Braised Pork Chops with Orange-Mustard Sauce
Ingredients
Flour
2 9-10 oz. 1-inch thick pork Chops
1/4 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger root
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
Directions
Season chops with salt and pepper and lightly dredge in flour.
Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet with a cover over medium-high heat.
Brown chops, 3-4 minutes per side.
In a small bowl, stir together ginger root, orange juice, soy sauce, honey, mustard, and garlic.
Pour ginger mixture over chops. Simmer, covered,10 minutes. Place cooked chops on a serving plate; spoon the sauce over the pork to serve.
Honey- Baked Acorn Squash
Ingredients
1 small acorn squash
cut into 1-inch strips seeds removed
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon honey
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the squash skin side down in a baking dish.
Sprinkle the squash with the cinnamon, salt, and pepper, and drizzle with the honey. Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, or until browned at the edges and very tender when pierced with a fork.
Oven Fried Zucchini Sticks
Ingredients
Non-stick cooking spray
1 medium unpeeled zucchini
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
Spray the cookie sheet with non-stick spray or use parchment paper.
Combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish and set aside.
Cut zucchini in quarters lengthwise, and cut spears in half or thirds. Put zucchini spears in a plastic bag, add oil, close the bag, and shake so the spears are lightly coated with oil.
Roll each spear in the breadcrumb mixture to coat lightly.
Arrange coated spears in a single layer on a prepared cookie sheet.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until browned and crunchy.
Italian Stuffed Cabbage
AIny ground meat combinations can be used, including ground meat substitutes.
4 servings
Ingredients
1 head of cabbage placed in the freezer overnight and then thawed (it’s easier to roll wilted leaves and eliminates the boiling step
Remove 8 leaves and place them on a kitchen towel.
Tomato Sauce
2 cloves of garlic minced fine
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
2 fresh basil leaves minced
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 – 141/2 ounce can of chopped Italian tomatoes
Filling
½ cup water
2 cups meatloaf mix (ground beef, pork, and veal)
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg
Salt to taste
Directions
Combine the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl.
Place the filling ingredients in another bowl and mix well.
Cut the core out of the bottom of each cabbage leaf.
Place ¼ cup filling at the bottom of each cabbage leaf. Fold in the sides of the leaf and roll up. Place the rolls in a greased 8×8-inch pan. Pour the tomato sauce over the rolls and cover the dish with foil.
Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake the rolls for 30 minutes more.
Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds Russet potatoes 1 ½ lbs Yukon gold potatoes
2 cloves garlic
¼ cup salted butter at room temperature
1 cup milk, cream, or sour cream
Salt to taste
Directions
Peel and quarter potatoes, and place in a pot of cold salted water.
Add cloves of garlic and bring to a boil, cook uncovered for 15 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain well.
Heat milk on the stovetop (or in the microwave) until warm.
Add butter to the potatoes and begin mashing. Pour in heated milk a little at a time while using a potato masher to reach desired consistency.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
Braised Pork Chops
2 servings
Ingredients
2 boneless loin pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
1/4 cup of flour
1/2 onion sliced thin
½ bell pepper sliced thin
1/4 cup of sliced white mushrooms
1 cup. can of diced Italian tomatoes ( no salt added)
1 clove crushed garlic
1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper.
Dredge chops in flour.
Heat oil in a large skillet with ca over.
Brown chops on both sides. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Add onions, bell peppers, garlic, and mushrooms, and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add tomatoes and seasoning and stir well. Add the pork back into the mixture. Cover and let simmer for about 10 minutes or until the pork is tender.
Serve the pork with spaghetti squash and spoon the pan sauce over the pork and squash.
Baked Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
1 medium spaghetti squash
Olive oil
Kosher or salt and fresh pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Heat the oven to 375° F.
Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds and fibers with a spoon. Place on a baking sheet, cut side up, drizzle lightly with the non-fat olive oil and sprinkle with salt, and pepper,.
Bake for about an hour or until the skin gives easily under pressure and the inside is tender. Remove from oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Using a fork, scrape out the squash flesh a little at a time. It will separate into spaghetti-like strands.
Place in a serving dish and toss with the seasonings..
Pork Seasoning
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced dried onions
Combine all ingredients in a jar and stir well. Store in an airtight container.
To use: Stir 4 teaspoons of seasoning into 1 pound of lean ground pork and set aside for the recipe below. Save the remaining seasoning for another recipe.
Pasta Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 chopped garlic cloves
1 lb seasoned pork, see recipe above
2 tablespoons tomato paste
28 oz can of whole cherry tomatoes {Cento}
28 oz can fire roasted red pepper strips, undrained
5 fresh basil leaves,
2 pinches of sea salt
Pasta
1 lb bucatini pasta
Parmesan cheese
Directions
For the sauce
Melt the butter and olive oil in a large, deep skillet with a cover.
Add the seasoned pork to the pan and cook until lightly brown. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion softens, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook 1 mi ute. Add the remaining sauce ingredients.
Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, with the cover ajar cover cook the mixture until it thickens for 2 hours.
For the pasta
Cook the pasta according to package directions to just the al dente stage. Using tongs transfer the pasta from the cooking water to the pan with the sauce and cook gently for 2 minutes Serve in pasta bowls topped with grated Parmesan. add a green salad and bread if you want a fuller meal.
I prefer pork cutlets for this recipe, but you can use veal in this classic northern Italian dish.
Ingredients
1/4 cup flour
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus extra for shaving over the salad
1/2 cup dry Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 scallopini {veal, pork or chhicken}i, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness, about 6 ounces each
Vegetable oil
2 big handfuls of baby arugula or other salad greens
12 grape tomatoes, halved
Some fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
Place flour in one shallow bowl or pie plate and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place the beaten egg in a second dish. Combine parmesan and breadcrumbs in a third.
Dredge veal in flour, then egg. Allow excess egg to drip off, then transfer to breadcrumbs. Turn to coat evenly, pressing crumbs so they adhere. Transfer scallopini to a large plate.
Add oil to cover the bottom of a medium skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully add the scallopini to the hot oil. Cook, swirling pan occasionally until golden brown on the first side, about 1 1/2 minutes. Carefully turn with tongs and cook until the second side is golden brown, about 1 minute longer. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season immediately with salt.
Toss arugula, tomatoes, and basil s in a medium bowl with olive oil and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Place a scallopini on a dinner plate, top it with half the salad and shave parmesan over the salad. Serve with Ciabatta bread.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sesame oil, divided
1/4 medium onion, sliced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 large garlic clove, grated
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 oz shiitake, mushrooms, sliced
1 packager frozen dumplings { I used pork and ginger soup dumplings from Trader Joe’s)
3 green onions, sliced
If you like it little spice in the broth, add a pinch of cayenne pepper
Directions
Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a large saucepan. Add in the onion. Sauté 2-3 minutes until slightly softened. Add garlic and ginger. Sauté for 30 seconds. Add in the chicken broth, soy sauce, and mushrooms.
Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 5-6 minutes.
Add the remaining teaspoon of sesame oil and green onions. Simmer another 2-3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
Heat the dumplings in the microwave
Cut the corner of the soup dumpling bag open to allow steam to escape.
Place the soup dumplings on a microwave-safe tray.
Heat on high for 2 minutes, or until the dumplings are cooked through.
Let it sit for 1 minute before removing it from the microwave.
Place 3 dumplings in two separate soup bowls and pour the broth over the dumplings.
Chinese Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground pork
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons Thai chili sauce
1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
4 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Large lettuce leaves
Directions
In a large skillet, cook pork and onion over medium heat for 6-8 minutes or until pork is no longer pink and onion is tender, breaking up pork into crumbles.
Stir in hoisin sauce, garlic, ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, and chili sauce until blended. Add water chestnuts, green onions, and sesame oil; heat through.
To serve, place pork mixture in lettuce leaves; fold lettuce over the filling.
Oven Baked Fall Vegetables
Ingredients
2 large Sweet Potatoes, peeled
1 small Acorn Squash
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
½ teaspoon Sea Salt
1 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
2 tablespoons Honey
1 large sprig of fresh rosemary
Directions
Cover a large baking sheet or pan with foil. Preheat the oven to 425°F
Cut the sweet potatoes into wedges, and place them in a large bowl. Cut the bottom and tops of the acorn squash, then cut it in half. Remove the seeds with a spoon Cit the acorn squash into wedges, and add to the bowl.
Pour olive oil and salt onto the potatoes and acorn squash and mix well Add in the honey and cinnamon, and mix again.
Spread the rosemary leaves over the foil on the baking pan.
Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, place in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes, stirring halfway during roasting. Bake until the potatoes and squash are tender. Serve with pork chops.
Chrispy Baked Pork Chops
Ingredients
2 center-cut pork chops, 6 to 8 ounces each, 3/4 to 1 inch thick, trimmed of excess fat
1 cup cornflake crumbs
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 egg
Olive oil cooking spray
Directions
Place crumbs, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Mix well.
Place the flour in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, whisk egg and mustard until combined.
Spray a wire rack with nonstick cooking spray and place it on a rimmed baking sheet.
Dredge 1 pork chop in flour; shake off excess. Coat with egg mixture; let excess drip off. Coat all sides of the chop with crumb mixture, pressing gently so that the crumbs adhere to the chop. Transfer breaded chop to a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining chop.
After the vegetables have baked for 15 minutes, place the pork chops in the over,
Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the chops registers 155 degrees, about 30 minutes. Let rest on the rack for 5 minutes before serving.
Italian Breaded Pork Chops
Ingredients
¼ cup rice flour or All Purpose Flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 cup Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs
¼ cup Olive Oil
2 thin Pork Chops, about 5 oz each
Marinara Sauce, homemade or store-bought
Directions
In a shallow dish, beat together egg and mayonnaise.
In a separate bowl, place the flour mixed with salt and pepper to taste, and in another shallow dish place the bread crumbs/
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Dip each pork chop into flour, egg, and then into the bread crumbs, coating evenly.
Place coated pork chop in the skillet, and brown for about 4 minutes on each side.
Serve with warm Marinara sauce.
Baked Spaghetti Squash
I am not a fan of leftover spaghetti squash, so I was happy to find a small squash {about 1 ¼ lb} at my market that will be just the right size for two.
Ingredients
1 spaghetti squash
Non-fat cooking spray
Kosher salt and fresh pepper to taste
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
Directions
Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds and fibers with a spoon. Place on a baking sheet, cut side up, spray lightly with the non-fat cooking spray, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Bake at 350° for about an hour or until the skin gives easily under pressure and the inside is tender. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Using a fork, scrape out the squash flesh a little at a time. It will separate into spaghetti-like strands. Place in a serving dish and serve hot. Total servings per recipe will vary depending on squash size.
Parmesan-Roasted Green Beans
Ingredients
1 pound thin green beans (haricots verts)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Trim off the tough end of the beans and arrange the beans on a nonstick cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top and bake until the cheese melts and forms a crisp shell over the beans, about 10 minutes. Let the beans sit for a few minutes for the cheese to cool slightly. Lift the beans out onto a platter and serve.
Pork Chops
Ingredients
2 bone-in pork chops, center-cut, 1/2-inch thick
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 cup Italian flavored Panko crumbs
½ teaspoon salt
Directions
In a flat shallow bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, with the Italian seasoning.
Cover the pork chops with a light coating of mayonnaise. then place the pork chops in the breadcrumb mixture and coat all sides evenly.
Air-Fryer Directions
Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F.
Place breaded pork chops into the air fryer in one layer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, carefully flipping halfway through cooking. If cooking thicker pork chops, cook for 14-15 minutes.
Remove pork chops from the air fryer.
Oven Baked Directions
Preheat the oven to 425°F
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork chops to skillet and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer skillet with pork to oven. Bake until pork chops are crisp on the outside and the meat thermometer inserted into pork registers 150°F, about 20 minutes.
Panfried Potatoes
Ingredients
¼ cup olive oil
2 pounds of small Yukon Gold potatoes
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
4 cloves garlic, sliced
Flakey salt and freshly ground black pepper, for serving
Directions
Slice the potatoes into thin round circles. Heat the oil in a medium skillet along with the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and add the garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly brown and tenders for about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Zucchini Tomato Saute
Ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 fresh tomato, seeded and chopped
1 zucchini, sliced
¼ cup onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
12 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ cup diced fresh mozzarella cheese
Directions
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, zucchini, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper and stir to combine. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Top with the cheese. Top with the mozzarella and serve.
Asian Pork Chops
Ingredients
2 pork chops, bone-in
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon nam pla (fish sauce)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon peanut oil
Directions
Mix all the ingredients together except the pork.
Rub the mixture into the meat then place it in a sealed container and let it marinate for several hours.
Heat the oil in a hot pan. Remove the pork chops from the marinade and place in the pan to sear for 3 minutes on each side, until browned.
Transfer to the oven, sprinkle over the remaining marinade and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.
Stir-Fry Bok Choy And Vegetables
Ingredients
4 cups chopped bok choy, washed and dried in a salad spinner
1 carrot, peeled and sliced thinly on the diagonal
1 onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 oz can of water chestnuts, drained
1 tablespoon peanut oil
STIR-FRY SAUCE:
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons Asian chili sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Directions
Mix all the stir-fry sauce ingredients together in a bowl or cup. Stir well to dissolve the sugar.
Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high to high heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add oil and swirl around.
Add the bok choy plus 2-3 Tbsp. stir-fry sauce. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, or until pan/wok starts to become dry.
Now add another 2-3 Tbsp. sauce and continue stir-frying another 2-3 minutes, or until the bok choy is bright green and the white stems are softened but still crunchy.
Taste-test the bok choy with the sauce. Add more sugar if too sour for your taste, or more lime juice if too salty. Also, fresh minced chili or dried chili can be added if you prefer it spicier. If you prefer more sauce, add a little more, as desired.
To serve, lift out the bok choy and place it on a serving platter or in a serving bowl, then pour the sauce (from the bottom of the wok or pan) over. Serve immediately.
