Frijoles Puercos

Origin of Frijoles Puercos

Frijoles puercos is a traditional Mexican side dish that includes pork lard, beans of your choice, pork chorizo, bacon, sliced pickled jalapeño peppers, and cheese. The way these beans are prepared is not meant to be as a main dish. They are prepared to be a side dish to accompany a main dish. There are different ways to prepare frijoles puercos. Here you will find a delicious traditional Mexican recipe for beans. Beans may be cooked in many different ways, but here you will learn to cook frijoles puercos, which is simply translated to pork beans.

I don’t know if anyone who is not Mexican has ever heard of frijoles puercos. I’m sure, every Mexican has heard of them regardless of which Mexican state they might be from. Originally, frijoles puercos were served as part of an important feast or a special occasion. Weddings, baptisms, first communions, and quinceañeras (a young girl turning fifteen) were all considered to be a special occasion and an important time to celebrate. The main dish would include birria or barbacoa. Birria is goat stew and barbacoa is also goat meat slow cooked in a hole dug into the ground. Most of the time, frijoles puercos would be served along with these and other main traditional Mexican dishes. During the Christmas season, frijoles puercos are served along with delicious tamales. Frijoles puercos will always be part of every fiesta (party).

My mother taught me how to prepare frijoles puercos her way. She tells the story that people from different states in Mexico claim frijoles puercos to be a dish from their state.  People who originate from the state of Jalisco claim frijoles puercos are originally from that state. Those that are from the state of Sinaloa also claim frijoles puercos to originate from that state. The one thing I do know is that I was taught to cook frijoles puercos the way they are cooked in Nayarit, Mexico where my mother was from. She was born and raised in a small very poor village, or as we call it “ranchito”. When I say she was born in a village, I mean she was born in a village. There were no hospitals close to that village. All there was were mid wives or “parteras”.

My mother came from a family of eleven. She tells me that they were so poor that sometimes the only thing they had to eat was beans. From my general knowledge, beans are to Mexico like what rice is to China, a main food for that country. People get creative and begin to add different ingredients to beans in order to get a different taste. Being one of the oldest girls in her family, my mother learned how to cook beans in a few different ways as a younger child. This way she helped her mother with the cooking and at the same time she learned how to prepare different dishes with minimal ingredients, given that her family lived in poverty. When she taught me how to prepare frijoles puercos she told that the only time her and her family would eat them was on special occasions. She tells me that due to her family was poor as she was growing up, they could not afford to prepare frijoles puercos due to the very small portion of meat the dish included (the pork chorizo and the bacon). 

I was born in Mexico. As a young Mexican child, one of the first foods we are introduced to are beans. There will always be beans ready to eat in every Mexican kitchen. Beans are a nutritious source of protein. They are high in iron as well as high in fiber. Contrary to what certain people may think, beans have a high nutritional value. Otherwise, why would they be highly recommended during a woman’s pregnancy? I kind of remember the doctor telling me this during my pregnancies. As a child, I was taught to eat beans with every meal. I know we live in a modern world now, but in poor Latin American countries, beans sometimes become the only available food to eat. One of the reasons why beans become a primary source of food is due to poverty and the lack of resources. Poverty exists all over the world. Mexico has many areas that live in poverty up to this day, in just about every state.

Nowadays, frijoles puercos have become a more common side dish, and they no longer have to be served for special occasions. Because of the faster and simpler way of cooking them, they have become part of a daily side dish that is served with just about every meal. Cooking them on a daily basis does not include all the original ingredients. It also means that for everyday meals they can be prepared in small batches. The name has even been changed from “frijoles puercos” to simply “beans with chorizo”. It has become easier and faster to cook up a small batch of beans with chorizo to be served along with the day’s meal. The original frijoles puercos are delicious to eat even if they are served alone. Especially if there is a fresh batch of warm hand-made corn tortillas around, frijoles puercos can easily become a meal in itself. They can also be eaten as an appetizer along with corn tortilla chips.

Frijoles puercos are famous all over Mexico and every state may have a slight variance in the preparation. Although I grew up eating them, there are only a few ways I like to eat my beans. There are simple, quick, and easy ways to cook beans. Then again, there are also a few other ways to cook beans that may require a bit more time and effort. My preference in beans are pinto and Peruvian. The easiest and quickest way for me to cook beans is to boil water in a pot, put the beans in while the water is still boiling, lower the heat, and cover. After about 30 minutes, add a dash of salt, bring them to a boil once again, remove from stove, and let them simmer. After that, they are ready to be prepared in whichever way your little heart desires. Of course, for those of us who are full time employed, have a family, are full time students, or have a hectic schedule, maybe buying a can of cooked beans is more practical.

I am not a great cook; as a matter of fact, I’m not a cook at all. I can say this though, I love Mexican food. Sadly, to say, I don’t really have an interest in cooking, but I do it because I have a growing family that must be fed. My mother always told me to pay attention to what I do, especially in the kitchen. The kitchen is not really my friend and I have to be very careful when I enter that zone. I try my best when it comes to cooking. Normally, cooking a full meal for my family only happens on the weekends. I have to prepare myself for that and I need to have all the ingredients ready for the specific meal I’ll be cooking. The reason behind all of that is because I find it a bit difficult and stressful to come home and cook a full meal after a full day at work. Therefore, I opt for the next best thing and prepare simple 20 to 30-minute meals for my family. On the other hand, I have learned to prepare frijoles puercos in a much simpler and easier way. As stated before, beans with chorizo are quicker to make.

Memories

My mother shared with me a story that happened almost 27 years ago. To her, a wedding was an important date to celebrate and a deserving one to prepare and serve frijoles puercos. In her eyes, her only daughter’s wedding deserved this special side dish. My wedding was one of the most important dates for my family to celebrate, given that I am the only daughter and I am the only one from my siblings to have a wedding celebration. That story will remain with me forever. I did not learn to prepare frijoles puercos as a child. I learned to prepare them as a grown up. Now when I prepare myself well ahead of time and decide to make frijoles puercos from scratch, I remember the story my mother told me. As I begin to prepare them, I reminisce the day in the kitchen as she taught me step by step to prepare them. I hope you enjoy this recipe.

Ingredients for Frijoles Puercos (serves 6 to 8 people)

3 cups of your choice uncooked beans (I use pinto beans)

Pork Lard

12 oz package of bacon (any brand)

9 oz package of pork chorizo (any brand)

9 oz can of sliced pickled jalapeño peppers (any brand)

12 oz package of natural fresh cheese; could be part skim milk cheese or whole milk cheese (any brand)

Additional Ingredients for Corn Tortilla Chips

I cup of cooking oil (your choice; I use canola oil)

3 dozen corn tortillas (any brand)

Salt

Cookware

2 medium sauté pans

1 large size sauté pan

Cast iron skillet

Metal colander

Potato masher

Measuring cups

Measuring spoons

Cheese grater

Medium size bowl

Pizza cutter

Metal slotted spoon

Frijoles Puercos Preparation

Adding cooked beans to cooked chorizo and bacon

Cook the beans ahead of time in plenty of water with salt. Once they’ve been cooked, drain and set aside, but save a little bit of the juice for later. In a medium size bowl, grate the entire package of cheese; set aside. Drain the sliced pickled jalapeño peppers; set aside. Normally, canned pickled jalapeño peppers have small portions of onions and carrots. You won’t be using that for this recipe, only the peppers will be used. Cut the bacon into small pieces for better cooking. In one medium size sauté pan cook the bacon until it is nice and crispy; set aside. In the other medium size sauté pan cook the pork chorizo until it is nicely darkened; set aside. In the large sauté pan you will add 4 table spoons of pork lard. Increase the heat until it begins to sizzle. Then, reduce heat to prevent splatters. After you reduce the heat, add the crispy bacon and cooked chorizo; mix well. Once the bacon and chorizo are sizzling in the pan, add the drained beans you had set aside earlier. Add a little bit of the juice the beans were cooked in to get a creamy consistency. Mix well and begin to mash the beans, bacon, and chorizo until you get the desired texture. I like my beans to be creamy and as smooth as possible. With the bacon and the chorizo, they will remain a bit lumpy even after you mash them, but that’s ok. Once everything has been mashed, add the sliced pickled jalapeño peppers, making sure everything is mixed well. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the finished beans and remove from heat. Your frijoles puercos are ready to be served!

Corn Tortilla Chips Preparation

This process will show you how to deep fry corn tortillas to create tortilla chips. Place one or two napkins on a plate to catch the dripping oil from the colander you will be using. Cut the corn tortillas in triangle shapes just as you would cut a pizza. Normally, you cut the tortilla in half, then in half again, and then cut the remaining half in triangle shapes. Add 2 cups of oil to a cast iron skillet for deep frying purposes. Turn heat on high for about 3 to 5 minutes so that the oil will be ready for the tortillas; lower the heat to prevent splatters. Carefully add a few tortilla triangles at a time to the hot oil. Deep fry the tortilla triangles until you see a light brown color. That means that they are nice and crisp and that’s the way you want them. Use the metal slotted spoon to remove tortilla chips from oil and place in the colander. Repeat the process until all tortilla triangles are done. Have a separate plate ready with a few more napkins to soak the excess oil once you place the finished chips on the plate; season with salt as you like. Now you have homemade corn tortilla chips to enjoy with your frijoles puercos!

References

Barbacoa. (2018, March 02). Retrieved March 10, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbacoa

Birria. (2018, March 01). Retrieved March 10, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birria

Chorizo. (2018, March 03). Retrieved March 10, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chorizo

History.com Staff. (2009). Nayarit. Retrieved March 10, 2018, from http://www.history.com/topics/mexico/nayarit

Kovacs, J. S. (2007, March 01). Beans: Protein-Rich Superfoods. Retrieved March 10, 2018, from https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/beans-protein-rich-superfoods#1

Pork. (2018, March 09). Retrieved March 10, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pork

Wedding. (2018, March 08). Retrieved March 10, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding

Comida de Cuaresma
Estilo Mexicano

Lent is religiously observed by orthodox and practicing Catholics around the world. Lent is a forty day period in which most Catholics fast and repent.This time period begins on Ash Wednesday and ends until Easter Sunday. Coincidently, Ash Wednesday arrived on the same day as Valentines this year (February 14, 2018). Which left most Catholics debating whether to celebrate Valentine’s day or not.

I personally do not celebrate Valentine’s day. Coincidentally I am not a practicing Catholic but I do like to follow family traditions. Cuaresma is very significant to me because of that sole reason. Lent has always been an event in which my family and I cook and eat together. The entire experience is wholesome. The experience brings the combination of various sensations of warmth, prosperity, faith and protection into the forty day ordeal. The overall experience is gratifying.

Like most catholics, my family observes this period by fasting. We do not eat beef or pork during this time frame. We alternate for vegetarian dishes or sea food. There are two traditional Mexican plates that most Mexican families turn to during lent. The Chile Reyeno with Spanish rice, and capirotada. Of course there are more food options to choose from, but these three recipes are a yearly family tradition passed down from my maternal grandmother. I can go through an entire list of traditional cuaresma food, but I will simplify it to these two tradition Mexican recipes, for the sake of this cook book entry. Thus, it will only include my top favorite traditional food dishes for lent.

Chiles Reyenos

These chiles are deep fried in vegetable oil. The oil cooks the egg white and melts the cheese inside the chilis. 

History 

Chile reyenos are a traditional Mexican dish. The plate itself originated in Puebla, Mexico after Mexico won its independence from Spain in the 19th century. It is said that the dish was prepared for a Mexican general named Agustin de Iturbide. This particular dish has a symbolic importance for the Mexican people. It signifies the country’s liberation of Spanish conquest and the beginning of a new political infrastructure.

The green pepper represents the regions agriculture because this specific chili pepper originates from this region of Mexico. Each state in Mexico has a native vegetable or plant that it is known for. Puebla is known for its Chile Poblanos. Chile Poblanos are used in a variety of dishes. They can be roasted, fried or pureed. They are commonly roasted in order to peel the waxy skin off. This procedure is followed regardless of the recipe or dish being prepared. Whether the chili pepper is pureed for green spaghetti or stuffed with cheese, it must be roasted. The roasting process is an essential component of the chili poblano. The mixture of cheese, egg batter and chili pepper are a combination of European and Mexican ingredients.

Most people will agree that the preparation of this food dish is time consuming and tedious. I agree. It is time consuming but the end results are worth the struggle. The dish is delicious beyond belief. The stuffed peppers and covered in egg bater and deep fried in corn oil. The cheese melts with in the pepper once submerged in the hot cooking oil. Once the chili pepper is cooked properly in oil, it is served with two traditional sides, pinto beans and rice. It can also be served with a variety of topping such as sour cream, salsa de jitomate y cilantro and pomegranate. Each topping is optional. It’s really up to personal preference. The recipe is cost efficient. It is not at all costly to make. The pound of chili pepper cost approximately .79 cents to 1.79 cents per pound. The price depends on whether it is in season. Typically, this specific chili pepper is higher in price during Lent.

In addition the preparation of Spanish rice works as the perfect side dish for stuffed chili peppers. The Spanish rices tastes better with the main course of Stuffed chili peppers. Also, Spanish rice is easy to prepare and cheap to make. The rice takes approximately 15-30 minutes depending on the heat. The rice should be cook preferably on low heat so it can cook thoroughly.

Personally, this dish evokes childhood memories, specifically the preparation process. As a child I remember that my mom, seven sisters and I would share individual tasks during the food preparation of the Chiles. I was in charge of the eggs. I would separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and whisk the egg whites separately from the egg yolks. This process produced a sense of euphoria in me. My mother would toast the peppers on the comal. My sisters would prepare the Spanish rice, salsa de jitomate and frijoles de la oya. Which translates to tomato sauce which consists of pureed tomato, chopped cilantro and onion. This depends on food preference too. Frijoles de la Hoya are pinto beans from a pot.

Also, the chile reyeno recipe varies . Alot of people prepare it differently than how my family and I prepare the chiles. Some people add ground beef to the combination. Some people don’t fry the chile because they prefer to eat them merely toasted. The recipe varies from region to region or house hold to house hold. In Central Mexico the chile reyenos are stuffed with cheese and in other regions they are stuffed with a combination of cheese, ground beef and vegatbles. No matter which recipe you decide to use, the end result is always taste worthy. You should try it!

Chiles Reyenos for 8 Persons
Ingredients:
8 Chiles Poblanos
1 Lb. queso fresco
10 eggs;
1 cup of baking flour
6 cups of cooking oil

Spanish Rice
Ingredients:
2 cups of Rice
4 cups of water
1 tomato
2 spoons of chicken bouillon

Preparation

Chiles Reyenos
Rinse the chiles
Toast the chiles on a hot skillet until the exterior skin is ready to peel
Place the chiles in a zip lock bag for 10 minutes
Remove the skin from the chiles
Stuff the chiles with cheese (queso fresco)
Cover the chiles in flour
Preheat the skillet and fill with oil
Separate the yoke from the egg whites
Whisk the egg whites preferably with an electric egg beater until the egg whites are nice and fluffy.
Add the yokes to the mixture until the egg whites turn to a light yellow color.
Dip each Chile into the egg mixture individually
Dip the chiles into the hot skillet carefully
Fry the chiles to a light brown and place them into a strainer to remove excessive oil.

Spanish Rice
Rinse the Rise
drain the rice throughly until dry
Pour 1/3 cup of oil into a pan and heat the oil
Pour the rice into the pan after the oil is hot
Brown the rice
Blend 1 whole tomato and i cup water in a blender
Pour the tomato mixture into the rice
Add 3 cups of water
add 2 spoons of chicken bouillon
Cover with a lid and wait 15-20 minutes till it cooks properly

Capirotada 

One of my all time favorite dessert on earth is my mother’s capirotada. My family has enjoyed this dessert for generations. This specific recipe was passed down from my maternal grandmother to my grandmother. I don’t know the specifics behind to as how my grandmother came upon the recipe, but I assume it was passed down from her mother to her and so on. This Mexican bread pudding has become a traditional dessert for my family during lent. It is made specifically only during lent and sometimes when my and my sisters’ pregnancies. In this occasion both requisites were met. It was made upon special request by my older sister whom so happens to be pregnant. Coincidently, it is the time if lent for most Catholics.

My mother recalls having this specific desert (Mexican Bread Pudding) only during the time of Lent. She remembers having her entire family both immediate and distant relatives over at their home during the meal preparation. She says that the meal was divided amongst each female family member. My mother’s older sisters would always prepare and bake the capirotada. She says that this meal would have to feed a family of approximately thirty people or more sometimes. The preparation of the food would take an estimated three to four hours to complete. This time lapse seemed like an eternity for most of the family, especially since all of them would fast until the food was ready to eat. Fasting for long periods of time during this one time of year seemed worth it.

I would like to agree. This dessert is one of my favorites because of emotional significance of family traditions passed down from mother to daughter. It’s a cross-generational tradition that continues to captivate family members’ attention. My maternal aunts maintain their mother’s cookings by teaching their daughters our grandmother’s recipes. By doing this, our grandmother’s memory lives on through the food served during Lent. It is almost as if she is still alive because her recipes are not altered and are followed step by step. Thus, keeping the authenticity of the dish. Through these dishes I get to learn very important information on my grandmother. Unfortunately, I did not have the pleasure to have met my maternal grandmother in person.

History
So adding to historical context of the origins of Capirotada or Mexican bread pudding, I decided to examine various articles on the recipe and found little to no information on it. Some authors suggest that the recipe was first recorded on paper in the 17th century. Others have doubts about the authenticity of its cultural origins. The recipe has a combination of both Catholic and Jewish attributes. The Jewish have a similar recipe to that of the Mexican bread pudding. The bread pudding has a religious association in both cultures.

Nevertheless, it has played an important role in my childhood memories. I associate this dish with my mother’s cooking because she gives it her own twist. Each layer represents each maternal generation that is embedded in my sisters and I. It links us to our cultural roots and to our native country, Mexico. It is a tradition that I expect to pass down to my children because in doing so, I continue the family tradition passed down from my grandmother and my mother. To ignore this tradition would be like a disservice to future generations.

The Mexican pudding bread is abundant in flavor. The moistness of the bread is the result of the warm milk that is poured on top of each layer of bread. The touch of coco and almonds adds a crunch and flavor to the recipe. The rainbow assorted candy beads cover the top layer just like it would on any other dessert.It also transcends cultural and socio-economic barriers. It is inexpensive to prepare and can be easily baked within fifteen to twenty minutes. It is similar to regular pudding bread sold at local bakeries in South Los Angeles, California. The only difference is that the Mexican bread pudding has toppings similar to that of a cake. It can be compared to a tres leches cake.

Capirotada/ Mexican bread pudding for 8 Persons
Ingredients:
20 bolillos
1/2 gallon of whole milk
2 pilonzillo
1/2 onion
6 sticks of Cinnamon
1 box of raisins
2 oranges
1 small bag of walnuts
1 lb. of fresh cheese

Preparation
Slice the bread into small portions; preferably inch
Place the slices onto a flat baking pan
Bake them in the oven for 15 minutes
Layer the toasted bread into layers on the baking pan
Begin to spread the dry ingredients to each layer(walnuts, coco and oranges
Boil 1/2 gallon of milk and 1/2 gallon of water
Mix the piloncillo and half an onion into the milk; make sure the piloncillo dissolves in the milk substance
Add the milk substance over the bread filled pan
Bake the sheet for approximately 25 minutes in the oven until it browns
You can whatever toppings you like; my family adds sprinkles, raisins and cheese.

I hope you enjoy!

Orzo Pasta Salad with Feta Cheese and Fresh Veggies – This orzo pasta salad with feta cheese and fresh vegetables is a delicious yet simple, easy, and amazing salad that can be prepared in less than 30 minutes. A perfect side for barbecue’s, summer parties, or family meals that everyone will enjoy. I mean who can pass up a bowl of veggies, cheese, and noodles tossed together?

Orzo Pasta Salad

When it comes to cooking I’m always looking for ways to incorporate new dishes, side dishes and desserts. This recipe specifically is a side dish to take to a barbecue or to make for a lunch, dinner, or even a friendly house party/gathering. Today, I will be sharing with you one of my favorite side dishes that not only tastes delicious but is also super simple to make.

I discovered this Orzo Pasta Salad on a sunny Saturday at a family members baby shower. This baby shower had a table full of delicious foods, but this side dish stuck out the out to me – Orzo Pasta Salad. My first bite into this pasta was amazing. It was being served at a perfect temperature which is also very important when serving and making food. One week later, I called my friend to ask her for the recipe, she laughed saying that this recipe was was of the easiest dishes she’s ever made. I tried making it and it came out great but I thought to myself how would this dish taste with feta cheese? So there I went making this dish again, but this time adding some of my favorite vegetables to it such as cucumbers, olives, and of course I had to add some feta cheese. There are many orzo pasta salads recipes that include spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, cilantro and lime, and even be similar to mines, but adding a twist to this recipe with my favorite vegetables is what makes it different! Salads are great side dish to have with meals that come off the grill, but pasta salads are even better! With pasta salads they can be prepared ahead of time or even the day before an event. If you do choose to prepare this salad the day before, I recommend adding the basil and crumbled feta cheese, right before serving this dish.  

Why Pasta?

Pasta is such a comforting dish that can be prepared in many ways. One of my go to quick and easy meals include pasta. I love cooking pasta because pasta is one dish that you can get creative with when cooking it by adding a variety of ingredients such as vegetables, proteins, and cheese. Like other pastas orzo pasta can be cooked cold, hot, and baked. Past a has become one of the most convenient dishes to cook when it come to lunch or dinner. Every person has their own version of a pasta dish whether it is cold, hot, or baked.  

Barilla’s Orzo Pasta Uncooked

Pasta can be found all over the world in places like Japan, Thailand, and Indonesia. In America, most of the pasta dishes made are most similar to the ones prepared in Italy. The most common pasta that comes to mind when someone mentions the word pasta is “Spaghetti and Meatballs”. Pasta is made from a couple of ingredients such as eggs, water, and flour that is formed into different shapes and sizes. Some pastas are even flavored with vegetables like spinach, tomatoes, and even chocolate flavored pasta. Although, pasta is thought of as a culturally Italian food, but some believe that pasta originates from china because of the Asian noodles. With the affordability and versatility pasta has become deeply rooted in the Italian culture. With the warm climate in Italy growing vegetables and herbs in Italy was easy which allowed Italians to get creative and come up with delicious pasta recipes. Today, pasta is cooked by boiling the dough first, followed by adding in sauces and other ingredients.

What is Orzo?

For some like myself I had never heard of Orzo pasta until I ate it at a party. Many counties have their own unique foods that they are known for. In Greece, orzo is very popular pasta. The word “orzo” means “barley” in Italian. Although, this little pasta looks like a grain of rice it’s not. Orzo is made from a course-ground flour called semolina. Orzo pasta looks just like rice but cooks way faster than it takes to cook rice.

There are many benefits when consuming Orzo pasta. Orzo pasta is made from white flour but there are whole-wheat orzo pasta options to purchase. This small pasta is a good source of carbohydrates, fiber, and protein. Of course when choosing the whole-wheat orzo the nutritional sources increase. In orzo you can find found nutritional benefits per serving which can also help boost your energy levels. You can increase the amount of protein in your diet by eating more of this small pasta and pairing it with other sources of protein such as salmon, shrimp or chicken. Orzo is also a good low-fat pasta option with only one gram of fat per serving. Like any other pasta orzo is a bare waiting to be dressed. Orzo pasta can be served as simple as adding butter and garlic to it to adding seafood and vegetables in it.

Fresh Veggies make everything better!

I love going to different farmer’s markets to pick up the vegetables for this dish. Not only to support local agriculture, but because vegetables from farmers markets don’t contain toxic chemicals that can cause harm to the body. Rather they provide a higher level of antioxidants that are good for our bodies. In today’s society farming has become a capitalist job. You don’t hear about the appreciation for farming like I did back when I was growing up. Today, farming is viewed as a “slave” job but there is so much more to this job than we think. Being a farmer you are able to help others with their health by providing them with fresh foods as well as helping yourself by eating fresh foods. Farmers are able to provide a variety of fruits and vegetables for others to consume. Farmers are able to provide safe foods rather than foods that are preserved and sealed in bags.

Fresh Veggies : Tomatoes, Cucumber, and Red Onion

Today, everyone is into “convenient things” which is understandable because of daily schedules and what not. But when you look into the benefits when buying fresh fruits and vegetables from a local farmer or farmers market the list can go on and on. Vegetables from farmers markets have a different taste and are bright making the dish look even more delicious to eat. The vegetables I purchase from the farmer’s markets are always at reasonable prices from local farmers. It a great idea to locate your local farmers markets before going shopping for you fresh vegetables.

For this specific orzo pasta salad I use a couple of fresh vegetables and herbs. Tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, basil, and olives are the vegetables I mix together to create this delicious side dish. All of the vegetables in this pasta salad have different benefits for the body.  Tomatoes are known as a good source vitamin C. There are known to be over 3,000 different types of tomatoes. These tomatoes are also known to including reduced risk of cancer and heart disease.  Red Onion can help lower triglycerides and lower your blood sugar. They can also help regulate your blood sugar levels. Cucumbers are a vegetable that is high in nutrients. Cucumber have Protein, vitamin C and vitamin K as well as other nutrients that are beneficial for the body. Basil, a herb using in any dishes. Basil is considered to be one of the healthiest herbs providing vitamin A. Having a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat but rich antioxidants, Black Olives are my favorite! All the vegetable in this pasta dish all have benefits that are paired together creating a masterpiece.

Let’s get to cookin’

Ingredients needed:

1- Orzo Pasta 16oz. Box (I use the Barilla brand)

1 whole Purple onion, chopped

1 ½ cups of Feta cheese, crumbled

1 cup Tomatoes, diced up

¼ cup Fresh Basil, chopped fine

2 whole Cucumbers, diced

Balsamic Dressing  

Salt And Pepper, to taste

1 Medium saucepan

2 large bowls

Cutting board

Sharp knife (makes things easier)

2 mixing utensils

Directions:

Begin by cooking the Orzo:

• In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil.

• Add the orzo to the water

• Cooking according to package directions. Make sure to stir it frequently, until soft but still firm to the bite, about 7-9  minutes. Be sure not to over cook your pasta. This will mess up the entire dish, because no one likes mushy pasta!

• Drain the orzo and transfer into a large bowl.

• Set aside in large bowl to cool completely.

When I make pasta dishes I like to make sure you get some ingredients in every bite, especially the cheese! You can always adjust the ingredients to your liking by adding more or less of an ingredient.

Preparing the vegetables:

Mixed Veggies all cut up.

• Get 1 large mixing bowl to add all the vegetables in.

• Chop 1 whole red onion into small pieces, add in large mixing bowl and set aside. 

• Slice 1 cup of  Tomatoes in diced up, add to large bowl of vegetables.

• Chop ¼ cup Fresh Basil, add to large bowl of vegetables.

• Dice 2 whole Cucumbers, add to large bowl of vegetables.

Balsamic Salad Dressing with fresh grinded salt and pepper

Preparing the Salad:

1. In the large bowl of vegetables, mix together all the vegetables together. Set aside.

2. Get the large bowl of orzo pasta and add balsamic dressing, salt, and pepper to taste. I prefer using salt and pepper grinders to get more flavor from the two seasonings. Gently mix together the orzo and dressing until well combined. Set aside.

3. Get the bowl of mixed vegetables and add to the bowl of the orzo and dressing. Gently mix together until well combined.

4. Once ready to serve add feta cheese to the pasta. Gently mix together until well combined.

5. Serve pasta salad chilled or at room temperature!

If you want to get a little creative with this orzo pasta salad and make it into a all in one meal, just chopped some chicken up and add it in for a delicious dinner that is quick easy. This dish makes my mouth happy but most importantly it reminds me of a special day with my friends. The day I discovered this side dish I was celebrating a new life that would soon be entering this place we call our world. This dish is something special to me and because of that I will forever remember that day. With all the fresh ingredients that were used to make such a delicious side dish that are paired together wonderfully, I hope this dish become one of your favorites as well.

Simple, easy, and full of delicious flavors! Enjoy!

References

Bruso, J. (2018). Are Purple Onions Good for You?. [online] LIVESTRONG.COM. Retrieved

March 9, 2018, from https://www.livestrong.com/article/493475-are-purple-onions-good-for-you/

Healthyeating.sfgate.com. (2018). Are Black Olives Healthy?. Retrieved March 9, 2018,

fromhttp://healthyeating.sfgate.com/black-olives-healthy-3698.html Accessed 10 Mar. 2018.

History of Tomatoes. (n.d.). Retrieved March 09, 2018, from

http://www.vegetablefacts.net/vegetable-history/history-of-tomatoes/

Mercola.com. (2018). What is Basil Good For? – Mercola.com. Retrieved March 9, 2018, from

https://foodfacts.mercola.com/basil.html Accessed 10 Mar. 2018.

Oulton, Randal. “Orzo Pasta.” CooksInfo.com. Published 07 October 2003; revised 06 March

2013. Web. Retrieved from. http://www.cooksinfo.com/orzo.

Vegetablefacts.net. (2018). Cucumber History – Origin and History of Cucumbers. Retrieved

March 9, 2018, from http://www.vegetablefacts.net/vegetable-history/history-of-cucumbers/Accessed 10 Mar. 2018.

Chicken Fajitas with bell peppers

Image credit: Martin

Background

The reason I choose to do this recipe was because this was the first thing I learned to cook when I moved out. I moved out about over a year and a half ago and then I didn’t know how to cook. Because of that I was eating very unhealthy pretty much everyday which wasn’t good for me. When I was in high school I ran cross country and track all four years, because of all the running I ate a lot. My mom would always say I was like a baby who needed to be fed every two hours. When I transferred to a community college the one I went to didn’t have either a track or a cross country team, which meant I couldn’t continue. Although I stopped running I kept eating the way I did and I gained some weight. I did my last year of community college in Long Beach and since I didn’t know how to cook I continued eating unhealthy. During this time my mom had gotten a gym membership at Anytime Fitness and had added me to her account also so I could go, but I never went because I was lazy. That gym gave you a free hour with a trainer, so one time when I was visiting home my mom made me go and do the free hour. That had given me some motivation to get off my butt and start to actually go.

But I still had the issue of what I was eating, so I did some research and found some foods I could eat that were healthier. I found that chicken and salmon were a good source of protein. This was definitely good for me since I’m not the biggest fan of beef and I rarely eat it. So I started buying chicken breast and the big salmon and cutting it into smaller sections, putting them in ziplock bags and putting them in the freezer. This made it easier to cook because right before I’d leave for school I’d take out either the salmon or chicken and it would be good by the time I’d come back. I’m the type of person whose very lazy when it comes to cooking. I don’t like recipes that take forever because I’m very impatient. I like to make things that don’t take more than 30 min because usually when I choose to finally make something I’m already starving. Which is why I love making these fajitas since they don’t take me forever to make!

Recipe

Whenever I make fajitas I usually always add bell peppers and white rice. I love white rice because it’s so easy to make and doesn’t take forever either. Since I usually make them just for me I only know how to make the small portion but making it for more people you can always just double or triple the ingredients.

1/2                                           Chicken Breast

1/2                                           Lemon

1/2                                           Tablespoon of Cajun seasoning

1/2                                           Teaspoon of Pepper

1/4                                           Green Bell Pepper

1/4                                           Yellow Bell Pepper

1/4                                           Orange Bell Pepper

1/4                                            Red Bell Pepper

1/2                                            Cup of rice

1 1/2                                         Teaspoon of the Chicken Flavor Bouillon

Preparation:

1. 1.I cut the chicken breast in slices so they can look like fajitas
2. 2. I put the slices in a plate and squirt half the lemon, the 1/2 tbs of Cajun seasoning, and the 1/2 tsp of pepper and mix it all together and let sit.
3. 3. Next grab the 1/4 cut pieces of the red, yellow, green, and orange bell peppers and slice them vertically put them in a bowl and wash them.

Cooking the Chicken:

1. On a pan add a bit of oil, I usually use Mazola Oil
2. After waiting about 3 minutes for the pan to heat up add the chicken and stir it around.
3. When the chicken is cooked and is all white add the bell peppers and stir around
4. When the chicken looks a light brown and the bell peppers look like they’ve been grilled it’s done, see easy!

Cooking the rice:

You can do this before cooking the chicken so it can be done around the same time.

1. When I make rice I use a sauce pan because I make small amounts, put the 1/2 cup of rice in the pan and add the cup of water and maybe a little bit more of water, and also add 1 1/2 tsp of Chicken Flavor Bouillon
2. Cover the pan and leave alone, during this time you can cook the chicken.
3. The way I know the rice is ready is when I use a spoon to check if there’s any water left in the pan, if there is let it sit a little while longer, if there isn’t anymore water it’s ready, see also easy!!

Add vegetables (optional):

Ever since I was little I’ve always hated eating vegetables my mom would have to make me eat them. Now I eat them voluntarily because I now understand how important they are to my health. I usually use carrots and broccoli, I cut them up, wash them, put them in a small pot with a little bit of water and wait about 5 minutes, and it’s ready!!

Image credit: Amy Stephenson

Benefits of Chicken

Chicken is everywhere in the United States in burgers, tacos, burritos, pretty much in anything you can think of, well besides in vegan and vegetarian food. Eating chicken actually has many health benefits which the Organic Facts website sites, that someone might not even think about or know. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has a list of how much of  proximates, minerals, vitamins, and lipids chicken has. Chicken is also a good source of protein which is important because it is made of amino acids which is what helps muscles grow. Chicken also has Vitamin A, B, and D which help in multiple things. Vitamin B helps with preventing cataracts, skin disorders, boosting immunity, eliminating weakness, regulating digestion, and improving the nervous system. Vitamin A is helpful in building eyesight. Vitamin D is useful with calcium absorption and bone strengthening. Chicken also has minerals such as Potassium and Sodium which are electrolytes. It also has Phosphorus which helps with tackling weakness, bone health, brain function, dental care, and metabolic issues. According to some studies Chicken helps with weight loss. Another benefit that comes with eating chicken is controlling blood pressure.Chicken has less amounts of saturated fats and cholesterol than in red meat which is why the American Heart Association has advised to eat more fish and chicken. Lastly it helps with colds, which is why people like to eat chicken soup when they’re sick.

Image credit: Bruna Alves

Benefits of Rice

I’m Mexican American which means rice is a staple food for Mexican culture. My mom always has some rice either just freshly made or some left over in the refrigerator. I eat rice with a lot of food like quesadillas, fajitas, salmon, sometimes even with tamales, it goes good with anything. It doesn’t matter if it’s the orange Mexican rice or white rice it’s one of my favorite foods. In an article from the Organic Facts website they site some health benefits that come from rice. 1) Rice also has health benefits such as having a lot of carbohydrates which fuels the body and helps the normal functioning of the brain. 2) Rice has low levels of fat, cholesterol, and sodium which helps reduce obesity. 3) Being low on sodium is a good thing because sodium can cause veins and arteries to constrict which results in stress and strain on the cardiovascular system. 4) This pertains mostly for whole grain rice which is rich in fiber which can benefit you against colorectal and intestinal cancer. Fiber is made of natural antioxidants like Vitamin C and Vitamin A which help clean the body of free radicals. 5) In this health benefit we’re referring to brown rice which contains high levels of nutrients that help growth and the activity of neurotransmitters, which helps against Alzheimer’s disease. 6) Rice husk serves as a diuretic which helps with losing excess water weight, eliminating toxins from our body such as uric acid. 7) Rice is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals such as niacin, Vitamin D, Calcium, Fiber, Iron, and Riboflavin. These are helpful with building the foundation of a persons metabolism, immune system health, and the general function of the organs systems. 8) Rice also contains resistant starch which gets to the bowels and stimulates growth of useful bacteria which help with normal bowel movements.

Benefits of Vegetables

Image Credit: Bill Rogers

Growing up eating vegetables wasn’t my favorite thing and it wasn’t either for my siblings. Although at dinner time my mom would make us eat them it would take us forever to finish our plates. My mom had to get creative in giving us vegetables, so she got a juicer and would make us carrot juice. Now that was something I loved and still love, for some reason it tasted better. I loved when I would wake up to the sound of the juicer even if it was really loud. According to an article from the Medical News Today they talk about some of the health benefits that come from carrots. 1) Carrots contain beta-carotene which has shown to help reduce lung cancer. 2) Beta-carotene also helps with reducing the risk of colon cancer. 3) Another big benefit from carrots is that they help with vision. Lack of Vitamin A can lead to exophthalmia which is a disease that can damage normal vision. My vision is pretty bad and I depend on glasses and contacts which are not cheap, maybe ill just eat more carrots. 4) Carrots contain antioxidants and phytochemicals which can help regulate blood sugar. 5) Carrots also contain Vitamin C which helps boost the immune system and prevent disease. The Vitamin C can also help with the severity of a cold and how long it lasts.

Image Credit: Rick Harris

Broccoli was the vegetable I hated the most growing up, and now it’s the vegetable that I eat the most. It’s strange how much our eating habits change from when we were little. In an article from the Dairy Council of California talks about some of the nutrients that broccoli contains. 1) Vitamin K is important for the function of many proteins which help with blood clotting. Blood clotting is very important because it’s what helps a wound stop bleeding. 2) Vitamin C is helpful with building collagen that forms body tissue and bone, it also helps cuts and wounds heal. 3) Broccoli also contains fiber which promote digestive health. Eating foods that are high in fiber can also lower cholesterol. 4) Potassium is a mineral AND an electrolyte which are essential to the function of nerve and heart contractions. 5) Lastly, it contains folate which is necessary in the production and maintenance of new cells in the body.

Conclusion

Being in college is difficult for traditionally aged students and for people who are older. Multiple assignments, work, social life, sometimes kids, and other things are happening in peoples lives. I want to praise those people who work full time and are also in school full time because that’s definitely not easy. When I first got accepted at Cal State Dominguez Hills I thought they were going to have a meal plan like the other universities did. I thought it was strange that I wasn’t asked about a meal plan when I was applying for housing but it didn’t occur to me that it was because they didn’t have one. I was really disappointed when I realized I was going to have to cook for myself but I also wasn’t going to starve. This recipe is good for people who are always on the go. You can use this to meal prep for the week. I would do this but I’m weird when in comes to microwaving my meat, for some reason to me it tastes weird. Which is why I always make it from scratch whenever I want some. This recipe is healthy and easy to make which is why I love it so much.

References

“Eat More Chicken, Fish and Beans.” Heart.Org, American Heart Association

Food Composition Databases Show Foods — Oil, Industrial, Coconut (Hydrogenated), Used for Whipped Toppings and Coffee Whiteners, United States Department of Agriculture, May 2016

“Health Benefits of Broccoli.” Healthy Eating, www.healthyeating.org/Healthy-Eating/All-Star-Foods/Vegetables/Article-Viewer/Article/91/Health-Benefits-of-Broccoli.

LD, Megan Ware RDN. “Carrots: Benefits, Nutrition, Diet, and Risks.” Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 5 Dec. 2017.

“7 Impressive Benefits of Chicken.” Organic Facts, 20 Dec. 2017

“10 Incredible Rice Benefits.” Organic Facts, 11 Jan. 2018, www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/cereal/health-benefits-of-rice.html.

Pot Roast and More

Sinnetti Piper

Pot Roast and More Meal

Family

Family and food go hand in hand. I was born in Houston, Texas and lived there until I was 13 years old. My father was a chef who loved cooking fresh food, he inherited this trait from his mother. My grandmother grew fresh fruits and vegetables in her back yard. She had a strawberry and pea vine growing on the fence in her back yard. This is where my father developed his love of fresh home-grown food. My father passed in February 2007. My father adored cooking. He would cook for anybody and everybody. He gained pleasure in watching people eat his food. My father was a chef in Texas and Louisiana. No matter where my father resided, he had to grow a garden. Once he became a chef he understood the importance of growing and cooking fresh food. My father loved presentation, he felt food needed to look delicious, as well as taste delicious. The dinner table for the holidays always looked like a picture from a magazine. He also gained this trait from my grandmother. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas was a production when I was younger. When I went to live with him as a teenager he made sure he kept the tradition alive making sure to invite my grandmother to dinner, so she could see his enhanced presentation skills. I never learned any of these traits from him and I regret it. He would cook pot roast in the old Dutch oven and it always looked like it was from a world-famous painter. I didn’t want to eat it, I just loved the presentation. His pot roast had the deepest flavors and was so tender you could consume it with a spoon. I never took the time to learn how to make pot roast from my father or grandmother, so I had to find my own unique recipe.

Pot Roast Beginnings

Roast and Steak

Pot Roast has been a staple in my family for many generations. It’s a dish I began cooking for my family from an old green hardcover cookbook with no name on the outside cover. When my daughter was a year old we moved into a two-bedroom duplex in Oakland, California. Upon moving we discovered there was a small square cover in the ceiling of the hall way. About month after moving her father decided to explore this square cover and we discovered it was an attic. He found several books on different topics. The book he found most interesting was an old green hardcover cookbook. It was an American classics cookbook. This where I found my Pot Roast recipe and a too die for Chicken and Dumplings recipe. The dumplings were made from scratch not from biscuit dough. I lost the cookbook when I moved to Los Angeles but was able to cook the pot roast enough to memorize the recipe. I didn’t remember all the ingredients for the chicken and dumplings, but that’s another story.

Crockpot cooking is the best

Cooking pot roast for my family is truly a production because the pot roast dinner is a huge dinner. The full meal consists of pot roast, steak, red potatoes, yellow potatoes, baby carrots, rice, gravy and green peas. I only make pot roast once or twice a year and only by request from my family. When I began making pot roast I started off by only baking it in the oven and over the years I’ve alternated between the oven and the slow cooker. This cook book entry will combine both the oven and the slow cooker. I’m cooking the pot roast in the crock pot and I’m cooking the potatoes, carrots, and steak in a roasting bag in the oven. I love the roasting bag because it locks in the seasoning of the food. The flavor reminds me of when my father cooked pot roast. I put a lot of time and effort into cooking pot roast. Pot Roast is only cooked when I have the day off. Pot Roast is time consuming I love to place my blood, sweat, and tears into this meal.

Pot Roast and More

“Pot roast, is a term for browned meat cooked with vegetables in a covered pot. It began appearing in cookbooks in the late 19th century, but this method of slow cooking in liquid, known as braising, is centuries older”. (Robbins, 2017). Pot roast originated in New England, and then became an American staple. “Yankee pot roast is a dish that originated in the United States but is based off a European cooking technique called braising” (Cavallari, 2018). Pot roast is also a meal that can feed many in a family because the cuts of meat are thick but inexpensive and the vegetables and starches that accompany the pot roast such as carrots, potatoes and peas are inexpensive. The cuts of meat that are used to cook Pot Roast is very filling, which is a positive for a large family. Pot roast consist of cut of meat such as chuck roast, which are tough cuts of meat but easy to braise. This means they can make their own juices. The best cuts of meat for pot roast are chuck roast, rump roast, and my personal favorite when you can find it bone-in chuck roast. A bone-in chuck roast is the best because of the rich flavor and when baked in the oven is very tender. It melts in your mouth. Pot roast may not be the healthiest meal because most of meat is made from fat. “A 100-gram, or 3.5-ounce, serving of boneless beef chuck has 196 calories and 0 g of carbohydrates. It has 19 g of protein, or 38 percent of the daily value. Beef chuck has 13 g of total fat, or 117 calories from fat, since fat has 9 g per gram. This means that beef chuck gets nearly 60 percent of its calories from fat. Beef chuck roast has only 76 mg of sodium, but it will have more if you braise it in salty broth” (livestrong.com). I’m glad I cook this high calorie meal only once or twice a year.

Carbs and Gravy

Steak, roasted potatoes and carrots.

Let’s discuss the delicious starches that go along with my pot roast such as the potatoes, rice, and gravy. The reason I cook so many starches with my pot roast is because the potatoes and carrots always go quickly. The process I use to prolong the meal is to add rice, gravy and green peas. “Potatoes are a good source of fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B6, coupled with its lack of cholesterol, all support heart health. Fiber helps lower the total amount of cholesterol in the blood, thereby decreasing the risk of heart disease” (potatogoodness.com). I love roasted potatoes with pot roast. The best potatoes are red and yellow, and the roasting bag adds just the correct amount of flavor. Red and yellow potatoes are small delicious potatoes. They taste great cooked with the skin on and the flavor is amazing. Potatoes have been around for centuries. “The potato, from the perennial Solanum tuberosum, is the world’s fourth largest food crop, following rice, wheat, and maize. The Inca Indians in Peru were the first to cultivate potatoes around 8,000 BC to 5,000 B.C” (potatogoodness.com). There are several different types of potatoes, for example russet, red, yellow, white, fingerling and ect. “A medium, red-skinned potato that’s baked measures about 2.25 to 3.25 inches in diameter. If you eat the skin and flesh of the potato, you’ll get 153 calories, 3 grams of protein and less than 1 gram of fat, according the U.S. Department of Agriculture” (Kannall, 2017). The nutrition facts also shows that red and yellow potatoes are good for you if you are trying to live a low calorie and low-fat diet if you don’t consume too many.

I also cook rice which is a starch and rice is also very inexpensive. Rice cooks very easily and quickly. Rice and potatoes are staples in most households because they can sustain impoverished families. I can remember as child just eating rice because I loved the taste of rice with butter and sugar. Rice is a major source of food for people all over the world. Rice can be grown and eaten in almost every continent in the world, such as Asia, Africa, North America, South America, and so on. Rice can be grown in different type of weather conditions.  Rice comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors for instance we have long grain, medium, white, brown, red, and wild. Rice has help to save nations from poverty. “African rice helped Africa conquer its famine of 1203” (ricepedia.com). Rice tastes awesome with gravy. The one thing I did learn to make from my father was gravy and I rarely ruin gravy. I’ve placed the recipe below.

Vegetables

Vegetables Carrots and peas

The vegetables for my pot roast consist of baby carrots in a roasted bag and plain canned green peas. “Carrots are healthy for the human body, they provide β-carotene, dietary fiber, antioxidants, minerals. Carrots can be eaten without cooking, carrot are a root type vegetable’s and usually are orange” (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrot). Carrots also come in variety of other colors such as purple, black, red, white, and yellow.  “Home of carrots and its numerous cousins can be tracked to dry and hot lands of Iran and Afghanistan. Earliest evidence of its use there was dated to 3000 BC” (www.vegatablefacts.net). The other vegetable I use with my pot roast dinner is canned or frozen peas. I love sweet peas, they are quick and easy to make. This meal is a huge meal, but it’s very filling and my family loves it. I love making this meal because it reminds me of my father. I dedicate this cookbook entry to my father.

gravy

Ingredients:

Pot Roast

2 lbs beef roast

1 pound of flat steak

1 table spoon of minced garlic

2 cups of red potatoes

2 cups of yellow potatoes

1 ½ cup of baby carrots

1 can green peas

2 table spoons of Worcestershire sauce

2 table spoons of white cooking wine

1 table spoon of sherry cooking wine

1 table spoon of lemon juice

Salt, seasoning and pepper to taste

Rice and Gravy

1 ½ cup of rice

2 table spoons of unbleached flour

2 table spoons of olive oil

Directions for Pot Roast in the slow cooker and

Directions for Steak, potatoes and Carrots in the oven

First, I brown the pot roast by placing about 1 to 2 tables spoons of oil in the pan. Let the grease get hot then I place the pot roast in the skillet and brown on both sides for about 3 minutes on each side.

I place the Worcestershire sauce, white cooking wine, sherry cooking wine, lemon juice, seasonings, and minced garlic in the bottom of the crock pot. Next, I place in the pot roast on top of these ingredients. Then I repeat the above ingredients again on top the pot roast. I place the top on the slow cooker.

I place the slow cooker on 8 hours and wait until five hours have passed then I will place in the potatoes and carrots.

For this recipe I cooked the carrots and potatoes in the oven along with the steak.

I preheated my oven at 350 degrees.

I season the steak with Worcestershire sauce, white cooking wine, sherry cooking wine, lemon juice, and seasonings.

I cut the red and yellow potatoes in 4 squares. I cut the baby carrots in half.

Then I placed all ingredients steaks, carrots, and potatoes in the roasting bag. I seal the roasting bag loosely to make sure steam can escape.

I place the roasting bag in a glass Pyrex pan and place in the oven to cook for 2 ½ hours.

Directions for Brown Gravy or Roux

In a medium skillet place 2 table spoons of olive oil (use olive oil, but any oil can be used)

Let the oil get very hot, next place in 2 table spoons of unbleached flour, stir together with the oil.

Next, I place in some seasoning and when mix the correct brown color I desire I then add in one cup of water, if the gravy is too thick I will add water until it’s the consistency I desire.

Finally, I taste and if needed I add more non salt seasoning, then serve.

The rice, gravy and peas from the can or frozen are cooked last with the meal.

References

Robbins, H. (2017, October 27). Yankee Pot Roast | Recipe with A History. Retrieved March 02, 2018, from https://newengland.com/yankee-magazine/food/main-dishes/pot-roast/yankee-pot-roast-beef-gravy/

Cavallari, D., & Harris, B. (2018, February 10). What is Yankee Pot Roast? Retrieved March 02, 2018, from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-yankee-pot-roast.htm

Stein, N. (2017, October 03). Boneless Beef Chuck Roast Nutritional Values. Retrieved March 02, 2018, from https://www.livestrong.com/article/542133-boneless-beef-chuck-roast-nutritional-values/

Potato Facts | The History of Potatoes | Facts About Potatoes. (n.d.). Retrieved March 02, 2018, from https://www.potatogoodness.com/potato-fun-facts-history/

Kannall, E. (2017, October 03). Nutrition in Red Potatoes. Retrieved March 02, 2018, from https://www.livestrong.com/article/322492-red-potatoes-nutrition/

History of Carrots. (n.d.). Retrieved March 03, 2018, from http://www.vegetablefacts.net/vegetable-history/history-of-carrots/

History of rice cultivation. (n.d.). Retrieved March 03, 2018, from http://ricepedia.org/culture/history-of-rice-cultivation

Chicken and Dumplings: The Great Equalizer of Southern Cooking. (2017, May 25). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from https://www.tastecooking.com/chicken-dumplings-great-equalizer-southern-cooking/

Spiegel, A. (2015, January 12). A Brief History Of The Crock Pot, The Original Slow Cooker. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/12/what-is-a-crock-pot_n_6443398.html

J., Says, R., Says, J., Says, G., Says, A., Says, K. B., . . . Says, D. L. (2016, August 29). Brown Gravy Recipe – Simple 5-Minute Comfort Food. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://www.unclejerryskitchen.com/recipes/brown-gravy-recipe/

Carrot. (2018, April 03). Retrieved April 03, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrot

Cookbook Entry: Grandma’s Smothered Pork Chops with Rice

Origin of the term “Soul Food”    

Completion of Grandma’s Smothered Pork Chops with Rice

The term “soul food” originated around the 1960’s soon after the civil rights movement emerged to regain the cultural legacy of African Americans (Lynn, 2017). During this time, African Americans associated everything with the term “soul.” They used words like soul sister, soul brother and soul music (Lynn, 2017). This is what led the way for African Americans to use the term “soul food” when referring to home cooked meals that originated from the South (Lynn, 2017). Soul food is a combination of Native American, European and African foods that were brought to reality out of necessity by Black slaves in the South (Regelski, 2015). These foods consist of beans, greens, cornbread, fried fish, peach cobbler, fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, chitterlings, and oxtails.

During slavery in America the Black slaves were given small rations of food that consisted of cornmeal, sweet potatoes, dried meat (usually pork) and some molasses (Miller, 2015). Since the rations they received were small, slaves had to be innovative in finding ways to enrich their diets (Miller, 2015). The slaves accomplished this by fishing, hunting, gardening (some plants native to Africa) and farming using ideas borrowed from Native Americans, Europeans and knowledge from their African homeland (Miller, 2015). The mixture of all of these factors came to equal what we know as “Soul Food” today.

What Soul Food Meant to my Family

My mother’s family is from Mississippi, so the women in the family know how to cook what we call “soul food.” Soul food to our family consists of home cooked meals that are comforting to the mind, body and soul. Everything that was cooked was made with love, and nothing was made without it! Some of our favorite soul foods are yams, macaroni and cheese, black eye peas, cornbread, smothered pork chops, fried catfish and collard greens. These foods have been cooked over the years and the recipes have been passed down from generation to generation in my family. With my family being from Mississippi, eating soul food on a daily basis is common. I remember as a child, my mother would make a big pan of cornbread everyday so we could have it with our dinner. The next morning we would have the cornbread with syrup and grits.

Cultural Significant of Sunday Dinner for African Americans

Sunday dinner is culturally significant for Black families.  Sunday dinner after church services is a tradition that Black families have maintained for generations (Evans, 2017). Sunday dinner was not only for immediate family, but was for extended family, family friends and loved ones. Sunday dinner for the Black families is about more than food. It is a time to bond, create new memories, reminisce about old memories and teach the family how to work together (Evans, 2017).

Story telling is a big part of the Black family Sunday experience (Evans, 2017). The families’ favorite aunt or uncle loves to hold court and share stories from the families past (most of the time exaggerated) that has everyone laughing and smiling. Every Sunday dinner, memories are being built. The younger generation is building memories based on the current interaction with the older generation and being taught the family’s traditions and recipes.  The older generation reminisces about being young, learning family traditions and recipes from their elders.  The expectation is that everyone contributes something to the family dinner. The family works together as a team from sharing cooking duties, to providing the house for the dinner. Others were responsible for setting the table, cleaning the table, washing dishes and other family members made sure all the trash was taken out. Every family member from the oldest to the youngest is an important member of the team and is responsible for making the Sunday dinner a success (Evans, 2017).

The most significant outcome of Sunday dinner is the family bonding that takes place.  Every aspect that happens during the Sunday dinner, the storytelling, the memories being created, and teamwork results in the family bonding across generations and it is irreplaceable experience and priceless to Black families.

My Family Sunday Dinner

My great grandmother, whom we called “M’dear,” always had Sunday dinner at her home. When she passed on, my grandmother continued the tradition of Sunday dinner. Every Sunday evening after church my entire family got together at my grandparents’ house for Sunday dinner.  My grandmother would not allow anyone to step foot in the house without bringing a dish. Everyone had to bring a dish or they could prepare and cook their dish at my grandparents’ house. Sunday dinner was very important to my family because it kept the family bonded and close. We would have a good time, catching up on life and enjoying each other’s company. My parents, aunts and uncles would share their fondest memories of their childhood and compare them to our childhood.

Pork chops cooking

As a little girl, my grandmother taught my sister, my cousins and me how to cook.  She did not allow us to play outside while she was cooking. She believed that a woman was responsible for preparing meals and feeding the family.  She would tell us, “Girl, you can’t get a husband if you don’t know how to cook!” So every chance I got, I made sure I was in the kitchen watching my grandmother cook and learning all her secret recipes.  My fondest childhood memory is helping my grandmother prepare smothered pork chops and rice for Sunday dinner. Her smothered pork chops was everyone’s favorite; therefore, my grandmother made them often. When she made them, she always made a pot of white rice to lay the tasty chops on. She preferred rice because it is light and we would be able to eat all the other delicious food that was made by my family. I was responsible for seasoning the pork chops and flouring them by tossing them up and down in a big brown paper bag. I would make a mess in the kitchen by getting flour all over the place, but boy oh boy, the pork chops came out so good! I would be so proud when the family complemented me on how delicious the smothered pork chops were.

Gravy

Gravy is a sauce that goes well with a variety of meats, and foods such as mashed potatoes and rice (en.w.wikipedia.org). There are many varieties of gravy such as mushroom, onion, vegetable, giblet, egg, brown and white (en.w.wikipedia.org).The best gravy that complements smothered pork chops is brown gravy. Brown gravy is mostly used in Southern dishes (en.w.wikipedia.org).  It is called brown gravy because of the brown color it has once it is cooked.  What gives it the brown color is the juices and grease drippings of meat (en.w.wikipedia.org). To make brown gravy, you have to use hot grease and flour to get a brown texture. Once brown, you have to add a liquid, preferably juice from cooked meat, and cook until you reach a nice medium brown color and a rich favor.

Cooked Pork Chops

History of Pork in Soul Food

Pork became popular with African American dishes during slavery. During these times slaves were only allowed to eat parts of animals that their master did not want (Grant, 2006). These scraps consist of pig tails, pig feet, hog jowls, ham hocks, neck bones, and pig intestines (Grant, 2006). These scraps became the main ingredients in their meals to make dishes flavorable for their families (Grant, 2006). Even today, these scraps are still a major staple in African American soul food dishes such as beans, cornbread, soups and vegetables to make them flavorable (Grant, 2006).

Memories

My grandmother’s recipe for smothered pork chops has been cooked the same way for many years. The recipe has not changed even though it has been passed down from generation to generation. I look forward to cooking smothered pork chops on special occasions and especially on Sunday for my family dinner. When I cook this dish, it brings back so many memories of my grandmother, mother and my childhood. It makes me think about the laughs, tears and good times we all had at my grandmother’s home. Now that my grandmother and mother have passed on, it is important for me to make sure this recipe stays in the family and gets passed on to the young women so they can prepare this dish for their families. Whenever I cook these delicious pork chops, I have my daughter in the kitchen with me, allowing her to take over what used to be my job when I was a child such as seasoning the pork chops and shaking the bag to get them coated with flour. I enjoy teaching my daughter how to cook this meal because it gives us the time to bond, laugh and make new memories. So far, I have taught my niece and daughter how to prepare my grandmother’s pork chops to carry on the tradition with their families in the future.  Smothered pork chops are just one example of the delicious taste of soul food.

Grandma’s Smothered Pork Chops with Rice

Ingredients for smothered pork chops

Ingredients/Utensils   

4-6 bone in pork chops (I prefer the center cut, but you can use any kind you like)

A couple sprinkles of salt

A couple sprinkles of black pepper

A couple dashes of paprika

3 big fists full of flour

½ cup vegetable oil

½ of onion thinly sliced

2 ½ cups of warm water for the gravy

4 additional cups of water for the rice

2 cups of white long grain rice

1 big brown paper bag

Medium size sauce pot with a lid

Cast iron skillet

Whisk

Big spoon

Directions

Rinse pork chops under cold running water and pat dry.

Season pork chops with salt and pepper.

Seasoned Pork Chops coated with flour inside brown paper bag.

Throw the flour, salt, pepper and paprika in paper bag and shake well. Then put the pork chops in the bag. Be careful not to pop the bag!

Heat the oil in the cast iron skillet on medium.

Put pork chops in the hot oil. Don’t overcrowd the skillet because the chops won’t cook well. They need air to breathe!

Cook on each side for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. The paprika should give it a nice brown color.

Put the pork chops to the side.  Drain them on a paper towel if you like.

In the same oil, add a big whopping handful of the flour from the brown bag into the hot oil. Stir the flour with the wooden spoon until you get a nice medium brown color.

Slowly and steadily whisk in the water, and watch out for the lumps!

Once well mixed, add the onions and season it well with salt and pepper to your liking.

Keep stirring and let the gravy get thick so you can add those pretty brown pork chops.

Cook pork chops on simmer for 15-20 minutes until they are done.

For the rice, put 2 cups of water into sauce pot.

Add a dash of salt

Once the water is boiling, add the rice and turn burner to simmer.

Cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes or until there is no more water.

To serve, get a big spoon full of rice and top it off with one of those delicious pork chops.

Enjoy!!

References

Evans, K. D. (2017, December 03). Five ways the Sunday dinner tradition brings black families together. Retrieved February 27, 2018, from https://theundefeated.com/

Grant, T. (2006, February 22). Soul Food: Scraps became cuisine celebrating African-American spirit. Retrieved March 02, 2018, from http://www.post-gazette.com/

Lynn, A. (2017, September 21). What Defines Authentic Soul Food? If You’re Thinking Ham Hocks and Hush Puppies, You’re on the Right Track. Retrieved March 02, 2018, from https://www.thespruce.com/

Miller, A. (2015, August 25). An Illustrated History of Soul Food. Retrieved March 02, 2018, from https://firstwefeast.com/

Regelski, C. (2015, April 10). The Soul of Food. Retrieved March 02, 2018, from http://ushistoryscene.com/article/slavesouthern-cuisine/

(2018, March 01). Retrieved March 02, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page