MONROE COUNTY STYLE PORK STEAKS ~ BLOG 365.62

I was leafing through an OLD (2015) COOK’S COUNTRY magazine and ran across these amazing looking pork chops with a side of white baked beans that was just calling my name repeatedly until I finally tried them. What took me so long?? is all I can say. This yummy, flavorful meal will get repeated regularly at our house.

I did adapt the pork steaks to being done inside as our weather has stayed colder than I want to deal with for preparing a meal using the grill, but you could easily grill these instead 😀 You can also make these spicier or milder to taste without compromising their flavor.

MONROE COUNTY STYLE PORK STEAKS adapted from COOK’S COUNTRY

PORK CHOPS
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon QUALITY paprika
1/2-3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon cornstarch
8 bone-in blade cut pork steaks, 1/2 inch thick, fat snipped if necessary to prevent curling

  • Generously season pork steaks on both sides with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Combine cayenne and paprika in a small bowl, mixing well. Reserve this half for the sauce.
  • Transfer half of the cayenne mixture into another small bowl and add cornstarch.
  • Sprinkle cayenne cornstarch mixture evenly over pork steaks on both sides.
  • This is where you need to make a choice – indoors or outdoors – charcoal or gas. I used a cast iron griddle pan over a gas burner. Make sure your grill or griddle pan is well oiled.
  • Over medium high heat sear chops 3-5 minutes without moving them.
  • Flip chops and repeat on second side 3-5 minutes more until they register 140°.
  • Transfer chops to a deep platter, pouring sauce over chops and turning to coat well.
  • Tent with foil and allow chops to rest for 5 minutes.
  • Serve and Enjoy.

SAUCE
8 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
Reserved spice mixture

  • Heat butter in small saucepan over medium low heat 4-5 minutes, swirling frequently until butter turns dark golden brown and has a nutty fragrance.
  • Add reserved spice mixture, cooking 30 seconds or so until fragrant.
  • Add vinegar carefully as it WILL bubble up and bring to a quick simmer.
  • Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, but not enough that the butter solidifies.

CHOCOLATE FRITO BARS ~ BLOG 365.61

These are still a bit of a work in progress. The second time I made these I did them on a jelly roll pan in a single layer and they were amazing. Next time I’m going to try milk chocolate chips, maybe even mini chips.

CHOCOLATE FRITO BARS yields 24 bars

18 1/2 ounces Fritos corn chips
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup creamy peanut butter

  • Grease a 13×9 cake pan.
  • Sprinkle half of the corn chips evenly over the bottom.
  • Sprinkle half the chocolate chips over the corn chips.
  • In a heavy sauce pan combine the sugar and corn syrup, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Cook 1 minutes more.
  • Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter.
  • Pour half the mixture over the corn chip layer.
  • Top with remaining corn chips followed by the remaining chocolate chips.
  • Pour the remaining peanut butter mixture evenly over the last layer.
  • Let stand until set.
  • Cut into bars.

GREEN CHILI CREAMED CORN ~ BLOG 365.59

GREEN CHILI CREAMED CORN
6 cups FRESH or frozen corn
8 ounces cream cheese, cubed
1 SMALL jar pimientos, drained WELL
1 SMALL can chopped green chiles
1/2 cup homemade chicken broth
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup pickled jalapenos (optional)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

  • In a SMALL slow cooker combine ALL ingredients.
  • Cook, covered on low 2-3 hours until heated through.
  • Stir well to combine before serving.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENU PLANS week 9 of 2023 BLOG 365.58

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Remember how last week and the week before we were under Winter Storm Watch? Well we are again. 😀 Despite the cold and wintry mix we’ve evaded a good deal of the “BAD” weather. It’s like we’re in a “DOMED” area that isn’t getting the same as ALL the way around us. Honestly that scares me a little bit just waiting for the other shoe to fall 😀 There is no sun forecasted for this week and every day has either snow or wintry mix and gray clouds. Needless to say I’m still wearing Levis, UGGs and multiple layers of turtlenecks and hoodies.

I have to share this text conversation that my girlfriend Dana and I had after a VERY BUSY week where she moved, it snowed, we helped another friend with an estate sale, her hubby had a medical procedure that had them revisit the ER twice, I’m still working on getting my own garage sale items ready, a couple doctor appointments, it snowed again and we culminated the week in donating and preparing dinner on Friday night at the Eagles. Our proceeds went to the charity and scholarship funds. By Friday night we were pretty slap happy so it’s pretty funny… 

Dana:
AWESOME job tonight missy! You nailed it!!!!!!!!!!

Tamy:
You too my friend – you are an energizer bunny 😃 We got so much more than just dinner done 😃

Dana:
Love it!!!! Now if I had that energy at home!!!😆

Tamy:
You will soon as you get settled 😘 IS THERE SOMETHING I’M SUPPOSED TO BE DOING ON MONDAY THAT I DIDN’T GET ONTO MY CALENDAR?

Dana:
??? You’re freaking me out. Ummm, I don’t know??

Tamy:
OOPS didn’t mean to yell. Not trying to freak you out! Just seems like I committed to do something Monday, but didn’t add it to my calendar.

Dana:
Was it a pedicure? Volunteering at a soup kitchen, rescuing puppies from a raging river, reading to the children, singing to sea otters at a sanctuary or maybe training blind bats to fly??

Tamy:
LMBO 🤣 LOL 🤣 how many drinks did you have after I left tonight???? 🤣

Hot water and trying a cinnamon raisin English muffin

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING I have the tail end of the sorting for the garage sale to do today and then will begin a deep clean. Laundry is all caught up fortunately allowing me extra some extra time.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I’ll be doing ALL the shopping for the Eagles Lodge on Wednesday so will work my errands into that day.
  • PHONE CALLS & PROJECTS I have several phone calls to make following up on a few things and have a painting class on Friday night. I’m hoping it will make me start thinking spring 😀
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I’m planned through this week and will start with a fresh plan over the weekend.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • CABLE We’ve been so busy it’s been a challenge to get things watched – thank goodness for DVR’s. NASCAR was rained out at its scheduled times so we missed the races this weekend.

I’m almost done reading The Restaurant by Pamela Kelly from her Nantucket Inn series.
MONDAY 2/27
TUESDAY 2/28
WEDNESDAY 3/1
THURSDAY 3/2
FRIDAY 3/3
SATURDAY 3/4
SUNDAY 3/5
DINNER
 CHEESE BURGER SOUP with TWISTY ROLLS
PEASANT SKILLET
 BEEF & BLACK BEAN SOUP with YEAST ROLLS
 OUT FOR HUBBY’S BIRTHDAY
 CHICKEN FRANCESE
 PORK CHOP POTATO SKILLET
 VAMPIRE MAC & CHEESE
DESSERT
 
 
CRISPY CHOCOLATE MALT BARS
 BERRY PATCH CRUMB BARS

We took a short drive last weekend to get out one day and came upon a road with weird mile markers.
On that road was this sign. The population number was confusing though as we ran across at least a dozen or more houses with multiple vehicles each.
This was a strange sky yesterday morning. Snowing to the left, raining to the right and sunny straight up – for a minute 😀
The temperatures this morning and every morning recently.
A couple early waterfalls from our drive last weekend.

CHOCOLATE BANANA MUFFINS ~ BLOG 365.55

CHOCOLATE BANANA MUFFINS
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 medium bananas, mashed (1 1/3 cups)
1/3 cup avocado oil
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
1 LARGE egg
1 cup mini chocolate chips

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Grease or line muffin tin with papers.
  • Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a LARGE bowl.
  • In a separate bowl whisk together the mashed bananas, oil, vanilla and egg until well blended.
  • Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients JUST until combined.
  • Fold in chocolate chips.
  • Fill muffins 3/4 full.

STREUSEL TOPPING
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon QUALITY cinnamon
1/4 cup COLD butter, cubed

  • Whisk together the sugar, flour and cinnamon.
  • Cut in butter pieces until crumbly.
  • Top filled muffins with streusel.
  • Bake 20-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean and centers are cooked.
  • Cool 5-10 minutes on wire rack.
  • Best served warm.

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.