Pork Chops with Cinnamon Apples and Cranberries

I think I've mentioned this before, but in case I haven't or you missed it, we have a fabulous meat market near our house.  We buy all our meat there! It's reasonably priced, humanely raised and we know we're supporting a small business.  All of their meat has such a great flavor to it! I've never had anything from there that I didn't enjoy.  Perhaps one of my favorite things they have is their stuffed pork chops and I really can't tell if its because they're stuffed.....or if its just their pork chops are that dang good!

Most times I'll cook my pork chops on an electric skillet.  The chops are pretty big and I don't have to worry about uneven cooking or fitting them all into my largest skillet on the stovetop.

Drizzle some EVOO on the skillet, sprinkle some garlic powder, pepper, salt and paprika over the tops of the chops.  Toss them in the skillet, turning once after about five minutes on one side.  Then put a lid on it.  Let them cook on their own on medium/high heat.

Chop up some tart apples--today I used Gala apples.  Depending on how many people you're serving will depend on how many apples you'll need, obviously.  Cut up four tablespoons of butter.  Place butter and apples in large sauce pan.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and about a tablespoon of brown sugar.  Cook on mediume heat for about 10-12 minutes, then add some cranberries.  Let the cranberries cook down;stirring every once in a while. 

The Ultimate Cookie Tray

Cookies, candies, oh my! If I could, I would open up a restaurant and specialize in baked goods.  Its really what I love (God help me!), pastries, pies, you name it! I have a few favorites I make every year for the cookie trays that I take to the holiday family functions.  I'll also link a few of the other blogs I've written in the past on fudge and various cookies.  Hopefully this will be your one stop shop in the holiday baking department!

Lets start with.....

Divinity. These lovely feather light candies are rarely seen, but they're quite phenomenal.  Hints of vanilla with a crunch of nut...to die for.  Here's what you'll need.

2 2/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup of water
2 Large Egg Whites
1 tsp of vanilla
2/3 cups of chopped pecans

Cook sugar, syrup and water over lowheat.  Stir constantly until sugar is dissolved.  Continue cooking without stirring until 260* is reached on a candy themometer.

In separate bowl, beat egg whites to hard peaks, then beat in syrup mixture into egg whites.  Beat approximately 10 minutes.  Add vanilla.  Beat until it holds shapes.  Fold in nuts.

Drop from buttered spoon onto wax paper, let stand 5 hours. 



Cookies:

This whole section is dedicated to the cookie.  I've linked in the chocolate chip, egg free chocolate drop cookies, russian tea cakes and PB cookies for convience as well.  But here are two of my favorites!

Double Chocolate Dreams:
5 oz unsweetened chocolate chopped
1/2lb of semi sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into four pieces
4 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups plus two tblsps flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Melt the unsweetened chocolate and 4 oz of the semisweet chocolate and butter in saucepan.

Using a whisk, beat eggs and sugar for 10 minutes.  Add vanilla and melted chocolate; mix until well blended.

Fold in remaining ingredients and remaining chopped chocolate.  Refridgerate 1.5hours.  By spoonfuls, drop cookies onto cookie sheet.  Bake at 350* for 15minutes.  Let cool on cookie sheet for five minutes before moving to wire rack.

Cut outs:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 large egg
2 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tarter

Mix powdered sugar, butter, vanilla and almond extract and egg in large bowl.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Cover and refridgerate for at least two hours.

Lightly grease cookie sheets.  Preheat oven to 375*.

Divide dough in half.  Roll 1/4 inch thickness on well floured surface.  Cut and bake 7-8 minutes.  Remove cookies immediately and let cool before frosting.

Sugar Cookie Frosting:
1 cup of powdered sugar
2 tsps milk
2 tsps corn syrup
1/4 tsp almond extract ( I also know folks that use vanilla, or lemon extract)

In small bowl, stir together sugar and milk.  Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing smooth and glossy.  If you want a thicker frosting....add more sugar.  Want a thinner one? Use 1 tsp milk and 1 tsp corn syrup until you get to your desired consistency.

Peanut Butter Bars:
1 1/2 cups of crushed graham crackers
1 stick of butter
1 lb of powdered sugar
1 cup of peanut butter

1 stick of butter
12oz chocolate chips

Mix PB, 1 stick of butter, graham crackers and powdered sugar.  Press firmly into a 13x9 pan.

Melt 1 stick of butter with the chocolate chips.  Pour over top.  Refridgerate until firm.  Cut into bars.

Gingerbread Men:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup of shortening
1 1/2 cups dark molasses
2/3 cup cold water
7 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp all spice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt

Mix brown sugar, shortening, molasses and water in large bowl.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  If your batter looks too crumbly, try adding some water and beat with a mixer.  It should be somewhat stiff, but not crumbly. 

Cover and chill for 1.5 hours.  Roll 1/4 inch thick, cut, place about two inches apart from each other on the cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes.  A good rule of thumb with these, is if you can touch them and there isn't an indentation left, then they're done.  They need to have just enough give to them as they seem to keep baking even after they come out of the oven.  Cool on a wire rack. 

A little note with this recipe, you will have PLENTY of dough for a few dozen gingerbread men and even a small house.  So don't double it unless you've got a lot of gingerbread lovers in your home.

 Snickerdoodles:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cream of tarter
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
2 Tblsps sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

In a medium mixing bowl beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add the 1 cup sugar, baking soda and cream of tarter.  Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.  Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.  Beat in as much of the flour as you with the mixer.  Grab the heavy duty mixing spoon....stir in the remaining flour.  Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Combine the 2 Tblsps sugar and the cinnamon.  Shape dough into 1 inch balls.  Roll balls in sugar-cinnamon mixture to coat.  Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 375* for about 10 minutes until they're lightly golden on the edges.  Remove from sheet and let cool on wire rack.

Clothes pin cookies/Mini Cream Horns (My Favorite!)
These are a slight pain to make, but well worth the effort.  If you have no self discipline, click that tiny X at the upper right hand corner and don't ever come back to this post ;) But if you're like me and have no shame....here you go...

About 100 wooden clothes pins, the old school ones, without the metal springs.

Pastry:
4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon butter or 1 tablespoon margarine
1 large egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
2 cups shortening

Filling:
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup shortening
1 tablespoon vanilla

CRUST: Mix flour, salt, powdered sugar, and butter for pie dough; then add beaten egg and water to mixture. Roll on a floured surface and spread 1 cup shortening on top of dough, fold up and place in fridge for 30 minutes. Roll out dough again on floured surface and spread remaining cup of shortening on top, fold and place in fridge for 2 hours. Roll out small batch of dough on floured surface (I divide dough into fourths).Cut into 6 x 1/2-inch strips and spiral wrap around clothes pins (overlap the dough, don't leave spaces).Bake on ungreased cookie sheets for 12-15 minutes at 370°. Remove from clothes pin while still warm (about 5 minutes after taking from the oven) to prevent breakage.
FILLING: Place all ingredients in bowl, mix well.Use a piping bag or cookie press to fill each cooled cookie. Dust with powdered sugar.

Links to more holiday baking goodness!

Russian Tea Cakes: http://sixdirtydishes.blogspot.com/2012/11/russian-tea-cakeswedding.html

Chocolate Chip Cookies: http://sixdirtydishes.blogspot.com/2012/11/chocolate-chip-cookies.html

Fudge: http://sixdirtydishes.blogspot.com/2012/11/fudge-chocolate-and-peanut-butter.html

Peanut Butter Cookies: http://sixdirtydishes.blogspot.com/2012/11/peanut-butter-cookies.html

Egg Free Chocolate Drop Cookies: http://sixdirtydishes.blogspot.com/2012/09/egg-free-chocolate-cookies.html

Chicken Salad

Chicken salad is one of my favorite things!  It goes on pretty much everything! Crackers, bagels, sandwiches....and it keeps for about a week in the fridge!  This stuff is packed with protein! It can be scaled to your liking.  Some like a lot of mayo with the chicken salad, others not so much.  So make it how you like it, but this is my basic recipe.

4 chicken breasts, boiled finely shredded
Half jar of sweet or dill pickels...or both!
1/2 cup of mayo
5Tbslps of mustard
6 hard boiled eggs roughly chopped

Boil up your chicken and eggs.  Finely shred and chop the chicken.  I have one of those biscuit cutters with the handles that works really well for this! If not, a pastry blender works great too! Shell the eggs, and chop those up with the chicken.  Add the pickels and chop.  Add mayo and mustard to taste.  This makes a pretty decent sized bowl so its great for lunches for the kids!

Chili

My oh MY do we love us some chili around here! Chili is one of those things that gets better with reheating, am I right? And its a budget friendly meal that can be converted a thousand different ways. 

Chili mac...


Chili dogs.....


Chili cheese burritos.....


Ok enough Bubba Gump.....


You can, as always, take out or add depending on your tastes.  I like it on the spicey side.  I've even tried the Pioneer Woman's version of adding Masa flour to thicken it and give it a sweetness.  You really just can't go wrong with it.  I'll get to the point now.


2lbs of lean ground beef
3cans of kidney beans, strained and rinsed
1 yellow onion finely chopped
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
3 jalepeno peppers, seeded and flesh removed to taste
1 green bell pepper, chopped and seeded
1 tomato chopped
3 tsps of cumin
3tsps cayenne pepper
3Tblsps of chili powder
1 can of tomato paste
1 1/2 cups of water

In a large stock pot, combine ground beef, onion, garlic, jalepenos, bell pepper, cumin, cayenne pepper and chili powder.  Brown and crumble ground beef.  The fat should mostly cook off.  You shouldn't have to do much straining if you're using lean beef.  If you're not, then strain the fat.  Its okay if you have some.  Add water, beans, tomato and tomato paste.  Let it come up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Garnish with sour cream, cheese or whatever you're into!

If you would like to try the Pioneer Woman's version, instead of adding just the water.  Place water and a 1/4 cup of Masa flour in a measuring cup.  Whisk it around to get the lumps out.  Then add it to your beef mixture with the rest of the ingredients.  The Masa will give it a sweet flavor. 

Pico and Tacos

I learned to make Pico a long time ago.  Its the most amazing stuff ever.  I prefer it over salsa any day of the week. I use it in tacos, add on top of chicken, even mix it in with some huevos in the morning.  YUM!  Super easy, makes a good size batch and if stored correctly ( I store mine in a glass mason jar) it stays fresh for a couple weeks.

1 red onion, finely chopped
6 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
4 jalepeno peppers, finely chopped
The juice of one lime

Seed and chop your tomatoes.  Place in a bowl.  Add onion, cilantro and peppers.  Mix with hands to get it all incorporated.  Squeeze out the juice of the lime and mix with hands again.  Flavors always depend on the vegetables you're using, depending on the maturity of the vegetables, their breed, the time of year...etc.  So if you want a little more kick...add more pepper.  Not onion-y enough? You know the drill!

I use Pico to flavor the taco meat instead of seasoning from a package.  I think it tastes so much better and has more of an authentic flavor.  So, if you're making tacos, this time I did chicken tacos.  In a large skillet over medium heat, add two tblsps of EVOO with a few spoonfuls of the pico.  I assure you, its all the flavor you'll need! Occasionally, you'll be able to find enchilada queso or queso blanco.  I like to add that onto the tacos instead of the usual cheddar cheese.  Any kind of white queso is going to improve Mexican night at your house.  Guarnteed. 

Tonight I rolled these up and baked them to get all the cheese melted.  Not exactly a burrito, taco or enchilada....still...amazing.

Lasagne

Call me crazy, but I hate the no boil noodles they have for lasagne.  I just don't think they have enough gusto! So, I do it the old school way.  I boil those bad boys! Naughty noodles! Getting sidetracked....

Let's make lasagne!


1 box of lasagne noodles....I guess if you really wanted to I'll allow no boils
I used some pureed spaghetti sauce I had canned from the summer, but they do sell crushed tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano that works wonderfully here too!
1/2 pound of ground italian sausage
1/2 pound of ground beef
1 container of ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese has worked well too!)
1lb of shredded mozzerella cheese (or if you can find the combo cheese packs-mozz,provalone, romano and parmesean those are handy!)

Boil up those noodles up.  Brown the sausage and ground beef.  Set aside.  Strain the noodles.  In a 13x9 pan, layer the noodles first, ricotta, meat, sauce then cheese.  I like to use a layer of two noodles, but you can do whatever.  When you have it assembled.  Cover with some foil.  Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes.  Remove foil, check progress.  Yours might be done a littler earlier! If not, let it go for another 15.  Always keep an eye on it, as our ovens most likely run at different temps!

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Oh do I love mac and cheese! The good kind, not the box kind.  I could seriously eat a whole pan of this stuff.  I made this to keep in the fridge for the week/weekend.  I'll heat some up in the morning and throw it in the thermoses for the kids to take in their lunches.  Its a nice little break from the soup. So here's what you'll need....

1 box of macaroni ( I use whole grain)
1lb of cheddar cheese
1/4 cup of flour
2 tsp of ground mustard or to taste
some ground black pepper to taste
2 1/2 cups of milk
1 egg, beaten
half stick of butter
1/4 cup of your choice of bread crumbs

Cook your macaroni according to the package.  Strain and set aside.  In a large stock pot on medium heat, place butter and flour in.  Whisk together until butter is melted being sure not to burn the flour.  This will be the thickener for the sauce.  Add milk.  Heat to a low boil, whisking occasionally.  Beat the egg in a separate bowl.  Scoop out about a 1/2 cup of the milk mixture.  Slowly add the half cup to the egg and gently stir.  This makes the egg rise to a warmer temperature, so that when you add it to the pot, you won't have a scrambled egg!  When egg has been tempered, add to the pot.  Add seasoning, then cheese.  Stir  until cheese has melted.  Add macaroni and stir to coat.

Transfer mac and cheese to a buttered 13x9 inch pan.  Top with some bread crumbs(panko works great!).  Transfer to a 400* oven for about 20 minutes. 

Garlic and Parsley Seared Sea Scallops

This can be an extremely elegant meal if you want it to be! Its incredibly simple and can be used as a main dish or appetizer, or even to accompany a steak! I like to pair scallops with honey glazed carrots and a romaine salad.  Glass of Chardonnay? Don't mind if I do! See what I was saying about elegant?

Peel and grate 4 cloves of fresh garlic into a large skillet, drizzle a couple tablespoons of EVOO, 1 tablespoon of butter.  Give it a quick stir over medium heat.  We want the garlic to be evenly distributed.  Finely chop some fresh parsley and sprinkle over the top of the pan.  You'll only need a couple tsps.  No need to be exact here.

I have two lbs of sea scallops.  Those are the big fellas.  You may or may not need to remove the muscle.  I didn't have to remove mine.  Bonus!

Add your scallops to the pan.  Cook on each side about ten minutes, maybe a minute longer or so depending on the size of the scallop.  A good way to tell if your scallops are done cooking, is they should give a slight bounce back when you poke them.  If they feel mushy, keep cooking.  These are phenomenal!

Easy Like Sunday Morning Sausage Gravy

I often make biscuits and gravy when the hubby is home.  I have my own biscuit recipe posted in the blog somewhere that is simply fabulous! I was a slave to the package mix for a long time, until I figured out how incredibly easy it was to make gravy on my own.  So this morning....ok 11am...I finally made myself some breakfast and pulled the recipe out the arsenal.  I like my gravy with lots of pepper and sausage.  So the recipe is totally adjustable, but this is the base.

About 1lb or more of sausage
1/3 cup of flour plus a couple tsps if needed
2 cups of milk
salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet, crumble and brown the sausage.  Add flour and gently stir in the milk on medium heat.  Salt and pepper.  Let cook until gravy has reached desired thickness. 

 

Enjoy :)

"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"- Jim Brickman