Pork Marsala

I'll probably be back to soups in another day but I made another delicious recipe! We were supposed to have a spinach side with it to balance out the meal but someone ate the spinach in his salad for lunch...

Pork Chop Marsala with Buttered Noodles
Serves 2

Ingredients:
All purpose flour
2 thick center-cut pork loin chops, sliced to make 4 thinner chops
1 Tbsp canola oil
4 Tbsp butter, unsalted (divided)
1 tsp garlic
1/8 cup shallots, minced
1 8-oz. package of mushrooms (your favorite variety), sliced
1/4 cup dry marsala wine
1 tsp lemon juice
1/8 cup chicken broth
1 tsp fresh sage, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
no yolk egg noodles, dry
Parmesan, grated


Steps:

Season pork chops and dredge through flour. Heat oil in a pan over medium high heat and then add the chops. Brown chops about 5 minutes on each side. Remove from pan.


Add about 1 Tbsp of butter to the pan. Throw the garlic and shallots in the pan and cook for about 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook for around 4-5 minutes or until they start to brown.

Deglaze the pan with the wine and then add the lemon juice. Next add the broth and stir in the sage. Bring to a boil for about 1 minute. Then reduce heat to low until the liquid reduces about 75%.

Remove from heat and stir butter in the sauce. Add the chops back to the pan and garnish with parsley.  Serve alongside the noodles.

Noodles can be cooked while you are preparing the marsala sauce. They should be cooked according to package directions and drained. Then gently stir in 1 1/2 Tbsp butter and sprinkle with parmesan.

A New Pork Chop Option and Some Greens

I have a new quick and easy recipe for pork chops. I tried it last night and it was delicious! The preserves that I used were a Peach Chipotle. It was a great flavor because it had a spice flavor to it that felt perfect for fall. If you can't find a jam/jelly in this type of flavor, I'm sure you could substitute it with something else you like. I used this one which I picked up at a local farmer's market.

On the side, I made some mustard greens. At least I think they were mustard greens. My father-in-law grew them in his garden with some other things and I have to be honest, I don't know my greens at all. Either way, I used this recipe to make them and they were pretty awesome. I guess you could say I was celebrating the pork last night.

Chipotle Peach Pork Chops

2 8-oz. Boneless Center Cut Pork Loin Chops
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 cup Chipotle Peach (or similar flavor) jelly preserves
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 cup scallions, sliced 

If you get really thick pork chops, you may want to cut them in half so that they will cook faster.

Spray a pan with cooking spray and set to medium-high heat. Cook pork chops until fully cooked about 160 degrees. Depending on the thickness of the chops, it should be around 6 or 7 minutes for each side.

Remove the chops from the pan to make the sauce. In the same pan, cook onions until they are lightly- browned.

Next, add the garlic, jelly, soy sauce, and salt. Stir until blended and let thicken. Once thickened, add chops back to the pan and toss to coat. Sprinkle in the scallions and serve excess sauce over the pork.

Get A Little Messy

Because I was afraid to. Yeah, yeah, I know you are supposed to eat ribs with your hands and I usually do when it's bbq. But since these were Asian-style ribs, I tried the knife and fork way. Let's just say I would've had a lot more meat had I just got a little dirty and picked these suckers up. They were good nonetheless.

Hot and Sticky Asian Ribs
Source: Cuisine At Home

Picture taken while still cooking:

Combine:

1 jar hoisin sauce (8 oz.)

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup chili garlic sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

2 T. soy sauce

2 T. toasted sesame oil

2 T. garlic, minced

2 T. fresh ginger, minced

 

Heat, Season, Saute:

2 T. canola oil, divided

8 bone-in country style pork ribs (about 3 1/2 lb.)

Salt and pepper

  
Steps:

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl for the sauce.

2. Heat 1 T. oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat; season ribs with salt and pepper.

Saute 4 ribs until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes; remove from pan. Repeat process

with remaining oil and ribs.

3. Return ribs to pan; add half the sauce and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 15 minutes. Flip ribs and simmer 15 minutes, uncovered, turning occasionally to coat with sauce. Reduce heat to low; simmer an additional 15 minutes, turning often. Serve with remaining sauce

More BBQ

This is a another really easy recipe and it's for slow-cooked barbecue. I have to get it in before summer is completely over! For the same reason, I made a corn dish with this meal. I have tried a few slow cooker barbecue recipes but I think this is one of the better ones. I made less than half the amount in the recipe for two people.  With a side, it was enough. 

Slow Cooker Barbecue Pork

3-3 1/2 lb. boneless pork shoulder/butt
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 white onion, chopped
2/3 cup worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp white or cider vinegar
2 Tbsp yellow mustard

Mix all ingredients except for pork in a slow cooker/crockpot. Add pork and turn to coat with mixture. Cook on low for 9 hours.  Shred the pork with a fork and return to the slow cooker to mix with the sauce. Serve with your favorite bbq sauce or on a bun. 

A Taste of Tuscany

Well...sort of... This recipe has a Tuscan flair but I am certain it wouldn't live up to an actual meal in Tuscany. While I have never been (this is on my bucket list), I do know that the food in Italy is wonderful. I went last year and made it to Florence which is basically "right there" but didn't get to the Tuscan countryside. The incredible thing about the food in Italy is that the dishes seem much simpler than the "Italian" dishes we make here but they are simply amazing there. A little olive oil here and there and voila, you have this superbly flavored meal. My mouth waters just thinking about their florentine steaks and cannellini beans. But for now, my kitchen will have to do.

This recipe looks and smells great and is also low calorie. It was pretty tasty, however next time, I would use thinner pork chops or at least pound them down some. I felt like the ones we used were too thick to really absorb all the flavor. But give it a try yourself and let me know how it turns out!

Tuscan Pork Chops
Source: Southern Living Cookbook

Ingredients:
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. pepper
4 boneless pork chops
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup chicken broth
3 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 Tbsp capers

Steps:

Combine first 3 ingredients in a shallow dish; dredge pork in flour mixture.

Cook pork in hot oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes each side at least.) Remove chops from the skillet.

Add garlic and saute 1 minute. Add vinegar and broth, stir to loosen particles from the bottom of the skillet; stir in tomatoes and capers. Return pork to skillet and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer at least 5 minutes or until pork is done.  Serve chops with sauce.

Makes 4 servings.

Fiesta Fiesta! A Taste of the Caribbean.

When I hear the word "Caribbean" I think of so many wonderful things. The Pirates of the Caribbean was always my favorite ride at the Magic Kingdom as a child. I can still remember each section of the ride and the nice cool caves the line for the ride takes you through so that you get to escape the heat for a short (or long) time. Some of the movies were great and some not so great. But who doesn't love Johnny Depp as a pirate?! But even better than a ride is the actual Caribbean. What I would give to be on an island with clear blue water and a tropical drink right now... I would love to go back to Bonaire, Curacao, St. Kitts, Grenada or St. Maarten. But for now, some Caribbean-inspired cooking will have to do. Speaking of Caribbean food, there is a place you need to check out if you are local. Caribbean Fiesta on Old Milton Pkwy in Alpharetta makes some damn good chicken and sides. It's definitely not a fancy restaurant but they know what they are doing for sure.

I found the recipe below in Cuisine At Home magazine. It was pretty amazing if you ask me! I also opened a bottle of Chestatee White Wine from the Three Sisters Vineyards in North Georgia. It was a nice wine to go with spicy foods but wasn't amazing overall. Their more premium wines are much better.

Caribbean Pork Bowl with Black Beans and Rice
Makes 4 large servings (pic after recipe.) Source: Cuisine At Home 

Ingredients:
For salsa:
4 -6 tomatillos, quartered
1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple, chopped
1/2 cup white onion, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1 jalapeno, chopped
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
 
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut in 1 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 lb smoked kielbasa cut into slices
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice

Steps:
 

Blanch tomatillos in boiling water for 5 minutes or until they begin to soften.  Remove husk, drain and rinse in cold water.

 Pulse tomatillos with pineapple, onion, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno, sugar, and salt in a processor or blender until finely chopped. Cover and chill. 

 Blend spices.

Toss trimmed pork with spice mixture. Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute pork for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 Stir in kielbasa and garlic. Saute an additional 5 minutes or until kielbasa begins to brown, stirring to keep the garlic from burning.

 Deglaze with lime juice and boil until syrupy, 1-2 minutes. Serve with black beans and rice, and top with tomatillo salsa.

 

Black Beans and Rice

 

Ingredients:

1 cup long grain rice

1 garlic clove, minced

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup white onion, chopped

2 cans black beans (15 oz. each), drained and rinsed

1/2 cup chicken broth

 

Steps: 

Saute garlic in oil over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add rice and saute a minute until golden. Add broth and bring to a boil. Stir, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Season with salt and pepper.

In another pan, saute onion in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add beans and broth, and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer until hot. Add broth if necessary. 

Chinese Takeout? I Don't Think So!

Ever since I started experiencing more authentic Chinese food through some of the new restaurants that have opened up, I decided that I dislike the Americanized dishes that they always serve at your everyday Chinese restaurants. Regardless, I decided to make this Lo Mein dish anyways because I wanted to use the cabbage that my father-in-law grew in his garden. (Needless to say, I waited too long and it had gone bad so I had to leave it out.)  Oops. Also, my grocery store didn't have fresh chinese noodles so I had to buy the packaged type. It didn't seem to make much of a difference.

I really really liked this dish. Fresh Lo Mein is much better than the stuff you get at the mall foodcourts for sure. And I may or may not have been an expert on those places in my college days...yuck. So, next time you are craving some Chinese food, try this at home! It's even more delicious with some Sriracha mixed in. It made more servings than I care to admit that I ate for both of us with leftovers for lunch the next day.

Pork Lo Mein with Seared Scallions & Shiitakes
Source: Fine Cooking magazine

 Ingredients:
3/4 lb. boneless pork ribs, cut into 1/4 in strips
2 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp. dry sherry
1 tsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. kosher salt
9 oz. fresh Chinese noodles
5 Tbsp. canola oil
14 to 16 scallions, cut into 1 in. pieces
4 oz. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage
2 cups mung bean sprouts, rinsed
2 tsp. sesame oil
Optional: Sriracha sauce

Steps:

In a bowl, toss the pork with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of the sherry, the cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Refrigerate for up to 1 hour.

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 2 tablespoons of the salt and cook the noodles, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and run under cold water until the noodles cool to about room temperature. Turn the noodles out onto a baking sheet lined with paper towels to dry.

Heat 1.5 tablespoons of the canola oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the noodles and cook, tossing occasionally, until golden and slightly crisp, about 6 minutes. Meanwhile, replace the damp paper towels on the baking sheet with dry ones. When golden, transfer the noodles to the dry towels.

Heat another 1.5 tablespoons of the canola oil in the nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the pork and cook, tossing often, until browned and just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate or bowl.

Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of canola oil into the skillet and then add the scallions, mushrooms, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, and pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the cabbage, bean sprouts, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the cabbage just starts to soften, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the noodles and pork to the pan and cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce, the remaining 1 tablespoon sherry, and the sesame oil and cook, tossing the ingredients, for 1 minute more. Serve immediately. Add Sriracha to taste.

Simple Salad Doesn't Have To Be Boring + Pork

The following two recipes will both serve two people and are really easy to make on a weeknight since they don't require a lot of materials or time. The salad looks really simple since there are essentially no toppings. However, Arugula is really flavorful in itself and the dressing adds a good punch. I may have even heard "this might be the best salad dressing that I've ever had" uttered last night. The pork chops were tasty as well and satisfied my craving for some traditional comfort food.

Dressing for Arugula

Ingredients:
lemon
shallot
honey
dijon mustard
salt
pepper
extra-virgin olive oil

Steps:

In a small bowl, combine 2 tsp. of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1/2 tsp of finely chopped shallots, 1 tsp. honey, 1 tsp. dijon mustard, and 1/4 tsp of each salt and pepper. Next, add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and whisk until blended.  Pour over a few cups of arugula. Enjoy!

   
Panko-Crusted Pork Chops

Ingredients:

2 Center-cut boneless pork chops
1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 cup Panko crumbs (Japanese section)
1 egg, beaten
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp and 1 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 Tbsp Canola Oil
1 1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Steps:

Pound pork chops to about 1/2 inch thick. (Think cutlets). Season with the 1/4 tsp sea salt.

In a shallow dish, mix thyme, crumbs, pepper, and 1 tsp salt.

Coat the pork chops in the egg and dredge through the mixture making sure to press the crumbs into the chops in order to coat completely.

Heat both the oils over medium high heat and then add the meat.  Cook about 6 minutes on each side or until they turn golden and reach 160 degrees.

 

Peachy Grilling

It's officially summer! Though I'm pretty sure Georgia would be surprised to hear that because she seemed to think it has been for some time now with all the plus 90 degree weather since May...

I found a recipe that I think is perfect for summer since it combines both grilling and peaches. My husband wasn't so sure that he liked it. But try mentioning that you will be adding peaches, pineapples or the like in the meal, and it won't really excite him.  I liked it and thought it would be perfect for summer get togethers. Others, well, they may not agree.

We also tried a new wine that I picked up at Total Wine, Nobilis Vinho Verde. It's a white wine from Portugal. I liked that it was a tad sweet (but not overly so) and had a hint of carbonation to it - perfect for a 95 degree day! It was a random find but I may or may not have picked this one based on the pretty bottle. It was also less than $8!

Peach-Glazed Chops
Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients:

2 medium peaches, coarsely chopped

1 medium lime, juiced (2 Tbsp.)

1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce

2 cloves garlic

4 center-cut pork chops about 1 inch thick

4 peaches, halved and pitted

1 red sweet pepper, quartered

1 Tbsp. honey

1/2 bunch basil, chopped

 
 Steps:

1. In blender, combine the chopped peaches, lime juice, soy sauce, and Sriracha sauce. Blend until nearly smooth. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. Smash garlic with the side of a wide knife or the bottom of a skillet. Add garlic and pork to bag; seal and turn to coat. Let stand up to 30 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate 2 to 4 hours, turning occasionally.

2. Remove pork from marinade, reserving marinade. For a charcoal grill, grill chops on rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 14 to 18 minutes or until chops are slightly pink in center and juices run clear (160 degrees F), turning once halfway through grilling and adding the peach halves and pepper quarters for the last 7 minutes of grilling. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place meat on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.)

3. Meanwhile, pour marinade into a small saucepan. Add honey and bring to a simmer. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly reduced and thickened (discard garlic cloves). Remove pork, peaches, and peppers from grill and brush with reduced marinade. Chop peaches and peppers as desired for serving. Pass remaining marinade. Sprinkle with basil. Makes 4 servings.

 

 

Pork Stew Verde

My husband liked this meal better than I did though I did enjoy it. I just felt that it could have been a tad spicier. Maybe next time I will user hotter peppers.

 Pork Stew Verde

Ingredients:

1/8 cup flour
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground sage
3 tablespoons canola oil 
2 pounds pork loin roast or pork stew meat
2 tablespoons wine or vinegar
1 and 1 half large onions,  chopped
4 small potatoes, peeled
2 cups tomatillo/verde salsa
2 cans  chopped green chiles
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Steps:

Combine flour, cumin, pepper, salt, and sage in a shallow dish or pan; add pork and coat thoroughly.

Brown pork in hot oil; remove when browned and set aside.

With heat still on, add the wine or vinegar to the skillet, scraping up brown bits.

Place onions, potatoes, salsa, chicken broth, brown sugar, pork, and scraped bits from the skillet in the slow cooker.

Stir ,cover, and cook on high 5 hours or low for 8 hours.






BEER ME!

I picked up this nice summer brew at Total Wine on my last wine run. I had heard about it from friends that are from New Orleans and swear by it. This is the perfect summer beer! It's light and refreshing. The strawberry is so subtle while you are drinking it and then leaves you with the berry after taste and not in the nasty way that a lot of flavored beers do. However, my husband was not a fan. His verdict: "It tastes like cheap beer." He wasn't completely wrong. I think when it first hits your tongue, it tastes like a Miller or Budweiser beer but it leaves you with something so much better.

Dijon Porkchops and Sherry Braised Bok Choy w/ Prosciutto For Two

With these recipes, I give you a disclaimer: These recipes are good but the flavors are intense. If you do not like the main ingredients in either of these, I wouldn't recommend them because the flavors really come out in both of dishes. But on the other hand...if you are a fan, this is a good thing! I hope you enjoy!

Dijon Porkchops

Ingredients:
2 bone-in loin pork chops
1/8 cup Dijon mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. red cayenne pepper
Salt
Parsley (to taste)


Preheat broiler to High. In a small bowl, mix together mustard, Worcestershire, sugar, lemon juice, and cayene.
Place foil along the bottom of a roasting pan and place rack on the bottom.
Season pork with salt on both sides. Place pork on rack.
Brush half of mixture on one side of the chops. Broil about 8 minutes.
Use tongs to turn the chops over and spread the remaining mixture on the chops. Broil an additional 8 minutes or until browned to your liking.
After pulling the chops out of the oven, sprinkle with parsley before serving.


Sherry Braised Bok Choy w/ Prosciutto

Ingredients
2 tsp vegetable or canola oil
2 small garlic cloves, sliced
2-3 heads of baby bok choy, washed well and cut in half  lengthwise
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup chicken stock/broth
1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1/8 tsp white sugar
1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 slices of prosciutto, cut into thin strips

Heat oil in large saucepan and add garlic. Cook until garlic is tender and fragrant.
Add the bok choy. Use tongs to make sure it gets coated. Season with salt. Cook approx. 1 minute.
Add sherry and toss around the bok choy once again.  Next, add broth, soy sauce, and sugar.
Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove bok choy from the saucepan and add the cornstarch with 1/2 tsp of water to form slurry.  Stir until sauce thickens.
Turn off the stove and place the bok choy back in the pan and toss with the prosciutto before serving.



 

Because You Have To Get Your Veggies Somehow

Last night's dinner was a bit healthier than most of the meals that I've cooked lately. It also helped satisfy my craving for Asian food. It is a good weeknight dinner because it can be thrown together so quickly. I like to serve it on a bed of brown rice.

Apple and Pork Stir-fry with Ginger (recipe from SparkPeople Recipes )
Serves 4

Ingredients: 
2 Tbsp. peach jam, fruit sweetened
2 Tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp. dark toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp. finely minced fresh ginger root
1/2 lb. (8 oz) pork tenderloin, cut into thin strips
1 1/2 tsp. canola oil
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1 can (8 oz) sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 firm apples, Fuji or Gala, cut into one-inch pieces
1/2 cup scallions, sliced
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In small bowl, combine jam, soy sauce, water, and cornstarch. Set aside.
2. in large non-stick skillet (I used a wok), heat sesame oil over medium high heat. Add pork and ginger and stir-fry until pork is browned and just cooked through.
3. Transfer pork and ginger to bowl with slotted spoon. Add canola oil to skillet. Stir-fry peppers, water chestnuts, and apples until peppers are crisp tender, about 3 minutes.
4. Add pork back to skillet along with scallions. Stir-fry 30 seconds. Add jam mixture. Continue to stir-fry 30 seconds to one minute, or until sauce thickens. Season to taste with black pepper.