Hawaiian Fried Rice

3 tablespoons GF soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot sauce (like Sriracha), more or less to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cups cooked, chopped ham
1 red bell pepper, chopped
6 green onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
5 cups cooked rice, white or brown, cold
3 large eggs
2 cups pineapple pieces

1. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil and hot sauce. Set aside. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Add the ham and red bell pepper. Cook, stirring often, until lightly browned and the red pepper is tender (but not mushy), about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook another minute. Scrape the mixture onto a plate and set aside.
2. Heat another teaspoon of oil in the skillet. Add the cold rice and cook, breaking up large clumps, until the rice is heated through, 5-6 minutes.
3. Push the rice to one side of the skillet and heat the last teaspoon of oil on the empty side of the skillet. Crack the eggs into the hot oil and stir lightly with a spatula or wooden spoon, cooking until the eggs are lightly scrambled and set. Stir the eggs and the ham mixture into the rice. Pour the soy sauce mixture into the rice and cook, stirring, until thoroughly combined and hot.
4. Remove from heat, stir in the pineapple and green onions. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from:  http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2013/04/hawaiian-fried-rice.html

Honey Orange Pork Tenderloin

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

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the marmalade, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and honey. Reserve 2 tablespoons and set the sauce aside.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Drizzle with reserved sauce and cut into 1/2″ slices.

Another amazing recipe from Our Best Bites:  http://www.ourbestbites.com/2013/01/honey-orange-pork-tenderloin/

Lasagna Soup

I love lasagna. It's one of my very favorite meals. But it's hard to make gluten free. The noodles are hard to find, they get soggy, etc. This soup definitely can't substitute for real lasagna, but it's very good. 

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 lbs Italian Sausage (I use Italian Turkey Sausage)
3 cups chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
optional: 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
28-ounce can diced tomatoes, preferably fire roasted
2 bay leaves
6 cups chicken broth
8 ounces gluten free pasta
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, or a heaping tablespoon dried basil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
8 ounces ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
a few cracks of black pepper
shredded mozzarella for sprinkling on top

 1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking up into bite sized pieces and cook until browned and cooked through. Add onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes.   If you’re using dried basil, add it at this point.  Cook for about a minute. Add tomato paste and stir well to incorporate.

2. Add diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  You can add the dry pasta to the soup in the last 8-ish minutes of cooking, or do as I prefer, and cook the pasta separately and add to individual servings. Right before serving, stir in fresh basil if you’re using fresh, and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

4. To serve, place a generous dollop of the ricotta mixture in each soup bowl, add pasta if you cooked it separately, and ladle the hot soup over the cheese.  Let it sit for a minute for the cheese to get all melty, sprinkle mozzarella on top if desired and eat up.

Recipe from Our Best Bites:  http://www.ourbestbites.com/2012/12/lasagna-soup/

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Turkey Chili

My new favorite fall chili recipe from the fantastic ladies at Our Best Bites

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced (any color)
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 bell pepper, diced
1-2 jalapenos, minced
20 ounces ground turkey breast
2 teaspoons cumin
2  teaspoons kosher salt
½  teaspoons pepper
1  teaspoon oregano
1  teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2  teaspoons smoked paprika
1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes*
1 28 ounce can tomatoes (not drained)
2 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
32 ounces beef broth (one box/carton)
1 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
optional: sour cream, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro or green onion, and fresh lime juice for serving

1. Heat a large pot to medium-high heat.  Add olive oil and add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and jalapenos.  Saute for about 5 minutes, until veggies are tender and fragrant. 
2. In same pot, add turkey and stir to combine.  Sprinkle in cumin, salt, pepper, oregano, chili powder and smoked paprika.  Saute until turkey is cooked through. 
3. Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, beans, broth, pumpkin, cinnamon, and cocoa powder to pot and stir to combine.  Place lid on pot and cook for  30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
4. When done, turn off heat and let chili sit with lid off for 10-15 minutes to thicken.  Season with additional salt to taste before serving.  If desired, serve with sour cream, sliced avocados, and a small squirt of fresh lime juice, and any other toppings desired.

Original Recipe (slower cooker)  found here:  http://www.ourbestbites.com/2012/10/black-bean-and-sweet-potato-turkey-chili/

Butternut Squash Risotto

4 1/2 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken broth; more as needed
2 tablespoons olive oil
10 large fresh sage leaves
6 slices bacon, diced
2 medium shallots, minced, about 1/4 cup
2 cups (1/4-inch-diced) fresh, uncooked butternut squash
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.Pour the chicken broth in a small/medium saucepan and set over medium heat. It doesn’t need to boil, just heat it through and keep it hot while making the risotto.
2. In a medium (3-quart) saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and fry, turning once, until they’ve turned dark green in most places, about 1 minute total, being careful not to brown the leaves. With a fork, transfer to the fried sage leaves to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Drain off all of the oil except for 1-2 teaspoons.
3. Cook the bacon in the hot oil in the saucepan, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to the plate with the sage. Again, drain off excess grease, if desired, leaving about 2 teaspoons in the saucepan.
4. Add the shallots to the saucepan and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until softened, about 1 minute.
5. Add the squash and rice and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes.
6. Ladle in enough of the hot broth mixture to just cover the rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until the broth is mostly absorbed. Keep the heat regulated so that the broth isn’t boiling (it will evaporate too quickly) but instead the rice/broth mixture bubbles and simmers gently while it cooks.
7. Add another ladleful of broth and continue cooking and stirring until absorbed. Continue this process (adding a ladleful or two of broth once the previous broth has been absorbed), stirring constantly, until the rice is tender with just a slightly toothsome quality, about 25 minutes. If you use all the broth before the rice gets tender, simply use more broth.
8. Set aside the nicest looking sage leaves as a garnish (about 1 leaf per serving) and reserve a few crumbles of bacon for garnish as well. Crumble the remaining bacon and sage leaves into the risotto. Stir in the cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Crumble the remaining bacon over each serving and garnish with a sage leaf. Serve immediately.

This delicious recipe was found at Mel's Kitchen Cafe:  http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2012/03/butternut-squash-risotto.html

Garlic Herb Sauce

1 cup fresh packed flat-leaf parsley
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup EVOO
3 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a food processor, pulse the parsley to chop. Add remaining ingredients and pulse to combine.
2. Brush sauce on pork tenderloin before grilling or cubed potatoes before baking.

Italian Potato Sausage Soup

20 oz. lean Italian turkey sausage
1/2+ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 large onion, diced
5-6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
8 cups (2 boxes) chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, diced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 cups low-fat milk
3 ounces light cream cheese
3 tablespoons GF flour
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups baby spinach, chopped

1. Place sausage in large soup pot. Begin cooking it over medium heat and add red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, onion, and garlic. Saute until the sausage is fully cooked and drain if necessary.
2. Add the chicken broth and Italian seasoning, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil.
3. Add diced potatoes, cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook potatoes until tender.
4. While the potatoes are cooking, place the milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a blender. Blend until smooth.
5. Heat the butter over medium-low heat in a small saucepan, then add the milk mixture and cook over medium heat until thick (like a very thick cream soup or a stirrable pudding).
6. When the potatoes are cooked, add the thickened milk mixture and chopped spinach. Season with additional crushed red pepper flakes and kosher salt to taste and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Recipe from Our Best Bites:  http://www.ourbestbites.com/2012/01/italian-potato-sausage-soup/

Brown Sugar Spice Pork Rub

2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 pork tenderloins (2 1/2 lb. total), each tenderloin cut into two chunks
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic (6-8 cloves)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
optional: 1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce

1. Mix all ingredients together in gallon ziplock bag. Add pork last.
2. Coat pork with spices.
3. Cook pork however you like. I used a grill pan to sear then baked but it would be great on the grill too.

Loaded Baked Potato Rounds

4 large baking potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch slices
salt and pepper to taste
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped green onions
sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Pam a baking sheet. Place slices of potato on baking sheet. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. When potatoes are ready, top with bacon, cheese, and green onion; continue baking until the cheese has melted.
4. Top with sour cream.

Ginger-Honey Pork

1 tsp fresh ginger
3 tbsp honey
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic
1 pork tenderloin

1. Mix ginger, honey, lemon juice, soy sauce, salt, pepper and garlic together.
2. Marinate pork in mixture for at least one hour in the fridge.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until pork reaches internal temperature of 145 degrees. You could also grill the pork or cook it in the slow cooker.

Baked Potato Soup

3 Tbs butter
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C flour (any GF will be fine - I used potato starch)
4 1/2 C milk (low fat works great)
1 14oz can chicken broth
6 medium baking potatoes baked*
2 C grated cheddar (or sharp cheddar) cheese, divided
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 C sour cream (low fat is fine), divided
1/2 C chopped green onions, divided
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided

*don't forget to bake ahead of time!

1. Melt butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Add flour to pan. Slowly add milk a little at a time while whisking constantly to eliminate lumps. Whisk until smooth and then add chicken broth. Bring soup just to a simmer and heat until thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

2. Once soup is thickened, turn heat down to medium-low. Cut potatoes in half length-wise and use a spoon to scoop out potato flesh into the pot. Use a wooden spoon to smash potatoes, breaking up large clumps. Add 1 1/2 C grated cheese and salt and pepper and stir until cheese is melted. Remove pan from heat and stir in 3/4 C sour cream, 1/4 C green onions, and 4 strips of the crumbled bacon. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with each serving with the remaining sour cream, onions, cheese, and bacon.

Original recipe found from the amazing website Our Best Bites here:
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/10/baked-potato-soup/

Pork Chops with Apples

Kosher salt
4 1/2-inch-thick boneless pork loin chops (5 ounces each)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
2 Granny Smith apples, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 cup apple cider

1. Rub both sides of the pork chops with the sage, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat, then add 1 teaspoon olive oil and sear the chops until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
2. Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add the onion and apples and cook over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the cider.
3. Return the chops to the skillet. Cover and cook, turning once, until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes.

Serving suggestion: Serve with Garlic Smashed Potatoes or an autumn salad

Original Recipe found at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/pork-chops-with-apples-and-garlic-smashed-potatoes-recipe/index.html

Cashew Sweet and Sour Pork

2 Tbsp. cornstarch, divided
1 Tbsp. cooking sherry or apple juice
1 lb. pork tenderloin or boneless pork chops, thinly sliced
1/3 c. water
¼ c. sugar
¼ c. cider vinegar
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. oil
1/3 c. chopped cashews (or exactly one of those little .99 bags of Fritos cashews at the front of the grocery store)
¼ c. green onions
2 tsp. minced or grated fresh ginger
2 tsp. fresh garlic, minced or pressed
6-8 oz. snow peas, trimmed
1 8-oz. can pineapple chunks, drained

1. Cut your pork super thin. (Cutting it semi-frozen helps).
2. Trim your snow peas to get any icky hard parts off.
3. Begin cooking your rice.
4. Combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch, sherry/apple juice, and pork. Toss well.
5. Combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch, water, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and ketchup. Stir with a whisk; make sure there are no clumps with the cornstarch.
5. Heat 1-2 Tbsp. canola oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add pork and stir-fry 3 minutes. Add onions, ginger, and garlic.
6. Stir-fry 1 minute. Add snow peas and pineapple. Stir-fry 3 minutes more. Whisk sauce ingredients again and add to panbring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in cashews and serve over hot rice. Garnish with more cashews and green onions if you want.

Another incredible recipe from Our Best Bites:
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/04/cashew-sweet-and-sour-pork/

Mexican-Style Sweet Shredded Pork

4 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 (10-ounce) cans enchilada sauce
1 cup brown sugar, divided
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup apple juice

1. Trim the visible fat from the roast and sprinkle with salt, pepper, chili powder, and onion powder. Use your hands to massage the spices over all sides of the meat.
2. Heat the oil in a large skilled over medium-high heat. Sear the pork roast for about 1 minute on all sides or until meat surface is golden brown.
3. While meat is searing, combine the enchilada sauce, 2/3 cup brown sugar, salsa, Worcestershire sauce, and apple juice in a slow cooker. Add the pork, cover, and cook on low for 7 hours with lid on the entire time.
4. Remove pork and shred, discarding any pieces of fat. Add the additional 1/3 cup brown sugar to slow cooker and turn heat to high. Add shredded meat. Simmer with lid off for 30 minutes.

Serve as salad (with tortilla chips, lettuce, tomato, rice, ranch, olives, cheese etc), enchiladas, burridos, quesadillas, etc.

Recipe from the Our Best Bites Cookbook.

Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

1 pork tenderloin (about 1-1⁄4 lb)
3 scallions, trimmed and cut lengthwise in strips
5 strips lower-sodium bacon
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp brown sugar

1. Heat oven to 425ºF. Make a long slit lengthwise down center of pork, being careful not to cut all the way through. Open like a book. Place scallions on one cut side of pork; fold pork back over to close.
2. Wrap bacon slices around pork to cover completely. Place in small roasting pan. Rub 1⁄2 tsp pepper and 1 Tbsp brown sugar over bacon. Roast 20 minutes or until instant-read thermometer inserted in center reads 150ºF. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Some things I'll probably try in the future:
cutting pork into 1 or 2 inch cubes and wrap one piece of bacon around each individual piece
substitute fresh chopped herbs for the scallions

Asian Braised Slow Cooker Pork

1/4 cup GF soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 2-in. piece fresh ginger, half thinly sliced and half grated
2 lb pork chops
1 cup long-grain white rice
(to be perfectly honest, I guessed on all of the measurements and it turned out great)

1. In a 5- to 6-qt slow cooker, combine the soy sauce, allspice, red pepper, ¼ cup of the brown sugar and the sliced ginger.
2. Add the pork and toss to coat.
3. Cover and cook until the meat is tender, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours.
Serve over cooked rice or quinoa.

Ranchero Pork

1 can (14 oz) Mild Red Enchilada Sauce
1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
3 1/2 lb bone-in pork shoulder roast, well trimmed
1/2 medium red onion, sliced
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Serve with:
warm corn tortillas or tortilla chips
shredded cheese
sour cream
fresh salsa
guacamole

1. Mix enchilada sauce and chiles in a 4-qt or larger slow-cooker. Add pork; spoon sauce over top. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours until pork is very tender.
2. At least 20 minutes before serving, toss onion slices with lime juice in a medium bowl. Let stand, tossing once or twice until slightly wilted.
3. Remove pork to a cutting board. Stir cilantro into mixture in slow-cooker. Break pork into bite-size chunks with a wooden spoon (or your fingers) and return to cooker; stir to combine.
4. To serve: Spoon pork mixture on warmed tortillas and top with marinated onions and other toppings as desired.

Pork with Tropical Sauce

4 boneless pork top loins, cut 1" thick
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground ginger (I used fresh ginger and a garlic press)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup dried tropical fruit (dried mangos or a mixture of dried fruits), finely chopped
1/2 c. orange juice (I juiced one fresh orange)
1 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp pineapple preserves (optional)

1. Mix curry, ginger, and cinnamon. Set aside one tsp on the spice mixture.
2. Brush chops with oil. Rub remainder of spice mixture over chops. Cook chops to internal temperature of 160 degrees. (I pan fried but you could also broil.)
3. In a small saucepan, mix dried fruit, juice, vinegar, and one tsp of the spice mixture. Heat to a boil. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Serve overpork.

Pineapple Pork Tenderloin

2 pounds pork tenderloin
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced
2 tablesppons gluten-free soy sauce (I like La Choy)
1/2 cup apple juice
1 can crushed pineapple

1. Combine meat, sugar, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and cornstarch in ziplock bag. Seal and shake well to coat. Pour the contents of the bag into the stoneware.
2. Add the garlic and peppers.
3. Pour in the soy sauce, apple juice, and pineapple.
4. Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours or high for 4-6 hours.
5. Serve with rice and pasta.

"Make It Fast, Cook it Slow" by Stephanie O'Dea (with a few Amanda modifications)
Original recipe found online here: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2009/02/pineapple-pork-tenderloin-crockpot.html