January 5: Stuff that Piggy!

Rolled Stuffed Pork Loin

Guests will think you worked hard on this one. Be sure to throw some flour on your face to accomplish the deception.

1 3-5 pound pork loin roast
¾ cup pitted prunes (or you can substitute ½ cup dried cranberries)
¼ cup red wine
¼ cup walnuts, pine nuts, pecans, or hazelnuts
½ apple, cored and cute into cubes
4 Tbs. Dijon mustard

To prepare roast: With a sharp knife, cut roast into one long, wide strip as if you are uncoiling a cinnamon roll. The initial incision should be one inch thick. The roast will lay flat when you are finished.

Place prunes, wine, nuts and apple in food processor and process until smooth, 30 seconds. (If you don’t have a processor, chop the prunes, nuts and apples by hand, place in a bowl and stir wine through.)

Spread stuffing over roast and roll it back onto itself, securing with butcher’s string (or any non-hairy string . . . Yarn doesn’t work!) Spread Dijon mustard over top and sides of secured roast.

Place roast in a roasting pan that has been slightly greased with olive oil. Bake at 325 degrees for 1-½ hours or until the internal temperature reaches …degrees. A five pound roast will take ½ hour longer. Slice vertically to show the roulade of the meat and fruit.

Conversation starter: Remake the rhyme "This little piggie went to market."

January 4: Crepes, the perfect food of JOY!!!

Crepes a la Mary

I’ve been making these crepes nearly twenty years now. Forget the gimmicky crepe makers—all you need to make crepes successfully is a sturdy, non-stick pan and cooking spray. Our favorite way to eat them is Parisian style—rolled up with a smearing of Nutella inside. Raspberry jam and Nutella are also a great combination. Aidan eats them like pancakes, sliced into squares and topped with maple syrup. If you’d like to take this recipe and use it to fill crepes with meat or mushrooms, omit the sugar.

1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp. sugar
5 eggs
1 ½ cup milk
1/3 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbs. Melted butter
cooking spray

In food processor or blender, add ingredients in order. Process 30 seconds until smooth. Pour into large measuring cup with a pouring spout. Heat heavy-bottomed non-stick frying pan over medium high heat. Spray with cooking spray. Pour a six-inch dollop of batter into the middle of the pan. Tilt the pan in a circular motion until the six-inch dollop spreads, creating a ten-inch crepe. When the sheen is gone and the crepe’s surface bubbles have popped, flip over the crepe in one smooth motion with a non-metal spatula. Let cook 30-40 additional seconds. Place crepe on ovenproof plate and keep in a 250 degree oven. If your pan is heated up, each crepe should take no longer than a minute and a half. Repeat process until batter is spent. Place warmed crepes on table. Serve with fresh berries, whipped cream, Nutella, powdered sugar, maple syrup, or anything else your breakfast crowd desires. Makes 16 ten-inch crepes.

Side note: Did you know that crepes sing? Once you’ve flipped them over, if you press down on them, you should hear a multi-pitched whistle emit from the hundreds of tiny holes. My children love to hear the crepes sing.

Conversation starter: If you could be a character from a children's book, who would you be? Why?

Welcome to A Daily Recipe

It hit my while making brownies from scratch. How I love to cook. How I love to feed my family as a labor of culinary love. How my food posts on Facebook get the most response. How badly I want to write a cookbook. As I finished my brownie making (stay tuned for the recipe), I thought about you and your desire to cook for your families.

Why not give you something yummy & easy & different every day? Voila! A Daily Recipe is born. Earmark this blog; subscribe to it; send it to friends. Every day you'll receive an original recipe from yours truly . . . an author, a mommy, a part time gardener, a cook, a wife, a pet owner, a reluctant exerciser. Learn some fun techniques to make leftovers into aha food moments. Eat food you've never tried. Be adventurous. Only stop on by.

An added bonus: Every day, I'll share a conversation starter you can use with your family and friends TONIGHT!

Welcome to my table, to our family, to a slower way of eating food, enjoying conversation, and delighting your taste buds.

January 3: Espresso Brownies, the best of all worlds

Who couldn't resist coffee and chocolate morphed together in a brownie? I developed these several years ago as a use for my hubby's leftover espresso. The brownies have no leavening other than eggs, so they're decadent and rich.

3/4 cup cocoa powder (the baking kind, no sweetening)
1/2 cup old coffee or espresso
3/4 cup butter (yep! so fattening!)

Microwave the above in a glass measuring cup for 30 second intervals (stir between) until butter is melted. Pour into a mixing bowl. Add:

1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Spread into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees.

Conversation starter: What is the best chocolate you ever had? Where? Why was it so exceptional?

January 2: Happy, Angry Chicken

(My sincerest apologies to the chicken above. She's actually a laying hen and won't meet her demise.)

This is one of our family favorites. You can substitute a fleshy white fish (like halibut) or pork tenderloin, or even scallops.

Rice hint: the proportion is typically 1 to 2. 1 part rice to two parts water. Bring to a boil, place a lid on the conglomeration, then let it sit on the lowest setting for 20 minutes.

Sweet and Sour Chicken (aka Happy, Angry Chicken)

1 Tbs. Cornstarch

¼ cup sugar

2 Tbs. Soy sauce

3 Tbs. Ketchup

¼ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup chicken broth

Combine above ingredients in a lidded jar and shake until combined. Set aside.

1 red onion, chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 tsp. Sesame oil

2 Tsp. Canola oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into one inch cubes

1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

¾ cup sugar snap peas

½ cup chopped carrots

In wok, or non stick skillet, sauté onions and garlic on medium high heat in oils until onions are transparent. Add chicken, peppers, peas and carrots and cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Add sauce to mixture and cook through until sauce thickens, about two minutes. Serve with sticky rice. Serves 4.

Conversation Starter: Describe a time when you were "chicken" about something. Did you overcome your fear? How?