Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Pork Chops

This week is my first time to host Table Talk. 
 My choice was Sauteed Boneless Pork Chops with Quick Ginger-Apple Chutney.
We have done recipes with shrimp, beef, turkey sausage and chicken, so I figured it would be fun to do a pork recipe, and this one stood out to me. I thought these were really good! I liked the apple and fresh ginger (which I added more of) flavors together with the pork.  I also usually bake or crock-pot my pork chops, so I liked trying a recipe to saute them.  My family really liked this dish, I will definitely try it again sometime.

 Sauteed Boneless Pork Chops with Quick Ginger-Apple Chutney 

If the pork is enhanced, do not brine. If brining the pork, do not season with salt in step 1.

4 (6 oz) boneless pork chops, 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick, brined if desired
Salt and pepper 
2 tsp. canola oil 
1 lb. Granny Smith apples (2 or 3), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 
1 onion, minced 
1 Tbs. grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 cup apple cider
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.  Brown the chops well on the first side, about 3 minutes.
2. Flip the chops over, reduce the heat to medium, and continue to cook until the chops register 140 to 145 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Transfer the pork chops to a platter, tent loosely with the aluminum foil, and let rest while making the chutney.
3. Add the apples and onion to the fat left in the skillet, cover, and cook over medium-low heat until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Uncover, stir in the ginger, allspice, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the cider and brown sugar, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 4 minutes. 
4. Stir in any accumulated meat juice and return to a brief simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste, spoon the sauce over the chops, and serve.

Per Serving:  Cal 390; Fat 11g; Sat Fat 3g; Chol 95 mg; Carb 37 g; Protein 38 g; Fiber 2g; Sodium 260 mg

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Penne With Chicken, Asparagus, and Lemon

Our Table Talk pick this week was a pasta dish.  
 This is definitely something I wouldn't have tried on my own - I am almost ashamed to admit I have never actually cooked asparagus before.    
I found some gluten-free penne pasta at Costco that I hadn't tried  - it was made with brown rice, quinoa, amaranth and corn. It was really good and made for a great gluten-free dinner!
I made regular pasta for my kids. I had nieces and nephews staying with me, and didn't figure they would touch it, but was surprised that they really liked it! My 8 year old nephew ate 3 huge plates of it!  Impressive!
I used extra chicken, dried spices, and left out the leek and wine (subbing for chicken broth).  With just those few changes, though, the flavor was great!
If you want the recipe, head over to Valerie's blog!