Honey Garlic Pork Chops

Mmm these are very tasty...will make again for sure. 9/10. What made these really great was serving them with Soy Glazed Mushrooms.

Original recipe credit: https://cafedelites.com/easy-honey-garlic-pork-chops/

Recipe below contains my modifications.

Ingredients:

4 boneless pork chops

salt and pepper, to taste

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 T. olive oil

1 T. unsalted butter

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 c. honey

1/4 c. water or chicken broth

2 T. rice wine vinegar

chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat oven broiler on "high". Season the pork chops with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

2. In a skillet over medium-high, heat the olive oil. Sear the pork chops until golden and cooked through on both sides (~4-5 min. per side). Transfer to a plate.

3. Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the pan and scrape the browned bits from bottom of pan as it melts.

4. Add garlic to pan and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the honey, water, and vinegar. Increase the heat back to medium-high and continue cooking until sauce reduces and thickens slightly (~3-4 min).

5. Return the pork to the pan and turn to coat in the sauce. Transfer to oven/broiler and broil for 2-3 minutes, until edges are slightly browned.

6. Garnish with parsley (if desired). Serve with pan sauce drizzled over and enjoy!

Soy Glazed Mushrooms

Excellent side dish, went great with the Honey Pork Chops. I sliced the mushrooms this time, but plan to quarter them next time.

Original recipe credit: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/58112/mushrooms-with-a-soy-sauce-glaze/

Recipe below contains my modifications.

Ingredients:

2 T. butter

8 oz. white/button mushrooms, quartered

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 tsp. soy sauce

coarse ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter, then add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have softened and released their liquid (~5 min.)

2. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the soy sauce, cooking until liquid has nearly evaporated.

3. Season with pepper, serve, and enjoy!

Baked Chicken Gnocchi Asiago

Another super yummy recipe for chicken! And pretty easy, too, as you will see in the video :)

Link to my YouTube "making of the recipe" video: https://youtu.be/b8BRQ1MNQrQ

Original recipe credit: https://www.eatwell101.com/chicken-gnocchi-garlic-asiago-sauce-recipe

Recipe below contains my modifications.

Note: I have modified the directions from what I did in the video, as it took a very long time to bake the chicken as it was in the video. When I make this again with these new directions, I will update if needed.

Ingredients:

5 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

2 T. Italian seasoning, divided

kosher salt and coarse ground pepper, to taste

4 T. unsalted butter, divided

2 c. spinach (or baby spinach)

500g (17.6oz) gnocchi

4 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 c. chicken broth

1/4 c. Chardonnay

1/2 c. half and half

1/2 c. freshly grated Asiago, plus a bit extra

chopped fresh parsley, to taste/garnish

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Oil a baking dish large enough to hold the chicken thighs in a single layer.

2. Season the chicken thighs all over with 1 T. of the Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and pepper.

3. Cook gnocchi according to package directions, drain, and set aside.

4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 T. of the butter. Add chicken thighs to pan and sear on both sides, starting skin side down (~5-6 min. per side). 

5. Arrange chicken thighs in the prepared baking dish. Transfer to oven and bake while preparing the sauce.

5. For the sauce--melt 1 T. butter in the skillet. Add the spinach to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to wilt (~2 min.). Transfer to plate and set aside.

6. Melt remaining 1 T. butter in the skillet. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant (~1-2 min.) Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and remaining 1 T. Italian seasoning. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1-2 min.

7. Stir in the half and half, and the Asiago. Cook and stir until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

8. Remove chicken thighs from oven. Top with the cooked gnocchi, spinach, and cream sauce.

9. Return to oven and bake for additional 20 min, or until chicken is completed cooked. If desired, top with a bit more Asiago when there is around 10 min. of cook time remaining. Garnish with parsley, serve, and enjoy!

Pressure Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon

Oh. my. goodness. I am so happy about this recipe! I used two recipes and my own intuition to come up with this version and it's perfection (if I do say so myself :D ) I absolutely plan to make a video of the preparation for this at some point soon-ish. We ate this without any side, just some crusty French bread--excellent! 

Ingredients:

~5 slices (125g) thick bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2" pieces

1 small/medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 lb. beef stew meat (around 1" cubes)

salt and pepper, to taste

2 T. all-purpose flour

1 c. (plus an extra splash) Shiraz wine (I used 19 Crimes Shiraz, will use again)

1 c. beef broth (plus an extra splash)

1/2 c. tomato sauce

16 baby carrots

8 oz. button mushrooms, thickly sliced

bouquet garni (parsley, thyme, and a bay leaf)

chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions:

1. In a cast iron skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon pieces until they just start to crisp. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.

2. Add the onion to the skillet and cook until starts to turn translucent (around 2-3 min). Add the garlic and cook for around 30 more sec. Transfer to plate with bacon.

3. Increase heat slightly. Add beef to skillet--do NOT crowd! (I did mine in 2 batches). Brown well on all sides. Transfer to the pressure cooker pot.

4. Deglaze the pan with the Shiraz, stirring and scraping up the browned bits. Reduce heat slightly and cook for 2-3 minutes.

5. While the Shiraz is cooking/reducing, add the bacon and onion to the pressure cooker pot. Sprinkle the flour over everything in the pot and stir to combine/coat.

6. Pour in the Shiraz, followed by the beef broth and tomato sauce. Add the carrots and mushrooms, then stir to combine/coat. If needed, add a splash more of beef broth and/or tomato sauce so that most of the veggies and meat are mostly (but not entirely) covered.

7. Submerge the bouquet garni in the mixture, then cover the pot and make sure it is locked, with valve in "sealing" position.

8. Press the meat/stew button and set for 40 min of pressure cooking. When the time is up, unplug and leave for 10 minutes of natural release time, then open valve to release remaining pressure.

9. Dish up, garnish with chopped parsley, and enjoy! 

Pressure Cooker Chicken Breast & Potatoes

Really loved this dish, personally, but hubby just liked it okay. 

Original recipe credit: https://therecipewell.com/instant-pot-chicken-and-potatoes/

Recipe below contains my modifications.

Ingredients:

1 T. olive oil

1.8 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast

1.5 lbs. mini gold potatoes (or larger ones cut to similar size)

3 T. salted butter

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 c. chicken broth

3 T. lemon juice

1 T. Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp. sea salt, plus more for seasoning the chicken

black pepper, to taste

1 T. cornstarch mixed with 2 T. water

Directions:

1. Season the chicken breasts all over with sea salt and pepper.

2. Set pressure cooker to sauté function and add the olive oil. Once heated, add the chicken and sear on both sides (about 2-3 minutes per side). Transfer to plate and set aside.

3. Melt the butter in the pot and add the minced garlic. Turn off the sauté function and let the garlic cook in the residual heat for around a minute.

4. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, sea salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

5. Add the potatoes to the pot, then place the trivet in the pot and arrange the chicken atop it in an even layer.

6. Close/lock the lid on the pot and set the vent to "sealing". Set the cooker to poultry (high) for 5 minutes of pressure cooking.

7. Once the pressure cooking has finished, do a natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release rest of pressure afterwards.

8. Transfer potatoes and chicken to a plate. Remove the trivet from the pot.

9. Set to 'sauté' function. Once the sauce reaches simmer, whisk in the cornstarch/water mixture. Continue simmering for 2-3 minutes, until thickened.

10. Serve the chicken and potatoes drizzled with the sauce. Enjoy!

Creamy Gruyère Pasta

So easy, quick, and delicious! We will be making this again for sure! next time, might add some chicken.

Original recipe credit: https://www.girlgonegourmet.com/creamy-gruyere-spaghetti/

Recipe below contains my modifications.

Ingredients:

2 T. grated Parmesan (used shelf stable kind)

1/2 T. olive oil

coarse ground pepper, to taste

5 oz. linguine (also think it would be good with farfalle)

2 T. butter

1 T. flour

1 c. 2% milk

1 tsp. herbes de Provence

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

1 c. grated Gruyère

~ 2 c. fresh spinach (didn't measure, just added the amount I thought looked right)

Directions:

1. Cook linguine according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, combine the Parmesan, olive oil, and a couple of pinches of pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. In a medium pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once frothy, stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for around a minute.

4. Slowly stream in the milk, whisking constantly while doing so. Do NOT let the milk boil (reduce heat if needed).

5. Stir in the herbes de Provence and Kosher salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Stir in the cheese until it has fully integrated in the sauce. Add the spinach and stir until wilted. Remove from heat.

7. Turn on the broiler. Once the pasta is ready (and drained), stir the sauce in with it. Transfer to a broiler-safe pan/dish. Top with the reserved Parmesan mixture and transfer to oven.

8. Broil for around 2 minutes, or until topping starts to brown a bit. Remove from oven, serve, and enjoy!

3 Cheese Stuffed Portobellos

Oh seriously mmmm! Made these to accompany the chicken drumsticks, yet after tasting the portobellos, declared I'd happily have a plate of just those for dinner! I'm hoping I can duplicate my results/recipe, as I didn't really measure anything (I started with measuring, but the mushrooms were not as big as expected after initial baking, so had to adapt). Below are my best guesses for the amounts.

Ingredients:

4 portobello mushrooms, stems removed and gills scraped out

olive oil (no idea how much of this total), divided

salt and pepper, to taste

~1 oz. each: mozzarella, Parmesan, and Asiago cheeses, shredded

2 small garlic cloves, minced, divided

zest from 1/2 of a lemon

chopped basil and curly parsley (~2 T. total), divided

~1/3 c. panko

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Brush portobellos all over with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Place mushrooms on a baking tray, stemmed side down. Bake for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the filling: in a small bowl, combine the cheeses, 3/4 of the minced garlic, lemon zest, around 2/3 of the basil and parsley, ~1/2 T. of olive oil, and salt & pepper (to taste).

3. For the topping: in another small bowl, combine the panko with remaining garlic, remaining basil & parsley, and ~1 T. olive oil.

4. Once the mushrooms have baked for 20 minutes, remove from oven and turn over. "Fill" each with a fourth of the filling (cheese) mixture. Return to oven and bake for 5 minutes.

5. Remove from oven and switch oven to broiler setting (high). Top each mushroom with a fourth of the topping (panko) mixture. Broil for 1-2 minutes, until panko begins to brown. Remove from oven, serve, and enjoy!