Maple-Braised Pork Chops by Willam Sonoma

This is one of my husbands favorites! NOTE: This recipe offers a couple different methods to cook the chops, we have found that the slow cooker on low for 8 hours makes the most tender and best flavor.

3 T all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground pepper
4 bone-in pork loin chops, each about 12 oz and 1 1/2 inch thick
3 T canola oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 t chile powder
3/4 c chicken broth
3/4 c maple syrup (use the pure stuff!)
3 T apple cider vinegar
2 T Worcestershire sauce
2 T finely chopped fresh chives

On a plate, stir together the flour, 3/4 t salt, and 1/2 t pepper. Turn the pork chops in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. In a large frying pan over medium-heat, warm the canola oil. Working in batches if necessary, cook the pork chops until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Pour off all but a thin coating of fat in the pan and return it to medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and chile powder and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the broth and deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the maple syrup, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce and bring to a boil.

STOVE TOP: Transfer the pork chops to a large Dutch oven. Pour the maple syrup mixture over the chops to cover them. Partially cover and cook over very low heat until the pork chops are very tender and the sauce is thick, about 2 hours.

SLOW COOKER: Transfer the pork chops to a slow cooker. Pour the maple syrup mixture over the chops to cover them. Cover and cook until the chops are very tender and the sauce is thick, about 4-hours on high setting or 8-hours on low setting.

Arrange the chops on a warmed plates. Top with the sauce, garnish with the chives and serve at once.

Bon Bon's

This is a great and easy recipe

1 bag of original oreos
1 8 oz fat free cream cheese
1 bag of chocolate chips

*put oreos in zip lock bag and smash until fine

*Combine oreo's and softened cream cheese, roll into small balls.

*Freeze to make hard

*Melt chocolate & dip small balls into chocolate. Refrigerate to harden chocolate and serve. If you want to get fancy melt white chocolate and drizzle over.

Chicken Salad

THIS MAKES A LOT. Fed us for a week of lunches.

2 pkgs chicken ramen noodles
1 bunch green onions
4 T sugar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
6 oz slivered almonds (optional)
2 cups shredded chicken
4 T vinegar
20 oz bag cole slaw mix
2 T sesame seeds

*Bake sesame sees and almonds @ 350 for 10 - 12 minutes

*Mix oil, sugar, vinegar, ramen noodles, seasoning and refrigerate

*Mix slaw, chicken, chopped onions, crushed noodles, and baked nuts

*After sauce is cold add to the slaw miz and chill before serving for several hours.

*Serve as a salad.

Turkey Burgers "Ciao Down Burgers"

1 Egg
1 1lb ground turkey breast
2 crushed cloves garlic
1/3 cup drained diced & green chili tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt & pepper to taste
*Optional 1/2 cup parmesan cheese (tends to hold the burgers together better)

*In large bowl whisk egg and add everything else, mixing with hands until well blended. Form into 8 patties. Or 4 very thick patties

*Place patties on a grill pan or nonstick skillet that's heated over medium - high

Serve as a hamburger.

Lemon Cream Chicken

A good majority of my recipe's that I try from a cookbook or random blogs don't turn out very well, if at all. This was one of the few exceptions. I found it through a friend of a friend of a friends blog, i think. You all know how it is when you get clicking on blog after blog. After blog. Anyway, here's the link to this particular blog.

Lemon Cream Chicken

1/2 cup plus 1 T. flour divided

1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 c. butter
1 c. chicken broth
1 cup whipping cream, divided
3 T. lemon juice
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced*

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine 1/2 c. flour, salt and pepper. Add chicken an shake to coat. In a large skillet, cook chicken in butter for 8-9 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Remove chicken and keep warm.

Add broth to the drippings. Bring to a boil over medium heat; stir to loosen browned bits from the pan. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes or until broth is reduced approximately 1/3 cup. Sir in 3/4 c. cream, lemon juice and mushrooms. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

Combine remaining flour and cream until smooth; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and sir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Return chicken to skillet and heat through. Yield = 6 servings.

*I opted to leave out the mushrooms, not a huge fan, but maybe I'll try it next time. The original author said she doesn't like breading it, and it's just as good if you skip that step. I served it with Rice Pilaf (gotta love the San Francisco treat) and some green beans that I added a little twist on.

Green Beans in Butter Sauce
from The Essential Food Storage Cookbook

1 lb. frozen green beans
2 T. butter
1 tsp. vinegar (or lemon juice)
1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce

Cook beans according to directions on the bag. Drain. Return to saucepan; add remaining ingredients. Stir until butter melts and sauce coats beans. Serves 4.