Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops with Applesauce

For years I tried to cook pork chops and I was disappointed over and over again. Then I tried this recipe and it became my go-to recipe for pork chops. It has great flavor and if you're careful you can get really tender, juicy pork. It's really easy too!

 

I grew up eating applesauce with my pork chops and now applesauce is an absolute necessity whenever I eat pork. After making applesauce from scratch I vowed to never buy it again because making it is so easy and cheap. This particular batch I threw in the freezer so I just took it out the day before and then warmed it gently on the stove when I was cooking dinner.

It took a while to decide what to serve along the pork  and applesauce and I finally decided on risotto. Tyler and I both go nuts over risotto and it's pretty easy even though it has a reputation of being fussy and difficult. For a while I was weirdly mystified by risotto, I don't know if it was the reputation it has or the fact that I couldn't yet buy wine with which to make it. Now I have it down cold and it's nothing to be scared about. It's really more of a method than recipe. Anything that makes you come back to the stove to eat it directly out of the pot has to be a good thing.

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops

• 2-4 pork chops (bone in or not, I buy whatever is on sale) 
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (the real stuff, not the green can stuff)
• 2 Tblsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 cloves finely chopped garlic 
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Heat a skillet on medium-high heat. Mix the garlic, cheese, rosemary, salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Salt and pepper one side of the pork and place seasoned side down in hot skillet. Let cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes or until golden brown and turn over. Evenly divide the parmesan mixture over the pork. Place into oven for about 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chops. I use a thermometer to make sure the pork is cooked to 160 degrees. For the last 5 minutes I turn the oven off and turn the broiler on high to crisp the cheese on top. When it's done let sit for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Applesauce

• 5-6 apples (doesn't matter what kind)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar (optional)

Peel and chop the apples into small pieces and place in saucepan. Add the cinnamon, water, and sugar (if using). Heat over medium-low until simmering. Let cook for about 30 minutes, until the apples are tender. Mash. If it seems loose it will tighten as it cools. You can mash as much as you want for a smoother or more chunky sauce. I like mine on the chunkier side. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to a week or freeze for longer.

Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Shells

 This dish just sounded really good when I found it and after I made it I realized it's actually pretty healthy. It's a departure from the usual stuffed shells I make, and I really liked it. It's pretty lightened up with light ricotta, boneless skinless chicken, spinach, and tomatoes. 

 

 It came together pretty quickly, except it takes a while to individually scoop the filling into the shells. I wish there was a faster way to do that. I served this with roasted broccoli which was good. The only thing I might change would be to add some mozzarella for extra cheesiness, parmesan doesn't get all melty and oozy as much. 

Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Shells 

Adapted from Heart Mind and Seoul

24 shell pasta, cooked according to package instructions

2 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded

1 cup reduced fat ricotta cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded + more to sprinkle

1 cup frozen spinach, thawed

1/4 cup chopped sundried tomatoes

2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves

salt and pepper to taste

your favorite pasta sauce

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, spinach, sundried tomatoes, basil leaves, and salt and pepper and mix well using a fork.

Stuff each cooked shell with the chicken filling carefully with a spoon. Place them in a baking dish. Drop spoonfuls of your favorite pasta sauce onto the shells. Sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes.

Shepard's Pie

My family, being amazing, celebrates two Thanksgivings a year. Once on Thanksgiving and once in July. The food is too good to only have once a year! This year was the best yet! What does this have to do with shepard's pie you may ask? Well somehow when our Thanksgiving in July was over I ended up with ALL of the mashed potatoes. So, being resourceful, I whipped up some shepard's pie to use them up.

I can't say I'm an expert on shepard's pie, even though it is the food of my people. So if this isn't what you expect from shepard's pie don't kill me. It tasted good and it used up the rest of my mashed potatoes! I had enough to make 2 small dishes of it so I stuck one in the freezer for some day down the road. It wasn't until I had stashed the dish in the freezer that I realized I had accidentally used a serving dish and I really have no idea if it's oven safe so I guess we'll have to wait and see how reheating it goes. Pray for me and my shepard's pie.

It's been a while since Joker made an appearance. He's still my kitchen helper!


Shepard's Pie
Adapted from my brain! 

• 1-ish pound lean ground beef or ground sirloin
• half onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups peeled, chopped carrots (I used baby carrots cause I had them)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 carton baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 3 Tblsp flour
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 1 can beef broth
• salt and pepper
• 1 tsp thyme
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup frozen peas
•  Mashed potatoes 
• 3/4 cup grated cheese (cheddar or colby jack would be good)

In one pan, start browning the beef until no longer pink. Drain if needed.

In another pan start sauteeing the onion, garlic, mushrooms, and carrots in a dash of olive oil. Once the vegetables have softened and released some water add the flour and stir around for a couple minutes. Deglaze with the red wine and stir until the flour dissolves and it comes back to a boil. Add the broth, Worcestershire sauce,thyme, the cooked beef, salt and pepper to taste and let bubble until it thickens. If it thickens too much add a little water to make a nice gravy. Add the peas at the last minute and just stir to warm them through. Pour the mixture into a baking dish. Cover with mashed potatoes as evenly as possible. Sprinkle cheese over the top. Put into preheated 375 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until the beef is bubbling and the potatoes are warmed through. Enjoy!

Crock Pot Beef Stew

Crock pots are the best. I love my crock pot, except for the fact that my cat once knocked the lid off the kitchen counter and broke the handle off. So now every time I take the lid off the crock pot I burn myself. After turning to the internet I found that a new replacement lid is the same price as a whole new crock pot. So I have not found it in me to get an entirely new device when I have a perfectly functional one. Cats are why you can't have nice things.

This is one of my favorite meals and it's stupid easy. Just dump, stir, and let cook all day. I think the recupe came from someone in my family, so if you're reading this, thank you! It was originally called "Beef Boogie Woogie" which is the stupidest name ever so I changed it. Anyway, whatever you feel like calling it, it's delicious.

Crock Pot Beef Stew

• 1 pkg stew meat
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 pkg sliced cremini mushrooms (sometimes I add 2 pkgs cause I love mushrooms)
• 1 packet beefy onion soup mix 
• 2-3 cups baby carrots (I leave them whole)
• 1 cup red wine (the stronger the better) 
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• pepper

Dump all ingredients together in the crockpot and stir to combine. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5-6 hours, stirring occasionally. I like to serve over egg noodles but mashed potatoes or rice would work too.  

Breakfast Strata

Calling this a strata is really just a fancy way of saying "savory bread pudding". If that sounds totally weird to you, trust me on this one. This was a delicious meal even if the pictures don't look like much.

The recipe calls this "overnight" strata but I decided at 7:00 p.m. one night that I wanted it for dinner THAT NIGHT. So I made the shortcut version, willing to bet that the results would not kill me, and I was right. It was delicious. This was awesome for dinner but would be equally delicious as breakfast or brunch. If you were going to do it for breakfast I would start it the night before and refrigerate it overnight but you can whip it up in less than a couple hours if the mood strikes you.

It's super customizable so add whatever makes you happy. I had some cooked sausage hanging around in the freezer so I used that and sauteed some mushrooms up. You could add sauteed spinach, bell peppers, thick sliced ham or chopped bacon instead, or just plain.

Breakfast Strata

• Slices of bread, left out overnight to dry out
• The recipe called for French bread but the store was out so I used Publix's Chicago style white bread and toasted it for a few seconds until it was a little dried but before there was any color on it to dry it out a bit. 
• 6 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups half n half (I used fat free)
• 1 carton cremini mushrooms, cooked
• 1/2 lb breakfast sausage, cooked
• 1 cup cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
• salt and pepper

Lightly grease 8x8 or 9x9 pan. Place one layer of bread on the bottom. Sprinkle half the mushrooms and sausage over top and then half the cheese. Repeat with another layer of bread and more sausage and mushrooms. Mix the eggs and half n half together with salt and pepper and pour over entire pan.

Cover with plastic wrap and put something heavy on top to make it absorb into bread. At this point you can refrigerate up to 12 hours, or just as long as you have. I only waited maybe 30 minutes. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes until golden brown around the edges and set in the middle. Let cool 10 minutes and dig in! Leftovers are good too. 

Not a Recipe, Just a Cool Food Place

When you see a sign like this you know you are in a good place. You owe it to yourself, nay, humanity to investigate further. Lucky for you, dear reader, I took this burden upon myself and I am here to explain what I discovered at the most wonderful place on earth. It was a happy accident that we found this place. Tyler and I were wandering around a small town in Minnesota and I happened to look down a side street and saw this sign. I exclaimed, "CHEESE SHOP?!?!?!" and we went in. It's called the Wedge and the Wheel.

The little storefront smelled faintly of the best grilled cheese you could imagine. We looked at the menu and saw that you could get a sampler of cheese for a decent price. Tyler and I finally settled on the "American" and the chef's choice.

 

The chef chose some harder cheeses for us, and unfortunately I can't remember exactly what they were. The one in the middle on the left was my favorite, an exquisite aged gouda that was nutty and slightly crunchy. The one on the right had an American blue cheese, which was very good, some kind of cheddar that also had mold on it, which was good and a new experience for me. The last was a goat cheese aged in grape leaves. They were all fantastic and amazing. They came with some bread, dried apricots and some mild olives that paired perfectly. 

I was so happy.

The bathroom walls were decorated with all the stickers from the cheeses and it looked really cool. Some of the sticker art was really pretty.

If you want to visit their website click here:  The Wedge and the Wheel

I would highly recommend visiting a store like this. We had a great time eating cheese and absorbing the smell of the store. The only bad thing about the experience was getting a stomachache from eating too much cheese. Tread carefully, my friends.

Crepes

Remember all those strawberries I talked about in my last post? We're still trying to make our way through them. Tyler's mom suggested having crepes for breakfast so we could stuff them with strawberries and I thought it was a great idea. I've never made crepes before but I was up for the challenge. I went through my recipes and found a recipe for "foolproof crepes" that I bookmarked a long time ago. Tyler's brother helpfully pointed out that since the crepes were "foolproof" if I screwed them up I must be pretty dumb.

The recipe called for blending the ingredients together, which is pretty standard for making crepes. Alas I could not find a blender in the kitchen so I just used a whisk. The batter could have been smoother so I think I would use a blender if you have one, but whisking worked in a pinch.

Making crepes is all in the technique. Luckily the kitchen has one of those green pans you may have seen on television.
                                            
It worked perfectly! You don't need any oil or butter, which makes it easier and healthier to make the crepes. I would highly recommend using this for crepes. I poured in 1/4 cup batter into the pan and then swirled it around in the pan until it gets around all the edges nice and flat. I actually scraped up some of the thicker areas to make it more uniform. Let it cook, flip it, let that side cook and you're ready!

We filled ours with nutella, strawberries, bananas, and some jam. It would also be awesome with peanut butter, other fruit, or whipped cream. Whatever makes you happy. They turned out delicious! I don't even like crepes all that much normally. They weren't too difficult either, about the same as making pancakes but it takes longer because you can only make one at a time. The good news is you can store leftovers in the fridge or freezer and thaw as many as you need. Give them a try some time!

"Foolproof" Crepes
adapted from kitchensimplicity

½ cup water
½ cup milk
1 cup flour
2 eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
2 Tblsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 tablespoons oil (olive oil or canola)
 
Place all ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Ladle ¼ cup batter into the pan while you tilt it in a circular motion to spread evenly. Cook until the edges start to curl up, flip and cook until both sides light golden brown. Set prepared crepe on a plate and continue with remaining batter, stacking crepes on top of each other (you can keep them warm by placing the plate in an slightly warm oven). Top with desired toppings and roll up to serve.

Strawberry Shortcake Cake

Greetings from Minnesota!

  

Today we went to pick our own strawberries at the most adorable little farm outside of White Bear. It was an awesome day with awesome people and we had a lot of fun! We also picked a lot of strawberries. 

Tyler's family has been raving about my baking skills so the pressure was on to create something tasty for dessert tonight. I picked up The Pioneer Woman's new book at Tyler's aunt's house and flipped to the perfect recipe! Strawberry Shortcake Cake fit the bill perfectly. It is basically just a giant strawberry shortcake instead of individual ones. I did make some adjustments to the recipe with which I am very pleased. Please forgive the quality of the pictures, they were kind of an after thought while everyone was eating.

The cake comes together quickly, I appreciate a cake that only uses one bowl. I forgot to buy cake pans so I used a 10 inch skillet and made it a single layer cake instead of two layers. It worked out just fine.

Originally the recipe called for a cream cheese frosting but I thought that might be way too sweet so I topped it with just some lightly sweetened whipped cream. Everyone loved it! It highlighted the fresh strawberries in the best possible way. With fruit that fresh and perfect I think you should keep their integrity as much as possible. It's a great summer dessert, light and refreshing and doesn't weigh you down. 

Strawberry Shortcake Cake 

 Adapted from The Pioneer Woman 

• • 1 1/2 cup flour
  • 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 9 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Softened
  • 1-1/2 cup Sugar
  • 3 whole Large Eggs
  • 1/2 cup Sour Cream, Room Temperature
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla 
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • sugar 

IMPORTANT: Be sure to use a cake pan that’s at least 2 inches deep! Before baking, the batter should not fill the pan more than halfway.

Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and corn starch.
Cream 9 tablespoons butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well each time. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined. Add sifted dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just barely combined.

Pour into greased and floured 10 inch skillet. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Remove from cake pan as soon as you pull it out of the oven, and place on a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely.

Stem strawberries and slice them in half from bottom to top. Place into a bowl and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sugar. Stir together and let sit for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, mash the strawberries in two batches. Sprinkle each half with 1 tablespoons sugar and allow to sit for another 30 minutes.

Slice cake in half through the middle. Spread strawberries evenly over each half (cut side up), pouring on all the juices.

Whip the cream with 2Tblsp sugar. Spread over the strawberries and serve. Refrigerate leftovers. Enjoy!   

Summertime Pasta Salad

I created this pasta salad on a whim a couple years ago. It just sounded like what I wanted to eat in the summer. It's almost like a caprese salad, so if you're in to that you'll like this. It's mayo free so that makes it perfect to bring on picnics or potlucks and you don't have to worry about it sitting out. Plus you can totally customize how much you make so you can feed just a couple people or a whole crowd.

  

 Tyler is obsessed with this, surprisingly. He requested it a while ago and I ended up making a whole bunch more to bring to a family pot luck! It was a huge hit with everyone, especially Tyler. He suggested that we make it with whole grain pasta next time for added healthiness. Other than the white pasta it's really pretty healthy.  It gets better the longer it sits so I usually make it the night before and let it marinate for a while. It's also endlessly customizable so if you want to add or subtract any ingredients do whatever makes you happy.

This recipe makes a ton so halve it if you don't need to feed the whole neighborhood. 

Summertime Pasta Salad

• 1 box pasta, I prefer shells but corkscrews or elbows would work
• 1 carton grape tomatoes, halved
• 3 ears corn, shucked
• 1 large ball fresh mozzarella, cubed
• 1 bunch fresh basil, chopped
• 1 large can cannelini or northern beans, drained and rinsed
• salt and pepper
• balsamic vinaigrette, homemade or bottled  

Bring a big pot of water to boil. Put the pasta in and then put the corn in for the last 6 minutes of cooking. Strain and rinse with cold water until cooled. Chop all the rest of the ingredients. Mix all the ingredients together, adding enough vinaigrette to moisten everything but not be soupy. Add salt and pepper to taste. You can serve immediately but it's better when it sits for a while.