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Caramel Apple Pork Chops

August 30, 2010 by · Leave a Comment

Sophia helps make the caramel apples!

A friend of mine shared a link to this fun recipe a week or two ago and since I had been planning on pork chops that night anyway, I decided “why the heck not?”!

Pork and apples go together like bread and butter…the sweetness of the fruit complements the meat so very well that they’re simply a perfect match. This recipe ups the sweetness factor and was so delicious we actually had no leftovers whatsoever!

Sophia wanted to help tonight, so while I pared the apples, she measured the sugar and cinnamon. (She actually measured the cinnamon three times before she got it right and we lost some on the counter…and the floor…but she had fun.) She also had fun learning about where cinnamon and nutmeg come from and playing a bit with the nutmeg grinder I bought a few years back. Seriously, if you don’t have a nutmeg grinder, get one…the flavor difference between fresh and pre-ground is astounding.

Caramel Apple Pork Chops

Amazingly, my kids didn’t care too much for the sauce as it was a little too sticky (I think I overcooked it by a minute or two which with caramels makes a HUGE difference), but they loved the chops and even ate the apples which surprised me as they are quite picky eaters. This is also why you’ll notice the sauce is on the side in the picture. I didn’t feel like fighting the dinner battle for the #897th time.

We had our caramel apple pork chops with a loaf of rosemary bread from a local bakery and perfectly tender broccoli with parmesan shavings.

Caramel Apple Pork Chops
Ingredients
4 (3/4 inch) thick pork chops (I had 7, so that’s what I made!)
2 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 TBSP butter
2 tart apples (peeled, cored and sliced)
3 tablespoons pecans (optional)
Directions
1. Heat a large skillet to medium high heat and add olive oil to pan. Add chops and cook about 3-5 minutes per side. Remove from pan to serving dish and keep warm.
2. Combine the brown sugar, salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl.
3. Melt butter to skillet, and stir in the sugar and spice mixture and apples. Cover and cook until the apples are just tender.
4. Remove apples with a slotted spoon and place on chops. Keep warm.
5. Reduce the remaining sauce uncovered in skillet until thickened slightly.
6. Spoon sauce over apples and chops. Sprinkle with pecans.

The link from my friend | The original recipe

Happy eating!
~Karen

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Family Recipe – Corn Flake Oven-Fried Chicken

May 4, 2010 by · 1 Comment
Awesome pic of Corn Flake Overn Baked Chicken

Corn Flake Oven-Baked Chicken - photo courtesy of HubPages.com

This is a classic recipe that has been around for years, but it’s a really good one and it’s healthier (way lower fat) than your standard fried chicken recipe, and with great crunch.   I tweaked the recipe a bit (took it beyond salt and pepper for seasoning and it is a definite winner.  I also tweaked the original recipe by not drizzling the top of the chicken with melted butter or margarine as that would screw up the whole “reduced fat” angle.

If your family loves fried chicken, but you’d like to cut down the fat, give this one a shot.

Ingredients:

1.25 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved length-wise (to make a thin cutlet)
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup non-fat or low-fat milk
1 egg
3 cups crushed corn flakes
1 TBL Seasoned salt of your choice
Frank’s Red Hot Sauce (to taste)

The Process:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Prepare chicken breasts by removing visible fat and slicing length-wise to form a thin cutlet

Prepare batter by mixing milk and egg together and beating until combined, then stir in flour to form a thick batter.
Add Frank’s Red Hot sauce and 1/2 TBL seasoned salt to batter and mix to integrate

Prepare corn flakes by placing in a ziplock bag and crushing with a rolling pin.  You want some texture here so don’t crush too fine.
Add 1/2 TBL of seasoned salt and mix with a fork

Place batter and crushed corn flakes in shallow bowls

Spray a cookie sheet with pan spray

Dip chicken pieces first in the batter, allowing the excess batter to drip off into the batter bowl, then place the battered  chicken piece into the crushed corn flakes.   I then shake the bowl a bit to get best coverage and press the chicken pieces in lightly to make sure they are coated.  Flip and repeat.

Place the crusted chicken pieces on the cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for about 25-30 minutes until the chicken reached the proper internal temperature.   NOTE: if you don’t split the chicken breasts, your cooking time will be longer.

The resulting chicken will resemble KFC’s “Extra Crispy” chicken with a really awesome crunchy crust with some serious flake to it.   I serve it with reduced fat “Grand’s” biscuits, mashed potatoes with carrots and gravy (optional)

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Family Recipe – BBQ Chicken Sloppy Joes

April 14, 2010 by · Leave a Comment

I am always looking for healthy recipes for my family. My kids (and my wife) can be picky sometimes, so when I find a recipe that everyone likes, that the kids can help with, and that is actually good for them, I know I have a winner on my hands. Enter BBQ Chicken Sloppy Joes from the Rachel Ray Yum-O Family Cookbook .

I did make a couple of changes to the recipe you will find at the link above that worked for me and my family in using a bagged Cole Slaw mix from the store and in substituting apple cider vinegar for the red wine vinegar called for in the recipe.    I also added some oven fries to round out the meal.   I’ll leave substitutions and sides up to your discretion.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1/2 tablespoon grill seasoning, such as McCormick brand Montreal Chicken Seasoning
  • 1 medium red onion, chopped
  • 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar  (I used apple cider vinegar )
  • 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 can tomato sauce (14 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
  • 4 crusty rolls, split and toasted (I used Kaiser Rolls)

The Technique:

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, then add the EVOO. Add the ground chicken to the pan and, using the back of a wooden spoon or spatula, break it up into crumbles so that it can brown evenly. Season the chicken with grill seasoning blend.

Once the chicken begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes, add the onion and peppers and cook 5-6 minutes more to soften.

In a bowl, combine the vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce and hot sauce. Stir the BBQ Joe sauce into the chicken and combine. Reduce heat to simmer, let mixture bubble and then combine for 5 minutes more.

Prepare the bagged Cole Slaw

Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, pile the sloppy chicken onto toasted bun bottoms, then top with Slaw  and bun tops.  Serve with oven fries, more slaw or potato chips.

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Easy healthy pasta recipe

April 5, 2010 by · Leave a Comment

I’m ways looking for quick and easy recipes that the kids will eat and that I can feel good about cooking for them. Last week I found myself with a stash of veggies, some Turkey Italian Sausage, and some Barilla Plus Penne Rigatte pasta. Here’s what I came up with:

3-4 links Turkey Italian Sausage
1 TBL extra virgin olive oil
2 red peppers – chopped
2 yellow peppers – chopped
1 medium or large yellow onion – chopped
1 jar prepared pasta sauce (or homemade if you make your own)
1 clove garlic – crushed and thinly sliced
1 splash of Italian red wine for deglazing (Sangiovese is the bomb in this)
1 box Barilla Plus Penne Rigatte pasta
Red pepper flakes to taste
Salt to taste

Remove italian sausage from casing and brown in the olive oil
Add garlic, onion, red and yellow peppers and pepper flakes- saute for 3-5 minutes
Deglaze the pan with wine – making sure to scrape up the “brown bits” with a wooden spoon
Add pasta sauce to veggie/sausage blend
Check seasoning and add sale or red pepper flakes as needed
Reduce heat to simmer

Prepare pasta per instructions in the box
Drain pasta
Add sauce/veggie/sausage blend to pasta and stir well

Serve with a green salad and crusty Italian bread

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Sweet Recipes that Remind Us of Home

December 1, 2009 by · 1 Comment

An integral part of the Holidays is sharing food with friends and family. Yesterday we kicked things off with savory recipes, so today we thought it would be fun to share recipes from friends that were both sweet and brought back memories of home. Enjoy.

Caramel Pretzel Turtles
submitted by @catango

Ingredients

•    50 pretzel nuggets
•    1 bag of caramels (10 oz.)
•    1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 oz.)
•    1/4 cup finely chopped almonds

Directions:
Lay a sheet of waxed paper over a smooth surface. One by one, unwrap each caramel, reserving the wrapper. Place one caramel down on the waxed paper. Then, using the wrapper as a barrier between the candy and a rolling pin, roll the caramel out to a thin layer about 1/4″ thick, and about 1″ long. Wrap and smooth a layer of caramel around a pretzel nugget and set aside. Continue until all caramels have been used up.

Pour the semi-sweet chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl. Nuke chocolate chips for 40 seconds at medium-low heat. Stir chips. Repeat procedure until chocolate is smooth and evenly melted.

Lay out several sheets of wax paper. Using a wooden skewer, dip each nugget into the chocolate to coat, tapping off any excess chocolate. Place chocolate covered pretzels onto the wax paper, sprinkle with finely chopped almonds, and let dry until chocolate is no longer shiny, about three hours.

Cranberry Sauce with Crystallized Ginger
submitted by @polishphotog

Ingredients:

•    2 – 12 oz. bags of fresh cranberries
•    1 1/2 cups of Sugar
•    1 cup of water
•    1 cup of Orange Juice
•    1 tbsp. of grated orange peel
•    1 tsp. of ginger
•    1/2 cup (about 2 oz.) minced crystallized ginger

Directions:
Put first six ingredients in a heavy, medium to large saucepan. Bring to boil and stir until sugar dissolves. Continue boiling until cranberries pop, stirring occasionally. [It might boil over at this point so keep an eye on it!] About 5 minutes. Let cool down then add crystallized ginger.

Can be made three days ahead and stored, covered, in refrigerator.

Cracker Nut Pie
submitted by @GeekMommy

Ingredients:

•    3 egg whites
•    1 cup granulated sugar
•    28 Ritz crackers (plain), ground or rolled
•    1 tsp. vanilla
•    1 1/2 cup pecans
•    1 small tub Cool Whip – or Cool Whip Free
•    Butterflavor Pam Cooking Spray (or regular)

Directions:
Beat egg whites until stiff. Add sugar gradually. Beat like a meringue. Add vanilla and beat again until blended. Fold in Ritz cracker crumbs and nuts into egg meringue. Pour into 9 inch pie plate that has been sprayed with Pam or Butter-flavored Pam. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool. Spread cool whip on top, refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

The Rutland
submitted by @durjoy

Ingredients

•    4 oz. Absolut Pear Vodka
•    2 oz. Licor 43 (classic Spanish vanilla herbal liquor)
•    1-2 oz. Galliano (or other anise flavored liquor)
•    the zest from orange (or any citrus fruit)
•    bottle of decent cava or prosecco

Directions:
Pour Absolut Pear Vodka, Licor 43 and Galliano over cubed ice.  Zest orange over the glass (to include the valuable oils) and then top with Cava.  Orange slice to garnish.

Hope you enjoy trying these dishes out. If you have dishes that remind you of home and family that you would like to share OR if you want to share you variations on these dishes please do so by an sending email to angel (at) ultimatefoodie.com. From our family to yours, have a great Holidays!

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