Category: PORK

PROPOSED EASTER MENU

Things are moving along well, so well that we decided to host Easter. I’m really excited about being far enough along host Easter and being able to really bake and cook again. This is my proposed menu. Any other ideas?

TROPICAL GLAZED PORK TENDERLOIN

2-3 pound pork tenderloin
1 cup apricot pineapple preserves
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pineapple juice

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  • Whisk together brown sugar and pineapple juice.
  • Blend in preserves.
  • generously salt and pepper the pork loin.
  • Spread a small layer of the glaze on the bottom of the roasting pan.
  • Lay the pork loin on top and spread the remaining glaze on top and along the sides.
  • Baste as necessary
  • Bake 45-60 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 170 degrees.
DEVILED EGGS

8 hard boiled Eggs
1 tablespoon mustard
1 teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon creamy horseradish
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
paprika

  • Cut eggs in half and scoop out yolks. 
  • In a mixing bowl mash the yolks to a fine consistency. 
  • Add the remaining ingredients except the paprika and mix well until smooth and creamy. 
  •  Fill egg whites and sprinkle with paprika. I have a Tupperware egg keeper that fits 8 eggs perfectly. I like to do these a day before serving also to allow the flavors to meld.

HOLIDAY APRICOT CARROT CASSEROLE

2 pounds carrots**
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cans apricot pineapple nectar
1 pound dried apricots
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup crushed walnuts

  • Clean and bake carrots until slightly mushy.
  • Cool, Slice lengthwise and set aside.
  • While carrots are baking, put dried apricots in a dutch oven and cover with nectar.
  • Simmer apricots until mushy – about an hour.
  • Add butter, brown sugar and walnuts to apricot mixture.
  • In a 13×9 greased baking dish layer carrots and apricot mixture twice.
  • Bake 30-45 minutes at 350°.

**Yams or sweet potatoes or a combination of can be substituted easily.

CHEESY AU GRATIN POTATOES
1/2 cup butter
16 oz. whipping cream
5 large russet potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups grated 4 white cheese mix (Gruyere, Muenster, etc…)
2 cups grated sharp cheddar
Wondra Flour

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Peel and thinly slice potatoes.
  • Grease 9×13 baking dish.
  • In a large sauce pan, melt the butter.
  • Gradually add the whipping cream and spices. Blend well.
  • Gradually add the flour until the mixture thickens, but it is still pourable!
  • Mix the cheeses all together.
  • Layer the potatoes, cheese and cream mixture ending with cheese on top.
  • Bake 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown.

CHOCOLATE BERRY BASKETS 
Chocolate 
Strawberries
Blackberries
Blueberries 

ROLLS OF SHARON aka CINNAMON RAISIN BUNS
ROLLS
2 packages Fleischman’s Rapid Rise Yeast
1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup WARM water
1 cup scalded milk (2 minutes in the microwave)
1/2 cup Crisco stick
5 cups flour, divided
2 large eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon salt

  • In a small bowl combine the warm water, 2 teaspoons of sugar and both packages of yeast until well blended. Set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl combine the scalded milk, Crisco stick, 1/2 cup sugar and salt. Blend well.
  • Add yeast mixture and blend well.
  • Add the well beaten eggs and half the flour. Mix until well blended.
  • Add the remaining flour (a little more if too sticky) and mix well until dough leaves the sides of the bowl and is elastic.
  • With vegetable oil, wipe the inside of another bowl.
  • Place dough in bowl and turn once.
  • Cover with wax paper and a towel.
  • Let rest in a warm place until double in size.

 

  • Punch down and divide into 2 balls.
  • Put one on the pastry board and one back in the bowl.
  • Let rest 10 minutes.
  • While resting prepare the filling ingredients.

 

  • Roll the dough to 1/8 inch thickness in a rectangle about 18×24 inches.
  • Spread half the melted butter over the dough and sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar.
  • Spread half the raisins over that.
  • Roll tightly jelly roll style and cut into 18 rolls.
  • Place rolls in greased pans 1/4 to 1/2 inches apart.
  • Cover with wax paper and a towel.
  • Let rise again until double in size.
  • Bake 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.
  • While baking prepare the icing.

 

  • When rolls come out the oven, put globs of icing on each one. Return to the oven for a minute or two to melt icing all over the rolls.

FILLING
1 stick melted butter
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1 cup golden raisins

  • Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon until well blended.

ICING
1 stick butter, softened
3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon powdered vanilla
4-6 tablespoons milk

  • Mix all together until smooth.

When re-heating rolls, put a pad of butter on top of roll before microwaving.
These freeze really well. 

MOSCATO STRAWBERRY LEMONADE
1 bottle pink moscato
6 cups lemonade
1/4 cup strawberry vodka
Frozen Strawberry Slices
Lemon slices

  • Blend together well.
  • Enjoy!   

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GLAZED STUFFED PORK CHOPS again and again!

This recipe just keeps getting better an better!

2015
2014

Glazed Stuffed Pork Chops
4 VERY thick pork chops
8 slices oatnut bread
butter
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup apricot pineapple jam, room temperature**
1 tablespoon peach schnapps
1 large lemon, juiced

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Slit each pork chop along 2 sides to create a large pocket.
  • *Toast each slice of bread well and then lightly butter.
  • Cut each piece into small squares.
  • Toss with thyme, garlic salt and pepper.
  • Stuff each pork chop with 1/3 cup of mixture.
  • Whisk together the jam, peach schnapps, red pepper flakes, ginger and lemon juice.
  • Place chops in a square greased baking dish.
  • Arrange remaining stuffing around the edges.
  • Glaze chops and stuffing tops.
  • Bake uncovered 30 minutes.
  • Turn chops, glaze chops and stuffing again. Bake another 30 minutes.

*If you prefer, prepare 1 box of stove top stuffing instead.
**Tonight I used Lemon Curd and had a distinctively fresh flavor with the same consistency.  Use whatever flavor speaks to you.

SPICY PORK & GREEN CHILI VERDE

SPICY PORK & GREEN CHILI VERDE
4-6 Poblano peppers
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin cut into 1 inch pieces
Wondra flour
2 cans green chiles, chopped
1 large Walla Walla onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups chicken broth
lime wedges
sour cream
shredded jack cheese

  • Line a baking sheet with foil. 
  • Broil Poblano peppers until skins blister, turning quarter turns until all sides are blistered and blackened.
  • Place peppers in a bowl and cover for 10 minutes.
  • Peel off and throw away charred skins, seeds and stems. Finely hop remaining pepper.
  • In a large stock pot melt butter.
  • Dust pork pieces with Wondra, shaking off excess.
  • Add pork pieces and brown all sides.  Remove with slotted spoon to a bowl.
  • Add peppers, onion and jalapeno to stock pot, cover and cook 7-10 minutes until tender.  Stir occasionally.
  • Stir in chili powder, garlic, nutmeg and broth. Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat, add roasted peppers and pork pieces stirring to combine.
  • Simmer 10-15 minutes until pork is tender.
  • Serve with garnishes

Submitted to Cooking Thursday at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

    SWEET & STICKY PORK CHOPS with DIRTY RICE

    I found this recipe in a pile to try and instantly fell in love with it.  I am trying better to remember to write down where I cut recipes from, but have not mastered it yet, LOL.

    This is NOT a spontaneous recipe.  You have to plan!  This is best when the chops are marinated for the full 24 hours. I also make the dirty rice the day before while making the brine so that the flavors meld together.

    Many dirty rice recipes also call for cumin and cayenne pepper.  I prefer to use more paprika and omit the cumin and cayenne pepper.

    SWEET & STICKY PORK CHOPS with DIRTY RICE
    DAY 1
    BRINE
    4 cups water
    1/2 cup kosher salt
    1/2 cup brown sugar
    1/4 cup molasses
    4-6 cups ice
    4-6 thick bone in pork chops

    • In a large sauce pot whisk together water, salt, brown sugar and molasses.
    • Bring to a boil.
    • Remove from heat, add ice blending well to melt.
    • Add pork chops.
    • Cover and refrigerate 12-24 hours.

    DIRTY RICE
    1/2 pound ground pork
    1/2 pound ground beef
    3 teaspoons paprika
    3/4 cup chicken broth
    2 cups water
    3 gloves garlic, minced
    Fresh ground salt and black pepper
    1 tablespoon butter
    2 tablespoons Dark Roux (recipe below)

    • In a large skillet brown the beef and pork together with garlic until well browned. Drain.
    • Whisk together water, chicken broth, paprika, salt and pepper.
    • Return meat to skillet and add chicken broth mixture, mixing well.
    • Add butter and roux, blending well.
    • Add rice, mix well, cover and simmer 20 minutes until rice is fluffy.

    DARK ROUX (makes 1/2-2/3 cup – can be kept refrigerated for several weeks)

    1/2 cup flour
    1/2 cup avocado oil

    • Whisk together the flour and oil.
    • Bake  at 350° for 1 1/2 hours or until dark golden brown.

    DAY 2
    GLAZE
    3/4 cup maple syrup or equal parts light molasses and maple syrup
    3/4 cup apple cider vinegar

    • In a small saucepan whisk together the vinegar and syrup.
    • Heat to boiling.
    • Reduce heat slightly and simmer 30 minutes or until reduced by half, whisking as necessary.

    ASSEMBLY

    • Preheat oven to 375°.
    • Remove pork chops from brine and pat dry.
    • In a large skillet melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium high heat.  Add pork chops and generously salt and pepper.  Sear pork chops evenly on both sides.
    • Spray large baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
    • Evenly spread rice into baking dish.
    • Add pork chops to baking dish in single layer.
    • Top with glaze.
    • Bake 20-25 minutes or until cooked through.
    • Garnish and serve.

    HERB MEAT LOAF & GRAVY – from scratch HOMESTYLE

    Part of the flavor of meatloaf is from the fat content in the meat.  Ground chuck has a higher fat contact than ground round but if you can’t get ground chuck be sure to use at least and 80/20 fat content or decrease the beef and increase the ground pork.

      HERB MEAT LOAF & GRAVY

    *2 pound ground pork
    *2 pound ground chuck
    4-6 tablespoons Classico sun dried tomato pesto(can also use Hunt’s tomato paste)
    2 medium eggs
    1 KNORR beef bouillon gel
    1/2 cup milk or cream
    1/2 cup moscato wine
    2 cups fine bread crumbs
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    2 cups finely chopped celery
    1 large Vidalia onion, finely chopped
    1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley (I used 1 tablespoon parsley paste)
    Fresh ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste

    • Preheat oven to 350°.
    • Whisk eggs, milk, wine, bouillon and tomato pesto together.
    • With your hands blend together the meat, egg mixture, bread crumbs, onions, garlic, parsley and celery just until mixed.
    • Shape into loaf pan.
    • Bake 1 to 1 1/2 hours until cooked through.
    • Carefully drain and retain liquid from meatloaf for the gravy.

    1/2 cup organic butter
    1/2 cup Wondra flour
    Beef broth, red wine and/or drippings from meat loaf for your favorite combo of 2 cups total
    Fresh ground salt and black pepper, to taste

    • Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat.
    • Whisk in flour, cooking until golden.
    • Slowly whisk in broth/pan juices, increasing heat to medium and whisking constantly until gravy comes to slow boil.
    • Reduce heat and simmer gravy to desired consistency.
    • Season to taste.

      *I have found that buying these from a butcher vs. the grocery store has a more flavorful and tasty meat loaf.

      SLOW COOKER CARNITAS

      I LOVE carnitas! This is one of the tastiest and easy recipes.  So add some sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions, guacamole and add it to your next TEX-MEX gathering.

      SLOW COOKER CARNITAS
      3-4 pounds pork shoulder, cut into several pieces
      1 bottle green taco sauce
      4 cloves garlic, minced
      1 can original Rotel tomatoes
      1 can chopped green chiles
      Fresh ground Sea Salt and Black Pepper
      1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
      1 cup water

      • Place onion pieces in bottom of slow cooker.
      • Pour Rotel tomatoes and green chiles over onions.
      • Add pork pieces.
      • GENEROUSLY salt and pepper pork.
      • Whisk together water and taco sauce.
      • Pour taco sauce over top of pork pieces.
      • Cover and cook 6-8 hours on high until meat shreds.
      • Remove from crock pot (reserving 1/2 cup of liquid) and shred all your meat.

      1/2 cup milk
      1/2 cup liquid from crock pot

      • Preheat oven to 300°.
      • Whisk together the milk and cooking liquid.
      • Place shredded meat on a cookie sheet.
      • Pour liquid over meat shreds.
      • Bake 45 minutes until meat begins to crisp.

      Golden Blend tortillas
      sour cream
      shredded cheese
      sliced green onions
      guacamole

        PORK SCHNITZEL, PLUM SHALLOT CHUTNEY & GRANDMA DOLL POTATO SALAD

        PORK SCHNITZEL
        6-8 thin pork cutlets
        1 cup Panko crumbs
        1/2 cup Wondra flour
        Coarse sea salt to taste
        Fresh ground pepper to taste
        1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
        2 large eggs, beaten
        4 tablespoons butter

        • Stir together the flour salt, pepper and cayenne.
        • Melt butter in large skillet over medium high heat.
        • Dredge each cutlet through the egg and then the flour mixture before adding to the hot butter.
        • Brown to golden on each side.

        PLUM SHALLOT CHUTNEY
        1 jar Smuckers Red Plum Jam
        1 large shallot, sliced thin

        • In a small food processor add both the jam and shallot slices, processing until smooth AND chunky.

        GRANDMA DOLL’S POTATO SALAD
        3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, baked and cooled
        4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
        1 small red onion, chopped
        2 large kosher dill pickles, chopped
        2 tablespoons dill relish
        Lots of mustard
        A little mayonnaise
        salt and pepper to taste

        • Grate potatoes in a large mixing bowl.
        • Add eggs, onion, pickles and relish, mixing to blend well.
        • Add mustard and mayonnaise to taste and desired consistency.
        • Add seasonings to taste.

        VANILLA LATTE MEATBALLS with COFFEE GRAVY

        Anyone can make a meatloaf or fried chicken.  When I search for recipes for recipe experiment night I look for the unusual. I found this recipe loose in my file. Heaven only knows where it came from.  It was a xerox of a xerox called Norwegian Meatballs. I changed it enough to utilize what I had on hand and we really liked it so I’ll make it the same way again, but I changed up the directions a bit.  I’ll give you the original ingredients in red with my changes in black.

        VANILLA LATTE MEATBALLS with COFFEE GRAVY
        1 1/2 cups ‘nilla wafer crumbs 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
        1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup half and half
        1/4 cup espresso 1/4 cup strong coffee

        2 eggs, lightly beaten
        1 medium onion, finely chopped (I used a small Vidalia)
        1/4 cup fresh chopped Italian leaf parsley
        1 teaspoon fresh ground Himalayan Pink salt 1 teaspoon salt
        1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
        1 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
        1/4 cup organic butter
        3/4 pound ground chuck 1 pound ground beef
        3/4 pound ground country pork 1/2 pound ground turkey or ground pork

        • In a large mixing bowl combine ‘nilla wafers, heavy cream and espresso until evenly moist.
        • Add eggs, onion, parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper, mixing again by hand until well blended.
        • Add meat and blend again until evenly mixed.
        • Cover and chill for several hours.
        • With gloves or moist hands form golf ball sized meatballs.
        • Chill again for 30 minutes or so.
        • In a large skillet melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over a medium-high heat.
        • Cook meatballs, turning as necessary until cooked through, about 10 minutes. As meatballs finish remove them with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels as you cook the rest of the meatballs.  Add remaining butter as necessary until it is all in the skillet.

        1/4 cup flour
        1 KNORR beef gel bouillon 1 cup beef broth
        1 cup boiling water
        1 cup espresso 1 cup strong coffee
        1 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
        1/2 teaspoon  Himalayan Pink salt 1 teaspoon salt
        1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

        • After meatballs are all cooked, whisk flour into skillet, scraping all the bits from the bottom.
        • Whisk together KNORR gel, coffee, water and seasoning.
        • When flour is golden and smooth, gradually add coffee mixture, whisking until smooth.
        • Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.
        • Return meatballs to gravy, lower heat, and simmer a few minutes until meatballs are hated through.

        APPLE CINNAMON PORK CHOPS

        APPLE CINNAMON PORK CHOPS
        4 boneless pork chops
        1 KNORR chicken gel bouillon
        1 large frozen apple juice
        1 cup water
        1/4 teaspoon celery seed
        1 teaspoon + 1 teaspoon cinnamon
        1/4 cup + 1/4 cup brown sugar
        1 apple, cored and sliced
        Fresh ground pepper and salt to taste

        • Arrange pork chops in a single layer in the bottom of the crock pot.
        • Whisk together the bouillon, apple juice, water, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
        • Pour over pork chops.
        • Cook on low 4-5 hours.
        • Add sliced apple and sprinkle with remaining brown sugar and cinnamon.
        • Cook another hours.

        SAUER PULLED PORK

        SAUER PULLED PORK
        2 cups sauerkraut, rinsed and drained*
        2 pound pork tenderloin
        2 tablespoons Dijon mustard mayonnaise mixture
        1 cup beer**
        salt and pepper, to taste

        • Place sauerkraut on the bottom of your slow cooker.
        • Cut tenderloin in half and lay on top of sauerkraut.
        • Generously salt and pepper meat.
        • Spread Dijon on top of meat.
        • Pour beer over around meat.
        • Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 4-5 hours.
        • Remove meat to cutting board and shred using 2 forks.
        • Serve on thick toast layers with sauerkraut and with sliced red onion.

        *I used a local organic sauerkraut as is without rinsing or draining
        **I used a pumpkin ale and used ALL of it

        MEAT LOVER’S CASSEROLE aka SPANISH RICE & MEAT

        This recipe started out as Baked Rice with Chicken and Lemony Meatballs from a Cook’s Illustrated Skillet Dinner Magazine, but became something entirely different before I was done. Hubby was still raving about this recipe this morning and even considered having leftovers for breakfast so I think it was a hit!

        MEAT LOVER’S CASSEROLE
        MEATBALLS
        1 slice sourdough bread
        1 tablespoon milk
        1/4-1/3 cup Panko crumbs
        1/2 pound fresh ground pork
        1 large egg
        2 tablespoons fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
        zest from 1 lemon
        salt and pepper to taste

        • Using your hands mix everything together until well blended.  Use only as much Panko crumbs as needed to keep mixture from being too “wet”.
        • Roll into 1 inch meatballs.
        • Cover and chill meatballs while you prepare the rest of the recipe.

        CHICKEN & BACON
        1 pound chicken breast tenders, salt and peppered to taste
        4 slices bacon, browned crisp and crumbled*

        *I prepare the bacon in the microwave on paper towels while browning the chicken pieces to save time and absorb the grease to make the bacon crispier.

        SAUCE & RICE
        4 cloves garlic, minced
        1 large hot house tomato, cut into pieces
        Juice of 1 lemon
        1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
        2 KNORR chicken Gel bouillon
        1/2 cup hot water
        2 cups water
        1 cup Jasmine Rice

        PREPARATION
        6 tablespoons avocado oil

        • Heat oil over medium high heat in large skillet.
        • Add garlic and saute until golden and fragrant.  Remove to small food processor with a slotted spoon.
        • Add chicken to pan and sear both sides. Remove to paper towels to absorb any excess grease.
        • Add meatballs, cooking, turning and rolling until browned on all sides.
        • Prepare bacon in microwave while the other meats are being prepared.
        • Add bouillon gels, tomato pieces, lemon juice, red pepper flakes and 1/2 cup hot water to the garlic in the food processor and process until smooth.
        • Add rice and broth mixture to pan stirring until rice is translucent.
        • Add 2 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until sauce thickens and rice is tender.

        ASSEMBLY
        Parmesan Cheese

        • Spray 2 quart casserole dish with non stick cooking spray.
        • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
        • Layer a small amount of the rice mixture on the bottom of you baking dish.
        • Top with a small handful of Parmesan cheese.
        • Layer chicken pieces on top of rice.
        • Sprinkle crumbled bacon on top of chicken.
        • Put another layer of the rice mixture.
        • Top with meatballs.
        • Top with remaining rice.
        • Sprinkle another handful of Parmesan cheese over everything.
        • Bake 20-30 minutes to heat through.

        PORK CHOPS with PEANUT BUTTER GREEN CHILE CREAM GRAVY

        I ran across a little blurb of a recipe in an old pamphlet and thought about trying it.  It was just weird enough that I figured it must really be good. I found it a bit plain when I first combined the ingredients and made some adjustments for us, but I’ll give you both versions (original in black with my changes in red) and let you decide.

        PEANUT BUTTER PORK CHOPS
        PORK CHOPS with PEANUT BUTTER GREEN CHILE CREAM GRAVY
        6 large pork loin chops
        1 stick butter
        2 cups peanut butter 1/2 cups JIF peanut butter
        seasonings to taste Hawaiian pink salt & fresh ground black pepper
        2 cups milk 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
        3/4 cup green chile verde sauce (Las Palmas or Old El Paso)

        • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
        • In a large skillet melt butter over medium high heat.
        • Season pork chops with salt and pepper.
        • Add pork chops to butter and brown, searing both sides. Remove pork chops to a prepared baking dish and cover.
        • Bake 30 minutes.
        • Add peanut butter to butter drippings, stirring to blend well.
        • Add chile verde sauce, blending again.
        • Add milk blending together until you have a creamy gravy. Add whipping cream gradually blending until you have a creamy gravy.
        • Pour gravy over pork chops. DON’T DO THIS! Instead make this gravy while pork chops are baking.  Gravy will be creamier and tastier without going into the oven.
        • Bake 30 minutes.
        • Enjoy.