4 layers of noodles – as we like a nice, thick slice.

This recipe has been heavily adapted from my mom’s old Good Housekeeping cookbook, Step by Step.

Make Ahead: This recipe can be made in advance, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and frozen for at least a couple of months. Lasagna should be allowed to defrost completely (about 2 days in the fridge) before baking according the the instructions below. If lasagna isn’t completely thawed, keep covered and bake until lasagna is hot throughout, before removing foil and cooking uncovered for the last 15 minutes.

beef-sausage-lasaga

Beef & Sausage Lasagna

Makes one large (9×13) lasagna

Serves 10

Ingredients:

  • 1-16 oz. package lasagna noodles
  • 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
  • 1/2 lb. spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1/2 lb. mild Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1 medium onion, small dice
  • 1 Tbs. minced or crushed garlic
  • 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 Tbs. tomato paste
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. granulated sugar
  • 1 Tbs. Italian seasoning
  • 2 Tbs. dried basil
  • 1-15 oz. container part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 c. fresh Italian parsley
  • 2 c. (8 oz.) shredded part-skim mozzarella
  • 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375F.

Make the Meat Sauce: In a large skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef and both sausages, using a wooden spoon to break up any large chunks. Add onion and garlic, and continue to cook until translucent. Discard any excess fat, and add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, kosher salt, sugar, Italian seasoning, and basil. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and lower heat, simmering for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package. When done, use tongs to remove noodles from water and lay noodles flat on a clean dishtowel on the counter. Allow to cool until you’re able to handle them with your hands.

Make the Ricotta Layer: In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, egg and parsley.

Assemble the Lasagna: On a clean countertop, line up meat sauce, lasagna noodles on the towel, ricotta, a small bowl filled with the shredded mozzarella, and a large (9×13 at least) baking dish. It will make assembly easier and cleaner if everything is in one single work area.

First, spread a couple of spoonfuls of the sauce (I like to avoid the meat chunks for the bottom later) across the bottom of the baking dish, so that lasagna noodles don’t stick. Next, add a layer of lasagna noodles, followed by one-third of the ricotta, about 1/2 c. of the mozzarella, and about a quarter of the meat sauce. Do this two more times, so that you have 3 complete layers.

Add the final layer of lasagna noodles. If you have extra ricotta, you can add it here. Otherwise, top with remaining meat sauce, remaining mozzarella, and the grated Parmesan cheese. Feel free to add a little extra of either or both cheeses, if lasagna is not sufficiently covered.

Bake in preheated oven covered with aluminum foil for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes, until sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted and starting to brown. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Serve hot with a side salad and your favorite fresh bread or garlic bread.

beef-sausage-lasagna-from-books-n-cooks

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Cranberry & Cornbread Stuffed Pork Chops for #CranberryWeek

cranberryweek

Welcome to #CranberryWeek, hosted by Caroline’s Cooking and A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures. We’ll be sharing cranberry-inspired creations all week long in celebration of national cranberry day. Search #CranberryWeek to keep up to date and follow the #CranberryWeek Pinterest board for more cranberry inspiration. But first, see all the other cranberry recipes being shared today:

cranberry-cornbread-stuffed-pork-chops

Several years ago, a friend had visited and cooked dinner for my hubby and I. He made pork chops which were the inspiration for this recipe. Those pork chops were brined for several hours and grilled instead of baked – a little too time-intensive and not really appropriate for the cold weather we’re having. Those pork chops were also stuffed with a dried cherry filling, but I tend to prefer dried cranberries, especially during this time of year.

So instead of grilled cherry and cornbread-stuffed pork chops, you have my version that been adapted for the season. My hubby and I enjoyed the tart bursts of cranberry paired with savory cornmeal, sage, and walnuts. It’s a recipe we’ll be making again for sure this winter. Enjoy!

cranberry-cornbread-stuffed-pork-chops

Cranberry & Cornbread Stuffed Pork Chops

By Books n’ Cooks

Serves 4

Ingredients for the Pork Chops:

  • 4 pork chops, thick-cut if possible (I used boneless but feel free to use bone-in)
  • cooking spray
  • 1 Tbs. minced fresh sage
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/2 c. cornmeal
  • 1/2 c. plain breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 c. buttermilk or whole milk

Ingredients for the Cranberry & Cornbread Stuffing

  • 1 c. crumbled cornbread, homemade or store-bought (from about 2 muffins or slices of bread)
  • 1/3 c. chopped walnuts
  • 1/3 c. dried cranberries, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 Tbs. minced fresh sage
  • buttermilk or whole milk

Prep: Preheat oven to 400F.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a wire rack on top. Spray with cooking spray and set aside.

Make the Filling: In a small bowl, combine cornbread, walnuts, cranberries, pepper, salt, and sage. Add just enough buttermilk or whole milk so that filling comes together.

Make the Pork Chop: In a shallow bowl, combine sage, salt, pepper, cornmeal and breadcrumbs. Set aside. In another small bowl, place egg and buttermilk or whole milk. Lightly scramble with a fork and set aside.

Cut a horizontal pocket into each pork chop, cutting deep but not all the way through. Stuff each with a quarter of the stuffing.

To bread, carefully dip stuffed pork chop in egg/milk mixture, followed by the cornmeal breading. Place on prepared baking sheet. Spray tops with cooking spray and bake until pork chops reach a internal temperature of 145F, about 20 minutes.

Serve hot with roasted vegetables (pictured above, roasted Brussels sprouts and bacon) or your favorite side.

cranberry-cornbread-stuffed-pork-chops

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Turkey Chorizo Burgers with Guacamole #SundaySupper

This week, the #SundaySupper tastemakers are gearing up for Father’s Day, bringing you some of the favorite foods for the special fathers in our lives.

When my husband became a father three and a half years ago, I couldn’t have imagined how much of a natural he’d be. I still remember looking over at him – this big guy – with this teeny baby girl in purple curled up on half of his arm as we’d watch tv in the evening. Typical new parents, we didn’t want to put her down. Every day, he continues to amaze me with how wonderful he is as a father to our two children – playing with them, helping them learn, and teaching them lessons. He has a patience that I’ll never have (and I can only hope that at least one of our children will inherit that from him!).

Turkey Chorizo Burgers

And so, in honor of this week’s theme, I chose to make two of my hubby’s favorites – burgers and guac. He’s a simple man, and is generally happy with a large, well-cooked burger. I can usually pick out the burger he’ll order when we go out. If there’s one with pineapple or guacamole, that’s usually it. So a few weeks ago, I dug out an old favorite. The chorizo gives this burger a lot of flavor, which pairs well with the subtle guacamole. I used my own guacamole recipe instead of the one in the recipe

You’ll definitely have leftover guac, so feel free to halve the guacamole recipe or have some tortilla chips on hand.

Turkey Chorizo Burgers with Guacamole

Burgers adapted from Fine Cooking
Guacamole by Books n’ Cooks

Makes enough for 5 burgers, with guac leftover

Ingredients for the Burgers:

  • 1 lb. lean ground turkey
  • 1/2 lb. ground spicy chorizo
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • Burger buns or English Muffins
  • tomato & onion slices (optional, for serving)

Ingredients for the Guacamole:

  • 3 ripe avocados
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

Make the Burgers: In a large mixing bowl, add turkey, chorizo, and salt. Use clean hands to work the mixture, trying not to over mix. Form into 1-inch thick patties, using a finger to indent middle slightly.

Grill, flipping after 5 minutes, until center registers 165F – about 10 minutes total.

Make the Guacamole: While burgers are cooking, make the guac. Remove flesh from avocados, keeping 1-2 pits on the side. Lightly mash avocado with a fork. Add in salt, pepper, garlic powder, and lime juice. Continue to mash until desired consistency. Return pit(s) to guacamole, to help the guacamole from browning.

Serve burgers on burger buns or English muffins (toasted, if desired), topped with guacamole, tomato, and onion.

Check out more of Dad’s favorites below!

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Appetizers & Snacks:

Beverage:

Breakfast:

Condiments & Sauces:

Desserts:

Main Dishes:

Side Dishes:

Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.