Apple Chutney Pork Schnitzels

Hello folks. Happy Monday to ya. I hope you had a good weekend! We sure did- lots of lounging around the house, catching up on our DVR, and checking out the state fair. Fun times all around.

Before I start to tell you all about this apple deliciousness, I have to say something-what kind of word is chutney? If you ask me, it doesn't sound very appealing. But I'll eat anything with apples. And cinnamon. And butter!

Believe it or not, this is actually really easy. The first time I made this it was just for Miss A & I. Surprisingly, she loved the pork and ate every bite. She wasn't a big fan of the chutney, but that was before her recent I'll-eat-all-the-things attitude. I'll bet $50 she'll eat it now.

• Hello Fall! If you've gone apple picking recently, this is a great way to use them up!
  
  Every two months I buy pork tenderloin (and most of our other meat) from Costco. I usually roast pork in the oven but it's always hit or miss. Does this happen to you- sometimes it's moist and flavorful, but more often than not, it's dry and flavorless. I don't understand! Such an unforgiving piece of meat! So now I like to slice it and use it other ways.
  
  The original recipe (I included the source below) is actually for pork schnitzel sandwiches. No thanks. That sounded like more work to me. I also didn't have the right bread on hand (I didn't think regular ol' whole wheat bread was going to do the trick) so I decided to forgo making these as sandwiches and have the pork and apples shine on their own. After eating it this way I can't imagine having it as a sandwich. It's so good just like this.
• 
  
• Source: adapted from Rachael Ray
• Serves: 2

For the Chutney

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 a sweet onion, finely chopped
• 2 apples (honeycrisp, fuji, or braeburn) peeled and chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• Salt and pepper
• Nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

For the Pork

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 boneless pork loin cutlets, slightly pounded

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons milk

1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup flour

1/8 nutmeg

Salt and pepper, to taste

Parsley, for garnish 

• Melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onions, apples, cinnamon, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper, a light sprinkle of nutmeg, sugar and lemon juice. Cook until soft and tender, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.
  
  
  Crack eggs into a bowl and scramble with the milk. Season the pork cutlets with salt and pepper, then dredged in flour, lay in the egg wash, and last in the breadcrumbs. Fry the cutlets in a thin layer of olive oil until crisp and golden. Transfer to a paper towel to drain. To serve, top pork cutlets with the apple chutney and garnish with parsley if desired.

5 Back-to-School Weeknight Meals

It's back-to-school time and as a former teacher, I know how busy the first week is. Getting back into a routine after a lazy summer is not always an easy thing to do! I picked out a few of my favorite quick and easy meals for you to get back into the swing of things. 

1. Black Bean and Goat Cheese Quesadillas 

So simple. It really doesn't get any easier than this. Black beans, goat cheese, jalapeno peppers, and a red onion are all you need for these quesadillas. They would make for a great lunch too! 

2. Cheeseburger Mac and Cheese

I can assure you that this is definitely kid tested and kid approved. My daughter eats this up whenever I make it, which is great, since her tastes are constantly changing and evolving! She loves picking up the mini cheeseburgers and has tons of fun picking up pieces of pasta. All ages would love this and it makes for great leftovers!

3. Crispy Parmesan Sage Pork Chops

Another favorite in our house. Start them off on the stove and then transfer them to the oven to continue cooking. These pork chops have a crispy coating and I love the hint of sage and lemon. I've served them along side baked potatoes, green beans, and broccoli.

4. Crockpot Salsa Chicken

This has got to be my favorite crock pot recipe, hands down. I make it at least three times a month and it never fails to disappoint. You can get crazy and add all kinds of veggies on top- peppers, tomatoes, diced red onion, and black beans. 

5. Creamy Baked Ziti

I love baked ziti and this is my go-to recipe. I like to change it up often and use ground pork, Italian sausage, or ground beef. I also get crazy sometimes and make my own tomato sauce where I can hide veggies like zucchini and spinach. Serve along side a green side or garlic bread. Delicious!

Crispy Parmesan Sage Pork Chops

I'm happy to report that I cooked dinner 4 nights in a row this week.

I've wanted lots of pasta, chicken, and pork. And nothing that takes too long, it seems like I'm not as patient as I used to be, which wasn't a whole lot to begin with, so now I'm really not patient. I tackled my overbearing aversion to baking (what is this baby doing to me?) and made oatmeal banana bread this week too! I wanted to make cookies too but since its been a while we were all out of unsalted butter and I had no idea. Hubby, sweet as ever, volunteered to go to the store but I figured it was better not to have the cookies if we already had banana bread.

So, if you're looking for something quick and easy for a weeknight, these crispy pork chops will be a perfect fit. I loved the hint of lemon and sage, a nice change to the regular 'ol pork chop. Served along side baked potatoes I was one happy camper.

Source: Food.com
Servings: 4


1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried rubbed sage
1 lemons, rind of, teaspoon grated
2 large eggs, whisked
1/4 cup flour, seasoned with
salt and pepper
4 boneless, thin cut pork chops
1/8-1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Mix in bowl, bread crumbs, grated parmesan cheese, dried rubbed sage and grated lemon peel. Then, on a plate put flour seasoned with salt and pepper; coat chops with flour. Dip in egg. Then dip in bread crumb mixture. Melt butter and olive oil in a oven-proof skillet. Brown chops until golden. Transfer to oven and bake until meat thermometer says 150 degrees, about 20 minutes.

Double Crunch Honey Garlic Pork Chops

I've got lots of good things to say about these pork chops.

They're coated in two layers of seasoned flour, fried in oil, and basted in a honey garlic soy sauce. What happened to that "diet" I told you guys about? Well, to be perfectly honest with you, I've made this quite a few times already because a. we both love it and b. it's really easy to crank out of the kitchen on a weeknight. I made it again the other day and realized I still had not shared with you! What kind of food blogger am I?

I managed to make it somewhat "healthier" by using egg beaters instead of an egg wash and coated the chop that I was going to eat in only one layer of flour. I also used olive oil to fry them in and drizzled about a teaspoon of the sauce on my chop. Hubby got the full works, but wants to gain weight. So not fair!

Source: Rock Recipes
Serves: 2 

For the Pork Chops
2 boneless pork chops
1 cup flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground thyme
1 tsp ground sage
1 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 eggs
4 tbsp water
canola oil

Sift together flour and spices. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper, then dip the chops in the flour and spice mixture. Dip the chop into the eggwash and then a final time into the flour and spice mix, pressing the mix into the chop to get good contact.

Heat a skillet on the stove with about a half inch of canola oil covering the bottom. You will want to carefully regulate the temperature  (medium) here so that the chops do not brown too quickly on the outside before they are fully cooked on the inside. Fry them gently for about 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy. Drain on a wire rack for a couple of minutes before dipping the cooked chops into the sauce. Serve with noodles or rice.

Honey Garlic Sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
3 – 4 cloves minced garlic
1 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp ground black pepper

In a medium sauce pan add olive oil and garlic. Cook over medium heat to soften the garlic but don't let it brown. Add the honey, soy sauce, and black pepper. Simmer together for 5-10 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Watch this carefully as it simmers because it can foam up over the pot very easily.

Are you hosting Thanksgiving this year? If not, are you bringing something?

Pork Chops with Fresh Berry Compote

Oh my was this good. So good that I just had to share this with you today. Nevermind the back load of posts I already had lined up. You know how I get excited.

Celebrations are great. They usually involve food, (at least all of mine do) and our anniversary was no exception. I saw this in Rachael Ray's magazine a few weeks back and didn't think it worthy has an anniversary dinner, but I'm SO glad I decided to make it. It really does look fancy all plated up.

It's delicious, mouthwatering...it's borderline dessert! I almost feel like I can't have it often because I'll weigh 400 pounds. But it's fruit, right? Therefore it's healthy, making this a very healthy dinner. Even my side was healthy, quinoa with lemon and parsley. Also very good. But that's another post...

It's like blueberry syrup. But better. And so easy. Ready in less than five minutes. Thank goodness it's practically berry season. You can make this sauce all the time! I swear it goes with almost anything, vanilla ice cream, waffles, french toast, pancakes...although, omit the onions, that might be a little weird.

Source: Everyday with Rachael Ray

5 tbsp. EVOO
1 small red onion, thinly sliced (I used a shallot)
1 pt. blueberries (I used half my container of blueberries)
2 tbsp. sugar
1 lemon, zested and juiced
3 sprigs thyme (I used dried)
Salt and pepper
4 bone-in, 1/2-inch-thick pork chops (I used pork tenderloin medallions)

Don’t wash blueberries more than 1 day ahead of using or they may mold.

Preheat a grill. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat 1 tbsp. EVOO over medium-low heat; add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, thyme sprigs and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Simmer until the blueberries have released their juices and the compote has thickened, about 5 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs and keep the sauce warm.

Brush the pork chops with 2 tbsp. EVOO and season with salt and pepper. Grill, turning once, for 8 to 10 minutes for medium; remove from the grill and let stand.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, prepare the couscous according to package directions. Fluff with a fork, then stir in the parsley, lemon zest and remaining 2 tbsp. EVOO. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the couscous onto plates. Add the chops and any juices and spoon the berry compote on top.


I made only a few changes. I didn't use bone-in pork chops (I sliced up a pork tenderloin) and I didn't grill them. I pan seared them and instead of using a red onion, I used a shallot that I had on hand. I'm curious to see if there is a difference with grilling the chops, I'll try that next time. 

What dishes scream "fancy" to you? When do you like to serve them?

I love you for who I am when I'm with you...

Three years ago today I married my best friend.

In an old church with stained glass windows, dark wooden benches, and red carpet.

We walked down the aisle as man and wife, ready to conquer the world together.

In all cheesiness, it was the happiest day of my life.

Tonight we celebrated with our second love.

Food.

Pork Chops with Fresh Berry Compote

I think this might be my new favorite dinner.

Berry Chocolate Fools

Fresh whipped cream with chocolate, strawberries, blueberries, sugar, and cinnamon

Scrumptious. Delicious. Exquisite. Can everyday be our anniversary...

Pork with Mushroom Sauce

I've poured this sauce over everything. It is my second best sauce, over this one. Chicken, pork chops, your Thanksgiving turkey, even steak. I bet it would go well with stew or pot roast too. This is a magical sauce! 

You can up the mushroom quantity depending on how much you like mushrooms and how mushroom-y of a sauce you want.We all know how disappointing a big pot of mushrooms can be. You start out with a lot and end up with what seems like half. It's the same with spinach. Okay, maybe not as drastic, but you know what I mean...

I chose to use this sauce with the pork tenderloin I took out to defrost earlier this week. It was also on my menu plan! Yeah! :) The sauce complements pork wonderfully. Especially since I have the tendency to overcook my pork (does this happen to you?) and with this gravy you can't to tell! Yayy. It will still be moist and flavorful. That's a success in my book!

I halved the recipe dramatically as it was only the two of us. I included the recipe as is, but take note of what I did if you don't want a huge pot of sauce!

Source: Cooking Light

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup chopped shallots
2 cups chopped cremini mushrooms (I used baby bellas)
4 cups chicken broth (I used 1 1/2 cups, but I also like it thick)
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 tablespoon water (I used one)
1/4 cup butter (I used two tablespoons)
1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet (or saucepan) over medium-high heat. Add shallots and saute 1 minute. Add mushrooms and saute 6 minutes or until lightly browned. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cook until slightly reduced. Combine flour and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl and whisk. Stir flour mixture into mushroom mixture. Simmer 3 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently with a whisk. Remove from heat and add butter and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  

Who's ready for the weekend? I'm thinking of baking these and these. What are you cooking/baking this weekend?

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

It seems to be a pork-y kind of week. Do you remember when I shared the secret of how to get your man to do whatever you wanted?

Well, my friends, I've found another way.

I'm very proud, you see, because this was my first time making pulled pork. I searched high and low for a good recipe. I found hundreds; there is definitely no shortage in the blog world, but I am SO glad I choose this one. I can't imagine making it any better (but if you've got one, tell me, I wanna try it)!

The hubbs could not stop talking about these sandwiches. He told everyone he knew about them, his mom, his dad, his grandma, his friends... He fell in love. With a sandwich.

Normally he isn't one to over stuff himself. Not in this case. He was so full, I practically had to carry him to the couch. I was only able to eat one despite its deliciousness. They are so filling!

So if you're looking for some favors, I'd suggest making these. No man will be able to say no. :)

Source: Delish.com

1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cups ketchup
1/3 cups cider vinegar
1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1/4 cups tomato paste
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground black pepper
4 pounds boneless pork shoulder blade roast (fresh pork butt), cut into 4 pieces
12  soft sandwich buns or ciabatta rolls, warmed

In 4 1/2- to 6-quart slow-cooker pot, stir onion, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, tomato paste, paprika, Worcestershire, mustard, salt, and pepper until combined. Add pork to sauce mixture and turn to coat well with sauce. Cover slow cooker with lid and cook pork mixture on low setting as manufacturer directs, 8 to 10 hours or until pork is very tender.

With tongs, transfer pork to large bowl (I didn't have to do this, as soon as I picked it up the meat fell apart!). Turn setting on slow cooker to high; cover and heat sauce to boiling to thicken and reduce slightly.While sauce boils, with 2 forks, pull pork into shreds. Return shredded pork to slow cooker and toss with sauce to combine. Cover slow cooker and heat through on high setting if necessary. Spoon pork mixture onto bottom of sandwich buns; replace tops of buns. Eat immediately!

Thanks to all who've entered my giveaway!! If you haven't entered yet, there's still time, today's the last day!  Good luck!!

Buttermilk Parmesan Pork Chops

I don't have words to tell you how amazing these pork chops are. I don't even really like pork chops. They always come out dry. Or hard. Or tasteless. I've tried to make them in many different ways, but never like this. I can't stop thinking about them. I want to have them for dinner every day.

I'm not alone in my obsession. The hubbs has lost his mind as well. We've got a serious case of porkchopitis. 

Can't you see why?!! They have a crispy coating. There is cheese in the coating. There is cheese on top of the coating. They are moist. Flavorful. Powerful. The ruler of all pork chops.

The secret has to be in the buttermilk. The chops hang out in a marinade of buttermilk for about two hours. Overnight if you want. You know I don't have the patience for that. I never use buttermilk so instead of buying a jug I found the greatest substitution known to man for buttermilk (did you know about this, where have I been!) :a cup of milk with a tablespoon of lemon. Voila! Buttermilk. Amazing.

You might see this on the menu for quite some time...

Source: How Sweet It Is (Jessica is a genius, have you been to her blog?)

4 thin-sliced, boneless center cut pork chops
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
2 cups panko bread crumbs
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese + a little more for garnish
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup chicken stock

Tenderize and trim fat from pork chops if you’d like.Add pork chops to a baking dish and pour buttermilk over top. Soak for at least 2 ours, or over night. Remove pork chops from fridge 30 minutes before you plan to make them. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a bowl, combine panko, flour, salt, pepper and parmesan. Heat an over-safe skillet on medium-high heat and add olive oil. Grab a pork chop from the buttermilk, letting any excess milk run off. Dredge through panko mixture, coating completely. Lay down in skillet and repeat with remaining chops. Brown pork chops for 3 minutes on each side only! You don’t want them to toughen up. After six minutes, turn off heat and add chicken stock to pan. Sprinkle a little parmesan on pork chops and cover skillet. Bake for 20 minutes.

I did make one change to the recipe- I used a baking dish instead of a skillet to transfer the chops into the oven. I poured the chicken stock over the chops and sprinkled on the cheese after they were done. 

Do you like pork chops? What's your preferred method to make them?

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Bacon and Brown Sugar Glaze

As a start to my overly ambitious week, I crossed off the third dish of this week's menu plan: Roast Pork Tenderloin with Bacon and Brown Sugar Glaze.

It was so good that I just had to share it with you today. I made it last night. We were out for most of the afternoon yesterday and came back home a bit late. I knew this was going to take some time in the oven but I've had it bookmarked for a few weeks now and just had to make it. After all, we just made our big shopping trip for the month and finally had tenderloin in the house again. Along with bacon. Sweet sweet bacon.

Anyhow, I was starving and got to work on mixing together all the spices, rubbing it into the pork and sliding it into the oven. It smelled amazing in my kitchen as it roasted- especially after pouring on the glaze. The bacon, sugary mixture was so fragrant, you would have thought I lit a bacon sugar candle.

However, there's a problem when I make dishes that have a long cooking time. I get extremely impatient. I pace around the kitchen, picking up things to wash, setting them back down, opening and closing the fridge, all the while resisting the urge NOT to open the oven door (although I did, several times). So I got to work on the sides and cubed up potatoes, found a bunch of asparagus that was just about to see the last of its days and threw those in the oven as well. Then I was done. What to do...

I was itching to make the brown sugar glaze but it was waaaay too soon. I can't tell you how many sauces I've ruined because I was dying to make them and the chicken/pork/fish wasn't anywhere near done yet. This glaze has to be done right before you take the pork out of the oven. Then you pour it over and stick it back in to roast a bit more.

The torture!

I ended up whisking the glaze for about 30 seconds, when it should really be for about a whole minute. Please follow directions (unlike me) and whisk it for one minute. It really makes a difference. Mine was thicker than I would have liked.

When it was finally ready, I hollered for the husband. He was so wrapped up in the video game he was playing (Dead Space 2), he didn't have a clue what I was cooking. He laughed when he noticed the platter I had taken out, knowing it was for the blog world in an attempt to assemble a pretty presentation. It looked so much better in person, don't let my poor photography skills discourage you from making this! It was phenomenal.

 
1 boneless pork loin, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds
2 slices bacon
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Glaze:
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard


Heat oven to 350° F. Place pork loin in a roasting pan or deep casserole dish lined with aluminum foil. Combine the rub ingredients in a small bowl and rub over the pork. Cut each strip of bacon in half and lay strips over the pork loin. Roast for about 40 minutes.

Combine the brown sugar, flour, cider vinegar, and dry mustard in a saucepan. Simmer for 1 minute. Spoon over the pork and return to the oven. Roast for about 15 minutes longer, or until pork registers 160°. Let sit for 2 minutes after removing from oven. Slice and serve.


Make this. You will not be disappointed!

Maple Pork Loin

Last night the hubbs and I had the Maple Pork Loin, and it was great! I usually sprinkle my pork loin with a rub of salt, pepper, and mesquite seasoning. It has always turned out great, but I am so glad we tried the maple glaze last night.


I do have the tendency to either overcook or undercook my pork. Most of the time I have to stick it back in the oven. I was hoping to avoid that this time and instead ended up overcooking it justtttt a tad. I started off with the 350 degree temperature and increased it to 375 degrees after about half an hour. It was a little drier than I would have liked but the glaze did help to moisten it. I served it with a side of brown rice and corn on the cob. Mmmmmm. Try it, you won't be disappointed!


Source: Maple Pork Loin

• 2 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin roast
• 1 cup real maple syrup
• 4 tablespoons prepared Dijon-style
• mustard
• 2 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• salt to tasteground black pepper to taste
  

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

2. Stir together the maple syrup, mustard vinegar, soy sauce, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Place pork roast in a shallow roasting pan. Spread glaze evenly over pork roast.

3. Roast pork in the preheated oven uncovered, until internal temperature measured with a meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees F (70 degrees C), about 1 hour. Remove from oven, and let rest about 10 minutes before slicing to serve.