PAN SEARED PORK WITH MAPLE GRAVY AND APPLE BACON HASH and COFFEE CHILE RUBBED PORK TENDERLOIN and PORK POSOLE

Pork is a dish I know my whole family will enjoy, and I enjoy cooking it because of the limited amount of complaints that will come my way.

PAN SEARED PORK WITH MAPLE GRAVY AND APPLE BACON HASH

APPLE BACON HASH
4 slices bacon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 potatoes, peeled, diced and boiled until cooked through
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 apple, peeled, cored and diced
3/4 teaspoon maple seasoning
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt and freshly ground black pepper
PORK AND MAPLE GRAVY
1 pork tenderloin, cut into 1 inch thick pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons flour
3/4 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons cream
3 tablespoons maple syrup

APPLE BACON HASH
Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp and browned, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Heat butter and 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add potato, garlic and apple and cook until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the maple seasoning and cinnamon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
PORK
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Season pork with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and cover. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate and cover to keep warm.
MAPLE GRAVY
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the pan drippings from the skillet. Whisk flour into pan drippings and let butte over medium heat for 1 minute. Whisk in chicken stock, maple syrup and cream and bring to a boil. Cook, whisking often, until mixture reduces and thickens, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
SERVE
Chop bacon and mix into hash. Serve pork hot with the hash and gravy.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Easy Entertaining with Pork
www.porkbeinspired.com/‎

COFFEE CHILE RUBBED PORK TENDERLOIN

2 teaspoons freshly ground coffee
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground chile pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 pork tenderloins

Heat oven to 400F.
Line a baking sheet with foil.
In a small bowl, combine coffee, garlic powder, paprika, chile pepper, cumin, salt and pepper. Place pork on the baking sheet and sprinkle spice mixture evenly over both tenderloins.
Place baking sheet in the oven and roast until pork reaches an internal temperature of 150F about 45 minutes. Let pork stand 5 minutes before slicing.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Arkansas Democrat Gazette, October 2013
www.arkansasonline.com/news/features/food/‎

PORK POSOLE

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
3 pound pork loin, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
16 ounces of diced green chiles
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 to 3 cups of chicken broth
1 (15 ounce) can of hominy, drained

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat Add onions, and pork, sauté until onions are soft and pork is browned, stirring often, about 7 minutes. Add ancho chile powder, oregano, diced chiles, garlic and cumin, stir 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and hominy, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover with lid and simmer for 30 minutes, adding more broth to thin, if desired.
Enjoy!

MILK CHOCOLATE MAPLE BACON COOKIES

Serving on the Chase Family Foundation Fundraising committee has been an absolutely wonderful experience for me!!
When Susan called to ask if I would be on it, I immediately said "YES" - then I thought to ask what exactly would be involved.
An amazing, hardworking, huge hearted group of people have met for the past couple of months, to pull together the "Chase The Blues Away" fundraiser - a Mardi Gras themed event that benefits the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank.
I have loved being involved in helping to organize this fabulous community event, our weekly meetings have been filled with business items and great ideas, but also great conversation, cheers, and a few tears.
It has been so good for me to step outside of my comfort zone - to ask people to donate - and I must admit a little surprising, and so humbling when people have been so willing to give - this is an amazing area and community and cause.
Our final meeting before Chase The Blues Away (Tuesday, March 4th at the Springdale Country Club) was held last week, thanks to Susans generosity and thoughtfulness, we all took gifts home with us, and knowing that, although Susan doesn't care for dessert, she loves bacon, and a certain maple bacon ice-cream combination, I made a batch of these Milk Chocolate Maple Bacon Cookies for her to enjoy.

MILK CHOCOLATE MAPLE BACON COOKIES

1 pound maple bacon
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon maple extract
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
1 (11 1/2 ounce) milk chocolate chips

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until well browned and crispy. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain and cool. Reserve the bacon drippings in the skillet. Once the bacon has cooled, crumble or chop into small chunks. Set aside.
Heat the oven to 375F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to be a together the butter, 1/2 cup of the reserved bacon drippings, brown sugar, sugar, baking soda, salt and maple extract, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating and scraping the bowl after each addition.
Mix in the flour, then the chocolate chips and crumbled bacon.
Scoop the cookies onto the prepared baking sheets in 1 tablespoon mounds. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden around the edges.
Allow to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Arkansas Democrat Gazette, February 2014
www.arkansasonline.com/news/features/food/‎

MAPLE PUMPKIN PIE and BROWN SUGAR PUMPKIN PIE

This past weekend was such a welcome respite from the intense cold we have experienced for much of the winter, that we couldn't wait to get outside. We traveled the short distance to Lake Fort Smith, and enjoyed the beauty of the outdoors.
To distract the kids from the fact that we were hiking, we started a game where we would walk for a while, through all kinds of "hardships", then "set up camp" - a pile of dried grass for a bed and a ring of stones for the fire. We imagined we were cooking all kinds of fabulous meals, and talked about them as if they were real - even on the way home we were still discussing which of our "foods" and "meals" were our favorites.
My youngest son declared he wanted real pumpkin pie, so once we were home, I made this Maple Pumpkin Pie for dessert and all fantasy aside, it was delicious. I made the Brown Sugar Pumpkin Pie over Thanksgiving, and it was every bit as yummy.

MAPLE PUMPKIN PIE

Heat oven to 350F.
Whisk 1 1/2 cups of canned pumpkin and 2 eggs to blend well in a medium bowl. Add 1 cup whole milk, 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, whisk to blend well. Pour the filling into a 9 inch baked pie crust. Bake pie until the center is just set, 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, let cool, served with sweetened whipped cream.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, November 2012
www.bonappetit.com/recipes‎

BROWN SUGAR PUMPKIN PIE

1 pie crust (I used a pre-made graham cracker crust)
1 (15 ounce) can of pumpkin puree
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 375F.
Combine the pumpkin puree with the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl, and stir until well blended. Pour into the prepared pastry and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the crust is nicely browned and the custard set. Let cool before serving.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from AY Magazine, November 2012
www.aymag.com/AY-Magazine/Recipes/‎

VANILLA MAPLE SCONES

Perfectly delicious for a lazy Saturday morning!

VANILLA MAPLE SCONES

SCONES
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons of flour
1 tablespoon vanilla powder
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup buttermilk
GLAZE
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 teaspoons milk

TO MAKE SCONES
Heat oven to 350F. Butter and flour a baking sheet, set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together flour, vanilla powder, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut the butter into 1/2 inch pieces and add it to the dry mixture. Use your fingers to break down butter into small, pea size pieces. Stir in buttermilk until just combined.
Scrape the dough onto a well floured surface. If dough is too sticky to work with, fold in a little flour. Shape into a circle about 8 inches in diameter and 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut into 8 triangles and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through until scones spring back to the touch, 23 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
TO MAKE GLAZE
In a small bowl, stir together ingredients. Once scones have cooled, drizzle glaze on tops and let set.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Oprah Magazine, October 2011
www.oprah.com/food.html‎

TEA COOKIES and FROSTED MAPLE APPLE PIE DESSERT

A friend graciously let me borrow her set of leaf cookie cutters, which I needed for baking, then she thoughtfully and generously ordered me my own set and had them delivered to my home. It was such a wonderful surprise to receive an unexpected and fun package in the mail.

It is the perfect time of year to be baking leaf shaped delights -and  my family have been taking great pleasure in my cooking experiments with the cookie cutters.

My friends fabulous cookie cutters

My marvellously fun leaf cookie cutters

TEA COOKIES

1 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
2 teaspoons meringue powder
5 teaspoons water
food coloring

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour and salt, gradually add to the creamed mixture.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours until dough is easy to handle.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut with floured cookie cutters into shape of your choice. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 350F for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.
For glaze, in a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and meringue powder, stir in water until smooth. Tint with food coloring of your choice. Spread over cookies, let stand until set.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home, April 2012
www.tasteofhome.com/‎

FROSTED MAPLE APPLE PIE DESSERT

PASTRY

1 1/3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening

3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

FILLING

6 cups peeled, thinly sliced apples

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon maple flavor

MAPLE FROSTING

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon maple flavor

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream

Heat oven to 450F.

In a large bowl mix the flour and salt for the pastry. Cut in shortening until particles are the size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until flour is moistened and pastry almost leaves side of bowl.

Divide pastry in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 part to fit a 9 by 9 inch baking dish, on the bottom and up the sides.

In a large bowl, stir filling ingredients until mixed. Spoon evenly into pastry lined dish.

Roll remaining pastry out to about a 7 by 5 inch rectangle. Cut into leaf shapes and place over apples.

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400F, bake for 20 to 30 minutes longer or until juices are bubbly and clear in the center, apples are tender and the crust is a golden brown.

In a small bowl, stir frosting ingredients until thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over top crust.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker, Cakes Pies and Tarts

www.bettycrocker.com/recipes‎

MAPLE GLAZED SALMON and MISO GLAZED SALMON WITH GREEN TEA RICE and GINGER POACHED SALMON WITH ORANGE AND HONEY

There is no shortage of information around about the health benefits of salmon - which is one of the many reasons we include it in weekly meals as much as possible.
Another is that it is something our whole family loves. I can put almost any variation on the table and it will be enjoyed without complaint - from the slightly spicy Maple Glazed Salmon, to the sweeter Ginger Poached Salmon with Orange and Honey.

MAPLE GLAZED SALMON

2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 (6 ounce) salmon fillets
1 teaspoon maple syrup (I used more)

Heat oven to 400F.
Combine the paprika, chili powder, ancho chile powder, cumin and brown sugar. Sprinkle fish with salt, rub with paprika mixture. Place fish in a baking pan, sprayed with cooking spray, bake 7 to 10 minutes. Drizzle fish with maple syrup, grill 4 to 5 minutes, or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, May 2003
www.cookinglight.com/food/recipe-finder/

MISO GLAZED SALMON WITH GREEN TEA RICE

1 1/3 cups jasmine rice
1/4 cup miso
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar
4 skin-on salmon fillets
1/2 cup loose leaf green tea
salt
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Cook the rice according to the package directions and keep warm.
Position a rack 4 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high.
In a small bowl. stir the miso, soy sauce and rice vinegar together until blended. Put the salmon fillets skin side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Pat the salmon dry and broil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and spread the miso mixture over the top of the fillets. Broil until the salmon is just barely opaque in the center, about 2 to 3 minutes more.
Meanwhile, pour 2 1/4 cups of boiling water over the tea leaves and 3/4 teaspoon salt, and let steep for 1 minute. Mix green onions and sesame seeds into the rice and divide among four shallow bowls. Pour the tea through a strainer around each mound of rice, with a spatula, lift the salmon from the baking sheet (leaving the skin behind if desired), and place on top of the rice.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking
www.finecooking.com/recipes/miso-glazed-salmon-green-tea-rice.aspx

GINGER POACHED SALMON WITH ORANGE AND HONEY

1 orange, zested and juiced
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons finely chopped pickled ginger
2 tablespoons honey
4 salmon fillets
1 to 2 tablespoons butter

Combine orange zest, juice, chicken broth, grated ginger, pickled ginger and honey, add to a skillet  and bring just to a boil, over medium high heat, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to medium low and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add salmon, cover and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, carefully turn fish over and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until fish is cooked through.
Transfer salmon to a plate and cover loosely to keep warm. Increase heat to medium high and cook sauce in the skillet just until it comes to a boil. Whisk in butter, stirring until sauce is slightly thickened. Divide fillets among individual plates, spoon warm sauce over and serve immediately.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, October 2007
www.arkansas.com/dining/recipes/

MAPLE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING and COOKIES AND CREAM CUPCAKES and VINEGAR CAKE

This month heralds the end of the "Wilkin birthday season" - we celebrate everyone in our family between October and March, including my husbands business. My daughter was the only one who wanted a birthday party this year, so it was all very low-key and wonderfully simple. She was also the only one who didn't want me to make her cake, so the following were all for the boys in the family.

MAPLE CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

2 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring
1 cup buttermilk
FROSTING
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon maple flavoring

Heat oven to 325F.
Grease and flour 2 (9 inch) round cake pans.
To prepare cake, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into a medium bowl. Using a mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add maple syrup and beat until smooth. Add eggs one at at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Add maple flavoring. Divide batter evenly between pans.
Bake cakes 25 to 30 minutes, until a wooden pick comes out clean when inserted in the center. Let cool in pans on wire racks 20 minutes. Invert onto racks, let cool completely.
To prepare frosting, beat cream cheese and butter with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.
Add powered sugar and maple flavoring. Beat just until smooth.
Frost the cake and decorate as desired.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Relish Magazine, February 2011
relish.com/

COOKIES AND CREAM CUPCAKES

1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 chocolate and creme sandwich cookies (such as Oreos), broken up
FROSTING
2 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350F.
Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, beat butter until smooth. Beat in sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
On low speed, alternately beat flour mixture and sour cream into butter, beginning and ending with flour. Add milk and vanilla, fold in cookie pieces. Divide batter among prepared cups.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until tops spring back when lightly pressed. Remove cupcakes to a rack, let cool.
FROSTING
In a bowl, beat sugar, butter, sour cream and vanilla until good spreading consistency.
Once cupcakes have cooled, spread with frosting, and top with cookie pieces if desired.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Family Circle, May 2008
www.familycircle.com/recipes/

VINEGAR CAKE

1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cocoa, plus more for dusting the cake
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons vegetable oil

Heat oven to 350F.
Mix dry ingredients together. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients. Mix well. Pour into an 8 or 9 inch square pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool and dust with cocoa.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Relish, January 2013
relish.com › Baking

GLAZED BUTTERNUT SQUASH and MAPLE GINGER ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH PECANS

Thanksgiving dinner is always a shared undertaking, an array of wonderful food that we look forward to all year, and with everyone contributing, there is always time for a big family walk Thanksgiving morning. Some dishes have become a tradition, while others are tried once, never to reappear.
Both of these side dishes are ones I have made many times - it seems as soon as the weather starts to cool, I find a way to incorporate them into the menu.

GLAZED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

3 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
1/2 cup apple cider
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup toasted walnuts
1 teaspoon dried sage

Stir together squash, apple cider, water, butter, sugar, salt and pepper. Place in a skillet over medium-high heat, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer, gently stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover and cook five minutes, or until liquid thickens and squash is tender. Gently stir in walnuts and sage until well combined.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, October 2006
www.southernliving.com/static/sitemap/996_997_1.html

MAPLE GINGER ROASTED VEGETABLES WITH PECANS

1 1/2 cups of pecans

4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick on the bias

2 large parsnips, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick on the bias

1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into 1 inch florets

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch dice

1 pound of brussels sprouts, halved

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

Heat the oven to 425F.

Spread the pecans in a pie plate and toast until fragrant about 6 minutes. Let cool.

In a large bowl, toss the carrots, parsnips, cauliflower, squash and brussels sprouts with the olive oil and nutmeg and season generously with salt and black pepper. Spread the vegetables on 2 large rimmed baking sheets and roast for 30 minutes, until the vegetables begin to brown. Scatter the pecans and ginger over the vegetables and drizzle with the maple syrup, toss well.

Continue to roast the vegetables for 25 minutes longer, until they are tender and golden. Scrape the vegetables into a bowl and serve hot or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine

www.foodandwine.com/