September 2016 Weeknight Dinner Ideas Part 2

Guess who is home all week?!?  This girl!  I am pretty excited about the pork belly tacos featured today.  They are delicious, and they include tomatillos— an ingredient I frequently see, but have never actually cooked with before tonight!  Do you have any tips for cooking with them?  

I cheated when making the tacos today, and cooked the pork in my trusty slow cooker.  I threw the chopped onion, peppers, garlic and pork in right before rushing out the door for work this morning, and set the timer for six hours.  I then pan fried the meat a few minutes before Hubby got home from the gym!  They were so good we will not have enough leftover meat for two packed lunches tomorrow!  

Have you had any recent luck modifying a recipe to work with your busy work schedule?      

Ok, I am off to prepare the chicken for dinner tomorrow!  As always, please let me know if you enjoyed any of the recipes featured below, and share my blog with your friends!  

Crispy Pork Belly Tacos with Pico de Gallo

RECIPES

Crispy Pork Belly Tacos with Pico de Gallo, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, September 2015, page 141

Roast Chicken With Crisp Toasts And Ricotta,  Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, September 2014, page 129

Seared Scallops With Almond Vinaigrette, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, September 2012 page 42

Sautéed Broccoli With Floret Vinaigrette, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, September 2012, page 116

Coconut Beef Curry, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, September 2016, page 66

GROCERY LIST

Produce

2 lemons

1 lime

1 Fresno chile

.5 pound cherry tomatoes

4 ounces tomatillos

8 bunches broccoli with large, thick stems

1 bunch spicy greens (arugula or watercress)

Baby arugula or microgreens 

1 bunch sage

1 bunch chives

1 bunch cilantro

1 bunch thyme 

2 large white onions

1 small red onion

1 shallot

1 head garlic

Ginger root

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes

Fresh lime juice

Dairy and Frozen

Unsalted butter

Whole-milk ricotta

Heavy cream

Meat and Seafood 

1 3.5-4 pound chicken

1.5 pounds beef chuck

2 pound pork belly

8 large sea scallops

Lard

Interior Aisles

Olive oil

Vegetable oil

Canola oil

Grapeseed oil

Champagne vinegar

Sherry vinegar

Kosher salt

Flaky sea salt

Black pepper

Curry powder, preferably Indian

Bay leaves

1 chile de árbol

Roasted almonds, preferable Marcona

Peach preserves

Marsala

Chicken broth, low sodium

2 13.5-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk

Jasmine rice

Pine nuts

1 loaf rustic sourdough

Mexican beer

Corn tortillas

Hard to Find Ingredients 

Morita chiles or dried chipotle

September 2016 Weeknight Dinner Ideas Part 1

I am still in disbelief that we are several days into September.  SEPTEMBER!  Where is 2016 going?  I see the pumpkin foods in the grocery store, but this 90 degree heat wave keeps me from believing fall is right around the corner!

You may be a bit hesitant to try the okra recipe featured this week, but trust me- it is pretty amazing.  The curry paste mixed with lime juice makes this a super flavorful dish.  I try to only make a recipe once a year, but this is one of the few recipes that fall into the exception category because it is that good!  

When you read the directions for the pork stew featured below you will see it was not written as a quick weeknight dinner, but if you put the pork and stew veggies in the slow cooker in the morning  you can come home to a hot meal.  The extra veggies added at the end also keep it from tasting like a boring slow cooker dinner!  

Ok, off to pack for some non-work travel!  As always, please let me know if you enjoyed any of the recipes featured below, and share my blog with your friends!  

RECIPES

Chicken in an Herb Garden, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, September 2015, page 54

Dry-Rubbed Flank Steak With Grilled Corn Salsa, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, September 2015, page 88

Shrimp Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, September 2012, page 132

Grilled Okra with Red Curry-Lime Dressing, Source: Food and Wine Magazine, September 2012, page 132

Pork, Vegetable, And Tamarind Stew, Source: Bon Appétit Magazine, September 2016, page 116

GROCERY LIST

Produce

3 ears of corn

3 medium tomatoes

6 ounces watercress

4 baby bok choy

1 small Japanese eggplant

2 watermelon radishes

4 Chinese long beans or green beans

3 jalapeños

1.5 pounds okra

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 bunch cilantro

Mixed herbs- parsley, tarragon, basil, thyme, rosemary, sage, mint, etc.

1 red onion

2 heads of garlic

Fresh lime juice

Meat and Seafood 

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1.5 pounds flank steak

4 pounds St. Louis-style pork ribs or skinless boneless pork shoulder

1.25 pounds medium shrimp

Interior Aisles

Olive oil

Vegetable oil

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Black peppercorns

Ancho chile powder

Paprika

Cayenne pepper

Granulated garlic

English mustard powder

Ground coriander

Ground cumin

Dried Bay leaves

White wine vinegar

Sherry vinegar

Fish sauce

Light brown sugar

Thai red curry paste

Crusty bread

Hard to Find Ingredients 

Dried shiitake mushrooms

8-ounces dried tamarind pulp