PORK – Page 19 – Chasing MY Life WHEREVER it Leads ME

CARIBBEAN PORK STEAKS

I had to do these inside with the broiler this time, but I prefer do them on a charcoal grill. They are sooooo much more impressive with the grill marks from the BBQ and the charcoal flavor.

2-3 pounds of pork, 4 chops or 2 steaks
2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup pineapple sundae topping*
1 teaspoon Caribbean jerk seasoning
pineapple slices

In a small bowl whisk together the pineapple topping, red pepper, Caribbean jerk seasoning and garlic. Set aside.
Salt and pepper the chops on both sides.
Grill or broil chops until they are no longer pink near the bone.
Brush with glaze on both sides of pork chops and pineapple slices and return to the grill or broiler until the glaze bubbles and the pineapple is heated through.
Garnish with grilled pineapple slices.

*apricot pineapple preserves substitutes really well.

BOHEMIAN PORK CHOPS aka PORK CHOPS IN BEERY GRAVY

This was from another scrap of recipe I found in gram’s things. I don’t know if she ever made it, but pork chops and beer in the same sentence got hubby’s interest and so we had some fun experimenting with this recipe.

BOHEMIAN PORK CHOPS aka PORK CHOPS IN BEER GRAVY

4-6 thick boneless pork chops

1 small onion, cut into thin rings

1 stalk celery, chopped

3 tablespoons flour

salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons butter

2/3 cup water

1 beer ~ your favorite flavor

In a large skillet, melt butter.
Brown pork chops, generously salting and peppering.
Remove pork chops, keep warm.
Saute’ onion and celery until soft and translucent.
Add flour, stirring until golden.
Add water, stirring until well blended.
Add beer and simmer until begins to thicken.
Add pork chops back in and heat through.

SLOW COOKED PORK TENDERLOIN AND SAUERKRAUT

SLOW COOKED PORK TENDERLOIN AND SAUERKRAUT
makes 6-8 servings

2-32 ounce jars of sauerkraut, drained
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 package Lipton onion soup mix
3 pound boneless pork loin roast
3 tablespoons brown mustard**

Combine sauerkraut, chicken broth and Lipton soup mix until well blended.**
Add pork roast, cutting in half if necessary to avoid over crowding.
Set on low for 8 hours.

**The original recipe called for water instead of chicken broth and for the mustard which I HAD to eliminate due to allergies (I’d like to live to make another recipe) and we loved it so I don’t believe the mustard is necessary, but add it if you like.

SAVORY SPICE SHOP ~ BLACK & BLEU CHEESE VINAIGRETTE

I have a new passion! I found this great new spice shop, SAVORY SPICE SHOP. They grind their own spices and have dozens of wonderful proprietary blends. Check out their website for some wonderful recipes too.

Tonight I made their Black and Bleu Cheese Dressing. The consistency is more like a vinaigrette if you use the sour cream so for us so I changed the name a little. I also accidentally used apple cider vinegar instead of the plain white vinegar and hubby loved it! Next time I’m going to try Gorgonzola crumbles.

The Onion & Garlic Tableside Sprinkle is a great grilling salt free seasoning that did not disappoint on tonight’s pork chops.

BLACK & BLEU CHEESE VINAIGRETTE

2 ounces Bleu Cheese Powder
2 teaspoons Cook County Charcoal Seasoning
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles, optional to taste
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayonnaise (sour cream if you want a vinaigrette)
4 tsp. white vinegar (I used apple cider vinegar)

Notes: Replace the mayonnaise with sour cream for a tasty dip version of this dressing.

Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine thoroughly. I used my small food processor.
Transfer to a sealed container and chill until ready to serve.

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GLAZED STUFFED PORK CHOPS – the secret is in the sauce

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.

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PINEAPPLE PIGGY PIE & ROASTED SPICED CARROTS

It seems like a million years since I’ve done any serious blogging. I’m still here and life is starting to settle down (we hope) and I’m anxious to get back to some DIY projects, fun recipes and adventures. At least that’s the plan after the holidays.

I’ve got a back load of recipes and pictures to post, but there will always be tomorrow for the rest of them. Tonight I’ll start with a hubby favorite.

While this is not much to look at, the combination of the two recipes are SERIOUSLY PACKED WITH A FLAVOR PUNCH. We LOVE this recipe and LOVE having the leftovers to eat.

The original recipe for the now known as Pineapple Piggy Pie was called Ham Stacks and called for sweet potatoes and marshmallows. Hubs hates sweet potatoes so I converted the recipe to mashed Yukon golds. It also called for individual stacks on pineapple rings, but I also converted it to a casserole for ease – not to mention it’s more “man” friendly than the little stacks.

PINEAPPLE PIGGY PIE & ROASTED SPICED CARROTS
PINEAPPLE PIGGY PIE
1 pound ground ham
1 pound ground pork (I used Jimmy Dean Organic sausage)
1 cup crushed corn flakes
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup whole milk
2 cups mashed potatoes
1 large can crushed pineapple, drained VERY well

Preheat oven to 350˚.
Combine ham, pork, eggs, corn flakes, milk and pepper until well mixed.
Spray the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
Layer the pineapple on the bottom.
Top with Meat mixture.
Top with mashed potatoes.
Bake for 1 hour.

ROASTED SPICED CARROTS
1 pound baby carrots
2 tablespoons Avocado oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup golden raisins
Juice of 1 lemon

Cut carrots in half and then cut in half again.
Toss carrots with oil, garlic, sugar, cumin, sea salt and cinnamon.
Roast 20 minutes or until fork tender.
Remove from oven.
Toss with raisins and lemon juice.

CARNITAS

The recipe I was given years ago lacked in flavor so I modified it and we’re extremely happy with the outcome. I’ve been making them this way for years. Originally the roasting was done on a rack with water underneath and just a simple salt and pepper.

Now I use a large onion diced as my natural rack to protect the pork. The onions bake together and become an essential flavor to the dish. I place the pork roast on top of the onion pieces and surround it with a can of diced green chiles and 4-5 cloves of minced garlic. Then I pour a can of salsa verde enchilada sauce on top of the green chiles and onions. Cover it with foil and bake for 2 hours at 350°.

Then uncover it and bake another hour or until fork tender. Remove the roast to a cutting board and shred it into bite sized pieces.

Add the pork pieces back into the onion mixture and coat well.

Serve with your favorite salsa, grated cheese and sour cream. Enjoy!

CARNITAS

Then uncover it and bake another hour or until fork tender. Remove the roast to a cutting board and shred it into bite sized pieces.

Add the pork pieces back into the onion mixture and coat well.

Serve with your favorite salsa, grated cheese and sour cream. Enjoy!

PEANUT PORK & NOODLES SALAD AND A CHAT

Seems like a VERY long time since I’ve sat and chatted here on my blog. The past 2+ years have been such a jumble of care taking others, the BIG “C”, multiple medical appointments, VA red tape and just plain messed up events that it seems life has gone on without me.

Well, I’m here to tell you I’m taking my life back! I do have one more surgery to get through, but it is trivial in comparison to the past couple years. Fortunately my mom’s winter place is empty for the summer and near my doctors so we are here and able to get it spruced up for her before winter while we deal with everything else. The pool has also been a godsend for me to get some exercise and try to get my strength back. All the anesthesia has taken a toll on me! Right now we’re painting. The house is 5 years old and had never been painted other than by the builder so boy is it soaking up the new paint!

If a messy kitchen truly is a sign of happiness, I must be freaking delirious! We are taking a break tonight and enjoying a new recipe for Peanut Pork and Noodles salad while we watch the Nascar race. I hope everyone had a great 4th and long weekend!

PEANUT PORK AND NOODLES SALAD

DRESSING

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon garlic chili paste

SALAD

1/2 pound boneless pork chops

2-3 ounce bundles ramen noodles

8 ounces snow peas, trimmed and cleaned

8 ounces bok choy, trimmed, cleaned and sliced

1 sweet red pepper, cored, seeded

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons dry roasted unsalted peanuts (optional)

In a small food processor combine dressing ingredients and blend until smooth.
In a large ziploc bag combine pork chops and half of the dressing. Marinade for 15 minutes minimum.

While chops are grilling bring a pot of water to a boil.
Add ramen noodles for 2 minutes.
Add peas and bok choy, boiling for 1 minute more.
Drain and rinse in cold water.
Place in large salad bowl.

Heat grill to medium high.
Grill chops and red pepper just until done, turning half way through.
Transfer to a cutting board and thinly slice both chops and pepper.

Toss salad with remaining dressing and salt.
Scatter pork and peppers over salad.
Top with peanuts. (optional)
Serve immediately.

Leftovers (minus the bok choy) chill well and would make a perfect lunch to go. Just don’t add the bok choy, which in my opinion can be left out and double the peas for my taste.

INDONESIAN PORK TENDERLOIN ala TAMY

This is one of those recipes I found somewhere and set aside, but kept peeking back at it now and then. I finally ran out of reasons not to try it and am kicking myself for not trying it sooner. The changes I made for an even better flavor in our opinion.

INDONESIAN PORK ROAST ala TAMY

2 pound pork tenderloin

4 tablespoons ~~low sodium~~ soy sauce

4 tablespoons ~~reduced-fat~~ JIF creamy peanut butter

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

4 cloves garlic, minced

PAM

1/2 cup ~~mango chutney~~ apricot pineapple jam

6-8 slices bacon**

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine soy sauce, peanut butter, red pepper flakes and garlic, mixing well.
Using a heavy duty cookie sheet or roasting pan line it with heavy duty foil.
Spray with pure. Arrange bacon slices.
Spread 1/4 of mixture over bacon slices.
Top with tenderloin.
Spread remaining sauce on top and sides.
Wrap bacon slices up and over securing with toothpicks.
Roast, uncovered for 45 minutes.
Brush evenly with jam and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
Turn off oven and let rest 10 minutes.
Slice and serve.

**I bought my tenderloin at costco and instead of being a whole tenderloin it was 2 halves. So I used bacon slices to wrap it as a whole and that addition made a fantastic difference.

Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Jen over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.

Tempt my Tummy Tuesday hosted by Lisa at Blessed with Grace.

Cooking Thursday is hosted by Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

Weekend Cooking Creations is hosted by Jennifer.

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TROPICAL PORK TENDERLOIN for Easter

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

Whisk together brown sugar and pineapple juice.
Blend in preserves.
Generously salt and pepper the pork loin.
Marinade roast overnight in jam mixture.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
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.