Cajun Smothered Pork Chops

Cajun Smothered Pork Chops

8 thinly cut (about 1/2 inch thick) pork chops (about 3 pounds total)
2 teaspoons Emeril's Original Essence
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups thinly sliced onions
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
4 bay leaves
Two 14 1/2-ounce cans low-sodium chicken broth, or 3 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cans water (measured in the chicken broth cans)
1 pound smoked sausage or andouille, cut crosswise into 1-inch slices
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
Steamed white rice or rice pilaf, for serving

Directions

Season both sides of the chops with the Essence. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Add the pork chops, 3 or 4 at a time, and lightly brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the pork chops and transfer to a platter. Set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the flour and stir constantly until the roux is the color of peanut butter, about 4 minutes.

Add the onions, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the onions are slightly soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, bay leaves, chicken broth, and water and bring to a boil.

Return the pork chops to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.

Add the smoked sausage and the potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves. Remove from the heat.


Makes 4 servings to 8 servings

Pull Apart Pork

2 lbs + Pork Tenderloin
Place in Crock Pot
Pour 8-12 oz of ROOT BEER over pork.
Cook on slow all day.
You'll know when it is ready--it falls apart!
Shred with two forks by pulling apart.
Serve with your favorite BBQ Sauce on a bun!

Thanks Lori for the Root Beer Idea! It was YUMMO!

Sweet and Spicy Pork Dinner

1 lb Pork Tenderloin
1/4 cup french dressing, divided.
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp thyme
1 TBSP honey
Cooked Rice (optional)-- I actually pulled this apart and made sandwiches.

Brush pork with 2 TBSP french dressing. Mix dry ing and rub onto meat. Place in baking dish. Mix remaining 2 TBSP dressing with honey--set aside. Bake at 425 for 15 min. Brush with dressing/honey mixture. Bake an add. 10 min or until cooked through. Remove meat from oven and cover with foil. Let stand before slicing 5 min.
Serve with rice or on buns as sandwiches.
YUMMY!

Crispy Coconut Chicken Fingers
Recipe by Our Best Bites

12 chicken tenders (ya know, more or less...)
1-2 eggs (start with one and crack another if it runs out)
1/2 C flour
1 C sweetened coconut flakes
1 C panko bread crumbs (by Progresso)
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp table salt
3/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (you can leave this out if you want to skip the spice for the kiddos)

preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Give coconut a rough chop so it's about the same size as the panko pieces
Combine it with Panko and spices in a shallow dish. Mix well to distribute all of the spices.
Place the flour in another shallow dish, and the egg in another. Give the egg a quick beating.

Working with one chicken tender at a time, dredge in flour...

And then finally coat in the coconut Panko mixture. Press in with your fingers to make sure the entire thing is well coated.

Place chicken tenders on a foil-lined baking sheet (for easy clean up!) that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. I give mine a teeny drizzle of olive oil on top to help them crisp nicely, but it's optional.


Bake in your 450 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until juices run clear. Try not to overcook them because chicken tenders go from perfect to overcooked really fast! If your tenders are on the small side, they could even be done in about 15 minutes so keep an eye on them. If they're big they can take more like 25. The coconut will be nice and golden and the panko crisp, but light in color still.

Spicy Honey Chicken

Spicy Honey Chicken


2 t vegetable oil


Rub:

2 t granulated garlic
2 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t coriander
1 t kosher salt
1 t cumin
1/2 t chipotle chili powder

for extra heat, increase chipotle or add ground red pepper


8 boneless skinless chicken thighs (Yes, Thighs!!)
everyone is always asking me if they can use breasts for this. Sure you can, but I'm tellin'
ya right now it's better with thighs.

Glaze:
1/2 C Honey
1T Cider Vinegar

*I have changed this recipe from the original version I posted. If you liked it before and you're mad at me for messing with it again, do the following! Omit onion, coriander, and chipotle and replace with 1 t paprika and 1/2-1/2 t cayenne pepper. For the glaze, I just increased it so there would be enough to drizzle on at the very end.


Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well.

Use kitchen shears (or a pair of clean scissors) to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces. Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands and get in there! Grill chicken a few minutes on each side, until cooked through.

While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it's not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2T honey glaze for later. Take the rest and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling.

I'm gonna warn you that this can make a hot mess, literally. It's sugar, and it's gonna drip. But the smelly smoke is worth it for a minute or two. Just leave your grill on for a few minutes after the chicken is done to burn off any excess glaze. It's totally worth it once you taste this stuff.


If you don't have a bbq, try it on an indoor grill pan or use your broiler. Just be sure to open a window in case you burn your glaze!

Remember how I had you reserve that extra couple tablespoons of glaze? Ya, drizzle that on top now. Your taste buds will thank you.

Stuffed French Bread

I have been taking this to parties for years....yummy!!!!

Stuffed French Bread

Cut out the middle of a loaf of Italian or Frency Bread -- the fresh kind from the bakery. The wider the loaf the better.

Brown and drain a roll of sausage -- I use Jimmy Dean.

Add to sausage in skillet:
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/4 cup chopped green onions
Cook a few min until veggies are soft...
Then add:
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz sour cream
8 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp of seasoning -- you can use any or all of the ones below but just 1 TBSP total...(see below for the mixture I keep mixed up)

Cook on skillet until all is mixed well and melted. Fill bread bowl. Put top back on. Wrap in foil and back 1 hour at 325 degrees.

Serve in slices or remove top and mix and serve with chips or veggies as a dip!

To make Seasoning Mixture: (But you'll only use 1 TBSP total)
Paprika 2 TBSP
Salt 2TBSP
Garlice Powder1 TBSP
Onion Powder1 TBSP
Cayenne Pepper1 TBSP
Oregano 1 TBSP
Thyme 1 TBSP

Crock Pot Pork Loin -- Entree or Sandwiches!

What's for dinner tomorrow from Amy's Kitchen?

Get your Crock Pot out!!!

4 lb Pork Loin

Rub salt, pepper, garlic powder, Tony's seasoning into the meat on all sides.

Put meat in crock pot.

Add 3/4 cup water.

Add 1/2 package of Lipton Onion Soup Mix.

Turn crock pot on low for 8-10 hours.

Should be falling apart-tender.

I serve it with potatoes and corn and carrots ---

OR our favorite is to make sandwiches on hoagie buns -- tear a little apart and add favorite BBQ sauce!

Thanks Amy!