Savory Pork Chops with Applesauce

I found this recipe on SkinnyTaste.com.  Gina has some GREAT recipes.  You should check them out if you have time.  I made the pork chops as directed, however I doubled her recipe.  Her applesauce recipe directs to cook the applesauce in a crock pot.  However, while I followed the ingredients portion of the recipe, I cooked the applesauce in a saucepan on the stove top.   Pork Chops and Applesauce always bring back fond childhood memories for me, and of my Mother’s excellent cooking.  How I miss her making dinner for the family and the four of us, Mom, Dad, Grandma and me, sitting down together to share a meal and lots of love and laughter.

Ingredients:

8 thin boneless pork loin chops, center cut

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp dried sage

1 tsp dried thyme

salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

2 tsp butter

3 tbsp flour

Cooking spray

Directions:

Sprinkle the pork chops with the spices.  Place the flour on a plate and tap the pork chops lightly into the flour, shaking off any excess.

Heat a skillet and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Melt butter 1 teaspoon butter in skillet and place 4 of the chops in pan.  Cook 3 to 4 minutes on one side, turn and cook 3 to 4 additional minutes.  Repeat with remaining teaspoon butter and 4 pork chops.

Remove to a platter and let rest for several minutes before serving.

Apple Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

8 medium apples (use a combination of golden delicious, Honey Crisp, Fuji, Gala, etc.)

1 strip of lemon peel – use a vegetable peeler

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

3 inch cinnamon stick

5 teaspoons light brown sugar – or agave

Directions:

Peel, core and slice the apples.  Place them in pan.  Add the cinnamon stick, lemon juice, lemon peel and brown sugar.

Place pan on medium heat until apples begin to bubble.  Reduce heat.  Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the apples cook down – becoming a delicious applesauce.

Remove cinnamon stick and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth – OR, if you prefer a chunky sauce, leave sauce intact.

Makes 3 cups.

Click here for printable recipe.

Beef Carnitas

I had never made carnitas before and assumed that it would be an incredible amount of work. I was wrong. These were remarkably easy to make and absolutely delicious. The only thing I would change is that I would double the recipe so we would have more leftovers! My son devoured them, as did my husband and me! I got the recipe from Cooking Light. I only altered it slightly by replacing Olive Oil for the cooking spray and used an entire white onion rather than the one cup of non descript onion the recipe called for. Serve the carnitas with warm flour tortillas, some fresh cilantro, onion, salsa and lime. I think your mouth will be VERY happy!

Ingredients:

Olive Oil

1 white onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 pounds beef stew meat, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup less-sodium beef broth

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 large unpeeled orange wedge

Directions:

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Drizzle olive oil into the pot.

Add onion; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add beef; sauté 5 minutes or until beef is browned on all sides.

Stir in broth, sugar, salt, and pepper; nestle orange section into beef mixture. Bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beef is tender. Remove and discard orange.

Continue simmering, uncovered, 8 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently.

Click here for printable recipe.