Category: Pork

Brown Sugar Pork Chops

Pork

Happy Sunday fellow foodies! These pork chops were the best I have ever made! Bold statement, I know…Pork chops in this house are a pretty big deal, so when I said I was going to try a new recipe, I was met with a bit of skepticism. The girls love their pork, so it had to be good…
I decided not to alter my pan fried pork chop recipe too much. The end result was pretty amazing. Here is how it was done…

Brown Sugar Pork Chops

Ingredients
4 bone in pork chops
2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

salt and pepper both sides of your chops
3 bowls with the follow ingredients- coat your chops in order of these- add a bit of salt and pepper to each bowl
1- flour
2- 1 egg whisked
3- Mix your brown sugar in your bread crumbs
Coat the chops with each and add them in a cast iron pan on medium high heat. Cook each chop until both sides get brown..about 5 minutes or so per side (depending on size and if they have a bone or not).

Serve with your favorite sides…peas and mac and cheese. Oh, and a salad for mom.

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Sage Marinated Grilled Pork Chops

Pork

Hey all! I had planned on cooking my breaded pan fried pork chops, but opted for this dish instead. It all came about when Becca really wanted to help me cook. I let her go outside to the garden and cut me some fresh sage, so I came up with this recipe instead. Kids love helping in the kitchen!

Pretty simple really. Salt and pepper your chops. Put them in a ziptop bag with olive oil, ripped sage leaves (I think Becca got about 10 of differing sizes), and 3 crushed garlic cloves. I put them in the fridge for 30 minutes. You can totally do this longer, but I think 20-30 minutes is best for a minimum.

I used my cast iron grill pan. I turned up the heat and got my pan smoking hot. Then I cooked the pork on each side for about 6 minutes. This was for bone in med. thickness chops, so the time all depends on the pork chop’s size. I took it off at 145 degrees and let rest for a few minutes. I served them with a side of green beans and a cheesy tomato and onion orzo.

Cheesy Tomato and Onion Orzo- I  cooked the Orzo. Meanwhile, I sauteed onion, garlic, and 2 diced tomatoes in a good glug of olive oil with salt and pepper. Then I added in the cooked al dente orzo. I added about a cup of parmesan cheese and a cup of the pasta water. I mixed well until combined and cooked though.  Perfection!

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Sausage and Rigatoni

Pantry Raid, Pasta, Pork

I needed to take a trip to the grocery store today, but instead I opted to spend the day at the pool. Summer is almost gone for us, so I need to soak up all the last summer fun I can. Instead, I raided the fridge and pantry and decided to make this delicious dish. Sausage and rigatoni with a quick homemade marinara sauce. Family approved!

Sausage and Rigatoni

Ingredients

Sausage- I had kielbasa in the fridge. I think Italian sweet or spicy sausage would have been great with this. Even a ground sausage would be fine.
Rigatoni- use whatever pasta you have- bowtie, spaghetti, penne, etc.
1 onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 small can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons sugar
fresh herbs- basil, sage, oregano, and, marjoram
1 cup of mozzarella cheese

Directions

Use a large heavy pot. Add in a bit of oil. Cook your sausage. Take out of the pan and slice in to bite sized chunks.
Add in your diced onion. Cook for 3 minutes or so, then add in your garlic. Cook for another 3 minutes. Add in your tomato paste and mix for a minute or so. Then add in your cans of crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Mix together. Add back in your sausage. Simmer on low.

Meanwhile, cook your pasta. Drain and add in to your sauce. Add the cheese to the top and place in the oven under the broiler for 5 minutes or until your cheese begins to become bubbly and brown.

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Jambalaya

Chicken, Crockpot /Make Ahead Meals, Leftovers/ Freezer Meals, One pot meal, Pork, Seafood

This was an easy and delicious recipe. Even though it had a bit of a kick to it, my girls still ate it. They especially loved all the meat! I made a huge pot of this. I plan on having it again for dinner one night this week and freezing the rest for later. A great one pot meal!

Jambalaya

Ingredients

There are many recipes out there that call for “cajun spice”, but they really are just made up of all the following herbs and spices. I like to create my own combo, so add or omit any you don’t like.

1 packet andouille or smoked sausage (could sub chicken sausage) sliced into bite-sized pieces
3 boneless skinless chicken thighs (could use 1 large or 2 small breasts)
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2-1/2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder, chili flakes, cumin, AND cayenne pepper—(These are your “smoke and heat”, so add more or less depending on what you like)
1 tablespoon Old Bay
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons tomato paste
One 28 oz. can chopped tomatoes
1-1/2 cups long grain rice

Instructions

Heat the oil in a stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until hot.

Add the chicken and sausage. Cook thoroughly and take out and put to the side.

Add your chopped onion, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Cook for 5-6 minutes until soft. Add the tomato paste and mix together for a 2 minutes.

Add the rice and all of your spices and herbs. Mix well.

Add the canned tomatoes (juice included). Mix and add in half of your chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Mix well. Add in the rest of your chicken stock.

Lower heat to low. Cook covered for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked through.
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Lastly add the raw shrimp, chicken, and sausage. Gently stir in.

Cook for 5 more minutes until the the shrimp is firm. (Smaller shrimp may require less cooking time.) Stir periodically, if necessary, to keep from sticking.

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Spiced Rubbed Bacon Wrapped Brown Sugar Pork Loin

Pork

Epic dinner tonight, ya’ll! Well the title of this post pretty much sums it all. I found this End Boneless Pork Loin on sale and bought it figuring there was something I could do with it. I searched the Internet and my cookbooks and came up with this concoction. There is a little thing I have about pork. I am so scared of overcooking it. I actually would rather undercook it and then throw it back on the grill/oven/stove if needed. There is almost nothing sadder than overcooked protein. People are SO scared of undercooking that they go the opposite.

Have no fear! A cooking thermometer is here! I am still trying to get used to these devices. Digital is best, but just a regular one is fine to. Stick it in at an angle at the thickest part of your meat. I always want to stick it in straight, and that is a mistake. You want to make sure it goes through the entire thick part of the meat, just not straight to the bottom. You will not get a clear reading.

So here is my recipe for an amazing dinner. I served with mashed potatoes and peas. So good! I hope you give this recipe a try!

Spiced Rubbed Bacon Wrapped Brown Sugar Pork Loin

Ingredients and Directions

Pork Loin Roast

Spice Rub- 1 heaping teaspoon of chili powder, paprika, and cumin- 1/2 teaspoon each dried herb; oregano, thyme, marjoram, etc. use what you have. Add plenty of salt and pepper. Seasoning is a must, this is you chance for all the flavors to seep into the meat. Do not skimp. Spread on your pork.

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Bacon- enough to cover the pork- I used about 8 pieces.
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Roast in oven for about 25 minutes or until 115 degrees. Take out and add your glaze.
Brown Sugar Glaze- 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon mustard powder, 1 1/2 tablespoon honey. Use a pastry brush to slather all over your pork.

Put back in the oven until it reaches 135. Take out and let rest for 10-15 minutes. Should be about 145-150. Perfection for pork. In general, you would cook pork 20-30 per pound of pork. Mine was a smallish boneless loin, so it took about just under an hour.
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