Skillet Pork Chops with Apples and Onions

Skillet Pork Chops with Apples and Onions

4 (6- to 8-oz.) bone-in pork rib chops (1 to 1 1/4 inches thick)

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

2 Granny Smith apples, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges

1 medium-size yellow onion, thinly sliced (root end intact)

8 small fresh thyme sprig

1/3 cup chicken broth 

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup Dijon mustard 

2 tablespoons sherry

Preheat oven to 375°. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Cook in hot oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove from skillet and place in a baking dish.  

Add apples and onion to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes or until browned. Remove from skillet and place in a baking dish over the pork chops.  Place the thyme sprigs over the apple mixture.

Add broth to skillet, and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to loosen browned bits from bottom of skillet. Whisk together cream and mustard; add to skillet, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until bubbly.

Remove skillet from heat, and stir in sherry. Pour over the pork.

Bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until pork is very tender. 

Adapted from a Southern Living recipe.  And this is very good!  

Cracker Barrel's Double Fudge Coca Cola Cake

Cracker Barrel's Double Fudge Coca Cola Cake

1 cup coca-cola

1/2 cup oil

1 stick butter

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

***Frosting***

1/4 pound butter

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

6 tablespoons cream or milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

1 pound confectioners' sugar

In a sauce pan, bring Coca-Cola, oil, butter and coca to a boil.  

In a large bowl, mix sugar, flour and salt.  Pour in the boiling liquid and beat well.  Add eggs, buttermilk, soda and vanilla and beat until well mixed.  Pour into a greased and floured 9x13" pan and bake at 350^F for 30-45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

For the Frosting, in a saucepan combine the butter, cocoa and milk and heat until the butter melts.  Beat in the remaining ingredients and spread on hot cake.  Cool and cut.

This was OK....not particularly memorable though.  And not very chocolate-y.  Also, the frosting was ridiculously sweet, which is not usually something I complain about.  

Navy Bean Soup

Crock Pot Navy Bean Soup

1 large onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb dried navy beans
1 cup mashed potatoes (prepared without milk and butter)
1/2 cup shredded carrot
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 meaty ham bone or 2 smoked ham hocks
32-oz carton chicken broth
Water
8-oz diced fully cooked ham
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley, if desired, to garnish

In a saute pan over medium-high heat, cook the onion and celery in the olive oil until vegetables are tender and starting to change color.

Place the washed beans, mashed potatoes, shredded carrot, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaves and ham hocks in the Crock Pot.  Add the sauteed onion and celery and the chicken broth.  Add water to cover beans by about 2 inches.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

About 1 hour before you're ready to serve the soup, saute the diced ham in the butter until it begins to brown a bit.  Stir into the soup and let cook until dinner-time!  Sprinkle each bowl with parsley if desired.

Good soup!  Adapted from a Taste of Home recipes (Contest-Winning Ham and Bean Soup)

Roast Beef and Cheese Salad

Roast Beef and Cheese Salad

3 heads baby romaine, chopped
3 tomatoes, diced
6 slices Colby-Jack cheese, diced
1 1/2 cups cubed, cooked, cold roast beef
1/2 cup French-fried onions, lightly crushed
3 Tbsp bacon bits
Croutons, if desired
Honey Mustard Dressing

Combine all ingredients except dressing and toss well.  Top with Honey Mustard Dressing just before serving.

Serves 3.

Easy Southern Peach Cobbler

Easy Southern Peach Cobbler

1/2 cup butter

2 cups sugar, divided

4 cups peaches, fresh or thawed frozen

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 cup all purpose flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup milk

Ground Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Melt butter in a 11X13 baking dish in oven.  Remove from oven when melted.

Mix flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.  Add milk and mix until just mixed. Pour batter into baking dish on top of butter.  Do NOT stir.

Bring peaches, remaining 1 cup of sugar and lemon juice to a boil in a medium sauce pan.  Pour peaches over batter.  Do NOT stir.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Bake for 40 – 45 minutes until the top of the cobbler is golden brown.

Serve with ice cream if desired.

Found on Pinterest...reportedly from Southern Living.  Really, really good!  

Marshall Field's Cheese and Pasta

Marshall Field's Cheese and Pasta

1 pound spiral pasta (or shells or macaroni)

3 cups whipping cream

1 pound sharp white cheddar cheese, grated (divided)

1/2 teaspoon dry ground mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Cook pasta in salted boiling water until tender. Drain, rinse and cool. Set aside.

Pour cream in heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium heat and warm slowly, stirring. Do not boil. When cream is hot, gradually whisk in 12 ounces of the cheese. Whisk in mustard, Worcestershire, pepper, cayenne and salt. Remove from heat.  (I cheated...I used the microwave to heat the cream in a large bowl for 3 minutes 33 seconds then I added the remaining ingredients and stirred for a couple minutes until the cheese was mostly melted.)

Set pasta in large bowl. Pour cheese sauce over pasta and toss well to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.  (I cheated here too....I buttered the baking dish and put the hot pasta in there and then stirred in the cheese sauce.  No point in messing up extra dishes!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter bottom of high-sided baking dish. There should be at least 1 inch of space at top of dish after pasta mix is added. Pour cheese and pasta mixture into dish. Top with remaining 4 ounces of cheese.

Cover and bake in preheated oven 40 minutes or until bubbling and golden brown.  

I've had this recipe for years but I can't remember where I found it....I clipped it out of a newspaper.  

This was very good!

Chicken in Sun-Dried Tomato and Parmesan Cream Sauce with Ziti

Chicken in Sun-Dried Tomato and Parmesan Cream Sauce with Ziti

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter

4 (6-oz) boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 cup sherry (or dry white wine or chicken broth)

1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1 tsp dried basil

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 - 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1-lb ziti, cooked al dente and drained

Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter melts.  Season the chicken 

with garlic salt and pepper and cook in the skillet until golden brown on both sides (about 10 minutes).

Remove the chicken to a plate and keep warm.  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring for 1 

minute.  

De-glaze the pan with the sherry, stirring to scrape up the browned bits.  Add the sun-dried 

tomatoes, basil, chicken broth, cream and grated Parmesan.  Bring to a boil.  Return the chicken to the sauce,

reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.  

Serve sauce and chicken over the cooked ziti.

Yum!  

Adapted from a recipe found on Pinterest.

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Sherry Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs

Sherry Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs

4 slices thick-cut applewood bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2.5 lbs boneless beef short ribs
Salt and Black Pepper to taste
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 large purple onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup dry sherry
1 carton low sodium beef broth

Preheat the oven to 350^F.

Cook bacon in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until evenly browned, stirring often, about 10 minutes.  Remove crispy bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large heavy casserole dish with a lid.

Generously season the short ribs with salt and pepper and brown them in the bacon fat in the same skillet on medium-high heat, 3-5 minutes per side, until well-browned and caramelized on all sides. Transfer the ribs to the casserole dish.  Ad the thyme and bay leaf to the casserole.

Reduce heat to medium and add the chopped onion to the drippings in the skillet.  Cook, stirring, until soft and golden brown, about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir the flour into the onions and cook 2-3 minutes until golden brown, stirring frequently.  Whisk in the sherry and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens.  Add beef broth and cook until mixture begins to boil.  Pour over the ribs in the casserole.

Put the lid on the casserole dish and bake in the preheated oven for 2-3 hours or until the ribs are very tender.  If the gravy isn't thick enough after the ribs are cooked, remove the meat to a serving platter and pour the gravy into the skillet used to prep everything and boil it until it reduces and becomes as thick as you want it.

Very tasty!

Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Roasted Apricot Chicken with Herbes de Provence

Roasted Apricot Chicken with Herbes de Provence

6-lb roasting chicken
2 Tbsp apricot preserves
2 Tbsp olive oil
Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Herbes de Provence
1-lb baby potatoes
1 pkg baby carrots
2 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 Vidalia Onion, cut into 8 wedges
2 large oranges, 1 sliced and 1 juiced
1 pkg dried apricots
handful of dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350^F and place the rack in the bottom third of the oven.  Wash the chicken, remove giblets and trim fat around cavity.  Place the chicken in a large roasting pan.

In a small bowl whisk olive oil, apricot preserves and juice from half an orange.  Brush the mixture all over the chicken then season it generously with sea salt, pepper and Herbes de Provence.

Place the potatoes (whole if small, otherwise cut them in half), carrots, celery and onion wedges around the chicken.  Squeeze juice from the remaining halved orange over the veggies and season them with sea salt, pepper and Herbes de Provence.  Toss in a handful of dried cranberries and the apricots.  Place the thinly sliced orange over the veggies and cover the pan with the lid (or seal with foil).

Bake at 350^F for 2 hours.  Remove the lid (or foil) and continue roasting until the chicken browns...about 15 minutes, basting every 4-5 minutes with the juices in the pan.

Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before carving.

I found this recipe on Pinterest and it is very good!  I'll definitely make this one again!

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Cookie Butter Krispie Treats

Cookie Butter Krispie Treats

4 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup Trader Joe's Cookie Butter
10-oz bag marshmallows
7 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Measure the Rice Krispies into a large bowl and set aside.  Butter a 9x13" baking pan.

Melt the butter and cookie butter in a large saucepan.  Add the marshmallows and, stirring often, melt them completely.  Stir in the cereal until well combined and pour into the prepared baking dish.  Let cool about 5 minutes then, with buttered hands, firmly press the mixture into the pan until nicely compacted and level.  Let cool completely.  Cut into bars.

Yum!  Adapted from a recipe found on Pinterest.

Spicy Slow Cooked Honey Ham and Sweet Potatoes

Spicy Slow Cooked Honey Ham and Sweet Potatoes

3 1/2 lb cooked boneless ham portion

4 med sweet potatoes, peeled and halved lengthwise

1 large onion, cut into thin wedges

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup pineapple juice

2 Tbsp butter, melted

1 tsp crushed red pepper

Place ham in 5-6 qt slow cooker.  Arrange potatoes and onions around it.  Combine remaining ingredients and pour over ham and veggies.  Cover and cook for 7-8 hours.  

I didn't like the way the outside of the ham tasted with the sweet potatoes cooked this way.   The inside of the ham (the part that didn't have the sweet potato flavor) was good and juicy though.  I would be willing to try this again WITHOUT the potatoes!  There was way too much liquid in the crockpot...not sure if it came from the ham or the sweet potatoes.  I don't remember where I found this recipe, but I've had it in my "to try" file for several years.

Chocolate Kahlua Pecan Pie

Chocolate Kahlua Pecan Pie

1 (9-inch) pie shell
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup butter
4 eggs, beaten
3 Tbsp Kahlua
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped

In a small saucepan combine the sugar, corn syrup and butter.  Cook over medium heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves.  Remove from heat and let cool for about 45 minutes.  Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325^F.

Spread the milk chocolate chips in the bottom of the pie shell and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, Kahlua, vanilla and salt.  Beat well.  Slowly pour the sugar mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly.  Stir in the pecans.  Pour gently into the pie shell over the chocolate chips.

Bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes or until set and golden brown. Serve warm or chilled with a dollop of whipped cream.

Very good...but I guess I'm a purist.  I like my Pecan Pie without the chocolate.  :-)

Adapted from the Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie recipe at allrecipes.com

Hoppin' John

Hoppin' John

3 Tbsp bacon drippings
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 Johnsonville Better with Cheddar Smoked Sausage links, sliced into 1/2" coins
1.5 cups cubed cooked ham
2 cups long-grain rice
Salt & Pepper to taste
1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 Tbsp diced pickled jalapenos
4 cups chicken broth
2 cans Black-Eyed Peas (or equivalent amount of cooked, dried peas)

Cook onion, celery and smoked sausage coins in the bacon drippings in a very large skillet until the sausage starts to get browned.  Add the rice, salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning and cook, stirring for about 3 minutes.  Add the chicken broth, jalapenos and black-eyed peas.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Cover tightly and reduce heat to low.  Simmer 20-25 minutes or until the rice is completely cooked.

Yum!