Pork Chops with Plum Sauce

In my house, we get stuck in the chicken rut, chicken Monday, chicken Tuesday, chicken Wednesday, etc. (ok, you get the point) and the little one swears he hates chicken (not true, but I start to feel that way too after four nights in a row). Anyway, this little treat is super easy and such a great flavor change from the standard fare. I think you'll love it if you give it a try.

 



Black Bean & Pork/Chicken Enchilada Cassarole with Ranchero Sauce

Looking for an excellent comfort food recipe with nourishing ingredients? Look no further. Don't let the long ingredient list keep you from trying this one. Most are the spices included to season the dish. Also, you could make your ranchero sauce in advance and freeze and then this would be a super quick and super easy meal to make.

Ingredients:
About 1/2 pound cooked pork or chicken, diced -- use leftover if possible, and more or less than half a pound. You'll want enough for one layer
2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 cups water
1 small to medium onion chopped and divided (about 1/4 cup to sprinkle)
5-6 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 cups broth, low-sodium organic if possible (any flavor, I used vegetable)
1 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
2 tbsp tomato paste, no added salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp fresh lime juice (about one lime juiced)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 15-ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups "Mexican-style" cheese, grated (I used a chipotle cheddar I found, but use whatever you can find in your store)
10-12 corn tortillas, the small ones
Olive oil

How To:
1. Prep Chilis: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the ancho chiles and 2 cups of water in a small saucepan. Boil, reduce heat to low and simmer five minutes. Turn off heat and let sit another 5 minutes. Drain, but reserve 1 cup of the liquid. Set aside.

2. Make Ranchero Sauce: Add onion to olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until soft, add garlic and salt. Cook another five minutes until lightly browned. Add broth, oregano, paste, and cumin. Cook about 5-8 minutes until thickened, stirring occassionally. Then pour entire pot into a blender, add chiles and reserved liquid. Blend until smooth (remove center piece in lid to allow steam to escape, but cover with a towel so the hot liquid does not splatter). Stir in lime juice and cayenne pepper. This is your ranchero sauce.

3. Make Cassarole: Using about 1/2 cup of the ranchero sauce, cover the bottom of a 9x13 pan and line with half the tortillas. Sprinkle on beans, chicken or pork, onions, and half the cheese. Cover with sauce, about half what you have left. Top with the remaining tortillas, the rest of the sauce, and the rest of the cheese. Cook uncovered about 15-20 minutes.

Comments:
This is modified from a vegetarian dish in the October 2011 Cooking Light magazine. I added meat (for my husband) and we had this pork tenderloin to use up. I also eliminated the steps in the original recipe that made this actual enchiladas. The "cassarole-style" is much easier to make. We also served with sauteed poblano peppers on top and over short-grained brown rice and this was SO delicious.

This looks kind of complicated, and did take more time than I usually like to spend. The original recipe says 55 minutes hands on, but I think that is way over-stated and perhaps I save a lot of time with my version by not actually making enchiladas, but just layering the ingredients. I think it was 30 minutes hands on and then the 15 minutes of cooking. Also, the original recipe I followed says you can make the ranchero sauce a day or two ahead to save time (or even freeze), and that really is the part that takes up most of the time. I also keep a few containers of this ranchero sauce in my freezer for an easy dinner when we are short on time.

DELISH!

 

 

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Test Kitchen: Mediterranean Style Pork Chops

This recipe is a nice change of pace. I think you'll really enjoy.

Pork Chili

About 10-12 tomatillos, husked and quartered
2 poblano peppers, chopped
2 red onions, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic
2 1/2 to 3 pound pork loin
1 cup vegetarian refried beans
4 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
Olive oil
Corn tortillas

Seasonings to taste, approximately as follows:
Cumin about 2 t
Chili powder about 1 t
Onion powder about 1 t, plus sprinkled on roast
Garlic powder about 1 t, plus sprinked on roast
Salt and pepper to taste

Add two cups chicken broth and pork roast (season with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders) to crock pot and cook until meat is tender - shreddable. Prepare vegetables for oven roasting (or grilling). When the pork is done, add vegetables to a greased (olive oil) cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring twice. You could grill as an alternative. Add roasted (or grilled) vegetables to the crock pot after shredding pork. Add another two cups chicken broth and cook for another 2-4 hours. If too thin add refried beans. Season with the above.

Comments: Until today, I haven't made pork chili in over a year. The last time I made it, it was so delicious, I will forever be trying to re-create that taste. I have a recipe written down, but this time it did not taste as delicious (I don't think). I will try this again later this season and tweak the recipe. That being said, husband and son LOVED this dish as is. Both had numerous helpings and the boy even told me it tasted as good as the food at our favorite Mexican restaurant! Ha! 

This makes a lot - I am not sure how many servings, but I would guess 8-10. Hands-on time is relatively minimal, I think all together about 10 minutes, but you'll have lots of cook time in the crock pot (plan on an all day simmer).

Pre-roasted vegetables

Post-roasted vegetables

Asian BBQ Pork

Ingredients:
2 pound boneless butt pork roast, visible fat trimmed
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce/ Tamari
1/4 cup hoisin sauce (see comments below)
3 tbsp tomato paste
4 tbsp honey
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled & grated
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon 5-spice powder
1/2 cup chicken broth/ stock

Very Easy How To:
Place pork in slow cooker and cover with the rest of the ingredients above. Cook on the lowest setting for 8-10 hours, turning once during cooking. Serve.

Comments:
This recipe is extremely easy and results in a deliciously flavored pork roast. Be careful with the settings on the slow cooker as we had an issue with the sauce burning (heat was way too high) the first time we made this. I would suggest cooking longer at the lowest setting possible for best results.

Also, I would highly suggest making your own hoisin sauce if possible because the only ones I could find in the grocery store had sugar as the first or second ingredient! You can try the following mixed together (4 T low-sodium soy sauce, 2 T no-sugar peanut butter or black bean/miso paste, 1 T honey or molasses, 2 T white vinegar, 1/8 t garlic powder, 2 t sesame oil, 20 drops chinese hot sauce, jalepeno or habanero, and 1/8 t black pepper) to make half a cup.

We served this with the Almond Flour & Chedder Muffins and a salad and it was so delicious.

 

This post was shared on Foodie Friends Friday Crocktober Party.

Pork Chops with Mushroom Gravy

1 package boneless pork, fat trimmed if necessary (my package had 6 or 7 thin filets)
1/2 onion chopped
1 cup mushrooms sliced
Olive oil
2 cups beef broth (low sodium, if store-bought)
1 cup white wine (optional)
Salt, pepper, herbs du provance

Saute onions & mushrooms in olive oil until soft. Add pork and brown on both sides. Add about 2 cups beef broth and simmer. Add white wine and reduce. Simmer about 20 minutes. Add seasonings.

Hands on this took about 10 minutes.

Comments: I served this with Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes and Homemade French Onion Soup. My 6-year old said it was better than spagetti and my husband said it was the best meal of the week.