Category: SAUCES, SEASONINGS, DRESSINGS, DIPS, RELISHES, GRAVIES & RUBS

SAUCY PORK CHOPS ~ BLOG 365.54

Every now and then SIMPLE is BEST! 😀

SAUCY PORK CHOPS
4-6 boneless pork chops
2 tablespoons butter
1 LARGE shallot, chopped
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
1 cup homemade chicken OR beef broth
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons WONDRA flour
1/2 cup water

  • Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Quickly sear pork chops on both sides, remove from pan and keep warm.
  • Add onions and saute a few minutes until tender.
  • Add broth, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to simmer, return pork chops to pan and simmer 5-7 minutes until pork chops are cooked through (145°).
  • Whisk together the water and flour until smooth.
  • Plate pork chops, keeping warm.
  • Whisk flour mixture in sauce until smooth and heated through.
  • Serve over mashed potatoes or rice.

BISTRO TURKEY SAMMIES

BISTRO TURKEY SAMMIES
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 LARGE Granny Smith apple, sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 small red onion, sliced thin
1/4 cup homemade cranberry sauce
1 pound sliced turkey
4 ciabatta rolls, sliced in half OR FRESH baked sourdough, sliced thick
4-8 sliced thinly sliced baby Swiss cheese
leaf lettuce or arugula, optional

  • Preheat broiler.
  • Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in large skillet over medium high heat.
  • Add apple, sugar and cinnamon sauteing 3-4 minutes until crisp tender. Remove from pan.
  • Add remaining butter. When melted add onion and saute 3-4 minutes.
  • Add apple slices to pan, stirring to mix apples and onions.
  • Spread cranberry sauce on one side of roll or bread.
  • Layer turkey, apple mixture and cheese.
  • Add sandwiches to baking sheet open face with tops along side.
  • Broil 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted.
  • Add lettuce or arugula and close sandwiches.
  • Serve immediately.

PAN SEARED CHICKEN with WALNUT CREAM SAUCE

PAN SEARED CHICKEN with WALNUT CREAM SAUCE

4 boneless, skinless chicken steaks
2 slices bacon, diced
4 tablespoons WONDRA flour
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
2 green onions, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon FRESH chopped tarragon
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 carrot peeled and FINELY diced
2 stalks celery, halved and FINELY diced
1/3 cup walnuts, FINELY chopped

  • Render bacon until JUST crisp.
  • Remove bacon pieces with a slotted spoon.
  • Add carrots and celery, sauteing a couple minutes until soft.
  • Add green onions and garlic, sauteing a minute more.
  • Remove veggies with slotted spoon and set aside with bacon.
  • Add butter to pan to melt.
  • Generously season chicken with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess.
  • Add chicken to pan, searing 3-4 minutes each side until golden.
  • Remove chicken and keep warm.
  • Add whipping cream to pan and bring JUST to a boil, simmering until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups.
  • Add in tarragon, walnuts and cooked veggies and saute a few minutes more until thickened.

PUMPKIN PECAN BUTTER CAKE with CARAMEL SAUCE & CINNAMON PECANS

PUMPKIN PECAN BUTTER CAKE with CARAMEL SAUCE & CINNAMON PECANS
CAKE BOTTOM 
1 Betty Crocker SuperMoist BUTTER PECAN cake mix
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 LARGE Egg

  • Preheat oven to 350°. 
  • Line the bottom of your 10 inch spring form pan with parchment paper. I cut a square sheet and close it into the seam of the bottom with the latch and then trim into a circle. Lightly spray the pan with non-stick cooking spray.  
  • In a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix, melted butter and egg until well blended.
  • Press batter into the bottom of your spring form pan.

FILLING 
8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
15 ounce can pumpkin puree
8 tablespoons UNSALTED butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla
1/2 teaspoon orange peel 
3 LARGE eggs
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Caramel sauce (recipe below) 
Candied pecans (I used Fisher’s Cinnamon Pecans) 
Kraft Caramel Balls 
Smucker’s Pineapple Sauce, slightly warmed (optional)

  • In a large mixing bowl beat together the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth.
  • Add melted butter, vanilla and eggs, beating until well combined.
  • Fold in powdered sugar, orange peel and pumpkin pie spice until just mixed. 
  • Pour batter over cake base and smooth even.
  • Bake 60-75 minutes until cake is set and top is only slightly wobbly (similar to a cheesecake consistency). 
  • COOL COMPLETELY on a wire rack BEFORE removing the pan.
  • Serve sliced with Caramel sauce, pineapple sauce, caramel balls and pecans. 

NOTE: You can use a 9×13 pan, but, YOU WILL NEED LESS BAKING TIME!

CARAMEL SAUCE 
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
3/4 cup sugar
2+ tablespoons water
  • Combine the cream and butter in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. 
  • Remove from the heat. 
  • In a medium saucepan cook the corn syrup over a medium heat until bubbly. 
  • Fold in 1/4 cup of the sugar and continue to cook until the edges begin to turn a light amber color. 
  • Add in 1/4 cup sugar more and repeat until all the sugar is blended in. 
  • Continue cooking until amber color darkens stirring constantly. 
  • Remove from the heat and carefully fold in the cream mixture.
  • Cook over medium heat stirring frequently until caramel is bubbling. 
  • Serve warm. 
  • Makes 1 1/2 cups. 

Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Microwave 20-30 seconds to soften refrigerated caramel before serving. 

PORK STEAKS with APPLE CREAM SAUCE


PORK STEAKS with APPLE CREAM SAUCE
2 LARGE pork steaks
1 LARGE apple, cored and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons apple brandy
1/4 cup chicken broth or white wine
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon FRESH chopped thyme
2 tablespoons butter
1 LARGE shallot, sliced thin
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/3 cup half and half
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (optional)

  • Generously season pork steaks with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • In a large skillet melt butter over medium high heat.
  • Brown pork steaks on both sides. Remove from pan and set aside.
  • Add shallots to pan, sauteing until softened.
  • Add apple slices, sauteing 2-3 minutes. Remove and transfer to a bowl.
  • Add apple brandy, cooking 30 seconds more.
  • Add chicken broth or white wine.
  • Bring to a SLOW boil, simmering for 5 minutes.
  • Add pork and apples.
  • Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes until pork is cooked through.
  • Whisk together cream, mustard (if using) and cornstarch.
  • Stir into the apple mixture and heat through, simmering until sauce is thickened.

CREAMY PARMESAN CHICKEN & PROSCIUTTO


1 + 2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon WONDRA flour
1 tablespoon avocado oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 pieces prosciutto
1-2 cloves garlic, FINELY minced
1/2 cup FRESH small green peas
1 teaspoon red chile flakes, crushed
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 LARGE lemon, juiced
2 cups penne pasta
1/4 cup FRESH chopped Italian Leaf parsley
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup FINELY shredded Parmesan cheese

  • Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
  • Add pasta cook al dente, 9-11 minutes.
  • Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
  • In a large skillet add a drizzle of oil over medium high heat. Add prosciutto slices in a single layer, cooking 2-3 minutes per side until crispy. Do not clean pan.
  • Drain on paper toweling.
  • Pat chicken dry and generously season with FRESH ground sea salt, black pepper and crushed red chile flakes.
  • Add butter to skillet.
  • When melted add garlic sauteing 30 seconds.
  • Add chicken steaks sauteing 2-3 minutes per side until cooked through.
  • Transfer chicken to cutting board.
  • Whisk flour into drippings.
  • Add cream cheese and heavy cream to skillet, whisking to combine.
  • Adjust seasoning to taste.
  • Add lemon juice and parsley, stirring to blend.
  • Add pasta and peas, folding in to coat, cooking a couple minutes until warmed through.
  • Slice chicken breasts into strips.
  • Plate pasta.
  • Top with chicken slices, prosciutto and Parmesan cheese.

RECIPE REVIEW
TASTE: Creamy and full of rich flavor.
TEXTURE: Al dente noodles and crispy chicken in a creamy sauce are the star of this meal.
EASE: Easy to Moderate.
APPEARANCE: Appetizing and visually appealing.
PROS: Great meal for company.
CONS: None that I found!
WOULD I MAKE THIS AGAIN? DEFINITELY Yes.

GRILLED SHRIMP SALAD with LIME VINAIGRETTE

GRILLED (or sauteed) SHRIMP SALAD with LEMON LIME VINAIGRETTE
1 pound FRESH LARGE shrimp
1 teaspoon avocado oil
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
2 avocados, halved, seeded, peeled and sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
1/4 cup FRESH chopped cilantro

  • Peel and devein shrimp.
  • Coat shrimp with avocado oil and sprinkle with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Thread shrimp onto skewers if grilling.
  • Grease grill rack and grill skewers 3-4 minutes, turning once, until the shrimp are opaque.
  • Arrange shrimp, avocados, tomatoes, cucumber and onions on plate.
  • Drizzle with the vinaigrette and sprinkle with cilantro.

VINAIGRETTE
1 LARGE lime, zested and juiced
1 LARGE lemon, zested and juiced
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons avocado oil

  • Whisk together the lime juice, zest, cayenne pepper, FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Slowly whisk in oil until well blended.

CHICKEN BLT PASTA SALAD

This recipe has needed a makeover for years and especially needed a new picture! I posted it 13 years ago when I was hosting a now defunct food blog with a friend and we had many ongoing regular memes, such as Stretch Your Food Dollar.

CHICKEN BLT PASTA SALAD
SALAD
16 ounces macaroni (or your choice)
1 pound of bacon, chopped in small pieces and fried crisp, for garnish
2 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
1 LARGE red onion, chopped
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 cups chopped Romaine Lettuce
1 1/2 cups chopped Ice Berg Lettuce
3 cups total shredded Sharp Cheddar and Monterey Jack or flavor of choice
FRESH chopped tarragon, for garnish

  • Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain and cool.
  • In a cast iron skillet, render the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon to drain on paper towels.
  • In a LARGE mixing bowl, mix together the cooled pasta, chicken, onions, tomatoes, lettuce and shredded cheese.
  • Pour the dressing (recipe below) over the salad and mix well.
  • Cover the salad and place in the refrigerator for at LEAST 2 hours before serving.
  • Garnish with the crisp bacon and fresh herbs before serving.

HERB DRESSING
1 cup DUKES mayonnaise
3 tablespoon Hidden Valley ranch dressing mix
3/4 cups WHOLE milk
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons FRESH chopped tarragon
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 pinch red pepper flakes

  • Whisk all the ingredients in a jar.
  • Place the lid on the jar and shake until the dressing is completely mixed.
  • Chill until ready to serve.

NOTES:

  • Add more milk a little at a time until you have the consistency that you want.
  • If you’re in a hurry, you can substitute 1 1/2 cups Buttermilk Ranch dressing.
  • If you plan to have leftovers, toss with lettuce just prior to serving each time.

This post originally ran at 3 Sides of Crazy for these memes:

Tasty Tuesday is hosted by Jen over at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, 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. Trista over at Southern Fried Mama hosts Tasty Thursday and Joy of desserts hosts Vintage Recipe Thursday.

Originally posted at OKK July 8, 2009
Updated August 31, 2022

EVERYTHING BAGEL SEASONING

For years I’ve eaten EVERYTHING BAGEL spice from Trader Joes. But now there are no Trader Joes where I live and I need more! I always thought it was called EVERYTHING spice because it had a little of everything in it. I was SOOOOOO wrong. It is SOOOOOOOO simple with only 5 ingredients so why not make your own? And by the way, it’s called EVERYTHING spice because you can use it on everything 😀

The combination of toasted, salty savory flavors blend together so well that it seems like you’re truly getting EVERYTHING, but yet each bite is a slightly different flavor.

EVERYTHING SPICE

1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon dried garlic
1 tablespoon dried onion
2 teaspoons coarse salt

  • Grind together.
  • Store in a sealed container.

NOTE: Adjust amounts to your personal preferences.

SKILLET PASTA with VODKA SAUCE

SKILLET PASTA with VODKA SAUCE
1 bunch green onions or 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups vodka pasta sauce, homemade or jarred – your choice
3 cups homemade beef stock
12 ounces penne pasta
1/4 cup chopped marinated sun-dried tomato pieces
1/2-3/4 cup quartered marinated mozzarella balls
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

  • Coat 12 inch non-stick skillet with non-stick cooking spray. I like to use my heavy enameled cast iron crock pot skillet.
  • Heat over medium-high heat.
  • Add beef, sweet Italian sausage, most of the green onions (save some for garnish), FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper to taste, cooking 8-10 minutes and breaking up the meat into small crumbles until meat is cooked through.
  • Add garlic and stir 30 seconds until fragrant.
  • Drain the meat and discard the grease.
  • Add 1/2 cup of the sauce and water to skillet. Bring to boil.
  • Add pasta and red pepper flakes.
  • Cover 10-12 minutes and cook JUST until tender.
  • Stir in meat and remaining sauce, cooking a couple minutes to heat through.
  • Gently fold in Mozzarella ball pieces.
  • Top with scallions and serve immediately.

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE CHICKEN – PAN SEARED CHICKEN with a TANGY & CREAMY STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE SAUCE

This recipe is tender, juicy, looks elegant and pairs wonderfully with any green vegetable.  It is truly my intention to try AT LEAST 1 recipe a week from my RECIPE SCRAPS.  My original version was a CREAMSICLE CHICKEN.

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE CHICKEN – PAN SEARED CHICKEN with a TANGY & CREAMY STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE SAUCE serves 4
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (see notes)
3 tablespoons brandy
1 1/4 cups pineapple juice (see notes)
4 green onions, minced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounce CHOBANI raspberry lemonade yogurt (see notes)
FRESH ground salt and pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon water
scant tablespoon avocado oil
Strawberry and lemon slices for garnish
Jasmine rice, prepared per package
Vegetable of choice, prepared accordingly

  • Heat avocado oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat.
  • Generously season chicken pieces with FRESH ground salt and pepper.
  • Saute’ chicken breasts 2-3 minutes per side until golden.
    Remove chicken to plate, tent with foil and keep warm.
  • De-glaze pan with brandy.
  • Add the pineapple juice, garlic and green onions.
  • Bring to a boil for 2 minutes.
  • Reduce heat to simmer 2-3 minutes.
  • Whisk together cornstarch with water.
  • Whisk cornstarch mixture into yogurt.
  • Whisk yogurt mixture into pan sauce and adjust seasoning.
  • Simmer until thickened and cooked through.

NOTES:

  • If you prefer 8 thighs substitute easily.
  • I sometimes use a pineapple orange juice to alter the flavor a bit.
  • CHOBANI yogurt flavors work beautifully. Raspberry lemonade is another favorite.

CALABRIAN CHILE TOMATO SAUCE

Every now and then we like to spice up a red sauce and just eat plain pasta with it. No veggies. No proteins. Just a good handmade pasta and full bodied spicy sauce! YUMMY! 😀

CALABRIAN CHILE TOMATO SAUCE
1 tablespoon avocado oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, FINELY diced
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 teaspoons Calabrian chile paste
1/4 cup water
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons Marscarpone cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Prepared pasta of choice, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water

  • Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.
  • Add garlic and shallots, sauteing 2 minutes until softened.
  • Add tomato paste and chile, stirring to blend well for 2 minutes.
  • Add tomatoes and water.
  • Season to taste with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper and cook 2-3 minutes until liquid is reduced by half.
  • Fold in prepared pasta and add as much of the pasta water as necessary to reach your desired consistency.
  • Turn off heat and add Marscarpone cheese, blending well.
  • Adjust seasoning to taste.
  • Top with grated Parmesan cheese.