According to author Ann Martin Rolke, her new cookbook, “Hands-Off Cooking,” provides “low supervision, high flavor meals for busy people.” That’s quite a claim. The premise behind the recipes in this book is a bit of preparation time and then a long period of unattended cooking. This “down time” is what is hands-off, so the cook’s hands can be involved in some other task, work or fun. The first part of the book outlines the items one needs to keep in the pantry and fridge to be able to put together some of these recipes with even less fuss. Pork Roast with Apple Chutney
1 three to four pound boneless pork loin roast (not tenderloin) 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 cups peeled and chopped apples, such as Gala or Jonathan 2 heaping cups diced onion 1 cup packed light brown sugar 1 cup raisins or chopped dried fruit such as cherries or apricots 1 tablespoon crushed ginger from a jar 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 cup apple cider vinegar 1 cup chicken broth Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Rub the pork all over with the garlic and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. In a large bowl, mix together the apples, onions, sugar, raisins, ginger and red pepper flakes. Toss well and scrape the mixture into a stainless steel roasting pan. Mound it in the middle of the pan. Set the pork on top and pour the vinegar and broth around it. Roast for 1.5 hours or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the roast registers 145 degrees. If you are using a small roast, check the temperature after one hour. Using tongs, transfer the pork to a cutting board to rest for 10-15 minutes. Scrape the chutney into a bowl. Slice the pork and pass the warm chutney at the table. Texas Chili Meat Loaf
Chipotle Glaze: 1/4 cup ketchup 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 3 ‘shakes’ chipotle sauce or other hot sauce (more if you like heat) Meat Loaf: 2 pounds ground meat, preferably half beef and half turkey 1 cup yellow or white cornmeal 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup diced onion 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 tablespoon minced garlic 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 tablespoon dried oregano 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon hot or sweet paprika 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon chipotle or other hot sauce Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To make the glaze, mix together all ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside. To make the meat loaf, combine all ingredients and gently mix until evenly blended without over-kneading the meat. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Form the meat mixture into a loaf about 9 inches long and 5 inches wide. Brush the top thickly with the glaze. Bake for about 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf registers 160 degrees. Remove from oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes before cutting into slices and serving. This book isn’t telling us much we don’t already know, but the recipes do have a flair that makes them fresh. Each one is embellished with a little clock picture that indicates the “hands-off” time, so the cook can plan accordingly. The time frame is from 30 minutes to several hours, so use the time wisely. And...that’s all she wrote.
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