Autumn Spice Ham Steak

It's been a while since I've posted, but I made this the other night and it was so good that I had to share the recipe!!!

We had a ham steak in the freezer and I found this recipe. Luckily, we had apples in the house and I was able to put it together quickly.  You can use pumpkin pie spice or allspice if you don't have cinnamon.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 (2 pound) ham steak
• 1 red apple, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 green apple, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the ham on both sides in the butter until browned. Lay the sliced apple over the ham. Pour the syrup over the apples. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally until the apples are cooked through.
2. Sprinkle with cinnamon, and serve immediately.

Orange Soy Pork Loin

Ok, if you haven't noticed, I like pork.  Pork Loin is one of my favorites.  I love the combination of flavors in this one.  It's easy to cook and everyone in my family enjoys it. 

If you're not a fan of Rosemary, cut back a bit as it is a bit strong of a flavor in this one. 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 (5 pound) boneless pork loin roast

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the orange juice, soy sauce, olive oil, red onion slices, rosemary and garlic. Place the pork roast in a baking bag, and set in a roasting pan or baking dish. Pour the orange juice mixture over the roast, making sure to coat entirely. Close the bag according to package instructions.
3. Bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours in the preheated oven, until the internal temperature of the loin is at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Remove from the oven, and let stand for about 10 minutes to settle the juices. Carefully open the bag and remove the roast. Slice and serve with a little of the drippings drizzled over.

Quick Baby Back Ribs.

I can't hear the words Baby Back Ribs without starting to sing the Chili's commercial jingle..."baby back ribs..bbq sauce."  This is quick and easy.  I'm going to give two different ways to cook it that depend on what you have available: gas grill or charcoal.  {singing} baby back ribs...bbq sauce {/singing}

Ingredients

• 1 cup mesquite chips, soaked
• 1 (2 pound) slab baby back pork ribs (make sure membrane is removed)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika (or regular if you don't have Hungarian)
• 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder (or regular if you don't have ancho, but it won't taste as good)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1 cup barbeque sauce

Directions

1. Prepare an outdoor grill for indirect heat - a pile of charcoal on one side, nothing under the food. Once it is going, throw some soaked mesquite woodchips on it.
2. Remove the membrane from the ribs if the butcher has not already. Combine the salt, pepper, paprika, chile powder and thyme; rub onto the ribs. Cut the slab of ribs in half.
3. Place the ribs over indirect heat, and close the lid. Cook for 20 minutes, then brush with barbeque sauce. Cover, and continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes.

 alternate directions for gas grill:  we cook them in the oven at 500 for 15 minutes, then on the grill for 15.  It won't have the mesquite flavor, but will still be awesome. 

Sweet Pork Loin Roast

This is one of my favorite pork dishes to make.  It's sweet and we joke that it's almost like pig candy.  It's very easy to make and doesn't use a lot of ingredients. 

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cinnamon applesauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 2 pounds boneless pork loin roast

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly flour an oven bag. (I use foil if I'm out of oven bags)
2. In a small bowl, blend brown sugar, applesauce, and ginger.
3. Place pork roast in the prepared oven bag. Pour the brown sugar mixture over the roast. Seal bag, and cut several small slits in the top.
4. Cook the roast 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until the internal temperature has reached 160 degrees F (70 degrees C)