Thyme Pork Chops with Quick Cooked Apples

I'm on a quick meal kick!

I've been rushing home to make a quick dinner so I can go outside and play!  The weather outside is gorgeous right now.  Spring has sprung in Southern California and the evenings are cool and nice.  So what better way to enjoy the extra daylight hours that by going outside and walking.  

I usually take a nice long walk in the park and watch the kids play soccer, dogs chasing balls, and I've even seen some guys practicing fly fishing!  So a quick meal is in order so I can get outside, take in the fresh air, exercise, and discover new sites.

I was inspired to make this meal that I saw in a Clean Eating magazine.  They actually were plugging this dish as a breakfast (southern comfort food) dish, but I spotted pork chops and immediately thought dinner.  Apples and pork go well together, and this version of a semi-steamed apple is just perfect along side some pork chops spiced up with thyme.  Thyme being one of my favorite herbs, I use it quite often.  Fresh thyme is readily available from the store however, in this dish dried thyme works just great. 

The magazine used bone in chops, but use what you have. I used some nice thick boneless pork loin chops, they turned out juicy and tender. For the apples it's best to use a soft apples since it cooks and softens in a short cooking time. Red Delicious apples are a good choice.

This dish can be made in 20 minutes. Love that! More time for me and the great outdoors. It's healthy, tasty, and easy to make. You only need a few ingredient and it satisfies your tummy and your senses. Warm cinnamon anyone? Yum!

Hope you give this a try.  Come back and let me know what you think.

Thyme Pork Chops with Quick Cooked Apples

Adapted from Clean Eating

Serves: 4

Time: 20 minutes

PORK

1/2 t dried thyme

1/2 t onion powder

1/4 t salt

1/4 t black pepper

1 t canola oil

4 boneless pork loin chops

APPLES

2 tsp ground cinnamon

4 tsp raisins, cut in half

2 small Red Delicious apples halved, cored and skin pierced several times

1/4 c chopped unsalted pecan pieces

2 t honey

1/2 t vanilla

In a small bowl, combine thyme, onion powder, salt and pepper.   Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet on medium-high. Season both sides of pork chops with spice mixture and cook in skillet for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until barely pink in center.

Meanwhile, prepare apples: In a small bowl, whisk together 4 tablespoons water and cinnamon and pour into a medium nonstick skillet. Sprinkle raisins evenly over top, then place apples, cut-sides-down, in skillet. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and immediately reduce heat, cover and simmer for 4 minutes or until apples are just tender when pierced with a fork.

Remove only apples from skillet and place, cut-sides-up, on a serving platter. Stir pecans, honey, and vanilla into skillet and spoon mixture over top of each apple half, dividing evenly. Serve with pork chops. 

Balsamic Steak with Garlic Summer Squash

 Need a quick weeknight meal?

One of the things I love to do is buy beef on sale and freeze it for later use.  It saves me money by taking advantage of the sales prices and allows me to treat ourselves to some wonderful beef when we crave that meaty flavor.  Most often we eat chicken, so beef a couple times a month is a great treat.  Especially a steak! Yum! My absolute favorite.

So I had a nice sirloin steak in the freezer.  I love this cut because of it's versatility. I think our favorite way to make it is to cook it whole, with special seasonings or with a sauce, and slicing it across the grain in long strips.  A great cut of beef which is easy to cook.  Perfect for the grill or inside in a skillet.  

This wonderful dish can be made in 30 minutes, which is perfect for a weeknight.  Very few ingredients and the result is bursting with flavor.  The steak is accompanies by an easy balsamic sauce.  Served alongside is a wonderful vegetable.  Summer squash is perfect with this dish.  Simply saute the squash with some garlic to give it a nice kick.  It goes so well with the steak.  A nice crusty bread and you are done...dinner's on!

I found the inspiration for this recipe on Everyday Food.  Martha is a perfect source for quick yet flavorful meals.  She also makes items simple, and easily adaptable to your taste as I have done here.  The original recipe calls for skirt steak and zucchini, and as you can see I substituted what I had on hand and it turned out just fabulous!

Take Martha's word for it...it's a good thing!

Balsamic Steak with Garlic Summer Squash

adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food, September 2012

Total Time: 30 minutes

Serves 4

2 T olive oil, divided

5 cloves garlic, minced

3 medium summer squash, cut into thin half-moons

salt and pepper

1 pound top sirloin steak

3/4 c balsamic vinegar

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add garlic and squash, season with salt and pepper, and saute until zucchini is tender and browned in spots, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.

Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet. Season steak with salt and pepper and cook about 7 minutes per side for medium, or until desired doneness.  Transfer to a plate and loosely tent with foil.

Discard fat from skillet, add vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper. Cook, stirring, until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Slice steak across the grain.  Add any accumulated juices from steak to skillet and stir to combine. Drizzle steak with sauce and serve alongside squash.

Omelettes 101: Mushroom Chive Omelette

Today's post is a tutorial:

How to Make the Perfect Omelette

Recently, I took an omelette class at one of my favorite stores, Williams-Sonoma.  I learned so much about this simple, yet elegant dish that I had to share it with you today.

An omelette takes beaten eggs that are cooked in a shallow pan and may be filled with a variety of flavorful ingredients.  Typically served for breakfast, and omelette can also make a wonderful light lunch or dinner.  

Following are a few steps to make the perfect omelette.

NOTE:  Have all your fillings prepared, and cooked if necessary, before you start.  This is important as making the omelette goes quickly.

1.  Whisk the eggs.  In a large bowl combine 2 eggs, 2 Tablespoons of water, and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Use a whisk to beat the mixture just until well blended.  A flat or french whisk is best for this step as you don't want to beat in too much air.

2.  Melt the butter.  Place a medium or 8" nonstick fry pan over medium-high heat and add 1/2 Tablespoon of butter.  When the butter has melted and the foam begins to subside, tilt the pan to distribute the butter evenly.

3.  Add the egg mixture.  Pour the egg mixture into the pan.

4.  Distribute the eggs evenly.  Let the eggs cook for 30 seconds, then using a silicone spatula push the cooked eggs from the edges to the center.  Tilt the pan so that the uncooked eggs will flow towards the edges and the omelette will cook evenly keeping that even layer.

5.  Add the omelette fillings.  When the eggs have set and are no longer moving when you tilt the pan scatter the filling ingredients over the middle of the omelette.  Note, the omelette should look wet in the middle.  You don't want a dry omelette or it will become tough.

6.  Fold the omelette.  Using the spatula fold the out third of the omelette over the filling.  List the skillet and tilt the pan so the unfolded side slides onto the plate.  As it does this turn the pan and flip the omelette so that it folds over the last third that is already on the plate.  This is a tri fold.  Serve immediately.

 Tender, moist, heavenly....breakfast, lunch, or dinner!

That's it!  They come together so quickly, and when you make them tender there is nothing quite like it.  Now, what to put in it?  Anything goes.  We experimented with herbs such as thyme, tarragon, and chives.  We also used a variety of cheese, cooked pancetta, sauteed mushrooms, and sauteed bell pepper.  

Why not build your own omelette bar?  This would be a great idea for Sunday brunch, or even a dinner party.  

So the next day after class I made my own omelette.  My recipe is below.

Mushroom Chive Omelette

serves 1

1/2 T butter
2 oz. mushrooms, sliced
3 T cream sherry
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 T water
salt & pepper
2 t chives, chopped
1/2 T butter
2 T Parmesan cheese, shredded

In a medium skilled over medium-high heat add the 1/2 tablespoon of butter and allow to melt.  Add the mushrooms and saute stirring occasionally.  Cook 3-4 minutes and add the sherry.  Cook another 1-2 minutes until liquid is almost absorbed.  Remove from skillet and set aside.

Wipe skillet clean and return to heat.  Add butter and allow to melt.  Add eggs to bowl along with water and salt & pepper to taste.  Whisk slightly to combine.  Add chives to the eggs and whisk to combine.  Add eggs to the skillet.  Cook pulling cooked eggs from the edges to the center and tilting skillet to allow uncooked eggs to run to the edges keeping a single layer of eggs.  Continue this process.  As soon as there is no more liquid running place mushrooms and cheese down the center.  Using a spatula lift one side and fold it over the center.  List the skillet off the heat, tilting to slide omelette onto a plate, then flip and fold omelette over the final third that is on the plate.  For a treat put a dollop of creme fresh on top!  Serve.