Stuffed Pork chops

Pork chops were on sale this week! So like the good Eastern European girl I am, I am going to stuff them with bread and fat and have a wonderful meal.

For the stuffing;

If you choose, you may certainly use a pre made stuffing.

I had some beautifully stale sourdough bread in my fridge just begging to be made into stuffing. So I cubed it up and put it in a cake pan with some olive oil and a handful of herbs and salt and pepper and into the oven it went to toast up all yummy-like. As soon as I could smell it upstairs I came-a-running and poured some chicken stock over the top of it to soften up the pieces. Why, you ask, put it in the oven to toast up then? Because Brown = Flavor.

Then, to your pork chops. Butterfly those bad boys. Meaning what? You ask. Slice their thickness in half, but not all the way through. So they open up like butterfly wings and you have a nice pocket for which to put that tasty stuffing.

Pack the stuffing in tightly. You don't want it to fall out when they are baking. Season with salt and pepper. Bake at 350 degrees until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 155 degrees and then let them sit for 10 minutes for the carryover cooking to happen (the temp should be at 160 in the end).

Minestrone Soup from Stephanie

Sorry it has been a while. I meant to help Krista out while her lungs were on the fritz. But here we go. I made a phenomenal (if I do say so myself) minestrone soup.

Here's what you need:

Stock

Carrots

Onion

Green beans

Kidney beans

Crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce (I hate tomato chunks, but do what you like)

Tomato paste

Garlic

Dried rosemary, basil, oregano, thyme (or the italian seasoning mix in your cupboard)

Parmesan cheese rind

1 lb box of pasta of your choice

I had some chicken stock and a ham bone, so I made broth with the bone and combined the two.

There it is simmering away. Then I had to let it sit in my tundra of a garage to chill for a day or so. This way, I can scrape the fat off the top and the flavors have a chance to get cozy and wonderful together. Keep in mind, you can use stock in a box too. Don't be scared away!

Dice up your veggies and pop them into the pot. Please for the love of all that is holy, drain your beans and rinse them under fast running water until they stop "sudsing." If you don't, then I claim no

responsibility for the gas that will ensue. That thick sodium packed liquid your beans are packed in will throw your gut for a very unpleasant and uncomfortable night. Just sayin'.

Pour in your crushed tomatoes (I had made some tomato sauce

the other day and just used my leftovers) and your tomato paste and herbs.

Cut up your parmesan rind into a few big chunks (yes, you can leave it out and use a few tablespoons of grated parm) and plop that in your pot too. And finally, a box of pasta. I had shells. Let your pasta cook till al dente and then top with a sprinkle of more parmesan and Serve!

Italian Sausage and Bell Pepper Risotto

Unfortunately, this will be the last pork recipe to grace the pages of my blog. This is the recipe that sent my mild allergy to my beloved piggy meat over the edge and landed me in the Emergency Room last night. It is indeed a sad day for my cooking adventures as I have a deep and abiding love affair for all things bacon and sausage. To show how greatly this love affair is: I have approximately 50 lbs of pork meat in my freezer: pork roasts, pork tenderloins, homemade sausage, bratwurst, wild hog slabs. People buy sections of cow? I buy Pig like that too! Maybe I'll have a giveaway contest on my blog for Pork! LOL

Anyway, I will not regale you with the details of my horrific allergic reaction as it will detract further from my new recipe (that I will never get to make again). Maybe I will remember this recipe more fondly then it actually warrants but what can I say, its the last pork I shall ever eat. ::cries a bit::

Go forth into the sweet kitchen yonder dear piggy meat.

Italian Sausage and Bell Pepper Risotto

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
4 tbs butter
2 tbs oil
2 tbs crushed garlic
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups white wine
5 links Sweet Italian Sausage
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and diced
1 yellow bell pepper, deseeded and diced
1 1/2 cups risotto rice
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
1/2 cup shredded romano
3/4 cup mozzerella
1/4 cup chopped fresh italian parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat stock in sauce pan on stove. (bring to boil and then lower to simmer). Pierce sausage and place in heated oil to sear outsides. Add about 1/2 inch of water (do this AWAY from burner as adding water to hot oil/grease can make it pop and splatter causing a fire expecially if you are using a gas stove). Simmer sausages, turning occasionally until almost done. Remove and coin sausage links.

The water should have cooked out of the pan leaving oily sausage drippings. To this add your butter, onion, garlic and peppers. Cook until tender. Add the rice and cook until coated well. Begin adding chicken stock about a half cup at a time. Wait until liquid is absorbed and add more. About half way through the chicken stock, add your white wine. When liquid is absorbed continue with chicken stock.

When you are down to the last of the chicken stock use the empty saute pan to reheat your sausage coins and brown them off. I add my parsley in here so it sautes (will turn black though so if you want the rich green color add it to the rice or at the very end). (you can also use dried if you are going to add it to the rice or as garnish).

When rice is done and creamy, add your cheeses and top with sausage coins.

Serve immediately.

Sausage & Mushroom Penne Pasta

This is a recipe that is running around in various forms on multiple blogs. I believe someone mentioned it started in an issue of Gourmet magazine. It's a super easy recipe but I think it is hillarious that someone said "place in Flame Proof baking dish." Errr Okay. I HOPE YOUR OVEN doesn't catch on fire but just to be safe! *wink*. Seriously though, this is a very hearty dish that is light in the flavors blended perfectly. Great for a cold night and perfect for company.

Sausage & Mushroom Penne Gratin

Ingredients:
1 lb dried Penne (1 box)
1 1/4 pound Mild Italian Sausages
2 tbs olive oil
1 package mushrooms (about 10 ounces to 1 lb)
3 tbs crushed garlic
1 tbs dried parsley
1 1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup grated/shredded parigiano/romano cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella

Directions:
Cook Penne till al dente or a little more but not much because they need to hold their shape and not be too soft. Reserve 1/2 cup of water and then drain pasta and place in 9 x 13 baking dish. Sprinkle noodles with dried parsley.
Remove sausage casings and cook in 1 tbs oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until done and chopped finely. Transfer to bowl but leave juice/oil in skillet. Add remaining tbs oil, mushrooms and garlic and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally until mushrooms are done (3-4 minutes).
Add sausage back in along with cream, pasta water, salt, pepper and boil stirring once or twice until starting to thicken. Pour evenly over pasta.
Stir in cheeses and broil about 5 minutes watching carefully so you don't burn the cheese. Serve hot.

Peirogi Lasagna

I was browsing several cooking blogs the other day and came across Peirogi Lasagna. I thought "wow, this sounds great!" My imagination made it a little better than it actually was. It was OKAY but a little bland and oily in my opinion even AFTER I spiced it up with some Kielbasa. I may come back to this in the future and play but for now, its being sidelined. The only differences to the recipe (which is why I'm not reposting) is that I added sliced Kielbasa, some italian herbs and instead of milk I used about 1 cup of cream because the potatoes were too dry.

Mango Glazed Pork and Asparagus

The Foodie Blogroll in conjunction with the National Mango Board issued a challenge this month to incorporate Fresh Mango's with leftovers for scrumtious new dishes. To be perfectly honest, I have NEVER used Mango in any dish. This is something I had to try! I haven't exactly used it with any leftovers yet, but that is next on my list. I did experiment with flavors and mango. One catastrophe of a Mango Salsa later (don't ask) I decided to go with a straight up Mango Glaze on a pork Roast with asaparagus. Two seasonal items that are easily found in the stores right now. I was very proud of myself as this was completely from scratch.

Mango Glazed Pork with Asparagus

Ingredients:
1 Pork Roast
1 Mango
1 Whole Pineapple
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp Rosemary
1 tbs Parsley
1 lb asparagus
3 tbs butter
1 cup orange juice
Salt

Directions:
Place Pork in roaster pan, salt well, pour orange juice over it and roast for about an hour until thermometer registers about 160 degrees. Meanwhile cut tough ends from asparagus and lightly boil in salted water until slightly limp.

In a bowl mix diced pineapple and mango wiht the honey, brown sugar and herbs. When roast is at 160, pour fruit glaze over the top and cook for another five minutes until juices in bottom of roaster mix with the dripping fruit glaze juices. Add asparagus to bottom of pan in the juices and place butter on top. Cook for another 5-10 minutes until roast is done and asparagus is hot and tender.

Serve. The fruit sugars really come out and it is so sweet and soft against the savory of the herbs and pork. YUM!

Sourdough Sausage Stuffing

Hands down, one of the best "dressings" I've ever had. The sourdough bread gave it a rich flavor while the sausage and herbs gave it a kick and bite. This was inspired by a Cooking Light Recipe but I modified it and made it truly southern and full of fat and Thanksgiving. It's a holiday, who needs light?

Ingredients:
1 lb sage sausage
1 medium onion chopped
4 ribs of celery cleaned and chopped
3 tbs dried parsley
2 tsps rubbed sage
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 loaf cubed sourdough bread (little over 1 pound)
1 (16 ounce) can chicken broth

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 and spray coat 9 x 13 casserole dish. Brown sausage in skillet over medium heat. Remove sausage and in drippings saute onion and celery about 3-4 minutes. Stir in parsley, sage, thyme, salt, marjoram and pepper. Add sausage back in to pan and heat all ingredients. Place cubed bread into casserole dish, add sausage mixture and mix gently. Pour Chicken broth over mixture and toss until coated. Cover and bake for 15 miutes. Uncover and bake an additional 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Spinach Pork Tenderloin

As I have aged, I have truly come to appreciate the simple Spinach plant. This is a dark green leafy veggie full of iron. True to Popeye Fashion, I eats me Spinach. I include spinach leaves in salads, on sandwiches, in dips and quiches. Pretty much anywhere I think spinach will fit, I put it. I came upon a delightful little recipe in an old edition of Taste of Home (2000). With a few changes, this is probably going to be one of my new go to recipes for pork tenderloin. It quite possibly was the most juicy flavorful tenderloin without masking the true flavor of the meat. Simply Delicious.

Spinach Pork Tenderloin


1 Package frozen chopped spinach-thawed, drained and squeeze dried
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove minced
3 tbs butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 boneless pork loin /roast (about 3 1/2 lbs)
1/4 cup orange pineapple juice
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs ketchup
1 1/2 cup sour cream
3 tbs prepared horseradish
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp course salt
1/2 tsp dill

Directions:
In skillet, saute onion and garlic in butter until tender. (wait a minute or two after onion to put garlic in so it doesn't burn). Separate roast into two pieces. Pound out the two pieces with tenderizer and sprinkle with course salt. Spoon onion/garlic on one side. Top with the second piece of meat. Tie with kitchen string or stake with tooth picks. Place in tinfoil lined casserole dish or shallow roasting pan.

In bowl combine the orange juice, soy sauce and ketchup. Poru half over roast. Bake, uncovered at 350 for an hour. Baste with remaining orange juice mixture. Cover and bake 1 hour more or until a meat thermometer reads 160. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. (The meat will continue to cook a bit when you remove from oven if you leave it tented/covered). I let it rest ten minutes in a covered state and then five uncovered.

In a sauce pan, combine sour cream, horseradish, mustard, salt, dill and reserved spinach. Cook over medium heat just until heated through. Do not overcook or boil. Serve warm with a slice of pork roast on top. (10-12 servings)

>

Cajun Potato Salad

I whipped up this dish last night. It is very easy and is a meal in itself. My husband LOVED this dish and asked me to make it again. It's a little vinegary for my taste but I think the recipe has merit. I would prefer a bit more mustard and a little less vinegar to balance the flavors a bit better. (but then again, I'm a southern American who loves a good old fashioned potato salad which is mayonnaise and mustard based! LOL).

TIP: Most chef's and cook's use a Scrap Bowl or sink while they are cooking. It's much easier when you are peeling veggies, fruits or deboning meat to have something right there to put your left overs in. Whenever I'm using breads, fruits or veggies, I try to do this and send them to Dad's chickens. They LOVE scraps and I get the eggs! You can clearly see my Green Scrap bowl and my basket of beautiful fresh fruits and veggies that is my inspiration this week on my counter.

Happy Cooking!

Cajun Potato Salad
Ingredients:
2lbs small red potatoes unpeeled ( I used half red and half Idaho and peeled them because I needed to use up some potatoes that were sprouting)
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2-3 green onions finely chopped/sliced
3 tbs dried parsley or 1/4 cup fresh chopped
6 tbs cider vinegar, divided (I prefer a little less)
1/2 lb precooked kielbasa sausage sliced
4 tbs olive Oil
1 tbs Dijon mustard
2 tbs chopped garlic
Pepper to taste
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:
Cook potatoes in boiling salted water for 20 -30 minutes. Do not overcook or they will get mushy like mine did. Drain. Rinse with Cold water to stop the cooking process. Cool completely. Cut into 1/4 inc slices instead of dicing them for a better aesthetic look than mine had. Place in a large bowl. Add onions, parsley, and 3 tbs vinegar. Toss.
In a medium skillet, cook sausage in oil for 5-10 minutes until sausage is browned. Remove but leave oil in the pan. Add mustard, garlic, pepper and cayenne plus remaining vinegar to skillet. Bring to simmer, whisking constantly. Pour over salad; toss gently. Serve hot.