Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms

1 pound medium fresh mushrooms
4 bacon slices, diced
1/2 cup minced onion, or use part green onion
2 Tablespoons minced fresh green pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs, plain
1/4 cup hot water

Preparation

1. Clean mushrooms, remove and chop stems; set aside.

2. Fry bacon in a heavy skillet. Remove with a slotted spoon and set on paper towels to drain. In bacon drippings, saute onion, green pepper and chopped mushroom stems until tender; drain. Add salt and pepper.

3. Soften cream cheese; blend in cooled bacon and vegetables. Press mixture into mushroom camps, mounding a bit. Turn filled mushroom caps upside down and press gently in the bread crumbs to coat tops. Place in a 9 x 13 x 2-inch baking dish. Add hot water to pan and bake, uncovered 20 to 25 minutes at 325 degrees.

Roast Pork Loin with Crumb Crust

1 (4 1/2-lb) boneless pork loin, trimmed
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons coarse-grained Dijon mustard

Preparation

1. Sprinkle pork loin with salt and pepper. Place pork loin on an aluminum foil-lined broiler pan.

2. Stir together breadcrumbs and next 4 ingredients; press breadcrumb mixture onto top of pork loin.

3. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes; cover loosely with aluminum foil. Bake 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 155. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

(From Southern Living)

Sweet Tea-Brined Chicken

2 family-size tea bags
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, halved
2 (6-inch) fresh rosemary sprigs
1 tablespoon freshly cracked pepper
2 cups ice cubes
1 (3 1/2- to 4-lb.) cut-up whole chicken

Preparation

1. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a 3-qt. heavy saucepan; add tea bags. Remove from heat; cover and steep 10 minutes.

2. Discard tea bags. Stir in sugar and next 6 ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cool completely (about 45 minutes); stir in ice. (Mixture should be cold before adding chicken.)

3. Place tea mixture and chicken in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag; seal. Place bag in a shallow baking dish and chill 24 hours. Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade; pat chicken dry with paper towels.

4. Light one side of grill, heating to 300° to 350° (medium) heat; leave other side unlit. Place chicken, skin side down, over unlit side, and grill, covered with grill lid, 20 minutes. Turn chicken, and grill, covered with grill lid, 40 to 50 minutes or until done. Transfer chicken, skin side down, to lit side of grill, and grill 2 to 3 minutes or until skin is crispy. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

(From Southern Living)

Italian Beef

4 lb. chuck roast or top round roast
1 (o.6 oz) packet Good Seasons Zesty Italian salad dressing mix
1 envelope Lipton dry onion soup mix
1 (14 oz.) can beef consomme or broth
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 TBSP vinegar
5 pepperoncini peppers (can be found in pickle section of grocery store)

Place meat and all other ingredients in a 5-quart crockpot or slow cooker. (I like to brown the meat in a oiled skillet first.) Cook on HIGH for 7 hours or until meat falls apart. Break meat apart further using two forks. Cook for one more hour. Remove meat from cooker with a slotted spoon. Reserve any liquid as au jus. Serve on hard rolls.