If you can’t tell, I’ve been cooking like a mad woman this week. I tried four or five new recipes and we loved ‘em all!

This pork roast recipe was the best I’ve ever made! And perhaps the best I’ve eaten.

I used the following recipe, but instead of roasting the pork in the oven, I used the crock-pot. After adding an onion and a few carrots to the bottom of the pot, I cooked the roast on high for 4 hours. Then I removed the vegetables and drained the drippings. After returning the roast to the crock-pot, I poured half of the glaze over top, then cooked the roast an additional hour on high. Soooo goooood!

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 (5 pound) boneless pork loin
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°.

In a bowl, combine sage, salt, pepper, and garlic. Rub thoroughly all over pork. Place pork in an uncovered roasting pan on the middle oven rack.

Bake in the preheated oven approximately 3 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches at least 150 degrees F, depending upon your desired doneness.

Meanwhile, place sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, water, and soy sauce in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to bubble and thicken slightly. Brush roast with glaze 3 or 4 times during the last 1/2 hour of cooking. Pour remaining glaze over roast, and serve.

I promise this will be better than your mama’s meatloaf! We used the leftovers to make meatloaf sandwiches!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup finely crushed saltine cracker
crumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 5×9 inch loaf pan.

Press the brown sugar in the bottom of the prepared loaf pan and spread the ketchup over the sugar. (I also sprinkle some brown sugar and pour ketchup over the top).

In a mixing bowl, mix thoroughly all remaining ingredients and shape into a loaf. Place on top of the ketchup.

Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until juices are clear.

This was a first for me. I’ve never made shrimp before in my life. But because it was on sale at Albertson’s this week (3.99/lb) I thought I’d give it a try. I don’t usually like sea food very much, but I was pleasantly surprised at how easy and delicious this dish was. I halved the recipe and only used 1 lb of shrimp which fed both Miles and I and we had leftovers.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons prepared Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 pounds medium raw shrimp, shelled,
deveined, with tails attached

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, and parsley. When the butter melts completely, remove from heat.

Arrange shrimp in a shallow baking dish. Pour the butter mixture over the shrimp.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the shrimp are pink and opaque.

Serve over pasta.

This Lemon Bar recipe come from Ina Garten’s “Barefoot Contessa Parties!” cookbook. I tried these bars at a girls-night-out movie night. Rena brought them, and like everything else she makes, they were divine! I had to give them a try. I halved the recipe and baked them in an 8×8 baking dish and used lemons from our community garden.

For the Crust:

2 sticks butter at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 t. kosher salt

For the Filling:

6 extra-large eggs
3 cups granulated sugar
2 T. lemon zest (1 large lemon)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4-6 lemons)
1 cup all-purpose flour
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured surface and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9x13x2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill. (I put it in the freezer about 15 min).

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.

For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.

Cut into squares and dust with confectioner’s sugar.