Yay! Something besides chicken! Publix had a pretty good price this week on the center cut pork chops. I've made an apricot chicken before (surprise, surprise) so this recipe looked yummy. The potatoes and pork cook together in the oven (though not in the same pan) so its easy to multitask while its cooking. The Stubb's rub is the secret ingredient for the potatoes. They are still good without it, but I love the way they taste with it. I bought mine at Bruno's a while back. I'm sure other places carry it. I used to have a hard time finding it. Now that I have the apricot jam I have to come up with other recipes to use it!
Crispy Apricot Pork Chops:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 slices multi grain sandwich bread
4 bone-in pork loin chops (8 oz each, 3/4" thick)
course salt and ground pepper
4 teaspoons apricot jam (I used low sugar)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Set aside.
Tear bread into large pieces; place in food processor. Pulse until large crumbs form (I used my blender). Drizzle with oil, pulse once or twice, just until crumbs are moistened (you should have about 1-1/2 cups crumbs).
Season pork chops generously with salt and pepper; spread one side of each chop with 1 teaspoon jam. Dividing evenly, sprinkle breadcrumbs over jam, and pat them on gently.
Transfer pork, coated side up, to prepared baking sheet. Bake until crust is golden and pork is opaque throughout (meat should register 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer), 14-16 minutes. Serve immediately (don't put too much jam like I did, it soaks up some of the breadcrumbs and doesn't allow them to get crunchy).
Roasted Potatoes:
(this is more of a method, than a recipe!)
red potatoes
olive oil
salt and pepper
Stubb's rub
Preheat oven to 425-450 degrees (depending if you have something else to go in the oven with it). The hotter the oven, the quicker the taters will cook. Cube potatoes in 1/2-inch bites. Put on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil (you want enough to coat them, but they don't need to be swimming). Season liberally with salt, pepper and Stubb's rub. (Stubb's rub is a BBQ rub seasoning that I have found at Bruno's. It by no means is necessary for the potatoes to be good!) Toss the potatoes in the oil and seasoning. Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 30-45 minutes (depending on the temperature) tossing halfway through baking. They are ready when fork-tender and slightly brown and crispy on the outside.
**If you have time to spare for the potatoes, they are really good when cubed a little bit bigger, then put in a 35o degree oven for about 45 minutes. This lower temperature helps them soften to a creamy texture. Then crank the oven up to about 450 and get the outside good and crispy for about another 20 minutes. This makes the perfect potato- creamy on the inside and crispy on the outside!
Enjoy!
(Pork Chops adapted from Everyday Food)
I really liked this one! I love cooking with eggs and this was a fresh change for dinner. This would be great served at a brunch though. The colors are very pretty. I did half the recipe below though but used 7 eggs (instead of 6). I also sauteed the tomatoes and spinach for about 2-3 minutes before adding them. This is perfect for Spring. Publix has bacon and eggs on sale this week. I grabbed the produce from my local farmers market. And I got some beautiful plants too. Let's see how long it takes me to kill them!
8 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 medium red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3 cups, 1 lb.)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (the only salt I use)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (yes, mine comes from a can)
1 cup baby spinach, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes (or 1 medium tomato, chopped)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
12 eggs, slightly beaten
parmesan cheese
additional bacon and tomatoes for garnish
In a 12-inch ovenproof skillet, cook bacon pieces until crisp. With a slotted spoon, remove bacon to paper towels. Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of drippings from pan.
Carefully add potatoes, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until potatoes are just tender. Remove from heat.
Top potatoes with bacon, spinach, tomatoes and mozzarella. Pour eggs over mixture. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 15-17 minutes or until center is just set.
Place on wire rack; immediately sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Let stand 10 minutes.
To serve, cut into 8 wedges. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with additional bacon and cherry tomatoes.
Enjoy!
(adapted from a Publix publication)
There are so many different ways to make this. I think, ideally, this was born as a way to use leftover mashed potatoes. So, how the dish turns out really depends on how you do mashed potatoes! I didn't have any mashed potatoes waiting around in my fridge, so I mashed some up tonight. Before I really got into cooking I always made boxed mashed potatoes. I don't know why I thought the "real" mashed potatoes would be so intimidating. They really couldn't be easier, and actually don't take much more time. Sometimes I go the healthier route and mash them with just a tad of butter and use chicken broth instead of milk. Tonight I went all out! I added cheese, sour cream, butter and milk. Make your potatoes however you like them. And I would almost recommend this dish be made with the leftover potatoes. If you are going to go through the trouble to make mashed potatoes, eat them as just that...mashed potatoes! Next time I make this, I will use leftovers. I would have been just as happy eating the mashed potatoes the way they were on the stove tonight :) So, as you can see, this one wasn't one of my favorites.
5 cups leftover mashed potatoes
4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped (optional)
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray casserole dish with cooking spray (use the size that will hold the amount of potatoes you have). Fill the dish with the potatoes. Top with bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and bacon. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden (I put mine on broil for a few minutes to get it brown).
Great way to use leftovers!!
Enjoy!
(adapted from BettyCrocker.com)
These potatoes turned out so pretty! This is definitely one you could make when you have guests. I served it with seared chicken breasts, but it would be GREAT with a steak. If you don't groove on mushrooms, you could certainly leave them out. I happen to love them. I will enjoy one for lunch tomorrow! Right now Publix has their potatoes, broccoli and mushrooms on sale. Ella loved this. Go figure! Sometimes I have a hard time getting her to eat green beans. Put broccoli, cheese and mushrooms in a potato and she eats it up!
2 baking potatoes (I used 3 smaller-sized russets)
1 cup broccoli florets (I steamed mine before mixing them)
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (I used an 8-oz. container)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Worchestershire Sauce
salt/pepper
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mozzarella or other white cheese, shredded
Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Pierce potatoes with a fork; arrange on paper towels in the microwave. Microwave on High 16 minutes, rotating and flipping in 4-minute intervals. Let stand 5 minutes.
While the potatoes cook, melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon olive oil together in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for approximately 8 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add Worcestershire sauce, broccoli, salt and pepper. (If you don't steam your broccoli add it in the beginning with the mushrooms, so it has time to soften). Remove from heat.
Cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving 1/4-inch-thick shell. Put pulp in a medium bowl and mix in the milk, 2 tablespoons butter, sour cream, cheese and salt/pepper. Mash with a fork or potato masher until blended. Add to the broccoli mixture and stuff into the potato shells. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake in a 450 degree oven for 10 minutes or until light golden on top.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Cooking Light)
What a perfect dinner for this COLD day! I have wanted to sit in front of my fireplace at home all day! This soup really hit the spot. I normally make a beef-vegetable-type of soup. If I venture much further than that, it comes from a can. This was a nice change-up to my menu. This soup uses the Bob Evans Home Fries that were B1G1 a few weeks ago at Publix. I had one bag left and wanted to try this. Right now Publix has Smithfield bacon B1G1. I used it for my Loaded Twice Baked Potatoes the other night. You could make this healthier by cooking the bacon in the microwave and sauteing the onion in some olive oil. Tonight, I wasn't too worried about it. The bacon flavor going throughout the soup was great. There was also a little more liquid than I like in a soup, so I drained some of the liquid off as I was serving it. That's what made it look thicker in the photo. You can probably omit some of the liquid by adding 1 cup of milk at the end instead of 2. I don't think it would take away from the flavor a whole lot. With this weather, there is no excuse not to make this hot bowl of goodness!
3 slices bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 (20 oz.) pkg. Bob Evans Diced Home Fries
1 small leek, white part only, diced (I used 1/4 cup sweet onion)
salt and pepper to taste
2 cans (14.5 oz. each) chicken broth
2 cups milk
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove and set aside. In bacon drippings (I poured it out and added 2 teaspoons back to the pot) saute onions until softened, about 3 minutes. Add potatoes, salt and pepper and chicken broth. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer (uncovered) until potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Lightly mash with a potato masher; you still want chunks of potatoes. Add milk, corn, and reserved bacon. Heat until hot, about 5-10 minutes.
Enjoy!
(adapted from BobEvans.com)
Who doesn't love Twice Baked Potatoes. These are WAY better than those frozen ones. Publix has a 5 lb. bag of Idaho potatoes for $2.49 this week. I found a 10 lb. bag of Russet potatoes at Allegri's Farm Market today for $1.99. I've even done a recipe similar to this where I used red potatoes. So, use what you've got on hand. Change it up a bit if you need to. I wonder if you could freeze these? I've thought about it before, but never tried it. I usually just half the recipe.
4 large baking potatoes, scrubbed
6-8 tablespoons butter (I used Smart Balance)
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup milk, or as needed
1/4 cup sour cream (I used light)
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
4-6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the potatoes on a rack for 1 hour or until soft. Allow them to cool slightly.
(Or you can cook in a microwave in four minute intervals, flipping over after each one, until soft. Be sure to prick the skins with a fork. Mine took approximatley 24 minutes in the microwave this evening.)
Cut the potatoes in half, scoop out the pulp, and place in a mixing bowl, setting the skins aside. Add the butter, salt, pepper and sour cream. Mash well, adding enough milk to make a fairly stiff mixture. Add the beaten egg yolks and stir well.
Spoon the mixture into the potato skins and top with the shredded cheese. (If I bake 4 potatoes- 8 shells- I usually fill 6 of them because I like them really full. If I bake 3 potatoes- 6 shells- I fill 4 of them).
Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes or well browned. Top with the crumbled bacon when you take them out of the oven.
We served the potatoes tonight with Grilled Chicken Breasts and green beans.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Junior League Celebration Cookbook)
I had never made meatloaf until a couple of years ago. Never eaten it, in fact! Crazy, I know. The only recipe I have used is the one from a Betty Crocker cookbook. When I saw this I knew I had to try it because my Ella LOVES cheeseburgers. Publix and Winn Dixie had good prices on ground beef. Publix had pickles B1G1 and Idaho potatoes for $.49 lb. I was really impressed with this one. It had a moist consistency. I made it into two smaller loaves and baked it in stoneware. I ended up cooking it almost 30 minutes more than the recipe calls for, so check yours often. It really does taste like a cheeseburger! I will be making this one again.
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped (I omitted this)
2/3 cup ketchup
2/3 cup bread crumbs
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sweet relish, drained of liquid
1-1/2 lb. ground beef
8 oz. cheddar cheese, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
2 lbs. new red potatoes (I used Idaho)
3/4 cup heavy cream (I used 1% milk + 2 T butter)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the ketchup, bread crumbs, eggs and pickles; mix in the onion. Crumble in the beef, add the cheese, and mix together. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and shape into a 4- by 12-inch loaf. Bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 160 degrees, about 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into chunks and place them in a large pot with enough salted water to cover by an inch. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain, return to the pot and mash with the milk or cream.
Let the meatloaf rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with the mashed potatoes.
Enjoy!
(adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine)
**I left my camera at work last night. I am going to try to get a picture tonight and post it later on!!
**Taking pictures of leftovers just isn't the same. So, I'm not going to post a picture. Click on the link to the original recipe to see a picture. It is delicious! Make your own and see for yourself.
Ever have a hard time getting your family to eat broccoli? You won't if you smash it with potatoes and cheese. This just sounded too good not to make this week. And I love the flecks of green going through the potatoes. I still had some potatoes I got on sale last week, and Publix has broccoli on sale this week. This is quick and easy, and perfect for a week-night meal. I served it with chicken since that's also on sale this week at Publix, but it really goes with anything.
4 baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 head of broccoli, cut into one-inches pieces and florets
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup of milk (broth if you want to go lighter)
1 cup shredded cheese (anything white in color)
In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with cold water. Bring to a boil, salt the water and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook for 8 additional minutes. Drain and return the vegetables to the saucepan.
While the vegetables are cooking, season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a skillet, heat extra virgin olive oil (about 1 tablespoon) over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6 minutes on each side.
Add the milk and cheese to the broccoli and potatoes and mash together. Season with salt and pepper.
Your kids are sure to love this one!
(adapted from Rachael Ray Magazine)
This seems like the perfect time of year to make something warm and comforting. Shepherd's Pie is a classic. I had never made one until I tried Rachael Ray's 30-minute version. When I saw the potatoes and carrots on sale at Publix this week, I knew I had to make it one night. I have made it more "figure-friendly" by using the lean ground beef and substituting chicken broth for cream from the original recipe. When I make this I always have leftovers. One night of work in the kitchen for two nights of dinner. Not bad! Here's my version of Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Shepherd's Pie:
1-1/2 lb. Idaho potatoes, peeled and cubed2 tablespoons sour cream1 large egg yolk1/2 cup chicken broth1 lb. ground beef1 cup chopped carrot1 cup diced onion2 tablespoons butter2 tablespoons all purpose flour1 cup beef stock2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce1/2 cup frozen peas (couple of handfuls)Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and return them to the hot pot. Combine sour cream, egg yolk, and chicken broth. Add the mixture into the potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth.While potatoes are boiling, preheat a skillet over medium high heat. Add ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat. Drain away any excess fat. Add chopped onion and carrot. Cook veggies with meat 5 minutes, stirring frequently.In a second small skillet over medium heat wisk together butter and flour together 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute. Add gravy to meat and vegetables. Stir in peas.Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat and vegetable mixture. Spoon potatoes evenly over meat. Broil 6 to 8 inches from the heat until potatoes are evenly browned.Serve with extra vegetables or a light salad. Enjoy!(adapted from Rachael Ray on Foodnetwork.com)
