Slow Cooker Pork & Hominy Stew

Ingredients

• 3 (15-ounce) cans white hominy, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 onion, minced
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 2-3 peppers (seeds removed), chopped; Anaheim, Poblano or Jalapeno 
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano leaves
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 4-lb boneless pork butt roast or pork sirloin tip, trimmed, cut into 1½-inch pieces
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pound carrots (about 6 medium), peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced 1 inch thick
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Directions
1.  Puree 1 can hominy and 2 cups broth with a hand blender until smooth.  Add to slow cooker.
2.  Saute onion, carrot, pepper and garlic in oil in small skillet over medium heat until soften (5-7 min).  Then add to slow cooker along with all other remaining ingredients.
3.  Cover and cook until the pork is tender, 9 to 11 hours on low or 5 to 7 hours on high.
4.  Stir in cilantro and lime juice, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
Serve with lime wedges, minced fresh cilantro, minced onion or scallions, diced avocado, shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, rice, and/or warmed tortillas.

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen.

Pork Scallion Chinese Dumplings with Ginger Soy Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• Flour, for dusting
• 1 10 ounce package  pot sticker or gyoza wrappers (about 40 wrappers)
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 12 ounces ground pork, preferably 85% lean
• 2/3 cup minced scallions
• 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
• 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• Salt and ground white or black pepper

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine the pork, scallions, ginger and garlic. In a small bowl, whisk the stock, soy sauce, sherry, vegetable oil, sesame oil, 1/8 tsp. pepper and a rounded 1/4 tsp. salt.
2. Pour the stock mixture over the pork mixture. Mix until well incorporated, stirring quickly at the end to create a thick, smooth mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and dust with flour. Place 1 wrapper on a work surface; brush the edges lightly with water. Place the wrapper in the palm of your hand, cupping it slightly in the center. Scoop about 2 tsp. of the filling into the center of the wrapper, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Fold the wrapper in half, enclosing the filling. Press the edges firmly to seal.
4. Pleat the dumpling's sealed edge by folding every 1/4 inch, forming 4 to 5 pleats; press firmly to seal. Transfer the dumpling to the prepared baking sheet; cover with a kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling, spacing the dumplings 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheet.
5. In a large nonstick skillet with a lid, heat 2 tbsp. oil over medium-high. Working in batches, add the dumplings, one at a time and seam-side up, to the skillet. Fry until golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Holding the lid between you and the skillet in order to protect yourself from splatters, add 1/3 cup water, then cover the skillet immediately. Reduce the heat to medium; cook 3 minutes. Adjust the lid so it's slightly ajar (this allows steam to escape). Cook until most of the water evaporates and the dumplings begin to sizzle, 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Uncover and cook until the dumplings are browned and crispy on the bottom, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. When the dumplings stop sizzling, transfer them to a plate. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Ginger Soy Dipping Sauce

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons chili oil

 Whisk all together.

Source: http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipe/chinese-dumpling-with-pork-scallion-filling/ 

Pork Roast with Garlic-Parmesan Cream

Not the most photogenic dish, but damn it was good!

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 head of garlic, peeled, but leave cloves whole
• One 3-ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind
• 2 small sage sprigs
• One 5-pound, boneless pork rib roast
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 4 medium fennel bulbs (3 pounds), trimmed and cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Chopped parsley, for garnish

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a dutch oven.  Season pork with salt and pepper.  Sear pork over high heat (3-4 minutes per side).  Add a small amount of cream to deglaze the pot, scraping up the brown bits.  Add the cream, remaining buttermilk, garlic, cheese rind and 1 sage sprig. Bring to a simmer. Preheat oven to 350.  Cover and bake for 3 1/2 hours, until very tender. Transfer the pork and garlic to a large plate; discard the cheese rind.
2. Boil the poaching liquid over moderately high heat, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Strain the sauce into a bowl. Whisk in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper; keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450°. On a large baking sheet, toss the fennel and the remaining sage sprig with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the fennel in a single layer. Place the pork on top of the fennel and roast until the pork is deeply golden and the fennel is tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes.
4. Thinly slice the pork. Arrange the fennel and garlic on a platter and top with the pork. Garnish with parsley and serve the sauce on the side.

ADAPTED FROM Food & Wine - http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pork-roast-with-garlic-parmesan-cream 

Sausage and Broccolini Risotto

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 bunch broccolini, roughly chopped (about 8 ounces)
12 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 cup arborio rice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 14 -ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup grated fontina cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a Dutch oven or ovenproof pot over high heat. Add the broccolini and stir-fry until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon. Add the sausage, onion and carrot to the pot and cook, breaking up the meat, until browned, about 5 more minutes. Add the rice and garlic and cook, stirring, 1 more minute.

Add the wine to the pot and cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and 1 cup water; cover and bring to a boil. Transfer the pot to the oven and bake until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove the pot from the oven. (Don't worry if the risotto seems wet; it will thicken when you add the cheese.) Vigorously stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the cheese until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the broccolini and divide among bowls.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/sausage-and-broccolini-risotto-recipe.html

Quick Tortilla Soup

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 chipotles in adobo, chopped, plus 1 tablespoon sauce
1 (14 oz-ounce) can crushed fire roasted tomatoes
1 lime, zested and juiced

2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken meat

6 cups chicken broth

1 cup frozen corn

1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped

Toppings - crushed tortilla chips, monterrey jack cheese, avocado slices, cilantro

Heat oil over medium heat.  Saute onions and garlic until translucent. Stir in chipotles and tomatoes.  Puree half of the mixture using a hand blender.  Add in lime zest and juice, broth, chicken and corn.  Let simmer for 30 minutes.  Add cilantro, salt and pepper to taste.   

Serve in bowls topped with crushed tortilla chips, monterrey jack cheese, avocado slices and cilantro.

Simple Noodle Bowls

•  2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp siracha 
• 2 3/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 4 packages of ramen noodles (any flavor, noodles only, discard the flavor packet)
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
• 1/4 c cilantro chopped
• 1 cup snowpeas, washed
• 1 cup coleslaw mixture (cabbage, carrot)
• 1 1/2 cup diced grilled chicken (marinated in equal mixture of soy sauce and brown sugar)
• 3-4 egg rolls, cooked and sliced into 1 inch pieces 

Bring broth, garlic, soy sauce and siracha to a boil in a large pot. Stir in the noodles and cook 3 minutes.   Add in veggies and chicken.  Serve in individual bowls and top with sliced egg rolls.