Wannabe Jersey girl?

Again, I was cooking up a storm on Sunday. Two loaves of banana-mango bread (one with blueberries, one without), the ziti with ricotta that I told you about last week, mini-meatloaves in muffins tins and sausage and peppers, a favorite of my son and husband (who is from New Jersey.) Now, I've never shopped at the Paramus Mall or anything, but I do think my sausage and peppers are good enough for a tailgate at the Meadowlands. (Actual photo from an actual Meadowlands tailgate of guys from the Saugus Rotery.)

(Besides all this, I combed the freezer for bits of meat to toss on the grill. I found 3 chorizo links, 1 big boneless, skinless chicken breast, ground chicken, ground pork and ground beef. Anyway, we had a nice mixed grill last night with grilled corn.)

Here's my Sausage and Peppers recipe:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 (two packs) of uncooked Italian sausage (mild, med., hot, your choice)
2 large onions, thinly sliced
2 green peppers, julienned
1 12-ounce can diced tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat a skillet and add the oil. Brown the sausage on two sides over medium heat. While sausage is browing, add sliced onions. Remove sausage and place in large, shallow casserole (like a 9 by 13 pan). Add green peppers to skillet and cook with onions for about five minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer so that some of the liquid evaporates, about 4 minutes.

Add veggies to the sausage, cover with foil and bake for about 1 hour.

Serve with or without hoagie rolls.

Serves 4.

Source: Janet K. Keeler, Times food and travel editor

Slow-cooker Q

Here's a holiday bonus: I'm making this for our pot luck at work tomorrow. But I'm making it tonight. That's the beauty.

I love barbecue pork sandwiches. And I'm sure that some day when I have 12 consecutive hours of nothing-better-to-do, I'll set up a low, smoky fire on the grill and babysit a pork shoulder all day while all   the fat melts and it gets all tender and delicious. It hasn't happened yet, though, and my slow cooker is the reason.

The barbecue pork I make in the slow cooker is not the same. I understand that and accept it. And for fear of heresy, I'm not going to compare the two. That I like the slow cooker version a lot can just stand as testament to how much I also like the real thing.

If you don't have a slow cooker (crock pot, whatever), well, I'm not going to tell you what to buy, but you're missing out on a great tool. I'm sure this recipe could translate to stove top or oven somehow, but I don't know the answer to that.

The sauce is also totally to the cook's discretion. I start here with bottled chili sauce and BBQ sauce, but try all of one or the other, or get crazy and try some teriyaki or hoisin. Or ketchup and mustard.

Slow-cooker Q

4-5 lbs pork roast, shoulder or butt
1 med onion, chopped
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated (optional)
1 cup chili sauce
1 cup bbq sauce
1 green bell pepper, chopped

on the stove top heat the crock pot insert (if yours is stovetop safe) or a skillet and brown each side of the pork. this step is optional.

with the crock pot insert in the heating element, turn the crock pot on to low. add the rest of the ingredients. cover. walk away. you're good for the next 8-12 hours, or whenever you're ready to eat.

just before you're ready to eat, lift the roast out of the crock pot on to a large cutting board or platter. be careful, it will fall apart. that's ok.

skim the fat off the top of the sauce in the crock pot. if the sauce seems soupy, put the insert on the stovetop over low to medium heat until it begins boiling, and allow to reduce.

meanwhile, get two forks and attack the pork, shredding it into strands of meat. discard any large chunks of fat and any bone.

when the pork is shredded and sauce ready, put the pork back in the cooker and toss to coat with the sauce.

serve on buns with bread&butter pickles and thinly sliced onion.

Breakfast burritos

I already told you how we always have chile rellenos when we go to New Mexico. The other thing we always have there are breakfast burritos. None of them look anything like the 4-digit calorie, saturated-with-saturated-fat fast food monstrosity pictured here. Not that there is anything wrong with 4-digit calorie, saturated-with-saturated-fat fast food monstrosities, if you conscience and waistline can handle them.

The point is, a breakfast burrito isn't something you can only get through the drive-thru window. The ones I've had in New Mexico were homemade, and in addition to bacon, potato and sausage options, there were elk and venison, which I have never seen as options at the drive-thru.

I don't hunt much elk in Clearwater, so I like to use chorizo. Bacon or sausage are fine, too. And don't do the potatoes from scratch. Ore-Ida -- or whatever -- has done most of the work for you, it's in the freezer, ready in two minutes and it's cheaper than getting the ingredients together.

And just because they're called breakfast burritos doesn't mean you can't have them for dinner.

Breakfast burritos

8-12 oz bacon or sausage (try the fresh chorizo, available at mexican groceries)
1/2 of a 32 oz bag of frozen breakfast potatoes (home fries, hash browns ... even tater tots)
6-8 eggs
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
8 large flour tortillas
your favorite jarred salsa

saute the meat until cooked and add the potatoes continue saute until they're cooked (if you actually use tater tots -- an idea i love -- you'd probably want to bake those separately in the oven). in another skillet, scramble the eggs. divide the meat and potato mixture and eggs among the tortillas, top with cheese and salsa and wrap.

Fall back No. 1: Kung pao

I have three dishes that I keep in my back pocket -- figuratively -- because I know they will go over well, and I can make them with any meat I have in the house, or happen to feel like eating that night. Today, I offer up the first: Kung pao.

Between the ages of 16 and 23, I pretty much exclusively ate at Subway and Chinese restaurants. And when I went for Chinese, I would've been hard-pressed to tell you what they had on the menu other than chop suey, lo mein and egg rolls. On a trip to Epcot, I went to Nine Dragons, the Chinese restaurant there, and decided to try something different. I went for the kung pao. The waitress told me not to eat the chile peppers. Whatever, I thought. I should've listened. But beyond the burn, I liked it. So that became my new staple.

At least, until a study came out and announced it was just about the most unhealthy thing you could possibly eat. Then I found a recipe for a lighter version in a book called Don't Eat Your Heart Out, by a doctor named Joseph Piscatella. I've amended it over the years to suit my taste, but don't think I've done anything to compromise it too much.

I make it with chicken, but pork? Sure. Beef, shrimp? Absolutely. Tofu? Um, sure, I guess.

Kung pao

1 cup low sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tbls rice wine vinegar
2 tsp hot chili oil, more or less, to taste (if you don't have chili oil, Tabasco would  be different, but work in the same way)
3 dried chile peppers
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbls ginger, chopped

2 tbls olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 stalks celery, diced
1 red pepper, chopped
1 small can sliced water chestnuts, drained
2 tbls corn starch
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
chopped scallion

put first seven ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat. allow to steep while you cook everything else.

heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. add chicken. don't crowd the chicken, even if it means cooking the chicken in batches. after the chicken is added, don't touch it for 2-3 minutes. then, flip each piece to cook the other side. the side that went in initially should be golden brown. after another minute or so, remove the chicken to a plate, leaving the oil in the skillet. saute the onion, garlic and celery until the onion softens. then add the pepper, water chestnuts and cooked chicken and saute it all together.

strain the liquid mixture into the skillet. in a small bowl, whisk the corn starch into 1/4-cup of water. stir corn starch mixture into the skillet and bring to a boil until the liquid thickens.

serve over rice and top with peanuts and scallions.

Got a couple of spare ribs?

I feel sort of giddy today. I guess it's because I have so much to do I don't know where to start, so I'm just sort of spinning a bit. Anyway, the new Everyday Food from Martha came in the mail yesterday with its usual slate of good ideas. I always come away with some fun inspiration including today's recipe for Chinese Spareribs with Napa Cabbage. How to make ribs in 30 minutes? Martha has us microwaving them. Interesting.

Napa Cabbage, see the beauty above, looks almost like Romaine lettuce but usually the heads are larger and it's more tightly compact, though much less compact that regular cabbage. The taste is mild; a bit more watery.

I think this is worth trying just to see if the microwave-thing works out!

Chinese Spareribs with Napa Cabbage

1 tablespoon five-spice powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 rack pork spareribs (about 3 pounds), trimmed
1 head napa cabbage, shredded
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup hoisin sauce, plus more for dipping
2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish

In a small bowl, whisk together five-spice powder, cayenne, 1 teaspoon, salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Rub meaty side of ribs with spice mixture, patting to adhere.

In a shallow 2-quart microwave-safe dish, arrange rack, standing with rib ends upward (the natural curve will keep it upright). Microwave on high, uncovered, until pork is opaque throughout, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from microwave; tent with foil. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss together cabbage, vinegar and sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cut rack between bones to separate ribs; brush with hoisin sauce. Garnish with scallions and serve with napa cabbage and more hoisin sauce for dipping.

Serves 4.

Source: Everyday Food, June 2008.

Smells like burned popcorn

Okay, so yesterday I'm in the doctor's office. You know, the inner sanctum where you wait for the gentle knock on the door. Why do they knock? Like you're going to send the doctor away since you are sitting there like a doofus 45 minutes after your appointment time. Uh yeah, c'mon in!

By the way, I was fully clothed.

Anyway, this most foul odor seeped through the air conditioning vent. Something was on fire. Then I hear one of the nurses on the other side of the door say "Does it smell like something is burning?" After a few minutes of debating if I should make a run for it or wait for the sirens, I recognized the smell. I, too, have left the popcorn in the microwave for 10 seconds too long. Most foul. Don't you hate that when someone does that in the office?

Thank God I didn't die because I wouldn't have been able to test this recipe for Southwest Margarita Beef Kabobs. Make them this weekend. Then use the rest of the margarita mix for cocktails!

P.S.: Get a load of the name of the popcorn popper pictured above. It says Stir Crazy if you don't have your cheaters nearby. That should be the blog's new logo. (I didn't even know they made these anymore. This was the only appliance allowed in the dorms when I went to college back when the earth was still cooling.)

Southwest Margarita Beef Kabobs
1 lb. chuck eye, cut into 1-inch cubes
1-1/2 cups margarita drink mix
2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup melted butter
3 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded, split lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 ears corn, cut into 8 pieces

For marinade, combine margarita mix, salt, pepper and garlic in a small bowl and mix well. Place beef cubes into resealable plastic food bag. Pour margarita marinade over beef, saving 1/2 cup of the marinade. Seal the bag and turn to coat. Marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Thread beef cubes onto 4 skewers, alternating with jalapeno pepper and corn. Stir the reserved 1/2 cup margarita marinade into the melted butter and mix well. Grill beef kabobs over hot grill for 15 minutes, basting with the butter mixture and turning frequently.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: www.thatsmyhome.com

My favorite football food

When the Super Bowl was in Tampa in 2001, I used my then-new Crock-Pot to make pulled pork for sandwiches. A pork butt ... or was it shoulder? ... went into the slow cooker the night before the game with 1 large, roughly chopped onion and a can of condensed French onion soup. While we slept, the tough meat cooked, slow and low.

(It was weird, though, to wake up during the night smelling dinner.)

The next morning, I took the pork from the pot, discarded the liquid and onions, and let the meat cool before shredding. The shredded meat went back into the Crock-Pot with a couple of bottles of Pat's Ho Made barbecue sauce. It was delicious on soft rolls with cole slaw.

You can make homemade cole slaw but I like my trick with store-bought cole slaw. It's always too gloopy for me so I buy a bag of shredded cabbage and mix it in with the overly dressed slaw. Believe me, there's enough dressing to go around.

Four days to Sweet Week

I'm so excited about Sweet Week. Sad, I know. But I keep thinking about desserts I've made over the years for special occasions. Some people remember what they wore, I remember what I made. Monday through Friday next week, dessert's on me. (Or at least my hips.)

Completely Random Alert: This recipe was published in a major metropolitan newspaper this week: Crispy Abalone With Artichoke Foam and Barigoule. For those who don't know, and I was among you until 10 minutes ago, barigoule is a Provencal dish of braised 'chokes in white wine. Make of it what you will, but I ask, artichoke foam? Why? Sounds like something awful that's bubbled up from the sea.

For my tastes, I'll take Linda Gassenheimer's Pork with Plum Salsa. It's the the end of the plum season and I've seen some lovely ones at the grocery.

Pork with Plum Salsa
¾ pound pork tenderloin
Olive oil spray
2 teaspoons chopped dried rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 medium-size ripe plums
2 tablespoons diced red onion
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Several drops hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Heat broiler. Line a baking tray with foil and spray with olive oil spray.
Remove visible fat from the pork. Place pork on baking sheet and spray with olive oil spray. Sprinkle with rosemary and salt and pepper to taste. When potatoes are ready, place on the same baking tray with the pork. Place under broiler about 6 inches from the heat. Broil 10 minutes. Turn and broil 5 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 160 degrees. Divide between 2 dinner plates and spoon salsa on top.

For salsa: Cut plums in half and remove pits. Coarsely chop, place in a bowl and add onion, cumin, hot pepper sauce, and cilantro. Mix well and serve with pork. Makes 2 servings.

Per serving: 297 calories (26 percent from fat), 8.6 g fat (2.4 g saturated, 2.9 g monounsaturated), 108 mg cholesterol, 37.4 g protein, 17.8 g carbohydrates,3.5 g fiber, 88 mg sodium.

Source: Linda Gassenheimer

It's almost fall. Somewhere.

I see signs that fall is coming to Florida. Or better yet, that summer is going away. The thermometer is dipping below 90. Okay, maybe it's only 1 degree but it is a sign. So we don't have riotous colors rocketing through our trees. We still have apples (thanks to the cooler climes that grow them) and they go well with pork.

Apples have been on my mind and if you go to www.dining.tampabay.com and click on In Janet's Kitchen, you can get a run down of what apples do what. This recipe calls for Granny Smith apples which are tart and crisp and available year-round.

It's almost time to start those ovens again.

Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Apples and Onions

1 large pork tenderloin (about 14 ounces) 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 large onion, sliced
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup dry white wine or apple cider

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season pork with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and sear until all sides are brown, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes. Transfer pork to plate. Cool slightly. Spread mustard over top and sides of pork; press fennel seeds into mustard. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add onion slices and apples; sauté over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Spread evenly in skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place pork atop apple-onion mixture.

Transfer skillet to oven and roast until apple-onion mixture is soft and brown and meat thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 150 degrees, about 15 minutes. Transfer pork to platter and tent with foil. Let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour white wine over apple-onion mixture in skillet. Stir mixture over high heat until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Cut pork on diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Spoon apple-onion mixture onto plates. Top with pork and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Bon Appetit, 2004

Pork chops again? Yes!

Aw, the power of suggestion ... just looking through the 20th annivesary edition of Cooking Light for recipes to share ... then decided to go to www.cookinglight.com to see what was on there ... clicked on dinner tonight and was swayed by the recipe there. Pork Chops and Country Gravy? Sounds pretty good at 3:30 p.m.

I'm alerting you to it because it's a great illustration of how we can scale back calories/fat in recipes we love. Low-fat milk takes the place of butter and heavy cream and the flavor is ramped up by a trio of dried herbs.

Bon Appetit! Oh, I mean Cooking Light!

Pork Chops with Country Gravy

1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops (about 3/4 inch thick)
1 tablespoon butter
Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour, salt, dried marjoram, dried thyme, and dried rubbed sage in a shallow dish. Dredge pork in flour mixture, turning to coat; shake off excess. Reserve remaining flour mixture.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add pork to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Reduce heat, and cook for 10 minutes or until done, turning pork once. Remove pork from pan; keep warm.

Combine reserved flour mixture and milk in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until blended. Add milk mixture to pan; place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Serve with chops.

Yield 4 servings (serving size: 1 chop and 1/2 cup gravy)
Nutritional Information
CALORIES 252(34% from fat); FAT 9.6g (sat 4.4g,mono 3.6g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 28.9g; CHOLESTEROL 83mg; CALCIUM 142mg; SODIUM 584mg; FIBER 0.3g; IRON 1.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10.6g
Source: Cooking Light, JUNE 2006

An Apple a Day ... or Night

Forgive me for abandoning you at the end of last week but I was in a back-to-school shopping frenzy. It's the most wonderful time of the year!

While I was looking around for a recipe that I thought would be good to share, I came across something called Chicken Fried Spam. I kid you not. It's at www.recipezaar.com if you must have it though I won't be the one to perpetuate that one. It sounds like really, really bad hurricane food.

I like this recipe because nearly everything in it is a pantry item. What? You don't have currants in your cabinet? Neither do I. They are easily left out. I am the kind of grocery shopper that buys meat without a plan for it. I almost always have boneless chops in the freezer. This recipe from Southern Living magazine gives me an idea for dinner tonight. Hope it does you, too.

Have a great week.

Apple-A-Day Pork Chops

6 (4  ounce) boneless pork loin chops 
vegetable oil cooking spray 
1-1 1/2  tablespoon dried rosemary 
1/2-3/4  teaspoon salt 
1/2-3/4  teaspoon fresh ground pepper 
1  medium red delicious apple, peeled and chopped 
1/2  cup golden raisins 
1/2  cup currants 
2  teaspoons olive oil 
3/4  cup marsala wine or apple cider 
Garnishes:
Rosemary sprigs 
Apples, slices 

Coat both sides of pork chops evenly with cooking spray.
Combine rosemary, salt, and pepper. Rub mixture evenly on both sides of pork; set aside.

Cook apple, raisins, and currants in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup wine, stirring constantly, until most liquid is evaporated. Add remaining wine, and cook 15 minutes or until mixture is thickened.

Cook pork chops in a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat 5 minutes on each side or until done. Top with apple mixture. Garnish, if desired.

Serves 6, so they say.

Tuesday night pork chops

Carol Mighton Haddix, the Chicago Tribune food editor, took the words right out of my computer recently when she wrote about how boring chicken can get. Especially the boneless, skinless chicken breast.

To dump the dinnertime blahs, she's making a lot of boneless pork chops. This is her recipe for glazed chops that start by rubbing them with paprika salt and pepper.  She suggests serving this with corn on the cob (yummy right now) and red cabbage slaw.

Good ideas, all.

PAPRIKA CHOPS WITH BARBECUE GLAZE AND SWEET ONIONS
4 boneless pork loin chops, about 1-inch thick, trimmed
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sweet onion, very thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
¼ cup prepared barbecue sauce

Sprinkle the chops on both sides with ½ teaspoon of the salt, the paprika and pepper to taste; set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, thyme and remaining ¼ teaspoon of the salt; cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Add the chops to the skillet; cook over medium-high heat to brown each side, about 5 minutes; lower heat to medium. Cover; cook chops until almost cooked through, about 5 minutes. Brush barbecue sauce over one side of each chop; turn, brush the other side. Cook 1 minute. Serve with onions on the side.

Serves 4.

Nutrition information per serving: 336 calories, 60 percent of calories from fat, 22 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 90 mg cholesterol, 5 g carbohydrates, 28 g protein, 666 mg sodium, 1 g fiber

Pork Chops, with flavor

I had a very weird weekend, mostly having to do with parents/coaches behaving extremely badly at a baseball tournament for 12 year olds boys. It was so draining (coaches and one mother, not me, being toss from the park; threats of punches, kids crying) that Sunday afternoon found me wandering around the grocery store knowing I needed to get food but not having a clue what to buy. Pretty bad for someone who tells people what to cook and eat for a living!

I ended up getting a couple of those marinated pork tenderloins and some frozen brussel sprouts. I am not kidding. However, I did wish I had a recipe in mind for pork chops. They were a good price.

So, don't be like me. Print this recipe out and carry it with you next time you go to the store. It is easily doubled for a larger crowd. If I had my wits about me, I'd serve it with herb-flavored couscous and a green salad.

Apricot Pork Chops

½ cup chopped dried apricots
½ cup orange juice
¼ cup apricot preserves
2 teaspoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 small boneless loin pork chops, each ½ to ¾ inch thick (about 1 pound total)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 green onions, chopped
Place apricots in a deep bowl. Pour orange juice over apricots. Add preserves, brown sugar and curry powder and stir gently. Set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil. Cook chops about 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Reduce heat to low. Add apricot and juice mixture. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes or until pork chops reach 160 degrees on meat thermometer.
Remove from heat and sprinkle with green onions.

Makes 4 servings.

Per serving: 293 calories (22 percent from fat), 7 grams total fat (2 grams saturated), 51 milligrams cholesterol, 37 grams carbohydrates, 22 grams protein, 55 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber.

Flavor from bacon

Funny thing about pork chops these days. The pigs they come from are bred to be so lean, there's hardly any flavor in the chops. I've been avoiding a couple packs of pork chops in my freezer for this very reason. To make them taste like anything at all, we have to douse them with barbecue sauce.

And heaven forbid you overcook them. Then you're eating shoes. Actually, shoes might taste better.

Bacon-flavored greens helps save the day for pork in this recipe. Plus the meat is spiced with marjoram and allspice. If you don't have them in your spice cabinet, stop by a natural food store and buy just what you need. No point in spending $3-plus on a bottle of spices you might not use again.

Roast Pork Chops with Bacon and Wilted Greens

2 1 1/2-inch-thick rib pork chops
3 tablespoons chopped fresh marjoram, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 thick-cut bacon slices, chopped
2 garlic cloves, pressed
8 cups (packed) wide strips assorted greens such as mustard greens and red Swiss chard, stems discarded
5 teaspoons Sherry wine vinegar, divided
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Sprinkle both sides of pork with 2 tablespoons marjoram, allspice, and generous amount of salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add pork and brown well, including edges, turning with tongs, about 7 minutes. Transfer pork to small rimmed baking sheet; reserve skillet. Roast pork in oven until thermometer inserted into center of chops from side registers 145°F, about 9 minutes.

Meanwhile, add bacon to oil in reserved skillet. Sauté over medium heat until brown, about 3 minutes. Mix in garlic. Add greens. Cook until just wilted, turning with tongs, about 3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Using tongs, transfer greens to colander to drain, leaving some bacon pieces in skillet for sauce. Add broth, mustard, and 4 teaspoons vinegar to skillet. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Mix in 1 tablespoon marjoram. Season with salt and pepper.

Mound greens on plates; top with pork. Spoon sauce alongside and serve.

Makes 2 servings.

Source: Bon Appétit, April 2005

Times flies

Sorry to leave you hanging for a couple of days. Honestly, where does the time go? Anyway, I got mired down in a few things and just didn't get to post.

This is really an interesting recipe using pork tenderloins which are lean and cook quickly. The sauce is a parsley-almond pesto which I quite like.  This dish with be nice with some buttered noodles or new potatoes and green veggies, for color and nutrition.

Oven-Roasted Pork Fillet

Serving: 4
2 pork tenderloin fillets, about 13 ounces each
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 ounces blanched almonds
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper

Trim off any gristle from the pork fillets, cut them in half crossways and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan and fry the meat for 2 to 3 minutes until browned on all sides. Transfer to a roasting dish and cook in a preheated oven, 375 degrees, for 15 minutes, until cooked through. Remove from the oven, wrap in foil and leave to rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, dry-fry the almonds in a clean frying pan, stirring until browned; allow to cool slightly. Place in a food processor with the garlic, parsley, remaining oil and salt and pepper. Blend to form a fairly smooth paste. Stir in the Parmesan and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Slice the pork, arrange it on plates with any pan juices and serve it with boiled new potatoes and salad drizzled with spoonfuls of the pesto.

Source: "15-Minute Feasts" by Tonia George, Sara Lewis and Louise Pickford. © 2005 Octopus Publishing Group Ltd.

Pork, the simple way

Have you ever made one of this super simple pork chop and rice casserole. It's very tasty and super simple. I like to serve it with a green veggie and a salad. The plate definitely needs some color!

Anyway, you just season four chops with salt and pepper and brown them on both sides with in a little olive oil. Put them in a casserole dish. Mix together 1 cup of uncooked rice, 2 cans of condensed cream of mushrooms (or broccoli or asparagus) soup. Pour over chop and cover with foil. Bake for about 1 hour at 250.

Some nights, this is all I can handle!

5 ingredients, 30 minutes

Just in case you didn't make the overnight chicken enchiladas last night ...

I know I've already given you a boneless pork chop recipe this week but I think this one is perfect for the hectic last days before Christmas. The recipe is from Patricia Preston Warren of St. Petersburg who sent it in to the 5:30 Challenge column we run in the Times. Patricia serves it with a green salad and rolls.

Easy and yummy. Sounds perfect for a night when wrapping is on the schedule.

Pork and Beans, Italian Style
1 medium onion, chopped
4 boneless pork loin chops
1 (15-ounce) can white beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced    tomatoes with basil,     garlic and oregano     flavoring
1/2 box (10-ounce) frozen    spinach, defrosted and    drained of excess water

In a lightly oiled large skillet over medium heat, saute onion until softened. Push onions off to side and add pork. Brown chops on both sides and remove to a plate. Add beans and diced tomatoes to skillet and stir to combine with onions. Bring to simmer, add spinach and stir to combine. Lower heat, return chops to skillet, cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until chops are just cooked through.

Serves 4.

Per serving: 301 calories, 30g protein, 34g carbohydrates, 7g fiber, 6g fat, 51g cholesterol, 297mg sodium.

Pork chops and stuffing

Here's a dish I concocted on Sunday night that you might like. I call it Pork Chop Stuffing Extravaganza. No, not really. Just a pretty good, quick casserole. I got some inspiration from the back of the Stovetop stuffing box to start.

Here's how it goes:

Spray a 9x13 pan with Pam or some such and then spread half of a packet of Stovetop stuffing on the bottom. Top with about six boneless pork chops, about 3/4 of an inch thick. Put the remaining stuffing in a bowl and add about 1/2 cup water, enough to moisten. Spread that over the chops. In another bowl, mix together 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, 1/3 cup sour cream, half a can of cranberry sauce (whole berry or jelly no matter) and 1/2 cup of water. Pour that over the chops and bake at 350 for about 40 minutes. (Even if your people don't like cranberry give it a whirl. There's no pink left after cooking and it just give the dish a faint sweet taste.)

Don't add any salt and look for low-sodium soup. There is plenty of salt in the stuffing.

I served it with roasted Brussels sprouts. I know. Yuck. But I love them.

See you back tomorrow for Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday.

Stir Fry at Stir Crazy

I shy away from Chinese dishes because the end result often seems lacking. I'd rather order take-out. But this recipe from www.about.com is really tasty and easy. You can substitute boneless, skinless chicken if you'd like.

The beauty of stir-fry is how quick you can get dinner on the table. The bottle sauce here makes all the spicy difference.

Kung Pao Pork
1 lb. boneless pork loin
1 Tbsp. oil
1 (1 lb.) bag purchased broccoli slaw
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup spicy Szechuan stir-fry sauce
1 Tbsp. honey

Slice pork into 1/2" strips. Heat oil in heavy skillet or wok. Add broccoli slaw and stir fry 2-3 minutes until crisp tender. Remove from wok and set aside.
Add pork to skillet or wok. Stir fry over medium high heat for about 5 minutes until browned.

Add bell pepper and water. Cover and cook for 4 minutes until pork is tender. Add stir fry sauce, honey, and broccoli slaw. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes until hot. Serve over hot cooked rice. Serves 4

A simple dinner

Here's a dish that's so simple it's stupid. Stupid-easy, that's what I call it. I'd serve this with buttered egg noodles and a veggie, probably broccoli.

PORK CHOP CASSEROLE
6 1-inch thick pork chops
Mustard, your choice of type (yellow, brown, spicy, etc.)
Dried minced onion
Sliced fresh mushrooms
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking dish with non-stick vegetable spray. Coat both sides of pork chops with mustard and place in baking dish in a single layer. Sprinkle minced onions over chops and layer with fresh mushroom slices. Pour can of soup of over.

Bake for 45 minutes. Serves 5 to 6.

Happy Monday. Have a good dinner.

It's not even a week past Halloween and I feel like things are starting to amp up. The holidays are looming, for sure.

Take time to slow it all down by making a good meal. This easy pork chop dish would be lovely alongside some mashed potatoes (make them with red skinned babies and don't even take the time to peel) and a veggie of your choice. I gotta say, I am a big fan of brussels sprouts. (stop gagging.) I roast them with coarse salt and a big of olive oil. The roasting intensifies their sweetness and takes away the bitterness. Try them in a 400-degree oven for about 30 minutes and they implode into delicious heaps.

Chunky applesauce would also be a good accompaniment.

Pork Chops in Mustard Sauce
2  tablespoons butter
1  onion, sliced
1  tablespoon flour
salt
pepper
4  pork chops
1 (12  ounce) can beer
1  pinch sugar
2  tablespoons Dijon mustard
Melt butter in a pan with lid and saute onion. Set onions aside.  Mix flour, salt and pepper and cover the meat with it. Brown the meat and add the onion and beer.
Leave to cook covered for 30 minutes. Remove meat to a plate and stir mustard and sugar into the sauce. Pour over the chops and serve.
Enough for four.
www.recipezaar.com

A skillet dinner tonight

Here's an easy, all-in-one pot meal that kids will like. At least mine does. There's not much in here to object to. One thing to watch for is added salt. There's plenty in the brats and soy sauce, so be careful adding extra. The recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon but I find it's unnecessary.

Cheers!

Bratwurst Potato Skillet Recipe
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 medium red potatoes -- sliced 1/4" thick
4 bratwurst links -- fully cooked; cut into 1" pieces
1 medium onion -- chopped
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt to taste

In a heavy skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add the potatoes, cover and cook for 10 minutes or until browned and crisp tender, stirring occasionally.

Add bratwurst, onion and green pepper. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until heated through and the vegetables are crisp tender.

Combine the soy sauce, orange juice, basil, salt and pepper; add to the skillet. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes longer or until meat and vegetables are evenly coated.

Serves 4.

Source: CD Kitchen

Pork chops tonight

Maybe it's because it is officially fall and creeping closer to Thanksgiving, but stuffing is on my mind. Oh, all right, it's always on my mind. I love stuffing (or dressing if you're from the South). Stuffed pork chops are as good a reason as any to eat stuffing. This recipe is from www.cooking.com and I am going to make it tonight.

The directions crack me up when they instruct you to "mold the stuffing into an attractive shape." Like maybe the body of George Clooney? I think I'll just mimic the shape of the chop, don't you think? I'll also use a reduced sodium/fat cream of mushroom soup. I think I'll check for doneness at 45 minutes; 60 seems too long. Don't want the chops too dry; through the wine and soup will help.

Anyway, make these tonight too and let me know how you like them.

STUFFED BAKED PORK CHOPS
4 to 6 lean pork chops
4 to 6 cup stuffing mix, prepared according to package directions
3/4 c. chopped walnuts
1 diced apple
2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 c. white or red wine (or water)
Prepare stuffing mix. Saute pork chops in a tablespoon of olive oil and place in 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Mix walnuts and diced apple with prepared stuffing. Heap about 1 cup of prepared stuffing on top of each pork chop. Mold the stuffing lightly into an attractive shape (too funny!). Mix together soup and wine (or water). Pour carefully over pork chops and stuffing. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.

What happened to Thursday?

Where the heck did yesterday go? I looked up at the clock after keeping my face to the computer most the day and realized it was after 5 and I had given you no recipe! I went out for sushi; hope you did something equally nice. I figured I'd blog early today before I get too crazy busy.

I have a friend who makes pork tenderloins a lot. They are delicious and tender, providing you don't overcook them. The pork we eat today is much leaner than it was 30 years ago so if you are using old recipes be careful about the cooking time. Without the fat, the meat cooks quicker and can become dry and, worse, tasteless.

The best way to tell if the meat is done is to use a meat thermometer. Tenderloin is done at 145 to 150 degrees. Let the meat sit for five minutes so juices can settle in; it will also cook for a bit more.

This recipe is from a book that crossed my desk this week called "One-Pot Cookbook" by Jesse Ziff Cool (isn't that a cool name?) Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Peaches and Goat Cheese makes use of late-season peaches. Keep it in your regular rotation, though, because you can use drained canned peaches in the winter. If you don't like goat cheese; try crumbled feta.

Have a great weekend!

Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Peaches and Goat Cheese

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1-pound pork tenderloins
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons stone-ground mustard
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cinnamon stick, broken into 3 or 4 pieces
2 firm, ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
4 to 6 ounces soft goat cheese
1 tablespoon minced fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

In a large, heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper and cook, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter and loosely cover with aluminum foil.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the onions in the same pot for 5 minutes, of until softened. Add the broth, brown sugar, mustard, balsamic vinegar, and cinnamon pieces. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes to marry the flavors. Add the peaches and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Return the tenderloins to the pot, cover, and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, of until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the middle of the meat registers from 145 to 150 degrees.

Using tongs, transfer the tenderloins to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

To serve, spoon the peach mixture (without cinnamon stick pieces) onto a large platter or warmed plates and crumble the goat cheese over them. Arrange the pork slices on top of the peaches down the center of the plate and garnish with the parsley.

Healthy on a stick

Jill Silva at the Kansas City Star writes a column about healthy eating every week and always comes up with flavorful, low-fat dishes.

This dish sounds very promising. Lots of flavor comes from low-fat sources - juice, fruit and veggies. You'll have to marinate overnight so maybe make this tomorrow night and have takeout tonight!

Happy weekend!

PORK AND PINEAPPLE KEBABS
Makes 6 servings
1 pound pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
¼ cup pineapple juice
2 tablespoons sodium-reduced soy sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
½ fresh pineapple, cut into 1½-inch cubes (about 1 ¼ cups)
½ red onion, cut into wedges about ¾ inch thick
1 papaya, peeled, seeded and sliced into strips about 1½ inches wide
½ large red pepper, seeded and cut into 1½-inch pieces

Place pork cubes in zipper-top plastic bag. Combine pineapple juice, soy sauce, lime juice, honey, ginger, garlic and jalapeno pepper; stir to combine. Pour 3 tablespoons juice mixture over pork; seal bag and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Cover and refrigerate remaining juice mixture.

When ready to cook, preheat grill to medium-high or allow coals to burn down to white ash. Drain meat and discard marinade. Stir oil into reserved juice mixture. Place sweet potato cubes in small glass or microwave-safe bowl. Add 2 teaspoons water. Cover and microwave on high 2 to 2 ½ minutes or until crisp-tender. Uncover and allow to cool slightly. Alternately thread pork cubes, sweet potato cubes, pineapple, red onion wedges, papaya pieces and red pepper onto 6 skewers. Place kebabs in shallow baking dish or tray. Brush generously with juice mixture.

Grill 15 to 18 minutes or until pork is just slightly pink when cut, for medium doneness, turning so they brown evenly and brushing with remaining juice mixture midway through cooking.

Per serving: 199 calories (16 percent from fat), 4 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 49 milligrams cholesterol, 25 grams carbohydrates, 18 grams protein, 244 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber.

Cast Iron Dinner

Happy Monday. Do many of you have an old cast iron skillet or dutch oven? When I was home last month, I was licking my chops at the thought of someday getting my mother's old skillets and/or dutch oven. (Though I think my sister has already claimed the skillets.) The dutch oven came from my Oma who used it to make something we called frickadelin, which are giant German meatballs. She also was pretty good at rouladen, which is a thin cut piece of beef rolled with celery, onions, carrots and dill pickles inside. The meat was braised forever, it seemed.

Cast iron conducts and holds heat well and can move from stove top to the high heat of an oven. This simple-simple recipe is from Lodge, the big maker of cast iron cookware. You could do it in a Le Crouset pan too or even a heavy roaster. I think you'd have to serve it with small, boiled potatoes and a salad that has beets in it. Make it bright!

Sweet & Sour Pork Chops
6 to 8 thick pork chops
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 chili sauce
1/4 cup honey
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put pork chops into greased skillet. Mix sauces and honey and pour over pork chops. Baked uncovered for 1 hour. Serves 6.

Fruity Pork Chops

Yum-O as Rachael Ray would say. Apricot jam brings a lot of flavor to this dish. I’d serve it with green beans and a fruit salad that include other stone fruits like peaches and cherries. Maybe even from fresh apricots. See you back tomorrow for Rotisserie Chicken Wednesday.

Crispy Apricot Pork Chops

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for baking sheet
2 slices multigrain sandwich bread (or 1 1/2 cups Progresso bread crumbs)
4 bone-in pork loin chops (about 8 ounces each, 3/4- to 1-inch thick), patted dry
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 teaspoons apricot jam

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly brush a rimmed baking sheet with oil; set aside.
Tear bread into large pieces; place in food processor. Pulse until large crumbs form. Drizzle with oil; pulse once or twice, just until all crumbs are moistened (you should have about 1 1/2 cups crumbs).
Season pork chops generously with salt and pepper; spread one side of each chop with 1 teaspoon jam. Dividing evenly, sprinkle bread crumbs over jam, and pat them on gently.
Transfer pork, coated side up, to prepared baking sheet. Bake until crust is golden and pork is opaque throughout (meat should register 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer), 14 to 16 minutes. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.