ROASTED BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER

I love vegetables. I like them cooked, just about every way imaginable. This is a favorite combination in our house. It's an enjoyable dish to make, because it blends itself well with other vegetables too. You can add peppers, mushrooms, carrots etc. if you prefer. Personally, I usually don't combine more than 3 vegetables at a time. I like to taste what I am eating. More than a 3 vegetable combination, and I find that the taste of the individual vegetables start to get lost. With that being said, I chose a combination of broccoli and cauliflower this night.

Prep time: 10 min.     Cook Time: 25 - 30 min.     Servings: about 4

Ingredients:
1/2 head of broccoli, washed and cut into mouth sized florets.
1/2 head cauliflower, washed and cut into mouth sized florets
1/2 cup butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
garlic powder
Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
1/4 cup + bread crumbs (I use Italian seasoned bread crumbs for this dish)
1/4 cup + Parmesan Cheese
aluminum foil

Directions:
Pre heat oven to 450 degrees.
In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and add garlic. Mix and set aside.
Place broccoli and cauliflower in an appropriate sized baking pan. Don't pack too tightly.
Salt and pepper the vegetables evenly.
Use garlic powder and sprinkle vegetables evenly with the amount you desire. (I am not heavy handed.)
Sprinkle the bread crumbs, lightly across the top.
Now drizzle the vegetables with the butter mixture... evenly, covering them well.
Top the vegetables with the Parmesan Cheese, more or less to taste.
Cover pan with aluminum foil, not too tight.
Place in oven and cook for about 25 -30 min. or until your preference of tenderness, is obtained. Make sure to check from time to time with a fork.
Remove the foil, in the last 5 - 7 min.  Check as you go. You don't want the vegetables and cheese, to brown too much, or the edges to get a crisp to them.
Using a spatula, arrange vegetables on a serving plate, not disturbing them too much and, serve immediately.

NOW ENJOY!

© 2013 Jayne's Crazy Kitchen

BUTTERED PARSLEY POTATOES

Potatoes, get a bad rap. They are delicious, nutritious, and are seriously misunderstood. Potatoes are associated with carbohydrates, that most of us think will put on the pounds. The truth is, potatoes are a root vegetable, low in carbohydrates and considered a good starch, that shouldn't be omitted from a healthy diet.
Potatoes provide bulk, offer protection against colon cancer, improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, lowers cholesterol and triglycerides, and possibly even reduces fat storage. Potatoes are made up of 79% water. They are actually lower in carbohydrates that some green vegetables. They are a good source of Potassium and fiber, and even have a fair amount of Vitamin C.
I love potatoes, because, I love comfort food. Most comfort foods involve potatoes in some form or another. And, they are good for us! A good balanced meal, does incorporate good starches. Lucky for me.
This recipe is easy to make and delicious to eat. It compliments many meat entrees. It is often overlooked, because of it's simplicity.

Prep Time: 5 min. Cook time: about 12 minutes Servings: 4

 

 

Ingredients:

• 6-7 medium sized red potatoes, washed and cut up into mouth sized pieces.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• 6 tbsp. Butter
• 2 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley (can be substituted with dried parsley if necessary.)

Directions:

• In an appropriate sized pot. Salt enough water to be able to cover the potatoes well, and bring to a boil.
• In a microwave safe bowl. Melt butter, and add parsley, mix well and set aside.
• Add potatoes to water and allow to boil for about 12 min. or until potatoes are done to your liking.
• Remove from heat, and drain to serving bowl.
• Pour butter and parsley mixture over potatoes.
• Mix gently so that all potatoes are coated with the butter.
• Serve immediately.

NOW ENJOY!

© 2013 Jayne's Crazy Kitchen

SOUTHERN COCA COLA PORK ROAST

I found a recipe for this dish, quite a while ago. It looked, and sounded so good, and... I must have been hungry. So, I made it!!! The Pork Roast was awesome!!! but sadly, the marinade and glaze were so overpowering, that I actually filed the recipe away, with a million notes and changes, and then, never looked at it again. UNTIL... A few weeks ago, when my husband said he'd like a good Pork Roast for Dinner.

So... I went looking through  Crazy Jayne's Famous Recipe Book (in my mind anyway ) and dug it out. This time, after reading my notes, and changes, I decided to try it again. WELL.... it was a pleasant surprise to say the least, and a treat to the palate!!! Juicy, tender and delicious!!!

  

Ingredients:

 

11/2 cup Coca-Cola

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/8 cup soy sauce

11/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tablespoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon thyme, crushed

1 teaspoon ginger

3 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

5 tablespoons red wine
salt and pepper to taste

4 - 5 pounds pork loin roast, boned & rolled 

Glaze:
The marinade that you set aside, comes into play now. Instead of changing up the flavor, I decided to take the original marinade, put it on the stove, brought it to a soft boil, covered it and then, let it simmer, until it was reduced by at least half and thickened a bit. I stirred and tasted it as it cooked, added a little more sugar half way through cooking it down, and a little more salt and pepper. In the last half hour, I coated the roast several times. The result was a stunning crown for a perfectly cooked pork roast.

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 What I changed and why:

The recipe I had saved to try, when I cooked it.... truthfully, was so disappointing. I found it almost bitter, yet sickly sweet and too "puckering" to be honest, despite the amount of sugar it required. The balance of sweet and sour was in my opinion, severely unbalanced. In My Crazy Kitchen, both the glaze and marinade had so many strong flavors fighting each other it was just too biting for lack of a better word. I also know what my family ultimately likes too.  So.... I calmed this baby down a bit to suit my taste this time!!!.
The original recipe called for more sugar, I cut it in half. Ketchup, I added none, Soy Sauce, I cut in half. I added a bit more garlic. Balsamic vinegar was called for, I honestly don't care for it much, shameful I know!!! So I replaced  it with red wine. Somehow the adding of  ketchup with all the other great ingredients just didn't sit right with me. But if you think a touch of tomato taste is called for... go for it!!! 
BIG, BIG DIFFERENCE!!! For me the balsamic vinegar in the original recipe completely overwhelmed the delicious roast, and adding so much sugar, seemed to try to make up for it unsuccessfully. With the balsamic vinegar and the strong tastes of both the soy sauce and Worcestershire, ketchup didn't belong. There had been too much bite from the soy sauce amount used too. The sugar amount and combination of the Coke, was just too sweet for me, and that is rare.
So... after adjusting the original recipe to reflect my taste, I ultimately changed it completely. In the end, I just found the flavors seemed to blend... so much better for me!!!  I tolerate balsamic vinegar, which is being nice, but it is also the basis of so many great foods that I do like. Sadly, I'm just not a big fan, and never expected the outcome to be so overpowering. I am sure there are many, who will disagree however. That is part of the fun of cooking. There are a thousand variations for every one recipe!!!

I am also aware that I most probably just made it a lot less Southern too. *LOL*
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Directions: 

• Combine all the ingredients except for the meat, mix well with a fork to make the marinade.
• Place the pork roast into a gallon sized, zip lock bag.
• Pour in the marinade and seal the bag tightly.
• Put the zip lock bag in a bowl large enough only so the roast, when pushed down, is covered with the marinade and not going away from the roast. You want to cradle it. Let the bowl sit for about 12 hours in the refrigerator. Turn the bag every few hours to allow the meat to marinate evenly. This helps the roast absorb the marinating liquids, making for a really tender, juicy very aromatic and flavorful pork roast.
• Remove roast from marinade, put the remainder of the marinade aside for later use.
• Place roast, fat side up, on rack in roasting pan. No water, and do not cover. Roast in a low, preheated  325 degree oven.  Allow 30 to 40 minutes per pound for roasting, so for a 5 pound loin roast, you would be roasting for about 2-1/2 +/- hours.  
• Check with your meat thermometer at 2 hours. (earlier, if your roast is smaller) You want the meat to cook until a meat thermometer registers about 165 - 170. During last 1/2 hour of cooking time, brush on the glaze a couple of times. When ready, remove from oven and let set, for about 10 minutes before slicing.
• Even out of the oven, while standing to set, the roast will continue to cook and raise the temperature as well. The perfect pork roast should have a faint pink center, almost haloed by a slightly darker outer ring, and a dark glazed topping. With the first cut, juices should start to flow.
• Place on platter, slice and serve!!!
• I served this with a warm, buttery spinach and hard boiled egg, side, and garlic mashed potatoes.

NOW ENJOY!!!