Tuesday's Dinner Right on Schedule, but...Guess What? Another Change in the menu! - And notes for future reference....IF I remember...3 meals in one post...

Last night was pork chops because I didn't have to prep anything.  Four pork chops seared on the stove and then finished in the oven covered in onions - cause that's what the recipe said to do.  They came out extremely dry.  Maybe the chops weren't thick enough, but the recipe didn't mention anything about thickness in the ingredient list :(

When I obtained the porkchops from the fridge, I also retrieved a bag of my steam green beans and 2 microwave sweet potatoes.  I poke a hole on the back of the bag of beans and set it aside since the potatoes take longer to cook.  don't turn the potatoes on yet because I know the chops have to cook for a bit in the oven and I don't want the potatoes to be cold when we sit down to eat.

Once again, I remembered to pre-heat the oven  to 425 :)  I also remembered to obtain  a cookie sheet and aluminum.  I placed the cookie sheet topped with the foil next to my cooking pan for easy transfer when the time comes.

The players:
4 boneless pork chops at 4-6 oz each
1 onion, sliced (pre-sliced from store)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1/4 tsp ground sage

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil



The original recipe called for 2 tbsp of coconut oil, but neither BGS or I are a fan of the coconut flavor for savory dishes.

Mix all the dry spices together and coat both sides of the chops.  Melt the butter and mix it with the olive oil.  Once the oils are hot enough, add the pork chops
and brown on both sides  Lay the pork chops in a row on top of the foil and top with the chopped onion.  Pull the foil up around the chops and onions and close tightly.

I placed the chops in the preheated oven and set the timer for 30 minutes.

I walked the short distance to the microwave with the sweet potatoes and turned the it on for 14 minutes.

While I wait for the potatoes to cook, I clean the pan and set it in the rack to dry in an effort to prep for what I thought would be tomorrow night's meal.

*Beep* Pull out the taters and throw in the green beans for 4.5 minutes *BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP* Dinner!

Like I said earlier, the chops came out dry and slightly tough even though they were covered in onions.
I added some applesauce to my plate to help with the dryness while BGS used A1.

Once I finished eating dinner, I set to the task of prepping for the rest of the week....

After dinner I used the same pan in which I cooked the pork to cook the chicken for what I thought would be Wednesday's dinner.

I used almost the same spice mix I have used every other time I make this GF Chicken-Broccoli Casserole.  The only hiccup was that I am completely out of poultry seasoning, but that's ok, I have all the ingredients, so I made my own version :)  There were some additions to this "homemade" poultry seasoning, because I couldn't locate the dried marjoram.  I was pretty sure Herbes de Provence had everything I needed, so I reached for the bottle and compared it to my empty poultry seasoning bottle and sure enough, I was right!  SCORE! The chicken mix is poultry seasoning, garlic powder, smoked paprika. salt and pepper, usually, so all I had to do was add the garlic powder and paprika and it worked well.

I combine the spices in this ratio 2 tsp herbes de provence, 1 tsp, smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper.   Coat each side of the 6 chicken breasts with the mixture.   I added 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter to the pan again and turn on the heat.  Once the pan is hot, add 3 of the chicken breasts and cook 3-4 minutes each side.  Once the first three are cooked, pull them out and put them on a plate.  Make sure there is enough oil in the pan before placing the remaining 3 breasts in the pan to cook. Again, cook the breasts 3-4 minutes each side and pull them out to cool.

After the chicken was cooled enough to touch, I chopped it into bite-sized chunks.  As I put the cooked and cooled broccoli into the fridge, I checked the date for the pork roast I purchased over the weekend.  To my disappointment, it had to be cooked today, Wednesday.

I woke up this morning and started putting the pork shoulder together.  I chopped the onion (boy do I miss my goggles), and placed in the bottom of the crock that I had already lined with one of my slow-cooker liners.  Read down a few more lines and instantly realize what I should  have prepped last night: the barbecue sauce for the pork.  It needs to simmer for 30 minutes.  *facepalm*

So all the prep work I did Tuesday night for the chicken should really have been done for the pork, because the pork actually needed WAY more prep than the chicken.   If I had bothered to read the recipe Tuesday night, I would not have sat down to watch tv, but actually stayed in the kitchen and prepped for today.

Note to self: read all new recipes at the beginning of the week.  If I had done that, I would have actually cooked the bbq sauce Sunday when I made the biscuits..

Time to switch gears!

Pull out a small 2-qt pot and grab the ingredients from the pantry and spice cupboard.

Players for the sauce:
1 1/2 cups of beef stock
2 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
6 oz. can of tomato paste
1/4 cup of raw honey
1 tbs apple cider vinegar
2 tbs dijon mustard
2 tsp smokey paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne

I pour the beef stock into the pot and then add the pressed garlic cloves to the pot.  Bring the stock to a simmer and let it simmer for 5 minutes.  Once the 5 minutes have elapsed, I added the remaining ingredients and reduced the power to a bare simmer for 30 minutes.  It quickly started to sputter and splat, so I quickly grabbed my wire mesh splatter protector thingy and put it on top of the pot.  By this point it's noon-ish, so I make my lunch and wait for the *BEEP*

Once it beeps I turn the heat off and let it cool before adding 1 cup of the emergency bbq sauce to the top of the pork shoulder.  Once that's done, I set the timer for 7 hours and clean up a bit.

Time to sit and start writing.  

Halfway through the time and it smells WONDERFUL!

Time to shovel a little more before the next impending storm tonight.  1.5 hr later.  House smells FANTASTIC! And I'm genuinely starving!

Oh  crud....what's the appropriate veggie for bbq that I might actually have in the house??  I hope it's green beans, because that's all I have to spare.

Next step was to remove the roast from the crock and set it aside....that process sent bbq sauce splattering across the kitchen - OOPS :)  Then scoop out the onions and set them aside.  Once you have retrieved all the onions floating in the tasty bbq drippings, you strain the liquid - I used my Oxo gravy separator - and shred the pork.... *SUMMON BGS for shredding*  While I wait for him, I pour the onion-less juice back into the crock.

 I think I might have chosen the wrong roast, or maybe BGS did it wrong, because he said it wasn't shredding easily.  He did his best though.  Once he shredded it , we put the pork back the crock, top it with the onions and turn the crock back on set to low for 30 minutes.  While the shredded pork was simmering in the juice, I heated two sweet potatoes and green beans in the microwave.

He tried the GF buns on Monday - even though I told him not to touch them - and said he didn't like them.  I had planned on making more - this time with GF Bisquick, but the 1.5 hours of snow shoveling shot those plans to kingdom come.

The bbq  was beyond tasty and moist and I was just too hungry to pause to take pictures.  Sorry.  Maybe I will take some with the leftovers.

Honey Ginger Apple Shredded Pork - Revisited

     Last week's attempt at this recipe came out dry and flavorless, so I decided to try it again with the recommended cut of pork and more liquid.  I also rearranged the order of operations/layers.  My camera batteries are still dead, so I took a few pictures with my phone.

The players - same as before, mostly: 2lb pork shoulder roast, 2 apples, cored and sliced, 1 onion sliced (thanks again to the grocery store for not making me cry), 1 bay leaf, 2 tsp dried ginger, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, 

It's important to note the change in the ginger measurement.  I forgot to pick up fresh ginger at the store and I can't even imagine 2 tablespoons of dried ginger in one dish....

The recipe says that I should I add the onion first, then broth, then pork, then apples, then spices.  I decided to mix it up a bit.  I put most of  the spices on top of the pork this time instead of  adding the spices  on top of the apples and rubbed them in to the pork a bit,  then I put the apples on top and tossed on the rest of the spice mixture.   I put some of the spices on top of the pork in an effort to infuse the pork with some flavor that I noted was lacking last week.  I just hope I didn't end up overdoing the spice.

*Enter BGS stage left* "You didn't add more liquid this time.  We talked about this..." 

Commence measuring and adding an additional 2/3 cup of chicken broth.....

*BGS commentary - I bet it would taste good with beef broth*   "Yes, hon. The recipe said I could use beef broth, but I refuse to mix chicken and beef broth...."

Set the timer for 7 hours.....

And now we wait....

Halfway through cook time....it smells flipping amazing (again) ...almost drooling...almost.....MUST NOT LIFT LID.....

3hrs left -

*ENTER BGS stage left  

"Do you want me to lift the lid and flip it?  If I don't it will dry out again*

No.  Absolutely do NOT lift that lid.   "But...." No.  "Ok.  don't blame me if it fails" 

*Exit BGS stage left*

*BEEP* *BEEP *BEEP*

SMELLS DIVINE!!!

Lift the lid - apples are perfectly wilted across the top of the pork.  The liquid appears to have doubled in amount.  I call BGS.  He lifts the pork..well....he tries to lift it.  It falls apart in the tongs. *SCORE*.  Scoop out some apples and sit down to dinner.  Have to admit I cheated on the veggie tonight - I forgot to grab a veggie for tonight and there is no way I am leaving the house in this weather.   Thank goodness for backups - aka frozen steam veggies :)

I forgot to take a picture of the finished plate.  I just couldn't wait to eat the wonderful smelling meal.

I can confirm that the change from pork tenderloin to pork roast  did indeed aid to the success of this recipe revisit.  The pork is moist, mildly tasty with strong hits of cinnamon on the top of the pork in certain areas.

at this point in the evening, BGS informs me that he is not a fan of cinnamon with pork.....*sigh* I thought about smacking him, but decided against it.

He cleans his plate, though, and said he enjoyed the meal :)  

Cook's notes - I didn't notice the ginger, but maybe it's because the cinnamon was so strong this time.  Time to tweak this recipe for my house.

(Almost Overnight) Ginger Honey Apple Pork Tenderloin

First, I apologize for the lack of prep photos.  I completely forgot :(

Tomorrow night's dinner is going to be Honey Ginger Apple Pork Tenderloin.

Knowing that I have to leave tomorrow morning -  usually before I finish my first cup of coffee..mmmm coffee....wait....where was I?  Oh right, leave early and not return until noon-ish..... I prepped everything  tonight.  Including putting a slow cooker liner in the crock and putting the lid on.

As  many of you know I do my best to not alter a recipe or substitute ingredients until after I have made the dish once or twice.  That said....
Notes on the pork - the original recipe found on PaleoOMG's site called for pork roast.  My dad did my shopping for me this week, thanks dad :)  Out of habit I wrote pork tenderloin on my list....not roast.  So guess what he purchased....a tenderloin. I hope it turns out just as well.....

The players: 2 lb porkloin
1 yellow onion, sliced
2 apples, cored and sliced
2/3 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 tablespoon raw honey
2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 bay leaf

I grated the ginger, smashed the garlic, measured out the spices, and opened the pork.  I put the pork in  baggie number one, the honey in a small container 1 (with cooking spray),  measured and poured the low-sodium chicken stock in container 2, measured and placed the spices and put them in baggie 2, grated the ginger (baggie 3), smashed the garlic (baggie 4), sliced the apple and put it in baggie 5(with lemon juice), and saved myself some time by buying pre-sliced onion (THANK YOU, GROCERY STORE!!)  Stash the pork, the apple, the chicken stock, the ginger, and the garlic in the fridge and head off to bed.
. . . *insert sleepy music here*...

*Yawn* While my favorite Keurig ®pod  is brewing, I grab my oatmeal, creamer, and my mise en place (ingredients) out of the fridge (except the honey, since honey and refrigerators do not make for easy pouring).  Heat oatmeal here.

First, layer the onions on the bottom of the lined crock, then pour the chicken stock on top of the onions.  Toss the loin, ok maybe not toss...place the loin on top of the onions. add cream to coffee here Top the loin with the lemon-tossed apple slices, then empty the ginger baggie, the garlic baggie, and the spice baggie on top of the the apples.  Put the lid on and start the crock.  I set it for 9 hours and sat down to gobble up breakfast and coffee before dashing out the door.  ........*insert nice hold music here*....

Come back 4 hours later...walk up to the kitchen and almost fall over from the amazing smell coming from the crock pot.  It's BEYOND tempting to lift the lid, but I resist temptation.  I don't want any moisture to escape.  Now I just have to wait.  *sigh*  Had to warn BGS against opening the lid, also - just because I know he has a tendency to do exactly that...routinely....

*more hold music while I work on my passion of digitizing.  You can follow that passion here - Red's Stitch Niche*

Smelled fantastic, but I think I must have executed the recipe wrong(besides using the wrong cut of pork)...even though I followed the steps exactly, because it came out tasting like none of the flavors....and dry.

Note: when I pulled up the lid, I noticed that all the spices were sitting on top of the apples

I plan on trying the recipe again next week with the right cut of pork.  And maybe this time I will remember to buy and prep a vegetable and starch to go alongside the meal :)

Notes on the website from another person who also ended up with a dry roast - the author said to add more water next time.  Author said to make sure the liquid of choice comes up slightly higher than halfway up the roast.  I will try that and let you know.