Category: BLUE APRON

COPY CAT PAN SEARED PORK CHOPS with BRAISED RED CABBAGE & APPLE

PAN SEARED PORK CHOPS with BRAISED RED CABBAGE & APPLE
1 + 1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon avocado oil
2 boneless pork steaks
1 SMALL red onion, halved and THINLY sliced
1 LARGE clove garlic, FINELY minced
1/2 pound red cabbage, cored and THINLY sliced
2 LARGE apples, 1 cored & sliced the other cored and grated
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup hot water
1 1/2 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon beef base
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 green onions, minced and separated

  • Melt 1 tablespoon butter and oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
  • Pat pork steaks dry.
  • Whisk together the FRESH ground sea salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika and cayenne pepper until well blended.
  • Generously season pork steaks on both sides with the seasoning mix.
  • Add the pork steaks to the skillet searing 2-3 minutes on each side.
  • Transfer pork steaks to platter and keep warm.
  • Add the remaining butter to the skillet.
  • Add the onions and cabbage to the pan, 3-4 minutes until slightly softened and beginning to caramelize.
  • Whisk together the beef base, warm water and vinegar.
  • Add vinegar mixture to pan, stirring to blend.
  • Add apple pieces topped with the pork steaks, cover and simmer 5-6 minutes to soften apple and reheat pork steaks. MOST of the liquid should cook off, but DO NOT BURN.
  • Slice pork and serve over cabbage mix.

RECIPE REVIEW
TASTE: Sweet & Tangy
TEXTURE: Tender caramelized cabbage, onions and apples topped with fork tender pork tenderloin. 
EASE: Moderate.
APPEARANCE: Appetizing and visually appealing.
PROS: Great meal for company.
CONS: None that I found!
WOULD I MAKE THIS AGAIN? DEFINITELY Yes.

CALABRIAN CHILE CHICKEN PASTA

CALABRIAN CHILE CHICKEN PASTA adapted from Blue Apron

Avocado oil
2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 shallot, small diced
2 tablespoons Mascarpone cheese
1/2 pound Bucatini Pasta, prepared per package directions reserving 1 cup pasta water
1 ounce Castelvetrano Olives, diced (optional-hubby loves, I don’t)
1 lemon, juiced
1 1/2 teaspoons Calabrian Chile paste
1 zucchini, halved and sliced (optional-hubby hates)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
3 tablespoons WONDRA flour
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper

  • Heat avocado oil in a large nonstick pan over medium high heat.
  • Add the sliced zucchini (if using) in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 1-2 minutes more, stirring frequently until softened. Transfer to a plate.
  • Wipe out the pan and add 1-2 tablespoons more avocado oil and heat over medium high heat.
  • Pat the chicken dry.
  • In a large ziplock bag add wonder flour, Italian seasoning and FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper. Shake to mix.
  • Add chicken breasts and shake to coat. Shake off excess dredging.
  • Add the seasoned chicken to the hot oil, cooking 4-5 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through.
  • Leave any browned bits in the pan, transfer chicken to a cutting board.
  • When cool enough to handle, slice crosswise.
  • In the same pan, heat a drizzle of avocado oil on medium-high until hot.
  • Add the chopped shallot, chopped garlic, and as much of the chile paste as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly browned.
  • Add the cooked pasta, lemon juice, Mascarpone cheese, browned zucchini (if using), chopped olives, and half the reserved pasta cooking water. Cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the pasta is well coated. If necessary, gradually add the remaining cooking water to ensure the pasta is thoroughly coated.
  • Turn off the heat.
  • Serve the finished pasta topped with the sliced chicken.
  • Garnish with the Parmesan cheese.
  • Enjoy!

NOTE: To make your own Italian seasoning use +/- equal parts of these dried seasonings, to taste: Basil, Sage, Oregano, Savory, Rosemary, Thyme & Marjoram.

 

PAN SEARED CHICKEN with RUSTIC TOMATO SAUCE & GARLIC GREEN BEANS

This was originally a Blue Apron recipe that hubby and I also dissected and rebuilt to out liking.  I should have taken a picture of my plate with the sauce over the chicken and polenta, it looked so pretty.  Hubby likes his sauce on the side.

PAN SEARED CHICKEN with RUSTIC TOMATO SAUCE & GARLIC GREEN BEANS
Start the sauce first. While it’s cooking start the green beans. Then start the chicken.

SAUCE
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
1 garlic glove, minced
Juice of 1 lime
1 tomatillo, diced
2 tablespoons golden vinegar
Fresh ground salt and pepper to taste

  • Several hours before dinner toss the tomatoes, tomatillo and lime juice together. Let sit at room temperature.

 

  • Bring skillet to a medium high heat.
  • Add butter to melt.
  • When sizzling, add garlic and tomatoes simmering until soft, about 10 minutes.
  • Gently smash tomatoes.
  • Add vinegar, stirring to blend.
  • Season to taste.
  • Turn to low and cover.

VEGGIES
1/2 pound fresh green beans
1 small garlic, thinly sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1-2 tablespoons golden vinegar

  • Bring skillet to a medium high heat.
  • Add butter to melt.
  • When sizzling add onions and green beans simmering until soft, about 10 minutes.
  • Add garlic and red pepper flakes
  • Add vinegar, stirring to blend.
  • Season to taste.
  • Turn to low and cover.

CHICKEN
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 tablespoons butter or GHEE
Wondra
Fresh ground salt and pepper to taste

  • Bring skillet to a medium high heat.
  • Add butter to melt.
  • When sizzling add chicken and sear 3-4 minutes per side until cooked through and golden.

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PAN SEARED BARRAMUNDI (AUSTRALIAN SEA BASS), GARLIC MASHED POTATOES & PAN ROASTED CORN

This was originally a Blue Apron Recipe and their version was pretty good, but hubby and I dissected it and made it even better! Hubby absolutely hated their tartar sauce, but that was a pretty easy fix.  Barramundi or Sea Bass itself has an almost sweet buttery flavor and a delicate flakiness that can be seriously enhanced with the right seasoning.

PAN SEARED BARRAMUNDI SEA BASS, GARLIC MASHED POTATOES & PAN ROASTED CORN FOR TWO

TARTAR SAUCE
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons Dill relish or hot dog relish
1 tablespoon capers, slightly smashed
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Pepper, season to taste

  • Mix all 6 ingredients together until well blended.
  • Chill several hours before serving.

GARLIC MASHED POTATOES
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, cut into a large dice
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter
Fresh ground salt and pepper, to taste

  • Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil.
  • Add the potatoes and garlic.
  • Cook about 15 minutes until fork tender.
  • Drain in a colander.
  • Place butter in bottom of still warm pan.
  • Rice potatoes over the butter.
  • Add heavy cream and stir together until smooth.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.

PAN ROASTED CORN
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon GHEE*
1 small red onion, sliced into rings
2 ears of fresh Corn on the Cob
2 sprigs dill, minced
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Fresh ground salt and pepper, to taste

  • Cut the corn off the cobs.
  • Over medium high heat melt butter and GHEE.
  • Add onions, cooking a couple minutes until beginning to soften.
  • Add corn to pan and cook 4-5 minutes until sizzling and starting to brown.
  • Add apple cider vinegar and dill, stirring to mix.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.

BARRAMUNDI
2 skin on Barramundi fillets of similar size
2 sprigs Dill, minced
1 tablespoon GHEE*
1 tablespoon butter
Fresh ground salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
4 sprigs fresh Dill, minced
Lemon slices

  • Over medium high heat melt butter and GHEE.
  • Score the skin side of the fillets.
  • Pat dry and generously season both sides with salt, pepper and paprika.
  • Add fillets to sizzling butter skin side down.
  • Cook 4-5 minutes until skin begins to brown and crisp.
  • Flip fillets and cook another 3-4 minutes or until beginning to crisp and are cooked through.
  • Plate and sprinkle dill over fish fillets.
  • Serve with tartar sauce.

NOTE*: I like the extra flavor from a well made GHEE, but butter or olive oil could easily be substituted.

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Is recipe delivery service for you?

I have tried the home delivery services Blue Apron, Home Chef and Hello Fresh. All three offer plans based on family size and have their own merits and setbacks.  For the working mom with little time to shop, these are phenomenal services. For me since I already scratch cook and love to grocery shop they were good, but not mandatory avenues of cooking. I thought I’d tell you about my experiences with each and let you decide for yourself. Price wise they are quite comparable to doing your own shopping if you calculate in your time, gas and such.  It is nice to have them prepackaged and show up right at the front door.

The above picture for Fontina Stuffed Pork Chops with Sweet Pepper Sauce was one of our most favorite recipes (which I have reworked to my methods and hubbies taste likes) from Blue Apron.

BLUE APRON – PROS


  • Good delivery service and food packaging.
  • Well packed fresh ingredients. 
  • Well written recipes with easy to follow directions.
  • Great customer service.

BLUE APRON – CONS

  • I honestly couldn’t find any down sides other than the fact that the recipes were either truly inspired or really pedestrian and choosing 3 recipes each week to challenge our palette was difficult some weeks.

HOME CHEF – PROS

  • Good delivery service and food packaging.
  • Well packed fresh ingredients. 
  • Well written recipes with easy to follow directions.
  • Great customer service.
  • Nice binder to organize your recipes.

HOME CHEF – CONS

  • Delivery is later with this service and tended to mess with my schedule, but that might be because I’m at the end of the delivery route.

HELLO FRESH – PROS

  • Good delivery service and superior food packaging for a really fresh delivery.
  • Well written recipes with easy to follow directions. 
  • Great customer service.

HELLO FRESH – CONS

  • A bit more expensive, but with quality food and recipes making it worth the while.

After trying all three services I have learned to sign in each week and scrutinize the menus before signing up for any particular week.  I do like that all three offer menus 4-5 weeks in advance so you have plenty of notice to make your decisions.

 

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BLUE APRON was a HUGE success!

THANK YOU again Carrie!  Loving my first Blue Apron box that came this past week.  Such pretty vegetables and all the fixings for  the 3 meals. They also included wonderful recipe directions that were really easy to follow. I cant wait to get my next box.

I let hubby choose the order we tried the recipes and he chose the Fontina Stuffed Pork Chops with a pepper sauce for our second meal. I have to say I was thoroughly impressed again! Definitely a meal we’ll have again. I did change a few techniques, but only for my own liking.  For example, they had you cutting the Fontina into small squares and I chose to slice them for better coverage inside the pork chop and to get some oozing out along the edge so there was a CRISP cheesy edge to the chop.

Just a little chat and update on MY life plus a review of my first Blue Apron recipe

THANK YOU Carrie!  My first Blue Apron box came today.  Such pretty vegetables and all the fixings for  the next 3 days. They also included wonderful recipe directions that were really easy to follow. I couldn’t wait to make dinner.  I let hubby choose the recipe and he chose the Chicken Under a “Brick” for our first meal. I have to say I was thoroughly impressed! Definitely a meal we’ll have again.

We also thought it might be a good idea to do a “Vision Board” for our search of the next house project. We would really like to find and old church, train station, fire station or school to rehab into an open floor plan and make a forever home.  Anyone know of anything in any of these states?