German Potato Salad

I hate potato salad...this is not potato salad.  I think it's ridiculous that it's called potato salad.  No mayonnaise anywhere near it.  Bacon, vinegar and potatoes, what's there not to love!  Andrew still doesn't like it but I'm not sure he tried it.  He certainly won't try it with the onions in there :)

German Potato Salad (adapted from this recipe)

6 c diced potatoes, leave the skin on, it won't hurt you!

8 slices bacon, diced a bit before you cook them, mine was still slightly frozen which makes it easy

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 c rice vinegar

1/4 c water
3 T sugar

1/2 tsp salt, to taste (can depend on how salty your bacon is)

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

2 T fresh parsley

1. Place potatoes in a pot and fill with enough water to cover.  Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork.  Drain and set aside to cool a bit.

2. Place bacon in large, deep frying pan over med-hi heat.  Fry until browned and crisp.  Remove from pan with slotted spoon and set aside.

3.  Add the onion to the bacon grease and cook over medium heat until browned (or even carmelized but to carmelize turn the heat down a bit).  If there's too much grease drain a little bit.  Add the vinegar, water, salt and pepper to the pan.  Bring to a boil and then add the potatoes and parsley.

4.  Add about half of the bacon.  Heat through, then transfer to a serving dish.  Add remaining bacon over the top and serve warm.

Note: I made this for a potluck at work last week.  I made the dish the night before and then transferred it to my crock-pot.  The next day I just heated it up on low for a few hours before the potluck.  Seemed to work fine to me! 

Posted at Monday Mania and Grain-free Real Food!

Slow Cooker Citrus Pork Roast

Make this immediately!  It is yummy.  Love citrus and pork.  Serve this with baked potatoes...the "gravy" is awesome on them too. (Adapted from this recipe.)

Slow Cooker Citrus Pork Roast

pork roast - medium size
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons coconut aminos or soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup orange juice

In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, thyme, ginger and pepper; rub over roast. In a large skillet over medium heat, brown roast on all sides in oil.

Place roast in slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the broth, sugar, lemon juice, coconut aminos/soy sauce and orange peel; pour over roast. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160º.  Our roast had a bone so we cooked it a bit longer.

Remove roast and keep warm. In a saucepan, combine the cornstarch and orange juice until smooth; stir in cooking juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with the roast. 

PS. If your roast has a bone, save it for making stock!

For more good ideas visit Pennywise Platter Thursday!

Easy Recipes: Sneaky or Frugal

We had leftover butternut squash fries from the other night and I don't really care for them as leftovers. We also had some white beans from our produce box I cooked up last week and an open can of re-fried beans. Smoky bean soup to the rescue!  Used chicken stock that I made to puree the squash and added it to the bean soup.  I also added a can of tomatoes and left the corn out.  Put everything in the crock-pot and let it cook all day.  Made for a tasty, quick dinner after we got home from our evening walk. So was it sneaky or frugal...or maybe both :)

Check out more yummies at Vegetarian Foodie Fridays #27!

Easy Recipes: Lamb and Spaghetti Sauce over Quinoa

With a new baby in the house, we are trying to eat well.  However, we don't always have the time for things we used to.  Thus, "easy recipes."  I had purchased a cheaper package of lamb...not sure now what it was.  Perhaps a lamb chop.  Either way, it was a couple chunks of lamb without bones.  I threw that in the crock-pot frozen and covered it with about half a jar of spaghetti sauce.  Cooked on high for 3 hours and turned it down to low until dinner time.  Andrew cooked up a batch of quinoa, we shredded the meat in the sauce and served it over the quinoa with sauteed green beans on the side.  It was tasty, easy and relatively healthy.  This would work with any meat.  It would be good over pasta, rice or a baked potato as well.

Check out more great recipes at: Pennywise Platter Thursday at the Nourishing Gourmet and the Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap!