Cider-Braised Pork Chops with Apples

Now that October is finally here, my house is full of pumpkins, apples and apple cider. Apple cider is one thing I missed as a child. I never liked it much but now I absolutely love it; especially warm apple cider on a crisp, chilly and snowy night. If you live in a cold-weather state, you know exactly what I'm talking about! Hot cocoa and apple cider help us get through the snow shoveling and black ice days. Well if you have onion and pork chops, then you've got an amazing dinner!

This is the third time I've made these chops and they are absolutely amazing and get rave reviews each time. I actually might just use the sauce and soak a bunch of apples in them because it was that good. The onions bring a lot to the flavor of the meal so don't omit them or anything else. Now I normally don't like pork chops (I'm a chicken kind of gal, myself), but in this sauce and with these toppings it's amazingly delicious! Try it and you won't be disappointed, especially since you will be using up all that cider you've stocked up on.

Cider-Braised Pork Chops with Apples

Adapted from: Essentials of Healthful Cooking (Williams-Sonoma)

Serves: 3-4

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp allspice (any brand will do)

1/2 tsp sweet paprika

salt and pepper, to taste

4 thin, boneless pork chops (1 lb)

4 tsp canola oil

1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

1/3 cup sweet apple cider (3 oz)

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 fuji apple, peeled, cored and sliced into 12 wedges

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup evaporated milk

To make the spice rub, in a small bowl, mix together: oregano, allspice, paprika, salt and pepper. Coat the uncooked pork chops evenly on both sides with the rub mixture. Set meat on a plate for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp of oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until lightly browned, 4-5 minutes. Transfer onion to a plate.

Add the remaining 2 Tbsp oil into the skillet and keep on medium to medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and sear until lightly browned on the bottom, about 3-4 minutes. Flip and brown the meat on the other side, 3-4 minutes. Transfer meat to plate with the onion.

Return the pan to medium heat and pour in the cider and vinegar. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the meat and onion to the pan and place the apple wedges on top of the meat. Pour in the chicken broth, cover, and simmer until the chops are opaque throughout, about 8-10 minutes. Reduce the heat if the liquid begins to boil.

Transfer the chops, apple wedges and onion (strained) to a warmed platter. Pour the evaporated milk into the pan, raise heat to high, and boil until the liquid is reduced by one-third, about 5 minutes. Pour that sauce on top of the pork chops and serve warm.

Homemade Applesauce

I scoured the internet and some of my favorite blogs for an applesauce recipe that I could do in the crock pot, but there were none that I could find. Luckily I felt confident enough to make my own recipe based off of the recipes I did find. All the recipes used cinnamon and I knew I wanted that in it. A lot of them also used extra water to allow for a certain consistency. Some of the recipes called for cloves but I omitted just to keep this recipe simple and easy.

The hardest part of this recipe (and most time-consuming) is peeling, coring and chopping up the apples. I actually used a Pampered Chef Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer so that made the process a hundred times easier. I'm not trying to sell the product but I almost chopped the apples by hand because so many people had negative reviews on the product. I have heard that it doesn't work well unless the apples are rock hard, or that it doesn't work well if the apples aren't perfectly round. Despite all the negativity surrounding the product, I still hadn't used it before so I didn't want to misjudge it. Trust me when I say that the size, shape or consistency of the apple DO NOT MATTER! I absolutely loved the product and although at times it can be a little monotonous, it really helped with this recipe (and I will now use it for when I make my Apple Pie).

Homemade Applesauce

Kelly's Kitch Original
Yields: 4 cups

6 large Braeburn (or sweet) apples, peeled, cored and diced

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

3/4 tsp cinnamon

Mix all ingredients in a crock pot on low for at least 5 hours. Place contents in a blender or food processor and mix, pulsing until desired consistency. I chose to pulse mine briefly so it's a little smooth and a little chunky, too. Serve warm or cold as a snack or dessert.

Mom's Skillet Goulash

Although this doesn't look as tasty as you might think, goulash very much is! Goulash always looks like mush and other things I won't mention on here, but it actually doesn't taste all that bad. It's not one of my favorite dishes, but I'll work on tweaking it to perfect the recipe. For now, it's a pretty easy weeknight dinner if you have little time and energy after a long day at work.

Mom's Skillet Goulash

Adapted from: Pillsbury

Serves: 4

8 oz uncooked pasta (rotini or mini shells)

1 lb ground beef

1 cup chopped celery (about 3 stalks)

1 cup chopped onion

2 cans diced tomatoes, undrained (15 oz each)

1 can condensed tomato soup (11 oz)

1 tsp dried basil leaves

salt and pepper, to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in large skillet or dutch oven, cook the beef, celery and onion on medium-high heat until meat is no longer red. Drain and return to skillet. Add the cooked (and drained) pasta and all remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes, covered. Stir occasionally. Serve warm.

Black Beans, Chicken and Rice

It's finally October and fall. One of my favorite times of the year to cook. It's like a fresh start and I don't have to worry about yard work anymore. Not that I don't like it, it's just very time consuming so cooking sort of gets put on the backburner. Well now it's time to focus on the cooking and food! This recipe is from another magazine that got lost over the years (circa 2007!) but I have dog-eared lots of pages in it. Finally I got to one recipe and it was this one! It's so delicious and the flavors aren't too overpowering. Also, my husband made the comment that with the black beans and peppers it looked like Halloween in a bowl. This would be perfect for a Halloween dinner. It's quick, easy and delicious!

Black Beans, Chicken and Rice

Adapted from: Pillsbury

Serves: 4

2 tsp canola oil

1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

2 cups frozen bell pepper and onion, chopped

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (15 oz)

1 can chicken broth (14 oz)

2 Tbsp water

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook and stir in rice, cumin and chili powder for 1-2 minutes. Stir in all remaining ingredients except cheese. Heat to boiling, cover, reduce heat and simmer for  15 minutes. Make sure liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, stirring occasionally.

Remove skillet from heat and uncover. Fluff quickly with a fork. Sprinkle cheese on top and cover. Let stand for 1-2 minutes while the cheese melts. Serve warm.

Chocolate Chip Scones

My husband said, "These taste like cookies!" which is always code for yummy. I was pleasantly pleased with this scone recipe. I have had scones at deli's and Starbucks before, but they are never this amazing! My husband and his mom (who was visiting a few weeks ago) absolutely loved these scones. His mom even asked for a few to take home with her!! I now want to make them with all different kinds of chips: white chocolate, peanut butter-chocolate, butterscotch. Although I don't like chocolate, I could have eaten the entire batch of these by myself. That is how delicious they really were. Just go make them .. asap. Don't forget that glass of milk, though. These go perfect with a nice, big glass of milk.

Chocolate Chip Scones

Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally Hershey's

Makes: 6 scones

1½ cups plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

¼ cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup chocolate chips (6 oz)
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp butter, melted
additional sugar for sprinkling (optional)
 
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with grease or a silicone mat (highly recommend the silicone mat). In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and stir to mix well. Add in the chocolate chips and fully incorporate them into the mixture. Add the heavy cream to the mixture and mix until dough forms and the dry ingredients are just incorporated. I did this by hand instead of my stand mixer and it turned out phenomenal.
 
Knead dough very briefly with well floured hands on a clean surface. Scoop rounds onto baking sheet or roll a circle out of the dough about 1/2-inch thick. Cut into triangles (like you are cutting a pizza) and place dough pieces on the baking sheet. Brush lightly with melted butter and sprinkle with additional sugar. Bake 15-20 minutes, until edges are slightly browned and center is cooked (using toothpick method).
 
Note about freezing: Only bake the scones you wish to eat right away. The best way to enjoy these scones throughout the week is to freeze them. Once you have shaped the dough pieces, wrap them in plastic wrap and place in the freezer.
 
The morning you wish to have a scone for breakfast, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and cook on the baking sheet and silicone mat for 20-23 minutes. No need to brush the butter and sugar on top. The frozen ones actually tasted better than the fresh so doing this will ensure a warm, fresh breakfast.

Hamburger Pie

At first glance, this looks kinda gross and overwhelmingly high in fat and calories. Don't judge a food by it's look. Trust me! This recipe has: 376 calories, 8 g saturated fat and so forth (per 1/2 cup potatoes and 1 cup meat mixture). It's really not as bad as you think it might be. I made it for my husband who is on this new kinda-health-kick with me and he said that it doesn't sound or look healthy but there are vegetables hiding in there. He did find some andput them aside, but at least I tried, right!? This was a huge dish and I would only suggest making it for more than 3-4 people. Otherwise, halve the recipe for just you and your spouse. It was delicious and next time I will make homemade mashed potatoes instead of the boxed stuff (no judging .. I had some leftover and needed to get rid of it). ;)

Hamburger Pie

Adapted from: New Cookbook, Bridal Edition

Serves: 6-8

24-ounces mashed potatoes

1 1/4 lb lean ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 tsp salt

dash black pepper

2 1/2 cups frozed cut green beans, thawed

1 can condensed tomato soup (10.75 oz)

1/2 cup shredded American cheese

Prepare mashed potatoes as desired and set aside. In a large skillet, cook the meat about halfway and then add in onions. Cook until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain off fat and rinse with water. Add salt and pepper. Stir in green beans and soup. Mix well. Pour into a greased 2-quart baking dish or casserole.

Spoon mashed potatoes in mounds on top of the beef mixture. Using an ice cream scoop helped. Don't smear it around too much or the mixture will mix with the meat. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake, uncovered, in a 350-degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until mixture is bubbly and cheese begins to brown slightly.

Southwest-Style Turkey Burgers

Burgers. If there is any excuse to have burgers, I can think of it. I am a huge fan of burgers. They really are the main reason I could never be a vegetarian. Otherwise, I could totally skip chicken, pork, etc. Although it may be deceiving on here, I could (and sometimes do) eat fruits and vegetables all day long. Well, burgers are my one outlet; the one thing I know I can order when eating out that I won't be disappointed with. That, and pasta of course. Well, these burgers are different. It's the first time I think I've actually had success with making burgers that weren't from ground beef or chuck. I used ground turkey and my husband actually liked them. Okay, this bears repeating: my husband actually liked them. It's so surprising because he is picky about his meat and I really want both of us to try to start, and continue to eat better. This is a definite step in the right direction. Plus, these weren't grilled, they were broiled in the oven! Hello winter burger!

Southewest-Style Turkey Burgers

Adapted from: New Cookbook, Bridal Edition (Better Homes & Gardens)

Serves: 3-4

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/4 cup onion, chopped

3 Tbsp red (or green) pepper, chopped

3/4 tsp chilli powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 pound ground chicken or turkey

2 oz pepper jack cheese, sliced

4 large hamburger buns (or 8 slider buns)

1 avacado, halved, seeded, peeled and sliced (I omitted this)

4-8 lettuce leaves (I used romaine)

1/4 cup salsa (or tomato slices)

Preheat broiled to high in the oven. In a medium bowl, stir together egg, onion, pepper, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Add ground turkey and mix well with hands. The mixture will be juicy but that is okay. Shape the mixture into 3/4-inch-thick burgers (4 large or 8 sliders).

Place the patties on an unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil about 4-5 inches from the heat. Cook for 7-8 minutes, flip and cook an additional 7-8 minutes, until the burgers are done. Note: It's harder to tell with ground chicken or turkey because it's so light-colored. It may be done although it's not darkening so be sure to check the middle of them.

Add cheese slices to the burgers and broil for 1 additional minute to melt the cheese. Place on buns and top with avacado, lettuce, tomatoes and whatever else your heart (or taste) desires. This dish goes really well with chips and salsa.