Pork roast for Carnitas or for tamales filling

Take 8 to 10 dried Ancho chilies and remove stems and seeds.  Place in blender with about an ounce of coffee beans, 1 ounce of cumin and dried garlic.  Grind until fine.  Rub over the sides and ends of a large pork shoulder roast.  Place in large bag and marinate at least 4 hours or overnight.  In a large pressure cooker heat to medium heat and film with peanut or olive oil.  Brown the roast on all sides and place in bottom of pan.  Add a sliced onion and some sliced fresh jalapenos.  Add one bottle dark beer or a cup and a half of water and bring to boil.  Add pressure lid and bring to pressure, then lower setting to low.  Maintain pressure for one hour.  Remove from heat and allow to slowly reduce pressure.  Remove lid and remove roast and slice or shred.  For carnitas, place in baking pan and roast at 450 degrees until top is caramelized and crunchy.  In the meantime bring the liquid in the pan to a boil and reduce by half, pour over the baked carnitas and serve.  For tamales, reduce the liquid by two thirds and add the shredded pork into the pan and cook stirring frequently until dry.

Spectacular Rice

Heat pressure pan to medium and add ¼ cup olive oil.  Saute 1 onion diced and 4 or 5 jalapeno peppers diced, seeded or not it is up to you.  Add two cups long grain brown rice and stir to coat all the grains with the oil in the bottom of the pan.  Add about a quarter cup of Cajun or Mexican seasoning and stir.  Add one 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes and 3 cups water or a mix of water and beer.  Bring to a boil and place the pressure lid on and bring to pressure.  Reduce heat to low and pressure for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to slowly cool until pressure releases lid.  Remove lid and with a large spoon, make indentations in the top of the rice and crack an egg into each well.  Top each egg with grated cheese if desired.  Place lid back on pan bottom and bring heat back up to pressure.  Cook for two minutes on pressure and remove from heat.  For soft eggs yolks, cool pan under running water to release.  For hard yolks, allow to cool slowly for 5 minutes and then run under running water to release.  Remove lid and serve with sprigs of Cilantro as garnish. For variety add peas, green beans, diced carrots

Very Special Beans

To 2 cups pinto or your favorite beans, add ½ teaspoon diced candied ginger to help reduce the gas effect of beans.  Place in pressure pan and add ¼ cup of Van Roeling Sweet Piggy Rub, a half an onion diced, a couple jalapenos for heat if desired and about 6 cups water.  Bring to a boil and place pressure lid on pan, bring to pressure and reduce heat to low.  Cook for 50 minutes, remove from heat and allow to reduce pressure slowly.  Remove lid and either mash and cook for refried like consistency or serve as is for nice bean side dish.

 Extra Special Popcorn Bread

Mix one cup ground popcorn, ¾ cup ground whole wheat with 2 teaspoons baking powder (aluminum free of course) and 1 teaspoon salt.  Add ½ cup of evaporated organic cane juice.  Add about a half cup of diced jalapenos and mix well.  In separate bowl mix one egg with ½  cup each sour cream and milk.  Mix together just until lightly mixed, no more than 10 strokes.  Add 1 to 2 cups grated cheese and mix another 10 strokes.  Fill muffin tins half full or place in a 9 x 13 pan and bake in oven until golden brown. 

Recipes for Thanksgiving Dinner

Apple Sausage Stuffed Turkey

This is the recipe that I used year after year and I received rave reviews about it.  I like to bone the turkey and stuff it with the mixture and sew up the bird so that when carved, you just cut right through the whole thing.  It is very impressive.  To start, make the stuffing then bone the turkey.

Stuffing.  Brown 3 one pound chubs of Sage breakfast sausage, drain any fat.  Add 2 cups each of diced onions, bell peppers and celery.  Sauté with the sausage until just beginning to turn limp, about 7 to 8 minutes.  Add 4 cups peeled, cored and large diced Granny Smith apples.  Cook another 4 or 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and put into large mixing bowl.  Now, bone the turkey.  Start at the back and cut down to the bone.  Cut all the way down along the carcass until you reach the breast.  Repeat on both sides, cut the joints on the thighs and wings and pull out the carcass.  Immediately place the carcass into a roasting pan with some cut up celery, onions and carrots.  Roast on high heat, about 450, until browned.  Cut out the thigh bone and first joint of the wings and throw into the pan in the oven with the carcass.  Now, season the carcass well with your favorite Cajun spice mix.  Take the cooled stuffing mix and add to it about ten or twelve slices good whole wheat bread that you diced.  Mix well and then add 4 beaten eggs and generously season with Cajun seasoning, or just lots of salt, pepper and some sage.  Place the stuffing on the turkey and pull the sides up and sew together with cotton string.  Tie the bird with string to hold the wings and legs close to the body.  Take the carcass out of the oven and put bones and veggies into stock pot and cover with water and simmer.  Turn turkey over onto a rack in a large roasting pan and bake in the oven at 325.  Baste with white or rose wine until the turkey is well browned.  Check the temp in the thickest part of the breast and remove when it reaches 155 degrees.  It will rise to 165 while resting.

Strain the stock from the pot and add to the pan drippings.  Bring to a boil and reduce by half.  Thicken with some Arrowroot and water, add cream if desired for a creamier gravy.   To serve, just remove the strings, and slice.  Serve with that excellent wine gravy.    

Nutritious Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Cut some Yukon Gold potatoes in half and place in steamer basket that fits into pressure cooker.  Add ½ cup water and bring to a boil.  Place pressure lid on pan and bring to pressure.  Reduce heat to low and cook under pressure 20 minutes.   15 if small potatoes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool until pressure releases.  Take potatoes out and place in ricer.  Rice with about 20 cloves that you baked in the oven previously until soft into large mixing bowl.  Oh all right, use 10 cloves if you must.  Mix the water from the cooker back into the riced potatoes and add some salt and white pepper to taste.  A bit of olive oil and/or butter along with some cream or milk makes it creamier and richer. 

Green Bean Casserole

Not your Mom's mushroom soup stuff!

To a half stick of butter melted in a large skillet, cook about 8 ounces of cremini mushrooms  until beginning to brown.  Add a cup of finely diced onion and 4 cloves of minced garlic.  Liberally season with fresh ground pepper.  Add some salt, if you must, but try it without and you might be surprised at how good lightly salted foods can be.  (Don't get me started on the high sodium count of American food)  Anyway, sprinkle about 5 tablespoons of unbleached and unbromated flour over the mushrooms and stir well.  Add a half teaspoon grated nutmeg and a few dashes of hot sauce. Add 4 cups whole milk, (or for a creamier casserole, 3 cups milk and 1 cup cream) bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer and cook on low until thick and bubbly. Now, steam about 2 pounds of fresh or frozen whole green beans.   They should still be slightly crisp, just beginning to get that real dark cooked coloration.  Mix with the sauce and pour into a large casserole.  Bake in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes.  If desired, top with caramelized onions and whole wheat bread crumbs instead of those high fat high salt canned onion things.  Or top with grated Manchego or Romano cheese.   

Pumpkin Pecan Pie

Without Corn Syrup

This makes two pies.  Use your favorite whole wheat pie crust recipe and make two 8 or 19 inch pie shells in glass or ceramic pie plates.  Dock them well and bake at 400 for 8 to 10 minutes or until brown.  Brush liberally with beaten egg and put back into oven for 3 to 4 minutes more.  The egg coating helps to keep the crust crispier and lessens the sogginess that would naturally occur. Toast a half pound of pecans in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes and divide and place half in each pie shell.  In a saucepan, bring to a boil 3/4 cup water and add to it 1 1/4 cups organic evaporated cane juice (this is the least adulterated form of sugar available).  Add a 1/2 cup real maple syrup (for flavor) or omit if you don't like that flavor.  Cook about 4 to 5 minutes on medium high heat stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and add 1/2 stick butter.  Allow to cool, add 1 tablespoon or more of Frangelico (I love the flavor of it) or vanilla.  Cool slightly and then whisking constantly add 3 eggs.  Pour over the pecans, half to each pie, then bake in a microwave on high for 5 to 6 minutes or until mostly set, but still jiggily in the center.  Allow to cool and prepare the pumpkin filling.  Use a 14 oz can pumpkin or the larger one and make an extra pie with just pumpkin by itself.  Use the recipe on the can and substitute evaporated cane juice for the sugar and always add more spices than they say, I mean really, who wants a moderately spiced pie, it is always better with more ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Pour over the pecan mixture and bake in the oven at 325 for 35 to 45 minutes or until set.   

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