Dream Dinners (Paperback)

Caribbean Pork over Rice

Serves 6

This dish calls for jerk seasoning, which can be found in the spice section of most grocery stores. You can buy shredded cooked pork in your supermarket's meat department, but it's easy to make it yourself: place a lean pork loin in a crockpot, cover it with canned low-sodium chicken broth, and simmer for eight hours on low. The pork will shred easily when you pull the meat apart with two forks.

Ingredients:

For One

4 cups (1½ pounds) shredded cooked pork
2 cups canned chicken broth
½ cup light unsweetened coconut milk
2 teaspoons jerk seasoning
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 cup uncooked white rice for serving
½ cup (4 ounces) sliced almonds for garnish

For Three

12 cups (4½ pounds) shredded cooked pork
6 cups canned chicken broth
1½ cups light unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons jerk seasoning
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
3 cups uncooked white rice for serving
1½ cups (12 ounces) sliced almonds for garnish

Instructions:

Putting the dinner together

Prepare the rice according to the package directions. In a large bowl, combine the pork, chicken broth, coconut milk, jerk seasoning, and orange zest and stir until incorporated. If you are preparing a triple batch, divide the mixture into three equal portions. Set aside one portion for tonight and divide the other two portions equally between two 1-gallon resealable freezer bags.

For dinner tonight

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meat mixture and bring to a boil. The pork should be heated through. Serve over the rice and garnish with the sliced almonds.

To freeze

Place ½ cup of the remaining sliced almonds into each of two 1-quart resealable freezer bags. Place 3 cups cooked and cooled rice in a 1-gallon resealable freezer bag. Place the bags of almonds, rice, and pork into a 1-gallon resealable freezer bag. Repeat with the remaining almonds, rice, and pork. Label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before cooking as directed above. To reheat the rice, put the rice and ½ cup broth or water in a dish. Cover and cook in the microwave for 1-minute intervals until the broth is absorbed.

Pork Tenderloin with Pears

Serves 6

Pork, pears, and onions are seasoned to perfection in this dish; just add rice or pasta and you have an elegant dinner party perfectly suited for a small dinner table. Serve this with the Pumpkin Icebox Pie (page 232).

Ingredients:

For One

Nonstick cooking spray
6 (1½ pounds) 1-inch-thick slices pork tenderloin
2 cups yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 15-ounce can(s) pears with syrup
2 teaspoons minced garlic
¼ cup dried cranberries
½ cup white wine
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

For Three

Nonstick cooking spray
18 (4½pounds) 1-inch-thick slices pork tenderloin
6 cups yellow onions, thinly sliced
3 15-ounce can(s) pears with syrup
2 tablespoons minced garlic
¾ cup dried cranberries
1½ cups white wine
¾ cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried thyme
¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper

Instructions:

Spray one (three) 9 X 13-inch baking dish(es) with nonstick cooking spray.

Putting the dinner together

Place 6 pork loin slices in the prepared baking dish(es) or in a crockpot.

If you are preparing a triple batch, divide the remaining slices equally between two 1-gallon resealable freezer bags. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and mix until incorporated. If you are preparing a triple batch, pour one-third of the mixture into the crockpot or baking dish, and divide the remaining mixture equally between the two bags filled with the pork tenderloin.

For dinner tonight

If you are using a baking dish, preheat the oven to 325°F. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 2 hours or until the internal temperature of the pork reads 160°F on a meat thermometer. Alternatively, slow-cook the pork in the crockpot on low heat for 5 to 6 hours, until the pork is tender.

To freeze

Label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before cooking as directed above.

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Excerpted from Dream Dinnersby Zondervan Copyright © 2006 by Zondervan. Excerpted by permission.
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