Stuffed Pork Chops with Apple Stuffing

Stuffed Pork Chops with Apple Stuffing

There are those things in life you just never forget. Like your very first childhood friend, your high school graduation and senior prom or your first kiss. My Mom’s Southern Stuffed Pork chops are way up at the top of the list of things I will always remember.  This was always a Sunday dinner for us.  She always saved her very best meals for Sunday when we came home from church.  I can still remember how good the house smelled as we sat down to dinner.  Those were happier times then. Those are days I will never forget.

Stuffed Pork Chops with Apple Stuffing

4 bone-in center-cut pork chops, at least 1 1/2 inches thick

1 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves

4 sprigs fresh thyme, stripped

1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 cup Granny Smith apple, peeled and finely chopped
1 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons butter, divided

1 tablespoon cooking oil 
 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse the pork chops and pat them dry with paper towels. Holding a sharp paring knife parallel to the work surface, cut a 3-inch-wide pocket into each pork chop all the way to the bone to create a pouch for the stuffing.  Season the chops well on all sides and inside each pocket with salt and freshly ground pepper. Set aside.

Heat large skillet over medium high heat and add oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter.  Sear pork chops on both sides until golden brown and fat is slightly caramelized. Transfer chops from skillet to plate and set aside to cool.  Do Not Clean Pan. You will need the drippings for your gravy.

Return skillet to heat and add a tablespoon of butter.  Add the onion and celery to the skillet and cook until softened.  Next add the garlic, rosemary, apples, breadcrumbs, chicken broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper as well.  Stir everything together and then remove from the heat and set aside to cool.   When stuffing is cool enough to work with, stuff each chop.  You can secure with a toothpicks if you wish.

Place pork chops on top of a rack inside a baking dish. You want to keep them off the bottom of the dish. Add water to just beneath the rack, being careful not to touch the pork chops with the liquid. Cover baking dish and rack with pork chops with aluminum foil. Bake the chops for 1 hour. Temperature should read 145 degrees in the center of the chops when done. Let rest, remove the toothpicks and serve.

Homemade Gravy

Pan drippings from browning chops in the skillet.

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat skillet with leftover drippings from pork chops. Add chicken stock and heavy cream. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Keep stirring until liquid has noticeably reduced.  Whisk in flour rapidly until blended.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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Impossible Ham and Cheese Pie

 Impossible Ham and Cheese Pie

This is one of those recipes you have to see to believe.  A few years ago I was watching Cooks Country or America's Test Kitchen one Sunday afternoon and saw them make this beautiful savory pie without first making a pie shell and yet it came out of the oven with the most gorgeous crispy crust.  I thought Wow!  No way!  I had to see for myself.   

I immediately went to the kitchen and followed the recipe and sat back waiting for the failure.  I mean, come on,  how can a pie make its own crust?   Well it did and I was so impressed I've been making this pie ever since.  This is not one of those soggy bottom pies put out by Bisquick. Not even close.  The crust is crispy and delicious. The secret is in the Parmesan cheese!  Trust me, you'll be making this pie for years to come! 

Impossible Ham and Cheese Pie

1 tablespoon butter, softened

3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups Monterrey Jack or White Cheddar cheese

4 ounces thickly sliced deli ham, diced

4 scallions, minced

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup half-and-half

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9-inch pie plate with softened butter, then coat plate evenly with Parmesan.

Combine cheese, ham, and chopped scallions in bowl. Sprinkle cheese and ham mixture in prepared pie dish.  Then,using the same bowl, combine flour, baking powder, pepper, and salt. Set aside.

In separate bowl whisk together half-and-half, eggs, melted butter, mustard, and nutmeg until smooth. Add this to the flour mixture and mix by hand until well blended. Slowly pour batter over cheese-and-ham mixture in pie dish.

Bake on lowest rack in oven until pie is light golden brown and filling is set, 30 to 35 minutes. Pie will be puffed up like a souffle when it first comes out of the oven but will lower once it starts to cool. Let cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. Slice into wedges. Serve warm.

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Cheesy Egg Bites

 Cheesy Egg Bites

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I made these quite by accident one morning.  I was making a quiche and after I filled by pie crust as high as I could go, I looked down and had some of the egg mixture left over.  Too much to throw away and not enough to make another quiche. So I grabbed a muffin pan and so I filled in two of the cups with what I had left. About 10 minutes into the baking time, I looked in the oven and WOW, they had risen 3 times there size and were beautiful!  Sometimes I create recipes without trying.  But how would they taste? They are light and fluffy and filled with cheesy goodness. I make them all the time now and store some in the freezer. It makes about a dozen when you use a regular sized muffing tin. You can also add veggies, bacon, ham or anything other favorite addition you like to add to your quiche or omelettes.

Cheesy Egg Bites

 

6 eggs

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray muffin tins lightly with non stick cooking spray. 

In a large mixing bowl whisk together eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Stir in the cheese.

 

 

Lightly spray your muffin tin with non-stick spray and lay it on top of a rimmed baking pan. Add your muffin tin to a baking sheet with a rim.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pour egg mixture into muffins cups, filling to the top. Carefully place your muffin tin and the baking sheet in the oven on the middle rack.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add about a quarter inch of water to the bottom baking pan. The water bath will create steam and prevent you bites from deflating when they come out of the oven. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bake until eggs are set in the middle.  Run a plastic knife around the inside walls of the muffin cup to help loosen them if needed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 NOTES:   

You can add different ingredients like cooked spinach, diced tomatoes, mushrooms, chopped broccoli, green peppers or onions.  You can also use crumbled bacon or diced ham.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Store these in the refrigerator in an air tight container for 3 days. These   will last 3-4 days.  You can also keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Make sure to let them cool completely before freezing. Then put them in a Ziploc freezer bag.

 

 

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Orange Cinnamon Sweet Rolls

Orange Cinnamon Sweet Rolls

I love making sweet rolls when the weather starts turning chilly.  There’s just something about a hot cup of tea with a warm sweet roll fresh out of the oven that makes all seem well with the world.  The sweet smell of oranges as they bake will chase away any cold weather blahs.  The sweet buttery filling in these orange rolls and that pop of orange zest in the icing, make it near impossible not to smile when you take that first bite! I like to make these the day before and pop them in the oven first thing in the morning.

Orange Cinnamon Sweet Rolls

Dough

1/4 cup warm water, 110 degrees

2 teaspoons instant yeast

1 cup milk

4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, melted

Dissolve the yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar in the ¼ cup of lukewarm water and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and the salt.  Add the beaten egg, the milk and melted butter and mix with a mixer until smooth.

Next, remove the dough and knead it by hand for 10 minutes, or with your mixer equipped with the dough hook for 5 minutes. The dough should be smooth and supple. Turn the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and allow the dough to rise for about 1 to 2 hours or until puffy.

Orange Cinnamon Filling

1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

Grated orange zest from 2 large oranges (save ½ teaspoon for glaze)

While the dough is rising, make the filling.  In a small bowl combine the softened butter with the sugar until blended.  Add in the orange juice and the orange zest.  Remember to save ½ teaspoon of the zest for your glaze.  Set filling aside.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface. Pat and then roll the dough into a 16 x 12 -inch rectangle. Spread the orange filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch bare edge along one long side. Sprinkle top with cinnamon.

Starting with a long edge, roll the dough into a long log. Do not roll too tightly or the centers will pop up. You want a nice roll that is not too tight but not too lose.  Once you have your roll, brush the seamed edge with water and pull it up over the log, pinching it to seal.  Turn your roll seam side down.

Using a long serrated knife, cut the dough at one and a half inch pieces to make 12 rolls. Or you can use dental floss to loop around the log and get a nice clean cut.

Transfer the rolls to lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving about 1-inch between each roll.  I like to put mine in a round baking dish and let them touch.  Brush the sides of each roll with melted butter to make them easier to pull apart after they're baked. Cover the rolls with lightly greased plastic wrap, and set them aside to rise for about 90 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees when ready to bake.

Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and allow them to cool slightly, as you prepare the frosting.

Orange Glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice from about 1 orange

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

Mix the softened butter with the sugar and orange juice.  Add in the ½ teaspoon of reserved orange zest and mix until smooth.  Glaze your lightly cooled rolls. Enjoy!

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