Author Archives: patty

Oven Baked Boneless Pork Chops

Posted on by
Reply

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless pork chops at least 1 inch thick
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard (I used Honey Mustard)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Prep: Heat oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with baking parchment OR aluminum foil (see notes).
  • Tenderize: Place pork chops between two pieces of plastic wrap and very gently pound using a rolling pin or flat side of a meat mallet (you don’t want to flatten them much, you mainly want to tenderize them – 4-5 gentle smacks will do).
  • Season: Rub chops all over with oil and mustard. Combine brown sugar, ground paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub seasoning blend all over chops.
  • Bake: Bake on middle rack for 12-15 minutes, depending on thickness of chops (about 6 minutes per ½ inch thickness), until they reach an internal temperature of 140°F. Turn oven to broil and broil the pork chops 1-2 minutes, until browned. (Leave chops on middle rack if using parchment. Do NOT put chops close under broiler, unless using aluminum foil or removing parchment first! If broiler runs hotter than your parchment manufacturer allows, remove parchment paper first! If broiler is a small separate compartment, remove parchment paper before placing pork chops there.)
  • Rest: Remove from the oven and allow chops to rest in the pan for 5 minutes before serving, in order to let temperature rise to 145°F. Do not skip rest!

Notes

  • Pork chops: I want to stress that your pork chops should be at LEAST 1 inch thick. At least. 1 ¼ inches is even better. If you can only get thin cut chops at the store, consider buying a 2 pound pork loin and cut it into 4 chops yourself (that’s what I mostly do, a 2 pound loin gives me 4 nice and thick chops).
  • Brown sugar: I use light brown sugar. If you only have white sugar on hand, that’s fine to use, though you may want to reduce the amount to ½ tablespoon.
  • Mustard: I used a mild, smooth, yellow mustard. If mustard is absolutely not your thing, consider using mayonnaise instead – it works very well, too.
  • Baking time: I suggest a slightly shorter baking time, because with pork chops it’s better to check early vs too late. Don’t broil them until they reach an internal temperature of 140°F, which can take a couple of minutes longer than the recipe indicates. My pork chops were slightly over 1 inch thick and they baked in 14 minutes.
  • Broiler/foil: Please DO NOT put the chops too close under your broiler! If your broiler runs hot, you must remove the parchment paper first OR use aluminum foil instead of parchment for safe broiling.

Baked Chicken Taquitos

Posted on by
Reply
  • 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup salsa (red or green)
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley
  • 2 small scallions, diced
  • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • 1 cup pepperjack cheese
  • 12 6-inch flour tortillas (see note below for corn tortillas)
  • cooking spray
  • kosher salt

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic, cilantro, and scallions until well combine and creamy. Add in the cooked chicken and cheese; stir to thoroughly combine.
  • Working with a few tortillas at a time, heat them in the microwave between two paper towels until they are soft enough to roll (about 10 seconds).
  • Spoon 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto the lower third of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla tightly.
  • Place the rolled tortilla seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas until the mixture is gone, making sure the taquitos are not touching each other.
  • Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with a little kosher salt (don’t skip the salt!)
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and golden.
  • Serve with salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.

Notes

Using corn tortillas: You can substitute corn tortillas for the flour tortillas, but just make sure to buy the absolute best quality kind, use them fresh, and place in the microwave for a few seconds to make them pliable (only if necessary). Or make homemade corn tortillas! Since they’re typically smaller than the flour tortillas, you might need more of them. And they tend to cook up faster, so keep an eye on them in the oven.

Tater Tot Hot Dish

Posted on by
Reply

3T butter , divided

1# hamb

1 onions, chopped

1 sliced red bell peppers

1 tsp garlic, minced

1 c cheddar cheese

¾ c milk

1 T flour

Directions

in pan with melted butter, brown/soften the onions, peppers, and garlic

once browned to desired color

add in hamb

in another pan make cheese sauce

while making filling, bake tater tots

cover hamb mixture with cheese sauce

top with mozz cheese

top with tater tots

bake 350 degree oven for 20 min, covered

remove foil and top with more mozz cheese

back into oven for 5 more minutes

Easy Homemade Cheese Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon (14g) butter
  • 1 tablespoon (8g) all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup milk any percentage
  • 3/4 cup (3oz) shredded Cheddar cheese
  • Pinch of cayenne to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In a small pot, over medium heat, melt butter. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking continuously, until flour is lightly golden, about 1 minute.
  • Slowly pour in milk, whisking out any lumps as they form. Continue to whisk the mixture until it is thick and bubbly, 3 to 4 minutes. 
  • Remove from heat, stir in the cheese a handful at a time until all the cheese has been used and sauce is smooth and creamy. Add cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste.