Category Archives: Main Course

Slow Cooker Carnitas

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This recipe graciously stolen from Sarah Kate Gillingham at The Kitchn.

(Picture to come.)

The Goods
1 (6- to 8-pound) pork shoulder, boneless or not
2 tablespoons coarse salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 chipotle peppers (dried)
1/2 cup tomato juice
2 1/2 cups orange juice

The Gettin’
1.  Combine all of the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on the lowest setting you have time for (at least 8 hours, 10 is ideal.)  If your shoulder had a bone, it should literally fall off the bone when it’s time.
2.  While it’s cooking, you don’t really want it to boil, so should you see some intense boiling action, just crack open the lid a little bit.  Pork shoulder is a hardy piece of meat, so don’t fret over it.  🙂
3.  When it’s finished cooking, shred the meat!  Again, it should be very easy to do so after cooking for so long.

The Take
These are good!  I love carnitas, so I appreciate having an easy, low-prep recipe for them where all I have to do is combine some ingredients in a slow cooker.  For my money, the other carnitas recipe on this site is better, but sometimes you just don’t have the time or want to expend the effort. 🙂


Total Time:  10 hrs 15 minutes (all but 15 min inactive)
Prep – 15 minutes
Yield:  18 to 24 servings of carnitas

Level: Easy

Jordan’s Delectable Slow-Cooker Pot Roast

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This recipe created masterfully by Jordan.

The Goods
1 beef roast (often advertised as pot roast, any size that will fit in your slow cooker)
1 lb carrots, peeled
1 container mushrooms, washed
1 or 2 onions, sliced
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp oregano
1 bottle of red wine you’d like to drink
salt and pepper
olive oil for searing

The Gettin’
1. Liberally salt and pepper both sides of roast.  If you have time, wait a bit for the salt to get into the meat, about 30 minutes.  No big deal if you can’t.
2. Sear the roast on both sides in frying pan on medium-high heat with olive oil. (It doesn’t keep the moisture in, but it does make a nice brown “crust.”)  After the roast is nice and brown on all sides, place it into the slow cooker.
3. There should be some tasty bits and juice left in your frying pan.  Place your carrots in the pan and soften them up a little bit on medium-high.  When they look a little brown/softer, place them into the slow cooker.  (No need to overdo it.)
4. Do the same with the mushrooms and onions.  Cook ’em a little in the tasty juice, and then place into the slow cooker.
5. Liberally salt and pepper the ingredients in the slow cooker.  You can also add the garlic powder and oregano at this time.
6. Pour about 3/4 of the bottle of wine into the slow cooker.  Save the remaining 1/4 to apply to the cook as needed.
7.  Cook for at least 8 hours, covered, on the low or very low setting.  The longer, the better.  Keep an eye on the slow cooker every so often – even on low settings it will tend to boil – just crack the lid open to cool it off if you see this.  Again, don’t fret over it.
8. Kiss the cook (Lauren’s suggestion).

The Take:
A pot roast is a wonderful thing, and a pot roast recipe is delightfully flexible.  Want a different vegetable?  Cool.  You’d rather use stock instead of wine?  Fine.  Adapt it however you see fit – all you need is the meat, something to cook it in and something to cook it with!

Total Time: 8 hrs 20 minutes – 10 hrs 20 minutes (all but 20 min inactive)
Prep – 20 minutes
Cook– 6-8 hours

Yield: 8 servings

Level: Easy

Taco Salad: Look, no forks!

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This recipe inspired by Lauren’s lack of foresight and quick rush to think of dinner.

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The Goods
1 lb. ground beef
3 tbsp Taco Seasoning (SCD)
16 large lettuce leaves
Cheddar Cheese
Pico de Gallo
Sliced Olives
SCD Yogurt
Salt to taste

The Gettin’
1. Cook ground beef with taco seasoning until done.
2. Take lettuce leaf and fill with seasoned meat.
3. Layer sliced cheddar cheese over meat and heat for 30 seconds in microwave to melt.
4. Top with pico and olives to taste.
5. Mix yogurt with salt and drizzle over the “taco”.
6. Lift up the lettuce leaf and enjoy!

The Take
Having the seasoning pre-made and SCD pico available at our grocery store, this made sense for a quick dinner!  I basically picked up anything that would be easy and tasty on a taco and layered it up!  It seemed like a really fancy and flavorful meal that is easy on the eyes, without a lot of fuss or clean up! All around, it was a good day.

Total Time:  15 minutes
Prep –5 minutes
Cook – 10 minutes

Yield:  16 servings

Level: Easy

SCD Pulled Pork

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This recipe adapted graciously from mycrankygut.com.

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The Goods
1 Boston Butt roast, about 4 lbs. 2 onions, sliced into half-rounds
1 cup SCD ketchup
1/2 cup beef stock
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp Tabasco sauce (adjust to taste)
1 tsp kosher salt

Rub for the roast:
4 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp SCD chili powder
1 tbsp ground black pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp salt

The Gettin’
1.  Combine all the rub ingredients. Rub into all surfaces of the pork roast.  Put roast in a crock pot.
2.  Add onions to pan and carmelize, 15 minutes. Deglaze pan with stock and vinegar, and bring to a boil.  Add to crock pot.  Add remaining ingredients and cover.  Cook 8 hours on low, until pork falls apart.
3.  Pull pork apart with forks.  Optionally, use a immersion blender to blend the onion and contribute to the sauce.

The Take I think this is the best crock pot recipe we’ve ever made.  The flavor of the pork was excellent and the pork fell apart in the crock pot – what else could one ask for?

Total Time: 8  hours 30 minutes
Prep – 30 minutes
Cook – 8 hours

Yield:  20 servings

Level: Easy

Christmas is Coming… U.S. Wellness Meats!

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Guys, Christmas is coming!
Christmas is coming!

christmas-tree_1

We’ve been searching for a reasonable SCD ham to purchase for Christmas or Christmas Eve dinner.
We finally found one that we are going to try!

The one or two sites that we’ve seen with sugar free ham options tend to sell the ham itself for 60 -70 buckaroos or it is HUGE.  This site you can get a 2.5 ibs. sugar-free ham (Pork, Water, Sea Salt) for $23.68.  The only downside is you have to buy at least 7 ibs. of meat per order…  BUT HEY, let’s make the best of it!  We’ll be getting the ham to try along with some beef sticks and a variety of jerkies (plan, spicy, beef, turkey) for the road trip snacks to and from family’s homes!  How about some breakfast sausage to have on Christmas morn?!

There are more SCD options than posted below on their website, these are just the ones we are interested in for ourselves:

Christmas Eve or Christmas Dinner?

Sugar-Free Ham

Traveling Snack Options?

Long Beef Snack Sticks

Beef Jerky Portions Plan

Beef Jerky Portions Spicy

Beef Jerky Sticks Plain

Beef Jerky Sticks Spicy

Beef Jerky Sticks Plan Self Stable

Extra Spicy Beef Jerky Sticks

Sugar Free Turkey Jerky Plan

Turkey Jerky Sticks Spicy

Easy Christmas Morning Breakfast Options?

Sugar Free Bacon

Beef Breakfast Sausage Sliders – currently out of sock

Beef Polish Sliders – currently out of stock

Sugar Free Pork Breakfast Sausage

Braised Short Ribs with Gravy

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This recipe graciously stolen from the Real Food Forager.

The Goods
2 – 3 lbs short ribs
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
3 – 4 stalks celery, sliced
20 or so baby carrots
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1 bay leaf
handful of peppercorns (15 or so)
1 cup beef stock
1 cup water
salt to taste

The Gettin’
1.  On top of the stove, heat the dutch oven to medium, melt some tallow or lard (we used bacon grease) and gently brown all side of the short ribs – you may have to do this in sections until all the meat is browned.
2.  Hold the meat aside in a large bowl.
3.  There should be plenty of fat in the pan — add all the vegetables except the garlic and saute until somewhat soft.
4.  At the end, for a minute or two, add the garlic and let it warm up.
5.  Add the meat back in on top of the vegetables.
6.  Add the beef stock, the water and the bay leaf and the salt.  Add whatever other herbs you like, too.
7.  Cover the dutch oven and put inside the stove at 325 degrees F for 3 — 4 hours.

For the gravy…

1.  Remove all the meat from the dutch oven.
2.  Using an immersion blender, blend the vegetables with the liquid gravy to create a nice, thick starch-free gravy!  Reserve as many vegetables as you want, or blend them all, depending on how thick you like your gravy.
3.  Add salt to taste.

The Take
This is the kind of meal that is perfect for a cold autumn day.  On those days, you need something that “sticks to your bones.”  These ribs are the perfect meal for that – filling, wholesome, and delicious!  Creating the gravy by blending the vegetables is innovative and tasty!

Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
Prep –  45 minutes (both before and after cooking)
Cook – 3 hours

Yield:  6 servings

Level: Easy

Chile Relleno Casserole… Classic & a Staple

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This recipe graciously stolen from nomorecrohns.com and used a gazillion times.

The Goods
1 large can (27 oz) whole Ortega Green Chilies, split
1-1/2 c. freshly grated cheddar cheese (pre-grated cheeses contain starch)
1-1/2 c. freshly grated jack cheese
Salt and pepper
4 large eggs
1 c. homemade SCD yogurt
1 small can sliced black olives
1 medium-size firm-ripe tomato, diced

The Gettin’
1. Slice chilies open and arrange half of the chilies, spread open, in a single layer on the bottom of a shallow 1-1/2 to 2-quart baking dish.
2. Evenly sprinkle half of the cheddar and jack cheeses over chilies. Spread on half the olives. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Repeat layers, using remaining chilies, cheeses, and olives.
4. In a bowl, beat together eggs and yogurt until blended. Pour evenly over chilies and cheese, topping with remaining olives.
5. Bake at 375 degrees until custard is set and jiggles only slightly in center when gently shaken and edges have begun to brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool 5 to 10 minutes.
6. Garnish with the diced tomatoes on top.

The Take
We make this all the time. It takes some prep with the cheese grating and slicing, but is really tasty and we love it as leftovers.  Frequently we’ll make taco meat to have with it as well.  So stinkin’ good, guys. Seriously try it.

Total Time: 50 minutes
Prep –  20 minutes
Cook – 30 hours

Yield:  10 servings

Level: Easy

Roasted Lamb Breast

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This recipe is graciously stolen from Chef John at foodwishes.blogspot.com.

[picture to come.]

The Goods
1 lamb breast, about 3-4 lbs.

For the spice rub:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

For the “chimichurri” sauce:

1/2 cup packed chopped Italian parsley
2 cloves crushed garlic
1/3 cup white wine vinegar, more as needed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon honey
juice from 1 lemon
pinch of salt

The Gettin’
1.  Preheat oven to 300° F.
2.  Combine all ingredients for the spice rub.  Rub the rub (teehee) generously all over the lamb breast.
3.  Place the lamb breast in a roasting pan and cover tightly with foil.  Place pan in oven and cook for 2 1/2 – 3 hours, or until fork tender.
4.  Remove lamb from oven (in the meantime, set the oven to 450° F) and separate into serving size portions.  Place portions on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil and brush excess fat from the roasting pan on the lamb breast portions.
5.  Place lamb back into the preheated 450° F for 15-20 minutes or until well browned.
6.  While lamb is finishing, combine ingredients for chimichurri sauce and mix well.
7.  After lamb has cooked, turn broiler on high and broil for 3-4 minutes, or until a nice crust has formed.
8.  Serve lamb portions with chimichurri sauce poured on top!

The Take
Although this meal does not serve a lot considering the time involved, it is decadent enough to be perfect for that special occasion or that special someone!  The rich, robust flavor of the lamb is paired excellently with the mock chimichurri sauce.  This one is a mouth-waterer for sure!

Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
Prep –  15 minutes
Cook – 3 hours

Yield:  4

Level: Medium

Mmmm Mmmm Good… Tomato Soup

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This recipe is graciously stolen from Colene at allrecipes.com.

The Goods
46 oz. Campbell’s tomato juice (SCD Approved)
1 pkg frozen carrots
1 pkg frozen green beans
1 pkg frozen peas
1 pkg frozen cauliflower
1 stalk celery
1/2 lb  mushrooms
1 onion
Italian Spices
Salt
Pepper

The Gettin’
1. Chop any ingredients you want to add that are not frozen: celery, onion, mushrooms, etc.
2. In a large pot over medium heat combine the tomato juice, water, mixed vegetables, Italian spices, salt and pepper to taste. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes.

The Take
Lauren loves this soup.  It is easy, quick and delicious. Perfect for a cold day.  Add a slice of cheddar on top when serving and boy oh boy watch out!  You can substitute different veggies of your choosing and can easily downsize this recipe if you want something even quicker.  So good. So good.

Total Time: 35 minutes
Prep –  5 minutes
Cook – 30 minutes

Yield:  12

Level: Easy

“Crushless Spinach Quiche” Better than the Junk Quiche

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This recipe graciously stolen from ANY14TNS at allrecipes.com.

The Goods
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
5 eggs, beaten
3 cups shredded Muenster cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

The Gettin’
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9 inch pie pan.
2.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft. Stir in spinach and continue cooking until excess moisture has evaporated.
3.  In a large bowl, combine eggs, cheese, salt and pepper. Add spinach mixture and stir to blend. Scoop into prepared pie pan.
4.  Bake in preheated oven until eggs have set, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

The Take
It is pretty good quiche.  We’ve only made it with cheddar, so we’ll have to try it with the Munster. Like like like it! Oh and the name change?  Lauren’s family had a crustless quiche recipe, but when typing it, input crushless… we like that better. 🙂

Total Time: 50 minutes
Prep –  20 minutes
Cook–  30 hour

Yield: 6 servings

Level: Easy