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Brown Sugar Bourbon Pork Chops

Brown Sugar Bourbon Pork Chops

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with Apple Pan Sauce, Scallion Mashed Potatoes & (Brussels Sprouts or Green Beans)

Yield: 2 Servings

Brown Sugar Bourbon Seasoning is a mix of savory smoke and sweetness adds mouthwatering flavor to juicy pork chops.
Prefer your Brussels extra crispy? In step 2, arrange them cut sides down on the baking sheet. The flat sides provide more surface area for browning, which allows for deeper caramelization and crispier sprouts. Try this technique again the next time you roast potatoes.

  • 12oz red potatoes
  • 2scallions
  • 1TBS chicken stock concentrate
  • 8oz Brussels sprouts or 6 oz green beans
  • 1apple
  • 10oz pork chops
  • 2-3tsp brown sugar bourbon seasoning (McCormick’s Grill Mates)
  • salt and pepper
  • 2TBS sour cream
  • 1tsp olive oil
  • 2tsp cooking oil
  • ½tsp sugar
  • 2TBS butter


Cook potatoes:

Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce.

Dice potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Place in a medium pot with enough salted water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 15-20 minutes. Reserve ½ cup potato cooking liquid, then drain and return potatoes to pot. Keep covered off heat until ready to mash.

Roast sprouts & prep:

While potatoes cook, trim and halve Brussels sprouts lengthwise.

Toss on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Roast until lightly browned, 20-25 minutes.

-or-

Roast beans & prep:

While pork cooks, trim green beans if necessary. Toss on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Roast on middle rack until lightly browned, 12-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, halve, core, and dice apple into ¼-inch pieces. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

Cook pork:

Pat pork dry with paper towels and season all over with Brown Sugar Bourbon Seasoning.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes per side. TIP: If pork begins to brown too quickly, reduce heat to medium. Turn off heat, transfer pork to a plate. Wipe out pan.

Make pan-sauce:

Heat 1 TBS butter and a drizzle of oil in pan used for pork over medium-high heat.

Add apple and scallion whites, season with salt and pepper.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 4-6 minutes.

Stir in stock concentrate, ½ cup water, and ½ tsp sugar.

Cook until sauce has thickened, and apple is tender, 5-7 minutes.

In the last 2 minutes of cooking, return pork to pan until warmed through.

Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat.

Mash potatoes:

Mash potatoes until mostly smooth.

Stir in scallion greens, sour cream, 1 TBS butter, and a splash of reserved potato cooking liquid.

Season with salt and pepper. Keep covered until ready to serve.

TIP: If needed, add more reserved potato cooking liquid a splash at a time until potatoes are smooth and creamy.

Serve:

Divide pork, mashed potatoes, and (Brussels sprouts or beans) between plates. Top pork with apple pan-sauce and serve.

Creamy Lemon-Herb Pork Chops

Creamy Lemon-Herb Pork Chops

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with Balsamic-Glazed Brussels Sprouts & Carrots

Yield: 2 Servings

Lemon, mixed with classic herbs on pork chops seared in Italian seasoning, then covered in a buttery, lemony crème fraîche sauce. For a side, roasted carrots and Brussels sprouts drizzled in a balsamic glaze.

Prep: 10 Cook: 35

  • 8oz Brussels sprouts
  • 1lemon
  • 1oz chicken stock concentrate
  • 5tsp balsamic glaze
  • 9oz carrots
  • 1clove garlic
  • 1TBS Italian seasoning
  • 10oz pork chops
  • 2TBS cream cheese
  • 2TBS crème fraîche
  • salt & pepper
  • 5tsp cooking oil
  • 1TBS butter

Prep:

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450°F. Wash and dry produce. Trim and halve Brussels sprouts lengthwise (quarter any larger sprouts). Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into ½-inch-thick pieces (halve any larger carrots lengthwise first). Peel and mince or grate garlic. Zest and quarter lemon.

Roast veggies:

Toss Brussels sprouts and carrots on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of oil, half the Italian Seasoning (you’ll use the rest in the next step), salt, and pepper. Roast on top rack, tossing halfway through, until tender and lightly browned, 20-25 minutes.

Cook pork:

Pat pork dry with paper towels; season all over with remaining Italian Seasoning, salt, and pepper. Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook until browned and cooked through, 4- to 6-minutes per side.

Tip: Press pork down with a spatula to ensure even browning. Turn off heat; transfer pork to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Wipe out pan.

Make sauce:

Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for pork over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Whisk in 1⁄3 cup water, stock concentrate, cream cheese, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Simmer, whisking, until thickened, 2- to 3-minutes. Remove pan from heat. Whisk in crème fraîche, 1 TBS butter, and a pinch of lemon zest until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Glaze veggies:

Once veggies are done, transfer to a large bowl. Add half the balsamic glaze and toss until evenly coated.

Finish & serve:

Slice pork crosswise. Divide pork and veggies between plates. Spoon sauce over pork and sprinkle with as much remaining lemon zest as you like. Drizzle veggies with as much remaining balsamic glaze as you like and serve.

Cheesy Smothered Mushroom Chicken

Cheesy Smothered Mushroom Chicken

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with Mashed Potatoes & Roasted Carrots

Yield: 2 Servings

  • 9oz carrots
  • 12oz potatoes
  • 1oz chicken stock concentrate
  • 4oz button mushrooms
  • 2scallions
  • 10oz chicken cutlets
  • 3TBS sour cream
  • ¼cup Monterey jack cheese
  • 1TBS cooking oil
  • 2TBS butter

Prep:

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce. Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into 1-inch-thick pieces. Trim and thinly slice mushrooms. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

Cook carrots & potatoes:

Toss carrots on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on top rack until tender, 25-30 minutes. Meanwhile, dice potatoes into ½-inch pieces (peel first for a smoother texture). Place in a large pot with enough salted water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 15-20 minutes. Reserve ½ cup potato cooking liquid, then drain and return potatoes to pot. Keep covered off heat until ready to mash. Swap in asparagus for carrots; roast on middle rack, 10-12 minutes.

Cook chicken:

While potatoes cook, pat chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 3- to 5-minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Mash potatoes:

Heat pot with drained potatoes over low heat; add half the sour cream and 1 TBS butter. Mash potatoes until smooth and creamy, adding splashes of reserved potato cooking liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper.

Make sauce:

Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for chicken over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and scallion whites, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened, 2- to 4-minutes. Stir in stock concentrate and ¼ cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook until slightly thickened, 1- to 2-minutes. Turn off heat; stir in remaining sour cream and 1 TBS butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Finish & serve:

Heat pan with sauce over medium low; add chicken and spoon sauce over top. Evenly top chicken with Monterey Jack. Cover pan until cheese melts, 1- to 2-minutes. Divide chicken, carrots, and mashed potatoes between plates. Spoon remaining sauce over.

Pork Chops in Cranberry Shallot Sauce

Pork Chops in Cranberry Shallot Sauce

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with Garlicky Roasted Potatoes & Green Beans

Yield: 2 Servings

Cranberry shallot sauce: Sweet, tangy cranberries with savory shallot give pork pizzazz.
Prep: 5 Min Cook: 35 Min Calories: 580

  • 12oz potatoes
  • 1tsp garlic powder
  • 1oz dried cranberries
  • 6oz green beans
  • 1shallot
  • 1TBS flour
  • 10oz pork chops
  • 1oz chicken stock concentrate
  • 4tsp cooking oil
  • ½TBS butter

Prep:

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450°F. Wash and dry produce. Dice potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Trim green beans if necessary. Halve, peel, and thinly slice shallot.

Roast veggies:

Toss potatoes on one side of a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss green beans on empty side with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 18-20 minutes.

Tip: If green beans are done before potatoes, carefully remove from sheet and leave potatoes roasting. Tent with foil to keep warm if needed.

Prep pork:

Place flour in a shallow dish, season with salt and pepper. Pat pork dry with paper towels and season all over with 1/2 tsp garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Working with one piece at a time, press pork into seasoned flour until fully coated.

Cook pork:

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add coated pork (shake off excess flour first), cook until browned and cooked through, 4- to 6-minutes per side.

Tip: Lower heat if pork begins to brown too quickly. Turn off heat, transfer pork to a plate. Wipe out pan and let cool slightly.

Make sauce:

Heat a drizzle of oil in same pan over medium-low heat. Add shallot, cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, 2- to 3-minutes. Add dried cranberries, stock concentrate, and ¼ cup water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 2- to 4-minutes. Turn off heat, stir in ½ TBS butter. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.

Finish & serve:

Add pork to pan with sauce and turn to coat. Divide pork, potatoes, and green beans between plates. Spoon remaining sauce over pork. Serve.

Irish Soda Bread

Irish Soda Bread

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Yield: 1

Sally’s Baking Addiction

Irish Soda Bread is a quick bread that does not require any yeast. Instead, all of its leavening comes from baking soda and buttermilk. This Irish soda bread recipe is my grandmother’s and has been cherished in my family for years. It’s dense, yet soft and has the most incredible crusty exterior. Buttermilk and cold butter are the secret to its delicious success!

  • 1¾cups buttermilk*
  • 1large egg (optional, see note)
  • 4¼cups AP flour (spooned & leveled), plus more for your hands and counter
  • 3TBS granulated sugar
  • 1tsp baking soda
  • 1tsp salt
  • 5TBS unsalted butter, cold and cubed*

Preheat oven & pan options: Preheat oven to 400°F. There are options for the baking pan. Use a regular baking sheet and line with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (bread spreads a bit more on a baking sheet) or use a seasoned 10–12-inch cast-iron skillet (no need to preheat the cast-iron unless you want to), or grease a 9-10 inch cake pan or pie dish. You can also use a 5-quart (or higher) Dutch oven. Grease or line with parchment paper. If using a Dutch oven, bake the bread with the lid off.

Whisk the buttermilk and egg together. Set aside. Whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter, a fork, or your fingers. Mixture is very heavy on the flour but do your best to cut in the butter until the butter is pea-sized crumbs. Stir in the raisins. Pour in the buttermilk/egg mixture. Gently fold the dough together until dough it is too stiff to stir. Pour crumbly dough onto a lightly floured work surface. With floured hands, work the dough into a ball as best you can, then knead for about 30 seconds or until all the flour is moistened. If the dough is too sticky, add a little more flour.

Transfer the dough to the prepared skillet/pan. Using a very sharp knife or bread lame, score the dough with a slash or X about ½ inch deep. (“Score” = shallow cut.)

Bake until the bread is golden-brown, and center appears cooked through, about 45-55 minutes. Loosely tent the bread with aluminum foil if you notice heavy browning on top. For a more accurate test, the bread is done when an instant read thermometer reads the center of the loaf as 195°F.

Remove from the oven and allow bread to cool for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm, at room temperature, or toasted with desired toppings/spreads.

Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. We usually wrap it tightly in aluminum foil for storing.

Pork Cutlets, Parmesan-Crusted

Pork Cutlets, Parmesan-Crusted

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Yield: 4 Servings

Adapted from theKitchn

Panko breadcrumbs give cutlets the crispiest exterior and the meat is lightly pounded just thin enough to let all that crispy breading shine without losing the structure of the chop.
The thing that makes this cutlet particularly good? The addition of finely grated Parmesan cheese gives the pork chop tons of delicious savory flavor, with all the crispiness you crave from a cutlet.

  • 2oz Parmesan cheese
  • 1cup panko bread crumbs
  • 2large eggs
  • 1¾tsp kosher salt, divided, plus more for seasoning
  • 4(½-inch thick) center-cut boneless pork loin chops (about 1 lb total)
  • ½tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ½cup plus 2 TBS olive oil, divided


Prep:

Add 1 cup panko and ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese to a shallow bowl, stir to combine.

Place the remaining Parmesan in a second shallow bowl.

In a third shallow bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs and ¼ tsp of the kosher salt until broken up with no streaks of egg whites.

Pork:

Pat four boneless pork chops dry with paper towels. Working with one pork chop at a time, place in between two sheets of plastic wrap or large zip-top bag and pound with a rolling pin or the flat side of a meat mallet until ¼-inch thick. Season the pork with the remaining 1½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper.

Working with one pork chop at a time, dredge to completely coat in the Parmesan, then the eggs, and finally the bread crumb mixture, gently pressing the bread crumbs into the pork to adhere. Place on a large plate or baking sheet.

Fry:
Place enough olive oil in a large skillet to come half way up the cutlets. Heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add two of the breaded pork cutlets and fry until cooked through and lightly browned on both sides, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate or wire rack. Season with salt. Add additional olive oil to the pan and fry the remaining pork chops.

Serve.

Side dish suggestions:

Vegetables

Starches

Green Beans

Noodles, or short pasta

Asparagus

Homemade Rice-a-Roni CC

Broccoli

 Parsley Potatoes

Pasta with Shrimp & Broccoli

Pasta with Shrimp & Broccoli

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Yield: 2

Scott Nowell

A simple pasta with shrimp and broccoli. Easy and flavorful, it only takes about 30 minutes to put together.

  • 12shrimp (21-25), defrosted if frozen
  • 8oz penne, rotini or other pasta
  • 1head broccoli, trimmed into small florets
  • 4TBS extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 4TBS butter
  • 4-6large cloves garlic, sliced thin
  • ½cup dry white wine
  • fresh basil, chiffonade or chopped fine
  • 1pinch red chili flakes
  • salt & freshly ground black pepper


Pasta and broccoli:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and cook the pasta until al dente. DO NOT DRAIN. Use a spider to remove the pasta to a bowl. Stir a couple of TBS of olive oil into the pasta. Reserve a half cup of pasta water and set aside.

Add the broccoli to the boiling water. Cook until just tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, chill with cold water and set aside.

Return the pot to the burner and reduce heat to medium.

Sauté shrimp:

Add 4 TBS butter to the pot and melt. Add the garlic to the pan. Sizzle until aromatic, about 30 seconds.

Add the shrimp and a pinch of salt and cook until pink on both sides, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Finish:

Return the pasta, broccoli, shrimp, red pepper flakes and the half cup of reserved pasta water to the pot and stir to combine. Cook for a couple of minutes so the water reduces.

Add the basil, mix and add more olive oil to taste.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve.

Sam’s Friend Kate’s Mom’s, Neighbor’s Holiday Stuffing

Sam’s Friend Kate’s Mom’s, Neighbor’s Holiday Stuffing

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Yield: 10 to 14 Servings
Vance Neighbor’s Holiday Stuffing

Divide in half unless you want enough for an army. I made a half batch and used one 12-oz bag of stuffing. Fills a 9 x 13 baking dish.

  • 2lb Jimmy Dean Sausage, special sage recipe
  • 8TBS butter (1 stick)
  • 8celery stalks, sliced
  • 1large onion, chopped
  • 2Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped
  • 2cans GOLDEN mushroom soup
  • 1soup can water
  • 38 oz bags seasoned Pepperidge Farm stuffing crumbs

Brown the sausage in a LARGE skillet, breaking it up as it browns.

Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon allowing the drippings to remain.

Add the butter to the pan and brown the vegetables and apples. When celery is transparent, but still crisp (8-10 minutes), return the sausage to the pan.

Add the soup plus the 1 soup can of water. Stir to mix. Sneak a bite.

Now add the crumbs a little at a time. You will probably only need 2½ bags of crumbs. (Sneak another bite).

Correct the seasoning. Allow stuffing to brown a bit while adding crumbs, stirring occasionally.

Put the stuffing in a pan you can bake it in; (eat the crumbs that spill), store in the fridge until 1 hour before dinner. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes to an hour.

Chicken and Rice IP

Chicken and Rice IP

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Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from: Cook’s Illustrated

An Instant Pot take on classic chicken and rice using bone-in chicken breasts. Stirring the rice makes the dish gluey, so simply fluff it with a fork when incorporating the peas, lemon juice, and parsley.

  • 4(12-oz) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed
  • salt and pepper
  • 1TBS vegetable oil
  • 3carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
  • 1onion, chopped fine
  • 1½cups long-grain white rice
  • 4garlic cloves, minced
  • 2cups chicken broth
  • 1cup frozen peas
  • 3TBS minced fresh parsley
  • 2tsp lemon juice

Build Flavor: Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in pressure-cooker pot over medium-high heat until just smoking.

Brown: Set a 6-qt Instant Pot to the SAUTÉ HIGH setting. Add oil and heat until shimmering.

Brown chicken in two batches, skin side down, until golden, about 6 minutes; transfer to plate. Use additional oil if needed.

Pour off all but 1 TBS fat left in pot. Add carrots, onion, and ½ tsp salt and cook until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth. Using wooden spoon, scrape up all browned bits stuck on bottom of pot and brush any rice off sides of pot. Nestle chicken, skin side up, firmly into rice.

Pressure cook: Seal Instant Pot and set to MANUAL HIGH pressure for 15 minutes.

Quick release pressure, then carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.

Before Serving: Transfer chicken to serving dish and tent loosely with aluminum foil while finishing rice. Sprinkle peas, parsley, and lemon juice over rice, cover, and let stand until for 5 minutes. Fluff rice gently with fork and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with chicken.

Sous Vide Chicken Breasts

Sous Vide Chicken Breasts

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Yield: 2 to x Servings
Scott Nowell

Say hello to delightfully tender chicken breasts. Boneless, skinless or bone-in skin-on, both come out moist and luscious.

  • 28- to 10-oz chicken breasts, boneless, skinless or bone-in skin-on
  • salt & pepper
  • Lawry’s seasoning salt (Optional)
  • seasoning of choice, Herbes de Provence, Italian, Poultry, Five Spice, etc.
  • 1-2TBS cooking oil or clarified butter

Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 150°F/60°C in 7-quart or larger container.

Note: Do not use brined chicken.

Pat the breasts dry with paper towel. Season well with salt and pepper. It is fine to use more salt than normal. The slow cooking is well suited to absorbing the salt.

Place the chicken in a single layer in suitably sized zip-lock of vacuum seal bag(s). Gently lower bag into prepared water bath, and then clip top corner of each bag to side of water bath container, allowing remaining air bubbles to rise to top of bag. Reopen 1 corner of zipper, release remaining air bubbles, and reseal bag.

Cook for 90 minutes.

Remove bag with tongs.

Boneless, skinless breast: Open and serve boneless, skinless breasts.

Skin-on breasts: Heat the oil or butter in a skillet until shimmering. Place breasts skin-side down and cook for 2- to 3-minutes until you reach desired brownness. Serve.

Finishing steps – stovetop:

Remove the chicken from the bag, discard any aromatics (if using) and place it on a paper towel-lined plate. Pat it dry very carefully on both sides. Place a heavy cast-iron or stainless steel skillet with one tbsp / 15 ml of vegetable, canola, or rice bran oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Because skin-on chicken has natural insulation, it’s not necessary to use the super-high heat that is required for searing things like steaks or pork chops.

Carefully add the chicken to the hot oil, skin side down.

For best results, use a flexible slotted fish spatula or your fingers to hold the chicken down against corner of the pan in order to maximize contact between the chicken skin and the hot oil and metal. Tilting the pan towards the chicken to help the fat pool up under the skin can also help. Be careful, the chicken may splatter and pop as it sears. I recommend wearing gloves and long sleeves if you are very sensitive to small oil splatters.

Carefully lift and peek under the chicken as it cooks to gauge how quickly it is browning. Let it continue to cook until the skin is deep brown and very crisp. This will take about two minutes total.

Remove chicken from pan and let it rest until cool enough to handle, about two minutes.

As soon as the chicken is cool enough to handle, carefully remove the wishbone, which runs along the fatter end of the breast. It should pull right out (there may not be a wishbone if it was removed in-store).

Next peel the breast off of the breastbone by running your thumb in between the meat and the bone. It should come right off.

Use a sharp chef’s knife or boning knife to slice the chicken on a bias.

Cut the chicken into 3 to 4 thick slices to make it easier to eat when serving.

Serve the chicken immediately garnished with lemon wedges, extra virgin olive oil, or a vinaigrette or sauce as desired.

Safety:

While the USDA recommends 165°F (74°C) for poultry, sous vide allows for lower temperatures for longer times, which can still be safe.

Temperature and Texture:

140°F (60°C): Very soft and juicy, ideal for chicken salad when served cold.

145-150°F (63-66°C): Juicy and tender, a good balance for most applications.

150°F (66°C): Slightly stringy when served hot, but still juicy.

160°F (71°C): Traditional, juicy, firm, and slightly stringy when served hot.

Timing:

1 hour: Minimum time to ensure safety at 145-150°F.

1.5-4 hours: For softer texture, especially at 140°F.

Finishing:

You can finish the chicken in a pan with cooking oil, salt, and pepper, or a rub, or reheat in the water bath.