PINEAPPLE PORK CHOPS

Serves 4

4 loin pork chops, 3/4" thick

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup flour

2 tbsp margarine (I substituted 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil)

1 can (20 oz) pineapple chunks in own juice

3/4 cup light karo corn syrup

1/3 cup lemon juice

3 tbsp catsup

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 green pepper  (will be substituting red pepper; just a preference of mine), sliced

In a dish, mix the seasonings and coat the pork chops with the mixture. With a meat mallet, pound chops on both sides.

In a skillet, melt 2 tbsp margarine (or substitution) over medium heat. Add chops and cook 20 minutes, or until tender.  Remove the chops and keep warm.  Drain off fat.

In the skillet, stir in pineapple chunks, corn syrup, lemon juice, catsup and soy sauce.  Boil for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half. Add sliced red pepper and cook for 1 minute.  Serve with noodles.

REVIEW:  After reading the recipe, I wasn't very excited to try it, but it was really good!

STRAWBERRY BAVARIAN CREAM

Serves 8

1 1/2 pints strawberries

1 envelope plus 1 1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup water

2/3 cup sugar

2-3 tsp kirsch

1 cup whipping cream

Puree half the strawberries in a food processor until very smooth.  Pour puree into a large bowl.

Sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup water in a small cup and let stand for about 5 minutes.

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and remaining water.  Stir until thoroughly mixed.  Heat over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves completely.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring.  Simmer 30 seconds without stirring.

Remove from the heat and immediately whisk in softened gelatin, in a slow stream.  Let cool 3 minutes; stirring often.  Gradually pour gelatin mixture into strawberry puree, whisking constantly.  Stir in kirsh.

Chill mixture about 30 minutes; stirring often, until it is col and beginning to thicken but is not set.  Lightly oil a 6-cup mold or bowl.  Reserve 8 attractive strawberries for garnish.  Slice remaining strawberries crosswise. Chill slices and whole berries until ready to use.

Stir sliced berries into chilled puree and chill 5 minutes or until mixture begins to set; stirring often.  Remove from refrigerator.

Whip cream in a chilled bowl with chilled beaters until soft peaks form. Gently fold cream into strawberry mixture.  Refrigerate 15 minutes, folding the mixture occasionally.

Pour the mixture into the mold, smoothing the top.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely set; at least 3 hours.  Decorate with strawberries.

REVIEW:  This did not come out very well.  The mixture had jelled up too much before I added the whipped cream so there were chunks of gelatin in the dish.  Not very appealing, but it tasted ok. 

PEPPER STEAK

Serves 6

1 lb lean flank steak, partially frozen for easier slicing

4 tbsp cornstarch, divided

water

2 tbsp dry sherry

2 tbsp soy sauce, divided

4 tsp sugar, divided

1/4 cup catsup

1/3 tsp pepper

2 tbsp oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 green onions, cut into 1/2" pieces

2 large green pepper, seeded and cut into hunks (substituted red pepper)

** I added snow peas to round out the vegetables (not in the recipe)

3 medium tomatoes, cut into chunks (substituted halved grape tomatoes)

1 tsp sesame oil

Cut the steak in thirds lengthwise, then cut crosswise diagonally in thin slices. In medium bowl, mix beef, 2 tbsp cornstarch, 1/4 cup water, the sherry, 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tsp sugar; toss to coat beef well and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix remaining 2 tbsp cornstarch, 1/2 cup water, remaining 1 tbsp soy sauce, remaining 3 tsp sugar, the catsup and pepper. Set aside.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in large heavy skillet until very hot, but not smoking.  Add beef and stir-fry until it loses its pink color.  Remove with slotted spoon, and set aside.  Add garlic and onions to the skillet and stir-fry over high heat for 30 seconds.  Add green/red peppers and 1/4 cup water and bring to boil and cook about 3 minutes or until peppers are tender.  Add tomatoes and beef and stir to reheat.  Add cornstarch-catsup mixture and stir until sauce thickens.  Stir in sesame oil and serve immediately (I served mine over brown sticky rice.).

Nutritional Information/serving:  242 calories, 19 G protein, 20 G carbs, 9 G fat, 51 mg cholesterol

REVIEW:  I thought the addition of tomatoes was strange, but had hope since the sauce was made with some catsup.  It was okay, but nothing I would want to make again.  The cornstarch mixture was too thick; more water should have been added to loosen the sauce.

SAVORY OVEN POT ROAST

Forgot to take the picture, but it was good enough to keep/publish!

Serves 10 - 350 degree oven

3 lb beef bottom or rump roast

salt, pepper, pinch of nutmeg

2 tbsp flour

1 tbsp oil

4 large onions, sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 cups hot beef bouillon

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp each of sugar and vinegar

1 tsp thyme

4 sprigs parsley, 2 celery tops, 1 bay leaf (tied together)

Dust beef with combination of the seasonings and flour.  Heat oil in heavy oven-proof pan and brown meat, then remove.  Brown onions and garlic lightly in pan.  Replace meat and add remaining ingredients.  

Cover and bake at 350 degrees until meat is tender; about 2 1/2 hours. Discard herb bouquet.  Serve with pan gravy.

REVIEW:  Easy to make!

OREGANO CHICKEN WITH POTATOES AND TOMATOES

(From Giuliano Bugialli)

The Boston Globe published this recipe August 17, 1983.  Mr. Bugialli is a renown chef; having written countless cookbooks, has a cooking school and a show on PBS.

Serves 4-6 - 400 degree oven

1 3 lb chicken

1 lb potatoes

1 lemon

1 lb fresh tomatoes, ripe but not overripe

salt and pepper

1 clove garlic

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tbsp minced fresh oregano leaves

Clean and wash the chicken and cut into 18 pieces (I used chicken breasts and sliced them).  Peel potatoes and cut them into 1/4" slices.  Squeeze lemon and reserve the juice.  Slice tomatoes horizontally into slices less than 1/2" thick.  Remove seeds.

Lightly oil a 13"x8" heatproof pan.  Preheat  oven to 400 degrees.  Layer the potatoes on the bottom of the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour lemon juice over them.  Make a layer of chicken pieces over the potatoes.  Put a tomato slice over each piece of chicken.

Finely chop the garlic.  Put the oil into a small bowl and add the garlic,red pepper flakes, oregano and salt to taste.   Pour the sauce over the chicken.  Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

REVIEW:   Not bad, but not an outstanding dish.

CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Moving along in the timeline of recipes, as this one was clipped out of some food magazine.  As described in the recipe, this old-fashioned-style cookie is crisp on the outside and fudgy within.

Makes 3 dozen  - 350 degree oven

5 oz sweet chocolate, broken into pieces

1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces

1 egg

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup minus 2 tbsp flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

pinch of salt

1 cup (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup pecan halves or pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a food processor, combine chocolate and sugars in work bowl and chop using on/off turns, and process until chocolate is as fine as sugar. Add butter and blend 30 seconds.  Add egg and vanilla, and blend 1 minute, stopping as needed to scrape down sides of work bowl.  Add flour, baking soda and salt. Top with chocolate chips and pecans and mix with a couple of on/off turns.  Note: I ended up taking the mixture out of the food processor before the dry ingredients were added, and continued by hand.

Drop batter by slightly rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheet; spacing them 1 1/2" apart.  Bake for 10 minutes and cool for 3 minutes on the baking sheet.  Transfer to racks to cool. 

REVIEW:  These are very good, very chocolate-y cookies.

From Family Circle Magazine ...

BAKED ORANGE HAM WITH MUSTARD FRUITS

Serves 16 - 325 degree oven

1 10 lb. fully cooked ham

whole cloves

1 can (6 oz.) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed (is that even available anymore? - used oj from the carton)

3/4 cup orange marmalade

Mustard Fruits (recipe follows)

Place ham, fat side up, on a rack in a large shallow baking dish.  Do not add water or cover the pan.

Bake in a slow oven (325 degrees) for 1 1/2 hours.  Trim off skin, if any.

Score ham; stud with whole cloves.  Mix orange juice (concentrate) and marmalade in a small bowl and brush over the ham.

Continue baking, brushing several times with remaining marmalade mixture; 30 minutes or until richly glazed. Place ham on a heated large serving platter and serve with Mustard Fruits on the side. 

Mustard Fruits: 

8 1/4 oz can sliced pineapple

30 oz can sliced peaches

30 oz can sliced pears

Drain juice from the pineapples into a 1-cup measure and add enough juice from the peaches to total 3/4 cup.  Drain rest of the peach juice and pear juice.  Combine fruit in a 13" x 9" x 2" baking dish.  Add 1/2 cup light corn syrup, 1 tbsp dry mustard, 1/2 tsp ground ginger and 1/4 tsp ground cardamom to juice mixture. Stir to mix and pour over fruits.  Bake, uncovered, along with the ham for 30  minutes; basting fruit often with the juice.  Lift fruit out of the pan to a serving dish, and cook juice over direct heat until reduced by about half.  Stir in a slice of lemon or lime.  Spoon over fruit.

REVIEW:  Surprisingly good, although, like alot of people, the husband isn't a huge fan of warm fruit with meat.