This is a super delicious recipe.  I have been meaning to post it

INGREDIENTS:

• Marinade (see step #1)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup Hoisin sauce (look in the Asian aisle)**
• 2 tablespoons white rice vinegar**
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil (don’t replace it with anything else!)
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder**
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper**
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 pounds chicken wings, drumsticks and wingettes separated
• 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds (optional)
• My idea: Chopped green onions can be added to marinade for flavor – or decor once the dish is plated **

**Known IC irritants, tread carefully!

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the garlic, hoisin sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, five-spice powder, cayenne, salt, and chopped green onions, if using.
2. Add the wings to the mixture and use your hands to toss and coat the wings with the marinade.
3. Let stand at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes to marinate.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
5. Line a large baking pan with aluminum foil.  I double lined it for drip security.  
6. Remove the wings from the marinade, shaking off the excess and saving marinade for basting.  Arrange the wings in a single layer on the baking pan.
7. Roast for 20 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and baste the wings with the leftover marinade, and sprinkle the sesame seeds, if using, over the wings.
9. Return the wings to the oven and roast for another 10-15 minutes, or until the outsides are golden brown and crispy (also do a temperature check, always!)
10. Transfer to a platter and serve.  Sprinkle with chopped green onions for decoration, if desired.

It’s well known I do not like many forms of pork that do not involve a) bacon or b) ribs, so I have some difficultly eating a pork chop or pork tenderloin unless it’s absolutely exceptional, moist, and flavorful.  Otherwise, I rather eat the sides on my plate and call it a day.  With that pickiness in mind, I gave this Better Homes & Gardens recipe a try.  Thankfully, it turned out fantastic.  I used my favorite stuffing – Meijer chicken stuffing in a large, tall container.  Since we have an egg allergy in the house, I omitted the egg and milk and used buttermilk instead.  It was great!  Don’t skimp on the butter here.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 pork loin chops, cut 3/4″ thick
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted (unsalted is safest as your stuffing mix will have sodium)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1 cup herb-seasoned stuffing mix, finely crushed

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Trim fat from meat.
3. Pour butter into a 13x9x2″ baking pan, tilting pan to coat the bottom.
4. In a shallow dish, combine egg, milk, and pepper (or combine buttermilk and pepper).
5. Place stuffing mix in another shallow dish.
6. Dip chops into egg/milk/pepper mixture or buttermilk/pepper mixture.
7. Coat both sides with stuffing mix.
8. Place chops in prepared pan.
9. Bake uncovered for 10 minutes.  Turn chops and bake additional 10-15 minutes until 160 degrees and juices run clear.

***After trying this recipe once, I figured out another option.  That is to preheat your oven with butter and pan inside.  Then *carefully* add your prepared chops to your hot pan with the hot butter already melted and up to temperature, to get more of a searing effect.

We loved this recipe from Martha Stewart’s “Great Food Fast” cookbook!  It’s a perfect recipe when you want a homemade meat sauce to go with your pasta and want to avoid a jarred sauce.  It reminded us of the flavors of the Greek dish called Pastichio, but it was infinitely easier to make!  The secret ingredient is shredded carrot and most people would never know!  This was a quick recipe and could be made even on a week night.

This recipe includes milk, which channels Northern Italian recipes like that of the famed Ragu alla Bolognese.

The only change I made was that I used about 1/3 of an onion instead of a whole onion, so I decreased the butter to 2 tablespoons and used the 1 tablespoon olive oil as instructed.  I probably could have decreased the butter to 1 tablespoon looking back, because it left a little oil/butter residue.  Very yummy dish!

*We used a little over 3/4 LB. of lean ground beef (90%).  Next time I’d use a full pound.  

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 tablespoons butter, which you can reduce (unsalted is best to use)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 carrot, grated (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 onion, chopped**
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3/4 lb. to 1 lb. ground beef*
• 1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes**
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper**
• 1 LB. fettuccine
• Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

**Known IC irritants, tread carefully!

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the butter and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir in the grated carrot, onion, and garlic.  Cook a few minutes.
3. Add the ground beef and cook until it turns from pink to brown, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and their liquid, crushing them with the back of a large spoon.
5. Stir in the milk, bay leaf, thyme, nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper.
6. Simmer for 20 minutes.  Then discard bay leaf.
7. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the fettuccine until al dente according to the package directions.
8. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the cooking water, and drain the fettuccine.
9. Return the pasta to the warm pot.
10. Add the meat sauce to the pasta, and toss.
11. Add the reserved pasta water as needed if the sauce seems dry.  (I ended up adding maybe 1/4 cup to make it moister).
12. To serve, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.