Pineapple Cider Brine Pork Chops w/ Root Beer Pineapple BBQ sauce, Broccoli Green Bean Almond Saute & StrawBlackberry topping for Magazine Monday

Magazine Mondays is hosted by Ivonne over at Cream Puffs in Venice. All 3 of these recipes are loosely based on recipes from magazines, but the main ingredients have been changed to protect my family. No seriously, the main ingredients were changed to make my family happy as the original recipes had ingredients that my family just won’t eat! Also Healthy Helpings is debuting over at ThE KraZy KitcHen tomorrow. Stop by and join in.
When I do ‘recipe experiment’ night I try to do EVERY part of the meal as a new recipe. Some times I get lucky and they ALL are worth sharing. I’m a ‘no measure’ cook, well at least a no exact measure cook so when I invent a new recipe, it sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t. But, today worked!

PINEAPPLE CIDER BRINE PORK CHOPS
1 1/2 cup water
8 ounce can crushed pineapple
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sea salt
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
4 thick pork chops

  • In a large sauce pan whisk together water, cider vinegar, sea salt and brown sugar together until salt and sugar are dissolved.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Add seasonings and blend well.
  • Slow simmer 10 minutes.
  • Cool.
  • Immerse pork chops and soak 12-24 hours. I used my 8 cup pampered chef batter bowl so the chops had plenty of room to ‘swim’.
  • Drain chops.
  • Grill or broil 5-6 minutes on each side.
  • Heat enough Root Beer Pineapple BBQ sauce to cover the chops.
  • Brush each side of chops with BBQ sauce for the last few minutes.

ROOT BEER PINEAPPLE BBQ SAUCE

12 ounce MUG root beer
8 ounce can crushed pineapple
4 tablespoons butter
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
4 teaspoons minced garlic, jar
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons sun dried tomato pesto
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 tablespoon Frank’s hot sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch

  • Melt butter in a large saucepan.
  • Add onions and garlic, Saute’ until tender.
  • Add other ingredients, except cornstarch, and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
  • Remove 1 cup of sauce and whisk cornstarch into it.
  • Return mixture to the sauce pan and simmer 15 minutes.
  • Cool 15 minutes.
  • Refrigerate,
  • Makes 4 cups.

BROCCOLI GREEN BEAN ALMOND SAUTE’

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons White Balsamic Vinegar
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
1/3 pound green beans, trimmed
1 broccoli crown, chopped small
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons slivered almonds

  • Heat olive oil in large skillet.
  • Add vegetables and saute’ until tender.
  • Add soy sauce and white balsamic vinegar.
  • Sprinkle with sea salt and white pepper.
  • Add almonds, blend well and heat through.
  • This dish is good hot OR cold!

STRAWBLACKBERRY SHORTCAKE TOPPING

1 pint blackberries, washed and sliced in thirds
1/2 pint strawberries, washed and chopped small
1/4 cup brown sugar

  • Toss Together and marinate several hours.
  • Serve over shortcake.

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Wednesday Kitchen Wishes

I love to dream and wish. This also creates a great list for family and friends for gift ideas. Want to play along?

These great items from Williams Sonoma and Villaware are on my covet list this week. From top to bottom: angled potato ricer, hand crank pasta machine, brushed stainless steel soup/stock pot, avocado pitter & slicer and Cuisinart Popcorn popper. Of course I can live without all of them, but would really rather not some day!


Katharine Hepburn Brownies on Tuesdays with Dorie


The new Tuesdays with Dorie logo contest winner, Lisa of Surviving Oz chose for us to bake the Tribute to Katherine Hepburn Brownies on pages 96 and 97. They were good but a bit too dark for us around her. I think next time I’ll try a milk chocolate instead.

I think I also need this pan before I bake brownies again. I love the thought of no cutting or having to dig them out of the pan!
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RaspStrawberry Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 stick butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
2 JUMBO or 3 small eggs
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp almond extract
1 box raspberries
1 box strawberries
1 tablespoon orange zest
sugar

  • Wash berries and drain well.
  • Slice into small pieces and sprinkle with sugar.
  • Toss with orange zest.
  • Chill while preparing pound cake.
  • Cream sugar, butter and shortening.
  • Add eggs and salt. Cream well.
  • Add remaining ingredients.
  • Pour into prepared loaf pan.
  • Put into cold oven.
  • Set temperature to 325 degrees.
  • Bake 1 hour or until knife comes out clean
  • Cool 15 minutes and remove from pan.
  • Cool completely before serving.
  • Top with berry mixture and a scoop of ice cream.
  • Enjoy.


Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Jen over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
Favorite Ingredient Friday is hosted by Overwhelmed with Joy
Vintage Recipe Thursday is hosted by Joy of desserts
Trista over at Southern Fried Mama hosts Tasty Thursday
Tuesdays at the Table is normally hosted by Andrea over at My Chihauhau Bites but Andrea is taking a break while she has her baby and is being hosted by Cole for a while.
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ORTEGA CHILE BAKE

I thought I’d kick off the week and the meme with a family favorite which is also super simple time saver recipe, inexpensive, great ‘user upper’ of great food AND it was sooooooooooooo tasty I thought hubby was going to lick his plate. He settled for seconds though.

This recipe originally ran at 3 sides of Crazy 12-14-08. It was cold and snowy here that day. A day that just cried for a really hot lunch! So I took to the freezer and refrigerator to see what there was (we hadn’t planned on being here so nothing had been planned) and I found some leftover BBQ beef (which I drained of all sauce), 1/2 a package of shredded cheddar cheese, a can of cream of celery soup, some pasta shells and a can of diced green chiles. This is tlso the most perfect recipe for leftover Pot Roast or roast beef. We had 6 servings for $4.29 or $0.72 cents per serving.

ORTEGA CHILE BAKE
Left over shredded beef (technically 0.00 since it was already accounted for)
1 can cream of celery soup (.96)
3 cups AL DENTE pasta noodles (1.12)
1 can diced green chiles, drained (.89)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (1.12)

  • Drain chiles.
  • Stir soup and chiles together.
  • Stir in beef until well blended.
  • Add pasta and mix well.
  • Pour into a greased 9×9 baking dish and top with cheese.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Balsamic Peach Chicken ~ Stretch Your Food Dollar

This recipe was originally this. Hubby liked it so well that I have written an alternative version that allows me to clean out the fruit drawer, freezer and eat it too! This version also allows me to make the flavorful part the night before while I’m cleaning up the kitchen and throw it together quickly the next night and no one knows I cheated a little.


BALSAMIC PEACH CHICKEN ~ 6 servings ~ $5.82 ~ $0.97/serving

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar ($0.65)
2 peaches ($0.82)
1 kiwi*($0.33)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar($0.32)
1 tablespoon plum sauce* ($0.10)
1 tablespoon KARO syrup ($0.10)
1/2 cup hot water
1 teaspoon Better than Bouillon chicken base ($0.25)
1 pound chicken tenders, sliced into 1 inch pieces ($2.95)
1 1/2 cups prepared brown rice ($0.30)

  • In a small saucepan bring the water, vinegar, bouillon and brown sugar to a boil. Add the chopped fruit pieces and boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and simmer for several minutes more.
  • Spray a skillet with pure. Stir fry the chicken pieces until heated through.
  • Transfer to a medium size bowl. Pour vinegar mixture over chicken pieces and chill several hours.
  • Prepare rice.
  • In a large skillet heat through the chicken mixture.
  • Add the rice and heat through.
  • Serve and Enjoy.

*The plum sauce and kiwi made a nice tropical taste that was a little more tart than the original recipe.

Chocolate Upside Down Cake

Magazine Mondays is hosted by Ivonne over at Cream Puffs in Venice.

CHOCOLATE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE
CAKE
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon cocoa
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup walnuts, minced

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • Sift together flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and cocoa.
  • Mix in buttermilk, butter and vanilla.
  • Fold in walnuts.
  • Pour into 8×8 or 9×9 prepared pan.

TOPPING
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup water

  • Whisk together and pour over unbaked batter.
  • Bake for 45 minutes or until set.
  • Cool and invert onto a platter.
  • Enjoy.

Recipes

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CAKES, COOKIES, DESSERTS & FROSTINGS

CANDIES, DRINKS, ICE CREAM, CANDIES, JAMS & JELL-O

CASSEROLES

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FEATURED

FRUITS, GRAVIES, SAUCES & SEASONINGS

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French Onion & Tomato Soup with Baked Cheesy Croutons

This soup turned out sooooooooooooooooo good and tasted great even in the summer. I can’t wait to have it on a cold winter’s eve.


Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Jen over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
Trista over at Southern Fried Mama hosts Tasty Thursday
Tuesdays at the Table is normally hosted by Andrea over at My Chihauhau Bites but Andrea is taking a break while she has her baby. The button will take you to Andrea’s site, but TATT is being hosted by Cole for a while.

FRENCH ONION & TOMATO SOUP
4 tablespoons salted butter
3 medium Vidalia onions, thinly sliced
3 medium hot house tomatoes
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon minced garlic, jar
6 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon Better than Beef Bouillon
1 tablespoon kitchen bouquet
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
4 thin slices french or sourdough bread, toasted
4 slices Gruyere cheese*

  • Melt butter in bottom of stock pot.
  • Separate onions into rings and add to butter. Cook until tender and golden.
  • Add flour and blend well with butter mixture and onions.
  • Add broth, beef bouillon, kitchen bouquet, paprika, onion powder, celery salt, sea salt and pepper and stir well.
  • Simmer 15-20 minutes.
  • Toast bread and then butter it.
  • Ladle soup into 4 oven proof bowls that have been put on a cookie sheet for easier handling.
  • Place 1 slice of toast over top of soup.
  • Lay 1 slice of cheese on top of toast.
  • Bake at 400 degrees for 7 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Another great option is to use these cheesy baked croutons to top the soup. Both ways are super yummy!

BAKED CHEESY CROUTONS
6 slices thick sourdough bread
butter, melted, enough to coat bread
½ cup Fontina Cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread slices on oven rack and bake until dry and golden. Melt butter in flat bowl. Combine cheeses in flat bowl. Dip first in butter and the cheese mixture. Bake on cookie sheet 8-10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and melted. Float croutons on top of soup bowls just before serving.

Yields: 6 BOWLS
Time to make: 1½ hr

*you’d think living close to Wisconsin, the cheese state, I could get all sorts of flavors of cheese, but alas I still can’t find gruyere and have been substituting provolone.
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Cheesy Pasta Mushroom Casserole ~ Simply Delicious Sunday

CHEESY PASTA MUSHROOM CASSEROLE
1 16 ounce package penne pasta **
1 cup boiling water
1 cup dried porcini mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon Classico Sun-dried tomato pesto
1 medium Vidalia onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon thyme
3 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups 1% milk
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 teaspoon white pepper
4 ounces Fontina or Gruyere cheese, grated
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
PURE

  • Heat large saucepan of water to boiling. Add the pasta and cook 2 minutes less than the package label indicates. Drain well and return to pan.
  • Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Heat the 1 cup water in microwave oven on high for 2 minutes in a medium bowl.
  • Stir in mushrooms; let stand 15 minutes.
  • Drain mushrooms (reserving the liquid) and rinse to remove any grit. Finely chop and set aside.
  • Strain reserved liquid through sieve lined with paper towel and set aside.
  • In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat.
  • Add onion and cook until tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in mushrooms and thyme.
  • Sprinkle flour over onion mixture in saucepan; cook 1 minute, stirring.
  • Whisk in milk, mushroom liquid, sun-dried tomato pesto, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
  • Heat to boiling over medium-high heat; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly, stirring frequently.
  • Add mushroom sauce to pasta in the saucepan.
  • Stir in the Fontina, ricotta, and 1/2 of the Parmesan. Toss until well blended.
  • Spoon pasta into a sprayed 3-quart ceramic baking dish; sprinkle with remaining Parmesan.
  • Bake 30 minutes or until center is hot and top is golden.

**I used shells because I was out of penne, but really any pasta works.

Simply Delicious Sunday


If you’d like to play along, please add this button and link to this post on your post. Be sure to include your recipe in parenthesis following your name. Thanks and have fun. Don’t forget to leave a comment and visit everyone. I try not to complicate matters with too many rules, but I do ask that you please use a SDS badge or link back to 3 Sides of Crazy in some way. Thanks.


**Please include your link and recipe name in your comment and I will generate a list on each week’s post for everyone to link to in addition of using Mr. Linky. As it was explained to me this will genrate an immediate link to you via google instead of a link to mr. linky.

What is this all about? Go here for all the details.
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Caramel Apple Raisin Dimsum Dumplings


CARAMEL APPLE RAISIN DIMSUM DUMPLIINGS
2 large apples, peeled, cored & chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons golden rum
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 tablespoons butter
Melissa’s Dimsum dumpling wrappers
Frying oil (with a neutral flavor)
  • Soak raisins in the rum for an hour before preparing the apples.
  • Toss apples and raisins with the lemon juice.
  • Sift together the dry ingredients.
  • Toss the apple mixture with the dry mixture until well coated.
  • Add vanilla and cream until well blended.
  • Melt butter in cast iron skillet (preferred). Add apple mixture and cook for 5-7 minutes until tender.
  • Fill each dumpling wrapper with a heaping teaspoon of the apple mixture.
  • Wet and seal the edges.
  • Bring oil to a frying heat.
  • Add several of the dumplings, but do not crowd the pan. Cook until golden brown.
  • Drain on paper towels.
  • Sprinkle with powder sugar or cinnamon sugar.
  • Serve with french vanilla ice cream.

Trista over at Southern Fried Mama hosts Tasty Thursday
Favorite Ingredient Friday is hosted by Kathryn at Overwhelmed with Joy