Grilled Pork - Carne Asada Style - and perfect in tortillas with cheese, sour cream and avocado

Reposting from 2022....

We've had this marinade from 2013 on various meats TWICE in the past week (it's May of 2023 now).  My husband actually said I could serve this once a week and he'd be alright with that!  (That means he really, really likes it).  I've made a few different sauces for it, and one daughter loves it with just ranch dressing or green goddess dressing as the sauce.  We simply serve with fresh shredded cabbage, on flour tortillas.  

 

I posted this recipe previously in 2013 using thin sliced steak.  That's what I usually use, but I did it differently this time and loved it - and I liked a different way of cooking it this time as well. 

I used a pork roast I had cut from a large pork loin I bought at Sam's Club.   It had a nice layer of fat on the back/bottom so I sliced thin slices of meat, but only 'to' the fat - not through it.  This made a fanned out piece of meat with the slices forming the fan, but attached on the very bottom with the layer of fat.  I placed this in the marinade in a glass dish, flipped it a couple times to get it covered in marinade, then let it set overnight.

The next day I grilled it, and it was really nice to have it fan out to cook; no pieces falling through the grates.  I grilled it on both sides, flipping when needed, until the meat was done through.  I let it set about 10 minutes, then sliced off the fat back (which had blackened nicely from the grill yet protected the meat) and then sliced the meat through to serve on low-carb flour tortillas with cheese and sour cream.

 

 

Here is the recipe as posted in 2013.  I doubled it this time and used amino acids in place of soy sauce and added a jalapeno from the garden that had turned ripe and red hot.
 

 

Carne Asada Marinade

1/2 c soy sauce or amino acids
3 garlic cloves, minced or chopped
1 T vinegar
1 small jalapeno pepper, chopped fine
1/3 c lime juice
1/4 c lemon juice
1/2 t either chipotle seasoning or cayenne
1 T (scant) chili powder, cumin and paprika
3/4 t dried oregano
1/4 c fresh parsley (you can use cilantro)
1/2 c oil (preferably olive oil)
pepper (about 1/2 t) but not salt as the soy sauce is very salty

Place all in a ziploc baggy (double bag) or in a ceramic or glass container, and add about 2 pounds thin steaks or other meat.  Let marinade overnight.  Grill until done, slice across the grain and serve.  I opted to serve with tortillas, salsa, sour cream, cheese, avocados and lettuce.  

 

Spinach and Feta Chicken - quick and easy - minimal ingredient list too

 

 

This is basically the chicken version of one of my youngest daughter and my favorite Greek Pizzas.  The pizza (which has been posted on An American Housewife many, many times over the years) is amazing, but when we are trying to stick to low carb, this dish fits the bill.  So quick and so easy.

PLAY WITH THE AMOUNTS.   I discovered I like it better when I use tons of feta cheese - when I cut back, it's still good, but my daughters and I LOVE feta.  Adjust everything as you like.  Garlic or no.  More feta or less.  More mozzarella... or less.  Amounts of seasoning on the chicken?  All good.  (Kalamata olives... or not.  Want to add sun dried tomatoes and rings of red onion?  Cool.  Yes.   Or no.  Your call.)

Spinach and Feta Chicken

4 thin Chicken Breasts* 
Garlic

Italian Seasoning
Oregano
Salt and Pepper
1-2 T Avocado Oil or Olive Oil

2 - 3 handfuls of Fresh Spinach
1- 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 c Mozzarella Cheese - shredded
1/2 - 1 c Feta Cheese, crumbled

*I buy chicken breasts at Sams and Costco - which are really thick.  I slice two (2) breasts in half lengthwise to make 4 nice sized chicken breasts. 

Either pound your regular chicken breasts to make them rather flat, or do as I do and slice them lengthwise.  Lay them in a pan with oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, oregano and Italian seasoning and some garlic.  Put them into a 400 degree oven to bake while you make the sauce.  Set the oven timer for about 17 minutes.

In a pan on the stove add more oil to the bottom and heat to a nice medium low.  Add spinach leaves and they start to wilt immediately.  Add a package of cream cheese (8 oz.).  Turn off the heat and stir until melted.  By now the chicken should be about ready to 'top'.  

Top the chicken breasts with the spinach and cream cheese mixture.  Cover everything with some shredded mozzarella and crumbled feta cheese.  Add other things if you wish (kalamata olives, red onion, sun dried tomato) but I think we like ours without all the extras best.

Return to the oven to bake at 375 for about 25-30 minutes more.  Serve hot.

This is a quadruple batch - so, lots of chicken breasts!  Seasoned.

 

 

 

Into the oven

Wilting the spinach

 

Adding cream cheese

 Chicken is out of the oven (partially cooked) and ready to be topped with the spinach and cheeses

 

Spinach and Cream Cheese

 

All the cheeses, plus some kalamata olives this time...

Out of the oven and ready to serve a crowd.

Peruvian Chicken, Cilantro Sauce and Cold Onion Cabbage Mixture

No photo for this one because it was SO GOOD I didn't care to stop to take a picture.  Not even the 2nd day.
I was hungry, it was incredible so I just ate it and didn't care.

And then I had it again in a wrap for 'brunch' with extra shredded cabbage, and it was still so good that I had 2 more for dinner that night. 

Personal Note:  THIS is the awesome, yummy one - and the one our daughter took a picture with on her phone because I raved about it.  ALSO:  this is the sauce I mixed with Green Goddess Dressing the next day and served as a dressing for the Cabbage, Black Olives, Avocado, Garlic Salt, etc. "First Communion" Salad that was incredible and there were no leftovers.

Peruvian Chicken, Cilantro Sauce and Cold Onion Cabbage Mixture

1 large package thigh thighs, or a whole chicken
3 T avocado or olive oil
2-3 t fresh lime juice
1 t lime zest, fresh or dried
2 t minced fresh garlic
1 t onion powder
1 T kosher salt
black pepper
1 t oregano
1 T paprika
1 T cumin


2-3 jalapenos
2 cloves garlic
1/3 c cilantro or 3/4 fresh
2 T olive or avocado oil
1/3 c mayo
1 T vinegar
1/2 t kosher salt
2 t fresh lime juice
1 t lime zest

1 c onions, sliced thin
1 c shredded cabbage
1 T lime juice
1 t apple cider vinegar
salt
1/2 t sweetener of choice like sugar


Combine the marinade ingredients in a small food processor or use a stick blender.  Blend until thick and spread all over the chicken.  Roast at 400 until done.  About an hour for boneless thighs, or 1 1/2 hours for a whole chicken.  Remove and let the chicken set for at least 15 minutes or longer.  Can be prepared ahead as well.

For the sauce, combine the ingredients and blend with a stick blender or small processor until smooth.  Taste test for salt and pepper.  Combine the onion/cabbage mixture, and store in the refrigerator until needed.

1)  Serve the chicken hot with the cold sauce and the cold onion mixture.
2)  Serve the chicken cold on a tortilla wrap with the sauce an onion/cabbage mixture in it and add more cabbage
3)  Can also use Green Goddess Dressing in place of the cilantro sauce if you can't eat spicy foods or mix them.

Jalapeno and Cheese Stuffed Pork Loin Roast

 

(This is based on my pork chop version, which was posted in 2017 - which you can find here:  Jalapeno, Cheese and Bacon Smothered Grilled Pork Chops)

Here is the pork roast right after it came out of the oven, placed on the serving platter, before adding the vegetables for serving....

Basically you can use any amount of the cheese, jalapenos and bacon that you wish.  The same with the size pork loin or pork roast.  Depending on large of one you bought or how many people you are serving.

This pork roast looks fairly small in the photos but easily feeds 4 people.

 

Cheese, bacon & Jalapeno Pork Roast

Pork Loin or Roast (your choice cut and how large)
cream cheese - I used about 1/2 block or 4 oz. for this small pork roast, which was plenty
cheddar cheese (I used sharp cheddar this time but mild, medium or sharp will work fine)
diced jalapeno peppers - either fresh or bottled - your choice
cooked, crumbled bacon (fresh cooked and crumbled or bagged - your choice)
Optional:  cilantro, garlic or onion powder or even green onions

Form a pocket in the meat:

Lay the pork down on its side and use a knife to slice into the center, making a slice horizontally, but leaving about 1/2 - 3/4 inch on each side and the back/bottom.  Now turn the knife and make a vertical slice up and down, again leaving a bit on the top and bottom so you don't slice all the way through.  I added a couple more slices at angles in order to fill with more cheese filling.

Filling:

The amounts of the cheeses, bacon and jalapeno are up to you and your tastes.  If you don't like spicy foods or have children eating that are not used to spice, cut back on the jalapenos or just use a small can of diced green chili peppers (they are mild). 

We used about 4 ounces cream cheese, 1/3 cup cheddar, 1/4 cup sliced jalapenos, 1 T cooked, crumbled bacon (I just grabbed some of the Hormel real bacon bits I keep in the freezer at all times).  Mash this together and set aside.

Preheat your oven to 325.

Dry Rub: 

You could use any dry rub you like.  For this one I threw together a simple mixture using:
2 T salt
1 T ground coriander
2 T smoked paprika
3 T natural sweetener (most people would use sugar here - we are sugar free)
1/2 T espresso powder
1/2 t rosemary

Stand the pork upright and stuff the cheese mixture in.  Press it in well so it stays. 
Cover the pork roast in your dry rub spice mixture.  Roll and press gently to cover.

Heat a cast iron skillet on the stove with a bit of oil in it.  Now sear the pork roast on all sides except the cheese stuffed side.  Transfer the cast iron skillet (or any oven safe pan) to the oven and proceed to roast until done.  For the roast in my photos it was about an hour. 

(Note:  I also baked it propped 'up' so the cheese filling was on top during cooking.  This isn't necessary but I wanted to keep it all in during cooking and not have it melt/run out.  It naturally falls out when you lay it on the serving platter anyway but this way I kept it all in until serving time.)

PHOTOS BELOW

 

A simple mixture of cheeses and a bit of real bacon crumbles

   The pocket formed in the pork by slicing with a knife, but not all the way through.

Stuffed and ready for its dry rub marinade

 
All dressed up...

 
Searing in a hot pan

Transferring to the oven to finish cooking for about an hour

Hot from the oven, placed on a serving platter

Grabbed random veggies to throw together to serve with it; spinach, peppers, onions and zucchini squash with some oil, salt and pepper 

So simple yet so good

 

 

From My Instagram: Homemade Blueberry Granola (Can be made keto, sugarfree and low carb)

 

 

 

 

This weekend I posted on my Instagram that the homemade granola was replenished.  That might be why some of my readers are here, because they saw that one.  However, homemade granola is something I've posted a number of times in the past already - my favorites are blueberry granola and vanilla almond granola. 

Here is an image of one of the previous times I've posted this one...... for those of you who missed it or are new here.

 

 

There are SO MANY WAYS TO PLAY WITH THIS RECIPE!  I've noted some of mine below the recipe.

Blueberry Granola Cereal

1/3 c sweetener blend (Erythritol, Allulose, Bocha, - whatever you like)
1/2 c sliced almonds, crumbled a little bit
1/2 c pecans, chopped
1/4 c almond flour
1/4 c Angel Food Flavor whey protein powder or Vanilla Isopure Protein Powder
1/4 c egg white protein powder (I use Jay Robb)
1/4 c real butter
1 t blueberry emulsion (I use LorAnn)
1/2 t cinnamon powder

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. 
Stir the dry ingredients plus the emulsion together in a large bowl.  Cut in the butter in pieces until it starts to resemble crumbs.

Spread on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or foil.  Bake 12 minutes or so, stir, flip a little bit to get the edges to the center and the inside to the outside.  Continue baking another 5-10 minutes until it's starting to turn golden.

Remove from the oven but leave it on the baking sheet.  Stir it just a little bit, then leave it to cool completely. 
It crisps up as it cools.  When completely cooled and crisp, then you can package in an airtight jar or container. 

NOTE:  Play with your recipe to use what you have and what you like.  

• The sweetener mixture (Having at least 1/3 of your mixture be erythritol is best for it to crisp nicely).  
• The whey protein powders and egg white powders.  I'm stingy with my egg white protein powder because it's so expensive - almost always use a mixture of whey and egg white unless it's for something 'meringue' like.  
• I also only use Devotion and Isopure brand whey protein powders because they have zero sugar and zero carbs - many whey protein powders have carbs and sugar grams.  CHECK YOURS for accurate counts.
• I've added a couple tablespoons of Flaxseed meal to the last two batches I made.
• Added chopped walnuts to some of the batches - which I love.

Sheet Pan Style Crunch Wrap Supreme

If you are a regular reader of An American Housewife, you know our family loves homemade Crunch Wrap Supremes.  I've posted about them in the past.... Homemade Crunch Wrap Supreme

This week I made our regular Crunch Wrap meal into a 'sheet pan style' crunch wrap instead of individuals.  (But not really a supreme since I didn't have fresh lettuce and tomatoes on hand).  I did have the sour cream so it's a 'half way' supreme.  Ha ha.

To make these, I also used regular taco shells because I didn't have corn tostada shells on hand.  If you wanted, you could also use Doritos or any tortilla chip!

Another thing to play with is the cheese. I use nacho cheese sauce or cheddar cheese sauce when I make them individually but I just went ahead and used shredded cheddar for the sheet pan style.

You can make your own taco seasoning or store bought (I used my Chalupa seasoning mix this time around) and I mixed ground pork and ground beef together as pork is cheaper than beef so I like to make the beef go further. 

SO MANY SUBSTITUTIONS you can make.

NOTE:  the next time I make these sheet pan style, I will bake them without the sour cream inside, and just top the individual servings with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and sour cream, as well as extra taco sauce or salsa.  Since I wasn't going to the grocery store until the next day, I baked the sour cream inside as we were out of lettuce and tomatoes anyway!

Sheet Pan Crunch Wrap Supreme

1 1/2 lb. ground beef made into taco meat of your choice
1 pkg corn tostada shells, taco shells or even Doritos (use what you have)
1 pkg. flour tortilla shells 
1 can nacho cheese sauce or a couple handfuls of shredded cheddar cheese
butter
lettuce
sour cream
tomatoes
taco sauce
2 pans of similar size so one can lay on top of or inside the other

Lay a flour tortillas down inside a greased baking pan.  I used a sheet pan but any pan could work, just adjust your number of flour tortillas and  corn tortillas to fit.  Spread the meat over all.  Spoon and spread nacho cheese sauce on the meat (or used grated cheddar)  and top with a crunchy tostada shell, taco shells, etc.  Add some taco sauce over all.

Lay 2 or 3 more flour tortillas down the center of your pan, start to fold the wrap up over the tostadas or shells.   Cover the shells or tostadas completely with the flour tortillas, folding in the edges.  Spread butter all over the flour tortillas and use a second pan of similar size laid down on top of it all to hold the flour tortillas in place and help to get them golden brown and crisp.

Bake at 425 degrees until golden brown when checked (I think mine was around 20 minutes - I didn't time it.)  I just kept an eye on the edge of flour tortilla showing and then picked the top pan up to check how golden brown they were.  They are done when heated through, and golden brown and crispy.

 

I used a mixture of ground pork and ground beef since we always have both on hand (I grind our meat myself).  This makes my more expensive beef go further when I also mix pork with it. 

 

Make your filling with whatever you like for your taco meat fillings.  (Store bought seasoning mix, homemade, etc.)

 

Line a greased pan with flour tortillas.

 

Spreading the meat mixture

 

Cover all the flour tortillas with the taco or chalupa meat

 

Add a layer of cheese - shredded or even canned cheese spreads

 

Normally I'd leave the sour cream off and serve it as a topping with lettuce and tomatoes and onions.  As I noted above, I was out of lettuce and tomatoes and wouldn't be going to the store until the next day, so I just opted to bake the sour cream on it so I could clean up the kitchen while they baked, and serve without any toppings, fuss or mess.

Drizzled taco sauce (or your favorite salsa) over as well.

 

Add your crunchy layer.  My usual is tostadas but I only had taco shells on hand this time.

Add a couple flour tortillas to the center to cover, and fold the edges in so it's all covered up tight.  Spread butter over all.

 

Set a second baking pan or sheet on it to hold the tortillas down, in place and help them cook to a golden brown and crispy layer.

 

Its 'done' when heated through and everything is a rich golden brown.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From my Instagram: Homemade Taco Sauce

If you are clicking here today because you saw my post on the crunch wrap supremes and homemade taco sauce I was making today, here is the taco sauce!

No sense in re-creating the wheel as I've posted this recipe numerous times in the past.  Here is a re-post of one from 2021. 

  

2021...

 

I've been watching the bottle of taco sauce in the door of the refrigerator go down lower and lower...  I planned to make Mexican style foods tonight for dinner and although we have a lot of homemade canned salsa on our pantry shelves, the entree' I'm making is really best and tastes fabulous with my homemade Taco Bell style taco sauce and I can/could eat this stuff with a spoon so it was time to make more.

No worries.  It takes less than 10 minutes and I can make 4 bottles worth in one recipe!  

I've been making this for 20 years. I used to put it into small mason jars or re-purposed dressing jars, iced coffee bottles, etc.  but a number of years ago they started to sell Taco Bell sauce in the grocery store and once in a while I'd buy it.  I then save the bottles and reuse them.  

I'm doing this from memory but it's so easy and follows a 4-3-2-1 pattern, I'm sure you'll memorize it in a minute as well!

Taco Sauce

3 c water
3 t corn starch

Place in a sauce pan on the stove, turn on the heat to medium high and whisk. When it's all mixed in, add;

1 - 6 oz. can tomato paste
4 t chili powder
3 T white vinegar
2 t salt
1 t cayenne pepper powder

Whisk over medium high heat just until it starts to bubble and thicken, turn down to simmer and simmer for a few minutes before removing from heat and letting cool down before you pour it into whatever containers you wish.

 

There is a video on my story on Instagram today that includes me whisking and stirring the taco sauce on the stove.

Here are some random photos I took quickly with my cellphone of me whipping up a batch quickly while the baby was playing and giving me a few minutes to do so! 

  

 

Sauce is done - filling the bottles

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White Chicken Chili - A creamy version

Is a really crappy, quick, low quality photo snapped on my phone really quickly better than no photo at all?

 

I thought I had this recipe on An American Housewife long ago... it was only after I made it this weekend that I did a quick check and didn't see it.  I had just loaded my bowl full of the white chicken chili when I checked; it wasn't there.  I could have taken a nice picture of my bowl full - placed on the wooden dining table - looking really yummy and inviting (because it was) but you guys... I was so hungry!  I just couldn't get myself to care enough to take 1 minute longer to take a nice photo.

I ate my chili.  Went back for seconds - snapped this photo above as I ladled it into the bowl - and that was good enough for me.

I swear I put this one here at some point in the past but sometimes google doesn't catch all the pages in its searches so here it is again.

 

Creamy White Chicken Chili

2 T butter or oil
1 med onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
fresh minced garlic
2 lb. chicken (either ground or diced pieces)
1 T cumin
1 T chili powder
1 t oregano
salt and pepper to taste
3 small cans green chilies, diced
1 can, rinsed and drained black soy beans (for keto chili) or regular black beans for non-low carb
1 c chicken broth
1 c heavy cream
8 oz. cream cheese
1-2 T fresh lime juice

Cook the onions and green pepper in the butter or oil until translucent and soft.  Add the garlic (1-4 teaspoons depending on much you like).  Cook 1 minute more.  Add your chicken pieces and cook until they are done (about 8 minutes should do it).  Add in the spices.  Stir.  Add the green chilies and beans if you are using any; add the broth and heavy cream.

Cut the cream cheese into pieces and add, simmering and stirring until they are melted.  Add about 2 T fresh lime juice - I never measure, I just squeeze and sometimes it's probably closer to 3 T.  Simmer on low until you serve it.  Don't let it boil since it has cream in it.

Serve as is, or sprinkle with some shredded cheddar on top or even some cilantro.