Category — Saturday Sides

Have you ever had a day where you just work and work and work and then it’s the end of the day and you look up and say “Whew!  I did so much today!” and then you see the pile of stuff you didn’t do and you say “Crap, what did I do today?”  Yeah.  Me too.

Today was like that here.  I recently started helping hubby with his booming freelance writing business and no matter how fast or hard I worked today, I could barely make a dent in the pile.

Then, I finally looked up and thought “Right!  Gotta make dinner.”

Except, I fah-got!  I laid out pork chops this morning.  And I don’t like pork chops.  Oh Maaan.  Can you say DARN THE LUCK?!  I worked all day and now I get to make pork chops.  Wheee.

Now, it’s normal that about once a week I make something for dinner that I really don’t care for.  But, let me tell you, I’ve had a really giving week this week when it comes to making things I don’t like.

Case in point.  Yesterday, I made tater-tot casserole, one of my all time least favorites (don’t even ask me for the recipe, because I’m not sharing it, it’s gross).  Unfortunately, it is one of hubby’s all time favorite dinners.  If it weren’t for the fact that he loved it, the words tater-tot and casserole would never again cross my lips in the same sentence.

Oh yeah, and at the beginning of the week - I made (and ate) hot dogs.  Yeah.  Hot dogs, people!  So, now do you see why I wasn’t happy about those darn pork chops tonight?

But, I had to cook them. It was time to start dinner, not time to figure out dinner.  And, then.  I quickly realized, I didn’t have half the stuff I needed to make the damn pork chops.  This was not going well.  I actually started to get a little cranky.  Not that I would usually dream of being cranky after working all day, realizing I had to make and eat pork chops for dinner, and then realizing I didn’t have any garlic OR sweet potatoes in the house.  But this time, I did seem slightly, you know, maybe just a little agitated, if you will.  I actually started thinking about reservations.

But, reservations were not on the menu, and certainly not in line with my pocket book.  So, I angrily threw what I had together and tossed it in the oven.  Then, I drove to pick up my teenager who complained the whole way home about how unfair her science teacher is for making her do her homework.  I listened, smiled, nodded, and silently thanked my lucky stars I wasn’t in high school any longer, because making and eating pork chops is bad, but high school is way worse.

Perhaps my sympathetic attitude turned the tide because when I got home my luck changed.  I pulled those pork chops out of the oven and they looked really, really good.  And they smelled divine!

And I ate them.  And they were excellent.  And now, I’m going to share the bad day pork chops with you.

Part of the reason hubby and I don’t care for pork chops much is because the of texture of the meat.  It’s a tad unforgiving.  If you don’t cook it just right it’s either dry or it’s rubber.  Neither dry nor rubber textures are something we care for.  These pork chops were soft and tender.  Juicy and flavorful.  They rocked out loud.

I baked these in a 325F degree oven for about 1 1/2 hours, but you could certainly cook them at 300F for 2 hours, or 350F for 1 hour.  It’s up to you.  Slower is better.  Slower is goooood.

Well, here you go.  Thankfully, I’ve gotten into the habit of taking a few pictures as I start a new recipe - you just never know when you’re going to get lucky.  While I was making these pork chops I also took a few that had nothing to do with pork chops.  Like this one of my Aspie girl, Lilly, lining up her lite brite pieces by color instead of doing her homework (FYI - Lilly - and a lot of people with Asperger’s Syndrome - often display OCD traits.)  Lilly didn’t eat any pork chops or apples.  As a matter of fact, she pretty much just screamed through dinner about how mean we were that we put that food on her plate.  Hey, I said the day got better.  Not perfect.

Bad Day Pork Chops and Roasted Apples

1 pound of pork chops about 1/2 inch thick (we like boneless loin, but any should work fine)
3/4 Cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
4-5 apples (I used a combination of Granny Smith, Washington Reds, and Gala)
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. sugar

Preheat oven to 325F (or see notes above for different cook times/temps).

Rinse pork chops and pat dry.

Mix the bread crumbs and kosher salt in a dish just large enough for one pork chop to fit inside.

Dip each pork chop into the bread crumbs, then into the egg, and back into the crumbs a second time.

Lightly brown the pork chops in vegetable oil, using a heavy, oven-proof pan - like this 12″ Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet.

Meanwhile, peel and core each apple.  If you don’t have a nifty apple corer and peeler and you and/or your children like apples it is well worth the investment.  I use mine constantly.  It makes peeling and slicing apples fun and easy.  It’s safe enough for my girls to use it - and they love to do so.  It’s perfect for a recipe like this one, too.  It allows you to have evenly sliced apples - so that they cook evenly.

Place the apple pieces in a medium bowl.  Add water, vanilla and sugar and toss.

When the pork chops are browned, remove from heat and pour the apple mixture over the top.  Place the entire pan inside the preheated oven.

Bake 1 1/2 hours, or follow directions above for different cooking times.  Carefully remove from skillet and serve with apples over the pork chops.

[Saturday Sides is a weekly feature I run to help you combat the side dish blahs. Check here Saturdays to see what’s new and different you can add to your dinner table. Or, you can subscribe here so that you never miss a Saturday Sides Recipe.]

I know, you read the title and thought “Great.  Creamed corn.  Been there, done that. I thought this was supposed to be new and updated veggies for us to try?  That Angie Pangie, she totally copped out this week.”

Now, I’m not saying that I haven’t sometimes, you know, flaked out (Let’s not talk about how long it’s been since you’ve seen a Saturday Side, shall we?), but readers.  Please listen.  I know it’s not a new recipe, but this recipe is for fresh creamed corn.  Which I promise is good!  It’s actually better than good.  It’s kind of unbelievable!  Promise me you’ll give it a try?  Just go old school this one time and see what you think.  Besides, I changed it up a little with some cream cheese.

Corn is something I don’t really eat.  I don’t particularly care for corn on the cob, which I realize is not normal, but unless it’s done extra different, I just think it’s a hassle to eat and tasteless.  The stuff from the freezer section and the cans . . . well, we all know how I feel about canned veggies, right?

But then some of the ladies over at Menus for Moms started talking about creamed corn the way their Grandmothers made it.  And when people start talking about their Grandmother’s recipes, I start listening.  My own Grandma was a huge influence on my early cooking career, and I know our ancestors hold the recipe secrets we all crave - for good old fashioned natural foods.

So, I made this creamed corn a few times.  Well, before you know it I had a winner on my hands.  I added this, subtracted that, and then my family gobbled it up.  I even liked it.  That’s how I knew it was ready for you guys to try.

Let me know what you think, o.k.?  Tout de suite!  On a side note - I used to have a professor who said “Tout de suite.  RIGHT NOW ANGELA!”  Of course back then I had two speeds - I’ll get there eventually and slow so I don’t know what he was yelling about.  Oh, and don’t call me Angela, o.k.?

Old Fashioned Creamed Corn

6 ears of fresh sweet corn
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup water
1-2 tsp. sugar
1/2 cup half and half (or milk)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2-3 tablespoons cream cheese

Husk the corn, remove the silks and wash them well.

Holding the corn from the stalk end, place the tip of the corn in a bowl and use a very sharp knife to cut the kernals off the husk by cutting downwards.  Do not worry about cutting into the kernals, since this is creamed corn you want little bits and pieces.

After you have removed the large bulk of the corn from the husk, use your knife to scrape the remaining part of the kernal into the bowl.  This can be messy, but I just place my bowl inside my kitchen sink and work there.  When I’m all done I just remove the bowl and rinse out the sink.

In a heavy skillet add corn, butter, water and sugar.  Mix well over medium heat until it is lightly boiling.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix half and half (or milk) with cornstarch until smooth.

Add cornstarch, salt and pepper to the corn and continue cooking until thick and bubbly.  Add 2-3 tablespoons of cream cheese and mix to melt.

Remove from heat and serve.

I grabbed a little sack of these itty bitty potatoes at the store the other day. They were so cute and I couldn’t wait to take them home and use them right up. I wasn’t really sure what in the world I was going to use them for, but I knew I would figure something out. I mean, when a bag of potatoes says “Buy Me!” who am I to ignore the voice of spuds?

I came home and decided on a nifty little recipe from Kraft Kitchens called Potato Smashers. By the way, do you subscribe to their free magazine? It’s truly loaded with a lot of good and family friendly recipes. I do have to comb out some junk and convenience items, but I still come away with several great ideas from each issue.

Potato Smashers are small potatoes boiled, smashed flat, and sauteed. They turn out like a cross between a twice baked potato and a potato pancake. And good golly gosh they’re good.

So, I’ve been forcing my oldest daughter, Katie, to work in the kitchen with me. She just doesn’t have any interest in cooking - except an occasional cake, cobbler, or pie - otherwise it’s just a chore to her. But, she’s 14 1/2 now and can barely boil water. Her sister, Babs, who is 7 has more kitchen savvy. I think that’s just sad and I’ve decided she must learn to cook. Her future family will thank me for it someday.

So, I put Katie to work on these potatoes. Boy was she pissed. She was all like, “Why do I have to cook them twice?” Teens can be so lazy. Oh, what’s that? You don’t have a teen? Well, I’ve been thinking of setting up a loan system . . .

Now don’t get too anxious, thinking you might see a picture of Katie cooking potato smashers, because if I wield a camera anywhere near Katie (or her friends for that matter) they run in terror. What is that about?

But, getting back to the potato smashers, they turned out good! As much grief as I give Katie, she did a wonderful job. And, gosh I love that bratty kid. She’s my sidekick these days, and even if it isn’t hanging out in the kitchen, I suppose that’s o.k., right?

Anyhow, here’s the recipe:

Potato Smashers

Adapted from: Kraft Food & Family Magazine

8 small potatoes, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter
1/4 cup crumbled bacon
2 Tbsp Italian dressing
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Place potatoes in a large pan enough water to cover the potatoes. Boil for 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain well.

On a cutting board, press each potato with the bottom of a small dish to flatten. Potatoes should be about 1/2 inch thick when done.

Heat dressing in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Turn the potatoes over gently - because they will come apart easily - and sprinkle evenly with cheese and bacon. Put the lid on the skillet and cook for about 2 more minutes, or until the cheese is yummified - otherwise known as melted. Serve topped with sour cream, if desired.