Cider-Dijon Pork Chops

Hey, hey, hey! Welcome bloggers to another fantastic entry of Everyday Meals. As always, I'm your lively host, Mandie. Today, we have a delicious combo that I'm positive your family will enjoy. As you've observed from the title of this entry, yes, we are having Cider-Dijon Pork Chops. As a side, we will be making roasted sweet potatoes and apples.

Now, in my family, 3 out of the 5 of us dislike sweet potatoes. Normally, the only way I can get the fellas to consume sweet potatoes is during the holidays in the form of sweet potato casserole. And even then, it's a 50/50 chance that they'll eat it. I, however, was raised on sweet potatoes. It's the holy grail of yumminess in my book. As for pork chops, I'm the only person in my family that has an aversion toward them. It stems from my vegetarian days, but that won't stop me from making a delicious meal like this one.

So grab your cooking utensils, and we shall meet up in the kitchen! Allons-y! (That means "let's go" in French ^_^)

Cider-Dijon Pork Chops & Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Apples

Yields 4 servings

For the Pork, you will need:

• 4 boneless pork loin chops
• Kosher salt
• Ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup apple cider or apple juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces

For the Vegetables/Apples, you will need:

• 1 pound red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 Pink Lady or Fuji apples, cored and cut lengthwise into eighths
• 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and cut lengthwise into eighths
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Ground black pepper

Ready? 

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. Remove the pork from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature while the oven preheats. 
3. Place a large rimmed baking sheet in the oven and heat until very hot.
4. To cook the vegetables/apples: In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes, apples, fennel, and rosemary with the olive oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper. 
5. Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and spread the vegetables and apples on it. 
6. Roast, turning the ingredients over halfway through, for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are nicely browned and tender.
7. To cook the pork: Season the pork with salt and pepper. 
8. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. 
9. Add the olive oil, then add the chops to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and barely pink when pierced in the center with the tip of a small sharp knife. 
10. Transfer to a platter (reserving the oil in the skillet) and let stand for 5 minutes.
11. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of the oil from the skillet, leaving the brown bits in the pan. 
12. Return the pan to medium-low heat, add the apple cider, and bring to a simmer, scraping up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. 
13. Whisk in the mustard and simmer for about 2 minutes to reduce the liquid slightly. 
14. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter to lightly thicken the sauce. 
15. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
16. Divide the sweet potato mixture and pork chops among four dinner plates, and drizzle with the pan sauce.
17. Enjoy!

Once again, thank you for joining me for another exciting recipe. Stay tuned for our Wednesday Guest Blogger, Dani, and her scrumptious recipe of choice! As always, have a great day, happy blogging to all, and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Pan-Roasted Chicken

Good morning bloggers! As all of the world knows, today is Monday... No one in their right mind enjoys Monday, at least no one I can think of. Along with dreading Monday, no one wants to come home from working a 8 to 10+ hour day and slave over a hot stove for a delicious dinner. Tonight's meal is one we can all appreciate. The prep time is a very simple 15 minutes. After that, you set it and forget it for an hour and 15 minutes. How awesome is that?

Everything in this dish is pretty self explanatory. I know... I'm disappointed that I don't get to explain the awesome components of this dish. But fret not, my darlings, there will be other dishes and other components to share later. So, grab those aprons and I will meet you in the kitchen as always!

Pan-Roasted Chicken & Lemon Garlic-Green Beans

Yields 4 servings

You will need:

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 lemons (1 thinly sliced + 1 juiced)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 pound trimmed green beans
• 8 small red potatoes, quartered
• 4 chicken breasts (bones left in, with skin on)

Ready?

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 
2. Coat a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. 
3. Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish.
4. In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper, then add the green beans and toss to coat. 
5. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the green beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices. 
6. Add the potatoes to the same olive-oil mixture and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, arrange the potatoes along the inside edge of the dish on top of the green beans. 
7. Place the chicken in the same bowl with the olive-oil mixture and coat thoroughly. 
8. Place the chicken, skin-side up, in the dish. 
9. Pour any of the remaining olive-oil mixture over the chicken.
10. Roast for 50 minutes. 
11. Remove the chicken and set aside. 
12. Place the beans and potatoes back in oven for 10 minutes more or until the potatoes are tender. 
13. Place a chicken breast on each of 4 serving plates, and divide the green beans and potatoes equally. 
14. Enjoy!

Thank you for joining me, and I hope to see you all around tomorrow! Happy blogging to all, and I'll catch you on the flip side!

Breakfast Saturdays: Chocolate Chip & Granola Bagels

Good morning bloggers! Happy Saturday to you all! This is our very first segment of Breakfast Saturdays, and I wanted to start it with a bang. What better way to do that than with bagels? I love bagels, maybe a bit too much. I'm sure it stems from when I worked in a bakery & deli. Those were the good ol' days.

I used to enjoy the smell of freshly baked bagels brought in from our sister shop down the road. We had every type of bagel you could want, from blueberry to everything bagels. Everything bagels with vegetable cream cheese was my breakfast of choice. Today, however, we get a bit ambitious. I can say that we never had chocolate and granola bagels. If we did, I'm sure they would've sold like hot cakes. So, let's get our day started, and I'll meet you in the kitchen!

Chocolate Chip and Granola Bagels

Yields 8 servings

You will need:

• 1 1/3 cups warm water
• 1.5 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 3.25 cups bread flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1.5 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup granola
• 1 egg

Ready?

1. In a bowl, combine the water and sugar and stir to dissolve. 
2. Pour in the yeast and allow this to sit for 6 to 8 minutes, it should bubble/fizz slightly. 
3. In a larger bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, chocolate chips and salt. 
4. Once the yeast mixture has had time to activate, pour it into the flour mixture and stir until a crumbly dough forms. 
5. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 6 to 7 minutes until the dough begins to become elastic-like. You can also do this in a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. 
6. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
7. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into eight equal pieces. 
8. Shape each piece into a ball and press your finger through to form the center hole. 
9. Once you have shaped all the bagels, allow them to rest for 10 minutes or so. 
10. Now place them into a pot of boiling water. They should float. 
11. Let them cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute on each side, then remove to your prepared baking sheet.
12. Whisk the egg plus 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl and brush this over each bagel. 
13. Sprinkle on the granola. 
14. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.
15. Let cool, and enjoy!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and I will catch you all tomorrow. Stay tuned for more delicious recipes throughout the week. I'll catch you all on the flip side, and happy blogging to all!

Chicken and Biscuits Pot Pie

Good morning bloggers! Today, I really wanted to do a recipe for something that I really enjoy. Normally, I would enjoy a recipe of this kind even more so if it were Fall, or even Winter. But let's be realistic. This is me we're talking about. I am a foodie to the core, so despite it not being Fall or Winter, I would eat this any time, haha.

You're probably wondering what I'm talking about, right? Well, folks, today we are doing a pot pie bake. When most people think pot pie, they think round little disks of unappealing gunk. That is not what we are making today, I promise! We are going to take a stroll away from the ordinary. No little disks of gunk for us!

So if you're ready, I'll meet you in your kitchen and we can get started!

Chicken and Biscuits Pot Pie

Yields 8 servings

For the Biscuits, you will need:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cake flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter chilled, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons buttermilk

For the Pot Pie Filling, you will need:

• 1.5 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped fine
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut crosswise 1/4-inch thick
• 2 small ribs celery, cut crosswise 1/4-inch thick
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1.5 cups milk
• 2.75 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3 tablespoons dry sherry
• 4 cups shredded chicken
• 3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

Ready?

To make the Biscuits:

1. In a large bowl, stir the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar together. 
2. With a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter resembles course meal with some larger butter lumps remaining. 
3. Stir in 3/4 cup of the buttermilk with a fork until the mixture forms a soft, slightly sticky ball. 
4. If the dough is too dry, add a little extra buttermilk - 1 tablespoon at a time up to 2 tablespoons.
5. Transfer the dough to a well-floured work surface and pull it together into a ball with your floured hands. 
6. Pat the dough out to 3/4 inch thickness and cut out 12 rounds with a 3-inch biscuit or cookie cutter. 
7. Transfer the biscuits to a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill until you're ready to use them. 

To make the Filling:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the oil. 
3. Once the oil is hot, sauté the onions, carrots, and celery until tender, about 5-7 minutes. 
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
5. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a bowl with the chicken, then set aside.
6. Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter to the same pot. When melted, stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. 
7. Whisk in the milk, chicken broth, and thyme. 
8. Allow the sauce to come to a simmer and let it simmer for 1 minute to thicken. 
9. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the sherry. 
10. Turn off the heat and transfer the vegetables and chicken to the pot, stirring until the filling is well-combined. 
11. Mix in the peas and parsley. 
12. If the filling is too thick, stir in the extra chicken broth, about 1/4 cup at a time up to 3/4 cup until the filling loosens up a little.
13. Pour the filling into a 13x9-inch baking dish and bake for 18 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven (keeping the oven on and door closed) and top the filling with the biscuits. 
14. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes, until the biscuits are golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
15. Enjoy!

Thanks for joining me today! Stay tuned tomorrow for our very first Breakfast Saturday segment. It's going to be delicious, and fun! So with that, I hope you have a great day, and happy blogging to all. I'll catch you on the flip side!

Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Good morning bloggers! A few days ago, I reached out to my friends through social media. I wanted to see what people enjoyed, food wise. There was a request for new ways to cook eggplant Parmesan. So, of course, I went and tracked down this little diddy of a recipe.

I know, I know... you're probably thinking, "It's just eggplant Parmesan... Calm down." The difference between this beauty and normal eggplant parm is that this one is roasted. Roasted, I say! That's one of the biggest problems I have with this dish normally... the calories. Now, I can worry less, and eat more. There's also the difference of not having to fiddle with messy batter. That's always a plus!

So, let's grab our kitchen supplies and whip us up an amazing meal!

Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Yields 6 servings

You will need:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 pounds eggplant (about 4 Japanese eggplants)
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 5 teaspoons minced garlic, reserve 2 for topping
• 15 oz ricotta cheese
• 16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup + 1/4 cup grated parmigiano
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

Ready? Let's go!

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment and brush the parchment with olive oil.
3. Cut the eggplant into 1/4-inch slices and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. 
4. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt. 
5. Flip the slices over and repeat, so now both sides of the eggplant are oiled and salted. 
6. Roast until golden brown, about 30-40 minutes, flipping the eggplant halfway through. 
7. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let cool while you prepare the remainder of the ingredients. 
8. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees.
9. In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil along with 3 teaspoons of the garlic over medium heat. 
10. Let cook until the garlic is fragrant and starting to toast. 
11. Add the tomatoes to the pan and bring the sauce to a simmer. 
12. Add the sugar, then simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. 
13. Turn off the heat, then add the basil and season to taste with salt and pepper, and cover to keep warm.
14. In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta, 1 cup of parmigiano, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
15. To Asslemble: spread 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish, followed by half of the roasted eggplant, 1/2 cup more tomato sauce, half of the ricotta mixture and half of the mozzarella. 
16. Repeat: eggplant, sauce, ricotta, mozzarella.
17. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling.
18. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine 2 tablespoons olive oil, remaining 2 teaspoons garlic, 1/4 cup parmigiano and panko. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
19. Once the filling is bubbling, take the casserole out of the oven, remove the foil and sprinkle the panko mixture evenly over the top. Continue baking, uncovered, until the topping is golden brown and crisp, about 20 to 25 more minutes. 
20. If the topping is not browning, drizzle a little olive oil over the top and place under the broiler (keep an eye on it, it"ll brown quickly under there). 
21. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
22. Enjoy!

Thanks for joining me today. Stay tuned throughout the week for a new segment starting on Saturday. It's going to be breakfast themed! How exciting! So, go, carpe diem, and happy blogging to you all! I'll catch you on the flip side.

Guest Blogger Wednesday!

Good morning bloggers, I wanted to pop in real quickly before I give the reigns over to our wonderful guest blogger, Dani. Please give her a warm welcome! She will be joining us every Wednesday, which thrills me, haha. So, give her a hand and here we go!

----------------------------------------------------


First I want to thank Mandie for hosting me on her blog. It is an honor to be here. Just a little bit about me… I am one of those cooks, who looks in the fridge and decides what is for dinner based on what we have on hand or what is about to go bad. That being said, I want it do be delicious and not a lot of work. Today’s meal is Pasta with Greens, Beans and Tomatoes.

Pasta with Greens, Beans and Tomatoes

• 3 cups green beans, cut into bite-size pieces (I prefer fresh French beans, usually available at Costco)
• 5 oz bag of spinach (about 4 generous handfuls, if you buy it in bulk)
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced (there are no vampires in my house)
• 1 - 15 oz can of diced tomatoes (I prefer petite cut, but use what you have)
• 1 TBSP of Olive Oil (I prefer Extra Virgin)
• ½ cup reduced fat ricotta cheese
• 6 oz of Fusilli (if using the long kind, break them into smaller pieces)
• 1 cup of reserved pasta liquid
• 2 tsp of basil (oregano, Italian seasoning, would work as well)
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Salt
• Pepper

Cook pasta according to instructions in lots of water with plenty of salt. As all the TV chefs say, it should taste like the sea. If you have never accidentally swallowed the ocean, use your best judgment. We are going for salty. This will give your pasta more flavor and you will need less seasoning during the rest of the cooking. I prefer firmer pasta, so I cook it 1 minute less than it says.

While pasta is cooking, heat your oil over medium heat. Once hot, add your green beans and sauté with about a tsp of pepper, and 2 tsp oregano for about 2 minutes. Next, add the whole can of tomatoes with garlic. Cooking for another 2-3 mins or until your green beans are cooked to your liking. I like them cooked, but still having some crunch so 2 mins is about good for me.

Add the ricotta cheese, lemon and stir until evenly distributed without lumps. If your veggie mixture has reduced too much, add some of the pasta water. Before serving, add the pasta to the veggie mixture and toss to coat. I like to serve topped with a bit of mozzarella, just a little sprinkle.

What I enjoy best about this dish is the beautiful colors, how easy it is to make and that my picky 4 year old likes it. You can experiment with this recipe by using different veggies, as well as, different cheeses. Other veggies I would use are kale, mustard greens, fava beans, carrots. Cheeses to use are cottage cheese, mozzarella cubes, goat cheese.

Mainly, be creative in your kitchen. Thank you again, Mandie for having me.

Cheers! J

Gorgonzola Blue Cheese Burgers & Onion Rings

Good afternoon friends and bloggers! I really wanted to capture the essence of the upcoming Summer today with a hearty burger and side. When I saw this burger, I knew it was something to be shared. It's different, and beautiful all wrapped into one! We will be utilizing both the kitchen AND the grill today.

I know for some of you, this poses a problem because let's face it, Mother Nature has been a bit wonky lately. She can't decide if she wants us to have warm weather, or freeze our behinds off. If you have an indoor, smokeless grill, this could work for you still. So, let's grab our aprons - you know, the one that say "kiss the cook" - and let's get cooking!

Gorgonzola Blue Cheese Burgers & Onion Rings

Yields 4 servings

For the Burgers, you will need:

• 1 pound ground sirloin or butcher’s grind meatloaf mix
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2.5 teaspoons cracked fresh pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 pound good quality gorgonzola cheese
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 adobo pepper with 1 teaspoon sauce
• 4 hamburger buns

For the Onion Rings, you will need:

• 1 medium sweet onion, cut into 1/4-inch rings
• 1.5 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 4 tablespoons Tapatio
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Vegetable Oil

We'll start with the burgers and move onto the onion rings afterwards. Ready? Let's go!

1. Prepare a gas grill or coals for grilling.
2. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. 
3. Add onions, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to taste and sauté for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so onions soften but don’t brown.
4. In a medium sized bowl, gently combine sirloin with garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper, but don’t overmix or the meat will become tough when grilled. 
5. Divide into four sections and gently form patties, then set aside.
6. In a small food processor, chop the adobo pepper and sauce until finely combined. 
7. Add ketchup and combine. 
8. Taste for heat, add more ketchup if it’s too spicy.
9. When the coals or grill is hot, put patties on the grill, turning only once. 
10. Once turned, top with gorgonzola to melt. 
11. Cook patties to your preferred doneness. 
12. Add buns to the grill to toast. 
13. Pull both from the grill when done.
14. Assemble buns with burgers and sauteéd onions, then top with adobo ketchup and your choice of any other fixings.

To make the onion rings:

1. Place the onion slices in a medium bowl and toss with salt and hot sauce. 
2. Pour in the buttermilk, submerging the onions in the buttermilk/hot sauce mixture. 
3. Allow the onions to soak in the buttermilk for 15 minutes.
4. In another medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt, garlic powder and pepper.
5. Line a baking sheet or large plate with a bed of paper towels. 
6. To a cast-iron skillet, add oil until it reaches about 3-inches up the sides. 
7. Heat the oil until it reaches 360 degrees.
8. When the oil is hot, remove the onions from the buttermilk and transfer them to the flour mixture bowl, dredging them on both sides until coated. 
9. Gently place in the hot oil until light brown on both sides, about 3 minutes, and turning them once. 
10. Transfer the onion rings to a bed of paper towels. 
11. Repeat until all onions rings are done.
12. Enjoy!

I thank you all for joining me once again! Stay tuned for more delightful recipes coming soon. Have a great day, and happy blogging to you all!