Oh my, has it been almost 7 weeks since our sweet Heath came into our world? Time flies and he continues to bring so much joy into our lives with every little expression on his cute little face!
On a good night, Heath will allow Michael and I to sit down at the table for 10 minutes to eat dinner together (on a normal night, we take turns holding him while the other one eats). I forgot if we got to both sit down for this particular meal, but I do remember it being really good. Thank goodness Michael still has the energy to try great new recipes from Food & Wine!
Pork and Green Chile Stew
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds trimmed boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large sweet onion, such as Vidalia, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1 pound mild green chiles, such as poblanos and Anaheims—halved lengthwise, cored and thinly sliced
3 serrano chiles, seeded and thinly sliced (keep some seeds for spicier flavor)
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
Lime wedges, warm corn tortillas and rice, for serving
In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil until almost smoking. Season the pork cubes with salt and black pepper and add them to the casserole. Cook the pork over high heat, stirring once or twice, until lightly browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, green chiles, serrano chiles and garlic. Cover and cook over high heat, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover partially and simmer the stew over moderately low heat until the pork is just tender and the broth is reduced by about half, about 20 minutes.
Stir in the 1/4 cup of cilantro and season with salt and black pepper. Garnish the stew with cilantro and serve with lime wedges, corn tortillas and rice.
MAKE AHEAD The stew can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Black Bean and Yellow Rice Salad
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
2 3/4 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 2/3 cups drained and rinsed canned black beans (from one 15-ounce can)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 lime, quartered, for serving (optional)
In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, turmeric, cumin, 1 teaspoon of the salt, the black pepper, and rice. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.
Add the water and bay leaf; bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is done, about 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
In a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, combine the rice, beans, bell pepper, and tomatoes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt, the vinegar, and parsley. Toss gently to combine. Serve with lime wedges, if using.
And here are some more photos of Heath:
Heath just a couple days shy of 1 month checking out his new stuffed lion
Heath at 5 weeks all dressed up for his Sip 'n' See in Chapel Hill, NC
