Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Pork Chops

I'm trying to get back on the blog a little here, but I'm afraid I'm in one of those ruts where I'm lacking ideas and inspiration. So be it. That's when I resort to easy things like yummy recipes that have pretty pictures that other people took.

We had this for dinner last night along with rosemary potatoes and onions that I cooked in the cast iron skillet. It was absolutely delicious. The flavors of the onions and apples blended so well with the chops and bacon. And equally as exciting - it was so easy to make! Hardly any pre-cooking prep work...just chop and wrap...then wait.

The recipe, from Crepes of Wrath, is after the jump.

Recipe: Old-Fashioned Pecan Pie

I think pecan pie is one of those fortunate things that's kind of difficult to mess up. Sure, we've all had that one that was a little too sweet and a little too gooey, but that was probably for lack of common sense on the part of the baker more than the fault of the pie. (No offense if you've been that person.)

The recipe I've used the past few times I've made pecan pie is from the Epicurious website and it makes one delicious pie. Or two, if you double it like I did last weekend. I didn't have oranges to zest, but I can imagine that would be a delightful, subtle addition. My own addition came in the form of bourbon - I added 2 tablespoons. (Bourbon is SO good to cook/bake with.)

Old Fashioned Pecan Pie (Epicurious):

• Pastry dough (I just used frozen crusts.)
• 3/4 stick unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups pecan halves (1/2 pound)
• 
  

• Accompaniment: whipped cream or vanilla ice cream

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350°F with a baking sheet on middle rack.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 12-inch round and fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold overhang under and lightly press against rim of pie plate, then crimp decoratively. Lightly prick bottom all over with a fork. Chill until firm, at least 30 minutes (or freeze 10 minutes).

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, whisking until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in corn syrup, vanilla, zest, and salt. Lightly beat eggs in a medium bowl, then whisk in corn syrup mixture.

Put pecans in pie shell and pour corn syrup mixture evenly over them. Bake on hot baking sheet until filling is set, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool completely.

For the simplicity of the process, it sure is a rewarding result! Enjoy!

Recipe: Ham Bone Soup (For Your Easter Remains)

It's been a busy few weeks! I've been helping friends move, watching lots of basketball, having a happy Easter, and planning summer plans (which I'll share about some time!)

For now, I'm sharing a meal that has become a favorite for me to make after Easter. I first made it 2 years ago after we had Easter dinner at our house, but I didn't last year, since we had dinner at my aunt and uncle's and I didn't have any ham bone remains to use. This year though, we had dinner at our house again, so it's time for another ham bone soup! 

Now in all honesty, I'm actually not a very big soup fan. Something about doing more drinking when I want to be eating just doesn't jive with me and mostly makes me angry. The few exceptions are when the soup is chunky or substantial enough to satisfy my appetite and warrant the energy required to eat it. Thankfully, this soup meets those qualifications. And I say thankfully because my husband is in love with this soup and wants me to make it every year. The first time I made it I was gone for one night and most of the next day for a Political Theory retreat and when I got back it was all gone. He ate the entire pot. 

I think I followed this recipe pretty closely the first time, but this year I've not been as attentive to the instructions, and I've done a sort of mixture between that one and this one. So feel free to do what you want, but if you want to know what I did, then keep reading. Warning: this meal requires a lot of vegetable chopping! Thankfully I really enjoy said chopping, but it is still somewhat time consuming. Just so you know. You'll need:

3-4 large carrots

1 large onion

3-4 celery stalks

3-4 garlic cloves

5-6 slices of bacon

1/2 (half) head of cabbage

small bunch of kale

1/2 (half) cup barley or lentils

Cook bacon ahead of time but don't let it get too crispy. Dry of grease and cut into bite-size pieces. Chop carrots/onion/celery and cook in soup pot with butter for a few minutes, then add minced garlic and cook another minute. Add a minimum of 8 cups of water to pot, add leftover ham bone (some meat still attached is good), 2t. of salt, many good shakes of pepper, the barley, and the cooked bacon, and once the water has started to boil, cover and simmer at med-low heat for about 20 mins. In the the meantime, chop a half head (if it's a small head) of cabbage and the kale and set aside. You can also gather any leftover ham slices you may have and cut into bite-size pieces. (I did this because I definitely needed some meat in my soup.) 

Add ham pieces and cabbage after 20 mins and let cook another 20-30 mins. Then add the kale and cook 10-15 mins more. This is the part where you can probably just eat whenever you want to. The longer it cooks the more flavorful it will get, but it's not like it done at a certain time. You're probably so hungry at this point from smelling ham and bacon that you won't want to wait longer than required! And the good news is, it gets even better as you reheat it, so you won't be missing out at any point.

I ended up adding a little more salt and pepper and calling it good around 1hr. 15mins.

Of course you can go with all kinds of variations as you so desire. The NYT recipe calls for white beans, which I may have done the first time but I can't remember. The point is to fill it with whatever yummy, healthy things you want (do you see how healthy this meal is?!) and enjoy!

On the Menu: Brussel Sprouts + Bacon

It's that vegetable you always hated, yet the one your mother always made you eat. And nothing against your mother's cooking, but you probably remember it as plain, bland, and brussely. Well turn your nose up no more, because my brussel sprouts involve bacon.

I found a recipe for this attached to a bottle of wine, but what I ended up making just followed the recipe loosely. (In all honestly, that's how I "follow" 99% of recipes.) So here's what I did:

They're bright! And spring-esque!

Take your desired quantity of fresh brussel sprouts (I had a smallish bundle, maybe 1 lb.) and cut off the tips of the stalks, pulling any wilted leaves off that may be on the outside. Don't cut the stalks too short or the leaves will just keep falling off. Cut medium to large sprouts in half. Also set the oven to 425 degrees.

Next, blanch them for 3-4 minutes and then shock them in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. There's more cooking to be done on them, so you don't want them to get too soft too soon. While they are blanching, cook the bacon (I used 4 strips cut in half) on the stovetop until it's nice and crispy then set it out on a paper towel. Also chop about 1/2 of a large yellow onion.

Drain the water out from the sprouts when they are no longer hot, and let them sit. Drain most of the grease from the bacon skillet, leaving just enough to coat the pan. Sauté the onions in the pan for just a minute or two (don't let them get too soft), then add the brussel sprouts and toss everything together for another minute.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spread the mixture evenly. (I brushed a light coating of olive oil on the foil before adding the mixture, but there was probably enough protection from the bacon grease that I didn't need to.)

Place on a rack in the oven about 3/4 of the way up, or in the center if you want a little more blackening. Roast for about 15 minutes or until the onions and outside of the sprouts start to brown and are slightly soft when stuck with a fork.

The bacon should be cool enough by now to crumble it, so you can get that ready while the rest is in the oven. When the sprouts are to your satisfaction, collect them into a bowl and toss with the bacon bits. Cover with foil until ready to serve - they won't stay hot for long!

For tonight's dinner they accompanied stovetop grilled chicken breasts coated with a balsamic peach preserve glaze, which was served over white rice seasoned with a touch of garlic and herbs provence. I had planned to serve wild rice instead, but I discovered that we were out when I looked in the pantry. Adjust and adapt!

And while it is the least becoming picture of them all, there is the finished product. The dish passed the husband test with flying colors, which is really saying something when we're talking about a man who thought he hated brussel sprouts. And so did I. But bacon and onions can't fix anything...said no one ever.

On the Menu: Chicken Florentine Pasta

Tonight's dinner was too delicious for me to not share. It was the Pioneer Woman's Chicken Florentine Pasta, which I saw a while back and wanted to make, but I didn't think Levi would like it because I wasn't sure if the tomatoes would be cooked enough for him to handle. (He detests fresh tomatoes. I on the other hand may consider them my favorite fresh veggie. Even though they're a fruit.)

I went for it tonight though, and we both loved it. It's cheap to make and healthy to eat - I suppose with the exception of the pasta, which if it's not good for the body, is at least great for the soul. Best of all, even though it's only February, it brought a fresh zing of flavor to our evening with the reminder that spring (and summer!) is indeed just around the corner.

I'm not skilled enough to take pictures of my own food. This is the Pioneer Woman's.
I used Cavit Pinot Grigio both for the recipe and the pairing. Beautiful.

Mediterranean Beef Pitas

Here they are! I found the original recipe at Real Simple, but like I mentioned in my last post...while I'm all about real simple preparation, I'm not all about real simple (translated: zero) flavor. I usually end up tweaking recipes I find from these guys because when I follow the recipe, things just seem to turn out not quite right. So you can try the original if you want, but I recommend the following:

1 lb. ground beef
salt | pepper | dried oregano
olive oil
pitas
garlic hummus
red onion | fresh garlic | fresh parsley
lemon

Beef Preparation:
Form beef into small patties about an inch wide. Season on both sides with plenty of salt, pepper, and dried oregano (the beef really needs the added flavor). While they cook over medium heat, dice about half of a small red onion and mince a couple cloves of garlic; sprinkle into the pan while meat is cooking. (This will get the onions nice and soft and give the meat some extra flavor.) Drain the grease out but leave as much of the onion in as possible.

Pita Preparation:
Toss pitas into oven to get a little toasty - but only leave them for about a minute, because if they get too warm, they'll get hard when they cool and be hard to eat. Chop up fresh parsley and toss with fresh lemon juice. Make a mixture of olive oil and cracked pepper to spread over pita, then spread garlic hummus over one half. Place beef patties and sprinkle with parsley, then squeeze some more lemon over everything for good measure. (Make sure you put the onions from the pan on top too!) I think after leftovers, we got 5 or 6 pitas-worth out of it.

I was a little leery at first, but you'll be amazed at combined flavors of the parsley and lemon! It was so fresh and was great with the garlic and onion. Levi was skeptical about eating hummus with dinner, but he claimed the leftovers the next day, so I think it was a winner. And especially when something that delicious is so fast and easy to prepare...who couldn't say yes?

Fine Dining

Last night Levi and I went to a gourmet restaurant that features all fresh, exquisitely-prepared foods that will make you think you died and went to heaven. It's a very small place, and we arrived around 7pm (on a Friday night, at that), so we had to wait a little bit, but they bent over backwards to make it up to us. For instance, they were supposed to be done serving the special for the night, but they said they would run back and tell the chef to prepare it for us if we wanted. So Levi agreed, and as it turns out, he got the very last one. And here's what it was: 

Pan-seared scallops on forbidden black rice, which had been soaked to perfection in mango and pineapple juice and mixed with chunks of each fruit. And on top of each scallop was an edible flower that a local had just picked off the plant that afternoon and brought to the restaurant fresh. And here's the finished product: 

It was the most perfect, incredible blend of flavors either of us had ever tasted in our lives. Literally breathtaking. And here is proof that Levi has in fact....eaten flowers. But his manliness has not been compromised.

I ordered a pork chop wrapped in bacon and topped with peach bbq sauce and peach wedges. Wouldn't think of that combination, right? But it was heavenly. It came with a potato cake and roasted zucchini. And the pork chop, freshly delivered from a local farm, was soaked in brine for 2 days prior to arriving on my plate. We both agreed that Levi's dish beat mine, but that's only because it was a matter of comparing EXTRA extra fantastic to extra fantastic. And what kind of comparison is that, anyway??

We finished off the evening with mexican chocolate balls, which we were too excited about to take time for a picture. But it was a chocolate cake mixed with ganache and cayenne pepper, rolled into a ball, and topped with cinnamon and sprinkles of kosher salt. With whipped cream on the side. And our blissful, happy faces to look upon it.

All in all, it was an unforgettable experience that is not rivaled by any other. I woke up this morning trying to re-live it in my mind, and just couldn't.

Oven-Roasted Potatoes

Levi is an extremely easy man to feed - he's really not picky at. all. But one of the things that makes him giggle like a schoolgirl...ahem...a schoolboy?...is this yummy side-dish of roasted red potatoes. They are so simple to make and so very very delightful to eat.

What to get: 

-Potatoes of your choice (I like red!)

-olive oil

-minced garlic

-salt | pepper | rosemary 

-parmesan cheese

What to do:

-cut potatoes into bite-sized wedges and spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet

-cover potatoes with layer of salt & pepper as desired

-mix olive oil and desired amount of garlic together in small bowl and brush generously over potatoes

-sprinkle potatoes with rosemary and parmesan cheese (lots! :-D)

-place rack(s) as high as possible in the oven and bake at 425 for approx. 30 mins, using a spatula to flip/mix the potatoes halfway through so they don't stick to the pan. (check them when it's getting close to time - you don't want them to burn or the parmesan and herbs will taste bitter.)

Enjoy! :-)

(My potatoes from last night, pre-baked but prepared.)

Red Pepper Cream Sauce

We eat a lot of chicken at our house -- enough that it's really easy to get bored with preparing and eating the same rotation of 3 different flavors of baked chicken breasts all. the. time. And enough that I get really, really excited when chicken breasts are buy-1-get-1-free at Giant, like they were this past week. I bought one and got one free.....three different times this week. I should have just saved myself the trouble and gotten them all at once.

Anyway, yesterday was shaping up to be another baked chicken night, and with that in mind, I wanted to put a twist on it that I haven't tried before. After a little bit of thinking and exploring the food aisles at Target, I decided on doing a white cream sauce. (Because I couldn't buy one. Levi doesn't like jarred white cream sauce.) And I wanted red bell peppers involved somehow. So I picked up a pepper and headed home, where I found this recipe online.

Oh. My. Goodness.

I discovered a whole new level of yummy by making this sauce to pour over our chicken (which I covered in salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and browned in butter and olive on the stovetop before placing it in a dish with chicken bouillon to bake). It was fantastic, and yielded lots of blessed leftovers. I made these few small adjustments:

--I only had one pepper instead of two, but it worked fine.
--I blanched the pepper for no more than 10 mins. instead of broiling it, and didn't stress about not 100% of the skin coming off. There's no difference in a blender. And it saved the ridiculous 45 mins. of cooling time the recipe recommends.)

--I substituted a cup of 2% milk for one of the cups of half-and-half. And I wouldn't want it to be any richer.

--I didn't have Romano cheese, so I used Parmesan instead.

And don't forget the salt and pepper. Those were, as always, very important. 

I may or may not have actually considered spending the rest of my life making this to jar and sell and get rich. 

(Not really, but I'll definitely be making it again!)

Sweet Chicken Teriyaki

It's been a while since I've posted, yes. I guess February has come and gone faster than any month of the year. February is great like that, right? I think it's good to finish out winter as quickly as possible and get on to warmer times. Anyway.

A few nights ago I found myself wanting to try something new for dinner -- and when I say new, I not only mean something I haven't cooked before, but something that involves no recipe. "An experiment" as I explain it to Levi when he asks what's for dinner on those days.

I quickly decided to use the chicken tenders I had in the freezer and, relieved that I actually had teriyaki sauce in the pantry (because I HATE driving the whole 0.8 of a mile to the grocery store for just one item), I began my Sweet Chicken Teriyaki experiment. And it turned out deliciously, so I thought I would share. :-) (Note: I'm writing this out with the same approach I take when cooking my experiments -- estimations and approximations. Interpret accordingly.)

I just hope that my lack of ability to take appealing pictures of food does not deter you from trying the recipe. ;-)

You'll need:

• (for caramelized onions): 1 medium sweet onion | minced garlic | butter | olive oil | salt & pepper | sugar
• chicken tenders 
• teriyaki sauce
• light brown sugar
• ground ginger

1. Caramelize the onion: Melt about 3T butter in a large pan (the same one you will be cooking the chicken in) and throw in some olive oil (I never measure). Slice the onion as thin as you can and stir into the butter/oil. Add as much minced garlic as you like (1t or so, which is the same as 1 clove if you're using fresh), salt & pepper it, and sprinkle with sugar (1-2t). Cook around medium heat until they start getting brownish and sticky and caramelizy - approx. 20 mins. While that's cooking.....

2. El pollo (yeah my Spanish is working): Cut chicken tenders (I think I had a little over 2lb.) into 1-2 in. long chunks and season them with salt & pepper. (I didn't do this, but I think a little onion or garlic powder would be good on them too.) Add to pan once you are satisfied with the onions. And then the fun part......

3. Decorate: (Here comes the experimentation!) Add teriyaki sauce. (I've heard you shouldn't go for generic brands -- stick with Kikkoman.) --about 1/2 - 3/4c. I guess. Again, I didn't measure. And I added more later as it cooked down, so use your judgment. Add more pepper to flavor, and salt if needed (I had low-sodium sauce so I added extra salt). Put a little more minced garlic in (around 1t. like before) and lightly sprinkle in some ginger. (I'm not a ginger fan at. all. So unless you are, go seriously light on it because it's strong. But it does help the overall flavor of the dish). Finally, sprinkle the brown sugar in to sweeten it up -- approx 1/8 - 1/4c, but I just did it with my fingers until I thought it looked good. 

Stir everything together, making sure to rotate the chicken around so it's cooked all the way through. And taste-test frequently as the ingredients cook down and blend together. I often end up adding an extra dash of this and pinch of that as I go.

All told, it shouldn't take more than 35-45 mins to prepare. Unless you're like me and your chicken is frozen and you have to defrost it in a puny microwave. Serve over white rice. Yummy veggy to pair with it: sugar-snap peas! Serves 4.

Give it a try, and let me know how you like it!