Pork Chops & Potatoes Casserole

Having a gluten-free BFF has definitely made me more educated about gluten over the years. I’m pretty good at knowing where it likes to hide and usually manage to avoid the obvious traps. But every now and then, gluten sneaks into the party uninvited and completely messes up my plans.

This casserole called for cream of mushroom soup, so I already knew I had a gluten issue to solve. Fortunately, Instagram had recently introduced me to a company that makes a gluten-free mushroom soup mix. Perfect! I ordered it, stuck it in the pantry, and waited for the right recipe to come along.

Well...the right recipe finally came along, and that mushroom soup mix was terrible.

The mix is supposed to be simple—you add milk or water to half a cup of the mix and, poof, you have cream of mushroom soup. Except what I had was something that tasted like soap. Not “hmm, this needs a little something.” Not “maybe it will taste better in the casserole.” Nope. Straight-up soap. It was so bad I couldn't, in good conscience, put it into the casserole.

I went into fix-it mode. I tried adding Worcestershire sauce and a few seasonings, hoping I could rescue it. No such luck. It was still awful.

So I started digging through the pantry to see what else I could use. That's when I spotted a can of Campbell’s French Onion Soup. It was broth-based, which made it seem like a reasonable substitute. I mixed it with a little sour cream and thought, BAM! We have a replacement!

Except...no.

Because it turns out Campbell’s is apparently not my friend when it comes to gluten. So much for my brilliant backup plan.

My BFF still ate the casserole—gluten is a preference issue for her rather than a medical one—and she did her best to scrape off as much of the sauce as possible. She's always a good sport about my kitchen experiments. I even offered to order her a pizza, but she assured me she'd be fine.

As for the casserole itself, I actually think my little pantry substitution worked really well for those of us who can eat gluten. It came together easily and tasted great. I definitely want to make this again sometime, but next time I'll follow the recipe as written and see what I think of the original version.

And there’s your cooking lesson for the day: sometimes you have to pivot.

Recipes are great, but ingredients don't always cooperate. Sometimes something isn't available, sometimes you discover an ingredient doesn't work, and sometimes you realize halfway through that the thing you grabbed from the pantry was a terrible idea. That's when you have to stop, look around, and figure out what you do have that might work.

Google is surprisingly helpful for this. In this case, it pointed me toward using sour cream with some sort of broth, which at least got me moving in the right direction.

So don't be afraid to color outside the recipe lines. Sometimes the best cooking happens when you have to improvise.

Pork Chops & Potatoes Casserole

Recipe from Just a Pinch

Serves 6

• 6 md potatoes, peeled & sliced 1/4" thick
• 2 md sweet onions, sliced 1/4 " thick
• pinch salt & pepper to taste
• 2 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 can cream, divided (soup can)
• 6 pork chops
• a few pinch house seasoning blend or similar (see below)
• dash smoked paprika

FOR HOUSE SEASONING, combine:

• 1 tsp dried sage, crushed/ground
• 1/2 tsp finely minced/ground dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed/ground
• 4 Tbsp salt
• 1 Tbsp ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Use butter to grease a 9"x13" casserole dish; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, mix to combine contents of two cans of cream of mushroom soup and half of the cream (1/4 can.)

Place sliced potatoes in an even layer in prepared casserole dish.

Scatter sliced onions over potatoes, then drizzle with remaining cream. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Lightly season each side of pork chops with house seasoning blend; place chops in a single layer on top of the potatoes and onions.

Spread soup mixture evenly over all, then lightly sprinkle with a little smoked paprika.

Cover with foil. Bake in preheated 375 degree F oven for one hour, then remove foil and bake for an additional 30 to 45 minutes (40 minutes in my oven.)

FOR HOUSE SEASONING, combine:

Store in a small, lidded jar or air-tight container. Shake before using.

Nana’s Fall-Off-The-Bone Ribs and “Barb”-Ecue Sauce

You all know my Dad was the undisputed king of ribs. He had them down to an art, and everyone wanted his ribs at every gathering. I’ve spent years trying to live up to that legacy, and I think I’ve come pretty darn close with my “Famous” ribs. At this point, all I have to do is mention making them and somehow I’m suddenly hosting dinner. 

The first time we made them for a group, the table went completely quiet. Not because everyone was speechless, but because they were too busy eating. The only sounds coming from the table were occasional “mmmm” noises. That’s when you know you’ve got a winner.

Those ribs are still my tried-and-true favorite. But I have a whole collection of other rib recipes I want to experiment with. The problem? I always chicken out and make my usual ones instead. Not this time.

Blueberry was coming over to hang out for a while, and I knew she’d be willing to be my guinea pig. So I decided it was finally time to try something new: Nana’s Ribs.

I have a soft spot for recipes that have someone’s name attached to them. I always find myself wondering about the person behind the recipe. Who was Nana? What was she like? How many times did she make these ribs for her family? The creator of The Food Charlatan explains that Nana was part of her husband’s family, and apparently Nana knew exactly what she was doing.

These ribs were incredibly tender. Like, ridiculously tender.

The recipe has you bake the ribs first and then finish them on the grill so the barbecue sauce gets all charred, sticky and caramelized. Sounds fantastic, right? It was—except the ribs kept falling apart every time I tried to move them to the grill.

And I mean falling apart.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with ribs that are so tender the meat practically slides off the bone. In fact, plenty of people would probably consider that the ultimate rib achievement. These were delicious, without question.

But I personally like my ribs to have just a little more structural integrity. I want to pick up a rib, get my hands messy and gnaw the meat right off the bone. With these, I just had to look at them and the meat would fall off.

Still, I certainly wasn't going to complain while eating them. Tender, saucy, caramelized and delicious? Yeah… I had no trouble filling my plate. And then filling it again.

Nana’s Fall-Off-The-Bone Ribs and “Barb”-Ecue Sauce

Recipe from The Food Charlatan

Serves 8

For the ribs:

• heavy foil
• 7 pounds racks of ribs*
• 6 ounces Applewood rub**, you might need more!

For the sauce:

• 2 cups ketchup
• 2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoons celery seed
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 4-8 drops Tabasco sauce

Lay out a generous amount of heavy foil on a large rimmed baking sheet. Lay one rack of ribs on the foil and rub generously with Applewood rub. You can be very generous. I used at least 1/3 cup per rack.

Pull the long edges of the foil up over the ribs and seal them together by folding down, until you have neat package that seals on top of the ribs. Fold the two ends in on themselves, upward, so that juices don't drip out. The ribs should be completely covered.

Repeat with the other racks of ribs.

Let the ribs sit for at least 30 minutes. Overnight in the fridge is better! I always do it the day before. You can lay two racks of ribs on a large half baking sheet. (Two prevent raw meat drippings spilling in your fridge, no thanks.

When you are ready to cook, preheat your oven to 250 degrees F.

Place the ribs in the oven, sitting on a baking sheet in case they drip, and roast for about 3 hours. Take the ribs out when they are fork-tender. Sometimes they take longer to get really soft and tender, so plan ahead, you might need more like 4 or even 5 hours if you have very thick or meaty ribs. It's better to have the ribs done ahead of time and sit in a warm oven for a while than to have to wait for dinner! I always start roasting mine in the morning.

For the sauce:

Well ahead of time, combine all the ingredients for the sauce in a 3 quart pot. Stir together over medium high heat until the mixture comes to a boil.

Lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, until thickened slightly. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool. It will thicken more as it cools down. (I also love my homemade BBQ Sauce on these ribs, you could try both!)

When the ribs are done, take them out of the oven and unwrap the foil. Cut the ribs into 1, 2, or 3 piece sections, whatever you like.

Heat your grill to medium high, about 450 degrees F.

Generously brush the ribs with the barbecue sauce. Or pull an Eric and dunk them in the sauce completely. (The ribs are cooked. Stop looking at me like I’m a heathen.)

Grease your grill grates, and grill the ribs for about 2-3 minutes per side, until there are grill marks.

Remove from the grill and cover with foil until ready to serve.

Serve ribs with the remaining sauce. Eat with your hands!

Soy Ginger Meatballs

If you've been following along, you already know I'm on a bit of a meatball kick lately. They're easy to make, they reheat beautifully, and they freeze well for those nights when I don't feel like cooking. This recipe made a huge batch, so a good portion is headed to the freezer for future me.

These meatballs were absolutely delicious. With every bite, I kept thinking they tasted just like the filling inside a pork dumpling or gyoza. The only thing missing was the wrapper! Since pork dumplings are one of my favorite appetizers, that was a pretty big compliment. The combination of ginger, garlic, green onions, and seasonings gave the meatballs a bold, savory flavor that worked perfectly together.

But let's talk about the dipping sauce for a minute. Oh. My. Goodness. This is one of those recipes I'm filing away because it's too good not to make again. It had the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and tangy. The original recipe called for maple syrup, but I swapped in honey instead. I'm just not a fan of maple flavor in savory dishes, and honey was exactly what I had on hand. I wouldn't change a thing.

And the aroma while these were baking? Incredible. My whole house smelled amazing, and I was counting down the minutes until they came out of the oven.

I didn't actually serve these as a bowl like the recipe suggested. Instead, I paired the meatballs with sliced cucumbers and some corn on the cob that needed to be used before it went bad. The cool, crisp cucumbers were the perfect contrast to the rich meatballs. In fact, I think next time I might toss the cucumbers in that dipping sauce as a quick marinade because it was just that good.

Would I make these again? Absolutely. They were packed with flavor, easy to throw together, and made enough for several meals. If you're a fan of dumplings or gyoza, I think you'll really enjoy these.

Soy Ginger Meatballs

Recipe from Two Peas in Their Pod

Serves 4

For the meatballs:

• 1 lb ground pork or ground turkey (can use ground beef or a mix)
• 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• For the dressing:
• 1/4 cup avocado oil or olive oil
• 1/4 cup lite soy sauce or Tamari
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, can use honey
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil,
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

For Making a Bowl:

• Vermicelli rice noodles or rice
• Cucumber slices
• Shredded carrots
• Shredded cabbage
• Thinly sliced red bell pepper
• Avocado slices
• Fresh herbs: cilantro, mint, and/or basil
• Sliced green onions
• Chopped peanuts
• Sesame seeds
• Lime wedges, for serving

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, breadcrumbs, egg, green onions, cilantro, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, lime zest, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Using your hands, work the mixture until evenly combined.

Using an ice cream scoop or large cookie scoop, scoop about two tablespoons of the mixture into your palms and roll it into a ball. Place the ball on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the mixture, spacing the meatballs out onto the baking sheet, about 2-inches apart.

Bake the meatballs for 18 to 22 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until cooked through.

To make the dressing, in a small bowl or jar, whisk together the oil, soy sauce, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if necessary.

You can serve the meatballs with rice and your favorite vegetables. Drizzle with the dressing.

You can also make a bowl. To assemble the bowls, divide the noodles or rice among bowls. Garnish with suggest toppings above and serve with the dressing.

Kielbasa Bites

I've mentioned before that I'm on a mission to eat my way through everything that's been hiding in my freezer. During my latest freezer inventory, I came across a package of kielbasa that was dangerously close to being tossed out. Then, as if Facebook was reading my mind, this recipe popped into my feed.

I've made several recipes from Butter Your Biscuit before, so I had pretty high expectations. 

Now, let me confess to a classic Jenn cooking moment. Someone (and we'll just leave that person unnamed) didn't read the ingredient list carefully before getting started. I only had one package of kielbasa, so I made the recipe with what I had. It wasn't until I was wondering why there seemed to be an excessive amount of sauce that I looked back at the recipe and realized the very first ingredient called for two packages of kielbasa.

Mystery solved.

That also explains why the sauce didn't get quite as thick and sticky as I expected at first. After letting it sit for a couple of minutes, it eventually thickened up nicely, but it definitely would have coated the sausage better if I had actually used the correct amount.

The sauce was a little sweeter than I personally prefer, but overall this was a really tasty recipe. I can easily see serving these at a party as an appetizer, and I don't think they'd last very long. Even with my accidental sauce-to-kielbasa ratio, they were still a hit.

Kielbasa Bites

Recipe from Butter Your Biscuits

Serves 6

• 2 pkgs beef kielbasa
• 1 ½ cups brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• ½ red pepper flakes optional

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Slice the kielbasa links into ½ inch slices and place them on a foil lined baking sheet

Heat a medium sauce pan on medium low heat. Add the brown sugar, vinegar, mustard and red pepper flakes. Let the brown sugar melt, stirring every couple of minutes.

Pour over the sausage and toss them with a spatula until coated

Bake 15 minutes, give them another toss and bake another 15 minutes.

Grilled Ginger-Soy Pork Chops

Pork isn't a protein I cook very often. Every now and then it shows up in my random recipe selection, but if I'm being completely honest, most of the pork recipes in my collection are various versions of carnitas.

When I came across this recipe, though, it immediately caught my attention. Seattle has finally been serving up some hot, sunny weather, which makes it the perfect time to fire up the grill. Then again, let's be honest—it's always grilling season at Chez Jenn's.

For this recipe, I picked up a thick, bone-in pork chop and let it marinate for about five hours. That's my magic number when it comes to marinades. It gives the meat plenty of time to soak up flavor without requiring me to plan an entire day ahead.

The grilling process took a little longer than I expected. The chop was about an inch thick, and since pork isn't something I cook regularly, I wasn't entirely sure how long it would need on the grill. It definitely took longer than I had planned, but thankfully it turned out juicy and delicious.

The marinade was the real winner here. The combination of soy sauce and ginger gave the pork a wonderful savory flavor with just the right amount of zing. As I was eating it, I kept thinking how fantastic this marinade would be on chicken as well. This is definitely one I'll be keeping in my recipe rotation.

Grilled Ginger-Soy Pork Chops

Recipe from Kalyn's Kitchen

Serves 4

• 6 bone-in pork chops
• 1/4 c peanut oil (or other high-heat oil)
• 1/4 c soy sauce  
• 1/4 c rice vinegar 
• 1 tsp dried chili pepper flakes (see notes)
• 2 tsp ginger puree (sometimes called ground ginger in Asian markets)
• 2 tsp garlic puree (sometimes called ground garlic in Asian markets)
• 1 tsp dried mustard

Mix together the oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, dried chile flakes, ginger puree, garlic puree, and dried mustard to make the marinade.

Pour marinade over the pork chops and marinate 6-8 hours or longer.

When you’re ready to cook, take the pork chops out of the fridge, drain in a colander placed in the sink, and let them come to room temperature.

Spray grill with non-stick grilling spray and preheat grill to medium hot.

Lay pork chops at an angle to the grill grates and cook 4-5 minutes (or until you see nice grill marks when you lift up the edge.)

Turn pork chops over and cook 4-5 minutes more on the second side, or until the pork chops feel firm, but not hard to the touch. (Actual cooking time will depend on the thickness of the pork chops.

Red Curry Dumpling Soup

This one-pot, minimal effort Red Curry Dumpling Soup somehow tastes like something you ordered from your favorite cozy little noodle shop. It tastes that good. 

The combination of coconut milk, spicy red curry paste, dumplings, and herbs creates the kind of meal that makes you pause after the first bite because it’s just that good. It’s rich without being heavy, spicy without setting your mouth on fire (though you can make it that hot if you want), and the dumplings soak up all that flavorful broth like little pockets of happiness.

The broth is the real star here though. Coconut milk smooths out the heat from the curry paste while fish sauce, garlic, and ginger build that deeply savory flavor that makes you keep going back for “just one more spoonful.” Don't forget the cilantro and green onions. They really finish the broth nicely. 

This recipe definitely makes just enough for 2 hungry people, or maybe 3 if you’re serving something alongside it like I did. I paired it with an incredible cucumber salad and together the two dishes were an absolute explosion of Asian-inspired flavors. The cool, crisp cucumber salad balanced the rich, spicy curry broth perfectly. 

I wouldn’t change a single thing about this recipe. The broth was creamy, flavorful, and packed with just the right amount of heat, while the dumplings made it hearty enough to feel like a complete comfort meal. This one is absolutely going into the regular dinner rotation.

And the best part? I still have half a bag of dumplings left in the freezer, which basically guarantees this soup is happening again very soon.

Red Curry Dumpling Soup

Recipe from Moribyan

Serves 2-3

SOUP BASE

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/4 cup red curry paste
• 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
• 13-ounce can coconut milk
• 1/3 cup water or broth
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar or palm sugar
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or 1 finely chopped red chili (to taste)
• salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped Thai basil
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions, optional garnish
• chili oil, optional garnish

DUMPLINGS

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• 12 to 16 dumplings or wontons

In a large pot over medium heat, melt the coconut oil. Once it’s warm, add the ginger paste and minced garlic. Sauté for a minute or two until fragrant, but don’t let it brown.

Stir in the red curry paste and cook for about 2 minutes to bring out its full flavor.

Pour in the coconut milk, water, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. Stir until everything is well combined, then bring it to a gentle simmer. Let it bubble for 5 to 7 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.

Taste the broth first before adding any salt. Then season as needed. Adjust with more lime juice, sugar, or red pepper flakes depending on how tangy, sweet, or spicy you like it.

While the soup simmers, heat neutral oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the dumplings or wontons in a single layer and cook until the bottoms are golden brown. Add a splash of water, cover, and steam until fully cooked through.

Turn off the heat and stir in the Thai basil and cilantro.

Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top with the crispy dumplings. Garnish with scallions or a drizzle of chili oil if you like a kick.

Vietnamese Meatballs

Photo from 12tomatoes

Apparently, my kitchen has had a serious gap in its global cuisine lineup—Vietnamese food. I did a quick search through my blog and found absolutely nothing, nada, zelch. Not that this dish was meant to fix that, but it was a surprising little discovery nonetheless.

This recipe started its life as a Vietnamese Meatball Salad. Keyword: salad. Things were going great—I had the meatballs prepped and cooking, everything smelled amazing—until I went to assemble the greens. That’s when it all fell apart. My napa cabbage? Moldy. My pre-chopped romaine from earlier in the week? Also gone. Completely unsalvageable.

So… pivot time.

No greens meant no salad, which meant I needed a new plan. Enter: basmati rice. I threw a pot together as a side, and honestly, it ended up being the better move. The rice paired perfectly with the meatballs.

And let’s talk about these meatballs for a second. They are so good. Savory, deeply flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make. The only catch is a bit of planning ahead—they need a couple of hours to rest before cooking—but beyond that, they’re pretty low effort for such a big payoff. I’m already planning to make them again as part of a meal prep rotation. They’d be perfect to have on hand for quick lunches or snacks throughout the week. I also wonder what they'd be like with ground chicken.

I made mine on the smaller side—just under an inch—and I’m glad I did. Originally, it was because they were destined for a salad, but even without the greens, the size turned out to be ideal. Bite-sized, easy to eat, and somehow even more satisfying.

A couple of quick tips if you’re making these:
First, do not skip browning the meatballs. That step adds so much flavor, and you’d definitely miss it.
Second, consider doubling the batch. These disappear fast, and they make for an excellent grab-and-go snack all week long.

Next time? I might add a little sriracha for a kick. Because honestly, the only thing better than these meatballs… is these meatballs with a bit of heat.

Vietnamese Meatballs

Recipe from 12 Tomatoes

Serves 4-6

FOR MEATBALLS:

• 1 lb. Ground pork
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup green onion, sliced thin
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper & ¼ teaspoon salt

• Searing oil, for cooking

In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except the oil in the meatball mix. Mix thoroughly to combine, then scoop each meatball with a small ice cream-scoop to portion each meatball. Place scooped meatballs onto a parchment-lined sheet tray and once done place in the fridge for at least one hour or best overnight, covered.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350° F.

Preheat a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat with a drizzle of cooking oil for one minute. Place the meatballs 1-inch apart from each other in the pan and sear for 1 minutes per side, making sure to sear at least three sides. Remove to a clean sheet tray and finish baking these in the oven for 5 - 8 minutes.

How I made my rice:

1 c basmati rice, washed

1 c chicken broth (I used Knorr Chicken boullion and water)

1/2 c diced onion

Put about 2 T olive oil in a pan and saute the rice until its a little browned. Don't skip this step, it really does add a lot of flavor. I aslo dropped in the onion while the rice sauted. 

Put the water in. Cover it, bring it to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, turn it down to low. Let it cook for 10-15 minutes. 

Slow Cooker Country Style Ribs

Photo from Simply Stacie

Book club night = hosting mode activated, which means I’m looking for something delicious that doesn’t trap me in the kitchen while everyone else is laughing, getting caught up, and refilling their wine. Enter: the trusty “set it and forget it” category—casseroles, slow cooker meals, anything that lets me appear effortlessly put together.

This particular recipe has been sitting patiently on my “someday” list for years, and I finally decided to give it its moment. I went in optimistic—peach preserves and BBQ sauce sounded like a fun little sweet-and-smoky situation.

Unfortunately… it never quite showed up to the party.

I kept waiting for that hint of peachy goodness to peek through, but it was basically a no-show. My guess? The BBQ sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray’s) may have completely stolen the spotlight. Instead of a balanced flavor, it leaned very “BBQ-forward” with none of the fruity twist I was hoping for.

Now, don’t get me wrong—it was perfectly fine. It fed the ladies, required minimal effort, and allowed me to actually enjoy book club instead of playing kitchen hermit. So in that sense, mission accomplished.

But as far as memorable dishes go? This one’s getting a polite nod and a “thanks, but we won’t be needing a repeat performance.” 

Slow Cooker Country Style Ribs

Recipe from Simply Stacie

Serves 6

• 3 lbs boneless country-style ribs
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 cup peach preserves
• ½ cup honey
• 1 ½ cup BBQ sauce

Add the ribs to the slow cooker.

Sprinkle brown sugar, onion powder, garlic salt and paprika over the ribs.

In a bowl, stir together the peach preserves, honey and BBQ sauce. Pour the sauce over the ribs.

Cook on LOW for 6 hours.

Optional: place the cooked ribs on a foil-lined baking sheet and baste with a little sauce from the slow cooker.

Broil for 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Serve hot.

Brown Sugar Orange Glazed Spiral Ham

Photo from The Chunky
Chef

There are two things that I've never cooked in all my years of cooking for myself; meatloaf and ham. No reason really, other than ham isn't a go to for me for holiday meals. 

With being a bit out of it this year, I relied heavily on family and friends to help make Christmas dinner. Janet already had a ham, so she's bringing that, along with scalloped potatoes and an appetizer. Oh and the pie/cookies for dessert. 

For my part, I'm doing a broccoli salad (easy to make) and I wanted to try this glaze. Super easy to throw together and it sounds delicious.

The ham turned out so good. I can't really say I tasted much of the glaze, but there was a hint of orange every now and then. 

Brown Sugar Orange Glazed Spiral Ham

Recipe from The Chunky Chef

Serves 12

8 – 10 lb. bone-in fully cooked spiral-sliced ham

1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup orange marmalade

3 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Preheat

Preheat oven to 325°F and lightly grease a 9×13" baking dish, or roasting pan.

Place ham in the baking dish, with the large and flat side down (you can cook it on it's side if you prefer it that way).

Make glaze

In a small saucepan, add brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, orange juice, orange marmalade and dijon mustard.

Whisk to combine, and heat over MED heat until simmering. Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Set aside, off the heat.

Glaze and first bake

Spoon about half of the glaze over the top of the ham. Cover loosely with foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.

Baste and second bake

After 40 minutes, uncover the ham and baste with a bit more of the glaze, recover with the foil, then return to the oven for another 20 minutes.

Baste and final bake

Uncover the ham and discard the foil. Baste with the rest of the glaze, and return to the oven, uncovered, and bake the final 20 minutes.

Optional broil

If you'd like extra caramelized edges, feel free to broil for a few minutes to really get the glaze nice and sticky. Just be sure to watch closely so the ham doesn't burn.

Rest and serve

Allow the ham to rest at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Baste with some of the juices from the pan if desired, then serve warm.

BBQ Country Style Pork Ribs

Blueberry came over for dinner tonight. I like to throw stuff into the crock pot and so planned these BBQ ribs. Only when I read the recipe I realized it wasn't a slow cooker recipe at all, but a braising recipe. 

No matter. That just changed when I needed to get the ribs in the oven. 

Nothing special about this recipe. Super easy and OMG sooo good. I used Sweet Baby Ray's Original BBQ sauce and left out the bell pepper (blech). 

When I make these again, I'd take the ribs out of the braise, slather them with BBQ sauce and pop them under the broiler for a bit. I think that would have made these amazing. 

I served these with a side of corn on the cob and a perfectly ripe nectarine. The whole meal turned out delicious.

BBQ Country Style Pork Ribs

Recipe from Suburban Soap Box

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 large country style pork ribs (the original recipe says 10, but for only 4 people that's a TON of ribs)
• 3 tablespoons BBQ Rub, homemade or your favorite store bought
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced
• 1 orange bell pepper, seeded and sliced
• 1 onion, peeled and sliced
• 2 1/2 cups barbecue sauce, homemade or your favorite store bought

Preheat oven to 300˚F.

In a shallow roasting pan, heat the oil over medium high heat.

Coat the ribs with the BBQ rub.

Arrange the ribs in the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes until browned.

Flip the ribs and continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes until browned on all sides.

Remove the ribs to a platter and set aside.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

I am trying to clean out my freezer again so tonight we did some slow cooking of some pork chops! 

Super easy recipe. Almost literary set it and forget it. I didn't brown my pork chops before I put them in. Seems unnecessary when it's just me. 

One cautionary comment though, don't salt anything until you taste it later. The au jus gravy mix is pretty salty. I sure wish I could find one that's low sodium...well, one that I like. 

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

Recipe from Tornadoughalli.com

Serves 4

• 2 pounds boneless pork loin chops about 8 chops
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup
• 1 ounce packet au jus gravy
• 1 ½ cups chicken stock
• Fresh chopped parsley optional

Season the pork chops on both sides with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Place the flour onto a plate or shallow bowl, set aside.

Place a large skillet over medium heat, once hot add the oil.

One by one, place the pork chops into the flour and shake off any excess.

Place the pork chops into the pan, not touching, you will need to do this in batches. Sear on both sides until golden brown, 3 minutes per side. You are not cooking them all the way through, just browning.

Place the browned pork chops into the bottom of an 8-quart slow cooker.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cream of chicken soup, au jus packet, and chicken stock until smooth. Pour over the pork chops.

Cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low until tender.

Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or egg noodles with the gravy. Garnish with parsley, optional.

Asian Style Udon Noodles with Pork and Mushrooms

Beautiful photo from Jo Cooks.

Udon noodles are my new favorite thing to cook with. I had some in the freezer from the last Udon recipe I made and I wanted to use them up. 

This recipe was delicious. I'll definitely make it again. Super flavorful and super easy to make. 

One adjustment I'll make is to cut back on the sriracha. It was a little too spicy for me, but I still ate it. I couldn't feel my lips, but it was worth it. I did not put in the red pepper flakes because I figured the tablespoon of sriracha would be fiery enough.

Asian Style Udon Noodles with Pork and Mushrooms

Recipe from Jo Cooks

Serves 4

• 8 ounce udon noodles (fresh)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium shallot (chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 pound pork chops (cut into thin strips (2 pork chops))
• 1 cup mushrooms (I used cremini, chopped)
• 5 green onions (chopped)
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• ¼ cup peanuts (optional, chopped)

For sauce:

• 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• ½ cup soy sauce (light or low sodium)
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ cup red wine

Blanch udon noodles in boiling water for about 1 to 2 minutes or if using noodles cook according to package instructions. Drain well and immediately rinse with cold water. Set aside.

In a small bowl whisk all the sauce ingredients together.

Heat the olive oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add shallot, garlic, mushrooms and pork to hot wok and cook until pork starts to crisp up and browns.

Add noodles and sauce and stir it all together and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and garnish with sesame seeds, green onions and peanuts.

Serve while hot.

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork

It's Sunday dinner night! Tonight I went all our with BBQ as the theme, but not grill type of BBQ. Rather BBQ as the flavor. 

I started with this Slow cooker BBQ Pulled Pork. I had it in the slow cooker for 8 hours and man was it good. I removed most the liquid, shredded it then added enough liquid back to keep the meat moist. 

We had coleslaw to top it as well. It's required. It's the only time I eat coleslaw and man does it make the sandwich.

Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork

Recipe from Slow Cooker Gourmet

Serves 12

• 3 pound boneless pork shoulder
• 2 tablespoons herb and garlic seasoning
• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup chicken broth

Rub pork shoulder with seasoning and place in slow cooker

Mix together bbq sauce, vinegar and broth and add to slow cooker

Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-5 until pork reaches internal temperature of 205 degrees

Remove pork and shred

Add about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of the juices back to pork and discard the rest

Add additional BBQ sauce if desired

White Bean and Ham Soup

Its cold here in Seattle. I wouldn't say record breaking, but frigid comes to mind. Perfect for a soup night. I had just about everything for this soup so I figured it'd be a good one to try. I happen to love white bean and ham soups so I was excited to make this one. 

Its not off much, if at all, from the other ones I've made, so it feels weird calling it a new recipe, but I'm doing it anyhow. My blog. My rules. 

This recipe doesn't have celery and has paprika. 

This recipe has potatoes, parsley and hot sauce.

Close enough. The only think I didn't put in this recipe was the bay leaf. I have yet to be shown just what that adds to a soup. They're expensive and so I don't bother. 

White Bean and Ham Soup

Recipe from To Simply Inspire

Serves 6

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup onion diced
• ½ cup celery diced
• ½ cup carrots diced
• 1 tablespoon garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme minced
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 cans Cannellini white beans drained and rinsed (15.5 ounce cans)
• 2 cups cooked ham diced
• 1 bay leaf

In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat

Then add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally until they are tender.

Add the chicken stock, beans, diced ham, and the bay leaf.

Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes until warmed through.

Remove the bay leaf, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Korean Pork Kabobs

Photo by Dance Around
The Kitchen

The recipe had great promise, but the instructions weren't complete for the sauce. 

It talks about heating it for 90 seconds in the microwave. It never thickened. The recipe author calls it a "glaze" and a "glaze", to me, is thick. If I were to make this recipe I'd cook the sauce on the stove and let it thicken. It might have had more of a depth of flavor then. 

It had a very strong soy sauce taste and I couldn't figure out why. Then as I reread the recipe to put here in the blog I realized what I had done. 

I cut the ingredients in half and for the soy sauce I was to put in 3/4 Tablespoon. Instead I put in 3/4 cup. That'll make it too soy saucey. 

Now I feel like I need to redo this recipe. That additional liquid is likely why this didn't thicken at all. 

Korean Pork Kabobs

Recipe from Dance Around the Kitchen

Serves 6

• 2 pounds pork tenderloin
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 ½ tablespoons gochujang Korean chili paste
• 1 ½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• green onions and sesame seeds optional

If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes. This will help prevent them from burning on the grill/in the oven.

In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, gochujang, rice wine vinegar, honey, minced garlic and ginger.

Microwave the mixture for 90 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds. Be careful as the mixture will boil and the bowl may be hot.

Cut the pork tenderloin into 1 inch cubes.

Thread the pork cubes onto the soaked skewers and season with salt and pepper.

Heat the grill to medium-high heat and grease lightly to prevent the meat from sticking to the grates.*

Place the seasoned kabobs on the grill.

Grill for 8-12 minutes, rotating the kabobs and brushing with sauce every couple minutes.

Remove from the grill once the largest pork cube reaches 145F.

Garnish with sliced green onions and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Pork Chops with Creamy Mustard Sauce

Photo from Tastes
Better from Scratch

This recipe was shockingly delicious. I wasn't really expecting it to be overly great, but was very pleasantly surprised that it was. 

The mustard cream sauce is what made it. I am a so-so fan of Dijon mustard. I don't like it on sandwiches, but I like the flavor it brings to a lot of different recipes and vinaigrettes. 

I got relatively thin pork chops. I'm not great at pan frying so I didn't want too thick so to leave it raw in the middle. 

Pork Chops with Creamy Mustard Sauce

Recipe from Tastes Better From Scratch

Serves 4

• 4 boneless pork chops , ½ inch thick
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2/3 cup half and half (or heavy cream)
• 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

Season pork chops with salt and pepper on both sides.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Add pork chops and cook for 2-4 minutes on each side, until browned and just barely cooked through (don't overcook or they will be tough).

Transfer pork to a plate and cover with aluminum foil.

Add chicken broth to the skillet and scrape up any remaining browned bits from the pork.

Add cream or half & half, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice.

Stir well, reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered for 5-6 minutes or until sauce has slightly thickened.

Spoon sauce over pork. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Crock Pot Pork Chops and Gravy

Photo from The 
Country Cook

Once the crock pot is out, I use it several nights in a row. Last night I made pot roast for book club. Tonight I made crock pot pork chops. 

I bought this MASSIVE thick pork chops. They must have been at least an inch and a half, maybe 2 inches thick. They cooked really well in the crock pot. I like using thicker chops in the crock pot. I think the texture is better. 

This was a solid recipe. I didn't salt anything and boy and I glad. The packets that get added have enough sodium. I actually watered down the gravy a bit half way through to see if it would take out some of the salt, and it did.

I didn't have to add any corn starch. The broth and the soup made it thick enough. Even adding water to it, the gravy was still a nice consistency. 

Crock Pot Pork Chops and Gravy

Recipe from The Country Cook

Serves 4

• 1 (1 oz) packet onion soup mix
• 1 (14 oz) can chicken broth, low sodium
• 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup, low sodium
• 1 (1 oz) packet dry pork gravy mix
• 4 bone-in pork chops
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 3 T cornstarch
• 3 T cold water

In a 5-6 quart oval slow cooker, combine onion soup mix, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup and pork gravy mix. Whisk together until combined.

Season both sides of the chops with a little bit of garlic powder. Place pork chops into the slow cooker. Do your best to spread them out and cover with the gravy mixture.

Cover and cook on low about 4-6 hours.

Just before the pork chops are done - whisk together the corn starch and cold water in a small bowl. Once it is smooth, pour it in with your pork chops in the slow cooker and stir gently.

Cover and switch the slow cooker to high and cook for another 30 minutes (until gravy has thickened.)

Braised Mexican Style Pork Ribs

Folks...we have another favorite for 2024! 

This recipe was amazing. Mind you I had to cut it down quite a bit since the original recipe makes enough for 10 people! 

Aside from cutting it down, I forgot to add the cinnamon and didn't add as much cumin as it asks for (too much cumin tastes like licking the bottom of an ashtray to me). I couldn't find Rotel's Chili Fixin’s tomatoes so just used a can of their tomatoes with green chilis. 

The recipe author suggests shredding the meat and putting it on a roll, or in a tortilla. I ate it as is with no extra thing wrapped around it and it was perfect. 

Braised Mexican Style Pork Ribs

Recipe from Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen 

Serves 10

• 4 lb boneless country style pork ribs
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 chipotle in adobo sauce minced
• 3 clove garlic minced
• 1 small lime juiced
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon dark chili powder
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup chipotle-honey barbecue sauce or your favorite plus additional for serving
• 1 medium medium sweet onion sliced into wedges
• 1 10 oz can Rotel Chili Fixin’s or chili seasoned tomatoes
• fresh cilantro

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Heat a couple of drizzles of olive oil in the bottom of a Dutch oven or heavy bottomed oven safe skillet.

In a small bowl mix together the brown sugar, minced chipotle peppers, minced garlic, lime juice, cumin, chili, paprika, garlic salt, oregano, pepper and cinnamon.

Rub the paste onto the ribs on all sides. Transfer to the Dutch oven and sear the ribs on all sides turning for even browning.

After searing drizzle the ribs with the barbecue sauce and arrange the onion wedges on top. Top with the Rotel tomatoes.

Cover and transfer to the oven braising for 3 hours or until the meat easily pulls apart with a fork. Rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Serve with rice, on toasted baguettes drizzled with additional barbecue sauce topped with slaw, or on warm tortillas with your favorite taco toppings.

Slow Cooker Pork Chile Verde

I'm not entirely sure why this recipe leapt off the page to me and yelled TRY ME, but it did and I did. And frankly, I'm sad that I did. 

This was not a good recipe for me. It both had and lacked flavor. I know that sounds weird, but let me try to explain. 

There was flavor there, but it was a vinegar-y flavor. It didn't have that salsa verde flavor I was expecting.

Oddly, that also lent to it not having flavor. I just can't really explain it.

Bottom line, this one was a fail. 

Slow Cooker Pork Chile Verde

Recipe from Lemon Blossom

Serves 8

• 3 – 4 pounds pork butt (or shoulder), cubed
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 – 2 T olive oil
• 1 11-ounces canned tomatillos
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 16-ounces jar salsa verde
• 1 10-ounces can green enchilada sauce
• 1 4-ounces can diced green chile (I use mild)
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp liquid smoke
• 3 T cornstarch
• 1/4 c water or chicken broth

Season the pork with salt, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of cumin.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium – high heat. Working in batches (to not overcrowd the skillet), add the pork to the skillet and cook until golden brown. Add additional oil, if needed. Transfer the seared pork to the slow cooker.

Add the tomatillos to a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer the tomatillos to the slow cooker.

Add the onions, garlic, salsa verde, green enchilada sauce, diced green chiles, oregano, cumin and liquid smoke to the crockpot. Mix to combine.

Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours. About an hour before serving, mix 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water or chicken broth. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook for an additional hour. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve!

Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Country Ribs

Photo from Spicy Southern
Kitchen

Sherrie was over last night for us to finish Charlotte (of the Bridgerton series). On Saturdays I usually pull out the slow cooker and find something yummy to make. Last night was no different. 

I have had this recipe for a while and knowing Sherrie loves pork ribs thought it was perfect for us. 

I cooked this on high for 4 hours, which is not my norm. I usually do the slow, but I was out and about in the morning and couldn't get it going in time. 

Overall this was a yummy meal. I had in my mind something a kin to sweet and sour like you'd get from a Chinese restaurant. This was like a BBQ sauce. A mild, not spicy BBQ sauce. 

Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Country Ribs

Recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen

Serves 5

• 1/2 c ketchup
• 1/2 c packed brown sugar
• 1/2 c apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp dry mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 pounds country-style pork ribs, boneless or bone-in
• 1 T cornstarch

Whisk together first 8 ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker.

Place the ribs in the slow cooker and spoon the sauce over them.

Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

Remove ribs to a serving platter.

Mix cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water. Whisk into the sauce in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 20 minutes to thicken.

Or you can transfer the sauce to a saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer to thicken.

Pour sauce over ribs and serve.