Cuban Pork

Make it a meal with cilantro lime rice and black beans w/ Mango salsa (all recipes on blog). This is one of our go-to-favorites and it hits the spot every single time. There's not much room for error with this and it's AMAZING!!!

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Ingredients:

-- 3 TBSP vegetable oil

-- 8-10 boneless pork chops, diced into small bite sized piece

-- 2 TBSP cumin

--1 TBSP chili powder

--1 TBSP oregano

-- salt and pepper, to taste

-- 4 garlic cloves, whole

--1 orange, zest and juice

--1 lime, zest and juice

*You will need a zester

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1. In a blender or food processor, combine the ingredients for the marinade. Add the cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper, 4 cloves garlic, zest and juice of 1 orange, and the zest and juice of 1 lime. Blend together until finely chopped and smooth.

2. Add the diced pork to a Ziploc bag and pour in the marinade. Work the marinade into the pork, making sure you're covering all the pieces. Allow to sit at least 30 minutes, but 3-4 hours is ideal; you could leave it overnight, but the acid will begin to break down the meat so I would suggest no longer than 8 hours.

3. Add the oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the pork and cook until browned all over and cooked throughout, about 10-12 minutes. Season lightly with salt.

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Dinner Rolls #nomnom

**a stand mixer with a dough hook is best, but if you want to knead by hand then do you!!

Ingredients:

- 1 packet active dry yeast

- 1/2 cup warm water (not HOT)

- 1 cup milk (I use whole milk)

- 6 TBSP butter, melted

- 2 TBSP sugar

- 4 cups AP flour

- 1/2 tsp salt

-1 egg, for brushing

- melted butter, for brushing

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1. In a small bowl add warm water, then sprinkle in packet of yeast and 1 tsp of your sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes and allow it to activate.

2. In a separate bowl whisk together the milk, remaining sugar and melted butter. Once yeast has activated, add that mixture to the milk mixture and whisk to combine.

3. In your stand mixer, fitted with the hook attachment, add 3 1/2 cups of your flour and salt, then add the liquids. Mix together on medium speed until all the flour and liquid has combined. You do not want sticky dough, so stop your mixer and check to see if you need to add additional flour, but do not add more than 1/2 cup. Knead on medium-low speed for 8-10 minutes until a nice soft dough is formed.

4. Cover the bowl with a warm, damp kitchen towel and let it rise for 1-1.5 hours.

5. Punch down dough, then cut into 12 equal sections. Roll them in your hands until a ball has formed, about a size slightly larger than a golf ball but not as big as a tennis ball; that's my scientific description. :) Your finished rolls will be about the size of a tennis ball.

6. Lightly butter the bottom of 9x13 pan and place rolls to where they almost touch, but leave a little room so they can rise. Cover with a warm, damp kitchen towel and let them rise about another 30 minutes.

7. Preheat oven to 375F. Beat the egg with a fork and LIGHTLY brush the tops of your rolls prior to baking. Don't overly brush them or you'll have scrambled egg rolls. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until they are golden brown.

8. Brush with melted butter right as you take them out. I usually let them sit another minute and then brush them again with butter. Serve immediately.

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Prosciutto Bread

DIVINE!

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Prep time: 2.5-3 hours

Cook time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

- 1 packet active dry yeast

- 1 cup warm water (not HOT, think "warm bath water")

- 1 tsp sugar

- 1.5 TBSP olive oil

- 2 cups AP flour, plus extra if dough is sticky

- 1/2 tsp coarse salt (I use pink Himalayan in a grinder)

- 1/2 tsp pepper

- 1 TBSP Italian seasoning (Herbes de Provence is best, but oregano or Italian blend is fine)

- 1/3 cup Provolone cheese, diced (I buy sliced and then stack 3-4 slices together and dice)

- 1/2 cup Prosciutto, diced (I buy it packaged & diced from Kroger, in the specialty deli area)

- 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated (if you can find Parmigiano Reggiano, that's AWESOME)

- 1 egg yolk + 1 TBSP water, to glaze (optional....but DO IT!)

- Marinara sauce, for dipping (optional....but again, DO IT!)

**a stand mixer with a dough hook is best, but you can knead by hand**

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1. In your stand mixer bowl, or large bowl, add warm water then sprinkle in packet of yeast and the sugar. Whisk quickly to combine and let sit 10 minutes. *If you don't get the foamy layer, your yeast didn't activate. Try another packet.

2. Add the oil, 2 cups flour, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning and mix until a dough begins to form. If your dough is sticky, add flour a TBSP at a time but no more than 1/2 cup more. You want it to be slightly sticky but no so much that it sticks to your hands or the bowl. Knead on medium-low speed for 8-10 minutes.

3. Remove dough from bowl and lightly oil the bowl and return to dough to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let rise, in a warm area, until it's doubled; usually 1.5 hours.

4. When time is up, punch down dough. Oil a baking sheet and flatten the dough onto the baking sheet, using yours hands, and form into a large oval. Spread the prosciutto, provolone and parmesan evenly over the top. Roll the dough into a log, then form into a ring; carefully so you don't rip the dough and lose your goodies inside! Seal the ends together well. Cover in plastic wrap and let rise for another hour, doubling in size.

5. Preheat oven to 400F. Beat the egg yolk and water together and brush only the top of the finished bread ring a shiny glaze.

6. Bake 25-30 minutes, until golden brown. *time will vary based on your oven, watch that it doesn't overbake.*

7. Transfer to a wire rack or countertop to cool slightly (remove from baking sheet). Best served warm with marinara sauce!! Enjoy!

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