Pork and Mango Skewers

In the words of Neil Diamond, "Hello again, hello!" It's been weeks since I've posted, but for a great reason. I accepted a new full time position with a great local company, Priority One Financial Services. It's a great place to work. In fact it was named as one of Tampa Bays Best Places to Work by the Tampa Bay Times. I'm having a great time learning about boat and RV financing, but the hours have created a challenge for cooking dinner. It's one of my favorite things to do in the whole wide world, but I'm working until 7:00 PM. Even though Pup Daddy and I are used to eating fairly late, my usual habit of sipping a glass of wine for an hour before starting dinner would leave us eating at 9:30. This would be a real problem because we are asleep by then! Over the last several months I have gotten out of the habit of planning our meals for the week and shopping for groceries on the weekend. I've enjoyed deciding day to day what I wanted to eat, but now planning ahead is a must. I'm going to try to make more slow cooker meals. I'm also looking for recipes that I can prep in the morning and leave in the fridge for Pup Daddy to put in the oven when he gets home from work. I hope I'll have some great new recipes to post in the next few months.
 
When I made these pork and mango skewers, from FineCooking.com last night, it was Saturday, so I didn't think about prep ahead. You could definitely get them ready ahead of time so all you have to do when you come home is fire up the gas grill and cook them. You can find the prep ahead directions at the end of the recipe. The marinade for the pork is slightly spicy and very delicious. The mango adds just the right amount of sweetness and tanginess (is that word?) You could substitute just about any fruit you can think of. You could also swap out the pork for chicken or fish.
 

Start by soaking your wooden skewers in water for at least a half an hour. Next cut your pork tenderloin into 1 inch chunks and marinating it in the first eight ingredients for 1 - 8 hours. Peel and cut your mango into 1 inch pieces. Thread them onto your skewers and cook on your gas or charcoal grill.
 
 
You should try these soon.

Ingredients
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
2 Tbs. canola oil; more for the grill
2 tsp. dark brown sugar
2 tsp. pure ancho chile powder
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
1 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 medium ripe mangos, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch cubes
8 skewers, 10 inches or longer, soaked in water for 30 minutes if wooden
1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
In a medium bowl, whisk the orange juice, lime juice, oil, sugar, ancho powder, garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/2 tsp. salt.
Add the pork, toss to coat, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
Thread the pork and mango cubes onto the skewers, alternating them and beginning and ending with a piece of pork. Each skewer should have about 5 pieces of pork and 4 pieces of mango.
Prepare a medium gas or charcoal grill fire. Scrub the grill grate with a wire brush and then wipe clean with a paper towel dipped in oil. Cook the skewers, turning once, until the meat is browned on the outside but still slightly pink in the center, about 8 minutes. Serve garnished with the cilantro.

Prep Ahead Directions
Soak skewers for 30 minutes to overnight. Cut pork into cubes and thread onto skewers. Marinate pork on skewers for up to 8 hours. Just before cooking, peel and cut mango into cubes. Thread them onto skewers. Grill and and remove pork and mango from skewers to serve.

 

Grilled Veggie Pasta

Last night was grilling night at our house. Puppy Daddy loves grilled vegetables and I love pasta, so we put them together and came up with this delicious dish. It was a side dish to a grilled pork tenderloin, but it certainly could be a main dish all by itself.







I put the veggies on skewers, but you could also use a grill pan. While the veggies are on the grill, brush them with a mixture of melted butter, extra virgin olive oil, garlic and fresh basil.  When they're done, chop them up and toss with your favorite shape of pasta, the left over basting sauce, and Parmesan cheese. YUM!






Ingredients
1/2 red onion, quartered
1 green pepper
1 zucchini, sliced
1/2 pint grape or cherry tomatoes
9 -10 mushrooms
2 TB butter, melted
2 TB extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
8 oz penne pasta, cooked to package directions
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions
Separate layers of quartered onion. Core green pepper. Chop in 2 inch squares. Skewer all veggies. Combine butter, oil, garlic and basil. Place veggie skewers on a medium high grill and brush with up to 3/4 of the butter and oil mixture. Cook veggies for 10 - 15 minutes. Turning every 5 minutes. (Use a pot holder. The skewer handles will be very hot!) Take skewers off the grill and chop veggies. Combine with pasta, what's left of the butter, oil mixture and Parmesan cheese.

Greek Burgers with Feta, Olive Tzatziki

I have loved Greek food for as long as I can remember and I am blessed to have always lived in an area that has wonderful Greek food. When I was young (a long, long time ago) families only went out to dinner for special occasions, so when it was my birthday and I got to choose the restaraunt, I always chose Louise Pappas, a legendary Greek restaraunt in Tarpon Springs. Though I never had a burger there, but it was the start of my love for Greek food. Now I don't claim to be a great Greek chef like my Greek friends Marianna and Kiki, but I think you'll find this simple recipe will satisfy your Mediteranean cravings. And maybe if we all beg, they will share some their secret recipes with us!

To make the burgers combine ground chuck, Greek seasoning, red wine, red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.Sprinkle both sides of the burgers with salt and pepper. These are also delicious with ground lamb or a combination of lamb and beef. Cook the burgers in your favorite method. I love them cooked on a charcoal grill, but tonight I didn't have time for that so I used the gas grill instead.



While the burgers are cooking, make this yummy spread for them. First make the tzatziki sauce by combining Greek Yogurt (I used 2% fat yogurt), lemon juice, grated cucumber, garlic and salt. You will have more tzaziki than you need for the spread, so save it. It makes a fantastic dip for pita chips! To make the spread just add in chopped olives and feta cheese. I love to use a variety of olives that I get at my local grocery store olive bar.

OK, this is important, when making the tzatziki, be sure to remove the seeds from the cucumber. Otherwise it will be too watery. You can do this easily by cutting the cucumber into quarters like a dill pickle. Then just slice out the seed section.





To grate the cucumber I use a Micorplane hand grater, but you could use a box grater as well.

When the burgers are cooked, put them on the bun with the Feta, Olive Tzatziki spread and a couple of slices of cucumber. I served this with a scoop of potato salad and a Greek Peasant salad.

This recipe is for two burgers.

Ingredients
2/3 lb ground chuck
1 Tb red wine
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 Tb extra virgin olive oil
1 Tb Greek seasoning
7 oz plain Greek yogurt
1 Tb lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed, finely chopped or grated
1/4 cup grated, de-seeded cucumber
1/2 cup chopped olives, what ever type you like
1/2 cup chopped feta cheese
2 hamburger buns
4 thin slice of cucumber 
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Combine first 5 ingredients, being careful not to break down ground meat to much. Form into two patties. Sprinkle both sides generously with salt and pepper. Cook in personally desired method. Top burgers with Olive, Feta Tzatziki Spread and thinly sliced cucumber.

Feta, Olive Tzatziki Spread
Combine Greek yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, salt, grated cucumber, olives and feta.

Try this recipe out and let me know what you think!