Smoky Bacon Pork Chops

This is another recipe I tasted at Publix, and couldn't wait to make it at home.  I also discovered how yummy pork can be, and it was cheaper than I thought.  I sense more pork recipes in my future!

Smoky Bacon Pork Chops

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

•  4 thick pork chops (original recipe calls for bone-in, but I used boneless)
• 3oz pepper jack cheese, shredded
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 1/4 C cooked bacon pieces 
• 1/4 C light mayo
• 1 tsp chipotle pepper sauce
• 2 tsp mesquite seasoning

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425F.  Line baking sheet with foil.
2. Season pork chops with mesquite seasoning; place on baking sheet.
3. Combine cheese, onions, bacon, mayo, and pepper sauce.
4. Spread cheese mixture evenly over pork chops.
5. Place on middle rack; bake 8-9 minutes.
6. Turn oven temp to broil; broil 2-3 more minutes or until pork is browned and up to 145F.

Publix's Aprons recipe usually includes nutrition information, and this one weighs in at only 370 calories per serving.  Using the nutrition calculator on My Fitness Pal for the specific ingredients I used, the calories per serving came out to about 320. 

Om nom nom

The cooking time needs some adjustment.  I left it in a little longer than the recipe said, and it was still a little too pink in the middle when I cut into it, so I had to put it back in the oven for a few minutes.  I think it ended up getting a little overcooked in the end, though.  Maybe try 11-12 minutes, then broil for 2-3?  The pork chops definitely had a little kick to it, maybe a bit too much mesquite seasoning, though, so go easy on the seasoning.  I used real bacon bits because I keep them on hand and it was just fine.  I'm sure real bacon cooked fresh for the recipe would be even better, but it was so much easier to just use the ready to go bacon bits.  Overall, this was a pretty easy recipe to make.

The Verdict

Tony thought it "wasn't bad", and I thought it was quite yummy!  I will probably make it again sometime.  And I will definitely give more pork recipes a try!

Favorites Friday - Irish Soda Bread

This is a family favorite recipe that my mom passed down, but I believe it is originally from Betty Crocker.  It's pretty easy to throw a loaf together (and a double batch is just as easy), and doesn't take long since there is no rising time involved.  I think it is best the day after it is made, slathered with butter or margarine.  I like it best with raisins, and feel like it's missing something when I make it without them, but it's still delicious both ways.

Irish Soda Bread
Makes: 1 round loaf

Ingredients

• 3 T margarine or butter, softened
• 2 1/2 C all-purpose flour
• 2 T sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 C raisins (optional)
• 3/4 C buttermilk (I use Saco buttermilk powder)

Instructions
Mix dry ingredients together.
Cut margarine into dry ingredients.
Stir in raisins and enough buttermilk to make a soft dough.
Turn onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth (1-2 minutes).
Shape into round loaf ~6-7" diameter.
Place on greased cookie sheet.
Cut an "X" on top, ~1/4" deep with floured knife.
Bake at 375F for about 35-45 minutes until golden brown.
Brush with margarine near the end of baking time, if desired.

Lisa's cheat: don't bother with the floured surface or cutting in "X"; just knead by hand in the mixing bowl for a few minutes, then form into a round shape on the pan as best as you can.  The dough will be sticky, so it won't look perfect.

Favorites Friday - Cheesy BBQ Sloppy Joes

This has been a favorite of ours since I first tried it several years ago.  I came across this recipe in a Southern Living magazine, so I can't take credit for this awesomeness.  I was able to dig up the original recipe online here.

Cheesy BBQ Sloppy Joes
Makes: about 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 1 (14.5oz) can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 C ketchup
• 1/2 C BBQ sauce (we often use Sweet Baby Ray's or whatever's open)
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 2 T chopped jalapenos, from jar
• 1 T juice from jar of jalapenos
• garlic texas toast (1-2 slices per serving, depending on the size of the toast)
• shredded cheddar cheese, for topping

Instructions

Brown ground beef in large skillet; drain grease. Stir in tomatoes, ketchup, BBQ sauce, Worchestershire sauce, jalapenos, and jalapeno juice.  Cover and simmer about 10 minutes, until sauce has thickened.  While sauce is cooking, prepare texas toast.  Serve sauce mixture over texas toast and sprinkle cheese on top.

This is a good "grown up" version of Sloppy Joes that packs a lot of flavor.  The jalapenos add some spiciness, but you can adjust to your personal preference. (I love it spicy!) Combining with the garlic toast and cheese is what really seals the deal, though.  Be warned, this recipe is so "sloppy" that it just needs to be eaten with a fork! 

(Note: I tried to double the recipe once, but it was difficult to get the sauce to thicken up right with more in the pan.)

Grasshopper Cupcakes (Thin Mints)

I got a request to make my "Better than Thin Mints - Grasshopper Poke Cake" again for Sunday dinner, but I was in the mood to make cupcakes!  I took the basic concept of the cake, lightened it up (a little bit), and converted it into cupcake form.

 

Grasshopper Cupcakes
Makes 18-24

Ingredients

• 1 box devil's food cake mix,
• Eggs, oil, water according to cake box instruction
• 1 box thin mints
• 1 container cool whip
• 1 packet mint chocolate frosting flavoring
• 1/8 tsp peppermint extract
• 1/3C heavy cream
• 8oz chocolate chips 
• 1/2C Andes mint pieces for topping (appx)

Instructions

Mix cake mix according to box directions.  Place a thin mint cookie at the bottom of each cupcake liner, and cover with cake batter.  Bake according to box directions. Let cool.

Combine cool whip and mint chocolate flavor packet.  Add a few drops of green food dye (optional) and mix well.  Place in refrigerator to keep cool until ready to frost.

Make ganache: in a double boiler, warm heavy cream until it begins to bubble at the edges (do not burn!).  Remove from heat, and stir in chocolate chips until thoroughly melted.  Stir in mint extract.  Allow ganache to cool slightly; it should be thin enough to spread out over the top, but thick/creamy enough to hold in place without running off the cupcake.

Dip tops of cooled cupcakes into ganache.  If tops are not high enough to dip, pour a little over top.

Cool until ganache is hardened.  Pipe frosting onto cupcakes.  Top with Andes bits.

Enjoy!

The Verdict 

Another favorite!  I think these were about as big of a hit as the poke cake!  They are minty and sweet, without being too rich; the cool whip frosting helps keep it lighter.  The worst calorie offender of the cupcake is probably the ganache, which could be optionally left off to lighten it up a little more.

Baked Brie Bites

This is a pretty simple recipe that I adapted from here.

Baked Brie Bites
Makes 18

Ingredients

• 1 pkg puff pastry sheets
• 8oz brie
• 1C preserves/jam (appx)

Instructions

Thaw puff pastry according to directions.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Cut each puff pastry sheet into 9 squares.  (Pillsbury is folded into thirds, so that makes it pretty easy.)  Grease muffin/cupcake pans.  Place pastry squares over muffin cups, and poke in slightly.  Cut brie into evenly sized chunks (include the crust) and place one piece in the center of each pastry.  Top with about 1tsp of preserves.  Bake for about 15 minutes, until pastry is golden on edges (do not overbake).

I have made this recipe twice now, using a homemade caramel apple jam (tastes more like apple pie filling).  Both times, it was a hit!  They disappeared quickly, and everyone could barely wait until it was cool enough to eat.  Even people who said they weren't fans of brie thought it was good.  A few tips I have found after making this twice now: use the puff pastry when it is still cool, make sure to grease the muffin tins, bites are easier to remove from pan after cooling slightly but still warm.

(Note: looking back at the original recipe now, I see that it was for 24 bites; the puff pastry sheets were cut into 12 pieces each.  Either way would work just fine.)

The Verdict

Definitely a new favorite!  This one gets added to my "recipe book" and I am looking forward to trying it again and again with different flavored preserves.  Maybe cranberry next time?

Classic Stromboli

This is another recipe from Publix, but it is not available online so I only have the recipe card.

Classic Stromboli

Makes 2 Strombolis (4 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 lb pizza dough (I used the fresh dough found in the Publix Bakery)
• 1/4 C flour (or less, for dusting surface)
• 1/2 C ricotta, divided
• 12 slices pepperoni, divided (I used more)
• 1 C cooked sausage crumbles, divided (I used Jimmy Dean Italian sausage)
• 1 C shredded Italian cheese blend, divided
• 1/4 C fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
• Pizza sauce for dipping

Prep

• Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand 1 hour (up to 1.5 hours).  (Do not remove from bag until after stand time is complete.)
• Preheat oven to 400F.  Grease baking sheet.
• Chop basil

Instructions

1. Divide dough in half; turn each half of dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into approximately 6x12-inch rectangles.
2. Spread 1/4 C ricotta cheese over each half of dough, leaving a border; top with pepperoni, sausage, shredded cheese, and basil.  Starting on the long side, roll dough tightly around filling; pinch edges to seal and place seam side down on baking sheet.
3. Bake 18-20 minutes or until browned and thoroughly heated.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Slice Stromboli; serve with pizza sauce for dipping.

Another option:

Roll pizza dough into approximately 12-inch circles.  Spread cheese and toppings on one half of each, and fold empty half over top, sealing edges.

I tried making it each way.  One was just a circle folded in half, the other was rolled (but I realize now that I messed up and rolled it in the wrong direction).  I left the basil out, because I forgot to get fresh basil while I was at the store.

A note on the pizza sauce: we have tried several different sauces on our homemade pizzas, and we have found some good, and some bad.  Trader Joe's makes a pretty good pizza sauce, found in the refrigerated section.  Prego is also pretty good.  This time around, we tried "La Famiglia DelGrosso" pizza sauce, and thought it was good as well.  Classico was too chunky for my liking.  The one I would really avoid is Ragu...it just tastes too fake, has no real texture, and doesn't have good flavor.

Not bad.  It didn't wow me, though.  Personally, I think I could use more cheese. (Who can argue with more cheese?!) In my opinion, the cheese should ooze out of a Stromboli when you cut into it, and this just didn't ooze.  I would at least double the ricotta in the recipe.  Tony suggested using a spicier sausage.  I used Italian flavor, but I agree: spicy sausage might work better.  I think it could have used some more flavor in general, and leaving out the basil was a mistake.  I would probably add some Italian seasonings (oregano, garlic, pepper?)  into the ricotta cheese, and spread that blend onto the Stromboli. 

The Verdict

In the end, it wasn't bad, but I would add more cheese and seasonings if I made it again.  It would be worth another try.