SMOTHERED AND COVERED ONION PORK CHOPS RECIPE FOR TODAY

SMOTHERED AND COVERED ONION PORK CHOPS

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Ingredients

• 4 to 6 pork chops (1/2" to 3/4" thick)
• 3 white onions, thinly sliced
• 2 cups water
• 5 TB butter, divided
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3 TB Worcestershire sauce
• 1 TB all purpose seasoning blend
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a shallow baking dish with non stick spray. Set aside.

Sprinkle the pork chops on both sides with the all purpose seasoning blend. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat.

Brown the pork chops on each side. Cook each side for about 2-3 minutes, turn, and cook on the other side. Work in batches, and do not crowd the pan. Add 2 more tablespoons of the butter as needed to keep the pan greased.

Place the browned chops in a single layer in the bottom of the baking dish. Set aside.

In the same skillet you browned the pork chops in, add the remaining butter and the onions. Reduce heat to medium-low to medium. Stir and cook the onions until they are golden and tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the Worcestershire sauce until well combined. Add the flour. Stir and cook for 2 minutes until the flour is well incorporated.

Gradually stir in the water, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Taste and reseason as desired.

Pour the onion gravy over the pork chops. Cover the pan with foil, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. (Cooking time will vary based on the thickness of your pork chops.)

Best Ever Pumpkin Cheesecake RECIPE FOR TODAY

Best Ever Pumpkin Cheesecake
Copycat Cheesecake Factory
from Michelle

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup sugar, plus
1 tablespoon sugar
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
whipped cream

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Make the crust by combining the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter and 1 T sugar in a medium bowl.
Stir well enough to coat all of the crumbs with the butter, but not so much as to turn the mixture into paste.
Keep it crumbly.
Put foil partway up the outside part of an 8-inch springform pan.
Press the crumbs onto the bottom and about two-thirds of the way up the sides of the springform pan.
You don't want the crust to form all of the way up the back of each slice of cheesecake.
Bake the crust for 5 minutes, then set aside until you are ready to fill it.
In a large mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, 1 C sugar, and vanilla.
Mix with an electric mixer until smooth.
Add the pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice and continue beating until smooth and creamy.
Pour the filling into the pan.
Bake for 60-70 minutes.
The top will turn a bit darker at this point.
Remove from the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool.
When the cheesecake has come to room temperature, put it into the refrigerator.
When the cheesecake has chilled, remove the pan sides and cut the cake into 8 equal pieces.
Serve with a generous portion of whipped cream on top.

Caramel Apple Crisp Bites RECIPE FOR TODAY

Caramel Apple Crisp Bites

This are great to make ahead and freeze.

2 cup graham cracker crumbs
12 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup powdered sugar
4 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples (we used golden delicious)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 1/4 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Caramel topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Grease pan with non-stick butter spray
Melt butter
In a medium size bowl mix graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and butter with a spoon
Evenly distribute mixture to the 24 mini muffin cups. Press along the bottom and sides to make a “cup”
Bake for 5 minutes and let cool completely
Chop the apples into little pieces – I used a mini food processor. Don’t puree, just finely chop
Mix apples, sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl
Bake in a baking dish for 15 minutes on 375 degrees, until apples are slightly softened
Scoop a teaspoon or so of the apple mix and place on top of the graham cracker crust cups (while still in the muffin pan)
Sprinkle any extra graham cracker on top of the apples (I had some left over!)
Bake for 5 minutes on 350
Let cool completely
Use a knife to loosen from pan and they should pop right out
Drizzle with caramel topping

Twice Baked Potatoes RECIPE FOR TODAY

Twice Baked Potatoes

Ingredients:
8 Potatoes (large baking size)
2 sticks Butter
1 cup Sour Cream
2 cups Cheddar Cheese
1 cup Bacon (fried and crumbled into bits)
1/4 tsp Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
Black Pepper
1 Green Onion

Directions:
Wash, then place 8 naked potatoes on a cookie sheet (the reason you bake them "naked" is so the skin will be nice and firm and strong enough to hold the filling later). Bake in a 400 degree oven for 1 hour, 15 minutes, making sure they’re sufficiently cooked through.
Slice 2 sticks of butter into pats. Place them into a large mixing bowl.
Put bacon bits into the bowl with the butter. Add 1 cup sour cream.
After potatoes finishing baking remove from oven, within a few minutes after you remove the baked potatoes from the oven, you need to begin scraping them out. Potatoes will be hot so make a little cradle with a dish towel, and use it to hold the little hot potatoes.With a sharp serrated knife cut each potato in half lengthwise.
Now, with a large spoon, begin scraping out the insides into the bowl. Keep scraping, being careful not to tear the shell. You should leave just a little bit in there for support, but try to remove most of it. Lay the hollowed out potato shells on a cookie sheet.
Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes with the other ingredients.
Measure 1/4 tsp. Lawry’s Seasoned Salt and add it to the bowl.
Now add about 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese and mix it in well. Add black pepper. Cut the end off of one green onion and slice about 2/3 of it.
Put them into the bowl and mix them in. IMPORTANT: If you plan to freeze the twice baked potatoes, do NOT add green onion.
Scoop out some of the potato filling from bowl and begin filling the shells.
Keep going until the filling’s all gone. You might have a shell or two left over, and that’s okay.
Now top each potato with more grated cheddar cheese and put them in a 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potato is warmed through.
Or, you could refrigerate them for up to three days until you wanted to serve, OR you could freeze them in Ziploc bags, just as long as you skipped the green onion step.

Old-Fashioned Red Candied Apples RECIPE FOR TODAY

Old-Fashioned Red Candied Apples

Ingredients->>
2 cups sugar
1 cup water...
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
red food coloring
apple
Directions->>
1 Mix 1st 3 ingredients in saucepan.
2 Put on high heat with candy thermometer positioned in center of fluid level.
3 While it is boiling, thoroughly wash and dry your apples, and spear with the sticks.
4 Boil mixture until reaches hard crack (300ºF), then immediately add red food coloring and stir.
5 Quickly immediately dip the apples, twisting to cover, and set on a greased cookie sheet.

CORNISH HENS RECIPE FOR TODAY

CORNISH HENS

DIRECTIONS:

Pre heat your oven to 350 degrees.

Take a quarter cup of extra virgin olive oil, and one pat of unsalted butter and place in a bowl with several cloves of minced garlic. Microwave this mixture for about 1:30 seconds and let stand.

Prepare the hens by rinsing, and patting dry with several paper towels. (Trick learned by Julia Child herself). Use a brush to coat the hens with the extra virgin olive oil mixture, and then generously season with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and parsley.

Season the bottom side first, then flip and repeat. Roast in the oven for about 55 minutes or until done, and let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Delicious!!

Steak Fajitas RECIPE FOR TODAY

Steak Fajitas

Ingredients...
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb of flank steak, skirt steak (or your preferred cut)
1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced
1 cup chopped mushrooms
2 Tbsp white wine (optional)
Salt & Pepper

Marinade:
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp ground garlic
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 fresh Jalapeño pepper - seeded, ribs removed, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, including stems

Directions
Mix all marinade ingredients. Coat the steak with the marinade and let it sit at room temperature for an hour (can marinate longer in the refrigerator.)
Preheat your grill and coat the cooking rack with oil or cooking spray. Grill your steak until your desired doneness (we prefer well done meats so we cook for about 20-25 minutes.) Once the meat is cooked to your taste, remove from grill and allow to rest.
Heat oil in a pan and add the onions and mushrooms. Sear for 1 minute before stirring, then stir every 90 seconds or so as the veggies sear. Add salt & pepper to taste. Add wine and cook for 5-6 minutes total.
Slice the meat against the grain into thin slices. Add your meat to the vegetables to marry the flavors.
Serve immediately