Gochujang Pork and Ramen

Ooh, these noodles. So easy, so delicious, so fast, so good for leftovers. Also completely versatile - I've added broccoli, bok choy, mushrooms, etc. 

This amazing dinner comes together so quickly - just saute the pork and cook the noodles, add spinach, 

sauce,

 toss it all up, 

done. 

You can use the "regular" ramen noodles, but I especially like the brown rice ramen noodles - I find these at Costco.

That's it, really! So fantastic all around.

Gochujang Pork and Ramen
1 pound ground pork
2 cups spinach, chopped
2 packages ramen (or two blocks)
1/4 cup sliced green onions
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. gochujang sauce
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
2 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 clove garlic, minced
cilantro and sesame seeds for garnish

Cook the ground pork in a large skillet; season with salt and pepper. 

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the ramen and cook for 2-3 minutes. Set aside when soft, but do not drain.

Combine the soy sauce, gochujang sauce, tomato paste, peanut butter, water, brown sugar, sesame oil, and garlic. Stir well. 

Add the spinach to the pork in the skillet, and toss and cook until it wilts. Use tongs to transfer the noodles to the skilllet, leaving the water in the saucepan. Add the sauce to the pork and spinach and toss around. Use some of the ramen water to thin the sauce, if necessary. 

Top the noodles and pork with sliced green onions and garnish with cilantro and sesame seeds.

Recipe Source: adapted from Pinch of Yum

Cauiflower Gnocchi with Bacon, Mushrooms, and Spinach

Tonight, I had this dinner on the table in 20 minutes flat. I wasn't planning on making this tonight, but my other meal wasn't going to work (ripen up already, avocados!) and so I punted since I had all these ingredients. This dinner was on my meal plan last week but we didn't get to to it. 

All of that to say, I am super glad I had all the ingredients and that I remembered that I wanted to make this. It is GOOD. And 20 minutes for a restaurant quality meal from scratch? YES please. This would be wonderful with a big green salad and some crusty garlic bread. But even just on its own, scarfing it down from a bowl, was super satisfying and delicious. 

Gnocchi doesn't take a long time to cook - it actually takes a lot longer to get the water to boil. But you can saute and bacon and veggies while you wait for the water to boil - that's how you can do it so quickly.

Cook up the bacon, add the veggies, and then the sauce makes itself in the pan. Add back in the gnocchi and voila!!

Cauliflower Gnocchi with Bacon, Mushrooms, and Spinach

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4 slices thick cut bacon

8 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced▢

1 package cauliflower gnocchi

4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 cup milk
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 cups spinach

Bring water to boil in a large saucepan. 

Meanwhile, cut the bacon into bite sized pieces and begin to cook over medium heat in a large skillet. When the bacon is about half way done, add the mushrooms and garlic. Continue to stir and cook til the bacon is done and the mushrooms are soft.

Once the water starts boiling, add the gnocchi to the saucepan and reduce heat. Boil for 2-3 minutes or until the gnocchi floats to the top. Drain. 

Add the cream cheese and Italian seasoning to the skillet and stir well to incorporate everything. Add the milk and parmesan, and whisk until the cream cheese is incorporated.

Chop the spinach, then add to the skillet. Stir until slightly wilted, then add the gnocchi and cook and stir a few minutes until the sauce begins to slightly thicken. 
Serves 4.

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Meatball and Butternut Squash Orzo

About this time of year, I start to get really uninspired with menu planning and cooking. It's the end of January, but I feel like I've had enough comfort food, but we're nowhere near ready for spring yet. So a dish like this comes in handy. Hearty enough for the winter but not so heavy that you feel like you can't move. Chock full of protein AND colorful vegetables, with a creamy pasta base -- there's something here for everyone!

This recipe comes together pretty quickly, too, making it great for a weeknight. While you roast the squash and bake the meatballs (same time!), you assemble the rest of the dish. You can absolutely make your own meatballs for this, but I pick up a pound of fresh ones already made, then I re-roll them to make 24 instead of 12. They bake more quickly when they're a little smaller, too. 

Cook the orzo, add spinach and a bit of half and half for creaminess,

 then add back in the squash and the meatballs. Voila! Dinner is done. 

Here's a close up of all that goodness! 

Meatball and Butternut Squash Orzo

16 oz. pork/beef/chicken meatballs
12 oz. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 tsp. thyme
1 cup orzo
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chicken broth
5 oz fresh spinach
1/2 cup half and half

If you are using unbaked meatballs, bake them at the same time as the squash. (I get the 12-pack of fresh meatballs at Aldi, and re-roll them to make 24 meatballs.)

In a large bowl, toss cubed butternut squash with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, salt and pepper to taste, and thyme. Spread the squash on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in one layer, without overcrowding. Roast at 400 F on the middle rack for 20 or 30 minutes. 

Combine orzo, minced garlic, and remaining Tbsp. of olive oil in a large skillet. Cook the orzo over medium heat, stirring, for about 2 minutes until browned. Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 5 or 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the orzo is cooked through.

Reduce heat to low, add spinach, and stir it in until it wilts. Add half-and-half, then stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Add roasted butternut squash and baked meatballs to the cooked orzo. Serves 6.

Creamy Sausage and Peppers Pasta

This has become such a popular dish at our house that it has been requested for two birthday dinners! And it's no wonder - it's everything you want in a celebratory dinner - creamy, colorful, delicious, filling! 

I love that there are lots of veggies included and that it's a one-pot dish (besides the pasta cooking...so 2 pots technically, still easy!). 

I also love that it combines amazing flavors of sausage, peppers, cream sauce... and I would probably add mushrooms, but in my family, that would spoil some people's birthdays... ahem. Seriously, what is not to love about mushrooms?

Mushrooms or not, this is a super delicious dish and worthy of a place in your rotation. I serve it with a big green salad and garlic knots or garlic bread. Even if it's not your birthday, I hope you'll try this pasta!

Creamy Sausage and Peppers Pasta

12 ounces spaghetti or bucatini

1 pound Italian sausage

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 Tbsp. butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. flour

1 cup half and half

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

3 cups baby spinach

salt and pepper

Parmesan cheese

In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente.

Meanwhile, brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium high heat. Remove from the pan once it is cooked through.

Add oil to the skillet, then add the peppers and onions. Cook until they are softened, about 5 minutes. 

Reduce the heat to medium, then add the butter and garlic to the peppers and onions. Once the butter is melted, sprinkle with the flour.

Stir in the half and half and mustard, and whisk well to ensure there are no flour lumps. Whisk until slightly thickened, but only for a minute or so.  Add in the sausage and stir together. Add in the spinach, then add a couple tablespoons of the pasta water into the skillet, especially if the sauce seems too thick.

Drain the pasta, then add it to the skillet, tossing until the spinach is wilted and all the pasta is coated. Season with salt and pepper and serve with Parmesan.  Makes 6-8 servings. 

Recipe Source: Adapted from Salt and Lavender

Dijon Pork Blade Steaks

I will admit, I had never heard of, not to mention cooked, pork blade steaks, until recently. Our local grocery ran a special on buying "half a hog" and so I took advantage of it, and there was a package of these in the mix. 

After some quick research, I learned that pork steaks are carved from a particularly flavorful cut of pork - the pork shoulder near the neck. They typically contain part of the shoulder blade bone which is why they are often called pork shoulder blade steaks. As opposed to the denser and easy to overcook picnic shoulder the pork shoulder blade cut is nicely marbled and exceptionally tender.

I can attest to this! We really enjoyed these steaks after they were marinated and grilled - and they're SO big that we will have at least one more meal with them. 

I especially liked this marinade - made with pantry ingredients, the mustard pairs nicely with the pork and the thyme and onions add even more flavor. 

I liked serving this with roasted potatoes and green beans for a Nicoise-y vibe.
I think the leftovers would be great taco filling, or make a great sandwich, or could just be recycled as is.

If you've never grilled pork blade steaks before, give it a try. They are delicious, easy, and one of the most tender cuts of pork I've eaten.

Dijon Pork Blade Steaks

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
4 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
12 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. thyme
1/3 cup thinly sliced white onion (about 1/4 of a large onion)
4 pork blade steaks 

Place the blade steaks on a large rimmed cookie sheet. Salt and pepper to taste (it's ok to be liberal with the seasoning!). 

In a measuring cup, combine the vinegar, mustard, oil, brown sugar and thyme. Whisk well to incorporate the oil. 

Pour the marinade evenly over the steaks. Top with the sliced onions.

Place pan in the refrigerator and let meat marinate for 4-24 hours. 

Heat the grill to 375 and grill the steaks for about 6-8 minutes each side, turning once. Cook until the internal temperature is 145 degrees, then let the steaks rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 6-8.

Creamy Gnocchi with Ham and Peas

If you still have ham leftover from Easter like I do, here is the perfect recipe! It is even more perfect if you live in the north like I do, and it's still freezing. I see the green lawns of my friends in the middle of the country, and I am jealous. Mine is still white. :(

But cooking and eating this amazing dish will make you forget it. It's so creamy, and so delicious, and I absolutely love the combination of ham and peas. If you need other ham and pea inspiration, check out Cheesy Ham and Noodle Casserole, Jambalaya, Bowties with Bacon, Carrots and Peas (could easily sub ham!).

This dish comes together really quickly - and it meets my weeknight trifecta - quick, easy, delicious. 

While the gnocchi cooks, you can make the sauce, then throw it all together. It will broil briefly in the oven, which gives you just a few minutes to throw together a salad! Perfect timing.

This is a really comforting dish, and will earn you accolades from your whole family. Or most of it at least. One teenager said, "this is really weird" and luckily another one answered, "this is really GOOD." (The texture of the gnocchi was the issue, please know. Not anything else...)

I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you stay warm. Ahem. 

Creamy Gnocchi with Ham and Peas

1 package gnocchi (16 oz to 17.6 oz), prepared according to package directions

1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. basil or Italian seasoning
2 cups diced ham
3 Tbsp. flour
1 cup half and half
1/3 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup shredded swiss cheese
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Cook the gnocchi in a large pot of salted, boiling water, as the package directs. 

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and basil. Saute until onion is softened, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle flour on top and saute until flour is absorbed and the flour smell is gone, about 2 minutes. 

Pour in cream and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Remove from the heat, then stir in gnocchi, ham, and peas until combined. Add the swiss cheese and stir until melted. Sprinkle parmesan on top. 

Heat broiler to high, then put the skillet under the broiler until the cheese is melted and the top is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Love As Food