Fusion Tasso Pasta

We recently traveled to New Orleans...my 92 year old mother-in-law decided to give up driving and sold us her car that barely had 9,000 miles on it.  So now each of the homegirlz have their own vehicle, finally! 

Have I mentioned our oldest has been accepted to nursing school and she's also made the Dean's list all four semesters she's attended college?  Can you believe she's even in college?  I can't!  Can't brag on one homegirl without mentioning the baby.  She's in college too...I know, be still my heart!  She made the Dean's list her first semester and missed it by .3 points last semester.  Yes, I'm proud of my babies.

Don't even think they don't think of ways to lure me up there to cook for them during school. Yes, they are tricky littler girls and I fall for it EVERY TIME. 

While we were visiting, I stocked on up essentials like tasso, andouille, shrimp and crabs.  So here's my latest and wonderfully delicious fusion of Cajun and Italian ways of enjoying two of my favorites, tasso and pasta.

1 lb. Tasso, sliced thin

Extra virgin olive oil

4 ounces pancetta diced

1/2 cup finely diced red onion

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/3 cup white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)

1 lb. bow tie pasta (or your favorite shaped pasta) cooked al dente

1 15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes 

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese

2 tablespoons sliced scallions for garnish

Heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Cook the pancetta until golden and crispy.  Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel lined plate.  Leave the pancetta fat in the pan, this is liquid gold!

Return the saute pan to the stove and add 1 more tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and add the onions.  Saute for about 2 to three minutes, then add the sliced tasso and continue sauteing for another 3 to 4 minutes.  Add in the garlic saute for one minute and then add the wine.  Allow the wine to cook off for about a minute, then add the diced tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce and crushed red pepper flakes, stir to combine and then add in the heavy cream and 1/2 of the grated Asiago cheese.

Lower the heat and simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce as thickened.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and maybe a little cayenne (optional).  Once the sauce is the desired consistency and seasoned well, add in the cooked pasta.

To serve, place a generous helping on your plate, garnish with the crispy pancetta, sliced scallions and grated Asiago cheese.

 

Now this the way to start off the weekend!!

 


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Grilled Mustard Rum Glazed Pork Chops

We had another gorgeous weekend and I had to get my fix grilling anything I could.  I know, the name alone is a mouthful, just wait until you try them yourself!

1/4 Dark Rum ( I used Myer's)
1/3 cup brown grain mustard (I used Zatarin's Creole Mustard)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chili sauce
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tsp. Extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 center cut, bone-in pork chops

Whisk all the ingredients together, except the pork chops, in a small bowl.  If you taste the marinade, it will taste pretty raw since the alcohol has not been cooked out yet.  Place the pork chops in a re-sealable plastic bag.  Reserve 1/4 cup of the marinade for later (let it sit out at room temperature).  Pour the remaining marinade over the pork chops, seal the bag and work the marinade all over the chops to make sure they are all coated.  Place the bag in a bowl (just in case the bag leaks, the bowl will catch it) and refrigerate for at one hour.

Heat the grill to medium and spray the grates with non-stick cooking spray.  Place the chops on the heated grill and let them cook for about 7 minutes.  Flip them and let them cook for 7 more minutes.  Flip them again and brush them with the reserved marinade and let them cook for another 5 minutes.  Flip and brush the other side with the marinade and let them cook for 5 minutes longer, until the chops are cooked through.

Place the cooked chops on a platter and serve! So dang easy and so delicious!




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White Beans with Sausages

Something about white beans in a savory sauce served with juicy Italian sausages just makes me feel warm all over.  If you're looking to add an easy to make, wholesome, comfort food dish to your repertoire this winter, this is the ticket. 

5 Sweet, Mild or Hot Italian Sausages (I used Mild)
1 cup Sauvignon Blanc
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 Vidala or sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cans (14 oz.) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoons dried oregano
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Prick the sausages in a couple of places and place in a large skillet.  Pour 1/2 cup of the wine to the sausages and bring to a boil over medium high heat.  Lower the heat to medium low, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes.  Remove the cover, increase the heat to medium high and cook the sausages until well browned, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a separate skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and saute until soft, about five minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute, then add the beans, oregano, the remaining wine and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer uncovered until half of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.

The add the sausages to the pan with the beans and simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and serve. 
   
Really good comfort food doesn't get much easier or tastier than this!




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Slow Cooker Cassoulet

Cassoulet is slow-cooked, rustic, dish made with white beans, wine and a succulent assortment of meats such as foie gras, duck confit,  cuts of lamb, pork or poultry.  Cassoulet is a beloved dish of generations of French cooks.  I found several recipes for cassoulet at Food and Wine and Bon Appetit and adapted to my Cajun French tastes and to cook in the slow cooker to fit my schedule which has been really busy like you wouldn't believe. 

Even though this is cooked in the slow cooker, there is a bit of "prep" cooking before hand, but all of the effort is so worth the final results! 

First, I have some gratuitous bragging to do, my Bebe' , Kaitlin, made the Homecoming Court (white dress)!!! 

3-1/2 lbs. boneless pork roast.  I used a pork sirloin roast, trimmed of excess fat.

3 tablespoons Canola oil

1 cup of panko crumbs

4 ounces of smokey bacon, cut into 1/2-inch strips

3 cups roughly diced yellow onions

2 cups white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)

2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste

1 can (35 ounce) San Marzano tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth

4 cans (15 ounce) Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained

1 lb. Johnsonville Andouille sausage.  Quarter each sausage link on a diagonal

1 head of garlic cut in half (crosswise)

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1 baguette cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut the pork into 8 portions and season generously with salt and pepper, reserve.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and combine 2 tablespoons of the Canola oil and the panko, stirring constantly until the panko is toasted, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a plate and season with salt and pepper.  Once cooled, place in an air-tight container for later.

Add the remaining tablespoon of Canola oil to the Dutch oven and then add bacon and cook until crisp.  Drain on paper towels and once cooled, place in an air-tight container for use later.

Add half of the pork to the Dutch oven and brown on all sides, transfer to a platter, repeat with the remaining pork.

Cook the onions with 1 teaspoon of sea salt until beginning to turn brown and softened.  

Add the wine and simmer for about 7 to 8 minutes. 

Stir in the tomato paste.

Stir in the tomatoes.

Use a potato masher and gently smash the tomatoes up a bit.

Stir in the chicken broth and remove from the heat.  At this point, turn on your slow cooker to low to slightly heat.

Remember the rule of thumb with "crockery" slow cookers...add cold food to a cold crockpot and warm food to a warm crockpot.

Place the garlic, pork and sausage in the slow cooker.

Slowly add the contents from the Dutch oven to the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.  the pork will easily pull apart.

Approximately 1 hour to 30 minutes before the done, skim off the fat, discard the garlic and add in the beans.  Thirty minutes later, stir in the panko.  The panko will seriously thicken the consistency of the dish. 

Stir in half of the parsley and adjust the seasonings.  Turn off the slow cooker and let the cassoulet stand for about thirty minutes.

Pre-heat the broiler and brush the baguette slices with olive oil.  Place the baguettes slices  under the broiler and broil until golden brown.

Spoon the cassoulet onto a plate and arrange two baguette slices, over-lapping, on top of the cassoulet.  Sprinkle with the reserved bacon, sea salt and parsley.

Laissez les bon temps rouler, ya'll!

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Kickin' Meatball Sliders

It's football time again and between cheering for our local high school football team on Friday nights, getting caught up in Vol fever while the University of Tennessee was featured on ESPN's Game Day last Saturday or cheering for my hometown team, the New Orleans Saints, a girl can not have too much delicious, hearty food on hand.

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. mild Italian sausage, removed from casings
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 cloves of garlic, rough chopped (divided 4 and 2)
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 large eggs, whisked
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 - 28 ounce can tomato puree
1 cup red wine (I used Cabernet Sauvignon)
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon basil
Kosher salt and black pepper
Asiago cheese, shaved (figure 3 shaved strips per slider)
Slider buns or soft, small dinner rolls, sliced in half
Fresh basil leaves

in a large bowl, combine the ground beef, Italian sausage, red pepper flakes, 2 cloves of chopped garlic, Panko crumbs, grated Parmesan, eggs, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Form  into meatballs about the size of golf balls.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet and brown the meatballs on all sides.  

You will probably have to brown the meatballs in batches.  Once browned, move the meatballs to a paper towel lined platter.

To make the sauce, heat the remaining olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and saute for about 3 to 4 minutes.  Then add the remaining chopped garlic and saute for another minute.  Add in the tomato puree  and once it begins to bubble, add in the wine, stir to thoroughly combine.  Allow the sauce to gently simmer for 5 minutes then add the oregano, sugar, bay leaf, basil and salt and pepper to taste. 

Carefully add in the browned meatballs, cover and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Adjust seasonings if needed.  I wound up adding in a little more garlic powder and some grated Parmesan cheese. 

To assemble your slider, place two meatballs in a bowl and very slightly flatten then just a bit with the back of a large spoon.  Place the meatballs on the bun bottom and ladle on some sauce.  Top with a couple of slices of the shaved Asiago cheese and a basil leaf.

Let me tell you, the basil leaf really added a certain "sumthin'-sumthin'" to this slider.

Score!  these sliders are definitely a touchdown!!!


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Bacon JAM!!!! Reason #1,036 Why Pork Fat Rules!

Okay, if you're phony you'll will damn me to hell...but for real we ALL know pork fat rules and the best of both worlds or all worlds in your universe include bacon in just about any facet you can logically include it.

Well now it's a jam...worthy of your Sunday biscuits, your best corn bread or your fancy French baguette.

Bacon jam is so easy to make and well worth the time.  In Cajunland it's known as Cajun Caviar...seriously it is something to behold.

Cut up 1 pound of bacon into 1-inch pieces.  If you have a cast iron skillet, by all mean break it out baby.  If not use a heavy bottomed skillet and brown the bacon.  

Brown the bacon just until it begins to turn golden brown on the edges and then move it to a paper towel lined plate to drain and reserve.

Remove all but about 1-1/2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the skillet.  Return the skillet to the a burner heated to medium-high heat and add 1 medium size onion, roughly chopped and cook the onion for about 4 minutes until soft. Then add  2 tablespoons of minced garlic and cook 1 minute.

Then add in the cooked bacon, 3/4 cup coffee, 1/4 cup bourbon (optional), 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar.  Bring to a boil and then lower heat to simmer and cook for 1-1/2 hours, stirring every couple of minutes.

Believe me, you don't want to walk too far away, the brown sugar, onions and garlic, you REALLY need to babysit.

When the 1-1/2 hours is up you will have one big sticky mess that smells like heaven on earth children!

Scrape this delicious mess into your food processor and pulse until you have a chunky "jam-like" mixture.

See this little jar, this it's; that's all you get off one pound of bacon.  Is it worth it?  Oh yeah, no question.  But run, run fast and hide it...this is why it's caviar.  Believe me if you do want to share, it will be with very special people.

Behold, this is why biscuits were created!

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Grilled Pork Chops Rule!

I have become a real grilling dork queen around here.  Something about meat, especially pork lovingly grilled outside on an open fire just gets my creative juices flowing.

By the way, have you visited the  Grill Mates Grillerhood lately?  You should, not only can you find out about the latest McCormick Gill Mates Products, but you can also download so much very cool free stuff!

Now, let's check out how easy it is to grill some great flavor some thick, boneless pork chops.  Once again, I enlisted the help of another McCormick Grill Mates product, Spiced Brandy & Herb Marinade.

Check out how easy this is!

1 package McCormick Grill Mates Spiced Brandy & Herb Marinade
1/4 cup Canola Oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons water
4 boneless center cut pork chops
1 tablespoon finely chopped Rosemary

Mix the marinade per the package directions. Place the pork chops in a self-sealing plastic bag, pour the marinade over the chops, making sure to coat them thoroughly.  Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

After one hour remove the chops to a platter and dispose of the marinade.  Sprinkle and press in the Rosemary on both sides of the chops and allow them to come up to room temperature for about 20 minutes.

Pre-heat the grill to medium-high heat and lightly grease the grates with olive oil or non-stick cooking spray.

Sear the chops for 5 to 7 minutes per side over direct heat.

Move the chops and allow the to finish cooking over indirect each for another 10 to 12 minutes per side.

Look at those juicy pork chops!

Grill Mayor of 2012 Contest!!

I know all of you would like to win the title of Grill Mayor of 2012!  Well, here's your chance.    Food Network is hosting a contest and you, yes you could be named Grill Mayor PLUS win all of this fantastic swag:

  Grand Prize: 2 trips to New York City for winner and a guest.

   2 nights first-class hotel accommodations.

   $100 Food Network gift card.

   Food Network Grilling Cookbook.

   Omaha Steaks grilling kit.

   Assortment of Grill Mates products.

   Dinner for Grand Prize Winner and one guest at a Food Network’s chef restaurant in New York City.

Two VIP access passes to a premiere New York City BBQ Festival.

Tour of the Food Network kitchens in New York City.

All you have to do is click on the Food Network contest entry page and share your best grilling tip or a piece of advice. Entries must be 100 words or less and include a picture of your tip in action. See the contest rules for official stuff but the contest runs through July 31, 2012.  Hope you win!

Disclosure - I have been compensated by McCormick in all relevant communication mediums, including without limitations on Facebook, Twitter, any blog posts.

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Pork Chops with Beer and Bacon Gravy

We were all looking forward to enjoying some grilled, thick, center cut pork chops.  I could already smell them sizzling on the grill.  As luck would have it, the wind picked up, the skies grew dark and a summer downpour ensued.

Yes, we were disappointed but not to be outdone by the weather, I went through my big stack of recipes that I had been promising myself to try and found this one from Rachel Ray.

This is a must try!  The amber ale really deepens the flavor of the gravy and compliments the pork chops unbelievably well.

4 bone-in pork chops, about 3/4-inch thick

Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 slices hickory smoked bacon, cut in 1/2-inch slices
1 medium onion, rough chopped
1 heaping tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 bottle German amber ale or beer
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped

Re-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel and generously season both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat a cast iron or heavy skillet with the extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to ripple, carefully place the chops in the skillet (depending on the size of your skillet, you may have to do this in batches) and cook about 6 minutes per side, turning once.  Remove to a rack over a baking sheet.  Once all of the pork chops are seared, place in the pre-heated oven for about 10 to 12 minutes, until thoroughly cooked.

Lower heat to medium and add a little drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to the same skillet then add the bacon and brown.  Once the bacon is almost cooked, add the onions and saute over medium heat until the onions are soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Leaving the onions and bacon in the skillet, sprinkle in the flour and stir for about 3 minutes to cook off and brown the flour a bit, then add the beer. Continue cooking until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes more, then whisk in the stock. Remove from the heat and season with pepper. Pour the gravy over the chops, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Can't wait to have my leftovers for lunch!



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Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Garlic Drizzle

For some reason I've been in a roasted garlic mood.  I think I just love the way it makes my house smell.  Most people Febreeze themselves silly, I'm silly and roast garlic.  That's just how I'm rolling these days!

If you're looking for a fantastic and easy dish to serve during the holidays, this is the ticket!

First, roast 2 heads of garlic  You'll need two heads of garlic, some olive oil, salt and pepper.  After you remove the garlic from the oven, allow it to cool long enough so you can handle it comfortably.

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Pork Tenderloin:

1 boneless pork tenderloin

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Season the tenderloin evenly on all sides with salt and pepper.  Place the tenderloin in a a medium size roasting pan and roast in a pre-heated 450 degree F oven until a meat thermometer reads 140 to 145 degrees, approximately 35 to 45 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, cover with foil and allow to rest for about 15 minutes.


Roasted Garlic Drizzle:

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons water

Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves in a blender.  Add the parsley and balsamic vinegar and pulse until thoroughly combined. Drizzle the olive oil into the blender while it is running, then add the sugar, salt, pepper, and water and blend until blended.

Remove the foil and transfer the pork tenderloin to a serving platter and slice.  Drizzle some of  the garlic/balsamic drizzle over the pork and save some in a small bowl to pass around at the table for dipping.

Tip:  Garlic bread tastes divine dipped into the roasted garlic/balsamic drizzle.

Enjoy!

The Dinner@ Six Winner and Slow Cooker Ribs!

The lucky winner of the $100 gift card from the Dinner@ 6 Giveaway is Susitravl from Mad for Mexican Food.  Congratulations Susitravi!!!  Please email your mailing/contact information to me ASAP.

Here is Susitravl's favorite six ingredient recipe:

2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 T. chili powder
1 t. cumin
1 jar salsa
2 limes, halved
1/2 bunch cilantro

Place the chicken breasts in the crockpot, cover with spices (I mix them into the salsa) and salsa. Squeeze the juice from the limes on top and throw in the limes (discard limes before eating). Toss the cilantro on top and cook on low for 7-8 hours.

Can be used for chicken tacos or burritos.


Slow Cooker Ribs


The weather is gorgeous, we've been steadily working in the yard all day long, trimming, planting, mulching.   I’m ready to head inside, clean-up, pour a glass of wine and sit outside on the back deck and relax..  I'm also ready to sit down to some real food. I remembered that just before I headed outside this morning, pot of Beef Short Ribs in the crock pot. Now, my mouth was watering for them. This doesn’t have to be just a fantasy—follow this recipe and you can whip up a pot of your own whenever you want!

The Rub

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne

The Ribs

3 pounds trimmed beef short ribs or pork baby back ribs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 cups low sodium beef stock
4 carrots (2 cups) cut into 2-inch chunks
3 large Yukon Gold potatoes
1/2 Vidalia or Spanish onion, (leave whole)
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 tablespoons AP flour
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots, soaked and softened
1/2 lemon juiced

Combine all of the ingredients for the rub in a small bowl.  Rub the mixture evenly and thoroughly onto the ribs with your hands.

Then, in the tablespoon of vegetable oil, sear the ribs in a large sauté pan over high heat until they brown completely on all sides, which should take roughly 10 minutes.

Transfer the ribs to the slow cooker.  Remove all of the oil from the pan (save the brown bits!) you used to brown the ribs and  deglaze the pan with 3-1/2 cups of beef stock, scraping up the brown bits.  Pour the broth, plus the carrots, potatoes, onions, honey, and pepper flakes to the ribs in the slow cooker.   You can cook on high for 3-1/2 hours or the method I prefer, cook them on low for 6 hours until the ribs become fork-tender.

Discard the onion and strain the fat from the surface of the sauce. Then whisk the flour and the rest of the stock together  in a large measuring cup or medium sized bowl.  Once completely blended, pour it into the slow cooker and stir to combine.  Add the chopped up apricots. Simmer the sauce  for another 30 to 45 minutes.

Right before serving squeeze the lemon over the pot and stir the juice into the sauce and simmer for a final 30 minutes.  

You can either serve it plain or over some steamed rice.

Appliances Online, who sell dishwashers and other goods.

Jamaican Barbecue Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin is one of my favorites; so lean, tender and always picks up the flavor of a marinade in a blink of an eye.

1 (1 to 1 1/2-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat and silver skin

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 cup marinade, recipe follows

Kosher salt

Canola oil

Jamaican Barbecue Sauce, recipe follows

Rinse pork tenderloin under cool water and and pat dry with paper towels.

Place the pork tenderloin in a glass baking dish (do not use metal!) and pour the lime juice over.  Turn the tenderloin several times to make sure the lime juice has coated it well.  Place in the refrigerator uncovered for about 10 minutes.  

While the meat is in the fridge, make the marinade, the remove the tenderloin from the refrigerator and pour the marinade over it, turn to evenly coat. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to one hour. Be careful not let it sit too long as the acid in the lime juice will begin to cook the meat.

While the meat is marinating, make the barbecue sauce.

Preheat a grill to medium. Place the tenderloin on the grill, allow as much marinade as possible to cling to the meat.  Sear on all sides about five minuted each side, then finish grilling over indirect heat until it is nicely browned on the outside and has an internal temperature of 150 degrees F (about 30 minutes). Remove the pork from the grill tent with foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Slice the into 1/2-inch thick slices drizzled with the barbecue sauce.

Pork Tenderloin Marinade

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

4 scallions cut in half (to shorten stalks)
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley
1/4 onion, rough chopped
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
2 jalapenos, de-seeded
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup plus Canola oil
1-1/2  tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Combine the thyme, scallions, parsley, onion, brown sugar, bay leaf, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, coriander, jalapenos, garlic, salt, pepper, and oil in a food processor into a paste.   Put the paste in a glass bowl or large measuring cup and whisk in the soy sauce, lime juice, and vinegar.

Jamaican Barbecue Sauce

3/4 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 poblano pepper de-seeded and minced

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and heat medium heat to a low simmer.  Continue simmering until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes. Ladle over cooked pork tenderloin.

Grilled Pork Chops with Garlic Relish

Well summer has slammed us overnight.  Let's be honest, with temperatures raging at 90 plus, who feels like putting a whole lot of effort into standing over a stove and cooking?  Not me, that's for sure. 

Hot or cold weather, my family has some really bad habits, they like to eat.  They like to eat several times a day; the weather does not affect them. Someone has to make dinner; you guessed it, it's me.

Pork Chops with Garlic Relish sounds, looks and tastes like a lot of effort goes into this dish, but just between me and you, it couldn't be more effortless.  Since so many of you shared your undying love of garlic with me recently, the garlic relish will put you in seventh heaven!

Watch I'll show you...

Garlic Relish - 

4 large heads garlic, each cut in half crosswise
1/4 cup plus a couple of drizzles of extra virgin olive oil
1/4 Vidalia onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on the cut side of the garlic heads, then sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper.  Place the garlic heads cut side down in a small foil lined baking dish.  Add the onion and drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil over the onion. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.

Remove the onion and garlic from the oil and squeeze the softened garlic cloves into a medium bowl. Mash with a fork until smooth.

This is what happens when I turn my back to get a fork.  A.J. grabs one of the cut garlic heads and goes after the roasted garlic like it's his last meal.

Stir the Worcestershire and lemon juice into the mashed garlic and continue stirring until smooth and creamy. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. The garlic relish will in the refrigerator in a sealed container for about 2 weeks.

Grilled Pork Chops -

4 bone-in center cut pork chops
Seasoning of your choice, we used Emeril's Essence - recipe follows

Preheat a grill to medium-high. Spray grates with non-stick cooking spray. Liberally season the pork chops and gently rub seasoning into the meat with your fingers. Place the chops on the grill, sear on each side, approximately 5 minutes per side.  Move the chops to indirect heat and continue cooking on both sides until a meat thermometer reaches 150 to 155 degrees F, approximately 7 minutes per side.

Serve pork chops with garlic relish slathered on top. It doesn't get much more effortless than this.

Oh, you saw the biscuit?  I'll have this tasty little devil for you Friday.