White Chocolate Silk Pie

Years ago, Hubby and I loved to go for pie at Baker’s Square. I don’t know if the chain is still in existence, but I do know the one here closed its doors years ago. That’s too bad, because their French Silk Pie was awesome. Since then, I’ve taken to making French Silk at home, and that’s fine. Puttering in the kitchen is my thing. I have two go-to recipes for French Silk Pie. One is super easy, the other more complicated. It all depends upon my mood and time as to which recipe I will reach for. Both recipes are shares for another day.

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow. Just in case you haven’t finalized your dessert plans, might I suggest this yummy White Chocolate delight? I will admit it, I am a fan of all things white-chocolate. I know, it’s not really chocolate, but who cares? This pie just looks romantic with white chocolate shavings and sweet raspberries.

White Chocolate Silk Pie
Pecan Crust
1 Package Pepperidge Farm Milano Dark Chocolate Cookies
1/2 cup Pecans, finely chopped
3 tablespoons Butter, melted

White Chocolate Filling
2 bars (4 oz each) White Chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 3/4 cup Whole Milk
1 package (3.4 oz) Instant Vanilla Pudding

Topping
2 Cups Cool-Whip
1/2 pint Fresh Raspberries
1 tablespoons White Chocolate Shavings

Place 7 cookies into a resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag and crush the cookies with a rolling pin. Pour the crushed cookies into a medium bowl. Stir in the pecans and butter. Press the mixture into the bottom and 1/4-inch up the side of a 9-inch pie plate. Cut the remaining cookies in half. Place the cookie halves, cut-side down, around the inside edge of the pie plate. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Heat the chopped white chocolate bars and 1/4 cup milk in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature.

Combine the instant pudding mix and remaining milk in a large bowl and stir according to the package directions.

Stir the cooled chocolate mixture into the pudding mixture. Fold in 1 cup of the whipped topping. Spoon the filling into the cookie crust and refrigerate for 3 hours or until the filling is fully set.

Top with remaining cup of Cool Whip. Garnish with raspberries and shaved chocolate.

Sloppy Barbecue Baked Pork Chops

As you can see by the photo, the finished chops were absolutely “swimming” in barbecue sauce – not necessarily in a good way. With the chops covered and baking in the oven; the juices from the meat and the condensation from the foil covering thinned the barbecue sauce. The sauce had more of a consistency of thin gravy rather than a nice, thick barbecue sauce. Everything had great flavor, was nice and tender BUT needed a thicker coating of barbecue on the finished chops. We added more sauce at the very end, after cutting the chops into bite-size pieces and this solved the problem nicely. You can elect to brush the chops at the end, or serve more barbecue sauce for “dipping” – whatever your particular preference might be.

These chops went well with fried potatoes. The great thing about searing the pork chops first is that there are little bits of nicely browned pork rendering in the skillet – so I fried my potatoes in the same skillet (less washing), which added yet another layer of flavor to the spuds.

Barbecue Baked Pork Chops
6 boneless Pork Loin Chops (¾-inch thick)
½ teaspoon salt, divided
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 cup Barbecue Sauce (preferably home-made but bottled is fine)
Additional Barbecue Sauce, warmed, to finish pork chops

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Sprinkle pork chops with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. In a large non-stick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chops in oil for 3-4 minutes on each side or until browned.

Spray a casserole dish or baking dish large enough to hold pork chops in a single layer with cooking spray. Transfer browned pork chops to prepared dish.

In a small saucepan, bring barbecue sauce to a nice rolling boil. Pour sauce over pork chops. Cover with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.

Remove from oven, transfer to serving platter. Brush with additional barbecue sauce that has been warmed for a thicker coating of sauce or serve additional barbecue sauce on the side like a “dipping” sauce once your chops are cut.

Beefy Spanish Skillet Nachos

Not that long ago, I was cruising through a collection of Pillsbury recipes on line. For the most part, Pillsbury recipes are basic, not too complicated, with ingredients that are easy to recognize. My guys really enjoy simple, down home eating. I came across a recipe for Skillet Nachos. It was an interesting spin on the usual nachos. As a Pillsbury recipe, it called for “brand” ingredients, a certain kind of canned tomato, a particular taco seasoning and so forth. While I am sure those are all fine ingredients, it’s not what I happen to have in my pantry. If I can avoid shopping for special, brand-name ingredients, I do so.

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Spicy Romance with a Mexican Influence

This was one of those wow – the light came on moments. Someone on Facebook posted a recipe for Margaritas made with Pink Lemonade for Valentine’s Day. Then it dawned on me, I could build an entire romantic Valentine’s Day Supper, from an appetizer to a beautiful dessert around the idea of Pink Margaritas.

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Asparagi all’agro

Those of you who have been around a while might recognize this recipe for Asparagus with Lemon and Olive Oil. It’s a recipe I’ve shared before, as part of last year’s  Bistro Style Birthday Menu. Italian foods are my all time favorites, although French foods are a very close second.

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Busy Day Pork Chops

The name says it all – perfect for a busy-day. Not only are these pork chops yummy, the prep work is minimal and they don’t require much attention, aside from a quick flip about 15 minutes into the baking time. I’d even be willing to bet you’ve got all the ingredients in your kitchen right now.

I found this recipe on Taste of Home while searching for diabetic friendly main dishes. When I told the family we were going to try a pork chop recipe that was healthy and diabetic friendly, they didn’t look happy. But those looks of skepticism turned into smiles with the very first bite.  It’s now a popular recipe in our house simply because these chops taste good. The fact that they are diabetic friendly is just a nice bonus.

Busy-Day Pork Chops
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 boneless pork loin chops (4 ounces each)
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a baking pan lightly with cooking spray, set aside.

Pour milk into a pie plate or a shallow bowl, set aside.

On a sheet of waxed paper, combine the cheese, bread crumbs, salt, garlic powder and pepper.

Dip pork chops in milk, then coat with crumb mixture.

Place pork chops on baking pan; spritz chops with cooking spray. Bake for about 30 minutes, turning mid-way through.

Enjoy!

A leafy salad and Sautéed Summer Squash make one yummy plate. Enjoy!

Jasmine Vegetable Rice Pilaf

I am a fan of rice. While Hubby likes white rice with Asian foods, I prefer my rice packed with flavor enhancements. Growing up, Mom had to have her rice. After all, she was Filipino and rice is a staple in Filipino households. Dad hails from Oklahoma, with a heavy Okie-Southern influence. If it isn’t fried, than at least it’s swimming in gravy.

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Roasted Cornish Hens with Fennel and Rosemary in an Orange Sauce

Was it the beautiful, golden roasted Cornish Game Hens or the thought of a succulent orange sauce that drew you in? I’d be willing to bet you saw Fennel in the title and cringed, willing to give this recipe the once over, all the while thinking “maybe there’s a way around the Fennel.”

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Sweetly Sassy Caramelized Apple-Onion Pork Chops

Pork – the other white meat. We sure do love our pork – especially chops and roasts. I’m always on the lookout for new ways to serve up pork chops. Some of my favorite recipes have got to be Pork Chops with Country Gravy or moist Italian Breaded Pork Chops. As a kid, it seemed we had our pork chops one of two ways – either barbecued or Filipino-Adobo Style. Now that I’ve been puttering about in the kitchen more years than I care to admit, I adore pork chops just about any way you can think of – from the smokey pleasures of the American-Grilled to the exotic flavors of the Orient.

These yummy, sweet yet sassy center cut chops are no exception. The sweetness of the apple and the sassy bite of the onion make a winning combination. Couple this with the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and everything melds so beautifully. Given the sweet, fruity flavor of the chops, this dish is best served with an equally flavorful side dish such as rice pilaf. A green vegetable such as Buttery Garlic-Herb Broccoli or Haricots verts à l’étouffée (Stewed Green Beans) will round out the plate beautifully.

All I can say is get ready for some impressively good eats!

Caramelized Apple-Onion Pork Chops
6 center cut pork chops, 3/4″ thick
4 Honeycrisp apples
1/2 white onion
4 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon. ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon. ground nutmeg
1/4 cup butter
Sea Salt to taste
Fresh ground black Pepper to taste
Olive oil

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel, core and slice apples into wedges. Set aside.

Peel onion. Cut in half. From half the onion cut slivers about 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide. Toss with apples and set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.

Lightly rub pork chops with olive oil and then generously season both sides with salt and pepper. Place pork chops in the hot pan and get a nice sear on both sides, about 3 or 4 minutes per side. While chops are browning, in a small bowl combine brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside until ready to use.

Place seared pork chops in a 13″×9″ baking dish. Set aside. To the now empty skillet, melt butter. Once the butter begins to foam, add brown sugar mixture. Stir constantly until brown sugar melts into the butter. Add apple and onion mixture. Heat over medium heat. Spoon brown sugar sauce over apples and continue to cook, stirring every few minutes, until apples and onions have softened.

Pour apple mixture with brown sugar over pork chops. Spread evenly until all the chops are covered. Cover baking dish tightly with foil. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, remove foil and continue to bake for about 10 minutes longer or until pork is tender and cooked through.

To serve, place pork chops on individual plates.  Top with some of the apples and onions, then drizzle sauce over everything.

Serve with Rice Pilaf and green beans for a wonderful supper.

 

Herb Rubbed Italian Pork Roast Bursting with Flavor

This recipe was inspired by Italy’s popular Porchetta; a savory pork roast originating in central Italy. Unlike the “authentic” Porchetta, the fatty pork roast has been replaced by a leaner cut, the tenderloin. While this rendition will not develop the same brown crust of the fatty pork butt traditionally used throughout Italy, the leaner tenderloin is still well-spiced and delicious.

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An Italian Supper of Romance

Back in January, I shared with you a wonderful menu for Valentine’s Day that was all about the romance of surf and turf. What is it about a beefy steak and a sweet, succulent lobster tail that just naturally belong together? If your budget is like mine these days, why spend a small fortune to have someone cook something that you can do at home, for a lot less money and a lot more personal style. (And by style I mean you can come to the table in your PJs if you are so incline).

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Early Morning Reflection

One year ago today, on February 8, 2018 I brought together three of my favorite pastimes, cooking, photography and writing in one modest blog. With the launching of Rosemarie’s Kitchen, I dared to invite strangers to pull up a chair, help themselves to a cup of coffee and chat a while as we cooked together. Food was always the number one subject, but not the only one. There were memories, and rants and thoughts that floated out across the pages. Many of you have been here from the beginning, others joined in later as the adventure continued. It’s been one heck of a year.

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Spicy Firehouse Sloppy Joes

The Monday after the Super Bowl, Kiddo was surprised to learn that I planned to actually cook a dinner. He though there was so much Super Bowl Munchies in the refrigerator, we would not be cooking for at least a week. Really?

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All-American Beef Stew in Sourdough Bowls

Hubby has been in the mood for old-fashioned, simple comfort foods lately. While he says he loves just about everything that comes out of my kitchen, he was longing for a few childhood memories of his own. So tonight we are having a very straight-forward, basic All-American Beef Stew. Meat, potatoes, carrots and peas with a handful of pearl onions all cooked up in a rich beef broth. Okay – I did sneak in a splash of red wine simply because I could not resist.

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Super Easy Lemon Chicken Primavera

This rendition of Campbell’s Lemon Chicken Primavera is over 20-years old. The current recipe from Campbell’s uses garlic powder instead of minced garlic, and their Cream of Mushroom Soup rather than Chicken Gravy. The one thing I did like about the more modern take is that the breasts are served whole rather than cut into strips. Also, the older recipe has the Primavera served over a bed of Spaghetti Pasta. That’s fine, but if you leave the breast whole, you could serve with a creamy Risotto instead. This is a combination of the things I like in both recipes. If you have people who will refuse to eat anything that includes cauliflower, use a bag of the Green Giant’s Broccoli Steamers and add some carrots to the mix. The vegetable combination is really just a matter of convenience and personal preferences.

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