Tomato Dijon Pork Chops with Capers

These moist, succulent pork chops come out great every time.  Serve over rice or noodles for a complete, fresh-tasting meal.

Ingredients:
4 pork loin or rib chops (3/4 inch thick)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 T. olive or vegetable oil
14½ oz. can diced tomatoes
½ t. basil
½ t. oregano
1 clove garlic, smashed
½ c. dry red wine or beef broth
4 oz. capers, drained and rinsed
1 T. dijon mustard
fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

 

Season pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper.  In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add oil.  Brown meat on both sides until there is a nice color to them. Remove the pork chops to a plate and drain all but one tablespoon of fat from the skillet.

 

 

To the skillet, add garlic, tomatoes, herbs, wine (or broth), mustard and capers. 

 

 
Heat, stirring occasionally for five minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.  Preheat oven to 350º.  Add pork chops back to the skillet, with the sauce mixture.  Spoon the sauce over the pork chops.  Cover and put in oven for 20 minutes, or until the meat is no longer pink.

Garnish with parsley and serve.  Yields 4 servings.

Shrimp Newburg

Easy, elegant and excellent!

If you are entertaining and want to make a very simple yet elegant entree for your guests, this is the recipe for you.  It takes minimal ingredients, is easy to prepare and tastes absolutely delicious.  I would suggest that if you make this for four, double the recipe.  This recipe fed only two of us.  The original recipe calls for cooked shrimp.  However, I prefer to buy raw shrimp and cook them myself.  So, I will tell you how to prepare your own raw shrimp.

Ingredients:

2 T. butter
1 3/4 T. flour
1 c. half and half
3 T. chili sauce
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. dry mustard
salt and pepper, to taste
dash of freshly grated nutmeg
dash of red pepper (cayenne)
2 T. sherry
minced fresh chives

 

 

 
In preparation to cook the raw shrimp, I buy frozen shelled and deveined 26/30.  Allow them to defrost.  Put them into a strainer and pour cold water over them until they have completely thawed.  To cook the shrimp, I use a small covered pan with a half cup of cold water, half cup of beer (or vinegar, if you don't want to use beer) and two tablespoons of Old Bay Seasoning.  Bring that to a slight boil, add the shrimp, and cover.  Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink.  Remove them from the pan and place in a bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool.

 

In a saucepan, melt butter.  Add flour and whisk until the flour has been absorbed into the butter.  Cook for 3-4 minutes to remove the taste of the flour.

 

 

 

Add half and half to the butter and flour mixture and stir until it thickens.  Add chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, salt and pepper and shrimp.  Reduce heat to medium and stir until shrimp and sauce are hot.

Just before serving, add sherry.  Serve hot on rice or pasta.  Sprinkle cayenne pepper over the top and garnish with chives. 

Soft Ginger Cookies

Ahh... Autumn.  As the days get shorter, the wind gets crisper and the leaves begin to fall, I think of aromatic smells in the kitchen - especially, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg.  Here is a recipe for a soft ginger cookie which will make your kitchen smell amazing.  If you enjoy a soft version of a cookie, you need to try this recipe. 

Ingredients:

1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. shortening or lard
1 c. molasses
1 egg, beaten
½ c. boiling water
1 T. baking soda
5 c. all-purpose flour
½ t. salt (I actually use ¼ teaspoon to reduce the salt)
1 T. ground cinnamon
1 T. ground ginger
1 t. ground cloves
½ t. freshly grated nutmeg
½ c. evaporated milk
1 t. vanilla extract

 

 

 
In mixing bowl, combine shortening, brown sugar, molasses and egg.  Add mixture of boiling water and baking soda.  Mix until smooth.

 

 

 
Sift flour, salt and spices. 

 
Mix milk and vanilla together.  Add flour mixture alternately with the milk and vanilla mixture, to the mixing bowl, ending with flour.

Preheat oven to 350º.  Drop dough onto cookie sheet lined with Silpat or parchment paper.  Bake for 14 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottom.

Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes.  Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.  This recipe yields about 4 dozen cookies.