Memphis Dry Rub

While Kimber and I were waiting for our ribs to finish cooking on the grill this evening, a sister form our ward came up and started talking with us. As we were talking, she mentioned that her husband had bought a ton of pork recently, and she didn't know what to do with it. Here's a dry rub recipe that Kimber and I love.

1 1/2 teaspoons whole black peppercorn

1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seed

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

1 teaspoon granulated onion

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

pork chops

Start by adding the peppercorn and mustard seed to a spice grinder. Pulse the spices until they are coarsely ground. If you don't have spice grinder, a plastic baggy and meat tenderizer will do the trick as well (this is a good way to relieve some stress from work, school, children, etc). Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. The spices make enough rub for approximately 6 pork chops.

Lightly oil the pork chops and press the rub onto the meat. You're hands are going to get dirty but that's half the fun. Grill the meat for approximately 8-10 minutes over direct medium heat. Remove the pork from the grill and let it rest for a couple of minutes. Serve the pork with your favorite BBQ sauce.

Rigatoni with Sun-Dried Tomato and Fennel Sauce

Kosher Salt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup chopped fennel (about half a medium bulb)

2 medium cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup low-salt chicken broth

1/3 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 pound dried rigatoni

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the fennel and garlic and cook for approximately 5 minutes (I didn't have fennel when I decided to try this and it tasted great. So don't worry if you can't find fennel.). Stir in the cream, chicken broth, sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes, 1 tsp of salt, and 1 cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat. Simmer the mixture on low for 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes become plump and soft.

While waiting for the sauce to cook, bring a pot of water to boil and add the pasta noodles. Cook the pasta 1 to 2 minutes less than the package instructions indicate. Drain well and set aside.

When the tomatoes get soft, pull the sauce off of the stove. Let the sauce cool slightly and pour into a blender. Puree the sauce until it becomes smooth. The sauce will become a nice creamy red color. Pour the sauce back into the pan and add the pasta noodles. Cook for a minute or two until the pasta gets covered by the sauce and finishes cooking. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Welcome!

Growing up my mom would amaze me with the food that she would whip up. For 19 years I was spoiled with great meals every night. Now that I'm married and out on my own I've learned to cook a few dishes. I've grown a love for cooking and I love trying out new recipes. It's always an adventure trying out a new recipe. Sometimes they turn out great; sometimes they don't turn out so great. But it's always fun when you find a recipe and try it for the first time. I want to share that sense of adventure with the rest of you. I plan on posting some of the good recipes that I come across so that you can add something new to your dinner arsenal. Enjoy!