Kristen's Recipes

 

1 pound Italian sausage

2 C. sliced onion

1 tsp. minced fresh garlic

2 C. sliced crimini mushrooms, cleaned

1 C. sliced zucchini

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree

2 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. salt

1 (17-ounce) package pre-cooked garlic flavored polenta, cut into 1/4-inch rounds

1 1/2 C. shredded Provolone cheese

1/4 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh basil leaves for garnish

 

Squeeze sausage out of the casings into a large heavy skillet. Over medium heat, sauté sausage, breaking up sausage into small pieces. Cook until sausage is no longer pink. Remove sausage from pan with a slotted spoon and drain well on clean paper towels. Reserve 1 T. pan drippings and discard other drippings. Reheat same large heavy skillet over medium heat and add reserved 1 T. pan drippings. Add onion and garlic and sauté until onion is soft. Add mushrooms and zucchini. Cook and stir frequently until all liquid evaporates. Stir in tomatoes, herbs, red pepper flakes and salt. Return sausage to pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Spread an even scant layer (about 2/3 C.) of sauce on bottom of an 11×7 inch baking pan. Add a single layer of sliced polenta rounds. Layer with 2 C. of sausage sauce, followed by 3/4 C. of Provolone. Finish with an additional layer of polenta rounds, all the sausage sauce and all the Provolone. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese atop. Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.  Garnish each serving with fresh basil leaves.

 

1/2 C. fresh cranberries or 1/4 C. canned whole cranberry sauce

1/4 C. apple juice or apple cider

2 T. snipped dried figs

1 T. packed brown sugar or granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary or 1/4 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

6 ounces pork tenderloin

1/4 tsp. salt-free herb seasoning

Nonstick cooking spray

Hot cooked brown or long grain rice (optional)

 

For chutney: In a heavy small saucepan, stir together cranberries or cranberry sauce, apple juice, figs, sugar, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 8 minutes or until chutney reaches desired consistency, stirring occasionally. Set aside. Meanwhile, trim fat from pork. Cut pork crosswise into six pieces, each about 1 inch thick. Press each piece with the palm of your hand to an even thickness. Sprinkle herb seasoning evenly over pork. Coat an unheated large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat over medium-high heat. Cook pork in hot skillet for 2 to 3 minutes or until pork is slightly pink in center and juices run clear, turning once halfway through cooking time. To serve, divide pork medallions between two dinner plates. If desired, serve with hot cooked rice. Spoon some of the warm chutney over pork. Pass remaining chutney.

 

1/4 C. apricot jam or preserves

1/4 C. chili sauce

1 T. sweet-hot mustard or brown mustard

1 T. water

4 boneless pork top loin chops, 1 inch thick (about 1-1/2 pounds total)

 

For glaze, cut up any large pieces in apricot jam or preserves. In a small saucepan combine jam or preserves, chili sauce, mustard, and water. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until heated through and well blended. Remove from heat. Trim excess fat from pork chops. Place chops on unheated rack of broiler pan. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat for 8 minutes. Turn pork chops; brush generously with glaze. Broil 8 to 12 minutes more or until juices run clear. Spoon any remaining glaze over meat before serving.

 

1/2 C. all-purpose flour

Salt and pepper to taste

4 bone-in pork loin chops, 1 inch thick

2 T. butter

1/4 C. cider vinegar

1/3 C. maple syrup

1 T. cornstarch

3 T. water

2/3 C. packed brown sugar

 

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine flour, salt and pepper. Add pork chops and shake to coat. In a skillet, brown chops on both sides in butter. Place in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 450 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until juices run clear. Meanwhile, in a skillet, bring the vinegar to a boil. Reduce heat; add maple syrup. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; add to the maple mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Place chops on a broiler pan; sprinkle with brown sugar. Broil 4 in. from the heat for 2-3 minutes or until sugar is melted. Drizzle with maple glaze.

 

Pork Chops:

1 C. fine salt

1/2 C. granulated sugar

1 T.p ea red, while, black, peppercorns

1 tsp each dried rosemary and thyme

Fresh ground pepper

4 bone-in rib chops

 

Quinoa:

1 C. Inca red quinoa

2 C. chicken broth

4 oz smoked mozzarella chopped into 1/2 inch cubes

1 small red onion finely chopped

1 C. cooked lady peas

~C. cherry tomatoes quartered

1 T.p good extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp lemon juice

zest of 1 lemon

S&P

chopped cilantro for garnish

 

Garlic Lime Sauce:

1/4 C. fresh lime juice

1 garlic clove minced

1/4 tsp. red-pepper flakes

1/3 C. olive oil

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

 

In a large sauce pan, bring all ingredients, except the chops, to a boil. Stir until sugar and salt dissolves. Fill a large container halfway with ice. Add salt mixture. Allow to cool, about 10 minutes. When brine is cool, submerge chops. Cover container and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours. In a large pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add quinoa. Cover, lower heat to simmer, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender, but not mushy. Keep warm. Preheat grill to high heat. Remove chops from brine and discard brine. Rinse chops thoroughly under cold water and pat dry. Sprinkle chops liberally with fresh ground pepper. On a folded paper towel, pour a small amount of olive oil. Using tongs, apply the oil onto the grill grates. Place chops on the grill. They will sizzle and you may get some small flare-ups, this is fine. Let chops cook for about 2 minute then give the chops a quarter turn. Let cook for about 3 minutes more then flip and repeat. Remove chops when they are medium-rare to medium. I cook mine to a temperature of 140 degrees-f. They as a little pink. No worries when you are eating good pork. In a mixing bowl, add the quinoa, onions, tomatoes, and lady peas. Toss gently. Add remaining ingredients except the cilantro and toss lightly to combine. For the sauce: whisk together lime juice, garlic, red-pepper flakes, and 1/4 tsp. salt, then add oil in a slow stream. Add cilantro and whisk to combine. Serve over chops.

 

2 1/4 C. chicken stock or low-sodium broth

1 small shallot, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

2/3 C. quinoa

2 T. wheat berries

1 thyme sprig

1 bay leaf

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil

Four 5-ounce boneless pork loin chops, trimmed of fat

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 dried pear halves, diced

4 dried apricot halves, sliced

1/4 C. dried sour cherries (1 ounce)

2 T. ruby port

 

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a small skillet, combine 1/4 C. of the stock with the shallot and garlic and cook over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Add the quinoa, wheat berries, thyme and bay leaf. Add 1 C. of the stock and bring to a simmer. Scrape the mixture into a 9-inch square baking dish, cover with foil and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the quinoa and wheat berries are tender. Remove the pilaf from the oven and keep covered. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper and brown them in the skillet over moderately high heat, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Add the dried pears, apricots and cherries to the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Add the port and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining 1 C. of stock and simmer over moderately high heat until reduced to 1/3 C., about 5 minutes. Add the pork chops and any accumulated juices and cook over moderate heat, turning the pork a few times, until it is hot and just cooked, about 2 minutes.  Uncover the pilaf and fluff it with a fork; season with salt and pepper. Mound the pilaf on plates. Set the pork chops on the pilaf, top with the fruit sauce and serve.

1 pound lean pork, diced

1 T. vegetable oil

2 apples, peeled, cored, chopped

1/2 C. chopped onion

2 T. flour

1 to 2 tsp. curry powder, to taste

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

2 C. chicken broth

1 T. lemon juice

1/4 to 1/2 C. golden raisins, optional

Hot cooked rice

 

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Brown the diced pork. Add apples and chopped onions; brown lightly. Add 2 T. flour and curry powder; stir to blend. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 35 to 45 minutes. Serve with hot cooked rice. Serves 4 to 6.

 

1 pound pork tenderloin

5 T. butter

4 Golden Delicious apples, cored

1 tsp. brown sugar

2 large shallots, peeled and chopped

1 T. fresh thyme

¼ C. Calvados

1 C. half-and-half

¼ C. apple cider

 

Slice pork into ½ inch thick slices. Place between wax paper and flatten with a mallet. Wrap or cover and refrigerate. Melt twp T. butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add apples and sugar. Brown apples lightly, for about 5-6 minutes. Remove from skillet, and set aside. Melt two more tsp. of butter over high heat. Add the pork. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until cooked through and lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Set aside, keeping the pork warm. Melt one tsp. butter in the same skillet. Brown shallots, adding the fresh thyme. Add Calvados and boil until reduced to glaze. Blend in half-and-half and cider and boil until entire mixture thickens. Season with salt and pepper. Reheat apples and pork. Serve with sauce.

1 lb. pork tenderloin

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. sage, crushed

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 T. vegetable oil

1 onion, minced

1 apple, cored and coarsely chopped

1/2 C. apple cider

 

Slice pork crosswise into 8 medallions. Mix pepper, sage, thyme, ginger and cinnamon and coat pork medallions. Heat oil in a large skillet; saute pork on both sides until it is brown. Remove from pan and reserve, covered, to keep warm. Add onion and chopped apples to skillet and sauté until golden. Add apple cider and heat to simmer. Put pork in liquid, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Makes 4 servings.