Pork Roast

In my house, protein for our meals consist predominantly of chicken, since it’s extremely versatile and it can be really easy to make something delicious very quickly (sprinkle with herbs and spices, broil a few minutes on each side, and voilà!). Occasionally, though, I’ll switch things up and get some pork chops to marinate, and they don’t last long with my husband and toddler gobbling them up! This past holiday season, we were treated to delectable pork coated with fresh herbs and roasted to that perfect combination of crispy, tender, and juicy. Of course I wanted to replicate it! But, since the original recipe called for mostly fresh herbs to be minced or ground with a mortar and pestle, I wanted to try a version with easy-to-get dried spices. The taste was admittedly a little different, but delicious nonetheless, and a dish I would definitely make again!

Ingredients:

~3-lb pork roast

~2 TBSP fennel seeds

2 TBSP crushed rosemary

1 tsp ground sage

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1-2 tsp lemon juice

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

¼ tsp black pepper

2 TBSP olive oil

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Lightly grease a roasting pan. Combine all the herbs and spices with the olive oil and mix well, forming a paste. Place the pork roast fat-side up in the pan. Rub the herb paste all over the top of the pork.

Bake at 450°F for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 250°F and bake an additional 50-80 minutes, until the internal temperature measured with a meat thermometer is 145°F. Let cool for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Pour any drippings from the pan into a bowl to enjoy the pork “au jus”!

~Karla

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Savory, juicy, herb-y pork roast.http://cooksofcakeandkindness.blogspot.com/2016/02/pork-roast.html

Posted by The Cooks of Cake and Kindness on Sunday, February 28, 2016

Herb-crusted Salmon

Salmon is my favorite fish to eat. I love it in lox form on a bagel with cream cheese, I love it in sushi form (with or without rice), I love it marinated and grilled...I pretty much love salmon any way it’s prepared. Now, quality seafood is not really the first thing you think of when living in landlocked Indiana, especially if you are on your weekly one-stop shopping trip at the nearest superstore. On occasion, though, I’m able to plan exceptionally well and carve out some time to make a special trip to pick up some fresh fish. Invariably, it will last exactly one meal and I will regret not having gotten more.

Sometimes, when I plan meals ahead, I will do some sort of marinade for the salmon, such as a teriyaki type marinade. Other times, I whip up a simple dish needing almost no prep time - herb-crusted salmon! Cover with herbs and spices, pop in the oven, and done! Unless, of course, you want rice or a side. Then there’s a little more planning to do...

Ingredients: (serves 2 hungry adults and 1 kind of hungry toddler)

2 medium-sized salmon filets

~1 tsp thyme

~1 tsp rosemary

~1 tsp sage

~¼ tsp pepper

~1-2 tsp garlic powder

~1 tsp marjoram

note: you can also use fresh chopped or minced herbs

Line a baking sheet with lightly greased foil. Place salmon pieces on the sheet skin-side down. Season liberally with the herbs and spices (amounts in the ingredients list are just a suggestions - adjust to preference) so that a thin crust is formed. Broil ~6-7 minutes on each side. Serve with your favorite side!

~Karla

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Simple, succulent, savory salmon!http://cooksofcakeandkindness.blogspot.com/2016/02/herb-crusted-salmon.html

Posted by The Cooks of Cake and Kindness on Thursday, February 4, 2016

Dill Scones

Rainy weekend mornings call for a steaming cup of tea and delicious flaky pastry! Often I find myself reaching out for some cookies, a muffin, or a delicious chocolate chip scone. However savory options can be just as delightful - especially savory scones with a melt-in-your-mouth flaky texture. This time I was using beautiful fresh dill to flavor the scones, so I decided to keep them cheese free and let the herb take center stage, however, cheddar or havarti cheese could be added to complement the dill.

Base ingredients: Click here for list of base ingredients.

Add ins:

¼ cup chopped fresh dill

Salt to taste

1-2 tsp ground black pepper

⅓ cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Follow the same steps as the spinach feta scones recipe using the add-ins mentioned above to prepare the dough. Bake at 425 F for ~15 minutes until golden brown.

~Gayatri

Other scone recipes you might enjoy:

Chocolate Chip Scones

Cardamom Pistachio Rose Scones

Cranberry Orange Scones

Spinach, Feta Cheese, Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Scones

Cheddar and Sun-dried Tomato Scones

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Dill-icious scones - a quick and easy savory snack!http://cooksofcakeandkindness.blogspot.com/2016/01/dill-scones.html

Posted by The Cooks of Cake and Kindness on Monday, January 11, 2016