Pork Chop Slop (Pork Chops Smothered in Vegetable-y Sauce)

Okay, I guess that isn't the most appetizing name, but the rhyming amused me and it's a very appropriate title.  As evidenced by the picture.  And while it won't win any food beauty awards, this stuff IS pretty tasty. I served it with a carrot-sweet potato puree and homemade croutons leftover from the other day.  You could also try it over rice.  This makes four generous servings (one pork chop and a ton of vegetable-y sauciness).

I went with really simple seasonings today, but when I try this again, I think I'll add some herbs- maybe oregano, sage, basil.  The simplicity was kind of nice though- good comfort food.

What you need:

4 pork chops, trimmed of fat around the outside edge
Olive oil spray
Salt and pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 leek, sliced thinly
1/2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces and then quartered
1 large portobello mushroom, sliced into small pieces
1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 (13 ounce) can of 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup
2 cups water
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 dry red wine
1/4 cup fat-free cream cheese
Red pepper flakes (optional)

Spray a large pot with olive oil and heat over high heat.  Season pork chops with salt and pepper and sear, about 3-4 minutes on each side, until browned.  Place browned pork chops on a plate.  I did this in batches of two.  Add the onion and celery to the pan along with a little bit of water.  Use a spatula to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.  Cook for a couple of minutes and then add the leek, zucchini, mushroom, and bell pepper.  Stir everything around and cook for a few more minutes, or until everything begins to soften and gets a little browned.  Add the cream of mushroom soup, the water, worcestershire sauce, and garlic powder.  Add the pork chops back in and spoon the veggies and sauce over them.  Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer for 20-30 minutes, mixing everything around once or twice.  Uncover, add the red wine and cream cheese and mix well.  If it is really soupy, let it simmer a bit more until the sauce has a gravy-like thickness.  Taste test and add more salt, pepper, garlic powder if needed (I went with a bunch of black pepper).

To serve, scoop out a pork chop and spoon a bunch of the sauce over it.  Sprinkle with red pepper flakes for a little spice if you want.  Enjoy!

Speedy Pork and Pumpkin Curry

I got home at 5:45.  This was on the table by 6:15.  Yep, it's that quick.  And REALLY good.  And pretty healthy.  And it makes a lot, so you'll have leftovers for when you really don't have time to cook.  What more can you ask for?

I served it with some of my leftover vegetable salad, leftover cooked rice, and pita bread.   Without convenient leftovers, you'd still have time to cook up some rice while the curry is cooking and maybe roast a quick pan of asparagus or make green salad.  

What you need:

1/4 cup curry paste (I used Patak's mild curry)

2 teaspoons coriander powder

1 teaspoon chili powder (optional)

1 teaspoon black pepper

2-3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger

3 tablespoons minced garlic (or substitute garlic powder)

1/2 cup chopped onion

3-5 dried hot red Thai peppers

1 package (with the 2 tenderloins, each 3/4-1 pound) pork tenderloin, chopped into 1 inch chunks 

2 tablespoons Ketjap Manis

1 cup coconut milk

1-2 cups milk, water, or something along those lines (I used a light soy milk to cut calories and I also sometimes use unsweetened almond milk in things like this.  If you are not watching calories too carefully, you could also just use more coconut milk for a richer version.)

1/4-1/3 tomato sauce or ketchup 

Start by heating a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the curry paste, coriander, chili powder, black pepper, ginger, garlic, onion, and red peppers and let cook for a few minutes.  The mixture should become fragrant and slightly browned.  Add the pork and let this brown for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the pumpkin and continue to stir-fry.  If the mixture is too dry and starting to stick too much, go ahead and add the Ketjap Manis and a splash of water to help it along.  Once the pumpkin is slightly browned and beginning to soften, add the coconut milk, the Ketjap Manis (if you haven't already), the milk/ water, and the tomato sauce.  Reduce heat and let simmer until both the pumpkin and pork are cooked through (the pork can be just slightly pink in the middle.  Taste test and add a bit more Ketjap Manis, garlic powder, or even some regular curry powder if you find it lacking. 

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pork Chops

I needed to use up some extra pumpkin and came up with this.  Delicious!

What you need:

2 pounds bone-in pork chops (or boneless, we just don't have those here)

Salt and Pepper

1 cup chopped onion

3-4 hot peppers, chopped (something moderately spicy, or else use less)

2 chipotle peppers in adobe sauce, chopped

4 cups pureed roasted pumpkin (see how to roast pumpkin under my Curry Pumpkin Soup post)

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 cup hot water with 4 chicken bouillon dissolved into it

1-2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons honey

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon sage

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

Start by sprinkling the pork chops with salt and pepper and then searing in a large frying pan on both sides until lightly browned.  Remove from pan and set aside.  Spray the same pan with oil and saute the onions and the peppers until softened and browned.  Add a splash of soy sauce as you do this to help them cook.  Next, add the pumpkin, applesauce, water, rest of the soy sauce, vinegar, honey, and spices.  Stir to mix.  Now put the pork chops back into the pan, spooning the sauce over them until they are covered.  Reduce heat and let simmer for 20-25 minutes, occassionally moving the chops around to ensure even cooking and prevent things from sticking to the bottom of the pan.  Top with some chopped green onions.  

You could serve this over rice or do it my style- over a bed of lettuce.  Enjoy!

Pork Tenderloin Medallions with Balsamic Onion Sauce

I decided to splurge and get some pork tenderloin instead of the usual bone-in pork chops.... definitely worth it!  This was WAY more tender and flavorful than they tend to be, plus you don't have to cut around the bone!

The only vegetable I put in the sauce was onion, but if I had had mushrooms, I definitely would have included them.  So give that a try. 

What you need:

Two 1-pound pork tenderloins, cut into 1/2 inch medallions.

Salt, pepper, and garlic powder

Cooking Spray or small amount of olive oil.

1-2 cups sliced onion

3-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

(mushrooms, sliced, if you have them- I definitely think they would add to this!)

1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar or 1/4 cup Balsamic Glaze

Water

2-3 tablespoons flour

Place the tenderloin medallions, 1-2 teaspooons salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper, and 1 Tablespoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon dried sage in a large bowl.  Stir to even distribute seasoning.  Heat a large frying pan on high until very hot.  Spray with cooking spray or add a little bit of oil and let that heat up.  Place the tenderloin medallions in a layer across the pan (you may not be able to fit them all at once, depending on your pan size and how much tenderloin you are doing).  Sear for 2 minutes, then flip, cover, and let cook 5-7 minutes more, or until cooked through.  Remove from pan and place on a plate.  Cook the remaining tenderloin in the same fashion if necessary.  Remove that to the plate, spray the same pan with oil again and add the onions, garlic, and mushrooms.  Saute until softened and slightly browned, then add 1/4 basamic glaze (which is I used since I didn't have balsamic vinegar at the time) or 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar.  Also add 1/3 cup water if you use the glaze or a few tablespoons if you use the vinegar.  Whisk in the flour until smooth and then add the tenderloin back into the pan.  Stir to coat in the sauce and let cook 3-4 minutes until the pork has heated back through and the sauce has thickened slightly.  Ready to serve!

I served this with sauteed swiss chard on the side for me, and herb roasted potatoes for Rob.  Yum!

Barbecue Pork Ribs

A cheap way to get a hearty and delicious meal on Saba.

What you need:
3 racks of pork ribs
Salt
1 onion, chopped
2 small hot peppers (optional)
2 cans diced tomatoes with garlic
A mixture of ketchup, barbecue sauce, tomato sauce, hot sauce and apple cider vinegar to make 1 to 1.5 cups
           ( I started by using 1/2 cup each of barbecue sauce and ketchup, and a couple tablespoons each of hot sauce and the vinegar.  Since then, I've been experimenting with leaving out the ketchup and barbecue sauce, which makes them a little less sweet.  You could still add a little of the ketchup or barbecue sauce, or a little brown sugar.  They've turned out good every time for me so far even though I try slightly different things each time)
2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T garlic powder (or more)
2 T soy sauce
2 t black pepper

Start by cutting each rack in half (makes them easier to stir around in the pot).  Sprinkle with salt and sear in a large pot until browned.  You may need to do this in batches or just use tongs to move the pieces around so that all of the sides get seared.  Add 2 cups of water and scrape up anything that has stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir.  Partially cover, turn heat to low and let simmer for 3 hours, stirring every 45 minutes or so.  I use tongs to do this.  Add water if the ribs are not covered in the sauce.  You know they're done when they are falling off the bone and the sauce has slightly thickened.  Enjoy!