Pesto stuffed Pork Chops

A few months ago, I tried a recipe for stuffed pork chops, and didn't really care for it. It basically tasted like Stove Top stuffing inside pork. Blah. So, when I pulled some large pork chops out of the freezer last week, I decided to stuff them with my imagination!  And, of course, I had to coat them with Panko goodness to make them nice and crispy!
Pesto-Parmesan Crusted Stuffed Pork Chops

4 thick cut pork chops
1/2- 1 cup prepared pesto
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 cup flour
2 cups Panko bread crumbs
1-2 Tb Italian Seasonings

Turn oven to 350. Cover a cookie sheet with foil, and spray the foil with cooking spray.

Cut a slit into the pork chops, on the long side. Do not cut them completely in half, just form as big a pocket as you can.

In a small bowl, mix pesto and Parmesan cheese together.  Stuff this mixture into the pockets on the pork chops. Use toothpicks to close the pocket, and to hold in the filling. (Warning: The toothpicks make it difficult to coat the chops. If you can coat them carefully, then secure pocket after dipping!)

Put the flour in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the egg. In a 3rd bowl, mix the Panko crumbs and Italian seasonings. Dip the pork chops in the flour, coating generously, and then shaking off excess. Dip chops in egg, and then in Panko crumbs. Cover well, and lay chop on the foil lined baking sheet. Repeat with each pork chop.

Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Check pork for doneness. It should not be pink!

Wonderful served with potatoes and a crisp salad! Enjoy!

Fabulous new meals

Hello! I'm back for a quick post. The last few months have brought a lot of food changes to our home. With PTA meetings, cub scouts, girl scouts, friends, etc, it's getting harder to be home for meal prep. Plus, I'm not experimenting as much, so we're making old favorites over and over again.

A few years ago, I did a workshop for the ladies in my church on meal planning.  I even blogged about it. Fast forward to this month, where I'm doing this same workshop in my new area.  As I'm looking over my materials and sprucing them up, I was reminded of my old neighbor who used to plan meals 6 weeks in advance. I was also reminded that I had sat down and done that as well.  When it came to execution though, I don't think it lasted long. 

However... I think my family is at the point now that we need this. It would be more stable and easier to plan.

 

(This one is more like our house!)

This looong story (sorry!) lead me to look at the new recipes we've made and loved the last few months. I have them all on a Pinterest board, but would like to share them here as well so they are all in the same spot.

Here they are- all pictures belong to the original blog.  Have fun!

 Quick and Easy Chinese Orange Beef

by Our Best Bites

 My 10yr old son has been asking for orange chicken. I found this recipe and had beef so we made it.  Let me just say, I really, really dislike Chinese food. But this dish? LOVED it!

 

Crockpot Boiled Peanuts

My husband served his mission in South Carolina. This is a popular street food there. He was in heaven! 

 

 Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

by Skinnytaste.com

I LOVE this dish.  It's so simple, but full of flavor. It makes a TON, so make sure you have lots of people to eat it! I serve it on rice, or even just plain. I like to add some crushed tortilla chips for some texture.

Spicy Turkey Lettuce Wraps 

by Our Best Bites

Another WOW from Our Best Bites. I really enjoy this dish. 4 out of 5 family members loved it as well. The 1 who didn't is my 7yr old daughter who doesn't like anything. Quick, easy, HEALTHY, and yum! 

 

This recipe is called The Best Pot Roast... Ever!  and it really is!

by youretoocrafty.blogspot.com

Make sure you make potatoes or rice with it so you have something to sop up the amazing gravy!

 

 This is a simple, yet delicious meatloaf recipe. 

1 lb ground beef or turkey

1 egg

1 box stuffing mix

1 cup water

Mix everything together and press into a loaf pan.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Yum! 

And finally...

 Pork Carnitas

by mykitchenescapades.com

So. Very. Good. 

It is mandatory to broil the meat after cooking it. I cooked it in the crockpot, and it was really good. However, after broiling it- Amazing!

I think that's good for today.  There are some more great meals on my Pinterest board, and I'm always adding more.

The Best BBQ Rib Sauce

Welcome! Or, should I say to myself... "Welcome Back!" The last few months have been really crazy, and while I've managed to get my Secret Recipe Club posts done, that's about all I've done. So, I really pushed to get this post to you today.

The BEST BBQ Rib Sauce.   Ever.  Promise.

Whenever my family would go visit my Grandparents in California, my dear Grandpa would make these ribs for us.  Now, I've never been a huge fan of bbq sauce, but this stuff? I could drink it!  Lather it on the meat while it's cooking, and make sure to have extra for dipping!

The Best BBQ Rib Sauce
Recipe by Ron Paul (My grandpa, not the politician!)

Makes enough sauce for 3 lbs of ribs

2 Tb brown sugar
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 Tb paprika
1 teas salt
1 teas dry mustard
1/4 teas chili powder
1/8-1/4 teas cayenne powder
2 Tb worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
1 can tomato sauce (8oz)

If you don't have tomato sauce use 1 cup tomato juice, 1/4 cup water, and 1/4 cup ketchup

Mix ingredients together and simmer for 15 minutes.

Apply the sauce to the ribs right before cooking. Apply generously and cook for a few minutes. Add more sauce until ribs are well coated.  Use extra sauce when serving.

Serve with LOTS of napkins! Enjoy!

Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder

Before I made my "tv debut" last week, I watched several of the videos available to see what to do. One of the videos I watched was a chef from Stein Lodge in Utah making Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder. I knew I had to make it.  Apples, carrots, cider... it just screams Fall.  Plus, it bakes for a few hours in your oven or crockpot, making it a great end of day meal!

The finished product got two thumbs up from me and my husband. The meat is moist, and so flavorful. My 8yr old said "I like pork now!" It's definitely a make-again recipe !

The video can be found on Connect2Utah if you need visuals. I served the pork with some Butternut Squash, which recipe will be up soon!


Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder

Steinlodge.com (KUTV)  
Serves 8-12  
Can also cook in the crock pot! Just brown the meat, saute the onions, and place everything in the crockpot.


Ingredients:
1 pork shoulder (or pork butt)
2 Tb olive oil
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp kosher salt
tsp cinnamon
tsp ground clove
tsp garlic salt
5 bay leaves
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 apples, green or granny smith, cut into wedges
4 cups apple cider
2 Tb Worcestershire sauce
3 tsp cornstarch

Directions:
1. Clean pork shoulder of excess fat, rub the shoulder with the spices (pepper, salt, cinnamon, cloves, garlic salt)
2. Heat a thick bottom roasting pan over medium/high heat. Add the oil to the pan, then add the pork and brown on all sides for 3-5 minutes per side.
3. Add the bay leaves, onions, carrots, apples to pan and saute until onions are softened. Add the cider and the Worcestershire sauce.
4. Place a lid on the pan and place into a pre-heated oven. Cook at 310 degrees for 5 hours.
5. Remove the pork from the pan and pull from the bone, removing the fat.
6. Add cornstarch to the sauce remaining in the pan, place over medium heat and bring the sauce to a simmer.
7. Strain the sauce, adjust seasoning and pour the sauce over the meat.

Enjoy! I know we did! 

Tamale Pie

We love tamales in our house, but who has the time to make them?  When I saw the idea to make a Tamale Pie, I jumped on it. It was surprisingly good!  Next time I'll add more filling, including cheeses and veggies.  I used the leftover pork from my Sweet Pork Tacos, but you can use any meat, veggie, cheese combo you wish!  I decided to use a different dough for the corn then what was in the Mexican Kitchen cookbook.  The one from Tasty Kitchen just sounded better. It was was little sweet, so next time I'll add some more spice.



Pork Tamale Pie

(Dough from Tasty Kitchen, technique from Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen: Capturing the Vibrant Flavors of a World-Class Cuisine)

FOR THE DOUGH:
2 cups Masa
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
¾ teaspoons Salt (divided Use)
2 teaspoons Cumin, Divided Use
2 teaspoons Chili Powder, Divided Use
2-¼ cups Veggie Broth, Divided Use
1 stick Butter

FOR THE FILLING:

Fillings of your choice: You can use any meat, cheese, veggie, beans, etc. Go crazy!

Preheat the oven to 400.

In a greased pie pan, place ½ of the dough, and spread evenly across the bottom and sides. Fill the center with your filling foods. Cover with the remaining Masa dough.

Place in the oven and cook for 20 minutes.

Cover loosely with foil, and lower cooking temp to 350. Cook for a further 20 minutes. Pie is done with the crust springs back with touched, and is a golden brown.

Serve with salsa, sour cream, enchilada sauce, guacamole, etc. Enjoy!

Sweet Pork Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw

I am in search of the perfect shredded pork recipe. While I am more in favor of a spicy pork, this pork hit the spot for it's sweetness. Topped with a fantastic cabbage slaw with Cilantro Lime Sauce, it just made the taste buds dance!

One note. I detest Dr. Pepper. I used Coke instead, which I moderately tolerate. Actually though, you really can't taste the soda in the recipe. I think the carbonation helps tenderize the meat, and also contributes towards the sweetness. Next time though, I think I'll cut down on the brown sugar, so it's a little less sweet.


Sweet Pork Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw
Makeit-loveit.com


Cilantro Lime Slaw 
*I changed the quantities and ingredients of this recipe.

1 package Cole Slaw or whole shredded cabbage (I was the only one who had this, so I did 1/2 shredded cabbage)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 teas minced garlic
1/4 teas Cayenne pepper, or a dash of hot sauce
1/2 teas salt
2 Tb Lime juice
1/2 teas cumin

Combine all but the cabbage in a food processor, and process until smooth. Mix desired amount of dressing with cabbage no more than 30 minutes before serving. (I don't think the leftovers would last long)


Roasted Sweet Pork

6 lbs Pork Shoulder/Butt (I used 3lbs and had enough for 2 adults and 3 kids with leftovers)
1 19oz can Red Enchilada Sauce
1 20 oz can Dr. Pepper or Coke
2 teas Chili Powder
1 teas Cumin
1 teas Salt
1 Garlic clove, or 1 teas garlic powder
1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar (I would reduce to 1 cup)
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Trim the pork of any thick fat. Combine all ingredients except the pork in a bowl. Place the pork in a slowcooker, and pour the sauce over the top.  Cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 6. Shred meat about one hour before serving, and continue cooking.

I served this as burritos topped with the slaw and black beans.  I think the slaw added a nice fresh, crispy bite to the pork.  I'm using the leftovers in another great recipe coming soon!  You could also freeze the leftovers.

Enjoy!

Roasted Pork in the Crockpot

I love my crockpot. I love the fact that I can start a meal the night before, stick it all in the crockpot, then in the fridge, then cook it in the morning. The wonderful aroma fills the house all afternoon, making us drool.

I usually avoid recipes with steps that I have to do before I start the crockpot. This original recipe was a "just dump it in" recipe, but when I read the reviews, it seemed necessary to do some prep work. I'm glad I did though. I think pre-browning the meat sears in the flavors better. You can always do this the night before as well!

Roasted Pork Loin in the Crockpot
adapted heavily from Allrecipes.com

2 lbs boneless pork loin roast (make sure it will fit in your crockpot!)
6 minced garlic cloves
2 TB dried rosemary
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/2 cup chicken broth or white wine
1 chopped onion
Salt and pepper to taste
Red Potatoes, Baby Carrots optional

Rinse the pork under water, and then pat dry. Heat 1 TB oil in large saucepan, and brown the pork on all sides.

If using, place chopped Red Potatoes and baby carrots in the bottom of the crockpot.

Place browned pork in crockpot, and pierce the top with holes.

Cover pork with garlic, rosemary, and onions- pushing some of them into the holes.
Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, and then pour in the chicken broth.

Cook on high for 1 hour, then turn to low for 8 more hours. (Or low for 9 hours)

When pork is done, remove from the crockpot, and cover the meat with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes to preserve the juices.

Serve sliced (or shredded) with sides of potatoes and carrots.

The leftovers are fantastic in salad, burritos, or the meat can be frozen!
We used the leftovers to make Spicy Crockpot Shredded Pork.

Spicy Crockpot Shredded Pork

I am always looking for yummy Mexican dishes. I could literally eat Mexican for every meal, every day. All sorts of leftovers find their way into a tortilla with salsa on top. Why not? It's a great portable meal! So, I was excited when I found this recipe. The original recipe had different measurements, but it turned out way too sweet. We like things spicy! So, here is my adapted recipe to make your mouth happy!

This recipe is amazingly easy. How can you beat having only 3 ingredients? You can brown the pork first, or just dump it all in the crockpot! Fantastic by itself, or serve in burritos, fajitas, or even as sandwich toppings!
You can even use leftover, already cooked pork for this recipe. Just put it all in the crockpot until it's warmed through.

Spicy Crockpot Shredded Pork

2 lb. pork
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups Pace Picante Salsa

In a crock pot add salsa and brown sugar. Mix and then put the roast in. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Half way thru flip the roast. After a few hours break it up into large chunks. An hour or so before serving shred it into small pieces, stir it all together. If it is a little runny still take the lid of and let it cook until it is the right consistency.

That's it!! Enjoy!

 

Pork Chops and Rice

A basic, but delicious dish! This is a dish that I've been eating all of my life. Whenever someone asks for an easy Pork recipe, I give them this one. It is also excellent with Chicken!

(I finally have a new camera, but still not pictures of this simple but yummy dish!)

Pork Chops and Rice

Enough Pork Chops for your family
Flour, Seasonings (garlic salt, rosemary, all-spice- use your favorite combo)
2 cups Minute Rice (only works with Minute rice!)
2 cups Water
1 can Cream of Chicken soup

Mix flour and seasonings in a flat bowl.

Coat Pork in flour, and cook on stove top until the outside of the pork is browned.

Meanwhile, in a casserole dish - size depends on number of pork chops- you want them to all fit comfortably- Mix the rice, water, and Cream of Chicken soup together.

When Pork is browned, place over the rice mixture.

Cook at 350 for 30 minutes.

Serve!