This delicious, easy-to-make appetizer combines two great flavors: smoky bacon and caramelized onions. YUMM! 

The recipe calls for refrigerated pizza dough in a tube but I used Trader Joe's fresh pizza dough instead. I had some trouble with the rolled-out dough sticking to itself when I tried to transfer it to the baking sheet, so I ended up rolling it out on parchment paper then transferring both parchment and dough to the baking sheet. Don't worry if you don't have caraway seeds or don't want to buy them–the tart will still be great without them.

Read more on Onion and Bacon Tart…

Tags: bacon, caramelized onions, onion and bacon tart, pizza dough, sour cream

Super Bowl and Mardi Gras are coming up so I thought I'd post a gumbo recipe. A true gumbo starts with a roux (pronounced "roo"), a slowly cooked mixture of oil and flour. Gumbo takes time to prepare and cook so this is one of those recipes that requires a little bit of planning. Don't let this scare you off, though. Gumbo is well worth the few extra steps involved in making it.

Read more on Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo…

Tags: Chicken, gumbo, roux, smoked sausage

This quick and easy Asian-flavored dish is perfect for a weeknight meal. I followed the recipe except for adding some red bell pepper that I needed to use up. The fresh linguine I used worked great, but next time I'll try the recipe using fresh Chinese noodles.

Read more on Pork and Broccoli Lo Mein…

Tags: broccoli, Chinese egg noodles, lo mein, pork, pork tenderloin

This fried rice is a delicious blend of sweet (pineapple), salty and savory (soy sauce and hoisin sauce). Plus, it's super fast to make so it's a perfect weeknight meal.

I used pork tenderloin instead of pork chops, and two cups of leftover steamed jasmine rice. The Asian chili-garlic sauce I used says "Sweet Chilli Sauce" on the label. It's the sweet-hot kind with little flecks of chili and chili seeds in the sauce.

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Tags: Asian, chili-garlic sauce, Eggs, fried rice, hoisin sauce, pineapple, pork, rice, soy sauce

Every party needs a few meaty appetizers to keep the festivities rolling. That's why I brought these Sweet & Sour Cocktail Meatballs to a party recently. Sure, you can buy store-bought meatballs but I thought these were delicious and worth the effort to make (they are firmer in texture than some spongy, store-bought types). Plus, you can make the meatballs and sauce ahead of time and freeze them for up to a month…a bonus when it comes to preparing for a party!

Read more on Make-Ahead Sweet & Sour Cocktail Meatballs…

Tags: Beef, make ahead, meatballs, onions, pork, sweet and sour, tomato sauce

If you're looking for a change from the traditional green bean casserole or just a new veggie side dish, look no further. This tasty recipe is sure to please! It combines crisp-tender green beans, sweet red pepper and smoky bacon, and takes only minutes to prepare.

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Tags: bacon, green beans, red pepper, Side Dish

Even though I use my outdoor grill 12 months out of the year (yes, even during the long, rainy winter months here in Oregon), it's still nice to have a good rib recipe that doesn't require stepping onto the back deck. This recipe uses boneless country-style ribs and calls for doing something I've never done before: first boiling the meat then baking it. It sounds wacky but it works!

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Tags: barbecue sauce, bbq sauce, country-style ribs, oven, pork

This is so good! noodles and ground pork mixed with a spicy peanut-flavored sauce. Yumm!

I thought the dish had a nice amount of heat. To make a mild version, leave out the red pepper flakes. Instead of serving the noodles with the sauce ladled on top, I just mixed it all together in the pot and added about 1 .5 cups of shredded cabbage and carrots (Dole bagged cole slaw mix). Although I forgot to add the bean sprouts for the main photo, I did add them to each serving when we ate the noodles. Bean sprouts (pictured at right) add nice flavor and cruncy texture so do use them if you can. I didn't use the Sichuan peppercorns so I don't know how they would enhance the dish. I'll probably try and find them for next time, though. With the added veggies, this is a great one-dish meal!

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Tags: Asian, Pasta, pork, Spicy Sichuan Noodles

Whether you've got a bumper crop of zucchini or you're just looking for a quick weeknight meal, here's a fresh-tasting pasta dish for you to try. It's nothing fancy but it is easy and tasty. 

Read more on Italian Sausage and Zucchini Pasta…

Tags: italian sausage, Pasta, Quick Cooking, zucchini

 This quick and easy weeknight meal is better than takeout any day: tender pieces of pork in a gingery, hoisin-based sauce studded with cashews and garnished with fresh cilantro…delicious!

I used 50% Less Salt Roasted & Salted Cashew Pieces from Trader Joe's, which meant I didn't need to chop any cashews and they were less expensive than whole cashews. If you're watching your sodium intake, you may want to use low sodium soy sauce. Other than that, the recipe is very straight-forward. If you're serving four people, be sure to serve with rice and a few side dishes (stir-fried veggies, potstickers, etc.). You may even want to double the recipe if you're serving big eaters.

Read more on Stir-Fried Cashew Pork…

Tags: Asian, cashew, pork, pork tenderloin, stir-fry