Caramel Apple Pork Chops and Apple Spice Rice

Caramel Apple Pork Chops

4 (3/4 inch) thick pork chops (I used pork loin chops... and I made 6 since that's how many were in the package.)
salt and pepper to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 Tbsp brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 onion, sliced
2 tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (I used Granny Smith)

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Arrange pork chops in a 9x13 pan sprayed with Pam. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

In a skillet, melt butter and saute onions. Add brown sugar mixture and sliced apples. Cover and cook until apples are just tender. Remove apples with a slotted spoon and place them on top of the pork chops. Continue cooking the sauce, uncovered, until thickened slightly. Pour over chops and apples. Bake about an hour or until the pork is cooked through.


Apple Spice Rice

2 Tbsp butter
2 cups rice
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small tart apple, peeled, cored, and diced
3 1/2 cups chicken broth

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in rice, onion, garlic, and apple. Saute 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in chicken broth adn bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.

Super Fantabulous Better-than-any-other Sugar Cookies!

Oh my goodness, these cookies are like heaven in your mouth!  I am amazed at how soft, and sweet they are!  I was introduced to these at an auction a few weeks ago.  I won a dozen frosted sugar cookies, got them home and they mysteriously disappeared in just under 48 hours!  The worst part?  I ate 9 of them...  Yeah.  They are THAT good.  I called the maker of these cookies and begged her to share her recipe, which she did without hesitation.  Thanks Natalie!

The ingredients:

1/2 c. sour cream

1 tsp. baking soda

1 c. TUB margarine or butter (not stick- must be spreadable)

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

1 T. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

3 1/2 - 4 c. flour

The instructions:

In a small bowl mix sour cream and baking soda.  Set aside.  Cream together margarine and sugar.  Add the egg, vanilla and salt.  Mix well.  Add sour cream mixture, then baking powder and flour.   Freeze dough for 2 hours or refrigerate overnight.  Roll out onto a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness and use cookie cutters for desired shapes.  If dough gets too soft, put back in freezer for an hour or so until it is workable again.

Bake at 375^ for 10 minutes.  DO NOT over bake them.

Frost with your favorite frosting and decorate as necessary.

The frosting I used was pretty simple, and super tasty... I used equal parts butter and shortening then added a capful of vanilla and a splash of milk followed by as much powdered sugar as I needed to get a good thick consistancy.  Add a bit of food coloring and viola!  Easy enough... but I don't use a recipe for it, so it's hard to add measurements....

Seriously, folks- these cookies are OOBER TASTY!

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Barbeque Ribs

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Barbecued Ribs Recipe
courtesy Robin Miller
Show: Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller
Episode: Slow and Steady Wins the Race


2 sides pork spareribs (about 6 pounds), separated
1 (28-ounce) can chunky tomato sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Place the spareribs in the bottom of a slow cooker. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour the mixture over the spareribs. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

Baked Chicken with Orange Juice

I've got this in the oven right now. I remember that it was one of the first recipes I 'wowwed' Billy with after we got married. The 'Joy of Cooking' cookbook has never let me down!

1 chicken, quartered or 3 lbs parts

4 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 c. finely chopped onions

2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into bits

salt and pepper

1 1/2 c. orange juice

1/4 c. firmly packed dark brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375.

Smear chicken with Dijon mustard.

Arrange in shallow baking dish or roasting pan just large enough to hold it in a single layer (skin down if it has skin)

Sprinkle pieces with onion (I have always just used the equivalent in minced dried onion), butter, and salt and pepper.

Pour orange juice around the chicken.

Bake for 30 minutes, basting once.

Turn over and sprinkle with brown sugar.

Bake until chicken is tender and golden- 15 to 20 minutes more.

Add more orange juice if the pan seems dry.

Remove chicken to a serving platter.

Pour juices into a small saucepan and boil over high heat until syrupy.

Spoon sauce over the chicken and serve.

Marinated Pork Tenderloin

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons basalmic vinegar
1 small onion, chopped finely
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 (3/4 pound) pork tenderloins

Mix first 7 ingredients. Place pork in sealable bag and add marinade. Refrigerate for 6-12 hours.

Remove pork from bag, reserving marinade. Bake pork at 350 degrees until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees (about 50 minutes).

The pork, as is, was so juicy, tender, and delicious, but if desired, make gravy by heating remaining marinade to a boil. Meanwhile, blend 1 cup chicken broth and 1 tbsp flour, add to boiling marinade. Reheat to a boil while stirring frequently. Continue cooking for a couple of minutes, reduce heat to a simmer until thickened.

Italian Skillet Supper

INGREDIENTS
3 cups uncooked spiral pasta
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) Italian diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Drain the pasta; mix with meat mixture. Top with cheese. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until heated through.

Yield: 6-8 servings.

The only thing I'll change next time, is to mix in half of the cheese and only top with the remaining 1 cup. Still... it was soooooo yummy!

Pasta Salad

Scrapbook Pasta Salad

From the kitchen of: Janan De Silva

1 pk Spiral pasta (colored)
1 pk bow tie pasta
4 cups chicken breast
1 can whole cashews
1 can pineapple T-bits
1 bottle Kraft Colesaw dressing
1 cup REAL MAYONAISE
Grapes

Cook the spiral and bowtie pasta as directed on box. Cook chicken, cut into cubes. In a bowl add pastas, chicken, cashews, pineapple, grapes. Then, add dressing and mayonnaise. Toss until everything is well covered. Place in fridge to chill.