Pork Chops with Dijon Sauce

I randomly selected a recipe online the other night to use with the pork chops I had defrosted. I had been sick for almost a week at that point and just wanted a dish that could be made in less in 30 minutes and would allow me to rest for short periods of time. I just hoped the dish would taste decent. It turned out the dish was a huge hit with the kids and adults. I should have made more pork chops cause each child ate two pork chops each and I had doubled the recipe. They even liked the sauce which they rarely do.

Pork Chops with Dijon Sauce
Simply Recipes

1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 center-cut rib or loin pork chops, boneless or bone-in (whatever you prefer), about 1 1/4 inch thick
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped shallots or green onions
1 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp chopped parsley (optional, I did not add this)

Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels. Sprinkle salt and pepper all over them. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Stir in the butter. As soon as the butter has melted, add the pork chops to the pan and sear them, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Reduce the heat slightly if the chops brown too quickly.

Remove the pork chops from the pan and pour off most of the fat. Add the green onions or shallots and cook them on med high heat until softened, about 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup of the wine and bring to a boil, deglazing the pan by scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the stock and return chops to the pan. Bring sauce to a simmer, reduce heat, cover and cook until chops are cooked through (145°F internal temp), about 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the pork chops to a warm platter; cover with foil to keep warm. Add the remaining half cup of wine. Increase the heat to high to boil the pan juices. Reduce the juices by half, about 3 minutes. Add the heavy cream and boil 3 minutes more, until sauce reduces and thickens, and scraping the pan with a wooden spoon leaves a trail. Remove from the heat and whisk in the mustard and parsley. If you want, add more mustard to taste. Place chops on a bed of sauce and serve.

Bacon Pierogi Bake and Winner of the Giveaway

My first memories of pierogi's is at my aunt's house in Pennsylvania. I don't remember how old I was but they were mighty tasty. A few years ago I discovered they had frozen pierogi's and although they were no where as good as my aunt's it helped with the craving I've had for them. I noticed this recipe in a Cooking Light magazine and decided to give it a try. The dish really helps to improve the taste of frozen pierogi's. It's a really nice combination of flavors.  The cream cheese blended well with the cheddar cheese into a delightful sauce. The original recipe calls for tomatoes but I'm so not a fan of grocery store tomatoes at this time of year so I left them off.

The winner of the Pickapeppa Sauce is Melanie.  Email me at n_baron@msn.com and I'll get a bottle on it's way shortly.

Bacon Pierogi Bake
Cooking Light Magazine December 2010

1  (16-ounce) package frozen potato and onion pierogies (such as Mrs. T's)
Cooking spray
2  center-cut bacon slices, chopped
2  garlic cloves, minced
1/3  cup  (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1/2  cup  fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1/2  cup  (2 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4  cup  thinly diagonally sliced green onions
1/4  cup  chopped seeded plum tomato
1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Arrange the pierogies in an 11 x 7-inch glass baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cook bacon in a saucepan over medium heat until crisp; remove from pan. Set aside.

3. Add garlic to drippings in pan, and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add 1/3 cup cream cheese to pan, and cook for 1 minute or until cream cheese begins to melt, stirring frequently. Gradually add chicken broth to pan, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Pour the cream cheese mixture evenly over pierogies. Top evenly with 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until bubbly and thoroughly heated. Remove from oven, and sprinkle with bacon, green onions, tomato, and pepper.
Nutritional Information

Beefy Nacho Soup

I'll be honest here I usually snub any recipes I find on websites that are the makers of processed foods. The goal in my house is to not eat much, if any, processed food. However I was "gifted" a can of nacho cheese soup and since we were running really low on grocery money last month I googled looking for decent recipes calling for the nacho cheese soup. I ended up choosing this one and to be honest we loved it. It was a perfect blend of flavors. I topped the soup with some cubed avocado, green onions, and fresh tomatoes. This would have been even better with some freshly made tortilla strips. Overall this was a winner in our family and I guess I'll be buying more of the nacho cheese soup in the future. This was a very simple and really quick to make dish. Perfect for those nights when time is low and yet money is too tight for take out. Also I should point out this barely fed 3 adults with no extras. Two of the adults complained about needing more. You would need to double or triple this recipe for large families.

Beefy Nacho Soup
Pillsbury.com

1 lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef
1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix (from 1 oz package) or make your own like I do
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed nacho cheese soup
1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (1 oz)

In 2-quart saucepan, cook ground beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain.

Reduce heat to medium. Stir in remaining ingredients except shredded cheese. Cook 8 to 12 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Top individual servings with shredded cheese.

The Best Tuna Salad

Those who know me know I don't like seafood and tuna ranks up there with something I'll never touch. However I married someone who loves tuna sandwiches and as such I've been learning how to make the best tuna sandwich. According to my husband this recipe comes the closest to perfection that I have hit. In fact he has asked for this to be made several times over the past month.

The Best Tuna Salad
Cooks Country Magazine Aug./Sept. 2010

3 5 oz. cans solid white albacore tuna packed in water
1/4 cup minced onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 celery rib, chopped fine

Place tuna in fine mesh strainer and press to dry with paper towels. Transfer to medium bowl and mash with fork until finely flaked. Microwave onion and oil in small bowl until onion begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Combine onion mixture, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and sugar with tuna and let sit 10 minutes.

Stir mayonnaise and celery into tuna mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Serve. Can be refrigerated in airtight container for one day.

Peppered Turkey Club Panini

This was another recipe I changed slightly before making. I'm not a fan of smoked turkey so I used peppered turkey instead. This turned out to be a favorite with the adults. I made the kids without mayo and arugula. Very simple dish to make. The recipe says 30 minute supper but I had them all made in less than 20 minutes. The longest part of the dish is cooking the bacon but if you make the bacon earlier it will save you time. I did use the arugula for the sandwich but next time I'll just use spinach. It's easier to find and personally I think it tastes better. I also did not use a grill pan or the sun dried tomato oil to cook the bread. I used butter because I remember from past experiences that I do not like sun dried tomato. Turns out I did really like the mayo mix which is made from sun dried tomatoes. Overall this was a hit and will be joining the rotation of quick, simple, and easy dishes.

Peppered Turkey Club Panini
adapted from Cooks Country June/July 2010

8 slices bacon
1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in oil, patted dry, and minced
4 shakes of Tabasco sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 cup mayo
8 slices thick cut crusty bread (I used a roasted garlic bread)
1/2 pound thinly cut deli swiss cheese
1/2 pound thinly cut deli peppered turkey
2 cups baby arugula
butter

Arrange bacon in single layer on paper towel lined plate. Cover with paper towels and microwave until crisp, about 5 minutes. Combine sun dried tomatoes, Tabasco sauce, pepper, and salt with mayo in small bowl.

Brush butter over one side of bread. Place bread, butter side down, on cutting board. Spread each slice with flavored mayo. Layer half the cheese on bread, then top with turkey, bacon, arugula, and remaining cheese. Top with remaining bread, butter side up.

Heat grill pan or large nonstick skillet over medium heat for one minute. Place 2 sandwiches in pan and weight with Dutch oven. Cook sandwiches until golden brown and cheese is melted, about 5 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining sandwiches. Serve.
Brush

Grilled Pork Chops and Garlicky Potato Salad

So the original recipe called for pork tenderloin and I thought it was way too expensive the day I shopped to purchase tenderloin so I subbed pork loin chops. Honestly the spice rub was bland. I'm not sure if I just didn't make enough spice rub for the chops or if the spice rub was just missing something. The pork chops turned out so so. However the star of the dish was the potato salad. It was an interesting twist on a potato salad and one that we loved. The flavors blended well together and the garlic flavor you could actually taste. From start to finish both dishes took me 35 minutes, which isn't too far off of the 30 minute supper it claimed to be. The potato salad will be added to our rotation of dishes but the grilled tenderloin/pork chops will not.

Grilled Pork Chops/Tenderloin and Garlicky Potato Salad
Cooks Country June/July 2010

2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and sliced 3/4 inch thick
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons brown sugar
salt and pepper
1/2 cup drained jarred roasted red peppers, chopped
3 tablespoons drained capers
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2-2 lbs pork chops or pork tenderloin

Toss potatoes and 2 tablespoons oil in large bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave until edges of potatoes are translucent, 4 to 7 minutes, shaking bowl (without removing plastic) to redistribute potatoes halfway through cooking. Meanwhile, combine vinegar, garlic, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Slowly whisk in remaining oil until emulsified. Stir in roasted peppers, capers, and parsley.

Pat pork dry with paper towels and season with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and remaining sugar. Grill over hot fire until browned on all sides and meat registers 145 degrees, about 5-6 minutes for the chops and 12 minutes for the tenderloin. Grill potatoes until charred and tender, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer pork to cutting board and tent with foil. Toss grilled potatoes with dressing to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Slice pork, if using tenderloin, and serve with potato salad.

Cooking Light Challenge Dinner #1 Hoisin and Lime Marinated Grilled Chicken

This was a delicious meal. I loved the chicken as did everyone else. An added bonus was how quick it was to put together and cook. I mixed the marinade up in less than five minutes and mixed it with the chicken. Next time I think I'll freeze the meat in the marinade so it has some added time to pick up the flavors. I used chicken tenders since I had them on hand and it took about 8 minutes to cook them on the grill. The whole time spent working on this meal was less than 15 minutes. I served grilled pineapple rings with the chicken.

Don't forget to leave a comment to be entered into the drawing. Every time you leave a comment on a recipe during my cooking light challenge you will be entered to win a year's subscription to Cooking Light magazine. Feel free to mention it on your blog, websites you visit, and/or facebook. LMK that you did in a comment and I will give you an extra chance in the drawing.

Hoisin and Lime Marinated Grilled Chicken
Cooking Light July 2007

1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 garlic cloves, minced
6 (6 oz) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
cooking spray

Combine hoisin sauce, ginger, and next 5 ingredients (through garlic) in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinated in refrigerator for 2 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Prepare grill.

Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 5 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Yield: 6 servings, serving size 1 chicken breast.

Calories: 243
Fat: 4.5 g (0.9 g sat, 0.6 g mono, 0.7 g poly)
Protein: 39.9 g
Carb: 6.4 g
Fiber: 0.4 g
Chol: 99 mg
Iron: 1.5 mg
Sodium: 618 mg
Calc: 24 mg

Cooking Light Breakfast #1 Muesli with Cranberries and Flaxseed

This breakfast was easy to put together the night before with only combining a few things to finish it off. Prep work took me maybe 5 minutes total. Overall the breakfast was quick and easy to make. The taste was surprising good. I really liked the dish and it kept me full for almost 4 hours. The only thing I would do different would be to use vanilla yogurt in place of the plain yogurt. I just think I would have liked vanilla yogurt better or even the Greek honey yogurt that I love. The recipe makes 6 servings.

Don't forget to leave a comment to be entered into the drawing. Every time you leave a comment on a recipe during my cooking light challenge you will be entered to win a year's subscription to Cooking Light magazine. Feel free to mention it on your blog, websites you visit, and/or facebook. LMK that you did in a comment and I will give you an extra chance in the drawing.

Muesli with Cranberries and Flaxseed
Cooking Light Jan./Feb. 2009

2 cups regular oats
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup wheat germ
1/3 cup ground flaxseed
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups 1% low fat milk
3 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted
3 tablespoons chopped pecans, toasted
3 tablespoons pumpkinseed kernels, toasted (I left these out cause I could not find them locally)
3 cups plain fat free yogurt
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl; pour milk over mixture, stirring to combine. Cover and chill 3 hours or overnight. (I did it overnight)
Combine nuts and pumpkinseed kernels in a small bowl. Spoon 3/4 cup oat mixture into each of 6 bowls. Top each serving with 1/2 cup yogurt; sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 tablespoons nut mixture, and drizzle with 1 teaspoon maple syrup.

Calories: 421
Fat: 12.4 g (sat 2.2 g, mono 4.8 g, poly 4.3 g)
Protein: 19.5 g
Carb: 62.4 g
Fiber: 6.6 g
Chol: 7 mg
Iron: 3.5 mg
Sodium: 162 mg
Calc: 457 mg

Salmon with Lemon and Dill

I can't believe I'm posting another seafood recipe so soon after the last as I'm not a fan of seafood. However my husband loved this dish and he wants me to remember how I made it so we can make it again. I searched all over the internet for a quick and easy salmon recipe that I had all the ingredients on hand to use which led me to combine three recipes into one.

Salmon with Lemon and Dill

2 salmon fillets
2 tablespoons butter
juice from one lemon
1 teaspoon dried dill, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
pepper

Melt the butter in a pan over medium high heat. Sprinkle the salmon, on one side, with the juice, dill, and parsley. Add pepper to your taste. Place the sprinkled side down in the butter and cook about 10 minutes. Watch so it doesn't burn. Flip the salmon over and cook another 5-10 minutes or until salmon flakes easily.

Meatless Tomato Macaroni Soup

I love the tomato mac soup that a local diner sells. They make it meatless (unlike most tomato mac soups) and I decided to attempt making my own. When I set out on this journey I realized I hadn't eaten their soup in probably a year so I really had to think hard when creating this dish. The soup turned out delicious and I have made it a few times since.

Meatless Tomato Macaroni Soup

Chop one medium onion and slice three celery ribs. Heat about 1 tablespoon butter in a dutch oven. After butter melts add onion and celery and cook until tender, about 5-10 minutes. Add 2 garlic cloves (less if your not a huge fan of garlic), minced. Cook thirty seconds. Add 1 cup fat free half and half, one can tomato soup, and one can diced tomatoes. I did not bring my soup to a boil. I just heated it till it was hot. Season with about 2 teaspoons chicken soup base and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Banana, Wheat Germ, and Oats

I'm not a big breakfast eater at times and I'm always searching for new recipes that I may want to eat. I stumbled across this one in the latest issue of Cooking Light and had to try it. It was so easy to make and oh so good. I loved the bananas and brown sugar together. According to Cooking Light this dish is 336 calories, 8.4 grams of fat (sat 3.2g, mono 2g, poly 2.3g), protein 12.1g, carbs 59.1g, fiber 8.3g, chol 10mg, iron 3.9mg, sodium 226 mg, and calc 35 mg. This dish makes 3 servings.

Banana, Wheat Germ, and Oats
Cooking Light Magazine Jan/Feb 2010

3 3/4 cups water
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
2/3 cup toasted wheat germ
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sliced banana (about 2)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 6 minutes or until thick and thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Divide cereal evenly among 3 bowls. Top each serving with 1/2 cup banana, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 teaspoon butter.

Glazed Salmon

I seldom cook fish because I don't like it. I really don't know why I don't like it but I do blame being forced to eat it as a kid. I noticed this recipe in a magazine and it just sounded really good. Now to be honest I only ate two bites but it was really good. My father and husband both loved the dish and the kids ate a few bites. If I ever stumble on a good deal for salmon again I'd probably make this dish again. I loved how simple it was to make plus it was quick.

Glazed Salmon
adapted from Simple and Delicious Magazine Jan/Feb 2010

4 salmon fillets (6 oz each)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Place salmon in a greased 11X7 inch baking dish; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine the remaining ingredients; spoon over fillets.
Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Dilled Chicken Salad

This was a hit with everyone in the house. The flavors blended together nicely and it was fairly quick to make. Great for using up leftover rotisserie chicken or other chicken in the house. This salad makes a quite a bit of food. If your a small family, don't eat big portions, or don't like eating leftovers for days on end I recommend cutting the recipe in half. I served this pasta salad on a bed of spinach to give it more color and flavor.

Dilled Chicken Salad
WorldWide Ward Christmas Cookbook

1 16 oz pkg. spiral pasta, cooked and drained
2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
1 cup celery, chopped
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1 10 oz pkg. frozen peas, thawed
1 1oz env. Ranch salad dressing mix
2 cups sour cream (I used plain yogurt)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup milk
3 Tbsp fresh dill, minced or 1 Tbsp dill weed
1/2 tsp garlic sauce

In a large bowl, combine pasta, chicken, celery, onion, and peas. In a small bowl, combine dressing mix, sour cream, mayonnaise, milk, dill, and garlic salt. Whisk until smooth. Pour over salad, toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Makes 10-12 servings.

Mongolian Beef

This was a great meal that was loved by all who ate it. Not only was it super quick to make but it was a healthy meal to boot. Including prep time this recipe took about 25 minutes to cook. I served this dish over wide rice noodle but rice or regular noodles would work too.

Mongolian Beef
Cooking Light December 2009

2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons dry sherry (didn't have so I just used beef broth)
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon chili paste with garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons peanut oil (I used vegetable oil)
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 pound sirloin steak, thinly sliced across the grain
16 medium green onions, cut into 2 inch pieces

Combine first 8 ingredients, stirring until smooth.

Heat peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add minced ginger, minced garlic, and beef; saute for 2 minutes or until beef is browned. Add green onion pieces; saute 30 seconds. Add soy sauce mixture; cook 1 minute or until thickened, stirring constantly.

This makes 4 servings. A serving size is 1 cup.

Pork Scaloppini

This was a very quick and easy meal from Cook's Country. My husband loves pork chops and I'm not a huge fan. This recipe calls for a tenderloin cut into 4 equal pieces and then pounded thin. Well I'm too lazy and my husband had bought thin cut pork chops so I just pounded those pork chops a tad thinner to use in this recipe. Turned out well and everyone loved the dish. The noodles are what took the longest to cook in this dish. I used egg noodles but rice pilaf would work well too.

Cook's Country
December/January 2010

Pork Scaloppini
4 thin cut pork chops pounded to 1/4 inch thick (if needed) or 1 large pork tenderloin (about 1 pound) cut into 4 equal pieces and pounded 1/4 inch thick
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley (or you could use fresh tarragon, chives, or basil for a different flavor)

Pat cutlets dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook 2 cutlets until golden brown and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to platter and tent with foil. Repeat with additional 1 tablespoon butter and remaining cutlets.

Add garlic and additional 1 tablespoon butter to empty skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, lemon juice, sugar, and any accumulated pork juices and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in parsley and remaining butter. Pour sauce over cutlets and serve.

Thai Beef Salad

Don loves this salad and given his years spent in Thailand loves Thai food. Me, I've sampled it a few times but I haven't really eaten it. I decided to give it a try and although Don had his doubts over my ability to make this dish it turned out pretty dang close to an original. Honestly you can make this as spicy or as mild as you like. I made it a little spicier than I would have preferred but it was so tasty. This will be a regular on our menu plan. I love how quickly it cooked and it was easy to make.

Thai Beef salad
adapted from here




Ingredients

1 lb beef. Any beef can be used.

Salad

1/4 cup sliced onions, separated
2 tomatoes, wedged
1/4 cup sliced cucumber
1/4 cup thinly sliced Thai chile peppers

Sauce
1/4 cup fish sauce, I left this out and according to my husband you don't notice
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon sweet dark soy sauce
3 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons minced ginger
3 tablespoons chopped coriander/cilantro (including the roots)
1/4 cup chopped green onions (spring onions)
1/4 cup chopped shallots (small red or purple onions)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon Chili Garlic sauce

Barbeque the beef, and thinly slice it into bite sized pieces. Combine with the salad ingredients, and mix
the sauce and toss the whole.

Serving

Serve with sticky rice and lettuce.

Black Bean Soup II

This was a winner in this house. The flavors melded together great and it was simple to make. Adding avocado as a garnishment was a wonderful addition. You could leave the bacon out if you wanted a vegetarian soup. As far as the bacon in this soup, I cooked mine longer so it was a little more crisp than the recipe called for. Next time I think I'll try using dried beans that I cooked but the canned beans are great for making this dish quick and easy.

Black Bean Soup II
Food Network

10 slices bacon, finely chopped
2 medium onions, chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
6 garlic cloves, pressed
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups canned chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
4 (15 1/2-ounce) cans black beans, drained but not rinsed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch cilantro
juice of 1/2 lime
Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
Sour cream, for garnish
Grated cheddar, for garnish
diced avocado, for garnish

Put the bacon into a large heavy pot and place it over medium heat. Cook until it starts to give up its fat, about 4 minutes. Stir in the onions and cook, stirring, until they start to turn translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until you can smell it, about 1 minute. Add the broth, tomatoes, ketchup, Worcestershire, and chili powder. Stir in the beans, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat so the soup is bubbling gently and cook 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, pick off all the thick stems from the cilantro. Wash it and shake dry. Chop the cilantro coarsely and stir it into the soup when it has been simmering 10 minutes. cook until the soup is thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice. Serve with the garnishes.

Crispy Taco Wraps

My sister left a comment on Melanie's (My Kitchen Cafe) blog about switching the Crispy Chicken Wraps into a taco wrap. I finally decided to give it a try and it worked pretty well. As you can tell from my picture I really filled the wraps and in the future I think I'd not put quite as much stuff in the wraps. However these wraps were a hit and a nice change from the typical taco dinner. Mix it up and add your favorite taco fillings. I think the chicken from the easy chicken tacos would work well here too.

taco flavored ground beef (you could also use chicken or beef or pork or beans)
cheddar cheese
guacamole
shredded lettuce
tomatoes
salsa or taco sauce
sour cream
and any other toppings you like on your tacos

Lay a tortilla on a cutting board or counter. Spread with guacamole, salsa, and sour cream. Nest sprinkle some lettuce and tomatoes. Add some cheese and spread your taco flavored protein item. Roll the tortilla up and seal at the seam, leaving ends open. Spray with cooking spray.
Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Pork Chops with Hoisin-Molasses Barbecue Sauce

This recipe has a little of something for pretty much everyone. It's quick and easy to make. It's great for those watching calories and it was very tasty. I served it with white rice and the nutritional info that I'll post is from white rice but I think this would have been good with brown rice too. The sauce was a little spicy for my kids but they are not fans of anything with any type of spice to it plus I think the majority of the spice was the Chinese mustard I had which is very spicy.
Nutritional info:
1 pork chop and 1/2 cup rice is one serving size
317 calories
7.7 gram fat (sat 2.2, mono 3.4)
protein 23.9 g
carbs 35.8 g
fiber 0.8g
chol 58mg
iron 2mg
sodium 478 mg
calc 49mg

And just a reminder if you have not entered the giveaway for the tomato paste click here.


Pork Chops with Hoisin-Molasses Barbecue Sauce
Cooking Light Magazine March 2008

3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
3 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons Chinese hot mustard
cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 (4 ounce) boneless center-cut loin pork chops, about 1/2 inch thick
4 green onions
3 cups hot cooked white rice

Combine sugar and molasses in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook 3 minutes or until sugar melts, stirring occasionally. Stir in hoisin sauce, vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and garlic; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in mustard. Keep warm.

Heat a grill pan over medium high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper over pork. Add pork to pan; cook for 2 minutes on each side or until done. Add pork to hoisin mixture, turning to coat. Keep warm.

Add onions to pan; cook 2 minutes or until wilted. Remove onions from pan, chop. Combine onions, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and rice; serve with pork.

Crispy Chicken Wraps

I finally got around to making this delightful little wraps after having the recipe for over a year. This makes a very quick meal if you use leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken from the store. I used some sauteed chicken breasts to make mine. I originally saw the recipe in an issue of Cook's Country magazine (does this surprise anyone that I made yet another recipe from Cook's Country?) but I used Melanie's version from My Kitchen Cafe. Give this quick dish a try you won't be disappointed.

Crispy Chicken Wraps
Melanie at My Kitchen Cafe

**To prevent the wraps from unrolling during cooking, be sure to start them seam-side down in step 3.

1/3 cup mayonnaise, light or regular
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 scallions, sliced very thin
2 celery ribs, chopped fine
2 tablespoons sour cream, light or regular
2 teaspoons hot sauce (this does not make them spicy but adds great flavor!)
1 rotisserie chicken, skin discarded, meat shredded into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
4 (12-inch) flour tortillas

1. Whisk the mayonnaise, cilantro, scallions, celery, sour cream and hot sauce in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to combine.

2. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open. Spray the tortillas all over with cooking spray.

3. Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute. Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve.