Pork with Apples and Pears in a Cider Cinnamon Pan Sauce

 Enjoy another Bavarian-style meal to celebrate Oktoberfest

Pork with Apples and Pears in a Cider Cinnamon Pan Sauce

The perfect fall dish! Pan-seared boneless pork topped with a cider cinnamon sauce served with tender apples, pears, and sautéed onions. Pair the meal with red cabbage. I used sweet-and-sour jarred red cabbage from the canned vegetable aisle.

Recipe serves four and was inspired by cookingclassy.com and Cookinglight.com

Ingredients

• 4 (5 oz.) 3/4-inch thick boneless pork chops
• 1-1/2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 cup red onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon of herbes de Provence, divided 
• 1/2 teaspoon sage
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1- 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1-1/2 tablespoons butter
• 2 medium sweet crisp apples (honey crisp, gala, fuji, golden delicious etc.), skin removed and cut into chunks 
• 2 Bosc pears, skin removed and cut in chunks 

Directions:

• Let pork chops rest at room temperature 10 minutes while preparing ingredients.
• Cut apples and pears, place on separate plates or plastic containers. Set aside.
• In a liquid measuring cup or bowl, whisk together broth, apple cider, mustard, cinnamon, allspice, and cornstarch. Set aside.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the pork chops with salt, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence.
• Once the oil is shimmering, add pork chops and sear until browned on the bottom, about 4 - 5 minutes, then flip and continue to cook 4 - 5 minutes longer. Sauté onions in the same pan. 
• Transfer pork chops and onions to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Wipe pan with a paper towel. Melt butter in same skillet over medium heat. 
• Add in apples, 1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence or fresh rosemary and sage. Sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add in pears and sauté for 2 minutes more. 
• Pour in broth mixture that has been mixed with cornstarch and turn heat to low. Add in chops and onions; let simmer until reduced by about half, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. 
• Do not overcook, as the pork chops can become tough.
• Serve with your favorite Bavarian sides. 
  
  
  
  

Celebrating Oktoberfest

 

In November 2018, we were traveling in Germany and visited a Bavarian town called Speyer, a few hours from Strasbourg. It is famous for the 1529 Reformation movement and the invention of the German Bavarian pretzel. 

The monks attributed religious symbolism (the Trinity) to the pretzel they made. For more detailed information, go to https://www.bookofthrees.com/pretzel-trinity-symbol/

Here, we tasted the best-ever homemade pretzel, fresh and warm. 

NO need to go to Germany unless you have the time; you can recreate the pretzel by buying this box 

or this one

and make this 5-minute Honey Mustard Sauce 

Cook's Notes:
Refrigerate any leftovers.
Whisk the following ingredients in a bowl.
1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, a dash of cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar

For the main course, I suggest this meal, which is tasty and so easy to prepare 

Apple and Sausage Cider Dish

Cook’s Notes: This dish has lots of possibilities. You can use a variety of meats for one dish or use one product. In the past I have used Hillshire, Klements, and Johnsonville products as they have no fillers added. For this recipe, I used chicken apple sausages for a healthy alternative, and they are a GF product. This recipe serves 4 but can be easily increased by adding more cider, another apple or two, and a whole red onion, sliced. A perfect side is red cabbage. I used sweet-and-sour jarred red cabbage from the canned vegetable aisle. 

The recipe serves 4-6.

Ingredients:
· 2 lbs. of link sausages that are fully cooked, such as Polish Kielbasa, andouille, or Smoked Sausages (use a combination)
· 3 apples, peeled and cut into large chunks
· 1/2 of a medium yellow onion and 1/2 of a medium red onion , diced
· 5 cups apple cider

Directions:
· Slice sausages into 1-1/2 inch pieces.
· In a large soup pot, add sausage slices, cider, onions, and apples.

· Cook covered on low heat for 35 minutes or until apples are soft. Use a slotted spoon to drain.

Red Cabbage makes a great side-shortcut use 

And don't forget the beer😋

Apple Crisp with Salted Caramel Sauce

 
And there's nothing like a perfect fall day for serving up a scoop of warm apple crisp with caramel-drizzled ice cream. 

Apple Crisp with a Salted Caramel Drizzle
Cook's Notes: Apples tossed with brown sugar and cinnamon, drizzled with a caramel sauce, and topped with a crunchy crumb topping. It makes for a delectable Apple Crisp. A caramel twist on the traditional fall favorite is decadent BUT well worth the splurge! My, oh my! This is an Ever Ready Special. 

Apple Filling Ingredients:

• 10 cups peeled, cored, and sliced Granny Smith Apples (about 6-7 large apples)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon Saigon cinnamon or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

For the Caramel
Use a prepared jar of salted caramel sauce (ice cream topping)

Topping Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon Saigon cinnamon or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• 3/4-1 cup of chopped nuts

Directions:

• Grease a 9 x 9-inch baking dish or one that is a similar size.
• Peel and dice apples.
• Prepare the apple filling: In a medium bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture over the apples and toss to coat. 

 .

• Drizzle 1/3 cup of caramel sauce over the apples.
• Prepare the topping: In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nuts, and rolled oats. Stir in melted butter until evenly incorporated. Use your fingers to crumble the topping, then refrigerate for 30 minutes. Then crumble the topping again and sprinkle it evenly over the apples. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until the apples are bubbling.

• To serve, add a scoop of ice cream drizzled with caramel sauce.
  
  
  

Savor the Writing and Taste the Soup

As colors fade and slip away from the landscape, trees stand bare.

We rely on words to keep the memory alive. 

 by Holly Mathers-Shuemaker

Meatball Orzo Soup

Cook's Notes: It's a simple, flavorful, and hearty soup. You probably have most of the ingredients readily available. It's comforting to have a simmering pot of soup on hand no matter what the weather. For easier prep, buy party-size (small) prepared meatballs. Omit the meat for a great vegetarian option. Pair the soup with cornbread, cheese and crackers, or crusty artisan bread. The recipe serves 6, depending on bowl size. Recipe adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod.
Ingredients:

• 3 cups prepared frozen Italian meatballs (no need to thaw) 
  
• 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup each of diced sweet onions, celery, carrots, mini sweet red and yellow peppers
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 8- 10 cups chicken broth, low sodium
• 1 can (14 oz. ) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 cup dried orzo or whole wheat orzo pasta or another small pasta
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning 
• 1-2 teaspoons parsley flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups fresh spinach leaves, stems removed (1/2 of a 5 oz. bag)
• Sea Salt and pepper to taste
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

• Heat olive oil in a large soup or stock pot.
• Add in onions, celery, carrots, peppers, and garlic.
• Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring often. Cover and reduce to low heat. Sweat vegetables for 5-8 minutes. Stir occasionally.
• Uncover and add broth, canned tomatoes, orzo, seasonings, tomato paste, bay leaf, sugar, and frozen meatballs. Bring soup to a simmer on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in spinach leaves and cook until spinach is wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
• Remove the bay leaf,
• Serve soup warm with grated Parmesan cheese.
• To reheat, use more chicken broth if the orzo has absorbed a lot of liquid.
  
  
  
  
  
  

Resee Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

 Need an early Halloween fix? Love Reese's candies and Peanut Butter? 

Then these Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are just for you. 

Cook's Notes: 

A delicious peanut butter version of M&M Cookie Bars made with Reese’s Pieces, and a layer of creamy peanut butter baked right in. They are perfectly balanced with a 1:1 ratio of brown sugar and granulated sugar and an epic combination of peanut butter and chocolate. You get the soft, rich cookie bar center with a decadent layer of real peanut butter and the crispy texture on the edges. This is a must-try recipe. You can also press miniature Reese's candies (featured on the plate) into the cookie dough before baking. Yum and Yum!

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (1/2 pound)
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 cup golden brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips plus more for topping
• 1-1/2 cups Reese's Pieces plus more for topping
• Reese's candies and autumn sprinkles for topping 
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter, warmed

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9 x 13 light colored cake pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set pan aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt, then set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and mix until combined. Add vanilla extract.
• With mixer on low speed, slowly add flour mixture to bowl and mix until combined, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Stir in chocolate chips and Reese's Pieces.
• In a small saucepan, warm peanut butter over medium-low heat just until it reaches a pourable consistency.
• Transfer 1/2 of cookie dough to a lined cake pan and spread into an even layer. Pour peanut butter over the first layer of cookie dough and spread evenly. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining cookie dough all over the peanut butter layer. Use an offset spatula to carefully spread the top layer of cookie dough into an even layer.
• Sprinkle with additional mini semi-sweet chocolate chips. Reese's Pieces and sprinkles. Bake for about 25 minutes, until cookie bars are light golden brown. Do not overbake. Cookie bars will continue cooking and set as they cool.

Baking Tip: Avoid overmixing the batter so the baked bars aren't dry. 

Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Salad

 Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Salad with Maple Rosemary Vinaigrette 

Cook's Notes: Bring fall flavors to your table with this amazing autumn salad. And you just can't go wrong adding bits of bacon to liven up the salad. Its salty taste pairs well with the sweetness of butternut squash. The homemade Maple Rosemary Vinaigrette is outstanding and enough for 4 salads. Advance prep makes the final assembly easier. Earlier in the day, cook the bacon and make the dressing. Store the dressing in a screw-top jar in the refrigerator. The salad pairs well with a grilled meal.

Recipe serves 4 and was adapted from cookingclassy.com

Salad Ingredients:

• 2-3 cups cubed butternut squash
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1-1/2-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon 
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme 
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 6 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup red onions, thinly sliced (rinse under cold water to remove harsh bite)
• 3 oz herb feta or goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 small bag of mixed greens (blend baby kale and spinach or arugula and spinach blend) 

Vinaigrette Ingredients: 

• 3-4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
• 2-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried, crushed rosemary 

Salad Directions:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone pad. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  
• In a bowl, add olive oil, syrup, and cinnamon. Toss butternut cubes in the mixture and spread evenly on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with thyme. Bake for 20 minutes. Add in walnuts and cranberries; cook 3 minutes more or until cubes are tender.
• Cook bacon, crumble, and set aside. 
• In a salad bowl, add greens, squash cubes, bacon, walnuts, cranberries, and red onion.
• Serve immediately and drizzle with vinaigrette. 

Vinaigrette Directions:

• Add all ingredients to a blender and mix well. Taste test to adjust the ingredients' flavor. 
• Blend again and refrigerate for a few hours; blend one more time right before serving.  

Overnight Everything Bagel Breakfast Casserole

Overnight Everything Bagel Breakfast Casserole

Cook's Notes: Even if you're not hosting overnight guests, this casserole will soon become a family favorite, made with Everything Bagels. Full of delicious flavors, this breakfast casserole makes breakfast a breeze when you assemble it the night before. I used Dave's Killer Everything Bagels.

A word about shredded cheese...

Pre-shredded cheese isn’t dangerous, but it does contain additives that affect how it tastes, melts, and fits into your diet. Every bag of store-bought shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking agents and preservatives that block cheese doesn’t have. 

You can find Everything Bagels in grocery store bakeries. Their flavor and softness work well for this dish.  Since we are a household of 2, I cut the recipe down for baking in an 8 x 8 pan to serve 4 to 6.  See this link below for the full recipe using a 9 x 13 pan: https://inspiredbycharm.com/everything-bagel-overnight-breakfast-casserole/5 

Ingredients: 

• 3 everything bagels
• 1/2 pound fresh pork breakfast sausage, cooked, drained, and cooled (can use diced cooked sausage patties) 
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated from a block of cheese
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped or 3 mini peppers diced
• 2 green onions, chopped plus 1 for garnish
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1-1/4 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste 

Directions: 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the bagels into 1/2 - 1 inch cubes. Place on a sheet. Toast for 15 minutes.
•  Spray the bottom of an 8 x 8 baking dish with cooking spray, then spread the toasted cubes on the bottom of the dish.  
• Spread the cooked sausage over the bagels. Then, sprinkle with the cheese, chopped red bell pepper, and green onions. Use a sheet of wax paper to press the mixture down in the baking dish.  
• In a blender, combine the eggs, half and half, dry mustard, cumin,  salt, and pepper.  Pour this mixture over the bagels, sausage, and cheese. Use the wax paper sheet to press the mixture down into the baking dish. 

• Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Bake covered until set and lightly golden on top: about 45 minutes. (You can remove the foil for the last 10 minutes of baking for a nice golden top. Remove from the oven and allow the casserole to set for about 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with chopped green onions to garnish.