Cane Syrup Glazed Pork Chops

I'm a sweet and savory kind of girl, not big into candy bars or pretzels, but give me a bag of yogurt covered pretzels and you lose, because you will never get them back.  That's a fact. 

Since I'm confessing, I lay awake at night thinking about different recipes I've seen on TV or on blogs that I visit and either just flat out try,copy and blog about them or figure how to tweak them a bit to appease my picky family's palate. One of the many things that makes blogging amazing is we are in different regions, even different countries and we all have different tastes! 

Over the years, I've watched many chefs create their version of Maple Glazed Pork Chops, but here in East Tennessee where a four ounce bottle of maple syrup is about eight dollars, (which is way too rich for my pocketbook), I found a very tasty substitute and hope you like it too. 

The main star of this recipe is Steen's Pure Cane Syrup:

This is the syrup stood by me during my childhood.  No gravy on biscuits, we poured Steen's.  We poured Steens on pancakes, waffles and Pain Per Dou (Lost Bread or French Toast).  We even made popcorn balls with Steens. 

I don't know the people at Steen's and I can guarantee, they haven't heard of  me, but you can get their products online, just saying.

But let's get serious; we're talking pork and sweet and savory and this is a Winter, Spring Summer, and Fall kind of dish.  So get out the cast iron skillet and fire it up!

4 teaspoons ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 - 6 center cut bone-in pork chops
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup Steens Pure Cane Syrup or of course you can use maple syrup
1/2 cup chicken stock

In a small bowl, combine the chili powder and salt.  It's not hot or spicy,but just gives the pork a little kick in the chops and wakes it up.

Sprinkle evenly over both sides of the pork chops.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Reduce the heat to medium, and cook until desired doneness, about for 4 to 6 minutes.

In a small saucepan, over medium-high heat, add the balsamic vinegar and cook until reduced by half. Stir in the Steens Pure Cane Syrup and chicken stock. Cook over medium heat until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes.

Transfer to a serving platter and serve with the cane syrup.

Tie a napkin around your neck, and make sure you don't waste a drop.

Cajun Pork Alfredo

It's Twelfth Night, Three King's Day and the beginning of the Mardi Gras Season!  Laissez le bon temps rouler! 

I'm working my way through the Newman's Own products and settled on the Alfredo Sauce in a jar.  Fettucine Alfredo has not been featured on this blog yet, but now I have a goal and will feature it soon.

Cajun Pork Alfredo turned out to be a quick, tasty and handy weeknight meal.  There is nothing healthy about it.  If you made a New Year's resolution to lose weight, you better turn around right now.  This is not for the weak.

Did I show you this yet?  My Mama sent it to me in a Christmas care package.  The homegirlz took it literally. 

This was my first time trying a jarred Alfredo sauce.  This sauce was creamy, light in texture but had the jar taste.  I didn't care for it and knew it needed to be "doctored" up a bit.

I used boneless center cut pork schops but bone-in chops, boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs would work equally as well.  Liberally season with your favorite Cajun seasoning.  Massage the seasoning into the meat and set aside.

Heat water to cook 1/2 lb. of your favorite pasta.

Dice 3 sun dried tomatoes.

Heat 3 tablespoons of butter over low heat.  Once butter is melted, add in 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and the diced sun  dried tomatoes.

Add in juice from half of one lemon, about one tablespoon.

Reduce heat to low and allow flavors to infuse for about 10 minutes.

This is a terrible picture....add in the jar of Alfredo sauce.  Stir to combine and keep the heat on low. 

Heat a skillet to one notch below high heat, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and when oil begins to ripple, right before it starts smoking, carefully add the pork chops.  Cook about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

The sauce still needed something, so I added 1/3 cup of grated Peccorino Romano and 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper.

Once the pasta is cooked and drained, return the pasta to the pot and pour the Alfredo sauce over the pasta and toss to combine.

Turn the chops and cook for another 3 to four minutes.

Nest the pasta in a bowl with the pork chop on top, a side of garlic bread and garnish with sliced green onions.

That's how this Cajun made jar sauce taste fresh...I'm just sayin'.

Roasted Chops-n-Taters

We've roasted garlic, we've roasted peppers, now it's time to roast some meat...pork that is!

Roasted Chops-N-Taters -

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large oven safe skillet, over medium-high heat.

Season 4 bone-in center but pork chops with Pork Seasoning and a healthy pinch of cayenne pepper.

Place chops in the skillet and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Place the skillet in the oven for 10 minutes and serve over pan sauteed potatoes below:

Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large pan or pot. Cook three slices of diced smokey bacon until fat is rendered. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat from pan.

Add 1/2 cup chicken broth,

1/3 cup sherry

(Optional - one handful of sliced baby bella mushrooms)

2 scallions, sliced and 4 russett potatoes, thinly sliced. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook until fork tender.

See how quick and easy that was? Now you have time to take a nice evening stroll, practice your yoga or run to the store for some Ben and Jerry's! Go forth and cook!

Three Cheese Tasso Pasta

This has to be one of my absolute favorite dishes to eat and to prepare. I don't get to make this often since I live in the mountains and tasso isn't that easy to get here. It is fun to go into the stores, especially they "specialty" and "gourmet" stores and ask for it knowing good and well that they have no clue what tasso is much less carry it in their stores. Tasso is available at online Cajun grocery stores. If you don't know what tasso is, I will tell you. Tasso is a lean piece of pork that is highly seasoned (not highly spicy seasoned, but seasoned for flavor) and smoked. I used it to add flavor to a variety of dishes instead of using sausage. Around Lafayette and the surrounding areas in Louisiana, tasso is widely used. I hope you enjoy this figure friendly meal with you family and friends!




Three Cheese Tasso Pasta - Soften and 8 oz. package of cream cheese in a medium sauce pan over low heat. When cream cheese is softened add 1 cup of heavy cream, 1/2 cup each freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano and pecorino romano and blend. Keep heat low so it doesn't scorch. Now add 1-1/2 tablespoons Crystal Hot Sauce or Frank's Hot Sauce, 1 tablespoon of Lea & Perrins, 1 teaspoon dried sweet basil and lower heat to lowest setting and cover. Using 1/2 lb. to 3/4 lb. piece of tasso, slice into thin slices and cut slices into bite size pieces. Preheat a large, heavy pot over medium heat and add two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil until oil ripples and add tasso and stir frequently for about 10 minutes. Add 1 medium onion chopped, 4 cloves of garlic minced. Cook another 5 to 7 minutes stirring frequently. Pour cheese sauce mixture into pot with tasso and blend. Lower heat to lowest setting and cover and let simmer while you cook your pasta to al-dente.






Note: You can add salt and black pepper to taste but make sure you taste it first. The tasso is seasoned with salt and the Parmesan cheese is salty so you don't want to over do it. Taste the sauce before you add it to the tasso - if you want a little more punch in your sauce, add 3/4 teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes at this point.

Red Beans and Rice N'Awlins Style Ya'll

Now I know ya'll thought this might be my first post, but I had to wait until a Monday when I had time to cook (actually a Sunday) this savory dish that is traditionally served on Mondays in N'Awlins. The story behind Red Beans and Rice being served on Mondays is back in the day, Monday was wash day. Dinner needed to be something that could cook all day on the stove and didn't need to be watched too closely. Also, beans and rice was an economical dish and after whooping it up for Sunday dinner, I guess people needed to be a bit more conservative in the beginning of the week but not economical on taste. This is a staple for our family even if are 600 and some odd miles from New Orleans. This is a keeper!

Red Beans and Rice - Soak 1 pound of red kidney beans overnight in cold water in a large bowl. This will greatly reduce the cooking time of the beans. Soaking will soften the beans. When you check the beans in the morning you will note they have plumped up, just add cold water to cover the beans until you are ready to start cooking. In a large heavy pot add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and heat over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot brown off 1 lb. of smoked pork sausage, remove from pot and set aside. Add 1 more tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter, then add 1 onion chopped, 2 ribs celery chopped, 4 cloves garlic minced, and 1/2 lb. smoked cubed ham (optional). Saute approximately 5-10 minutes or until vegetables are wilted. Add smoked sausage and beans. Blend well with vegetables and cook 2-3 minutes. Add enough cold water to cover beans by approximately 2 inches and add 2 bay leaves and 2 teaspoons dried sweet basil. Bring to a rolling boil and allow to cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching. Reduce heat to simmer and cook approximately 1 hour or until beans are tender. Stir occasionally, beans will settle at the bottom of the pot. Add 3 tablespoons chopped parsley and 2 green onions, chopped. Once beans are cooked season to taste with salt (very important do not add salt until beans are soft, adding salt before hand will make beans hard) and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne. Use a spoon and mash approximately 1/3 of the beans against the side of the pot to create a creamy gravy. Once the beans are tender and creamy, they are ready to be served over hot white rice. This is one of those dishes that tastes better if it is cooked a day ahead of time.

Sausage Jambalya

Happy Lundi Gras! For everyone far away from the Mardi Gras maddness of New Orleans, Lundi Gras means Fat Monday...the day before the BIG DAY - Mardi Gras. Maybe some of you are looking for Cajun dishes. I know there are multitudes of them out there from online recipes to actual cookbooks. Most Cajun recipes are basically the same and just about every cook has a variation.

Jambalya is Cajun for "one pot". This is a one pot dish.

Sausage Jambalya - Cut up 1 lb. of andouille sauage or smoked sausage (I like Smithfield's Smoked Pork Sausage) if you cannot get andouille. Brown sausage over medium-high heat in a large heavy pot with a tight fitting lid in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil for about 15 minutes. Remove sausage and set aside and 1 more tablesppon of vegetable oil to pot along with 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and stir constantly to form a dark brown roux (about 7 minutes). Once roux is dark brown, add 1 medium onion finely chopped. Thoroughly mix the onion into the roux and cook until onion becomes soft. The roux will stop cooking once the vegetables are added. Then add 3 cloves of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 cup beef broth and 1-1/2 cups of water, 2 cups uncooked white rice. Stir pot well. When liquid comes to a boil, lower heat to simmer, cover pot and cook for 45 minutes. Uncover pot and stir. If there is still liquid in the pot, let the jambalya cook uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.

Laissez les bons temps rouler! Happy Mardi Gras Ya'll!