Tender Pork Chops with Apples and Onions

Thanks to a Costco sale on pork chops, I had enough meat to make this meal twice in two weeks!  Mashed potatoes is a must.  The recipe couldn't be more simple, but you do need to allow three hours to cook, so plan ahead.

• 4 bone-in pork loin chops (at least 1/2-inch thick) (I used boneless both times)
• 2-3 granny smith apples, peeled and sliced about 1/4-inch thick
• 1-2 yellow onions, sliced
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place the onion slices in an even layer over the bottom of the dish. Top the onion slices with the apples. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the apples and onions. Season the pork chops generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Arrange the pork chops in a single layer on top of the apples and onions. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for three hours. Do not open the oven and lift the foil – the pork chops, apples and onions need to be tightly covered the whole time to work their magic (and not dry out).
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• Serve each pork chop with mashed potatoes and topped with the apples and onions.

Overnight Cinnamon Eggnog French Toast

Happy New Year!  I think this might become a New Year's morning tradition in our home, because who doesn't love starting a new year by eating dessert for breakfast?!  I made several changes that are reflected below.  The original recipe can be found here. 

1 loaf day-old French bread cut into 1” cubes
6 eggs
2 cups eggnog (full fat)
1/2 cup milk (whatever kind you want to use)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

Brown Sugar Pecan Crumble Topping

1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped

1 Tbsp pure maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup butter, cubed (1 stick)

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1. Lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray then add French bread cubes.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together all remaining ingredients (not including Crumble topping) then evenly pour over bread cubes. Cover pan and refrigerate overnight.
3. Brown Sugar Pecan Crumble:  Add pecans to a medium bowl and add 1 Tablespoon maple syrup and 1 teaspoon vanilla; toss to evenly coat. Set aside.
4. Add butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves to food processor and pulse until it resembles coarse pebbles (or use a pastry cutter).  Add brown sugar mixture to pecans and toss to evenly combine.
5. Evenly sprinkle Brown Sugar Pecan Crumble over the bread and bake at 350 F degrees for 45-55 minutes, depending on how soft/”eggy” you like it. Serve with fresh berries and/or bananas and lots of coffee!

Chicken Schwarma Bowls

I've shared this recipe with several friends already and thought, instead of sending a photo of the wrinkled page I tore from my Cooking Light magazine and my suggested changes, I should just post the recipe here!  I've made this for my family several times and we love it!  We call it "Mediterranean Pile-Up"


3 cups skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast, shredded (thank you, Costco, for your delicious and affordable rotisserie chickens!)
3 tsp olive oil
1 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp cumin, divided
1/8 tsp paprika
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp tahini (don't skip this!)
1 tsp minced garlic
2 cups cooked grain like farro, quinoa, or brown rice
2 cups chopped cucumber
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp black pepper
chopped kalamata olives, optional
crumbled feta cheese, optional

Cook grain of choice according to package directions.  I like to use chicken broth for part or all of my cooking liquid.

Place chicken and oil in a large bowl; toss to coat.  Combine 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp cumin, and paprika in a bowl.  Add spice mixture to chicken mixture; toss to coat.

Combine remaining 1/4 tsp salt, remaining 1/4 tsp cumin, yogurt, lemon juice, tahini, and garlic in a small bowl.  Set aside.

To season chickpeas: In a medium bowl, combine chickpeas with 1 tsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp cumin, and 1/4 tsp salt. 

Place 1/2 cup cooked grain in each of 4 bowls.  Top each serving with about 3/4 cup chicken mixture, 1/2 cup cucumber, 1/2 cup tomatoes, about 1/3 cup chickpeas, and a large dollop of Greek yogurt mixture.  Top with parsley and black pepper.  Serve with pita chips.

OR

My family likes to build their own bowl, so I just serve all the toppings separate and let everyone pile it up.  We also really like kalamata olives and feta as optional toppings.  This can be served warm (I microwave the chicken and chick peas), room temp, or cold. 

week of September 11

Rainbow Power Kale Salad - my son was gone for this meal, but my girls liked it far more than I thought they would!  I think the different colors and textures made for a beautiful and delicious salad.  Keep the dressing and peanuts on the side and you'll have great leftovers for the week.

Oven Fajitas - a standard favorite

Green Taco Wraps - a made "real" meat as well, but we put our fillings in lettuce leaves and everyone was happy.  If, like me, you don't have a food processor and use a Vitamix for food processing, make sure to put the walnuts in before the lentils to avoid too many mushy lentils.

Date Night!

Chicken Curry - I first tried the recipe on the side of the Patak Mild Curry Paste jar, but have made some changes and we all enjoy this dish:

1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 Tbsp curry paste
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes, drained of juices
1 tsp sugar
salt to taste
1/2 cup coconut milk

Heat oil in a large skillet.  Add onions and saute a few minutes.  Add garlic and cook just until fragrant (1 minute).  Add chicken pieces and cook about 5 minutes, until starting to brown.  Add curry paste and mix well.  Add chicken broth, tomatoes, sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt.  Bring to a low boil and simmer, uncovered, 20-25 minutes until chicken is fully cooked and sauce has thickened.  Stir in coconut milk and cook just until heated through.  Serve over rice or with naan bread!

week of August 14

Orecchiette and Spinach Soup - I used red pepper instead of tomatoes and it was still great!

Mediterranean Couscous and Chicken wraps - one of my go-to summer meals

Mexican pile-up

Sausage, Quinoa salad, and watermelon - perfect for a pool picnic!
For the salad I combined:
quinoa cooked in chicken broth
garden cherry tomatoes, chopped
garden lemon cucumbers, chopped
fresh basil, chopped
freshly grated parmesan cheese
olive oil
salt and pepper

leftovers before guys' night at the ball park and girls' night at the salon =)

Lasagna

Heaviland Menu Swap - Summer edition

Jessie and I have been swapping menus about once a season for over five years!  We choose a week and send each other a menu consisting of 5-6 new recipes (that we've made but the other person hasn't), plus a bonus dessert and/or breakfast idea.  It's always such a fun food week!  Shopping for different ingredients, cooking new meals, introducing the family to foods that aren't necessarily part of our regular routine, and all the while thinking of my dear friend.  

Hawaiian Fried Rice - use fresh pineapple!

Chili-Lime Chicken Kebobs with Honey Lime Fruit Salad - grating lime zest on the fruit took our normal fruit salad to a new level.  I should have marinated the chicken longer to get more of the chili-lime flavor.

Fruit, Nut, and Goat Cheese Salad - if I had to pick a favorite meal from the week it would be this: so simple, but absolutely delicious.

Banh Mi Sandwiches - I doubled the meatballs and made these when we hosted dinner for our community group . . . several asked for the recipe afterwards which is always a good sign!

Italian Mac and Cheese - what's not to love about noodles, meat, and cheese cooked together?!

Slow Cooker Jalapeno Popper White Bean Chili - I was surprised by how well this chili went over with the entire family.  It was delicious!  And not too spicy (though you could kick it up a notch if you wanted to)


Frosted Banana Bars

Welsh Breakfast Cakes

week of July 2

Sweet Greens and We The Pizza take-out for a dinner picnic on the Capitol lawn for A Capitol Fourth concert rehearsal

Fourth of July BBQ at Steve and Vallerie's!

Lemon Shrimp Orzo Pasta

Chickpea Stew

Filipino Adobo Chicken - this is the third chicken adobo recipe I've tried and it's by far the easiest to pull together

pizza at a birthday pool party

week of June 19

Harissa Ravioli - from Super Natural Everyday

dinner with community group

Mostly Not Potato Salad - from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Everyday; with potatoes from our garden!

leftovers - which included this yummy quinoa salad, one of my favorites!

homemade pizza

dinner with friends

week of June 12

Mexican Pile-up

Honey Garlic Chicken with rice and edamames

Chicken salad on baguette with olives and watermelon

pizza

Harissa Ravioli

week of June 5

BLT salad

Lebanese Chicken with hummus for community group

Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Posole Salad  (I skipped making the actual dressing this time.  Instead I drizzled olive oil and added a pinch of salt to each plated salad then served it with a thick wedge of lime.  Still deliciously good!)

Bratwurst with veg and fruit - Dad's dinner of choice when he's in charge

Leftovers!