Tropical Pork Chops

I noticed a trend in chicken dishes, so I decided to change things up this week and feature some hog!  There will be bacon dishes later I'm sure, but for now you can have this mouth-watering meat.  Great for an easy dish over rice!

Ingredients:
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon onion salt
3-4 boneless pork chops
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup pineapple tidbits

Directions:
1. In a small pot, combine ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic salt, and onion salt.  Simmer on medium until the sugar is dissolved, about 10 minutes.  Set aside.
2. Season pork chops with salt and pepper, place in a skillet with the onions, garlic, and oil.  Brown the chops. Add water and the sauce, cook over medium-low heat for 25 minutes.
3. Stir in pineapple tidbits and simmer another 5 minutes on medium-low.

I served with:
Jasmine Brown Rice

Jess' Grade: A

Easy to make, great tangy sauce, soft juicy pork chops!  What more could you ask for in a dinner?  The sauce is great over the rice and the cook time is normal for a dinner of this calibur.  Enjoy!

If you like my recipes or want to suggest anything, please do so!  Also feel free to email me at bigred79@gmail.com if you would like to be added to my auto-mailer for the weekly recipes.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Flambeed Vanilla Poached Pears

Since I didn't post last week I thought I would make this week's post REMARKABLE.  You have simply got to try this for dessert some night!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-6 Bosc pears (peeled, quartered, cored)
1 cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
Bacardi 151

Directions:
1. Bring 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, and vanilla extract to a boil in a saucepan over high heat.  Add about 6 pear quarters, reduce heat to medium, and simmer gently until the pears have just turned tender, about 10 minutes.  Remove the cooked pears to a warm dish and continue to cook the remaining pears.
2. Increase heat to medium-high and boil the remaining syrup until it has reduced to 1 cup.  Stir in the apricot preserves and return to a boil.  Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water and stir into the simmering syrup.  Cook and stir until thickened, about 1 minute.
3. To serve, pour the hot sauce over the pears and sprinkle with the rum.  Carefully ignite the rum tableside with the lights low.  Let the alcohol burn out before serving.

I served with:
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Jess' Grade: A+

This was awesome!  Not difficult to make, and most of the ingredients are staple in other recipes so I had them on hand.  Please note that I will not be responsible for any injuries or damages sustained by lighting food on fire, I assume that all persons attempting this are aware of the risks.  Be careful people!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

These are crazy good!  So good, I have never actually made a normal batch, I'm always using at least double!  The sauce is a combo of two different recipes, I have found that the flavors go well together and make a fantastic topping!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup onion
1lb ground beef
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
2 tablespoons water

1 can jellied cranberry sauce
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
1 cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  In a large bowl, combine beef, egg, bread crumbs, onion, and water.  Roll into meatballs about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in size.
2.  Cook meatballs for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once.
3.  Combine in a crock pot the cranberry sauce, lemon juice, vinegar, ketchup, water, cornstarch, brown sugar, and soy sauce.  Place the meatballs in the crockpot once the come out of the oven, cook for 90 minutes.

I served with:
Jasmine Brown Rice

Jess' Grade: A

I used this at a party and should have made more!  It will go fast, especially if you're doing a pot luck.  Sweet, juicy, and bursting with flavor, I also added some Sriracha and chopped onion to the sauce to kick it up a notch, huge success!  You're going to love these meatballs.

Apple Crisp

I'm sorry about the last two weeks, it's been crazy and I haven't had a chance to cook and write.  I am back on track now, so here we go!

Ingredients:

10 cups granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup water

1 cup quick oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  Place the sliced apples in a 9x13 pan.  Mix the white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, and ground cinnamon together.  Sprinkle over the apples, and then pour the water evenly over all.
2. Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and melted butter together.  Crumble evenly over the apple mixture.
3. Bake for 45 minutes, let cool at least 30 minutes prior to serving.

I served with:
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Jess' Grade: A

This was a fantastic dessert!  The whole family enjoys it, and aside from peeling the apples the prep is not much at all.  If you like apple crisp, now you can make it.  My mouth is watering remembering it...