Baked Ziti

Courtesy of: Karlie Merrill

1 pound dried ziti pasta
Kosher salt
3 1/2 cups Quick Tomato Sauce, recipe follows
1 pound fresh mozzarella, half cut into 1/2-inch cubes and half thinly sliced
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously, and boil the pasta until al dente, tender but still slightly firm. Drain.

Toss the cooked pasta with the marinara sauce, cubed mozzarella, half parmeasan cheese. Transfer the pasta to an oiled 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Cover the top of the pasta with the sliced mozzarella, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake until lightly browned and hot, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Quick Tomato Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet and or spicy Italian sausage
1/4 medium onion, diced (about 3 tablespoons)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 28-ounce can + 1 16 oz can petite diced tomatoes
Sprig fresh thyme
Sprig fresh basil
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes more. Add the tomatoes and the herb sprigs and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the salt and season with pepper, to taste. Use now or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

Copyright 2004 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved
Yield: about 5 cups
Prep Time: 8 minutes

Honey-Orange Pork Tenderloin

Courtesy of: Our Best Bites, Recipe lightly adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:

1/3 cup orange marmalade
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 1-pound(ish) pork tenderloin
Kosher salt and black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the marmalade, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and honey. Reserve 2 tablespoons and set the sauce aside.

Heat the oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork tenderloin with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, add the tenderloin and cook for 1-2 minutes or until a golden brown crust starts to form. Flip the tenderloin over and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until the entire tenderloin is golden brown. Remove from heat. Pour about 1/2 of the sauce over the pork. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and flip the tenderloin over. Add the remaining sauce (not the reserved 2 tablespoons) and place the pan back into the oven. Cook for another 10 minutes or until a thermometer reads 155 degrees. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Drizzle with reserved sauce and cut into 1/2″ slices. Serve immediately with a salad or vegetables. 1 1-pound tenderloin serves 4.

Serve with an Asian Wonton Salad.

Rosemary Pork Tenderloins

1 Pork Tenderloin
2/3 cups orange juice
1/3 cup Vegetable oil
3 T Soy Sauce
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 springs fresh rosemary
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper

Mix all ingredients in a ziplock bag. Add pork tenderloin and marinade for at least 4 hours. Cook on medium-high grill.

Simple Shredded Pork Tacos

Courtesy of:  Rebecca Damron

2 lbs. Boneless Pork Roast
1 Cup Red Salsa
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
1/2 tsp Garlic Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Place ALL ingredients in crock pot.
Cover; cook on low for 8 hours or until meat is tender.
Shred & Serve in shells.

Tangy Pork Sandwiches with Spice Slaw

Courtesy of: Vickie Ricks

Ingredients for Pork:
1 large Vidalia or other sweet onion, sliced
3 pounds pork butt, rinsed and patted dry
Salt and pepper
1 C. BBQ Sauce
1/2 cup yellow mustard
3 Tbs. tomato paste
1 C. Chicken Broth
1 lime, juiced

Ingredients for Spicy Coleslaw:
1/4 C. Sour Cream
1/4 C. Mayo
1 lime, juiced
1 Tbs. Hot Sauce
1 (16 oz) package coleslaw mix
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions for the pork:
Place onions in the bottom of a 5-quart slow cooker. Season pork butt with slat and pepper. Place in slow cooker on top of onions, fat side up. In a medium bowl, stir together BBQ sauce, mustard, tomato paste, chicken broth and lime juice. pour over pork. cover and cook on LOW setting for 6 to 8 hours. Remove park and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Directions for the coleslaw:
In a large bowl whisk together sour cream, mayo, lime juice, and hot sauce. Add coleslaw blend and toss ot coat Season with salt and pepper. Place in refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.

Shred pork and serve on toasted buns with spicy slaw and dill pickles.

Cafe Rio Pulled Pork

SWEET PORK:
2 pounds pork (we like to use boneless pork ribs)
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can diced green chilies
3/4 (1ooz) can red enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness)
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry). Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!

Serve with tacos, or burritos.

For a traditional Cafe Rio Salad serve with: 6 large tortillas, shredded cheese (mexican blend), cilantro lime rice, black beans, lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, tortillas strips, cotija cheese (or parmesan cheese), and cilantro ranch.

You can find tin plates at the dollar store.

Cilantro Lime Pork Chops

Courtesy of: Caroline from Zupas.com

6-8 pork chops
1 cup finely chopped cilantro [reserve a little for garnish]
1/4 cup peeled grated ginger�
2 TB soy sauce
2 TB fish sauce [found at your local asian market]
juice of one lime
2 TB brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp - 1 TB red pepper flakes [depending on the heat you desire]
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
coarse salt and pepper

Place all the ingredients in a ziploc bag and marinade chops in the refrigerator 2-3 hours. grill for about 10 minutes.

serve with rice.

Spicy Hoisin Marinade

Courtesy of: Kristin Ito

1/2 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
2 Tbs. orange juice
2 Tbs. Fresh grated ginger
2 Tbs. Hoisin sauce
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 Tbs. Dry mustard
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
zest of 1 orange

Wisk together and add to meat in a ziplock bag, release all air. Will marinade 2 pounds of meat (pork tenderloin is best). Refrigerate overnight. Drain meat prior to grilling. Can also be roasted in oven.