Easy Boneless Pork Chops

March 12, 2018 Red Rose & Honey1 Comment

Hi friends! Thanks for stopping by my blog again. Today I am sharing a dinner recipe that I have actually been avoiding for quite some time. One of my husband’s favorite dinners is pork chops which happens to be one of my least favorite. Pork chops are one food that always stand out in my mind as bland and dry. My mom is the best cook I know, but growing up I always cringed when she said she was making pork chops!

College was the first time I really started experimenting in the kitchen. I was always interested in trying new recipes and let’s face it, I had plenty of time to do so. I made pork chops for Mike a few times in college. I believe one was in a fancy blackberry reduction. I can’t even say I was really trying to win him over because back then he was a total plain Jane in the food department!

For the last few months Mike has been asking me to make pork chops. I finally caved-in because I was running out of ideas for new recipes to try and found myself staring at the meat/poultry display at the food store. I decided to buy a 3 pack of organic, boneless pork chops from Stop and Shop. When I got home I did a little bit of research on how to cook pork chops. I find most of my recipe inspiration from magazines or Pinterest photos (not usually the recipes themselves). Once I see a picture I like to try to figure out what the ingredients might be or how I can use that photo as my starting point.

For this specific dinner I kept the ingredients simple. I also decided to cook these pork chops the same way I have cooked filet mignon. Sear both sides on the stove top then pop the pan in the oven. It’s super important that to use a good quality, oven safe pan for easy transfer from the stove top to oven. It’s easy to forget that a pan was in a very hot oven and reach for the handle. I have burned my hand really bad by accidentally grabbing the handle. To prevent that from happening again I put a “pot holder” on the pan handle right after it comes out of the oven (similar to this).

Disclaimer: I am participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

I love sweet potatoes and I have finally perfected what I think is the best seasoning ever. Cut up the potatoes however you like (cubes, discs, slices) then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper, paprika and herb de Provence. THE BEST!

Pan-seared Boneless Pork Chops

Servings: 3
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

3 boneless pork chops, about 1-1 1/2 inch thick
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (plus more to oil pan)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dark brown sugar
1 clove garlic, pressed

Directions

– Preheat oven to 400 degrees
-In a zip-top bag, marinate pork chops with EVOO, garlic and seasonings for 20/30 minutes.
– Heat no more than 1-2 tablespoons of EVOO in an oven safe pan (pork chops will be well coated in oil to begin with) over medium heat
– Sear pork chops for 4-5 minutes per side (if your pork chops are thicker than 1-1 1/2in you will probably need to increase the time).
– Transfer pan to oven for 10 minutes

Gluten-free BBQ Meatloaf

February 19, 2018September 20, 2020 Red Rose & HoneyLeave a comment

Today I am sharing one of my favorite winter meals…meatloaf! I know meatloaf is a meal that’s either loved or hated {doesn’t seem like much of an in between} but I think it’s a cozy, comfort food. I have made this recipe with both lean ground beef and turkey. Turkey meat can definitely get a bit dry, so if you opt for turkey you may want to use a blend that is higher in fat. I am hoping spring is on its way, so be sure to give this recipe a try before the warm weather comes and comfort food recipes get stowed away until the fall.

When it comes to cooking meatloaf, I find there is a fine line between overdone and soggy. If your meatloaf comes out too dry, try using a different pan or adding a bit more onion. Opposite goes for a soggy meatloaf that falls apart. I have found that sometimes, too much onion is the culprit.

I have been using a loaf pan {this is the exact pan I have} for meatloaf, but I am thinking of getting a pan like this or this, to help better drain excess fat and prevent sogginess. As I am devoting more time to writing down and blogging my recipes, I have been better with measuring. Unfortunately, I find my best meals comes from days when I didn’t measure at all. I will have to work on that!

For my bridal shower, I received a lot of Pyrex items and have been getting so much use out of the 1-cup liquid measuring cup. I have also been using my stainless steel measuring cups, spoons and bowls a ton {I’ve linked products very similar to the ones I have}. When it comes to measuring cups, look for a large stainless steel set with extra sizes such as 1 1/2 cup, 2/3 cup and/or 3/4 cup. Measuring cups don’t take up very much space in the kitchen and the extra sizes really do come in handy {thanks, mom!}

Gluten-free BBQ Meatloaf

Servings: 4
Time: 1.5 hours
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Ingredients

1/14 lb 92% Grass-Fed Lean Ground Beef
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
6 baby carrots
1 egg
1/2 cup of plain GF bread crumbs
1/8 cup of pec or parm cheese
1/8 cup of milk (not half and half or heavy cream)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp ketchup
Dash of worstichier sauce
5 tbsp bbq sauce for topping
3-4 slices of nitrate-free bacon for topping (full slices of cut into tiny pieces)

Directions

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees then chop your carrots, garlic and onion in a food processor. If you have been following my blog, you may notice that I use baby carrots in a lot of my recipes. We tend to only buy baby carrots because they double as a dinner ingredient and an easy snack. Next, combine all ingredients into a large bowl using your hands, but be careful not to over work the meat. To much mixing can make the meat tough and it won’t be as tasty. Once combined, place your mix into a loaf pan or form into a loaf on a parchment lined baking sheet. Top with BBQ sauce and bacon then pop it into the oven for 40-45 minutes. Finish it off under the broiler for 10 minutes to really crisp up the bacon.

{If you opt for turkey, remember that turkey must be cooked all the way through}

Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

February 12, 2018August 19, 2020 Red Rose & HoneyLeave a comment

Chocolate chip cookies are an all time classic. Whether you need to bring a dessert to a party or you’re looking for a quick snack, I think it’s safe to say chocolate chip cookies never disappoint! When I started my gluten-free life, gluten-free cookies {that were tasty} were hard to come by. Every recipe I tried or product I bought was crumbly, dry and bland. Fortunately, gluten-free flours, recipes and store bought cookies have come a long way in last six years.

I don’t love baking because all of the measurements need to be precise. It is not at all like cooking. When I’m cooking, I can add a little of ‘this’ and a pinch of ‘that.’ But, baking has become much easier thanks to gluten-free flour blends. Although there are a lot of recipes on how to create your own blend, I have found it difficult to do. Instead of getting frustrated by mixing tons of different flours together, I opt for two great pre-made options. I like to always have Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour or King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour in my cabinet. I substitute either blend in any recipe. The results have always turned out great for me. Through some trial and error I have found one of the blends may work better than the other in certain recipes, but overall either one is a great choice.

Other gluten-free flours available are nut flours such as almond flour and coconut flour. I have baked with both, but haven’t found either one to be particularly easy to work with. For some reason I have much better luck with cookies than cakes. I use coconut flour in my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies which are really tasty. This recipe is also grain free. Overall, I have found that nut flours tend to become heavy and dense, if not incorporated with other ingredients correctly.

Today, I am excited to share another great nut flour recipe; chocolate chip cookies by Laura Vitale. Laura started her YouTube channel, Laura in the Kitchen, years ago and has grown tremendously. She currently has over 3 million subscribers and over 1,200 episodes on YouTube. She also published a cookbook last year and has a show on the Cooking Channel called Simply Laura. AMAZING!!

I love watching Laura’s YouTube episodes because they’re short and easy to follow. For this chocolate chip cookie recipe, Laura recommends using a fine almond flour like this one and good quality coconut oil {I’ve used this one}. I cannot stop thinking about these cookies since I last made them! These cookies were delicious and I cannot wait to make them again. This recipe is so easy too. It calls for 9-10 minutes of baking, but in my oven these cookies took 18-20. Here is Laura’s episode for these delicious cookies. If you haven’t already subscribed to her channel, you should!

When I bake cookies there are a few kitchen essentials I like to have. An ice cream scoop helps me make round, symmetrical cookies which allows them to bake evenly. Sometimes I use my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer, but for this recipe I used a sturdy whisk and rubber spatula. Rubber spatulas are great for cooking too because they’re gentle on your pans. Whenever I use baking pans I almost always use parchment paper. It makes clean up so much easier and keeps your pans in good shape. The parchment paper I’ve linked below is pre-cut which is extra handy. I have also linked mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons that are very similar to the ones I have.

{Tip from my mom: look for larger measuring sets. They hardly take up any space and the extra sizes will come in handy.}

Disclaimer: I am participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. All opinions/recommendations are my own.