Pull Pork Burgers

For those of you following along on snapchat, you already knew I spent Thanksgiving up in Seattle with my husband and parents. And for those of you who don’t do snapchat, well now you know!! Besides the obvious family time and Thanksgiving dinner, that trip also meant a GIANT football game during rivals week. The whole Dalkin family went to University of Michigan. That is until it was time for me to go to college and I decided it was too cold there so I broke tradition and hightailed it to California. That said, I’m still a Michigan fan by birth. And when Michigan is playing, everyone in the fam parks it on the couch for the game. While we BARELY lost the game this year, we also won because I made the most epic Honey BBQ Pulled Pork Burgers!! I mean, EPIC. They were ah-mazing and they’ll be happening for family gatherings and game day events for the foreseeable future.

In case you forgot, I’m teaming up with the National Pork Board this season to bring you some of my favorite pork inspired recipes like this one! Remember that Ham and Cheese pasta from a few weeks back – it’s a game changer! And all of you posting pics of it on social media, when you make it at home, literally warms my heart! It’s an easy recipe that makes dinner a cinch. These Honey BBQ Pulled Pork Burgers take a bit longer but are equally as easy as my ham + cheese pasta. They take longer because we’re pulling out the slow cooker – but the prep time is basically equal to the simple ham+cheese pasta dish! Once the pork is cooked and shredded and ready to roll, it gets slathered on a brioche bun and topped with a red cabbage slaw which is the perfect complement to the pork. It’s perfect for cold winter days and I’ll be on repeat for ever and ever.


PS!! This year the National Pork Board has a Pork Be inspired Facebook bot. Follow Pork Be inspired on Facebook and click “message” to talk to the Bot to discover new pork recipes. Plus, you can browse through even more recipes, tips and more at www.PorkBeinspired.com. You can also check out “Make It a Moment” videos, as well as fresh content from their other “Moment Makers,” (like me!) including Facebook Live recipe demos (coming on Wednesday!)

 

HONEY BBQ PULLED PORK BURGERS

Honey BBQ Pulled Pork Burgers

INGREDIENTS

    • 2 1/2 pounds pork Shoulder
    • 2 cups ketchup
    • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
    • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
    • 1/4 cup honey
    • 1/4 cup tomato paste
    • 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
    • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
    • 3 teaspoons salt
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon chili powder
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Red Cabbage Slaw
    • 1 small head red cabbage, shredded
    • 4 large carrots, shredded
    • 4 green onions, thinly sliced
    • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • 1 garlic clove, minced
    • 1/3 cup olive oil
    • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
    • 1 tbsp honey
For Serving
  • Brioche Burger Buns, buttered and toasted
  • Sliced Jalapeños
  • Cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. For the pulled pork, combine all the ingredients except the blade pork roast and the buns in a slow cooker or heavy bottom dutch oven and mix together with a spoon. Add the 2 pieces of blade pork roast and cover the slow cooker. Set for 8 hours on low. After 8 hours, using 2 forks, shred the pork and remove the pork with the remaining sauce into a large bowl.
  2. If you’re using a dutch oven, place over medium-high heat and bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover and transfer to a 325 pre-heated oven: Cook for 2 to 4 hours, until fork tender: Let the pork cook undisturbed for 2 hours, then begin checking it every half hour. Total cooking time will be 2 to 4 hours. The pork is done when it is fork-tender. Then, remove from the oven and using 2 forks, shred the pork and remove the pork with the remaining sauce into a large bowl. Serve between toasted buns with any desired toppings.
  3. To make the slaw, combine the cabbage, carrots and onions in a large bowl. Whisk the mustard, garlic, oil, vinegar, lime juice and honey together. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Toss with the cabbage mixture. And let sit for 30 minutes. Assemble pulled pork burgers with pork, slaw, cilantro and jalapeños!

Delicious Mac And Cheese

The Ultimate Mac and Cheese from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@whatsgabycookin)

Mac and Cheese is a staple in my life. I’ve told you this before it’s a miracle that I didn’t turn into a noodle considering 99% of my diet from age 2-18 was pasta. I love it every which way, but the ultimate pasta dish for me is a mac and cheese. And today, because I function with the mentality that more is more, I made mac and cheese and then gave it 3 variations because it’s December and that’s allowed!

Where do we start? A few months back I spent a whirlwind 48 hours in Seattle with KitchenAid learning all about their lines of both major and small appliances. (such a tough job, right??) After I got home, my kitchen got a little bit of a facelift with some new KitchenAid® countertop appliances and I’ve been putting them to work ever since. Perhaps my favorite is the KitchenAid® Compact Oven. I’ve always wanted one and Thomas has been begging for one for years and I just never got around to snagging one. But things have changed and this Compact Oven is my life. It’s now replaced the microwave for me almost 99% of the time and it makes baking SO EASY!! If I’m hosting a big dinner party this time of year, you can bet that I’m making most things in the Compact Oven which is a life saver.

The Ultimate Mac and Cheese from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@whatsgabycookin)

That was a long-winded way of telling you what inspired my mac and cheese extravaganza today! Between the Compact Oven, my new KitchenAid® Mini Food Processor, AND the most epic KitchenAid® Multi-Cooker with Stir Tower, you’re basically set when it comes to making mac and cheese. Below you’ll find my master recipe and then 3 alterations. Some with meat, some with veggies and ALL with plenty of cheese!

There’s a Gouda + Crispy Pancetta Mac and Cheese, a Brown Butter + Sage Mac and Cheese, and a Broccoli + Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese! I mean, a little something for everyone am I right? Grab the recipes below, make all of them, and then let me know which you prefer! I can’t pick a favorite – it’s like asking a mom to pick their favorite child!!

The Ultimate Mac and Cheese from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@whatsgabycookin)

The Ultimate Mac and Cheese from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@whatsgabycookin)

The Ultimate Mac and Cheese from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@whatsgabycookin)

And since it’s December and we’re giving things away and pretending to be Santa… how would you guys feel about 1 lucky winner getting all of these things aka a KitchenAid® Compact Oven, Mini Food Processor, Multi-Cooker and Professional Cutlery Set so you can make your own epic mac and cheese creation at home! All you have to do is whip up your own Mac & Cheese creation on Instagram, use #MadeWithKitchenAid and tag both @KitchenAidUSA and @whatsgabycookin and you’re entered to win! (Just make sure to tag me IN the actual photo so I can keep track easily too!)

The Ultimate Mac and Cheese from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@whatsgabycookin)

THE ULTIMATE MAC AND CHEESE

The Ultimate Mac and Cheese

INGREDIENTS

For the Master Mac and Cheese
    • 1 pound Elbow pasta
    • 4 cups milk
    • kosher salt
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 3/4 cup grated Monterey jack cheese, shredded using the KitchenAid® Mini Food Processor
    • 3/4 cup grated cheddar, shredded using the KitchenAid® Mini Food Processor
    • Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
For the Broccoli and Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
    • 1 pound Casareccia
    • 4 cups milk
    • kosher salt
    • 2 tablespoon butter
    • 1 ½ cup Havarti cheese, shredded using the mini KitchenAid® Mini Food Processor
    • ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese, shredded using the mini KitchenAid® Mini Food Processor
    • 1 cup Roasted Broccolini (recipe below)
    • 1 cup Roasted Butternut Squash (recipe below)
    • Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
For the Brown Butter and Sage Mac and Cheese
    • 1 pound Mezzi Rigatoni
    • 4 cups milk
    • kosher salt
    • 2 tablespoon butter
    • 6-8 sage leaves, ripped into small pieces
    • 1 cup fontina cheese, shredded using the mini KitchenAid® Mini Food Processor
    • Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
    • 3 tablespoons butter (topping)
    • 1 cup panko bread crumbs (topping)
For the Gouda + Crispy Pancetta Mac and Cheese
  • 8 ounces pancetta, cut into small pieces
  • 1 pound Gremelli
  • 4 cups milk
  • kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 cup smoked gouda, shredded using the mini KitchenAid® Mini Food Processor
  • 1/2 cup gouda, shredded using the mini KitchenAid® Mini Food Processor
  • Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (topping)
  • 2 shallots, diced (topping)
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed (topping)
  • Leaves from 1/4 bunch fresh thyme (topping)

INSTRUCTIONS

For the Master Mac and Cheese
    1. In medium saucepan, over medium high heat, add milk, raw pasta, 1 teaspoon salt and butter. Slowly bring the milk and macaroni mixture to a simmer, stirring the macaroni frequently as it comes up to a simmer. Keep an eye on the mixture to make sure the pasta continually gets stirred.
    2. Once simmering, turn down heat to low. Stir frequently. Cook for about 17-20 minutes or until the pasta is fully cooked. Drain the excess milk and place the pasta back into the pot.
    3. Stir in ½ cup of the cheddar and ½ cup of the jack cheese and stir until the cheese is evenly incorporated into the macaroni. Transfer the mixture in a medium baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the mac and cheese and bake 15 minutes until golden brown on top. Serve as needed.
For the Broccoli and Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese
    1. Preheat KitchenAid® Compact Oven to 350 degrees F.
    2. In medium saucepan over medium high heat, add milk, pasta, 1 teaspoon salt and butter. Slowly bring the milk and macaroni mixture to a simmer, stirring the macaroni frequently as it comes up to a simmer. Keep an eye on the mixture to make sure the pasta continually gets stirred.
    3. Once simmering, turn down heat to low. Stir frequently. Cook for about 17-20 minutes or until the pasta is fully cooked. Drain the excess milk and place the pasta back into the pot.
    4. Stir in 1 cup Havarti and ½ cup parmesan cheese. Add the roasted vegetables . Stir until the cheese is evenly incorporated into the pasta. Transfer the mixture in a medium KitchenAid® baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese and bake 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve as needed
    5. To make the Roasted Butternut Squash and Broccolini, cut the Butternut Squash into 1/2 inch pieces. Transfer the cut Butternut Squash into the KitchenAid® Multi-Cooker. Season with 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper and 1/4 teaspoons red pepper flakes. Turn the multi-cooker to sauté and turn the stir tower to level 1. Let the Butternut Squash cook for 15-20 minutes.
    6. Meanwhile, cut the broccolini into 1/2 inch pieces. Transfer the cut broccolini into the KitchenAid® Multi-Cooker with the butternut squash. Let the broccolini cook for 10 minutes with the butternut squash. Remove and use in the mac and cheese as needed.
For the Brown Butter and Sage Mac and Cheese
    1. Preheat KitchenAid® Compact Oven to 350 degrees F.
    2. In medium saucepan over medium high heat, add milk, pasta, 1 teaspoon salt and butter. Slowly bring the milk and macaroni mixture to a simmer, stirring the macaroni frequently as it comes up to a simmer. Keep an eye on the mixture to make sure the pasta continually gets stirred.
    3. Once simmering, turn down heat to low. Stir frequently. Cook for about 17-20 minutes or until the pasta is fully cooked. Drain the excess milk and place the pasta back into the pot.
    4. Make the brown butter. Start by melting the butter over medium heat in a small sauce pan. Use a pan with a light-colored bottom so you can keep track of the color. Swirl the pan occasionally to be sure the butter is cooking evenly. As the butter melts, it will begin to foam. The color will progress from lemony-yellow to golden-tan to, finally, a toasty-brown. Once you smell that nutty aroma, take the pan off the heat and add the sage.
    5. Stir in the grated cheese and butter. Stir until the cheese is evenly incorporated into the pasta. Transfer the mixture in a medium KitchenAid® baking dish. Melt the butter for the topping and stir with the panko bread crumbs. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top of the mac and cheese and bake at 15 minutes until crispy. Serve as needed
For the Gouda + Crispy Pancetta Mac and Cheese
  1. Preheat KitchenAid® Compact Oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In medium saucepan, sauté the pancetta until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. In the same medium skillet, over medium high heat, add milk, raw elbow macaroni, 1 teaspoon salt and butter. Slowly bring the milk and macaroni mixture to a simmer, stirring the macaroni frequently as it comes up to a simmer. Keep an eye on the mixture to make sure the pasta continually gets stirred.
  3. Once simmering, turn down heat to low. Stir frequently. Cook for about 17-20 minutes or until the pasta is fully cooked. Drain the excess milk and place the pasta back into the pot.
  4. Meanwhile sauté the shallot, garlic and thyme in the olive oil until shallot is translucent.
  5. Stir in the grated cheese and ½ of the pancetta. Stir until the cheese is evenly incorporated into the macaroni. Transfer the mixture in a medium KitchenAid® baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining pancetta on top of the mac and cheese and the shallot mixture and bake for 15 minutes until crispy. Serve as needed

French Lentil Soup

We’re reaching the height of the winter holiday season, and at this point many of us are feeling a little frazzled, a little harried, and more than a little ready for things to slow down. I don’t know about you, but the more effort I make to stay grounded, the more able I am to fully experience the meaning and warmth of this season. For me, staying grounded means getting enough sleep, spending time on my yoga mat, and soulful, simple cooking. This simple French lentil soup is exactly the kind of recipe I crave at this time of year: a hearty, grounding, nourishing meal that demands little more than some hands-off simmering.

The recipe is so simple that it barely necessitates a formal recipe. The measurements don’t have to be precise, as long as you use about a quart of broth or water for every cup of lentils. Other than that, you begin by sautéing some onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. You add lentils, liquid, and the herbs and seasonings you have. You can finish the soup with a splash of vinegar, a drizzle of olive oil, or–if you’re feeling a little fancy–some sherry. That’s it.

french-lentil-soup-4

Other additions, such as leafy greens, won’t hurt. Neither will crushed or diced tomatoes, curry powder, vegan yogurt, lemon juice or zest, or a host of other optional additions. But no matter how you choose to play with the recipe over time, the backbone can remain the same: vegetables, lentils, stock, herbs, and time.

Simple French Lentil Soup | The Full Helping
Simple French Lentil Soup | The Full Helping

One of my challenges with lentil soup in the past has been that lentils can get stuck to the bottom of a soup pot; this is truest for red lentils, at least in my experience, but it can happen with any lentil, not to mention split peas (another favorite legume). When I made a pot of this soup last night, I used my GreenLife cookware 5-quart covered stockpot. I love using this pot for soups and stews: it’s durable, light (which means it’s easy to store and move around the kitchen as needed), and I love the deep burgundy color!

Simple French Lentil Soup | The Full Helping

No sticking means no scrubbing or soaking after cooking. An easy cooking process and minimal cleanup are just a few reasons that I love my cookware from GreenLife. I also love that the brand is budget-friendly and on a mission to help introduce cooks of all ages and experience levels to the fun of cooking. If you’re just starting to build your own kitchen repertoire, this soup is an accessible and rewarding recipe to start with.

RECIPE TYPE: SOUP
CUISINE: GLUTEN FREE, SOY FREE, TREE NUT FREE
AUTHOR: GENA HAMSHAW
PREP TIME:
COOK TIME:
TOTAL TIME:
SERVES: 4 SERVINGS (RECIPE CAN BE DOUBLED)
Ingredients
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 large white or yellow onion, diced
    • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
    • 2 stalks celery, diced
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 1 cup French lentils (substitute green/brown lentils or pardina lentils)
    • 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
    • 1 bay leaf
    • A few sprigs thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • Splash of sherry, balsamic, or white wine vinegar, or splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • Optional: ¼ cup sherry, 4 cups baby spinach or chopped greens, toast, vegan parmesan topping or my hempesan, nutritional yeast
Instructions
  1. Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Saute, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes, or until the carrots are tender and the onion is soft and clear. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly.
  2. Add the tomato paste, lentils, broth, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer the soup for 45 minutes. 5 minutes before the soup is ready, you can add the sherry and finish simmering the soup uncovered. You can also add baby spinach or chopped greens, stir them into the soup, and simmer uncovered for the final 5 minutes of cooking time.
  3. Add the vinegar or lemon juice to the soup. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. If you’d like the soup to be thinner, add a bit of water to the pot. Serve with a slice of toast and some vegan parmesan, my hempesan, or nutritional yeast, if desired.
Notes
Leftover soup will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It can be frozen for up to 1 month.

Simple French Lentil Soup | The Full Helping

This soup can be easily doubled to serve a crowd, or you can double it in order to freeze some (I made a double batch yesterday so that I could freeze individual servings for quick, easy lunches). And you can certainly get creative with herbs and seasonings; I’ve added rosemary, celery seed, shallots, and oregano in the past.

As with most soups, the leftovers will only become more flavorful after a couple days, and the soup will thicken in the fridge, too. This gives you the option of serving it as a dense, scoopable accompaniment to toast, or thinning it out and enjoying in a more soupy form.

It’s all up to you: what matters is that the soup warms you up, fills your belly, and makes you feel grounded. That, at least, is what it always does for me. Enjoy the recipe.

Sweets That Brings Back Childhood Memories

Picture the perfect brunch scene: fluffy pancakes patiently waiting for syrup to rain down. The coffee’s hot, the pancakes are golden, the whipping cream is cool, and the syrup is warmed. Your knife slides effortlessly into the tender little rounds, and you just know you’re in for a treat. To me, there’s nothing more decadent than a plate of pancakes, piled high, topped with softly whipped cream. I don’t even need syrup, especially if there’s fruit and chocolate involved.

I love fruit, nuts, and chocolate together. Throw them all into a pancake, and I’m in heaven. Technically, these pancakes don’t have nuts in them (unless you count coconut, which is actually a drupe — those crazy botanists!), but they are mega-delicious, especially due to the super-antioxidant, superfood-loaded Aloha chocolate I used.

These chocolate-dotted, fluffy pancakes with cool, softly whipped cream, crunchy toasted coconut chips, sweet-tart raspberries, and chocolate are absolutely decadent and perfect for a weekend (or weekday) treat!

 
Superfood Chocolate & Coconut Pancakes
Ingredients

1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted and cooled
1/4 tsp coconut extract (optional)
1 Superfood Aloha chocolate bar (or 1/3 cup roughly chopped chocolate)
Butter or oil, as needed

Toppings:
Softly whipped cream
Coconut Greek yogurt
Toasted coconut
Shaved chocolate bits
Raspberries

Instructions
1. In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside. In a separate large bowl, whisk the egg and add the buttermilk, coconut milk, coconut oil, and coconut extract (if using).

2. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and gently combine with a fork. Do not over-mix. This is a thick, lumpy pancake batter. The little lumps will make your pancakes fluffier. Let the batter sit for 10 minutes to allow some moisture to work its way into the lumps. Gently fold in the chocolate.

3. Heat up a nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Brush a thin layer of butter or oil on your pan. Drop the batter by the tablespoon into the pan and cook until small bubbles form on the surface and at the edges. The pancakes should be golden brown.

4. Flip and continue cooking for 1–2 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the pan and place on a wire rack inside a baking sheet. Keep the cooked pancakes warm in the oven until you finish pancaking.

5. Enjoy topped with yogurt (my preferred choice) or softly whipped cream, toasted coconut, and chocolate, if desired.

Note: I like freezing my Aloha chocolate before making pancakes — it helps the chocolate keep its shape and prevents overly melted/burnt chocolate.

Lasagna For The Holiday Appetizer

Open-Faced Lasagna with Acorn Squash and Smoked Caciocavallo

This layerless lasagna recipe from Philadelphia chef Marc Vetri uses an egg-rich dough, but store-bought fresh pasta sheets can be substituted.

Everyone loves lasagna, which makes it a safe bet for holiday cooking. But it’s also a labor of love, the kind of dish that by its nature takes over your table. The solution to a lighter lasagna? This open-face style.

This one, which is reminiscent of a savory pastry, comes to us from Philadelphia chef Marc Vetri. The egg-rich pasta dough is easy to make on your own, but you can also use store-bought sheets of pasta to further simplify the process. A great option for appetizers for a crowd, open-faced lasagna is the fuss-free, bite-size cousin of traditional lasagna. Each pasta square is cooked quickly in boiling water before being drained and transferred to greased baking sheets, then topped with thinly-sliced acorn squash, smoked caciocavallo, parmesan, and thyme.

Baked until golden and melty, the result is a deconstructed lasagna without the heaviness of the traditional favorite. We highly recommend serving it alongside chilled, big batch cocktails as a lead-up to richer holidays meals. It’s all about balance.

Zucchini Brings Flavor To Your Meal

My partner, Mike, and I have been on a huge vegetable kick lately. We must be growing up or something, because all of a sudden, we can’t get enough vegetables. When I was a kid, I don’t remember eating vegetables at all; I think the only vegetables I ate were carrots and potatoes, neither of which count as leafy greens. In fact, I don’t think a piece of lettuce ever passed my lips until I was about 10 years old. I’m really not sure where I got all my nutrients from, besides the Flintstones vitamins that I was obsessed with. Zucchini, when I was a kid, was much like eggplant in my book: slimy and weirdly textured. Now, though, I can’t get enough.
 

I find that the trick with zucchini is not to overcook it. Since zucchini is naturally pretty watery, it turns into a mush if you cook it down too much. This is especially true for zucchini noodles. Also note that zucchini doesn’t need too much heat; all you want to do is soften it a bit.

Ingredients
2 tbsp neutral oil, divided
1/2 lb large shrimp, deveined (and peeled, if desired)
1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced lengthwise, fronds saved
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1/2 lemon, seeds removed, very thinly sliced, divided
2 small zucchinis, spiralized using the smallest blade
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro
Olive oil, to taste
Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Instructions
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp, being careful not to crowd the pan, and cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until slightly charred, pink, and cooked through. Season generously with salt and pepper, remove from the pan, and set aside.

2. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the fennel slices and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown and soft, 10-12 minutes.

3. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and half of the lemon slices. Cook until garlic is soft, about 2 minutes.

4. Add the zucchini noodles, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing, until tender and cooked through, 2-3 minutes, depending on thickness of “zoodles.”

5. Add the shrimp back into the pan and toss to combine.

6. In a small bowl, toss the cilantro, fennel fronds, and remaining lemon slices with a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and serve on top of the shrimp and zucchini noodles.