Parmesan-Crusted Pork Chops

Grocery shopping has become one of my ultimate frustrations lately, as the prices of fresh meat/poultry/fish are nauseating! We've about had our fill of chicken, so I spent a little more than I normally would on a family-sized package of center cut pork loin chops. I figured the pork would be a bit healthier than red meat and ever since I tried breaded pork chops not that long ago, I have been in search of other variations. I realize I just posted a Parmesan Baked Perch recipe, so I apologize for the back-to-back "Parmesan-themed recipes", but I knew I couldn't go wrong with a recipe from Giada! My husband and I both felt that this recipe was a keeper and my son loved these chops so much that he even requested a second one! This is definitely another great, quick, weeknight meal!

Parmesan-Crusted Pork Chops

2 large eggs
1 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan
4 (1/2 to 3/4 inch thick) center cut pork loin chops
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
*optional lemon wedges for serving*

Directions:

Whisk the eggs in a shallow bowl to blend. Place the bread crumbs in another shallow bowl or plate. Place the parmesan cheese in a third shallow bowl or plate. Sprinkle the pork chops generously with salt and pepper. Coat the chops completely with the cheese, patting to adhere. Dip the chops into the egg, then coat completely with the bread crumbs, patting to adhere.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pork chops, in batches if necessary, and cook until golden brown and the center reaches 150 degrees, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to a plate and serve with lemon wedges.

Source: Giada De Laurentiis (Foodnetwork.com)

Roasted Pork Loin with White Wine Sauce

Have you ever found that there's been one particular cut of meat that you really struggle to prepare perfectly?!? I've found that pork loin is one of my most problematic foods! I've always struggled to make sure that it's cooked enough (especially since I don't care to eat undercooked pork), but not so much that it's dry and flavorless. I just can't seem to find that "happy medium"! I will tell you, though, that this particular recipe came out PERFECTLY! I was so very proud of myself--it was about time that I got it right, seeing as how this is likely about the 6th or 7th time that I've made a pork loin roast. Here's the thing, though...the original recipe said to cook a 2 pound pork loin roast for about 2 hours. Thankfully, I used my digital thermometer and did a little research, as that seemed as if it was way too long of a cooking time. I found several sources that stated that as a rule of thumb, pork should be cooked approximately 25-30 minutes per pound. I set my digital thermometer to alarm when my pork reached 160 degrees, so you can imagine my surprise when it started beeping about an hour into the cooking time--especially since it was almost a 4 1/2 pound roast! This goes back to why I struggle so much with pork loin--I adjusted the thermometer a bit and all of a sudden, the temperature started dropping. I don't know if I didn't have it deep enough or if it was resting against a portion of the pork that just happened to be hotter than the rest, but it did take about 1 3/4 hrs. The pork was excellent--so very moist, which can be hard to accomplish with such a lean piece of meat. Here was my one gripe about this particular recipe and actually, it has nothing to do with the recipe itself. My husband and I are completely oblivious when it comes to wine--we wouldn't have a clue if we were drinking an expensive glass of wine, versus a $3 bottle...we're not the least bit savvy when it comes to wine! Give us a mixed drink and we're happy :) Anyway, I had purchased a relatively inexpensive bottle of white wine to use for cooking a little while back and used the remainder for the sauce. I did enjoy the concept of the wine sauce and thought it had a great deal of potential, but I would be most appreciative if someone would offer a suggestion for a good cooking wine! My husband and I weren't overly fond of the very distinctive wine flavor and I know it had to be related to the quality. I hope you enjoy and I will be anxious for feedback regarding a good wine to cook with!

Roasted Pork Loin with White Wine Sauce

8 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried rosemary (I used a Rosemary and Garlic Seasoning)
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup olive oil
4 pound boneless pork loin roast
1 to 1 1/2 cups white wine
2 tablespoons flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper in a small bowl, making a paste. Place pork loin roast in a baking dish and cut 1/2 inch slits all over roast; cutting relatively deep into the meat to make little pockets. (My slits were about an inch apart). Insert the paste deep into each pocket and then rub the remaining oil and spice mixture over the entire roast.

Place pork loin into oven (fat side up) and loosely cover. Cook until the pork reaches 160 degrees or is no longer pink in the center. (My pork loin took about 1 3/4 hours and I used a digital thermometer to monitor it closely. Make sure the thermometer is placed in the very center of the roast!) Remove roast and place on a dish or platter, allowing to rest for approximately 15-20 minutes. Add the wine to the baking dish and stir to loosen the browned bits. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour to thicken the sauce. Place baking dish back in oven (on 350 degrees) and allow sauce to come to a boil and thicken. (I left mine in for about 20 minutes, while my pork was resting). Cut pork loin into 1/2 inch thick slices and serve with wine sauce. I would suggest serving with mashed potatoes :)

Source: Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Chicken, Bacon and Avocado Quesadillas

I've expressed in previous posts that I'm not a huge fan of more authentic Mexican food, but I do love fajitas and quesadillas--they were two of my biggest pregnancy cravings! Prior to having kids, my husband and I used to go out to dinner at least a few times a month, but since the two little rugrats have arrived, it's been a bit more challenging to eat out. Not only do they get antsy, which makes it difficult to relax and enjoy dinner, but it's rather costly to take a family of four out to dinner these days! Short of going to the Chinese buffet on "kids eat free" night, we very seldom go anywhere else. I saw that Cassie (of Cassie Craves) had posted a recipe for quesadillas that quickly caught my eye! Not only do I love quesadillas, but how can you possibly go wrong with combining chicken, bacon and avocado?!? I took her general concept to use those three key ingredients and altered the recipe a little in terms of ingredients and the cooking method, but oh, my...these were delicious and certainly as good (if not better) than any I had eaten out! I tried to estimate about how much each quesadilla cost to prepare and I think I figured it was around $4-$4.50/each, which is probably less than half of what you'd pay to eat them out! Plus, they were SUPER hearty the way that I made them and I honestly couldn't eat more than half of one...they were really rich! I did serve Spanish rice as a side dish, so honestly-speaking, I would think that if you prepared them as heartily as I did, they could easily feed 3 people...especially if you serve them with a side dish! Also, I baked my bacon, which is now my preferred way to make it! Not only is it a bit healthier than frying, but it tastes just as good to me and you don't have to deal with the mess! I used a grill pan for my chicken and a griddle to cook the quesadillas, but if you don't have either of those, you can always grill your chicken on an actual grill or you may want to refer to Cassie's recipe, as I believe she actually fried her bacon and then cooked her chicken in the same pan. As for the griddle, you could always just use a frying pan/skillet! One last thing: I did leave the avocado off of my husband's, because he had his mind made up that he didn't care much for avocado, but I left a little separate and when he tried it with his quesadilla, he said "it honestly isn't too bad"--which means "I actually like this, but am not going to give you the satisfaction of admitting that you may have been right all of these years". :) Enjoy!

Chicken, Bacon, and Avocado Quesadillas

4 burrito-sized flour tortillas
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
8 strips of bacon, chopped
1/4 - 1/3 cup diced red onion (I only had yellow onions on hand, so that's what I used, but I tend to prefer red!)
1 avocado, diced
8 ounces Colby Jack cheese (2 cups)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place bacon on a foil-lined cookie sheet and bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until crispy. (Place on paper towel to drain, after removing from oven).

While bacon is cooking, pound chicken breasts to 1/3 inch thickness and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place in greased grill pan and cook for approximately 5-6 minutes on each side or until no longer pink on the inside and juices run clear.

Remove chicken from pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Add diced onion to grill pan and cook for 2-3 minutes or until slightly tender, stirring frequently; remove from heat. Cut chicken and bacon into small pieces/chunks.

Preheat griddle to 250 degrees. Butter four tortillas on one side and place two on heated griddle, butter side down. Top each tortilla with cheese, chicken, bacon, onion and avocado, dividing the chicken, bacon, onion and avocado equally between the two. Sprinkle with more cheese and top each with another flour tortilla (butter side up). Cook each quesadilla until browned and crispy and cheese is completely melted, approximately 3-4 minutes on each side. ***To flip, my husband put a plate over the quesadilla and carefully used a spatula to flip each one onto the plate and then back on the griddle to cook the other side.***

Serve with sour cream, if desired.

Source: Inspired by Cassie Craves

Italian Sausage Lasagna

First of all, I must apologize for this horrendous picture! I didn't have much to work with in terms of lighting and there really wasn't much "color" to the lasagna. I was almost too embarrassed to post the recipe, as I was afraid the picture might deter anyone from trying it! Don't let the picture fool you--while the lasagna was rather "labor intensive", it had such a rich and hearty flavor and we're really looking forward to the leftovers tonight! Here's the thing...I don't believe I ever made homemade lasagna prior to meeting my husband and since we've been together, the ONLY lasagna he will eat is Stouffer's! He absolutely despises the taste of ricotta cheese, which is traditionally used in more authentic recipes. Yes, I realize that I could have substituted cottage cheese a long time ago, but you'd have to know my husband to understand that once he gets something in his head, it is VERY difficult to change his mind! He made up his mind that he didn't like homemade lasagna, so I stuck with Stouffer's--after all, it's relatively inexpensive (usually on sale for about $10 for a lasagna that would feed 9-12 people, depending on how big your family's appetite is!) and all you have to do is throw it in the oven...SO simple! Anyway, I decided to press my luck with this recipe and sway him more by focusing on the fact that it had Italian sausage, which he loves! We both agreed that the Italian sausage was a nice substitute for the beef, but I would even consider adding perhaps a 1/2 pound of ground beef next time (in addition to the sausage). I had a heck of a time with this recipe and had to continuously improvise as I was cooking. The original recipe called for 1 lb of Italian sausage, but I actually bought the Italian sausage in the casings (about 1 1/4 lbs) and just removed the casings prior to cooking--I'm all for buying it in the least expensive form and that's what happened to be on sale the day I did my shopping! I found that I ran out of sauce at the end, which is why I added an extra can of tomato sauce (as reflected below). I also tweaked the spices a bit and TRIPLED the amount of mozzarella cheese. I found it a bit crazy that the original recipe only called for 2 cups (8 oz) of mozzarella cheese. I mean, seriously!?!?!? Even when we buy the Stouffer's lasagna, I add 2 cups of cheese to the top...and that "supposedly" already has what they consider a sufficient amount of cheese! I couldn't even imagine eating lasagna that wasn't oozing with cheese! Anyway, if your family consists of "non-picky eaters", I would HIGHLY suggest adding spinach and mushrooms and perhaps even sauteed zucchini--that's what I would have done, had I made this lasagna for myself :) My daughter (who is almost 3) ate the lasagna, but didn't seem overly impressed, however, my son (who is almost 6), kept going on and on about it. Bless his heart...he always goes out of his way to compliment me and tell me that I "make the best recipes"...such a sweet and gracious child! All in all, I would make this again, but it's certainly not something I would make on a regular basis, as it was rather time-consuming and costly.

Before I get to my recipe, I wanted to thank my dear friend, Devonay, for the very kind words she expressed about myself and my blog. Devonay and I used to work together...she, too, is a nurse, and is one-of-a-kind! Not only is she so down-to earth and warm-hearted, but she has a witty sense of humor that I greatly appreciate! I would like to encourage you all to check out her blog, as well: lumpkinandme.blogspot.com . Her blog has a little bit of everything, but she just posted a potato soup recipe that sounds delicious!!!

Now for my recipe...

Italian Sausage Lasagna

1 - 1 1/2 lbs Italian Sausage
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced (depending on how much garlic you like!)
1 large onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons parsley flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
(2) 15 ounce cans tomato sauce
(2) 14 1/2 ounce cans diced tomatoes
(1) 12 ounce package lasagna noodles
1 egg
2 cups ricotta or small curd cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
6 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (24 ounces)

Directions:

In a large skillet, cook sausage, onion and garlic over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sausage is no longer pink; drain if necessary.

Stir in 1 tablespoon of the parsley, the basil, sugar, tomatoes and tomato sauce. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; simmer uncovered about 1 hour--sauce will thicken.

When sauce has been simmering approximately 45 minutes, cook noodles as directed on package and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain noodles.

In medium bowl, beat the egg and mix ricotta (or cottage) cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, remaining 1tablespoon parsley and the oregano.

Spread approximately 1 cup of the sauce mixture in ungreased 13x9-inch glass baking dish. Top with 4 noodles. (I actually added an additional noodle vertically, across the end of the dish...there was about a 2 inch gap!) Spread half of the cheese mixture over noodles and then top with about 1 1/2 cups of the sauce mixture. Sprinkle with 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat with 4 noodles (again, I added an additional noodle!), the remaining cheese mixture, approximately 1 1/2 cups of the sauce mixture and 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese. Add one last layer of noodles and top with remaining sauce mixture. Sprinkle with 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Cover; bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake about 15 minutes longer or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting.

Adapted from "Italian Sausage Lasagna" on Betty Crocker.com

Marinated Baked Pork Chops

The first week of my husband's crazy semester is just about coming to an end! This week has really flown by, so I anticipate that the next four months will go by in the blink of an eye. I've been on a mission to find "quick weeknight meals" and as usual, turned to one of my favorite sites: Allrecipes.com. I LOVE that site for so many reasons, but one of my favorite features is the ability to search for recipes by ingredients. We've been attempting to be as cautious as possible, financially-speaking, now that my husband stepped down to a part-time position, so I looked at the sale ads and noticed that pork chops were on sale this week. I searched on allrecipes.com, listing "pork chops" as my ingredient and was then able to sort the recipes, listing them in order of which received the highest ratings. This particular recipe had over 940 reviews and received 4 1/2 out of 5 stars. I was drawn to the simplicity of the preparation aspect of the recipe and that there really was very little to do during the cooking process. My husband (who is BY FAR the pickiest eater of the four of us) went back for seconds...he said he really enjoyed dinner :) I would make a few suggestions, however, to the original recipe. I tripled the sauce ingredients, allowing extra sauce to spoon over the rice that I served as one of my sides...we also had green beans. The recipe didn't really specify a particular type of pork chop, but my husband picked up a package of the assorted pork chops and I used the center cut pork loin chops. They were approximately 1/2 inch thick and I made five, since I knew my kids likely would opt to eat something else. The recipe suggests baking for an hour, but I baked mine for approximately 45 minutes and then broiled them for an additional 2 minutes and while I would make these again, I would cut back on the cooking time. I'm thinking 40 minutes would have been plenty of time, but obviously you'll want to make sure they're thoroughly cooked, so you may have to experiment a bit on your own. I'd definitely check them closer to 40 minutes, though! I'm going to list the recipe as originally written, but I would very much encourage you to take my suggestions into account--especially tripling the sauce ingredients and cutting back on the cooking time!

Marinated Baked Pork Chops

1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
6 pork chops, trimmed

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a small bowl, thoroughly blend soy sauce, vegetable oil, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar, and ketchup.

Place pork chops in a medium baking dish, and spread with 1/2 the sauce.

Bake pork chops 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Turn, and spread with remaining sauce. Continue baking 30 minutes, or until internal temperature of the chops has reached 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Source: Allrecipes.com

Orecchiette with Spinach, Sausage and Tomatoes

Thankfully, I got two shifts in at the hospital this weekend and I was quite pleasantly surprised when I found a gift in my "mailbox". I didn't get a chance to open it until later in the day, but when I did, I was very touched! One of my friends gave me a cookbook by Pampered Chef, called "29 Minutes to Dinner". It couldn't have possibly been any more appreciated, as not only do I love to cook, but I LOVE quick meals!!! I brought the cookbook home on Sunday night and rather excitedly showed my husband. It seems as if he only "half listens" the majority of the time, but apparently it caught his eye, because he spent yesterday morning looking through it (while I was working) and picked a recipe to make for dinner last night. I didn't get home until about 9pm, but when I walked in, the house smelled WONDERFUL! I had no idea he had picked a recipe from that cookbook until after I ran up and showered, because dinner was supposed to be a "surprise", but I got a kick out of the fact that he seemed as excited by a new cookbook as I was! While I had absolutely nothing to do with the preparation of this meal, I wanted to include it as a post, because it most definitely is worth trying and it was very cute to see my husband proudly making dinner for me after a long day's work. Just a couple of little "notes" before I post the recipe...

1) My husband used bow tie pasta, which was a perfect substitution! It seems awfully difficult to find orecchiette pasta around here--I think I've only been able to find it once!

2) The dish was a tad bit spicy for me, even though my husband said he made a point to use mild Italian sausage as opposed to the hot Italian sausage that the recipe called for. Perhaps it was the *optional* crushed red pepper flakes that he added--he ended up putting two teaspoons. As a side note on the recipe, it suggests using sweet Italian sausage for a milder dish--I would definitely make this recipe again and would consider going that route instead and/or omitting the red pepper flakes altogether.

This would be a great dish to make if you are having company over, as it presents really nicely--it looked really pretty in person, but unfortunately, I took the picture about 9:30pm, so I didn't have an ounce of natural light to work with. My husband served it with garlic bread, but it would be great to serve with a nice salad, as well. God love him, but he doubled it for just the two of us (because he said he wanted to make sure there was enough), so it made a TON! There easily is enough left for at least 2-3 meals! Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Orecchiette with Spinach, Sausage and Tomatoes

1 1/4 pounds bulk hot Italian sausage
3 cans (14.5 oz each) Italian-herb diced tomatoes, divided
12 oz uncooked orecchiette pasta
2 1/2 cups water
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups grape tomatoes
1 oz Parmesan Cheese, grated
5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves

Directions:

Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, breaking apart as it cooks. Drain canned tomatoes using a colander into a large bowl; reserve 1 cup of the tomato liquid for later use in this recipe.

Add drained canned tomatoes, tomato liquid, pasta, water, minced garlic, red pepper flakes (if desired) and salt to skillet. Cover and cook 13-15 minutes or until pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cut grape tomatoes in half. Add grape tomatoes, spinach and reserved 1 cup tomato liquid to skillet. Cook 1-2 minutes or until spinach is wilted, stirring constantly. Sprinkle with cheese.

Source: Pampered Chef 29 Minutes to Dinner, Volume 2

Grilled Lemon Herb Pork Chops

The more we eat pork, the more fond I am becoming of it! (Especially the affordability...I found these really nice assorted pork chops for $.97/lb at Kroger last week!) As I typically do, I doubled the marinade ingredients and I allowed the pork chops to marinate for a good 24 hrs. I think one of my major "turn-offs" regarding pork in the past has been that it always seemed to dry out so easily. Now that we've gotten the hang of watching our cooking times more closely, we've really found that we enjoy incorporating it into our meal rotation more regularly. This is a great, quick, weeknight meal--especially if you marinate the pork ahead of time, which I would highly suggest...they were absolutely delicious! Also, if you are grilling them, make sure to check them after the 5-7 minutes on each side to avoid overcooking them. Several reviewers on Allrecipes.com said that they actually broiled and/or baked theirs, so that's always an alternative if you don't care to go outside in the dead of winter! I haven't personally tried them that way, so I can't attest to the exact cooking times, but just to give you a rough estimate, one reviewer said she used 3/4 inch center cut pork chops and broiled them on each side for 5 minutes and then covered them with foil and baked them for an additional 10 minutes at a lower temperature. If any of you try them baked/broiled, please let me know how they turn out!

Grilled Lemon Herb Pork Chops

1/2 cup lemon juice
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
6 (4 ounce) boneless pork loin chops

Directions

In a large resealable bag, combine lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt, oregano, and pepper. Place chops in bag, seal, and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight. Turn bag frequently to distribute marinade.

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat. Remove chops from bag, and transfer remaining marinade to a saucepan. Bring marinade to a boil, remove from heat, and set aside.

Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill pork chops for 5 to 7 minutes per side, basting frequently with boiled marinade, until done.

Source: Adapted from Allrecipes

Tuscan Pork Roast

When I'm stressed, worried or upset, I find myself either on a cooking or cleaning tangent! (Hence the abundance of posts lately!) I actually have several recipes I still need to post. Pork is something that I haven't bought much of over the years--I actually only had pork tenderloin for the first time, not that long ago. I really enjoyed it, but it always seemed to be rather pricey. All of a sudden, it seems as if beef has been outrageous and pork has drastically come down in price. I've been able to find pork tenderloin for $1.34-$1.69/lb and I love the fact that it's generally solid "meat"--I can't stand feeling as if I'm paying by the pound and the majority of the weight is the bone! My husband and I happen to really love garlic, so this was an exceptionally good recipe in our book! I even added a little extra garlic for good measure :) I would think this is something you could easily prep ahead of time and then just throw in the oven around dinnertime. I did find that it took longer to bake than the recipe stated...my pork roast was about 4 pounds and it definitely took closer to 2 hrs. Well worth it, though, and I would highly recommend! (Just as an FYI for those of you who have a Kroger nearby...pork tenderloin is on sale this week for $1.37/lb, I believe!)

(Prior to cutting it...)

Tuscan Pork Roast

5 to 8 garlic cloves, peeled (I may have used a bit more...we love garlic!)
1 1/2 tablespoons dried rosemary
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 boneless whole pork loin roast (3 to 4 pounds)

Directions:

In a food processor, combine garlic, rosemary, olive oil and salt; cover and process until mixture becomes a paste. Rub over the roast; cover and let stand for 30 minutes. (I let the rub sit on the roast for closer to an hour).

Place roast, fat side up, on a greased baking rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. (I made a 4 pound roast and it took closer to 2 hrs...make sure you use a meat thermometer to watch it closely!) Let stand for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Source: The Taste of Home Cookbook

Pepper-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

I don't have very much experience cooking pork tenderloin, so I'm always at a loss for ideas when I do pick one up! I noticed they were on sale last week for $1.47/lb which was very reasonable, so I had my husband stop and grab one on his way home from work. He came home with about a 5 lb pork tenderloin and since I knew only he and I would be eating it, I cut it in half and froze the other half. As usual, I turned to my trusted Taste of Home cookbooks and found this recipe for Pepper-Crusted Pork Tenderloin. The breaded pork chops I made were a huge hit, as was the Parmesan Chicken (which had a similar coating, minus the Parmesan cheese), so I knew we'd have to give this recipe a try! My goodness was this BY FAR my favorite pork tenderloin recipe to date! I highly recommend it!!!! The actual cooking time may need to be adjusted if you're using a larger piece of pork, as we did...I think it was in for about 20 minutes covered and closer to 50 minutes uncovered, but I would watch it carefully...I think the meat thermometer needs to read about 160 degrees. I had to run to an appointment last night, but my husband took it out at about 157 degrees and let it sit for a good 15 min and it was perfect! (Yet again, please excuse the photo...it was taken close to 9pm and unfortunately, I didn't have an ounce of natural light!)

Pepper-Crusted Pork Tenderloin

2 pork tenderloins (3/4 pound each)
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon buttermilk
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 to 2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup soft bread crumbs (I may have used a little more...I coated it pretty generously!)

Directions:

Place tenderloins side by side and tie together with kitchen string. (I omitted this step altogether, because I just used one 2 1/2 lb pork tenderloin). In a small bowl, combine the mustard, buttermilk, thyme, pepper and salt; spread over surface of meat. Press crumbs onto meat.

Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Cover and bake at 425° for 15 minutes. Uncover; bake 35-40 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 160°. Let stand for 5 minutes. Remove string before slicing.

NOTE: If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can measure out a tablespoon and add the tiniest splash of lemon juice. Let it sit for a few minutes and you've got buttermilk :)

Weight Watcher Points: Approximately 7 points in a 6 ounce serving of pork

Source: Taste of Home

Oven Fried Pork Chops and Parmesan Knots

Am I the only person on the face of the Earth who has not tried breaded pork chops?!? I saw this recipe on Donna (My Tasty Treasure's) blog and thought they looked fantastic! I generally throw out meal ideas to my husband, to see if he "bites", because after all, he is VERY picky and I don't care to waste my energy if he's going to refuse to eat what I make for dinner. He was so excited when I mentioned these pork chops, because he said that he had only eaten them breaded before he met me, as that was how his Mom made them.

We have all still been battling this nasty virus going around, so I kind of threw together last night's dinner at the last moment and decided to also add this Parmesan Knots recipe from my latest Taste of Home Cooking Magazine. This is a great way to "doctor up" the refrigerated buttermilk biscuits you can buy--especially if you need something quick when you have guests coming over! My rolls turned out a little smaller than I anticipated, but they were very cute and tasted great!

Oven Fried Pork Chops

4 (3/4 inch thick) bone-in pork chops
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup Italian style bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 garlic powder
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

Combine egg, pineapple juice and soy sauce in a small bowl and whisk gently. Combine breadcrumbs and next three ingredients. Dip chops in egg mixture and then dredge in breadcrumbs.

Place chops on a rack in a greased roasting pan. Drizzle butter over chops. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25 minutes; turn and bake approximately 25 minutes longer or until done.


Parmesan Knots

1 tube (12 oz) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

Directions:

Cut each biscuit into thirds. (I didn't cut mine...they seemed smaller than usual, to start!) Roll each piece into a 3-inch rope and tie into a knot; tuck ends under. Place 2 inches apart on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; add the warm knots and gently toss to coat.

Source: My Tasty Treasures and Taste of Home August/September 2009

Penne with Spicy Italian Sausage, Cream, Tomatoes and Peas

I've been a little "under the weather" the past few days, but I was bound and determined to stick to my meal plan for this week! I've been wanting to try this recipe for quite a while now...my parents gave my sister, Sarah and I a special cookbook put out by Sam's Club, called "Favorite Family Dinners". It includes recipes from many famous chefs, including Tyler Florence, who I know so many of you rave about :) This was one of the recipes that immediately caught my eye and then when Sarah made it and posted it on her blog, I knew we had to try it! I was a little nervous to use the spicy Italian sausage, as I've never been a fan of eating anything too spicy, but it honestly was not the least bit overpowering and I wouldn't hesitate to use it again! There were a couple of minor substitutions that I had to make, as I did not quite have the energy to run out to the store and I wasn't about to ask my husband to make another trip out, but the dish still turned out great!

Penne with Spicy Italian Sausage, Cream, Tomatoes and Peas

4 links spicy Italian sausage (I went ahead and used all 5 that came in the package!)
1 pound dried penne
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves (one of the items I didn't have, so I used the dried)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy whipping cream (I substituted half and half, as it was about 1/3 the cost)
2 cups peas, blanched
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the sausages in a roasting pan and roast in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until slightly golden and just cooked. Cut sausages at an angle into bite-size pieces.

Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Drop the pasta into the boiling water and cook until tender yet firm (al dente).

Set a large, heavy-based pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onion and garlic and saute until translucent and fragrant. Add tomatoes and basil; season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 15 minutes, then fold in cream and continue to simmer until rich and creamy. Add sausage, blanched peas, pasta and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Fold together and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to allow the flavors to come together. Serve topped with a shower of cheese and garnish with basil.

*TIP: To blanch peas, submerge them into boiling water for 2 1/2 minutes (1 minute for frozen peas), then strain them and plunge them into ice water to stop the cooking process. Strain them again and set aside.

Source: Sam's Club Favorite Family Dinners (excerpted from Tyler Florence's cookbook: Dinner at My Place).

Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions

Oh, how I love the State Fair!!! I'd be lying if I said that the food wasn't one of my favorite aspects :) Without fail, I ALWAYS have Italian sausage with peppers and onions---so good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My husband and I decided to recreate this "fair favorite" at home over his little mini-vacation and was it ever a treat! I think what really makes or breaks this recipe, however, is the type of sauce you use--I almost prefer a sauce with a hint of sweetness to it. That would be my one suggestion...make sure you use a good sauce!!!

Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions

6-8 Italian Sausage Links
1 green pepper, cut into strips
1 red pepper, cut into strips
1 medium Vidalia onion, sliced thinly
1 jar of your favorite pizza or marinara sauce (again, I'd try to get one that has a hint of sweetness or just make sure you add a bit of sugar to the sauce!)
Brat Buns
Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Place Italian sausage links in a skillet and cover with water. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes. Remove sausages and place on grill or in grill pan and cook for 7-8 minutes (maybe slightly more or less, depending on how well you like them cooked!). While sausages are grilling, saute peppers and onions in 3 tablespoons of butter or margarine until tender.

To serve: Place one Italian sausage link on each brat bun. Pour sauce over sausage and top with peppers and onions. Sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese on top.

Quick Pork Fajitas

I am so behind on posting!!! I made the pork tenderloin and these pork fajitas a few weeks ago and am just getting around to posting. I'm going to start by saying that while this was a great way to use up the leftover pork tenderloin, I still am somewhat partial to steak or chicken fajitas. My husband and I generally don't care to reheat meat, so I was trying to think of a clever way to utilize the leftover pork. I always tend to use Allrecipes.com as my "fallback" and came across this recipe. It was definitely "good" and if you happen to be a huge fan of pork, you'd probably really like these, but I think I definitely gravitate more toward steak or chicken...perhaps more out of habit?!?

Quick Pork Fajitas

1 - 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, thinly sliced
3-4 tablespoons fajita seasoning
1 onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper OR red bell pepper, sliced
6 flour tortillas, warmed

Directions:

In shallow bowl, toss pork pieces with fajita seasoning. In large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, stir-fry pork pieces with onion and green pepper until vegetables are just tender (about 5 to 10 minutes). Wrap portions in flour tortillas with salsa.

Source: Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Marinated Pork Tenderloin

If you want to see how this pork should really look, make sure to check out Donna's (My Tasty Treasure's) blog...her pictures were WAY better!!! We had some minor issues as far as the cooking time goes and had to cut into it several different times. I had to laugh, because I bought a pork tenderloin, having absolutely no idea what I was going to do with it and then I came across this recipe on Allrecipes.com. To my surprise, Donna posted the very same recipe the next day! She is an absolutely amazing cook, so the fact that she recommended it, let me know that it was definitely worth trying. It was wonderful, although I think I ended up using a 3 1/2 pound pork loin instead of (2) 3/4 lb pork tenderloins, so I should have researched the cooking time a little more thoroughly as I grossly underestimated the amount of time it would need. Tomorrow, I'll be posting a recipe that we tried to utilize the leftovers!!!

Marinated Pork Tenderloin

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons sherry
1 1/2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pinch garlic powder
2 (3/4 pound) pork tenderloins

Directions:

Place soy sauce, brown sugar, sherry, dried onion, cinnamon, olive oil, and a touch of garlic powder in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal, and shake to mix. Place pork in bag with marinade, seal, and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours.

Preheat grill for high heat. Lightly oil grate. Place tenderloins on grill, and discard marinade. Cook 20 minutes, or to desired doneness. Slice into medallions, and serve.

Source: Allrecipes.com

Oven Ribs

I really wish I had this smell permeating through my home everyday!!! It's almost as good as brownies baking :) Kroger had pork spareribs on sale for $.97/lb and there was no way I could pass up such a deal! I've always made them the same way (aside from a time or two when I got daring and tried a new recipe)...I put them on a rack with a little water, cook them for several hours on a 275 degree oven (covered) and then remove the cover for the last 30 minutes and add BBQ sauce. NEVER AGAIN!!!! I loved boiling them first--they were so tender before I even put them in the oven! I look forward to trying this sauce again, maybe even on baby back ribs :)

Oven Ribs
8 pounds pork spareribs
2 cups ketchup
1 1/2 cups BBQ sauce (of course I used Sweet Baby Rays!)
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
4 tablespoons steak sauce
1 dash hot pepper sauce, or to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced (I'm pretty sure I added a *bit* more!)

Directions:

Place the ribs in a large stock pot with enough water to cover. Bring the water to a boil and cook over medium-high heat for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In medium saucepan, combine ketchup, barbeque sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, steak sauce and garlic; blend well. Cook the sauce over medium heat for approximately 20 minutes.

Cut the ribs between the bones and place in a baking pan. Pour sauce over ribs, cover and cook for 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes.

***I'd also like to wish my sister, Sarah, (Delectable Dining) a very Happy Birthday!!!!!***

Adapted from Allrecipes

Marinated Pork Chops

The stomach "bug" has been going around my house and I haven't had much energy to cook. I decided to go ahead and marinate these pork chops yesterday morning and then figured I'd wait and see if anyone felt up to eating dinner--worst case scenario, I figured we could always have them tonight. Dinnertime arrived and I figured I probably should try to eat something, so I had my husband go ahead and grill these chops. My stomach was still a little queasy, but they still tasted so good and smelled wonderful while they were grilling! I don't buy pork chops often, probably because I wasn't overly fond of them growing up--I love my Mom to death, but she likes her meat VERY well done and there's nothing quite like dried out pork chops! The original recipe called for 1 inch thick chops, but I used the assorted pork chops that were on sale for $.97/lb...hard to beat that! The listed grilling time is for 20-25 minutes, which was what the original recipe called for, but if you're using thinner chops, as we did, you will likely need to decrease the cooking time.

Marinated Pork Chops

3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 garlic clove, minced
6 pork chops

Directions:

Combine the first 10 ingredients in a large resealable plastic bag or shallow glass container; add pork and turn to coat. Seal bag or cover container; refrigerate overnight. Drain and discard marinade. Grill, covered, over medium coals, turning occasionally, for 20-25 minutes or until juices run clear.

Source: Allrecipes

Asparagus Carbonara

I recently picked up a copy of EVERYDAY with Rachael Ray and immediately marked this recipe! I love pasta, bacon and asparagus, so I figured I couldn't go wrong--I was just praying that this recipe wasn't as much work as the last Rachael Ray recipe I tried! There was a bit of prep work involved, but not too much, by any means. My husband and I both really enjoyed this dish...it was unlike anything I have ever made, but a dish I will certainly make again! There was one major "issue" I had with the recipe--perhaps I'm just paranoid, but I'm not a fan of eating raw eggs. The original recipe stated to mix the pasta and asparagus into the egg/cheese mixture and then add the bacon at the end. I decided (after conferring with my sister) that I would add the pasta mixture (already mixed with the egg/cheese) to the skillet and simmer it for about five minutes to cook the egg. It was delicious!!!!

Asparagus Carbonara

2 large eggs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 pound spaghetti
1 bunch asparagus, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 ounces bacon, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
Salt and Pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and cheese. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente, adding the asparagus during the last minute of cooking. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Add the hot pasta and asparagus to the egg mixture; toss to coat.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp; stir in the garlic. Add the wine and cook until slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Add the pasta mixture to the skillet and simmer for approximately 5 minutes, adding the reserved pasta water to moisten. Season with salt and pepper.

Source: Adapted from EVERYDAY with Rachael Ray (June/July 2009)

Honey Garlic Ribs

I've always just cooked spareribs slowly in the oven and basted with barbecue sauce toward the end, but I thought I'd "spice it up" a bit. This may be my new favorite way to prepare ribs! The sauce had an incredible flavor and the smell while cooking was unbelievable! My husband and I inhaled them and I even went back for seconds :) Knock on wood, I generally have pretty good luck when searching on Allrecipes.com--I always make sure I select recipes that have high ratings and the reviewers were right on with this one!

Honey Garlic Ribs

4 pounds pork spareribs
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Slice the ribs into individual pieces. In a large bowl, combine the honey, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and brown sugar. Stir until honey and sugar are completely dissolved, then stir in the baking soda. The mixture will begin to foam. Transfer ribs to the bowl, and turn to coat.

Cover a cookie sheet with foil, and arrange the ribs meat side up on the sheet. Pour excess sauce over all, and sprinkle with the garlic salt. Bake for 1 hour, turning every 20 minutes.

Source: Allrecipes

Deluxe Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Talk about a sandwich with all of my favorite ingredients!!! Not too long ago, I posted a recipe for a "doctored up version" of a grilled cheese sandwich, but I honestly must admit...I prefer this version, hands down! The other one was definitely "good", but this is the "mother of all grilled cheese sandwiches"! It would be a great sandwich to serve with a cup/bowl of soup when you have company over for lunch...I selfishly ate it by myself :)

Deluxe Grilled Cheese Sandwich

8 ounces mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese, thinly sliced
8 slices white or whole wheat bread
1 small onion, diced (I used red onion)
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked and drained
1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
1 medium avocado, thinly sliced
Margarine or butter, softened

Directions:

Place half of the cheese on 4 slices bread. Top with onion, bacon, tomato, avocado, remaining cheese and remaining bread. Spread top slices of bread with margarine.

Place sandwiches, margarine sides down, in a skillet. Spread tops of bread with margarine. Cook uncovered over medium heat about 5 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown. Turn and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer or until other sides are golden brown and cheese is melted.

Source: Betty Crocker 20-Minute Recipes

Spicy Shredded Pork

As soon as I saw this posted on "Delectable Dining", I knew it was a recipe I would have to try! Not only did it initially come from the Pioneer Woman (who my sister swears by), but I knew my husband would love anything with the words "shredded pork" and "spicy" in the title! My husband so graciously offered to make dinner last night, since he knew I'd be working all day and this was a wonderful meal to come home to! I didn't get home until close to 9pm, well after my son had eaten his dinner, but when he tried a bite of my "taco", he asked for one of his own and INHALED it! My husband said that he followed the recipe exactly as it was written, except he ran into one little problem...we didn't have any white wine vinegar. I was in the middle of discharging a patient at work, when the secretary told me that I had a call, so I politely excused myself (thinking maybe it was a doctor calling me back), only to find that it was my husband on the other end, trying to figure out what to do about not having any white wine vinegar. He said that he had called my sister to see if he could substitute regular white vinegar and she told him that wouldn't be advisable, so I suggested that he do a google search to see what a recommended substitution would be. Come to find out, they said that you can use red wine vinegar--the only reason you wouldn't want to is if the color would affect your dish. Since it was just being mixed with pork, it didn't particularly matter and I thought it tasted delicious! I do want to give credit for the picture to my sister, Sarah--I "borrowed" her picture, because I was EXHAUSTED by the time I got home last night and after trying about five or six times to take a picture of this dish, I gave up. I could not seem to make it look as presentable as she did...thanks Sarah!!!

Spicy Shredded Pork

4-7 pound pork shoulder
1 onion
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup brown sugar
3-4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1-2 tablespoons salt
pepper
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Directions:

Rinse and pat dry the pork shoulder. Place the pork shoulder in the bottom of a 6 quart crock pot and add about a cup of water in the bottom. Combine oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, garlic, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic, olive oil, white wine vinegar and quartered onion in the food processor. Process until well blended. Pour over the pork and rub well into entire surface. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the meat easily shreds using 2 forks. Serve in warm tortilla shells with fresh salsa and sour cream.

Source: Delectable Dining (Picture by Sarah O'Brien)