Mustard Herb Crusted Rack of Pork

What, you may ask, is a Rack of Pork? I bought this pork roast a month or so ago, not really even sure what cut of meat it was, except I knew it was done in the "French" style. All that "French" style means is that the meat has been cut away from the bones so that they are exposed. You most often see it done to a rack of lamb or lamb chops. However, this was, for sure, pork. I've cooked many a pork roast before (See my first post about pork roast HERE) but this was a totally different cut of meat. SO, I searched my way around several food and recipe sites yesterday, and after reading a bunch of recipes, this is what I came up with. Using the mustard to hold the herb crust in place added great flavor and cut out some of the fat - several of the recipes called for rubbing the top with olive oil. The fresh herbs were a real treat and I think the bed of vegetables under the pork added to the flavor. The presentation was lovely, and it tasted delicious. This a great alternative for those who say they don't care for lamb, and I know there are a lot of you out there. It looks great on the table and on the plate and it was a lot cheaper than Prime Rib of Beef, that is for SURE!

Mustard Herb Crusted Rack of Pork ready to serve

Mustard Herb Crusted Rack of Pork
serves 4 - 6
1  2.5 - 3 lb. rack of pork roast
1 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, thickly sliced
1 carrot, cut in 1 inch chunks
1 rib celery, cut in 1 inch pieces
2 T. Whole Grain Garlic Mustard (We used the Kroger brand "Private Selection")
2 T. minced fresh rosemary
2 tsp. minced fresh thyme
2 T. of Kosher or Coarse Salt
2 T. coarse ground Black Pepper

The number of bones in the roast will determine the number of servings. 

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Using a sharp knife, score the fat on the top of the roast by shallowly slicing a few X's into the surface of the fat. This will allow the herbs to penetrate into the meat and flavor it. 
Pour the olive oil in the bottom of shallow metal roasting pan and spread it so that the middle of the pan is completely oil. Put the sliced vegetables on the oiled part of the pan in an even pile. Place the roast -  fatty side up -- carefully on top of the veggies and spread the mustard over the surface. Sprinkle the rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper evenly over the mustard so that the top surface of the roast is covered. Gently pat the crust into the mustard so that it stays in place while roasting. 
Place the roast into the preheated oven and turn the oven down to 350 degrees. Roast for 20 - 22 minutes per pound or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the meat -- making sure not to touch a bone -- reads 145 degrees. This will yield a roast that still has a touch of pink at the bone. I know, I know, that's not the way your mom did it, and mine didn't either, but pork is a lot safer than it used to be. If you feel nervous about the pink, cook it for 25 minutes per pound but it will be a little drier than mine looks. 
Slice between the bones for each serving and top with a slice of the caramelized onion, if desired. I made some garlic mashed potatoes and a big salad to go with the pork. It was yummy, I promise. Give it a try for Easter or any time you want to make a festive and delicious meal. 

Mustard Herb Crusted Rack of Pork with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Salad 

Cajun Pasta --Quick, Light and Delicious

Cajun Pasta, oh so good! 

I began my exploration of creating this dish by browsing a new cookbook, "Eat More of What You Love" by Marlene Koch. (Find it here) I like to read cook books like I read novels, front to back, re-reading parts that I love over and over again. So far, I am finding this book to be a great starting place for new recipes. Her philosophy, I LOVE. She believes, as do I, that you can eat whatever you want but you've got to be smart about it, in order to manage your health. I've written before about my struggle with my weight, and I am always searching out ways to make my struggle easier. I love to cook, I love to eat and I love to entertain my friends by cooking for them. For a middle aged, height challenged lady, with grown sons who love to eat, that is a lethal combination. Fortunately, I don't have any heath issues (so far, Praise God!) but I need to shed a few pounds. SO, I purchased this cookbook to get myself inspired to cut back, cut WAY back.

This is only the second recipe that I've adapted from the book, and I knew from the first one that they need some tweaking to suit our palates. I have not added any additional carbs, sugar or fat, but I have added in more flavor, with herbs, veggies and spices. I eliminated the butter she recommended using, but since I amped up the flavors, we didn't miss it. Her recipes are also extremely low sodium, so I did add just a pinch of kosher salt. I hope you like my recipe and my alterations. I think you will! While it looks like a lot of pasta in the picture, it's only 6 ounces, divided 4 ways. We ate it for dinner and again for lunch. Perfect.

This pasta dish is packed with flavor, vegetables, lean protein and is low in fat. While there is a little bit of chopping, it's worth the effort. I put this together in only 30 minutes, start to finish. The flavor is spicy, but not overwhelming. If you like things only mildly spicy, don't add the hot sauce and cut the cajun seasoning back by a teaspoon. We loved this and can't wait to eat it again! I would absolutely serve this to company as well as using it as a quick, healthy family dinner on a weeknight.

Cajun Pasta 
Serves 4
6 oz linguine
8 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 T.  + 2 tsp. McCormick Cajun Seasoning (divided use)
2 T, Texas Pete Hot Sauce (optional) 
2 tsp. olive oil
1 medium red pepper, cut in strips
1 medium green pepper, cut in strips
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 c. thinly sliced celery 
8 oz. peeled, raw shrimp
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5 can organic diced tomatoes, with juice
1/4 c. low sodium chicken broth
2 T. seafood stock
a pinch of kosher salt
Start the water for your pasta in a large pot. Preheat a large, non-stick skillet and add 2 tsp. olive oil. Toss the chicken cubes with 1 T. cajun seasoning and add to the oil. Stir fry that for 2 minutes and then add the garlic and onions. Stir well to combine and let cook for 2 minutes. Add the peppers and celery, and continue to cook until the peppers start to soften. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, a pinch of kosher salt, the additional cajun seasoning and hot sauce (optional if you like things very mildly spicy). Cover. Bring the mixture to a full boil, turn it down and let it cook.  Cook pasta according to package directions until just al dente. Drain well. While the pasta is draining, add the shrimp to the skillet and set the timer for 5 minutes. When the timer goes off, combine the pasta and the sauce together in one of the pans. Cover and let steam for 5 more minutes, over lowest heat. Serve in a bowl. 
Approx 325 cal for 1 1/2 c. 

Do it the right way: Baked Potatoes and Bloody Marys

Loaded baked potato

This may seem like a silly, almost no recipe kind of post, but I think that lots of people have forgotten how to make "real" baked potatoes. I am guilty of it myself, at times. You're in a hurry, you wash a potato quickly and then shove it into microwave. Edible? Yes. Delicious? NO.
When you've got the time, do it the right way, especially if you've got company coming. The potatoes really do taste so much better done this way.

Company Baked Potatoes
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Wash and dry your potatoes. Rub them lightly with some olive oil and place them on a baking sheet. Pierce them 2 or 3 times with a fork. Sprinkle them liberally with some kosher salt. Bake for at least 45 minutes -- it may take as long as 1 hour 15 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes. Test them by inserting a slim knife; they are done when the blade slides in smoothly and meets no resistance. The skins will be crispy, and the insides fluffy. Delicious!

And while I am on my high horse about doing things the right way, here's the way we make Bloody Marys at our house, without using a mix. It's my husbands favorite cocktail, so it needs to be right!!

Bloody Mary Cocktail for 1
Fill a tall glass with ice about 2/3 of the way full. Pour in 1.5 oz. of vodka, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, 3-4 drops of hot sauce, a pinch of celery salt and a pinch of hot pepper flakes (optional) or Old Bay Seasoning. Squeeze a wedge of lime into this mixture and then fill the glass with V8 juice. Stir well. Garnish with black pepper, celery, olives and a pinch of kosher salt. Voila, a wonderful cocktail! Cheers!

Best Bloody Mary

Lemon Dill Shrimp Pasta

Here's a quick and easy suggestion that is easy to throw together at the last minute. The dish takes about the same time to make as the pasta does to boil and cook. Lemon and fresh herbs make it an irresistible springtime dinner that's good enough for company!

Yummy Lemon Dill Shrimp Pasta

Lemon Dill Shrimp Pasta

12 oz. frozen shrimp, (medium or large) thawed, peeled and and deveined

Juice of 1/2 of a lemon plus 1 tsp. lemon zest
3 cloves thinly sliced garlic
2 T. olive oil
1/4 c. dry white wine
1/2  tsp. dried basil
4 c. fresh baby spinach
8 oz. fettucine
2 T. chopped fresh dill + 4 whole dill sprigs
1/4 c. crumbled feta cheese
salt and pepper
Put a big pot of water on to boil and heat a large skillet on low. Add in the olive oil and garlic. Let the garlic cook gently for a few minutes, but be sure not to brown it. Rinse the shrimp and pat it dry with some paper towel. Add it into the skillet and with the lemon zest and basil. Cook for about 3 minutes and then add the white wine plus the juice of the half of a lemon. Sprinkle  a little salt and some freshly ground pepper. Bring this to a boil, turn it off and cover the skillet. When the water boils, cook the fettucine according to package directions for al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the pan. Add in the fresh spinach and dill. Pour the shrimp mixture over all this and toss well. Sprinkle the pasta with the feta cheese, and cover for five minutes. Divide onto 4 plates and place a sprig of dill on top. Enjoy with a salad and some crusty bread.