Pork Chops with Brown Rice

This is a recipe I found on Allrecipes.com and modified.


Pork Chops with Brown Rice

Ingredients:
4 bone-in pork chops
Seasoning
2 packages dry onion soup mix 
2 cups brown rice, uncooked
3¼ cups water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°.

Season pork chops to taste and brown in a skillet over medium heat. In a 9x9” baking dish, combine the soup mix and rice. Spread evenly in the bottom of the dish. Lay browned chops on top of rice. Pour water over all, gently. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 1½ hours, or until rice is fully cooked.

Makes 4 servings.

You have to make sure to allow plenty of time while cooking this dish. Brown rice takes a long time to cook. The original recipe called for wild rice, but we don't particularly care for it. If you have the dish covered tightly with foil, you don't have to worry about the pork drying out even though you are cooking it for so long. Mine cooked for an hour and a half and it was the juiciest, most tender pork we've had in a very long time.

About the seasoning: the original recipe didn't call for seasoning the pork chops, but many reviewers suggested doing so. You can simply do salt and pepper, but I use a different Penzey's seasoning blend every time I make it.

Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of it before we gobbled it up. Next time I'll try to remember.

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Slow Cooker Bean Soup

A month or so ago, Meijer had all of their dry beans on sale. I had been wanting to make a bean soup sometime, so I stocked up. I wanted to do it in the slow cooker, as I love using it, but have only a few meals that I make in it. I looked at some recipes online, but there were too many, and I couldn't decide on one that I wanted to try. Some of them weren't slow cooker recipes, so I had to figure out how to adapt them. And almost all of them (even the slow cooker ones) called for soaking the beans overnight before cooking them. Well, that seemed like a pain. So, I put off making the soup because I wasn't sure how to proceed. Well, today I just decided I was going to wing it. I didn't soak the beans at all, so I wasn't sure how long it was going to take, but it turned out really great. I have to say, it was a complete success. Here's the recipe I created:

Lesa’s Slow Cooker Bean Soup

Ingredients:
2 lbs. smoked ham shanks
1 cup dry pinto beans
½ cup dry black-eyed peas
½ cup dry large lima beans
½ cup dry red kidney beans
½ cup dry navy/great northern beans
½ tsp salt
10 cups water, divided
¼ cup dry lentils
¼ cup dry split green peas


Directions:
Place ham shanks in large slow cooker (at least 6 qt.) Pour beans over ham. Cover with salt and 6 cups of water. Cook on high, about 3 hours. Check water level. Add more water to again cover the beans and ham, about 4 cups. Cook on low, another 3 hours. Take out ham shanks and separate the meat from the bone and fat. Cut or shred meat and return to slow cooker. Add lentils and peas and cook for another 30 to 60 minutes, or until they are soft.

Makes about 8 servings.

Nutrition Info per serving:

Calories: 155
Fat/Sat. Fat: 2/.5
Cholesterol: 8
Sodium: 315
Fiber: 21
Protein: 16

It turned out really well! I started it at 11:30 and it was done by 5:30. We had church, and couldn't eat it until 8:30, so some of the beans were a little on the soft side, but now that I know how long it takes, I can plan it out better. Jim absolutely loved it. That's how I measure my success!

Some notes:
1. The recipe says to cook on high for three hours, then low for three hours. That my be hard to do for those of you who work all day and don't have a programmable slow cooker. I think it would work just as well to cook on low for a longer period of time. Maybe low for a total of 8 hours? I will try this next time. The reason I put it on high was because I didn't get around to putting it together until 11:30. And since I didn't know how long dry beans would take, I thought I better start off with high. So next time, I will allow 8 hours and start it on low. If you are going to leave it all day, you better add as much water as you physically can at the beginning so they don't dry out by the time you get home.

2. I made it today with black beans, but excluded them from the recipe because they made the whole soup kind of black-tinted. The broth was almost black. It doesn't affect the flavor, it's just kind of weird looking. It makes everything the same color, and you can't even tell the different kinds of beans apart. I had that problem with the taco soup once when I forgot to rinse the canned black beans before I added them. I think I will look for another type of bean to replace it, but for now I will just skip them.

3. Next time I would like to add some onions. I have to be careful, because Jim doesn't like them too much, but if I add them at the beginning, they will be all soft and sweet by the time it's done. I think they would be a great addition. I might add some very finely chopped garlic as well.

4. I am thinking about adding the lima beans part way through cooking next time. They cooked the fastest, which surprises me because they are the biggest bean. By the time we ate it, the skins of the limas had all come off and were floating around. I think next time I will wait maybe 2 hours and then add them. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Sorry that I don't have a pic to show you. My camera is giving me problems. Hopefully I'll be able to get one the next time I make it.

Want to know the greatest thing about this meal? It's super cheap! I figured it up and guess how much it costs per serving? Less than 70 cents! Can you believe that? It's really filling too.

I think I found myself a winner. I hope you try it. Leave a comment and tell me what you think if you do try it.

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Mushroom Risotto

Tonight I tried my hand at making a risotto. A risotto is a rice dish that is creamier than plain rice. It is made that way by adding the liquid slowly and stirring constantly so that the starch comes out of the rice and thickens the dish. Sometimes milk or cream is added as well.

Here's how I made mine.

Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients:
1 ½ tsp olive oil
¼ cup onions, finely diced
1 tsp garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1 cup white mushrooms, diced
⅔ cup milk
½ cup rice (I used long grain)
2 ½ cups beef stock

Directions:
Heat oil in large skillet or saucepan. Add onions and cook gently until they become soft but not browned. Meanwhile, put beef stock in separate pan on low heat.

Add salt, pepper, and mushrooms to onions. Cook mushrooms until soft. Add milk and rice and bring to a simmer. Add 1 cup of warmed beef stock and stir regularly until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add another cup and repeat. Add the final half cup and repeat.

If you keep the heat set to medium, the rice should be cooked by the time the final half cup is absorbed. If not, add more stock and cook a little longer until rice is cooked through.

Makes 2 servings.

Now, I think risotto is traditionally made with short grain rice instead of long. But I couldn't find short grain at the store I went to, so I decided long would have to do. And it did just fine. I would like to try it with short grain sometime, though.

And a note on the beef stock. I used homemade broth from a roast I made a while back then froze. I thought the finished dish had a kind of sweetness to it, and I don't know if it is from the broth or not. That roast was cooked with lots of carrots, so it could be. It's rare that I have my own beef broth; in the future I will probably use a reduced-sodium store bought type.

I served this with some baked salmon and green peas. Jim absolutely loved the risotto. He said it was the best rice dish he's ever had anywhere, anytime. Wow! But I have to keep in mind that he was on some pretty strong pain meds for his kidney stone and was a tad bit loopy. :)

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Ginger Honey Carrots

I needed a vegetable to go with my Asian dishes, so I did a search for ginger-flavored carrots. I found one on allrecipes.com and gave it a try today.

Ginger Honey Carrots

Ingredients:

3 tbsp butter

2 tbsp candied ginger, chopped finely

1½ tbsp honey

½ tsp lemon juice

1 lb. carrots

Directions:

Melt butter in small saucepan. Add ginger and cook until soft. Add honey and lemon juice and stir to combine. Heat on low until mixture reduces a bit.

Cook carrots by steaming. I put them in a dish with a small amount of water and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 2-4 minutes, depending on how done you like them. Drain and toss with the glaze.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Info:

Calories: 100

Fat/Sat. Fat: 4/1

Cholesterol: 0

Sodium: 140

Fiber: 3

Protein: 1

I didn't change much; just some quantities. The original called for 4 tbsp butter, 2 1/2 tbsp honey, and 1 tsp lemon juice. Oh, and I also doubled the ginger because I couldn't really taste it after I added the 1/4 tsp. Some people would probably like it with the full amount of honey, but I thought it was bordering on the "too sweet" side as it was. I know it's supposed to be sweet, but I don't like my veggies really sweet. And having to reduce the lemon juice was probably the result of reducing the honey.

Overall, very good. Will definitely be making again. The picture doesn't show the glaze very well.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

****Update****

So I have been tweaking this recipe and have added something that makes it truly amazing. First of all, I don't use frozen carrots anymore. I have found I much prefer fresh. I peel them, cut them on the bias, and steam them in the microwave. I have been using those new Zip'n Steam Bags by Ziploc. I really like them. Then, I add something special to the glaze. After the butter melts in the saucepan, I add some chopped crystallized (candied) ginger. I let it get nice and soft in the butter before adding the honey. Since I added the crystallized ginger, I decreased the amount of ground ginger previously called for. Oh man, it is so good! The ginger gets all soft and adds such a wonderful flavor. Here are some pics:

Here's the ginger getting soft in the pan with the melting butter.

When the ginger is soft, I add the honey, lemon juice, and ground ginger. Then I add the steamed carrots and let the glaze reduce a bit. Yummy! In the background you can see some chicken satay I had on the grill pan. I seasoned it with Vindaloo. Awesome.

Jim thought these carrots were okay before, but now he is asking for them all the time.

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Mustard Chicken

This is a recipe I discovered when we lived in Texas. I cannot remember where I found it, however. The mustard flavor is milder after cooking than you would expect. It really seals in the moisture of the chicken so it's really nice and juicy when done. Very simple dish.

Mustard Chicken

Ingredients:
4 thin boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup brown mustard
4 egg whites
1-2 cups Italian bread crumbs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.

Mix together the mustard and eggs until well combined.

Dip each chicken breast in the mustard/egg mixture, then coat in bread crumbs. Place on baking sheet and bake about 25 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Makes 4 servings.

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Rice Pilaf

I used to buy those boxed rice mixes all the time. They are tasty and easy to prepare. However, they are often loaded with salt and fat. I learned a great way to make rice by reading Cook's Illustrated, the companion magazine to America's Test Kitchen. I now make rice by using the "pilaf" method. This means cooking the grains in hot oil briefly before adding liquid to impart a toasted, nutty flavor.

This recipe is almost word for word from Cook's Illustrated. I made the addition of the peas and carrots. I like to add them halfway (or more) through the cooking so that they stay crisp and not mushy like vegetables can get.


Rice Pilaf

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced shallot
1 cup long grain white rice
1 ¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken stock
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup shredded carrots (the matchstick kind)

Directions:
Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and shallot and cook until fragrant but not browned. Add rice and increase heat to medium. Stir frequently until the rice just begins to become golden brown.

Add stock and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove lid and add peas and carrots. Return lid to pan and simmer an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until rice is fully cooked.

Fluff with a fork and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

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Primavera Orzo

This is a recipe I make regularly. It is an amended recipe from Rachael Ray. She made it on "30 Minute Meals" a few years ago. I changed a few things about it.

Orzo is rice-shaped pasta. It cooks fairly quickly.


Primavera Orzo

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 small yellow squash, chopped
1 cup shredded carrots, chopped
1 tsp curry powder
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock
1 cup orzo (I use whole wheat)
1/2 cup reduced-fat grated parmesan

Directions:
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Add garlic, shallots, zucchini, squash, and carrots. Saute 5 minutes. Add curry and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add orzo and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally until pasta absorbs the liquid and is al dente, about 10 minutes. Uncover and stir in cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Information (per serving):
Calories: 265
Fat/Sat. Fat: 11/2.5
Cholesterol: 10
Sodium: 640
Fiber: 7
Protein: 14

The original recipe calls for parsley and peas to be stirred in towards the end. I think it's better without. Also the original called for zucchini and carrots only, but I think it's nice to do half zucchini and half yellow squash. The colors make this a very pretty summertime dish. (Actually I think "primavera" means springtime, but oh well.)

Another variation I sometimes do with this dish is to add grilled, diced chicken to it. That makes it a wonderful one-dish meal (and much healthier than Chicken Helper!)

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Asian Noodles

We eat a lot of salmon, and I have been looking for different ways to prepare it. I like to marinate it in different marinades and bake it. We tried grilling it, but that didn't work out so well because it falls apart too easily. Last week I remembered a packet I had in the pantry. It's A Taste of Thai Spicy Peanut Bake. It's really easy to do; you simply coat the salmon (or chicken or whatever) in this peanutty coating and bake it for 20-25 minutes (4-6 oz. salmon fillet.) It's really good. Kind of sweet, kind of spicy.

So then I needed some kind of side dish to go with it. I created this recipe all on my own. It can be made with rice noodles (which would make it more authentically Asian), but I don't care for them too much.

Asian Noodles

Ingredients:
4 oz. vermicelli (angel hair pasta)
2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
¼ tsp ground ginger (can use fresh if you have it)
¼ tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp spicy peanut sauce (add more if you like it spicier)
1 tbsp sesame seeds

Directions:
Boil pasta until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain. While pasta is cooking, combine soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and peanut sauce in a large bowl. Whisk together until combined.

Drain pasta well and add to dressing bowl. Turn pasta in the dressing until evenly coated. Add sesame seeds and toss to evenly distribute.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Information (per serving):
Calories: 112
Fat/Sat. Fat: .5/0
Cholesterol: 0
Sodium: 300
Fiber: 1
Protein: 4

This picture doesn't show the sesame seeds because I didn't have any the night I took this picture. They kind of a nice touch, I think.

This meal is great because of the way the saltiness of the soy sauce balances out the sweetness of the spicy peanut coating.

Now Jim asks for this meal once a week.

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Rhubarb Crisp

This is a rhubarb crisp recipe I got from a fellow pastor's wife, Kristin. She got it from a church cookbook. I thought it was better when she made it than when I made it, but haven't yet figured out what is different. I will definitely try it again, though. Jim really liked it. We ate it warm with vanilla ice cream.

Rhubarb Crisp

Ingredients:

4 c. diced rhubarb

1 c. granulated sugar

1 c. water

2 tsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. vanilla

1 c. flour

3/4 c. quick oats

1 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. melted margarine or butter

1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

Combine rhubarb, sugar, cornstarch, water, and vanilla and place in 9 x 13-inch glass baking dish. Mix flour, oats, brown sugar, and margarine to make the topping and spread over rhubarb. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Back for 40 to 50 minutes at 350 degrees or until bubbly and topping is a little crunchy.

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Grilled Potato Salad

This is a potato salad I made out of some grilled potatoes that we had left over from the evening before. Jim's not usually a fan of potato salad, but he couldn't get enough.

Grilled Potato Salad

1 lb red potatoes, cooked, cut into large chunks
2-3 cloves garlic, cooked along with the potatoes so they are soft
2 tbsp dill relish
3 hard boiled eggs, diced
1/2 cup Miracle Whip
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tbsp spicy brown mustard

Mix all ingredients together.

Makes about 4 servings.

I made this on Father's Day. It was served alongside burgers and baked beans. An American classic! It doesn't need much in the way of seasoning since the potatoes were seasoned when first grilled. The only thing I didn't like about it was the. They seemed to peel off the potatoes and just kind of float around by themselves. Next time I might try to peel them.

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