Category: FOOD

Charleston Chocolate Cake just got better!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOODLeave a comment
Carrot cake, red velvet cake and lemon cake!

Who doesn’t like cake? There is someone in Charleston, SC that makes THE BEST chocolate cake in all the land, her name is Christen Reese, owner of CHOCOLATE CAKE CHARLESTON. Fred and I went to a cake tasting a few weeks ago (yippee! I think that may be my calling!). The cake was DIVINE. The way everything was displayed was beautiful and I am thrilled to announce… there are more cake flavors that will be available and let me just say… each and every one of them is out of this world: a carrot cake so moist and delicious with just the perfect frosting, a red velvet cake that is as beautiful as it is tasty, and a lemon cake that is so light that it’s absolutely heavenly. I wish I would have turned this plate around and taken the shot from the top of the cake, pure beauty I’m telling you! Be sure to check out Christen’s website, get your cake order in early. Its nice that you can order a small 4″ two layer cake right on up to a 10″ three layer cake, as well as mini bites and medium cupcakes. Talk about flexible! We have our order in! For those of you who are out of town, shipping is available!!

Like I said, everything was so beautifully presented, in addition to the cake, there were little jars of local honey (Low Country Gold from Johns Island) that would make the sweetest gifts (for yourself as well). This picture doesn’t do it justice, I only had my phone with me… if you’re interested in this local Charleston, SC honey contact MORIAH WHITE, (M DESIGNS). (Email address: moriah_white@yahoo.com and phone is 843.637.4785). It would make a sweet hostess gift for sure! She also has her spiced pumpkin chutney available (fall harvest), so contact her while it’s still available…

M Designs – honey from Moriah White

Catch you back here tomorrow…

Eat for a better memory… the conclusion…

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTHLeave a comment
Image: Rd.com

I mentioned last week that I ran across a great article from Reader’s Digest magazine.EAT FOR A BETTER MEMORY – 7 WAYS TO GET SHARP. A great article from a great magazine. Today we’re going to finish off the list… From Reader’s Digest:

Make time for a good breakfast. A Toronto study found breakfast helped men and women, ages 61 to 79, score better on memory tests. And when kids eat a morning meal, their exam scores improve.

Toast to a sharper mind with Merlot. Or any beer or wine for that matter. A study of 746 adults found that those who drank one to six alcoholic beverages a week were 54 percent less likely than abstainers to develop dementia over six years. That’s no license to go crazy though… the same study determined 14 or more drinks weekly increased the risk of dementia by 22 percent. [Note: this is a tricky one, for every one study that says alcohol is good, two say that it is bad… ugh.]

Brew a cup of sage tea. Sage oil has been shown by some studies to boost acetylcholine levels in the brain, improving memory function. As a tea, it also aids digestion.

Have curry with dinner tonight. An Italian study found that curry may ward off memory loss and Alzheimer’s. The seasoning is thought to enhance an enzyme that protects the brain against oxidative damage.

A nice whole grain waffle, or some oatmeal with blueberries for breakfast. A glass of wine or beer (not to exceed one drink/day otherwise you up the chances… and if you aren’t already one who consumes alcohol based on other studies it’s probably best not to start just for this reason… keep your mind active), and brew a cup of nice sage tea… most of all USE IT… constantly try to figure out new things, drive different routes to routine places, meet new people, take an art class, write, volunteer, the possibilities are endless!

The previous foods were BLUEBERRIES, COFFEE (caffeinated, for those who can handle it) and FISH.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

A nice warm bowl of comfort food… Cooking Light’s highly rated BAKED POTATO SOUP

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTH, Recipe, Soup1 Comment
Beautiful bowl of potato soup topped with shredded sharp cheddar, crumbled bacon and green onions.
Cooking Light’s Baked Potato Soup

Sometimes I just want a nice hot bowl of comfort food. This is the ticket. It’s one of the best soup recipes from Cooking Light magazine. The taste is out of this world. It’s not terribly time consuming to make. The last time I made this soup I baked the potatoes while I had the oven on for a meal the day before, so it was quite fast to throw together. This is one of those recipes that makes your eyes roll back in your head, ha ha… too tasty! Trust me, you will love it. The only the I did differently is the I halved the amount of flour so it wouldn’t be quite so thick. I think the essential part of the soup is adding cheese (I used 2% Cracker Barrel Extra Sharp), crumbled CRISPY bacon and green onions (or chives). Let me know how you like it! Trust me, it’s a winner… Copied from MyRecipes.com which no longer has a recipe link… sigh.

Baked Potato Soup

Ingredients

  • 4 baking potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 6 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
  • 1 cup (4 ounces) reduced-fat shredded extrasharp cheddar cheese, divided
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
  • 3/4 cup chopped green onions, divided
  • 6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
  • Cracked black pepper (optional)

Preparation

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes; coarsely mash. Refrigerate if not using same day.
  • Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour in a large Dutch oven; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 8 minutes). Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 cup cheese, salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, stirring until cheese melts. Remove from heat.
  • Stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup green onions. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Ladle 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 8 bowls. Sprinkle each serving with cheese, green onions, and crispy bacon. Garnish with cracked pepper, if desired.

This is a delight and makes quite a bit. Oh, do I miss the Cooking Light magazine…

Enjoy!

Catch you back here next time!

Paula Deen’s Healthier Macaroni and Cheese recipe…

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe1 Comment

Image: DoctorOz.com

Healthier Mac and Cheese recipe… hmmm. I know right now you’re thinking well how good can THAT be? Low fat cheese, yuck. Well, actually I’ve been making mac and cheese for years with Cracker Barrel 2% Extra Sharp cheese and it has FLA-VOR! I don’t quite have it down pat when it comes to making a rue and adding the cheese, it curdles, from what I’ve read I need to use a combination of different cheeses to prevent that from happening, and that’s exactly what she does. So give it a whirl! Thanks to the Doctor Oz Newsletter that sent this out and of course, thanks to Paula for another fabulous recipe!

Paula Deen’s Healthier Mac and Cheese

Dr. Oz challenged celebrity chef Paula Deen to transform her favorite dishes by cutting the calories and fat in half. By using low-fat cheese and milk, Paula Deen’s Healthier Mac and Cheese keeps all the cheesy flavor of the original recipe without destroying your diet.

 | Print |

Ingredients

Makes 4-6 servings

2 cups whole wheat or regular elbow macaroni (8 oz)

2 cups shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese (8 oz)

1/2 cup low-fat evaporated milk

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 13×9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Drain well and transfer the pasta to a large bowl. Add the cheddar and stir until the pasta is coated and the cheese has melted.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the evaporated milk, eggs, sour cream, mustard, salt and cayenne pepper. Add the milk-egg mixture to the macaroni and cheese and stir well to combine. Scrape the mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the parmesan evenly over the top. Bake until golden brown and crispy around the edges, 35 to 40 minutes.

From PAULA DEEN’S SOUTHERN COOKING BIBLE by Paula Deen with Melissa Clark. Copyright © 2011 by Paula Deen.

Reprinted by permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc, NY.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Pomi tomatoes… skip the BPA in the can and try a carton of tomatoes!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTHLeave a comment

Image: Amazon.com

When you buy POMI tomatoes in a carton you’re buying tomatoes with no BPA in the packaging, no preservatives, citric acid, artificial flavor or water. Just tomatoes. BPA. Bisphenol-A. Once thought as harmless has been undergoing closer scrutiny. It’s in many plastic bottles (which is why we see the emergence of so many “BPA Free” plastics). What everyone doesn’t realize… it’s also in the plastic lining of cans… such as cans of tomatoes, soup, vegetables, the list goes on and on… There is a good article (click HERE) regarding the fact that BPA dangers may be worse from cans vs. plastic bottles… What can you do? Buy cartons or buy from companies who don’t use BPA in their cans, I believe EDEN FOODS and TRADER JOE’S. Hopefully by now there are more, but check it out. It can (possibly) cause many problems INCLUDING breast cancer… (read the article for further details). The best thing to do is not eat out of cans. That can’t always be done, but you can limit the amount of food eaten from cans. MAKE YOUR FOOD. Instead of buying a (processed) can of soup, it’s much healthier to MAKE your soup. Let me tell you… SOUP IS EASY. It just requires a little time and you will have one big pot that you can freeze into individual servings or eat for several days. It will end up being more cost effective if you make it AND you’ll know exactly what’s in it! Let me know if you know of any other BPA-free companies that have canned goods.

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Meatless Monday: Giada’s Pasta Ponza!!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, RecipeLeave a comment

Image: GiadaDeLaurentiis.com

If you’re on the Meatless Monday bandwagon, you don’t have to feel deprived. LOOK at this dish. This recipe is all good! Fresh simple ingredients, quick to throw together, not using many pots/pans. You’re simply roasting the tomatoes, cooking the pasta and mixing! This pasta paired with a nice fresh salad sounds TASTY! I’m going to serve mine on a salad plate to help trim calories. Our dinner plates these days I swear used to be platters back when I was young. You can load a lot of food on a modern plate… back to the salad plate for me! This recipe came directly from Giada’s website. ENJOY!

Pasta Ponza

Total Time:  23 min 
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Level: Easy

Ingredients

  • Butter for greasing
  • 2 cups (12 ounces) red cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 2 cups (12 ounces) yellow cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
  • 1/2 cup Italian-style seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 1 pound ziti or other short tube-shaped pasta
  • 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 ounces) Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 8-inch glass baking dish. Set aside.

Place the tomatoes, capers, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in the prepared baking dish. Toss to coat. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the tomato mixture. Drizzle the top with olive oil and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is golden. Cool for 5 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.

Place the pasta in a large serving bowl. Spoon the tomato mixture onto the pasta. Add the cheese and toss well. Thin out the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Print Recipe

Pasta Ponza is from Giada’s cookbook “Giada at Home: Family Recipes from Italy and California” available at booksellers everywhere! She’s got an amazing website as well, click HERE to check it out!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Can’t get a good dinner quicker than this!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, RecipeLeave a comment

A quick and easy dinner - ready in no time!

Ooooh, Wild Alaskan Coho Salmon, Shells with Brie and Asparagus along with Martha’s Tomato, Basil and White Bean Salad. A delicious dinner that was quick to prepare. I had made the bean salad a little earlier in the day. It’s so easy and the taste is beyond belief (as I mentioned in Monday’s post), but the longer it sits the tastier it is! The salmon and the shells with brie/asparagus came directly from Trader Joe’s freezer section. AND the salmon is boneless and skinless as well. Fred cooked the salmon. I know a lot of people like it rare’ish… I like mine crispy with no chance of flipping around… this just had a little butter on it, then was sautéed in olive oil, with salt and pepper and a little squeeze of lemon juice toward the end. The frozen shells with brie I wasn’t sure about. It sounded good at the time, but hmmm, you never know. It was good! It’s a small package and says serving size is 2 and it was PLENTY! This is an example of a good dinner put together in no time! What are some of your favorite “quick to throw together” meals?? I’d love to know!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Meatless Monday: Martha’s Tomato, Basil and White Bean Salad

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe2 Comments

Image: MarthaStewart.com

Let me start by saying. This. Is. Awesome. AND more importantly, I’m not really a bean eater. Some beans are OK, black beans, chili beans, but I don’t seek them out… this recipe changed my outlook on beans. This is one quick dish that is out of this world good. This tastes like it came straight from Italy. The only thing you heat is the oil and mainly to infuse the garlic into it. Trust me, this recipe will quickly become a family favorite!

Click HERE to go directly to Martha Stewart’s site to easily print the recipe, or see below… either way… ENJOY!

MARTHA’S TOMATO, BASIL and WHITE BEAN SALAD

Prep/10 min.  Total Time/35 min.  Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 2 cans (19 ounces each) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 pound small roma (plum) tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 small garlic cloves, minced

Directions

  1. Combine beans, tomatoes, basil, and salt in a bowl, and season with pepper.
  2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Pour over bean mixture, and gently toss. Let stand 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. Salad can be covered and kept at room temperature up to 4 hours.

A five star fall dessert… Cinnamon Apple Cake – from Cooking Light Magazine!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, Recipe6 Comments
Cooling Cake – It’s not easy to wait!

Fall is in the air… or at least in Charleston, SC it will be soon! What do you think of when you think of fall? I think of apple cider, I think of Yate’s Cider Mill in Rochester, MI. One of my all time favorite places to grab some great crisp, sweet apples, a cup of apple cider, aaaaahhhhhh, and one of those sinful cider mill doughnuts rolled in granulated sugar and cinnamon. Ah, wish they were right around the corner, but its probably a good thing they are far away… VERY far away. If you want a dessert that isn’t too bad for you and has the bonus of making your house smell FAN-TAS-TIC! This is the recipe for you!

Continue reading “A five star fall dessert… Cinnamon Apple Cake – from Cooking Light Magazine!” →

Foods that should never cross your lips… # 7!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTHLeave a comment

Image: Prevention.com

We are wrapping up a great segment of Foods That Should Never Cross Your Lips (very insightful article by Prevention magazine). I’ve tried to present this to you one food at a time so that you can adjust and make the switch (at least on those that are meaningful to you)… I realize it’s difficult to make a big change all at once, but little by little it seems to be more possible! This week’s food to avoid? Conventional apples. Ugh. It’s one of the harder ones for me, just because organic apples cost so much more than conventional, but after you read this I think you’ll agree, it’s worth saving up for your apples… unless you want to wash and peel… then you lose some of the vitamins and fiber, but at least you are also losing the chemicals!

Conventional Apples

Mark Kastel, former executive for agribusiness and codirector of the Cornucopia Institute, a farm-policy research group that supports organic foods, gives us the scoop:

The problem: If fall fruits held a “most doused in pesticides contest,” apples would win. Why? They are individually grafted (descended from a single tree) so that each variety maintains its distinctive flavor. As such, apples don’t develop resistance to pests and are sprayed frequently. The industry maintains that these residues are not harmful. But Kastel counters that it’s just common sense to minimize exposure by avoiding the most doused produce, like apples. “Farm workers have higher rates of many cancers,” he says. And increasing numbers of studies are starting to link a higher body burden of pesticides (from all sources) with Parkinson’s disease.

The solution: Buy organic apples.

Budget tip: If you can’t afford organic, be sure to wash and peel them. But Kastel personally refuses to compromise. “I would rather see the trade-off being that I don’t buy that expensive electronic gadget,” he says. “Just a few of these decisions will accommodate an organic diet for a family.”

Whatever you may decide, I just wanted you to have the latest information. For now, unless I hear otherwise, organic apples it is…

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Thanks to Paula Deen’s sons for a lighter fried chicken recipe!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, RecipeLeave a comment

Image: DoctorOz.com

I am excited to try this… long ago, Oprah Winfrey had her chef, Rosie talk about the different recipes she made for Oprah, she then came out with a cookbook, I bought it and one of my favorite recipes was the unfried fried chicken. It was fabulous. This one is different and worth trying! This recipe came to me in an email from Doctor Oz. No, I don’t know Dr. Oz personally, but I do subscribe to his newsletter, full of fabulous information, and here’s a great recipe to try… It’s from Paula Deen’s sons… From the newsletter:

When Jamie and Bobby Deen heard how unhealthy Vita’s fried chicken recipe was, they had no choice but to show up at her door. Below is their alternate recipe: a healthy twist with un-fried chicken that still packs a satisfying crunch. Click here to purchase your copy of The Deen Bros. Get Fired Up.

Now… for the recipe! Click HERE to go directly to the link on Doctor Oz where you can easily print the recipe…

THE DEEN BROTHERS’ LIGHTER FRIED CHICKEN

Ingredients

Serves 8

8 skinless boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of all visible fat (about 1 1/2 lbs)

1/2 tsp Paula Deen’s House Seasoning (1/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp ground black pepper, 1/8 tsp garlic powder)

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 egg white

1/2 tsp hot sauce

1 1/4 cups cornflake crumbs

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a large shallow baking pan with non-stick spray. Sprinkle the chicken with the house seasoning. In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon zest, juice, egg white, and hot sauce. Add the chicken; toss to coat. 

Place the cornflake crumbs on a sheet of wax paper. Dip the chicken into the crumbs pressing so the crumbs adhere. Place the chicken in the pan and lightly spray with nonstick spray.

Bake until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 40 – 45 minutes. Do not turn.

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

227 calorie

25g protein

11g total fat

3g saturated fat

4g monounsaturated fat

5g carbohydrates

0g fiber

0g sugar

13mg calcium

1mg iron

288mg sodium

87mg cholesterol

Original Recipe courtesy Paula Deen. Revised recipe courtesy of Bobby Deen and the Paula Deen Test Kitchen.

Oh yum, does that ever sound good right now!

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Meatless Monday recipe… Penne with Spinach, Feta and Olives!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, RecipeLeave a comment

Here is a recipe that will make you flip. It’s so easy. It’s healthy. It’s QUICK and DELICIOUS. This is another good one from Cooking Light Magazine! If you need a meatless Monday meal, here it is! It’s great paired with a small salad… enjoy, it’s one of my favorites! Click HERE to go directly to the MyRecipes.com website so it’s quick and easy to print, or see below!

Penne with Spinach, Feta, and Olives

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 6 cups hot cooked penne (about 12 ounces uncooked tube-shaped pasta)
  • 2 cups chopped spinach
  • 1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
  • 2 tablespoons capers
  • 3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Preparation

  • Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Add pasta, spinach, olives, capers, and cheese; toss well.

Cooking Light
MAY 1998

I said it was easy, didn’t I? Can’t get any easier than that! Catch you back here tomorrow!

Owl’s Head General Store… what a find, the best hamburger ever!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, TRAVELLeave a comment

Owls Head General Store, Owls Head, ME

I was looking at Katy Elliott’s blog last year and noted that she mentioned going to Owls Head, ME and having the best burger ever… YAY! We found a new place to try, and try it we did, almost daily it seems. (Thank you K.E.!). The OWLS HEAD GENERAL STORE is one of those rare places you find that you just fall in love with. Everything is fabulous, the people are HAPPY TO SEE YOU, and they notice when you come back. It’s like returning home to a loving family. I’m not exaggerating either. This place is the ticket. Food Network TV rated their hamburger MAINE’S BEST BURGER. And. It. Was. Oh. My. Gosh! Check them out on Facebook (Owls Head General Store).

Catch you back here tomorrow!

Foods that should never cross your lips… #6!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTHLeave a comment

Image: Prevention.com
Image: Prevention.com

This is week six of the foods that should never cross your lips. This information is from Prevention magazine… to read the article in it’s entirety click HERE. My thought was to give you one food a week to try to change to, or at the very least know about… seems like it’ll stick with you better than all at once. At the bottom I’ve included the list of foods we’ve covered this far. This week’s food to avoid… milk with artificial hormones. From the Prevention magazine article:

Milk Produced with Artificial Hormones

Rick North, project director of the Campaign for Safe Food at the Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility and former CEO of the Oregon division of the American Cancer Society, gives us the scoop:
The problem: Milk producers treat their dairy cattle with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST, as it is also known) to boost milk production. But rBGH also increases udder infections and even pus in the milk. It also leads to higher levels of a hormone called insulin-like growth factor in milk. In people, high levels of IGF-1 may contribute to breast, prostate, and colon cancers. “When the government approved rBGH, it was thought that IGF-1 from milk would be broken down in the human digestive tract,” says North. As it turns out, the casein in milk protects most of it, according to several independent studies. “There’s not 100% proof that this is increasing cancer in humans,” admits North. “However, it’s banned in most industrialized countries.”

The solution: Check labels for rBGH-free, rBST-free, produced without artificial hormones, or organic milk. These phrases indicate rBGH-free products.

Budget tip: Try Wal-Mart’s Great Value label, which does not use rBGH.

This is one I am faithful about. I usually buy Horizon or if I’m at Whole Foods I’ll buy their brand. Will also try Trader Joe’s with no hormones… we drink 1%, we used to drink skim (regular with hormones/antibiotics all that stuff) and it had a blue’ish tint… WHY would that be? 1% seemed to be better. Interestingly enough when I had the no hormone/antibiotic added skim milk it WAS. NOT. BLUE. Therefore. I won’t drink “regular” milk… it’s not worth it to me. My opinion, but one I believe in.

So… to recap the past weeks:

1. Canned tomatoes

2. Corn-fed beef

3. Microwave popcorn

4. Non-organic potatoes

5. Farmed Salmon

6. Milk produced with artificial hormones

Next week will wrap up this segment!  So add NO ADDED HORMONE milk to your grocery list and I’ll catch you back here tomorrow!

Pan-Fried Pork Chops and Homemade Applesauce Recipe!

On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, RecipeLeave a comment

Image: MyRecipes.com

You know sometimes how healthy, light fare just doesn’t sound very fair? That’s when you should make something like this. It’s still healthy, especially if you leave out the carbs (i.e. mashed potatoes swimming in butter). If you have a drawer full of apples that haven’t been eaten and are on their way to retirement this is a great recipe… It’s so tasty… From Cooking Light Magazine… Click HERE if you would like to be taken to the MyRecipes.com website to make it quick to print… and on to the recipe…!

Pan-Fried Pork Chops and Homemade Applesauce

Ingredients

  • Applesauce:
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 3 apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped (about 4 cups chopped)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • Pork:
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 (5-ounce) bone-in center-cut pork chops
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil

Preparation

  • 1. To prepare applesauce, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add apples to pan; cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1/2 cup water, sugar, juice, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to pan; cook 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook 25 minutes or until apples are tender. Mash gently with the back of a spoon.
  • 2. To prepare pork, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle pork evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; dredge pork in flour. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add pork to pan; cook 5 minutes or until golden. Turn pork over; cook 3 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with applesauce.

Cooking Light
SEPTEMBER 2009

Ahhh, so are you going to give it a whirl? You will be thrilled at how tasty this is! Catch you back here tomorrow!