What you’ll love about this recipe:

• Hands Off, Make Ahead Recipe: Impress everyone with a dish that looks high effort but is almost entirely hands-off. Cook the short ribs in a Dutch oven or slow cooker and prep the sauces ahead of time for easy assembly when you’re ready to eat. 
• Tons of Flavor and Texture: With crispy, caramelized short ribs and two easy homemade sauces, these Korean tacos are loaded with texture and bold Korean flavors you won’t be able to resist.
• Melt-in-your-mouth tender. No tough, chewy beef here!

Chef-Inspired Short Rib Tacos

If you ask me what my favorite food is, there’s a good chance my answer will be tacos. 

Ask my husband the same question and odds are he’ll say short ribs. 

This short rib taco recipe combines both of those treats into a Mexican-Korean fusion treat that neither of us can pass up.

Plus they have the added bonus of unlocking a food memory — dinner at Roy Choi’s Best Friend in Las Vegas. 

Long before short rib tacos became a big thing, Choi’s innovative combination of Korean BBQ flavors with LA taco staples put this incredible genre on the map. Without him modernizing street food culture, we might never have this craveable favorite. 

If you’re in Vegas, I highly recommend going and giving his original kogi beef taco recipe a try (the restaurant is also a total vibe and so much fun!). If not, give this recipe a try They’re definitely different than his — this isn’t a copycat recipe — but they have a similar flavor profile and definitely help scratch that Korean fusion itch.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Short Ribs. Look for well-marbled short ribs on the bone for the best flavor and tenderness. If short ribs aren’t available, or if you want something leaner, chuck roast can also be used.

Gochujang and Sriracha. Provide depth and heat. Find gochujang, a sweet and spicy fermented red chili paste, in any Asian market or well-stocked supermarket.

Low Sodium Soy Sauce. Controls the salt level while providing the umami base for the taco sauce. 

Brown Sugar. Balances the heat with its sweetness. Honey or maple syrup work in a pinch.

Sesame Oil, Lime Juice and Fresh Ginger. Add that unmistakable Korean flavor. 

Sour cream. Or Greek yogurt 

Your Favorite Toppings. Like fresh cilantro, pickled onions, shredded cabbage, and fresno chili pepper for serving.

Flour Tortillas.

How to make short rib tacos

Braise the beef until form tender. Shred the beef and mix with the Korean taco sauce, then broil until crisp.

Make the sriracha crema by whisk together sour cream, lime juice, and sriracha.

Assemble the tacos and add your favorite toppings!

Pro tips

• Braise the ribs slowly to ensure they become perfectly tender, then broil them after shredding to enhance their flavor and get the edges all crispy and caramelized. 
• Store extra sauce separately to avoid soggy tacos when reheating.
• Garnishing these tacos with fresh herbs adds a brightness and keeps the short ribs from tasting to heavy or muddy. I have hanging containers of basil and cilantro in my kitchen window so I always have them one hand. You can also keep leftover herbs vibrant by storing them with stems in water, just like you would do with cut flowers. Swap the water every day or two and the herbs will stay fresh for at least a week!



Commonly asked questions

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Korean Short Rib Tacos

Inspired by Korean BBQ and built for easy weeknight dinners or casual entertaining, this recipe features tender, braised beef in Korean taco sauce, nestled into warm tortillas and topped with crisp slaw and a drizzle of creamy sriracha. Once you’ve had one, you’ll definitely be reaching for another.

Course Beef Recipes

Cuisine Korean, Mexican

Keyword Korean short rib tacos, Korean tacos, short rib tacos

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 (2 tacos each)

Calories 638kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

For the Braised Short Ribs

• 2 pounds bone-in short ribs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 sweet onion chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 bay leaf
• ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
• ¼ cup gochujang
• 1 fresh ginger grated

For the Sriracha Crema

• ½ cup reduced fat sour cream
• 1 Tablespoon sriracha
• 1 Tablespoon lime juice

For Serving

• 8 4.5-inch flour tortillas warmed
• Fresh cilantro
• Pickled red onions
• Shredded cabbage
• Fresno chili pepper thinly sliced

Instructions

Cook the Short Ribs

• Season the short ribs with salt and pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot with a lid over medium-high heat.
• Sear the short ribs, working in batches to avoiding overcrowding the pan, until browned on each side. Remove and set aside.
• Add the onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds more.
• Return the short ribs to the pot. Pour in the beef broth and add the bay leaf.
• Bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the pot and transfer to a preheated oven at 325°F.
• Braise for 1½ -2 hours, or until the short ribs are fork-tender.
• Meanwhile, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, gochujang, and ginger in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves.
• Transfer the short ribs to a baking sheet; remove and discard the bones. Shred the meat with two forks.
• Pour the Korean BBQ Taco Sauce over the shredded short ribs and toss to coat evenly.
• Broil the short ribs on high for 2-3 minutes, or until lightly caramelized, watching closely to prevent burning.

Make the Sriracha Crema

• In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, sriracha, and lime juice until smooth. Adjust sriracha to your taste.

Assemble the Tacos

• Fill the tortillas with shredded beef.
• Top with pickled red onions, Sriracha Crema, cilantro, slaw mix, and sliced red chili pepper.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tacos | Calories: 638kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 1934mg | Potassium: 1004mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 139IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 165mg | Iron: 6mg

I’ve been thinking about Superbowl recipes for weeks. It’s funny how excited I get, considering I’m not really into the game itself. I just love the excuse to get together with friends and family, eat great food, and watch the halftime show.

One of my favorite local restaurants serves an appetizer of hummus topped with merguez, feta, and mint. As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to find a place for it on our game day table. I’m super excited to be partnering with Sabra again this year to bring you this tasty recipe!

I’ve been all about flatbreads as an easy weeknight meal lately, and the flavors in that appetizer translated perfectly. Plus hummus flatbreads are the perfect game day food – I love that they’re a little more substantial than the typical snacks that we have, so I actually feel like I’ve eaten a real meal.

I’ve written about my love of merguez before. It’s a super flavorful lamb sausage that works really well in simple recipes like this one.

Sabra’s classic hummus makes a great “sauce” for these flatbreads, since it’s mild flavor and creamy texture balances out the sausage really well. (Plus, if you’ve never eaten warm hummus before, you’re missing out!) I season mine with a little bit of za’atar to jazz it up, but you can also use oregano.

These merguez and hummus flatbreads are also really easy to make and you can even prepare them ahead of time and pop them into the oven when you’re ready to eat – so if you are into the game, you’ll only miss a few minutes.

If you’re as big of a fan of Sabra products as I am, you know they have a habit of jumping into your grocery cart. Be sure to check out their Buy, Snap, Score promotion – buy Sabra and Stacy’s together before 2/15/16 and score a $5 gift card. It’s basically free money! (Also, if you see their new caramelized onion and smoked paprika hummus, buy it!! I’m obsessed – it’s amazing!)

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Merguez and Hummus Flatbread

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• ½ pound merguez lamb sausage
• 4 naan flatbreads 3 ounces each
• 8 Tablespoons Sabra classic hummus
• 1 teaspoon za'atar
• ½ cup crumbled feta
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh mint

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 400ºF.
• Remove the casing from the merguez and discard. Crumble the sausage into a pan set over medium high heat. Sauté until just cooked through, 4-5 minutes. Drain.
• Arrange the flatbreads on a baking sheet. Spread each flatbread with 2 tablespoons hummus; season with za'atar. Top with cooked merguez and feta.
• Bake 13-15 minutes, or until the flatbreads are crisp and golden brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and top with mint.

‘Tis the season for pork tenderloin! I’m pretty sure I eat more of it in the month of December than I do the rest of the year combined. It’s easy and affordable, so it makes sense that it’s a standard pick for holiday get-togethers.

Unfortunately, it can also be pretty boring.

I decided to see if I could upgrade this holiday classic and create a recipe that’s truly worthy of the spotlight, and I’m pretty sure I succeeded. This recipe is anything but boring. In fact, it’s pretty fabulous!

I have a serious weakness for combining savory + sweet flavors, so this pork tenderloin is stuffed with honey-poached pears, creamy gorgonzola cheese, and crunchy walnuts, then wrapped in salty prosciutto and baked to perfection. The flavors were inspired by one of my favorite cheese board pairings – you can never go wrong with fruit, nuts, cheese, and honey!

The honey in this recipe plays a pretty important role – in addition to adding a touch of sweetness that balances out the sharp cheese and salty prosciutto, it also adds an extra layer of flavor and helps keep the pork nice and moist.

For more information about honey’s natural benefits check out the National Honey Board’s web site, honey.com. You can also connect with them on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

For more recipes featuring honey, try: Salted Peanut + Honey Doughnuts // Honey-Ginger Latte // Honey Bourbon Pulled Chicken

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Prosciutto Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Honey Poached Pears + Gorgonzola

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 firm pear
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 4 tablespoons honey divided
• 1.5 pound pork tenderloin
• 6 ounces crumbled gorgonzola
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts
• ¼ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 3 ounces prosciutto

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350.
• Peel the pear and slice it into six wedges. Remove the core. In a medium saucepan, bring the water, wine, and 3 tablespoons of honey to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the pears. Cover and cook 15 minutes, or until the pears are soft. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pears to a cutting board. Let cool, then cut into a medium dice.
• Butterfly the pork tenderloin by slicing it lengthwise 3/4 of the way through, then opening it like a book. Cover with plastic wrap and use a mallet to flatten the meat to 1/2-inch thickness.
• Remove the plastic wrap and cover the pork with an even layer of diced poached pears. Repeat with the gorgonzola, walnuts, and breadcrumbs.
• Roll the pork tenderloin into a cylinder, sealing the filling inside. Brush with the remaining tablespoon of honey and season with black pepper. Wrap the tenderloin with the prosciutto, slightly overlapping the slices crosswise. Use kitchen twin to tie the tenderloin together in 4 or 5 places to help it keep it's shape. Transfer to a baking sheet.
• Roast pork until a meat thermometer registers 140ºF, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer to a cutting board; let rest 10-15 minutes.
• To serve, cut pork tenderloin into 1/2-inch slices.

Notes

Click for Nutrition Information

I created this recipe for my client, the National Honey Board. Thank you for supporting the products that keep me inspired in the kitchen. 

It snowed this weekend. Not flurries – I can live with those. I’m talking about big, fat snowflakes. They didn’t stick, but they did incite some yelling and a few not-so-nice words. I guess summer is really over.

On the plus side, that means I can finally share this recipe for pot roast stuffed baked potatoes. I photographed it back when it was still way to nice outside to be at home with the oven on all afternoon, but it’s perfect for this time of year. It’s pretty much the ultimate cozy weekend comfort food.

I’ve always been a huge fan of pot roast – I grew up eating it every week – but serving it stuffed inside of fluffy baked potatoes was a new idea for me. It makes so much sense though! It’s so easy to overeat when you serve pot roast over mashed potatoes, but this way it’s like built-in portion control. You get one baked potato and about 1/4 cup of pot roast – just enough to leave you satisfied but no stuffed.

The pot roast recipe I’m sharing here is full of delicious, earthy flavors like caramelized onions, mushrooms, and red wine. I also throw in a palm full of whole black peppercorns. They soften as they cook and give you little bursts of peppery flavor as you eat. In my world, no pot roast is complete without them.

A generous splash of balsamic vinegar stirred in at the end adds a touch of bright flavor to the recipe. I also love to top it with gremolata, a mixture of finely chopped parsley, lemon zest, and shallot. It picks everything up and prevents the flavors of the dish from getting to muddled. A dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt is also a welcome addition.

Since you’re putting to much thought and care into the pot roast, it’s important to make sure your baked potatoes are perfect, too.

For baking, Idaho® Russetts are a perfect choice. They’re low-moisture, so they bake up nice and fluffy inside and the skins get shatteringly crisp.

I rub the potato skins with oil and sprinkle them with sea salt to highlight the flavor of the skins, then bake them directly on the rack of my oven. They take about an hour, which means if you add them when the pot roast is halfway done everything will be ready at the same time.

For more potato recipes, try this, this, or this.

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Pot Roast Stuffed Baked Potatoes with Gremolata

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours

Servings 6

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds chuck shoulder
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion diced
• 2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ¼ cup red wine
• 1 ½ cups low sodium beef stock
• ½ cup water
• 6 Idaho® Russett potatoes
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• sea salt
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 lemon zested
• 1 small bunch parsley chopped
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• sour cream for serving if desired

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 400ºF. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper.
• Set a large oven-proof pot over high heat. Add the oil. Cook the beef for 5 minutes on each side, or until deeply browned. Transfer to a plate.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions and garlic to the pot and cook 5 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Add the mushrooms, rosemary, peppercorns, and tomato paste; cook for 1 minute. Stir in the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the beef to the pot; add the beef stock and water; bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven.
• After 1 hour, poke the potatoes several times with a fork. Rub them with the vegetable oil and sprinkle them with sea salt. Place them in the oven, directly on the rack.
• After another hour, check the potatoes for doneness – the skin should be crispy and the insides should feel tender. When the potatoes are done, remove them and the pot roast from the oven. Use two forks to shred the pot roast; it should be very tender and fall apart easily.
• Stir in the balsamic vinegar and let the shredded meat rest in the pan juices for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the gremolata by mixing together the lemon zest, parsley, and garlic cloves.
• To serve, cut a slit in the center of each potato, lengthwise. Gently squeeze the opposite ends toward each other to help it open up. (If necessary, you can use a spoon to scoop out some of the inside of the potato.) Spoon about 1/4 cup of pot roast into each potato. Top with gremolata and sour cream, if desired.

I developed this recipe for my client, Idaho® potatoes. Be sure to check out their web site for tons of amazing potato recipe ideas!

By this point in summer I usually start to feel a little “meh” about dinner. It’s still gorgeous and I love the ease of throwing something on the grill, but I start to get a little tired of steaks, hot dogs, and my other weeknight standards.

When the American Lamb Board asked me to help participate in their Brews + Ewes grilling contest, it was like a lightbulb went off in my head. I adore lamb and make it pretty frequently in the colder months (broiled, braised, in soup, you name it and I probably have a recipe for you) but I don’t tend to think of it in the summertime. Which is a real shame, since American lamb is delicious on the grill and doesn’t take any longer to cook than a thick steak.

I picked up a gorgeous piece of boneless American leg of lamb for under $20 and used it to make these grilled lamb tacos, which ended up being a really nice departure from traditional beef tacos. Instead of going with traditional Mexican flavors, I gave them a little North African twist by coating the lamb in a sweet and smokey ras al hanout spice rub, adding some cool cucumber to my favorite onion and cilantro salsa, and swapping out sour cream in favor of Greek yogurt.

I also marinated the lamb in beer to keep it extra tender. The lamb marinates quickly, so pour another beer for yourself and put your feet up for a few minutes or use the time to get caught up on dishes – whichever you prefer. I’ll let you guess which I chose. You could also use the time to pop on over to the ALB’s page to vote on your favorite Brews + Ewes grilling recipe (including this one!) and enter for a chance to win the ultimate lamb grilling package.

Pair these lamb tacos with a beer that’s crisp to contrast with their richness, but that also has enough flavor to keep it from being overpowered by their bold flavor – I like a kolsch or lager served in a frosty-cold glass.

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Grilled Lamb Tacos with Cucumber Salsa and Yogurt

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Moroccan seasoning ras al hanout
• 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 small boneless leg of lamb about 3 pounds, trimmed
• 12 ounces kolsch or lager beer
• 12 flour tortillas
• 1 white onion diced
• 1 cucumber diced
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro chopped
• 1 lime juiced
• Plain Greek yogurt sliced radishes, and lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

• In a small bowl, mix the Moroccan seasoning, salt, sugar, and oregano. Rub onto the lamb, coating it evenly. Place the lamb in a deep bowl; pour in the beer. Let marinate at least 20 minutes.
• Heat your grill to medium and prepare it for indirect grilling. Grill the lamb over indirect heat, turning it occasionally, until it's cooked to your liking (20-30 minutes for medium rare). Heat the tortillas on the top rack for a few seconds, or until they're slightly toasted but still pliable.
• Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the cucumber salsa by mixing the onion, cucumber, cilantro, lime juice, and a pinch of salt.
• Slice the lamb thinly across the grain.
• Serve the lamb in the warmed tortillas with Greek yogurt, cucumber salsa, and radishes. Squeeze the lime wedges over the lamb, if desired.

It’s time for another edition of Progressive Eats, a virtual dinner party where we share recipes following a themed menu. This month I’m hosting, which meant I got to pick the theme! Of course, I picked my absolute favorite thing to eat: soup!

I’m so excited for this menu. In addition to a bunch of soups that look amazing, we’re having salad, rolls (what good is a bowl of soup without some freshly baked bread?) and even some dessert soup shooters. This is definitely a dinner party I’d be happy to attend in person.

This Irish lamb soup with barley and turnips is inspired by the Irish lamb stew in this month’s issue of Food+Wine magazine. I saw it this past weekend and immediately had to change my dinner plans to make room for this soup since it sounded so good!

I made my soup more brothy than the original stew and added some barley to make it a more filling meal. I also stirred in some fresh lemon juice at the end to add some brightness. If you have them, this soup would be delicious with a few parsnips added in with the carrots. I planned to add them to my pot, but forgot that I had used them all up last week when I made roast sausage with apples and parsnips.

This soup keeps well and the flavor actually improves after a nigh in the refrigerator. I made it over the weekend and reheated it for a simple weeknight meal.

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Irish Lamb and Barley Soup with Turnips

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound boneless lamb shoulder trimmed + cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 onion chopped
• 4 garlic cloves crushed
• 2 tablespoons flour
• ½ cup red wine
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 4 cups water
• 3 turnips peeled and chopped
• 3 thin-skinned potatoes such as Yukon Gold, chopped
• 4 carrots peeled and cut into rounds
• ½ cup pearled barley
• 1 small bunch parsley chopped
• 1 lemon juiced

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a large soup pot set over medium-high heat. Season the lamb with salt and pepper. Working in batches if needed, cook the lamb until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the onions to the pot and cook until soft and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2 minutes. Transfer to the plate with the lamb.
• Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the flour. Return the pot to the stove and add the wine. Stir until smooth, scraping up any browned bits that have cooked onto the bottom of the pot. Whisk in the stock and water. Add the lamb and onions and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook 1 hour.
• Add the turnips, potatoes, and carrots. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
• Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the barley and cook 30 minutes, or until soft. Drain and add to the soup.
• Just before serving, stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Notes

Adapted from Food+Wine, March 2015

Soups On!

Soups

Lamb and Barley Soup from Healthy Delicious
Sausage, Pepper and Bean Soup from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Creole Black Eyed Pea Soup from Never Enough Thyme
Old Fashioned Chicken Soup with Dumplings from Creative Culinary
Watercress and Buttermilk Vichysoisse from The Wimpy Vegetarian
Pressure Cooker Chorizo Chicken and Kale Soup from Pressure Cooking Today
Rhode Island Clam Chowder from girlichef

Salads

Quinoa Beet Kale Apple Walnut Goat Cheese Salad from Jeanette’s Healthy Living
Gado Gado – Indonesian Vegetable Salad from Spice Roots
Buttermilk Herb Rolls from Stetted
Gluten-Free Corn Muffins with Jalapeno and Cheese from The Heritage Cook

Dessert

Berry Soup Dessert Shooters from Miss in the Kitchen

Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. This month’s theme is Soup’s On! and is hosted by Lauren Keating who blogs at Healthy. Delicious. Need some warming up? We can help!

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats, a theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out.

We have a core group of 12 bloggers, but we will always need substitutes and if there is enough interest would consider additional groups. To see our upcoming themes and how you can participate, please check out the schedule at Creative Culinary or contact Barb for more information.

I’m calling it now: Eastern European food is going to gain popularity in 2015.

I know it doesn’t appear on any of the major food trend prediction lists, but whatever. Think about it: Asian food is getting tired and it’s time to move on to a new continent. Home cooks are getting more and more used to things like pickling, brining, and fermenting. It’s about time for comfort food to make a comeback. Plus, I’ve been craving mushroom strogonoff and pierogi and golabki like a mad-woman.

Stuffed cabbage definitely isn’t something I grew up eating. I don’t remember my Mom making it… well, ever. And the first time I heard the word “golabki” was after Shawn and I started dating, when we went to a bazar at the Polish church down the street from his house. I’d be honest: I thought they concept sounded totally gross (I’m pretty sure I watched him eat them while I enjoyed a funnel cake.)

Now, I love them and I can’t believe I missed out for all those years! Golabki are basically just meatballs that are wrapped in cabbage leaves and baked in a very mild tomato sauce. They aren’t strong or super cabbagey at all, they’re really mild and balanced. Stuffed cabbage rolls are just the kind of comfort food that I crave this time to year.

They do take a while to make (I like to thinking of making them as a good excuse to spend a Sunday afternoon at home) but they freeze really well, so I like to make a big batch. This recipe makes 12 servings, which will last us all year.

If you run out of cabbage and have extra filling – or if you’re just feeling a little lazy – you can also make stuffed cabbage meatballs! Instead of rolling the filling into cabbage leaves, shred the cabbage and mix it right into the filling. They’re every bit as delicious as the rolls!

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Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Golabki)

Savoy cabbage, with it's looser structure and softer leaves, is much easier to work with than green cabbage, but either will taste great. Alternative method: To make stuffed cabbage meatballs, follow the directions as described below, but shred the cabbage and mix it into the meat and barley mixture instead of stuffing each leaf. Roll into 2-inch meatballs and bake in the sauce for 30 minutes, or until cooked through.

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings 24

Calories 200kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 head savoy or green cabbage
• 1 ½ cups water
• ½ cup barley
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 celery rib minced
• 1 parsnip shredded
• 2 carrots shredded
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• ½ pound ground pork
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 can 28 ounces whole peeled plum tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Instructions

• Using a sharp knife, remove the core from the cabbage. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; boil the whole cabbage for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the cabbage from the pot and pat dry. Let cool.
• Add 1 1/2 cup water and the barley to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, Cover and cook 30 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the barley is tender.
• In a large skillet, melt the butter. Add the onion; cook 1-2 minutes, or until softened. Add the celery, parsnip and carrot; sauté 5 minutes, or until softened. Remove the vegetables from the heat. Stir in the beef, pork, and coked barley. Season with nutmeg and salt.
• Heat the oven to 350ºF.
• Carefully remove the leaves from the cabbage (you'll need 24 whole leaves). Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling onto each cabbage leaf; fold the top and bottom of the leaf around the filling, then roll it to completely surround the filling (like rolling a burrito.) Place seam-side down in a casserole pan.
• In a food processor or blender, puree the tomatoes and vinegar. Pour the sauce over the cabbage rolls.
• Bake for 1 hour.

Notes

1 serving = 2 cabbage rolls

Nutrition

Calories: 200kcal | Protein: 19.9g | Fat: 4.3g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Fiber: 5.3g

This roast pork loin with apple salsa looks fancy, but it’s the easiest recipe I’ve made in weeks. 5-10 minutes to prep the salsa, 20 minutes in the oven, and you’re ready to eat!

A simple rub made with McCormick’s new gluten-free chili seasoning and brown sugar gives the pork loin great earthy and smokey notes (and a gorgeous color!) It pairs really well with tart apple and cranberry salsa sweetened with a touch of honey.

Serve it with mashed potatoes and garlicky green beans for a formal dinner – it would be great for the holidays – or enjoy it on a weeknight with soft corn tortillas. Ether way, you’ll have an easy gluten-free meal that everyone will love!

The chili seasoning that I used is meant for making chili (duh) but it’s fun to think outside the box and use it for more modern recipes like this one, too. This particular blend is zesty (but not too spicy) and is made from natural spices like chili pepper and cumin, garlic, onion, and red bell pepper. There are no artificial flavors or colors and no MSG – just regular spices. The new line is certified gluten free and it costs the same as the regular line! I love that there’s no crazy cost mark-up.

If you missed them, make sure you check out the gluten free taco veggie burgers that I shared last week, using McCormick’s gluten free taco seasoning!

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Chili Rubbed Pork Loin with Apple Salsa (Gluten Free)

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 package McCormick Gluten-Free Chili Seasoning Mix
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 apple diced
• ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
• ¼ cup fresh cranberries halved
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 lime juiced
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped cilantro
• 2 pork tenderloins 1 pound each
• 1 tablespoon oil

Instructions

• In a small bowl, combine chili seasoning mix and sugar. In a medium bowl, mix the apple, cranberries, onion, honey, lime juice, cilantro and 1 teaspoon of the seasoning mixture. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Brush pork tenderloins with oil. Coat evenly with remaining seasoning mixture.
• Heat oven to 400ºF.
• Place the pork tenderloins on a foil-lined baking sheet lined. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145ºF. Remove from oven and let rest for at least 5 minutes.
• Serve with apple salsa.

Notes

Adapted from McCormick's gluten-free pork with mango salsa

They’re also gluten free so, as long as you’re careful about the other ingredients you add, your salad can be too! (This salad is gluten free, but be careful about the brand of hoisin sauce you use: many are gluten free, but others contain fermented wheat protein.) 

The leaves are changing colors, it’s getting dark out early… and the inside of my house is freezing since it’s not quite time to turn the heat on yet. (OK, it’s like 60 degrees inside with isn’t technically freezing, but it’s definitely a little cold for comfort.) I had this salad on my menu plan for a few nights but I kept putting it off because I just wasn’t feeling it. Who wants to eat a cold salad when it’s so cold out? Not me! I wanted warm, starchy comfort food.

Finally I had to make a decision: make the salad that night or throw the steak into the freezer, where I’d probably forget about it until it’s completely destroyed by freezer-burn. So I made it. And it was awesome! The meaty steak, spicy wasabi peas, and hearty hoisin vinaigrette make it seem substantial. This isn’t a dainty summer salad at all.

The other great part about this salad is that somes together really quickly. I’ve been incredibly busy and have been getting home later than normal, so I haven’t wanted to spend a ton of time cooking dinner. Cutting the steak into bite-sized pieces before you cook it instead of after means it will cook in just a few minutes.

To maximize my time, I prep all of my salad vegetables while the spices soak into the steak, then mix up the dressing while the steak cooks. All together, it takes 10 or 15 minutes.

(This hoisin vinaigrette is “borrowed” from a steak + asaparagus salad I made a few years ago. If this salad isn’t your style – or if you’re looking for another use for the dressing – I recommend that you give that one a try!)

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Steak + Wasabi Pea Salad with Hoisin Vinaigrette

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 256kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• ½ pound skirt steak trimmed
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon salt
• cracked black pepper
• 4 cups lettuce
• 1 carrot shredded
• ½ seedless cucumber thinly sliced
• ¼ cup snow peas halved
• ⅓ cup wasabi peas

For the vinaigrette:

• ¼ cup water
• 2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 2 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 clove garlic minced

Instructions

• Lightly coat the steak with the oil oil; rub with coriander, salt, and pepper. Let sit at least 5 minutes.
• While the steak rests, prepare your vegetables. In a serving dish, combine the lettuce and carrot. Toss with cucumber and snow peas.
• Cut the steak into 1-inch pieces. Heat heavy a skillet over high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the steak. Cook 5-7 minutes, or until browned on the outside and cooked to your desired level of doneness.
• While the steak cooks, prepare the dressing: combine all ingredients in a lidded jar; shake until combined.
• Top the salad with the steak and wasabi peas. Pour on dressing. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 256kcal | Protein: 18.2g | Fat: 12.6g | Fiber: 2.1g

Sometime last year, I fell in love with Canadian bacon. We had gone to the diner for breakfast, but I wasn’t very hungry and all I wanted was an egg and some toast. For some reason, it was cheaper to get a meal that included an order of meat then it was to order the two items a la carte, so I picked the lightest option: Canadian bacon. It’s not something I had eaten very often and, honestly, most of my experience with it involved fast food. What I received wasn’t at all what I had been expecting: it was more like ham, cut from one piece of meat (I was expecting something way more processed). It was delicious and now I order it pretty much every time we go there.

Aside from the occasional Eggs Benedict though, I haven’t really made it at home very often. So when Jones Dairy Farm asked me to use it in my recipe for them this month, I was pretty excited. I also knew right away that I wanted to do something a little unexpected with it. Although pancetta might be more traditional in a recipe like this, the Canadian bacon is right at home. It gives the filling a ton of flavor and has a great slightly chewy texture that contrasts really nicely with the creamy beans. One bight brought me straight back to the comfort foods of my childhood.

I’ve been working with Jones Dairy Farm for a few months now, but when I mentioned something about them the other day Shawn thought I was talking about a new client. Once he realized who I was talking about, he said he thought their name was just “Jones Farm” and he wondered why a company that sells bacon and sausage would call themselves a dairy farm. I had to admit that I was curious too, so I did a little research on their web site.

It turns out that the company actually did start as a dairy farm in Wisconsin (where it’s still based), but the head of the family wasn’t able to keep up with it after being diagnosed with arthritis. He started selling homemade sausages, and the company took off. They were the first meat packing company to quick-freeze sausage, allowing them to ship throughout the US without chemicals or preservatives. I knew that their sausages – and the rest of their products – are all-natural but I had no idea that they were such a pioneer in the industry. I also had no idea that the company has been around for so long – they’ll be celebrating their 125th anniversary this year. And, yes, it’s still run by the Jones family. Pretty impressive!

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Canadian Bacon and White Bean Pot Pie

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 320kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 small onion minced
• 1 carrot peeled and finely chopped
• 1 package 6 ounces Jones Dairy Farm® Canadian Bacon, cut into 1/8-inch dice
• 1 can 14.5 ounces whole peeled plum tomatoes (undrained)
• 1 can 14.5 ounces cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary chopped
• 2 springs fresh thyme chopped
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons Gold Medal® all purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 1 prepared whole wheat pie crust thawed if frozen
• 1 egg yolk

Instructions

• Heat oven to 400ºF.
• Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the garlic, onion, and carrot; cook 2-3 minutes, or until soft. Add the Canadian bacon; cook 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, rosemary, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, pressing on the tomatoes with a heavy spoon to help them break down.
• In a small bowl, mix together the flour and chicken broth. Whisk into the stew. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in spinach.
• Pour the stew into a deep dish pie pan. Top with the whole wheat crust. Brush the crust with egg yolk and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Remove from oven and let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 320kcal | Protein: 19.9g | Fat: 15.3g | Fiber: 8.1g

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