Grilled Pork Chops with Peach Salsa and Caprese Salad Stuffed Tomatoes!

If there is one word to describe this dinner it would be DELICIOUS! Even my husband who the only way I know if he really likes something (because for the most part he will eat whatever I put in front of him) is if he goes for seconds. ACTUALLY said the words "Wow this is really good Babe" **talking about the pork chops with peach salsa** As for the stuffed tomatoes, everyone else loved them...him not so much but he isn't a huge fan of caprese salads in general so I was expecting that comment from him, but he still ate his entire plate! :) 

I was really proud of myself for even trying the pork chop recipe because I have always thought (due to a very traumatic...ok maybe not THAT traumatic but to me as a kid it sure seemed like it) I didn't like Peaches. But ever since my transplant I have been noticing that I like things now that I never liked pre-transplant. 

SO I told myself that I was going to start trying new recipes that I wouldn't normally choose to see if I like whatever food happens to be in it that I don't eat. If I don't like it, ok I won't make that recipe anymore. If I do, well then I just found something I can add to my list of likable foods! 

This was my first dinner with my new venture and boy was it a WINNER and guess what...I LIKE Peaches!! Who knew?? LOL

Ok so here are the recipes for both which I got from good ol' Sandra Lee by watching the Food Network...but don't worry I didn't have Cocktail time OR do a table scape. :) 

Grilled Pork Chops w/Peach Salsa 

Ingredients

Peach salsa:

• 1/2 red onion, diced (reserve the other half for Online Round 2 Recipe Orzo Soup with Pork)
• 2 peaches, halved, pitted and diced
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
• Pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pork chops:

• 5 pork chops, end cut
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 
  

Directions

Salsa:

In a bowl toss all of the salsa ingredients together and set aside.

Pork chops:

Heat an outdoor grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.

Brush the pork chops with the oil. In a small bowl combine the chili powder, salt and pepper. Generously sprinkle the rub over both sides of each pork chop. Grill the chops until cooked through, about 4 to 6 minutes per side. (Set 1 chop aside for Online Round 2 Recipe, Orzo Soup with Pork.) Arrange the chops on a serving platter and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Serve the chops with the peach salsa.

Caprese Salad Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 5 beefsteak tomatoes
• 1 (1-pound) block mozzarella
• 1 (16-ounce) package orzo, cooked according to package instructions
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cut the tops off of 4 tomatoes and with a spoon remove the pulp from the inside, to form a bowl. Dice the pulp and half of the remaining tomato (reserve remaining half for the Round 2 Recipe Grilled Margherita Pizza). Dice the mozzarella to measure 1 cup. (Reserve the rest for the Round 2 Recipe Grilled Margherita Pizza.)

In a bowl, combine 2 cups of the orzo (reserve the rest for the Online Round 2 Recipe Orzo Soup with Pork), diced mozzarella, diced tomato, vinegar, olive oil, basil, and salt and pepper, to taste. Divide the mixture among the 4 tomatoes and serve.

There was A LOT of this orzo left over after stuffing the tomatoes!

SO good...I LOVE tomatoes! 

and here it is ALL put together in its yummy wonderful-ness! :)

As always, let me know if you try this recipe and what you think! I have SEVERAL dinners back logged that I have to type out and post then I have one recipe this week that goes in my "try new things" category so we will see how well that turns out! I can only do one weird recipe a week to try...im not that adventures! 

**watch these two recipes when you go to buy your ingredients because she has you buy more so that you have enough food for what she calls "round two recipes."  If you don't plan on looking those up (she tells you what they are in the directions of each) you can get away with buying less ingredients of some things**

Good Night! Xo

Four Cheese Pasta with Peas and Ham!

Before I get into the recipe for today I thought I would let you all in on a little secret of mine. I am a cookbook/magazine JUNKIE! There I said it and I feel a little better now that  its out in the open! LOL 

But seriously guys when I say I have a problem I am not joking around. I have cookbooks everywhere (one of the reasons I was trying to talk my hubby into getting me an ipad for xmas was so that I didn't have to have cookbooks everywhere because I could get digital ones!! ) and about a million and one magazine subscriptions. I can't help it I am a sucker for a good cookbook and magazine! 

Anyway, todays recipe is one we actually had last week for dinner and I got it out of I believe December's Food Network Magazine. I love FN Magazine but I rarely ever make any of the recipes cause they usually contain ingredients that the guy with the killer dimples (my hubby!) doesn't like. If it was up to Danny we would have spaghetti every night and that would be ok with him. Me I need variety I can't eat the same thing ALL the time! 

So here you go:

 Four Cheese Pasta with Peas & Ham

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 12 ounces penne
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 large eggs, plus 1 egg white
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated (1 scant cup)
• 3 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
• 3 ounces fontina cheese, grated (1 scant cup)
• 3 ounces deli ham, in 1 piece, diced
• 1 ounce parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)
• 
  

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until very al dente, about 8 minutes, adding the peas in the last 2 minutes of cooking.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, egg white, evaporated milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl.

Drain the pasta and peas; wipe the pot dry and return the pasta and peas to the pot. Add the butter and stir to coat. Add the cheddar, mozzarella, fontina and the egg mixture. Place the pot over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes, adding the ham halfway through cooking (don't let the mixture boil or the eggs will scramble). Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the parmesan.

**This dish was very tasty and we will probably have it again sometime in the future but next time I think I will boil the pasta a little longer. Your not supposed to cook it all the way because it continues to cook in the pan with the cheese and everything else but that did NOT happen with ours. So while the flavoring was good, it would have helped if the noodles were cooked all the way!

Well that's all I got for today! TGIF ya'll and HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY to ME!! Can't wait to go out tonight with all our friends!!

Have a GREAT weekend!
Jen
XoxoX

Parmesan-Crusted Pork Chops!

Last night we had pork chops for dinner and this recipe is by far our FAVORITE way to have them! They aren't dry at all and are so yummy and really easy to make. That Giada really knows what she is doing! :)

I forgot to put my EVOO bottle in the picture of ingredients and I usually don't use the lemon wedges and to be honest it doesn't really make that big of difference in the meal its still delicious!

Also, when I bread them instead of having three separate plates I just use two. One for the eggs and one for the parmesan cheese and italian breadcrumbs~I just mix them together. I used to do it separate but somewhere along the way I decided to mix it and it turns out the same so its one less dish that needs to be washed!

Parmesan-Crusted Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs
• 3/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
• 4 (1/2 to 3/4-inch thick) center-cut pork loin chops (each about 10 to 12 ounces)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Whisk the eggs in a pie plate to blend. Place the bread crumbs in another pie plate. Place the cheese in a third pie plate. Sprinkle thepork chops generously with salt and pepper. Coat the chops completely with the cheese, patting to adhere. Dip the chops into the eggs, then coat completely with the bread crumbs, patting to adhere.

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add pork chops, in batches if necessary, and cook until golden brown and the center reaches 150 degrees, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to plates and serve with lemon wedges.

I almost always make this meal with Velvetta Shells and Green Beans. Try it. Trust me you will LOVE it!