Pork Chops with Shallots and Mustard Sauce

Adapted from Rachael Ray

Apparently I've been on a pork chop kick recently - hence my last two posts on this blog. I can't help it; I love pork chops - especially the thick cut chops, and you can buy them so lean! I saw this recipe made on the Rachael Ray show - she used bone-in, which I normally would have, but these looked better in the store today. So, they worked out just fine! You could definitely use this sauce on chicken as well -- it was very tasty!!! I'm planning on having the leftover sauce for lunch tomorrow on grilled chicken - can't wait! This was fairly easy once you prep all of the vegetables to cut up - so it shouldn't take super long to prepare on a weeknight. I served this with canned green beans from my grandmother - not pictured. Enjoy!

Note: the recipe below is for my adaptation of the recipe

Ingredients:

4 pork chops, each about 1 to 1 1/4-inches thick (boneless or bone-in)

Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 large shallots, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 springs rosemary leaves, stripped and chopped

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup chicken stock

3 tablespoons capers in brine, drained

2 rounded tablespoons grainy mustard

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Season the pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper. In a large, cast-iron skillet, heat the oil, three turns of the pan, over medium-high. When the oil ripples and smokes, add the chops and cook until browned, 2 minutes per side. Using tongs, lift the chops and brown them on the edges; transfer to a plate. Add the shallots, garlic and rosemary to the skillet. Cook, stirring often, until the shallots soften, 1-2 minutes. Add the wine and stir until evaporated, about 1 minute more. Add the stock, capers, mustard and butter; swirling the pan to incorporate. Add the parsley then slide the pork chops back into the pan. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the pork is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Spoon some sauce from the skillet onto each plate. 

Source: http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/recipes/22094_bone_in_pork_chops_with_shallots_mustard_sauce_and_watercress/

Smoky Pork Chop with Grilled Asparagus Salad

Adapted from Redbook 

Who doesn't love the flavor of smoke when you combine it with a pork chop?! If only it were grilling season, this would definitely be at the top of my list. Don't fret - you can still make this inside, and it's still very tasty! This was extremely quick and easy, and I grabbed the grilled asparagus salad that I love from Whole Foods to go with it vs. the avocado salad listed in the original recipe. I love avocados, but that particular night, it just wasn't on my mind! This was a great recipe - give it a try!

Ingredients:

1 tsp finely ground coffee (I used bold Starbucks - Thanksgiving blend)

1 Tbsp dark brown sugar

1 tsp coriander

1/8 tsp cayenne

1/4 tsp garlic powder

kosher salt and pepper

4 bone-in pork chops, trimmed of fat

grilled asparagus salad (in prepared food section of Whole Foods)

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix the first 6 ingredients, plus salt to taste. Rub the pork chops with the oil, then the spice blend. Grill on medium-high heat 5-7 minutes per side until desired “doneness”.

Seared Scallops with Pesto Zoodles & Noodles

Courtesy of Plated Perfection

Sometimes dinner doesn't go as planned. I had quite the drive home today from work, so I needed something remotely healthy for dinner, but also somewhat fast! The scallops were fresh at the grocery store, so I couldn't resist. I knew I wanted to serve the scallops over zoodles (zucchini noodles - yum), but I did not have enough for both my husband and I...then I saw regular pasta noodles in the cabinet! I decided to toss a few rigatoni in with the zoodles, and then top with the seared scallops. It wasn't AS healthy as I had hoped, but it was a great combination! I also didn't have time to make my own pesto, but a good quality, store bought pesto will do just fine! Enjoy!

Serves 2 people

Ingredients:
1 cup rigatoni pasta, cooked al dente
2 zucchini, spiralized into noodles (you could use 4 zucchini if you don't want to use pasta)
~1/3 cup pesto sauce (I used the kind found in the refrigerated section)
.75 pound sea scallops (this was about 10 good sized scallops for me)
dash of Italian seasoning for scallops
dash of salt for boiling water
dash of lemon juice
1-2 tb olive oil

Directions:
Pat the scallops dry and sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Heat 1-2 tb olive oil in a skillet over high heat. Boil two pots of water with a pinch of salt in each - one for the pasta and one for the zucchini noodles. Sear the scallops on each side for ~3 minutes to brown them. Turn the heat down to medium and cook for an additional 2 minutes or so. Boil the pasta until cooked al dente, and throw the zucchini noodles in last minute - they'll only take a couple of minutes. Once done, drain the pasta and zoodles and place back in one of the pots. Mix in the pesto sauce and season if necessary. Serve in a pasta bowl and top with the seared scallops.