Pork Chops with Apples and Stuffing

I'm gonna be honest here and tell you that for all the cooking that I do from scratch I have a tendency sometimes to be lazy. As in seriously lazy. As in I don't want to spend a lot of time making dinner because, honestly, I'd rather be playing with my girls in the crispy leaves outside.

So this dinner is perfect for fall. It has apples (and the only thing that is more fall to me than apples is pumpkin) and stuffing. Oh, and only 3 ingredients.

The best part? Noone has to know how unbelievably simple it is unless you tell them. Because, honestly, it tastes like you spent the afternoon in your kitchen.

I got this recipe from Kraft's Food & Family magazine (it's free, so you should definitely sign up for it) and we've had it twice in a month (once with chicken instead of pork).

Prep Time: 10 min
Total Time: 50 min
Makes: 6 servings

Three Ingredients:

1 pkg. (6 oz.) Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1 can (21 oz.) apple pie filling
6 boneless pork loin chops (1-1/2 lb.), 3/4 inch thick

Make It

HEAT oven to 375ºF. Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package.

SPREAD pie filling onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with chops and stuffing. Cover with foil.

BAKE 30 min.; uncover. Bake 10 min. or until chops are cooked through (160ºF).

Now remember- no one has to know how easy it was!

Cookie Lover's Cookbook Giveaway

Contest Closed

Christmas isn't far away, and what better way to spend quality time with your family than making Christmas cookies?

This adorable little book (and it is little, measuring about 6x3 inches) has 151 pages of favorite cookies! With categories titled Old fashioned Favorites, Fancy & Fun, Chocolaty Favorites, Christmas Around the World, Healthy & Wonderful, Cake Mix Cookies and Holiday Bar Cookies you are sure to find old favorites and new traditions.

And, the best part, this is such an affordable little book that if you don't win it you'll surely want to click the link below and order a few- one for you and the others as hostess gifts or stocking stuffers!

To enter just leave a comment telling me your favorite Christmas tradition- in the kitchen or out. One entry per person, please. Duplicates will be deleted.

Winner will be drawn November 1, sometime before noon. International entries ok!

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Janine King Market Tote Giveaway!

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I absolutely love bags by Janine King! I own a few and have given away more as gifts.

I've even offered this exact bag before- on my Iowa Geek blog!

I honestly adore this market tote in the Tres Chic fabric. I can just picture a baguette peeking out of it while I sit at a cafe and sip tea (because I'm not a coffee drinker). It's also great for books from the library, any craft projects involving needles or toting a simple lunch and gossip magazines to work. Actually, it's great for practically anything- including a quick stop at the market!


Because I own Janine's bags I can guarantee that this is a quality bag, made to last.
Bag info:
• Dimensions: 16" high x 14" wide with 1½" boxed corners at bottom
• Double straps are 24" end to end and comprised of 4 fabric layers

Be sure to visit Janine's shop and see the wide assortment of bags and fabrics she has! You'll find something you must have- I promise!

Want to win this bag?
1)Leave me a comment and tell me how you would use this bag.
2) Subscribe to my blog by email by using the form below.

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Skirt Steak and Crispy Garlic Potatoes

Sometimes you just really was a meat-and-potatoes meal after a long day. And this recipe from Everyday Food magazine is super easy. And quick- 30 minutes from pantry to table. Pair it with a green salad and you've got a great steakhouse dinner for far less than you'll pay to go out! And the steak is great for sandwiches the next day- if you don't eat it all!

The girls absolutely loved the "circle" potatoes- the crispier the better. If you can't find skirt steak at your meat counter ask for a similar cut of meat. Skirt is more marbled so it doesn't need any oils in the pan. If you get a less fatty cut you may want to add a bit of olive oil. And don't cook past medium, otherwise the meat could get tough. It's best at medium rare.

Serves 4
Ingredients

* 2 garlic cloves
* Coarse salt and ground pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 1/2 pounds red new potatoes, sliced 1 inch thick (I like mine crispier so I cut mine about 1/3 inch thick)
* 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak, cut into 4 equal pieces

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Finely chop garlic, and sprinkle with salt. Using a chef's knife, press flat side of blade back and forth across garlic to make a paste. Transfer to a small bowl; stir in thyme and 1 tablespoon oil. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss potatoes with garlic mixture; bake until browned on underside, 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet or grill pan over high. Season steaks with salt and pepper, and cook (in two batches if necessary) until medium-rare, 3 to 6 minutes per side (depending on thickness of steak). Transfer to a plate to rest.

Grilled Chicken Reubens

I had chicken reubens on my menu this summer on a day that was supposed to be raining. When the rain didn't appear and we were all ready to be out of the house I slapped the reubens together and decided that we would try them on one of the barbeque grills at the park. It worked out really, really well and I now have another quick meal that we can pack and tote to the park with us.

For the chicken: if you are grilling earlier in the week go ahead and toss on a couple chicken breasts. Or save some if you've roasted a chicken. Or buy some oven roasted chicken breast in the deli meat section at the grocery...

Grilled Chicken Reubens

Chicken Breast
Rye Bread
Swiss Cheese slices
saurkraut, drained and squeezed dry
1/3 c mayo
2 T ketchup

Mix the ketchup and mayo to make your dressing.
Make sure your kraut is dry otherwise it will make the bread wet. (not so good)
Build sandwich: bread, cheese, chicken, dressing, bread.
Wrap tightly in foil.

When you are ready to grill just place the foil wrapped sandwiches over the coals for about 10 minutes per side (less if your coals are really, really hot). You want the cheese melted and the bread beginning to toast.

Mmmmm...

You can make these in the oven, too... No foil necessary.
Turn on your broiler and have the rack about 4 inches from the heat. Build in the same way. Broil about 2 minutes per side.

Mini Cheddar Scones

These simple scones are meant to be mini but by changing the cutting you can make half as many- just larger! Myself, I prefer the mini... I can have "more" this way...

These are a great accompaniment to soups, stews, chili or even salads... Flaky, cheesy bits of goodness... And so easy to make! This recipe is from Cuisine at Home magazine...

Ingredients:

2 3/4 c all purpose flour
2 T sugar
2 t baking powder
1 t table salt
1/4 t baking soda
10 T unsalted butter, cold, cubed
1 c Cheddar cheese, shredded
1/3 c minced fresh chives (I just dumped in dried... maybe 2T or so...)
1 c buttermilk (I use a buttermilk blend)
2 T water
1 egg blended with 1 T water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees; line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or fork until pea sized (I used my mixer).

Stir in Cheddar and chives, then add buttermilk at 2T water. Knead gently until well blended. Turn dough out on a lightly floured work surface (it's sticky!) and pat (with floured hands) into an 8" square. Cut into 2" squares and then each square to a triangle.

(Alternately, pat dough into a circle and cut pizza-like into wedges)

Arrange on baking sheet spacing 1" apart.

Brush tops with egg/milk mixture and bake about 25 minutes; until golden.

Herbed Biscuits

There isn't much better than biscuits fresh from the oven with a hot bowl of soup. And while I have yet to make a tomato soup from scratch that rivals my canned fave (Progresso Tomato Basil) these biscuits (recipe from Everyday Food magazine) are insanely simple.

And the bonus? They can be made and frozen for up to a month! Just grab what you need when you need them! And you probably have everything you need to make these in your cupboards!

Ingredients:

4 c all purpose flour- spooned & leveled, plus a bit more
2 T baking powder
1 1/2 t salt
8 T (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 c fresh chives, thyme, sage (or a mixture)... I used dried and it was still yummy
2 c cold milk

Directions:

Heat oven to 400. (The instructions call for this to be made in a food processor. I don't know what kid of food processor they use but mine -which is quite nice- couldn't handle the flour. I used my mixer and it was fine...)

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and butter. Mix (or pulse) until pea size pieces form. Add chives and milk (through tube if using food processor) and mix (or pulse) until combined.

Move mixture to a floured surface (it will be sticky!); with floured hands pat to a 3/4 inch thickness. Using a biscuit cutter (or a child's drinking glass- 2 1/2 inches) dipped in flour to prevent sticking, cut dough into 16 rounds. (Don't forget to gather dough and pat it down again and again until you have used as much as you can!)

Place on baking sheet 1 inch apart and bake for 15 minutes.

OR

Place (uncooked) buscuits on a cookie sheet at place in freezer until firm (2+ hours). Place in resealable plastic bag and freeze for up to one month. Bake from frozen at 400 degrees for 15- 20 minutes; until golden.

Double Chocolate Tiramisu

I'm sure it's some sort of sin to go into an Italian restaurant and not finish a delicious meal with tiramisu. But I don't like coffee and, regardless of what people say, I can taste it. And it ruins the dessert for me. So when I saw this recipe in my latest issue of Everyday Food I knew I had to try it. Because, instead of using espresso you soak the ladyfingers in cocoa.

The kids inhaled this... The super creamy pudding was delicious. And it was very easy to make.

Serves 10
Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for garnish
* 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
* 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
* 1 bar (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 24 ladyfinger cookies (from a 7-ounce package... Really, make sure they are bigger ladyfingers as the ones I got were in a 3 oz package and were too small)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix cocoa powder with 1 1/2 cups very hot water until dissolved; set cocoa mixture aside. In a small microwave-safe bowl, place 1/4 cup cream and chocolate; microwave in 1-minute increments, and stir until melted. Cool to room temperature.
2. Transfer cooled chocolate mixture to a mixing bowl; add cream cheese and sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat until blended. Add remaining cream; beat chocolate filling until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
3. Spread 1 cup chocolate filling in the bottom of a 2-quart serving dish. One at a time, dip 6 ladyfingers (quickly!!) in cocoa mixture, then arrange in a single layer in dish; spread with 1 cup chocolate filling. Repeat with three more layers, ending with filling.
4. Cover tiramisu, and refrigerate at least 2 hours (or up to 2 days). Dust with cocoa powder before serving.

Note: I only chilled this for about 3 hours. I will suggest more... Like a day. Just to really let the creaminess of the pudding and the moistness of the ladyfingers really blend together.

Baked Cheese and Pesto

I have a fondness for appetizers. Even more than dessert, for appetizers often involve cheese and some sort of bread or crackers.

Or, if you are very, very lucky, it will involve both. As this Baked Cheese and Pesto recipe I found in a Kraft magazine a few years ago does.

I will tell you, quite honestly, that the first time I made this it wasn't quite so pretty. The dough can be a bit tricky to work with. Just remember that no matter how bad it looks A) it still tastes good! and B) practice makes perfect.

And a tip to save yourself stress: Prepare this ahead of time- when no one else is in the kitchen looking over your shoulder- and refrigerate it until time to cook. (Of course that didn't happen to me... Why do you ask?)

1 can (4 oz.) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese (use 1/3 fat type to cut calories)
2 Tbsp. pesto
2 Tbsp. chopped roasted red peppers (chopped)
1 egg, lightly beaten

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Unroll dough on lightly greased baking sheet; firmly press seams together to form 12x4-inch rectangle.

CUT cream cheese horizontally in half with sharp knife. Place one of the cream cheese pieces on half of dough; top with 1 Tbsp. of the pesto and the peppers. Cover with remaining cream cheese piece; spread top with remaining 1 Tbsp. pesto. Brush dough with egg; fold in half to completely enclose filling. Press edges of dough firmly together to seal. Brush top with any remaining egg.

BAKE 15 to 18 min. or until lightly browned. Cool 10 min. Serve with crackers or toasted pita chips and cut-up fresh vegetables.

I used one of the girls' toy cookie cutters to make the little shapes on the top.