Grilled Pork Chops

I do love to grill, and now that I have my dad's little Weber gas grill it does make it easy to fire it up any weeknight for a quick meal. I picked up a package of boneless center cut pork loin chops from Costco...so it was a big package and they were cut pretty thick. The last time I grilled chops I had the bone-in which tasted great, but a little hard to eat. So I went with the boneless, but I didn't want them to dry out so I tried using a marinade and I was very happy with the out come.


The marinade:

• 1/4 cup oil ( I used rice bran oil, but you can use olive oil)
• 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce ( I checked many labels)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (I used white balsamic)
•  2 teaspoons herb de provence
•  1 teaspoon your favorite grill seasoning

Mix it all up in a large plastic sealed type bag, and add the chops. Marinate for 3 - 6 hours in the refrigerator. 

Heat up the grill and cook 6-9 minutes per side depending on how thick they are. I started out with a hot grill, got some good grill marks, then quarter turned to get another grill mark. Then turned it down to med heat and put the lid down. Flipped and finished cooking until done...they should feel firm or you can check the temp 145 - 150 degrees.

Remove from grill and let them rest under a foil tent for 5-7 minutes. Or turn the oven on for a minute and then off and let them rest there until everything else is ready to go!

They were very moist and tender, and I was happy with them. The flavor of the marinade was spot on perfect, and this recipe is a keeper.  I cooked up the whole package and threw some in the freezer, and took one for lunch the next day. They warmed up nice and tasty in the microwave. From the freezer I put the in a dry frying pan and covered it until warmed. They would be great for breakfast too!

Tomato and Cheddar Grits

We do enjoy grits at our house. It's kind of like a blank canvas that you can add so many things to What ever you like, or have on hand. So as always here is just one version that I made and enjoyed, then you can make it the way you like it.

Tomato and Cheddar Grits

•  1 1/4 cup grits
•  2 cups water
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon garlic bread seasoning
• 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
• dashes of your favorite hot sauce (I used Peri Peri hot sauce)
• 1 cup cheddar cheese

Heat up the water, milk and butter to a simmer, add the marinara sauce, worcestershire sauce and seasoning. Slowly add the grits while you are stirring so you won't get any lumps. Continue to cook on a low heat until it thickens. I like mine a little thinner, but if you like thick grits you can use 1 cup grits to 3 cups liquid (water/milk).

When it thickens add the cheese until it  melts and salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm, I garnished with some asiago shavings. Remember to rinse off the spoon before it dries and gums on the spoon!


This was very good with a fried egg. It reminded me of the Rum Tums we always eat at Christmas time. When you refrigerate the leftovers it become quite thick, I just fry it up in a pan, if you like it like polenta, you need to make it with less milk, and have a thicker grits to begin with. Then cut it in squares and fry it up. Yum!

Hash Brown Potato Cups

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Let's face it, anything in muffin tins or individual cups are more fun! These hash brown cups are so versatile you can make them the way you like it. I added spinach and small diced tomatoes to mine. Here is the guideline of ingredients and method...of course do what works for you.

• 1 20 oz bag of refrigerated shredded hash browns, (or 3 cups shredded potatoes, or frozen hash browns thawed)
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, (or more to taste)
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 cup fresh spinach, then I shredded it
• 1 small tomato, diced 
• 1 tsp seasoning (I use a Tuscany blend, Costco's Organic No-Salt Seasoning is good for this too)
• salt and pepper to taste
• Cheddar cheese (to top after it bakes)
• Now here is where you can use what you like...a little spicy add some red pepper flakes, or add some green onions, onions, or onion powder....or sausage! Chopped chives or any fresh herbs for garnish.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.  Prepare a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Press into the prepared muffin tins. If you are adding a lot of toppings or an egg save some room for that. If adding and egg you can crack an egg and add it to the top before baking.

 

Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and add some cheddar cheese and place it back in the oven until the cheese melts and is bubbly.

Remove from the oven and let them rest a little. Slide a knife around the edges to make sure they will come out of the tins.

Top with your choice of topping, bacon, scrambled eggs, sour cream, chives....we actually liked them like this...except my daughter who puts sour cream on everything!

Baked Gnocchi

 Even though it is still very warm here in Florida, there is nothing better than a baked comfort dish. We often do a quick stove-top gorgonzola gnocchi which is great, but this one really hit the spot. Using what I had on hand, fresh tomatoes and greens...that does seem to be a common thread with me...and cotija and fresh asiago cheese (I know that's strange but it's what I had). If you want it more saucy you can add tinned chopped tomatoes.

 Baked Gnocchi with Tomato and Spinach

• 1 package gnocchi (500g)
• 1 teaspoon herbs (you can use Italian I use Penzey's Parisien Bonnes Herbes )
• 1 tomato diced
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 chopped garlic cloves (or garlic seasoning)
• 3 tablespoons grated cotija (or Parmesan)
• 1 tablespoons tomato paste or 2 T tomato sauce if that is what you have 
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 3 or 4 tablespoons cream/yogurt
• large handful fresh spinach, chopped (or chopped frozen) 
• salt & pepper to taste
• 4 oz mozzarella, sliced

Method:

Cook the gnocchi according to the directions on the package. In the meantime, make the sauce, in a sauce pan add a little oil, heat it and add the garlic and paprika and cook for 30 seconds, then add all of the tomatoes and the sugar, allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream/yogurt, spinach and seasoning. When the gnocchi is floating at the top remove with a slotted spoon and add to the sauce, stir in the cotija/parmesan cheese...transfer to a baking  top with the mozzarella. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the mozzarella is melted and golden. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

 Of course you can add bacon or mushrooms or kale or cilantro, or any kind of cheese you like...to make it your own. I have just started using gnocchi, and my daughter just loves it enough so she will prepare it herself! Now I will have to have her make the gnocchi from scratch!

Greek Orzo Pasta Salad

I originally posted this so long ago on my first blog Aqua Sunday. I make this all the time to bring to gatherings and everyone asks for the recipe, my daughter's school just says "you'll bring your orzo salad right?" well yesterday I told my sister that it was on my blog when she asked for the recipe and she said she couldn't find it...oops wrong blog, so I moved it hereto my food blog where it belongs.

I first bought something like this at the Granary in their deli area. All I had was a list of ingredients, but I liked it because it had lemon juice instead of vinegar. It was a really nice pasta salad so I added a few other ingredients and tweaked it a bit the way I liked it. I do make a similar salad using Quinoa I sometimes add tomatoes to that. So feel free to do the same thing add what you like.

It's nice for a light summer lunch or a side dish. Again I had to measure when I made it, usually I just toss the ingredients in. So here it goes.

Greek Orzo Pasta Salad

1 C orzo (uncooked) cooked per package directions

1/4 C Greek Olive Oil (you don't have to use Greek olive oil, but you should try it. it's great).

2 T lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp marjoram (or you can use oregano)

1/2 tsp mint

1 clove garlic minced (or granulated garlic works really nice here)

1/2 cup spinach leaves chiffonade

1 2.25oz can sliced black olives (or 2oz Greek olives, sliced)

4 oz Feta Cheese

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Feel free to add grape tomatoes, or cucumbers if that is what you like.

Set cooked orzo aside and let it cool some. In another bowl whisk olive oil, lemon juice and herbs. Toss with remaining ingredients, end with salt and pepper. Let cool in refrigerator for about 2 hours.

Quick, easy and tasty!

(Karen it's on my blog now! Sorry for the delay!)

Ginger Mango Boba or Bubble Tea - and some vintage finds

Bubble tea or boba is such a fun drink. We bought some at a Vietnamese store next to my husband's shop, it was good but they made it with the powder flavors and it just tasted so artificial. So time to make it at home with fresh ...or frozen fruit.

 

I found some of the large tapioca pearls at the same Asian store, I have some black ones too. I couldn't find anything but the quick-ready in 5 minutes ones.

Cook them in boiling water and then pour honey or sprinkle with brown sugar, stir and let them cool. I cooked 1/2 cup in 2-3 cups water. Let the water boil first then add the tapioca pearls, cook according to the directions or for 15 minutes then turn off the heat and let set for 15 minutes, then drain, sprinkle and cool until ready to use.

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup crushed ice
•  1-2 tea bags (green or black tea)
• 3 pieces or peeled and cut ginger
• honey or sugar to taste
• 1 cup milk (coconut, almond, sweetened condensed, any milk you like) to taste
• 1/2 cup mango puree, or any fruit nectar that you like ( I should of used more)
• 2-3 tablespoons of cooked cooled tapioca pearls

In a sauce pan heat up the water and add the ginger and let it cook for about 10 minutes...add the tea bags and if using sugar add it now so it will dissolve...let steep until tea is nice and strong and sugar dissolved, if using honey add it after the tea is strong and turn off the heat so honey is not cooked just dissolved. If using sweetened condensed milk add it to the warm tea mix so it will melt a little. Remove the tea bags and ginger pieces and let cool some before combining.

Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker (I added the pearls last) or just mix it all up really good add the pearls and serve with a fat milk shake straw so you can suck up all those yummy, soft, chewy tapioca pearls...and enjoy.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

 I have been enjoying all of the Buffalo chicken items the restaurants are offering now. I first had this dip at a place we went to for my work Christmas gathering the year before last. Served piping hot with melted cheese over the top, big crisp tortilla chips to dig into it with. yum!

You know I have to make my own...plus my family (mostly my daughter) loves to eat it up too.

 So basically this is what I did to create my version.

Nothing is exact but I'll give you about what I used.

• 1 1/2 cup cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken would work great)
• 1 8 oz package of cream cheese (softened at room temperature)
• 1/2 cup ranch or blue cheese dressing (I added some ranch dressing powder)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup red hot sauce like Franks
• 1/4 cup of blue cheese (I like blue cheese, but you can leave it out)
• 6 oz shredded cheese to sprinkle on top

 Method:
Shred or dice up the cooked chicken then set aside. In a glass bowl mix the cream cheese, I used the microwave just a bit to soften it enough to stir around. Add the hot sauce and adjust it to your liking...more or less depending on how hot you like it. Mix in the milk and dressing, I used powdered ranch mix and some powdered blue cheese dressing mix I picked up at a new bulk food store near us that just opened, but you can use the dressing. Add enough liquid to get a nice consistency to add all that chicken and mix it up well. Pour it into a baking dish and sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top whatever cheese you like I used a Cheddar Jack blend. Bake in a medium hot oven (350°) for 20-30 minutes until heated through and cheese is bubbly and nicely melted.

 Serve with some good thick tortilla chips so they won't break when you dip into it.

 This is the only way my daughter will eat blue cheese. She first was okay with Gorgonzola cheese when I made the Gorgonzola gnocchi from Trader Joe's not too strong, and I didn't tell her it was a blue cheese until after she ate it...so now she is willing to get a little more adventurous with blue cheese, but with all the ingredients here it is not too strong at all....she must not mind it because she finished the dip the next day for lunch. Do you like blue cheese?

A great dip for the weekend! Dig in!