Glazed Ham Steak

1 Ham Steak (about 1 lb.)
2 tbsp. prepared spicy mustard
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. Rose's lime juice
1 tsp. ground cloves

Heat oven to 450, and mix mustard, brown sugar, lime juice and cloves to form a paste, and spread over the top of the ham steak. The ham will give off a lot of juice during cooking, so be sure to cook in a pan that's at least an inch deep. Cook for 20-30 minutes, until heated through.

Sauteed Spinach

2 Tablespoons Olive oil
Baby spinach leaves, cleaned and rinsed
salt and pepper
1 clove of garlic and/or 1 shallot, chopped
Pinch red pepper flakes
Splash of chicken stock (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a pan, throw in the spinach, salt and pepper, the chopped garlic and/or shallots, red pepper flakes. Keep it moving until it's all cooked down. The chicken stock is optional, but can be added for a bit of taste and it gives it a little "creaminess."

Crock Pot Pot Roast

1 boneless check roast (or any cut labeld for pot roast) 3-4 lbs
1 lb. carrots, cut in chunks
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1.5 cups beef stock
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
nutmeg

(I use a crock pot liner in my pot. It's a heavy duty plastic bag that doesnt' melt while cooking. You can see it in the image.)

Cut the carrots and onion and place half in the bottom of crock pot. smash 2 garlic cloves and throw in the pot. Add 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Lightly salt and pepper everything. Put the roast on top, and put all the rest of the carrots, onions, and smashed garlic in, some of them on top of the roast. Add the beef stock, the other tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.

Cook on low 8 hours.

Pork Chops with Lemon Rosemary Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 pork chops, 1.5 inches thick
1 shallot, chopped
1.5 cups chicken stock
1 sprig fresh or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons well-chilled unsalted butter, cut in 3 pieces
Salt and pepper

Salt and pepper the pork chops. Heat a sautee pan on high and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil shimmers, place pork chops in pan, sautee for 5 minutes then lower heat to medium and turn. Cook pork chops until internal temp reaches 145. Remove from pan and tent with aluminum foil.

Turn heat back to high, and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When oil is hot, add shallot. Stir and cook until translucent. Pour chicken stock in and add rosemary. If using a fresh sprig, do not remove the leaves from the stem. Put the whole sprig in the pan. Cook on high until stock is reduced to about 2/3 cup. Add lemon juice. Whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over sliced chops.

Fresh Salsa

Tomatoes, chopped well (good fresh if you can get them, or canned whole will do)
Garlic, minced fine
1/2 red onion, chopped fine (I don't always use onion)
handful of cilantro chopped -- about 3 tbsp
Chopped pickled (jarred) jalapenos
1-2 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper

Sometimes I also add a chopped dried ancho chile for a smokey sweet layer

Open "Stuffed" Snapper

You can use any light, white, flakey fish that you like for this -- snapper, tilapia, cod, etc.

4 snapper filets
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers
4 Tbs butter, melted
1 clove garlic, minced
juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper

Crush the crackers to small crumbs. Mix in the rest of the ingredients, except the filets. Salt and pepper the filets, and spread crumb mixture on them and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350, or until done. Put under broiler for a minute or two to toast the crumb topping.

Garlic Horseradish Crusted Beef Tenderloin

1 beef tenderloin, 2-3 lbs.
3 Tbs prepared horseradish
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 Tbs kosher salt
1 Tbs fresh ground black pepper
3 Tbs olive oil

Let beef tenderloin come to room temperature, about 30-45 minutes before cooking.

Mix remaining ingredients, and spread over the tenderloin. Roast on a rack to desired done-ness.

Tomato Sauce Baked Tilapia

1 lb. Tilapia filets
1-2 cups tomato sauce (your favorite jarred sauce is fine -- I used Emeril's "Kicked Up Tomato")

Preheat oven to 350.

Spray bottom of a small pan with Pam or non-stick spray (an 8"x8" or so sized pan -- you want the filets to almost cover the bottom of the pan with no space around them)

Pour sauce over the filets -- as much as you like.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until tilapia is flakey and done.