Vegetarian in search of meat advice

17 years ago

Ah the memories! I first found CF at Christmastime in a panic over having to cook a turkey for my family! Once again it's that time of year when I turn to you all for advice on holiday meals. I'm home in MI and my mom is recuperating from gall bladder surgery so I'm doing all the cooking. I don't like to cook meat but will do it to make everyone happy. My mom is not picky but needs low fat, milder food since she is healing and may have a touchy tummy. My dad only likes meat, potatoes and sweets and fatty foods! He is one of the pickiest eaters on the planet!

I'm making two holiday meals, one with a boneless pork loin, and one with a turkey breast. I have no idea how to make either one of them and make them yummy. I searched online and all the recipes seem weird to veggie me. Also--no onions, wine peppers or garlic for dad! Does anyone have any good T&T advice?

Also dad wants that sweet potato casserole kind of stuff, so can I just bake some sweet potatoes with a can of crushed pineapple and some brown sugar? Sorry, I'll do a lot of things for the love of family, but NO MARSHMALLOWS!

The rest I think I can handle.

Thanks tons for the advice/help.

Lpink

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Comments (11)

Terri_PacNW
17 years ago
This might appeal to him/them Honey Roasted Pork Loin
I make pork loin very simply..the simpler the better in my mind. Salt, pepper and garlic powder, but fill free to use a "seasoned salt blend" or just the salt and pepper. Presalt today, rub it in kosher salt and wrap in plastic. If you are serving it tomorrow, remove plastic tonight and let air dry in the fridge. Pepper before roasting. If not cooking until Thursday, take plastic off Wed night and let rest over that night.
Same with the turkey breast actually.

I like to roast pork loin at 325..but 350 works too...

Do a search for AnnT's instructions on Turkey Breast..I'm sure it's here somewhere.

I don't like the "marshmallow" so much..so I bake the sweet potatoes ahead...when cool, peel and slice in to big 1/2-3/4" slices and wrap up for later...
Layer the slices in a baking pan, dot slices with a bit of butter here and there(or EVOO), salt and pepper drizzle maple syrup over each layer (easy on it though..doesn't need much) Cover and bake until heated through.
grainlady_ks
17 years ago
I'd suggest you bake them both in Reynolds Oven Bags - to keep it simple and effective. Instructions found inside the box for cooking times and temperatures. Keeps things tidy and clean-up is a breeze. No splattered oven and the meat is very tender. NO basting and hovering required.

You add 1-tablespoon of flour to the inside of the bag and give it a good shake. For turkey I place coarsely-chopped onion, carrots, celery (a good use for the leafy portion of the stalk) - about a cup each, but it's just a guess and doesn't need to be an exact measure. I'll add a handful of parsley as well, but not necessary. The vegetables and seasonings flavor the cooking juices and are NOT for serving. Season with salt, coarsely-ground pepper, and dried poultry seasoning (or sage - fresh or dried ground).

Rinse and pat dry the turkey breast, salt the cavety and oil the skin side. Place the turkey breast on the top of the vegetables - skin side up. Close the bag with the special nylon closure strip (included). VERY IMPORTANT - poke a holes on the top of the bag (with a paring knife or a few snips with a pair of scissors) to vent steam (per instructions in the box). Place in a shallow pan (I use my lasagna pan). TA DA. When done (bake 350Â°F until 170Â°F (use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature), clip one corner of the bag to drain out the broth and use it for gravy or as a broth base for turkey soup.

You can also bake a boneless pork loin in an oven bag, except you may want to season the pork and you add water to the bag. (Instructions also included in the box.)

Here's a Reynolds recipe:

Pork Tenderloin with Honey Mustard Sauce

1 Reynolds Oven bag - large size
2 T. flour
1/3 c. orange juice
2 T. honey
2 T. Dijon mustard
2 pork tenderloins (3/4 pound each)
Dried basil
Seasoned salt
2-4 medium carrots, sliced
2 medium apples, cored, cut in eights

Preheat oven to 350Â°F. Shake flour in Oven Bag. Place bag in 13x9x2-inch baking pan with opening towards side side of pan. Add orange juice, honey and mustart to oven bag. Squeeze bag to blend in flour. Sprinkle tenderloins with basil and seasoned salt to taste. Place in bag, tucking the narrow end of each tenderloin under for even cooking. Place carrot and apple slices in bag around tenderloins. Close oven bag with nylon tie. Cut six 1/2-inch slits in top of bag; tuck ends of bag into pan. Bake 40-45 minutes until meat thermometer reads 160Â°F. Makes 5-6 servings.

Check the link below for more information.

We like baked sweet potatoes with butter - no sweetener. You can also add maple granules, maple sugar, or maple syrup. I've never added pineapple and would consider it a waste of good pineapple. No marshmallows necessary - not a fan of them myself - but the tradition does live on for many (LOL).

-Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: Reynolds Oven Bags
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triciae
17 years ago
lpink,

If you slow roast the sweet potatoes at 350 degrees for 2-1/2 hours they will carmalize & you won't have to add any additional butter or sweetener & your Dad will never know the difference. Large sweet potatoes will be tender at 1-1/2 hours but that extra hour in the oven carmalizes them.

I roast them off like this a dozen at a time for our freezer. I wrap them in foil & be sure to put them on a sided sheet pan because when they caramalize they will ooze up out of the skin/foil & make a mess in the oven. At 2-1/2 hours, the oozy part will be charred black. Don't worry about it. Inside, the potatoes are perfect.

After roasting, immediately remove the skin & put the pulp in a mixing bowl, mash, add S/P & serve...couldn't be easier (pretty healthy also). If your Dad expects to see pineapple...add a small can of unsweetened chunks after mashing. No butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, nor marshmallows required.

/tricia
lpinkmountain
Original Author
17 years ago
"& you Dad will never know the difference"

LOL Tricia--IF ONLY! :)

I love roasted sweet potatoes and find the candied stuff cloying. But knowing my dad, he would turn up his nose at roasted real sweet potatoes and open up a can of the presweetened ones! Maybe that's what I'll do--make real ones for mom and me and just open up a can for dad, sprinkle some marshmallows on them and call it a day!
triciae
17 years ago
Oh, I didn't realize he loved the canned ones! :(

They are truly horrible, IMO.

/t
canarybird01
17 years ago
Lpink ...I made this one year at Christmas when I was under the weather with flu and couldn't handle doing a whole turkey and it has become my favourite way to do a turkey breast.
You could just not serve him the roasted onion or leave it out all together.

Ingredients:

2 TBS sugarless apricot jam
1 heaping TBS dried thyme + a little more for sprinkling on top
1 teasp garlic powder
fresh ground black pepper
2 TBS runny honey
2 TBS butter

1 orange
1 onion cut into 8ths

Turkey breast weighing 1.360 kg (slightly under 3 lbs)

1. Preheat oven to 350F (I used 325F in my fan oven)

2. In small bowl, mix the jam, thyme and garlic powder to a paste. Spread all over the turkey breast.

3. Cut orange in half and squeeze some of the juice over the turkey, then cut orange into slices and arrange under and on top along with the slices of onion.

4. Cut butter into pieces and dot all over and under breast, then drizzle honey over all.

5. Grind black pepper over top and sprinkle on a little more dried thyme.

6. Cover with foil and roast 1 hour, then remove foil, baste once with juices and butter in pan and roast for another half hour (without foil) or until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast reads 170F.

7. Serve with turkey dressing, cranberry sauce and gravy.

SharonCb
lpinkmountain
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks for the great ideas! I may not get to the pork roast. I guess I should have made it tonight but I was tired from the long drive and working today and running errands.

I did OK for the first meal--roasted chicken thighs and breast and potatoes, awesome homeade applesauce, and steamed broccoli for mom and me. But I swear the stove does not work right and it took an hour and a half to cook the chicken and potatoes, which I just did not get. I don't think the oven was working for the first 45 min. The chicken wasn't dry, so it was definately not overcooked. My folks both swore up and down there was nothing wrong with the oven, but I think there is! They never bake or roast anything!

Tomorrow night I am making latkes for my dad, then Christmas dinner Thurs. with the turkey breast. Traditional, with stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry relish for mom, maybe green beans, salad for me, and pumpkin pie for dessert. I think the family may like this orange glazed turkey, since we often have orange glazed duck for the holidays. I just didn't feel like making a duck this year, plus it is so greasy and not good for my mom. But it might be a little too much citrus with the cranberry orange relish, and sweet potatoes with pineapple. I dunno, I'll have to mull it over. I'd still rather just roast the sweet potatoes but I'm trying to make everyone happy, which is kinda funny that it is so difficult considering there are only TWO people I'm cooking for! It is amazing my folks ever got together and got married, they have such different tastes! Anyway, that turkey sounds and LOOKs super yummy to me! That is the perfect Christmas meal Sharon!

Maybe I'll do the pork loin at the same time and then mom will have something to eat for quite a while as leftovers--I can freeze individual portions for them. Unfortunately I have to head right back after Christmas to squeeze in the drive between snowstorms! I take the GRE again on Dec. 31st. What was I thinking! So I'm actually studying math over the holiday!
kathleenca
17 years ago
Gee, lpink, I think you are great to cook for your folks even though their eating habits don't agree with yours. What a good child you are! (I wouldn't ever tackle a duck). :)

triciae & canarybird have some great suggestions for you- I may need to adopt them too! Frozen leftovers will be a big help to your parents.

Merry Christmas!

Kathleen
lpinkmountain
Original Author
17 years ago
Oh brother, now it looks like I'll have to do the pork roast since I found it thawed today in the fridge. Luckily I think mom has a recipe. My dad went berserk in the meat department, (should have known better to send him there sans supervision, lol!). I suggested he get "a turkey breast OR a pork loin roast" OR being the operative word. Now I find out he not only got both but ALSO cornish hens because he likes those. And this is for ONE holiday meal. I have to leave right after Christmas to dodge another line of storms, so I can't cook all of this stuff, no way!
triciae
17 years ago
lpink,

Roast the turkey breast & the pork at the same time. Have the turkey tomorrow. Slice the pork, pour a little of the juices over, & freeze for your parents to enjoy next week.

If you're making dressing to go along with the turkey breast save a little back & package it along with the pork roast. They are a good compliment to each other. So are sweet potatoes. So you can easily divide the sides up with the two different proteins & your parents can eat for a long time.

Merry Christmas! Drive safe coming home.

/tricia
lpinkmountain
Original Author
17 years ago
Here's the report:

I marinated the pork loin overnight in some marinade my mom had called "Soy Vey." Plus a half a can of gingerale. I roasted it at 350 for about an hour and 45 minutes and it came out DELICIOUS. I reduced the marinade by cooking it for about 20 min. and ladled it on the roast at the end of the roasting time and before serving. Easy peasy and oh so good.

The turkey breast was another matter. I used Sharon's recipe, but after 3 hours in the oven at 350 it still didn't test done but I was sure it was more than done. It's not super dry, but I dunno about this turkey breast idea, it's definately tricky. We did not eat that for dinner since it wasn't ready, but will have it probably for lunch.

Sweet potatoes I made with some butter, brown sugar and crushed pineapple, topped with pecans at the very end. Pretty good, and not cloyingly sweet although not really the way I like them.

The Cornish hen was rather controversial and its whereabouts remain a mystery. I cooked all afternoon and am DONE for this holiday, I think there's enough leftovers to last a week. I may have to stay over one more night due to an ice storm moving through.

I wish I had remembered to get the roasting bags at the store. I would really like to try that method--especially for the turkey breast. Maybe next year!

Vegetarian in search of meat advice

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