Cider pork roast with apple-thyme gravy

*Fall Collection* Serves 6-8 / 5-7-1/2 Hours

1 boneless pork shoulder roast (about 3-1/2 lbs.), tied (ask a butcher to do this)
2 TB olive oil
1-1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1-1/2 cups apple cider
1/3 cup Calvados or other apple brandy
1 TB plus 1 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme leaves, divided, plus sprigs for garnish
1 tsp pepper
4 Gala apples, peeled, cored, and sliced, divided
3 TB butter, divided
1 TB flour

1. Sprinkle pork with 1/2 tsp salt, then brown in oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, turning as needed, 10 minutes. Transfer pork and pan juices to a 5- to 6-qt slow cooker. Add remaining 1 tsp salt, the cider, Calvados, 1 TB thyme, the pepper, and 1 sliced apple. Cover and cook until meat is very tender, about 4 hours on high or 7 hours on low.

2. Meanwhile, about 20 minutes before pork is done, heat 2 TB butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add remaining 3 apples and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and light golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; tent with foil.

3. Transfer roast from slow-cooker to a platter and tent with foil. Strain slow-cooker juices and skim fat; set aside. Melt remaining 1 TB butter in frying pan. Add flour, cook, whisking often, until golden and bubbling. Slowly whisk in juices and 1 tsp thyme, cook until slightly thickened, 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a gravy boat.

4. Slice pork, scatter with reserved apples, and drizzle with gravy. Garnish with thyme sprigs and serve more gravy on the side.

(Source: Sunset magazine & photo also)

Chinese black pepper pork and spinach salad

*Fall Collection* Serves 4 - 30 minutes

1/3 cup oyster sauce*
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 TB pepper
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 lbs. boned pork loin chops  (about 4)
1 large red onion, cut into thick  slices
1/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
2 TB sugar
8 oz. (2. qts.) baby spinach leaves
8 oz. (1 qt. ) bean sprouts
1 cup sliced Japanese or English cucumber

1. Heat a grill to high (450-550 degrees). Mix oyster sauce, oil, pepper, and garlic in a large bowl. Brush 3 TB oyster sauce mixture over pork and 2 TB over onion. Set remaining sauce mixture aside.

2. Oil cooking grate with a wad of paper towels, using tongs. Grill onion and pork, turning once, until grill marks appear, 6-8 minutes total for onion and 8-10 minutes for pork. Let rest about 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, stir vinegar and sugar into remaining oyster sauce mixture. Add spinach, sprouts, and cucumber, tossing to coat.

4. Divide salad among plates. Thinly slice pork across the grain and arrange over salads. Separate onion slices into rings and lay on pork slices. Drizzle pork with any remaining juices and dressing.

*Find in the Asian foods aisle.

(Source: Sunset magazine & photo also)

California Crab Sandwich

*Fall Collection* Serves 4-20 minutes

12 oz. shelled cooked crab
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 TB mayonnaise
3 green onions, chopped
1 TB lemon juice
1/4 tsp. each kosher salt, pepper, and cayenne
8 slices sourdough bread, toasted
1 avacado, sliced
1 cup alfalfa sprouts

1. Mix crab, cream cheese, mayonnaise, onions, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a medium bowl.

2. Spoon mixture onto 4 slices of bread. Top each with some avacado and sprouts and another slice of bread and cut in half.

(Source: Sunset magazine & photo also)

FALL RECIPES CONTINUE ON!!!

(photo-google+)

CARAMEL PEAR AND CRANBERRY PUDDING CAKE

*Fall Collection* A quick and easy fall dessert!!  Serves 6-8/ 2  to  2-3/4 hours.

+Cooking-oil spray
2/3 cup good-quality caramel sauce,  warmed
2 ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored,  and sliced
3/4 cup cranberries
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup milk
2 TB butter, melted
+Cre'me fraiche

1. Coat the cooking insert of a 5-to 6-qt. slow-cooker* all over with cooking-oil spray. Evenly spread caramel on bottom, then top with an even layer of pears. Sprinkle with cranberries.

2. Whisk together flour, sugar,salt, baking powder, milk, and butter in a medium bowl until mostly smooth with only tiny lumps remaining. Pour over fruit and spread with a spatula to cover evenly.

3. Cover and cook until a toothpick inserted in cake portion comes out clean, about 1 hour and 20 minutes on high or 2-1/4 hours on low.

4. Remove basin from slow-cooker and let pudding cake cool 5 minutes. Spoon onto plates, pear side up, and dollop with cre'me frache.

*You can use a 4-quart slow cooker, but may need to increase the cooking time.

(Source: Sunset magazine & photo also)

Flageolet beans with rosemary and thyme

*Fall Collection* Serves 4 ) 8 OR 9 AS A SIDE) 2-1/2 to 4-3/4 hours

12 oz. dried flageolet beans
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. finely chopped rosemary leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus sprigs for garnish
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-in. slices on a diagonal
About 2 TB extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided

1.Put all ingredients including 2 TB oil but not the sprigs or parsley in a 4-to 6-qt. slow-cooker. Add 5 cups boiling water and stir. Cover and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and beans are very tender, 2-1/4 to 3 hours on high or 4 to 4-1/2 hours on low.

2.Stir in 3 TB parsley. Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with more oil. Garnish with Rosemary and thyme sprigs and remaining 1 TB parsley.

NOTE: No need to soak the beans beforehand; they cook up tender straight from the package.

(Source: Sunset magazine & photo also)

FALL RECIPES CONTINUE

(photo-google+)