Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin (1.25lbs – 1.75lbs)
2 tbs brown sugar

1 tbs smoked paprika
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne powder (optional)
1/2 tbs olive oil

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl.

Trim the pork tenderloin of any excess fat/silver skin. Coat with a 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. Rub spice mixture on entire pork tenderloin.

Preheat air fryer to 400° F for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, carefully place pork tenderloin into air fryer and air fry at 400° F for 20-22 minutes. Internal temp should be 145° – 160° F.

When air fryer cycle is complete, carefully remove pork tenderloin to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Save any juices to serve over sliced meat.

from: reicpe teacher

Chinese Pork Tenderloin with Noodles

2 (1-lb) pork tenderloins, trimmed
1/4 c. lower-sodium soy sauce, divided
1 T. hoisin sauce
1 T. tomato sauce
1 t. sugar
1 t. grated peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 T. seasoned rice vinegar
1 t. dark sesame oil
8 c. hot cooked Chinese-style noodles (about 16 ounces uncooked)
1 c. matchstick-cut carrots
3/4 c. diagonally sliced green onions
1/4 c. fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 c. chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts or cashews
1/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro
9 lime wedges

Place tenderloins in a 5-quart electric slow cooker. Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce and next 5 ingredients (through garlic); drizzle over tenderloins. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 1/2 hours. Remove pork from slow cooker, and place in a large bowl, reserving cooking liquid in slow cooker. Let pork stand 10 minutes.

Strain cooking liquid through a sieve into a bowl. Cover and keep warm. Shred pork with 2 forks.

Return cooking liquid to slow cooker; stir in remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil. Cover and cook on HIGH 10 minutes. Turn slow cooker off. Add pork, noodles, and next 3 ingredients (through cilantro leaves), tossing to coat.

Spoon noodle mixture into bowls; sprinkle with peanuts and chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

from: myrecipes.com

Perfect Oven-Baked Pork Chops

Boneless pork chops, 3/4" thick
Olive oil
Salt, pepper, desired seasonings

Preheat oven to 350.

Sprinkle both sides of chops with salt, pepper, and seasonings.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet on med-high heat, about 3 minutes on the first side, turn and brown the other side for 1 minute, then turn off the heat and pop the pan into the oven. (a wire splatter screen over the top of the pan will save some mess in your oven).

Check the chops after about 10 minutes--cook meat to 170, then remove from oven & allow the meat to rest for a few minutes.

adapted from: Boston Chef

Baby Back Ribs

4 pounds Pork Ribs
¾ cups Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Pepper
1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
2 cups Sweet Baby Ray BBQ Original Sauce

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Mix together the sugar and spices to make the rub. Apply rub to ribs on all sides. Lay ribs on two layers of foil shiny side of the foil facing out and meaty side of the rib face down. Lay two layers of foil on top of ribs and roll and crimp edges tightly, edges facing up to seal them. Place the foil-wrapped ribs on a baking sheet and bake for 2 – 2 1/2 hours or until meat is starting to shrink away from the ends of the bone.

Remove from oven and pull ribs out of the foil packages. Heat broiler. Cut ribs into serving sized portions of 2 or 3 ribs each. Arrange the ribs on a broiler pan, bony side up. Brush on sauce. Broil under broiler for 1 or 2 minutes until sauce is cooked on and bubbly. Turn ribs over, brush on the sauce and broil that side for 1 or 2 minutes until sauce is cooked on and bubbly.

Audrey's little note: this BBQ sauce recipe is awesome with these ribs!

from: Cammi

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

3 to 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder (you can also used boneless pork loin – not tenderloin)
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups water
1 tablespoon hickory flavored liquid smoke
2 cups barbecue sauce

Rinse the pork shoulder and pat dry. Rub salt and pepper over the pork and place in a slow cooker. Add water and liquid smoke. Cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours, until the pork is very tender.

Remove the pork from the slow cooker and discard the remaining liquid. Shred the pork using a couple of forks. Place the meat back in the slow cooker along with the barbecue sauce and continue to cook for another 20-30 minutes until the pork is hot again. Serve on buns with extra barbecue sauce.

Audrey's little note: this recipe is wonderful..."McCormick Slow Cookers BBQ Pulled Pork" seasoning packets are even better! Serve either recipe with some good coleslaw and you've got a seriously satisfying comfort meal.

from: My Kitchen Cafe

Fall-Apart-Tender Slow-Roast Pork

1 pork butt (shoulder) roast (about 4 pounds)
1/4 to 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cup apple juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the rack slightly below the center of the oven.

Place the pork in a casserole that is just large enough to hold it and has a lid. Sprinkle the roast on all sides with Worcestershire sauce. Then press brown sugar coating on all sides of the pork. Pour the apple juice down the side of the casserole to the bottom, being sure not to drizzle it on the crusted meat. Cover tightly.

Place the roast in the oven and immediately turn the heat down to 200°F (95°C). Roast without opening the oven door for about 5 hours, until the meat is so tender that it pulls apart easily. If the meat does not pull apart easily, cover, and return to the oven and roast 30 minutes more. Check again, roast 30 minutes more as needed.

Pull the meat apart and remove the bone. Stir the salt into the juices at the bottom of the pan. Serve meat in its delicious juice hot or at room temperature.

Note: This can easily be done in a slow cooker. Set it on high for 30 minutes, then turn down the heat to low, and let it cook for most of the day or even overnight.

from: OChef

Ranch Pork Chops with Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

6 pork chops, 1/2 inch thick
1 packet dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning
10 oz can Cream of Chicken Soup

4 lbs peeled, cubed potatoes
5 Tablespoons real butter
1 Cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
6 cloves roasted garlic (click for directions how to roast garlic)
1- 1 1/2 Cups warm milk
1 Tablespoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, or to taste

1. Place pork chops, Ranch seasoning and soup into a medium sized crock pot over high heat for 4 hours or low heat for 6 hours.

2. Place potatoes into a large pot of cold water. Place onto stovetop over high heat and bring to a boil. Once water is boiling, cook for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and transfer to the work bowl of a stand or electric mixer. Mix on low until potatoes are mashed then add butter, parmesan, garlic, milk, salt and pepper. Season to taste if needed. For thinner mashed potatoes add more milk, slowly until your desired consitency.

3. Scoop mashed potatoes onto serving plates and top with pork chops and soup gravy from crock pot.

from: Picky Palate blog

"Cafe Rio" Shredded Pork Burritos

1 pork roast
3/4 C. brown sugar
1 small can tomato paste
1 T. chili powder
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. cumin
1 t. salt
1 can Coca-Cola

Place pork in crock pot and pour enough Coke to cover. Add other ingredients and mix together. Cook on low for 6-8 hrs., shred the meat halfway through.

For the burrito:
1 batch seasoned rice (allow about 30 mins for prep)
tortillas
black beans
shredded mozzarella
green enchilada sauce
sour cream

Warm tortillas over medium heat griddle, build burritos with the rice, beans, mozzarella and enchilada sauce. Wrap up then smother with more enchilada sauce and mozzarella. Cook in oven at 375 until cheese is bubbly. Garnish with sour cream.

Audrey's little note: This recipe can easily be adapted to a hearty salad...just add your choice of white corn and tomato, then serve all the fixin's with lettuce and a cilantro-ranch dressing. Ooh, and tortilla chip strips would be good too!

adapted from: Cammi's friend Jamie

Yummy Pasta Skillet Dinner

3/4 - 1 lb. small tube or shell pasta
3 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
3 c. fully cooked ham or chicken, diced
1 large sweet red pepper, diced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 c. minced fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t. dried basil
1/2 t. dried oregano
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions - only cooking until al dente since pasta will continue to cook and soak up liquid when added to the skillet. While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat until butter is melted. Add pepper, onion, and garlic and cook until vegetables are tender, about 4-6 minutes. Add meat, basil and oregano and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for another 2-3 minutes. Stir in broth (or stock) and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half (at first it looks like it will be way to "brothy" but never fear, if you are patient, it will reduce!). Stir drained pasta into ham and vegetable mixture (I cooked a full pound of pasta but only added about 3/4 of the cooked pasta to the skillet so the other ingredients weren't lost). Add 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and toss. Sprinkle parsley and remaining parmesan cheese over the top of the pasta. Serve immediately.

adapted from: My Kitchen Cafe blog

Senate Bean Soup

2 pounds Michigan navy beans
4 quarts water
1 thick slice leftover spiral ham, cut into small pieces (not country ham, which is too salty)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 medium onion, chopped
salt and pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves

Rinse the beans in hot water until they are white. Place them in a stockpot, add the water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 hours.

(Or, you can use canned beans and start here:) Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Saute the onion until lightly browned. Add the onion to the pot of beans. Remove 2 cups of the bean mixture, puree in a blender, and return to the soup. Add ham to soup mixture. Just before serving, season the soup with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with parsley.

from: Paula Deen, Food Network