Fox and Briar’s Creamy Basil Skillet Pork Chops
Recipe Overview
Pork chops can be finicky. And by finicky, I mean tough and unappetizing. But these, These! The Creamy Basil Skillet Pork Chops from Fox and Briar might be some of the best pork chops I’ve ever made. And they were simple. My favorite. These are a weeknight meal that will feed the whole family. Actually, I’m making them tonight!
Ingredients List
Ingredients:
- 1 pounds thin boneless pork chops
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 large garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 yellow onion finely minced
- 3-4 ounces roasted red peppers thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves plus more for garnish
- 1 cup fresh grated parmesan
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup white wine or chicken stock
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Step 1: Sear the Pork Chops
In a large non stick pan on medium-medium high heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Season pork chops with salt and pepper, then sear, 4-5 minutes on each side, until just cooked. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Step 2: Sauté the Onions
In the same skillet add 1 tablespoons butter. Add onion, garlic, peppers, paprika, red chili pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Sauté for about five minutes, until onions and peppers are softened.
Add wine to deglaze the skillet and bring to a gentle simmer until reduced by half.
NOTE: I left out the peppers for dietary reasons, although I’m sure it’s delicious with them!
Step 3: Add the Cream
Reduce heat to medium low. Add cream to the skillet and stir until a creamy sauce forms. Add Parmesan, stir until melted into sauce. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Stir in basil, simmer until wilted, 1-2 minutes.
Step 4: Add Pork Chops
Add pork chops back to the skillet, allow to warm up if needed. Serve.
Enjoy!
Conclusion
If you’ve ever shied away from pork chops because they inevitably turn into hockey pucks, then let this recipe be your guide. Fox and Briar have given us (me and you!) a weeknight winner. Actually, as I was sitting in my home office working on this, the 9-year-old said “oh…those were good!” And that’s all you need to know!
Minny’s Chocolate Pie
Recipe Overview
Yes, yes and yes!!!! Minny’s Chocolate Pie from Lee Ann Flemming and Food & Wine is super easy and super delicious. It’s the holy grail of baking. I was unusually uncomfortable making this pie, but in the end I had nothing to worry about. It’s a showstopper. My family demanded it again the following week, to which I wholeheartedly obliged!
Ingredients List
Ingredients
- 1 packaged pie dough crust, such as Pillsbury (or you can make your own)
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ¾ cup evaporated milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Whipped cream, optional for serving
Step 1: Make the Crust
You can follow these instructions for a packaged die dough, or if you make your own pie crust follow the instructions for a partially baked crust.
Preheat oven to 350o. Ease the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate and crimp the edges decoratively. Prick the crust lightly with a fork. Line the crust with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Baked for 15 minutes or until set. Remove the foil and weights and bake for about 5 minutes longer, just until the crust is dry but not browned.
Step 2: Make the Filling
Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk the sugar with the cocoa powder, butter, eggs, evaporated milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
NOTE: On my first bake, I did not whisk the dry ingredients together which resulted in a mixture that had specks of cocoa and whatever else that wouldn’t break up. On my second bake, I did whisk and there weren’t any specks. It did not affect the end result though!
Step 3: Prepare the Pie
Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake for about 45 minutes, until the filling is set around the edges but a little jiggly in the center. Cover the crust with strips of foil halfway through baking. Transfer the pie to a rack and let cool completely before cutting into wedges. Serve with whipped cream, if you like.
NOTE: You can refrigerate the pie overnight.
Conclusion
Make it! If you can swing your own crust, do it, otherwise this recipe is the absolute best of all the worlds. Simple and yummy. Two of my favorite things. Which means this will be one of your favorites things after you make it! Enjoy!
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Smoked Turkey
Recipe Overview
If Traeger were my kid, it would be in deep trouble for the complete lack of effort put into this recipe. I mean, I’d grade it a D at best. The written recipe is woefully inadequate, with the video expanding tenfold the steps needed to complete a Traditional Smoked Turkey. Luckily, I figured this out before I turned my Smoked Turkey into a hockey puck. Annoyingly, actually smoking the Turkey correctly yielded a deliciously moist dinner. But the sins of Traeger’s written recipe shall not be forgiven because I’m sure they’ve ruined someone’s Thanksgiving.
Ingredients List
Ingredients:
-
- Turkey – size is up to you. Think 1lb per person.
- For the Brine
- ½ cup salt
- ½ cup sugar (white or brown)
- You may add anything else such as garlic, leeks, apple cider, bay leaves, orange peel, sage, rosemary….the list is endless. Or you can just use salt and sugar, which is what I do.
- For the Turkey Butter
- ½-1 Pound butter
- 6 Cloves garlic, minced
- 8 Sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 Sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 Tbsp cracked black pepper
- 1/2 Tbsp kosher salt
- Olive Oil, plus salt and pepper to taste
- Chicken Stock
Step 1: Brine the Turkey
Boil sugar and salt in 2 cups of water until both dissolve. Transfer brine to a pot big enough to submerge your turkey in water. Do not put the turkey in hot water. Put cold water in the pot and wait until the water is cold if you have to. Submerge turkey in brine for 6-24 hours (think day before) in the refrigerator.
NOTE: I can a lot of jelly – your water bath canner works great for brining your turkey.
Step 2: Prep the Turkey
In a small bowl, combine softened butter with minced garlic, thyme leaves, chopped rosemary, black pepper and kosher salt. Depending on the size of your turkey you may increase or decrease the amounts in this step – more butter makes things taste better.
Prep the turkey by separating the skin from the breast creating a pocket to stuff the butter-herb mixture in. Spread the butter mixture between the breast meat and the skin. If you’re not sure how to do this, watch the video.
Paint the entire turkey with olive oil and salt & pepper. NOTE: there is no basting in this recipe so the salt & pepper will stay in place and you’ll get a mouthful of it with the skin. This made me use less than I would on a baked turkey.
Place the turkey in a roasting pan on a rack with chicken stock and the neck in the bottom of the pan. I used about 2 cups of stock, but this is your preference and dependent on the size of your pan and bird.
Step 3: Prep the Smoker
Set the grill temperature to 300℉ and preheat, lid closed for 15 minutes.
Step 4: Cook the Turkey
Place turkey on the grill and smoke for 3-4 hours. Check the internal temperature, the desired temperature is 175℉ in the thigh next to the bone, and 160℉ in the breast. Turkey will continue to cook once taken off grill to reach a final temperature of 165℉ in the breast.
NOTE: a 17lb turkey took more than 4 hours. While Traeger seems to think that cooking time doesn’t increase with bird size, experience tells me that it does. A 12lb turkey took 3:45. A 17lb turkey took 4:15 but we pulled at 160. A friend’s 20lb turkey was raw at 4 hours and had to go in the oven.
Conclusion
Smoked Turkey is great, just don’t follow Traeger’s instructions. Which is super irritating to be honest. My oven was free all day, allowing me space to make all of my other concoctions. That is significant upside value. The turkey is moist, crispy, and delicious with a delectable smokey flavor that transmits to your gravy too!
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Everything Bagel Cheese Ball
Recipe Overview
First off, it looks just like the picture and it’s adorable!!! Point scored. Second, it was easy to make. Point scored. Third, it’s too much horseradish. Point lost. (Insert sad face here) Delicious Table’s Everything Bagel Cheese Ball, more aptly named the Everything Bagel Pumpkin Cheese Ball, is as festive as appetizers get and will look fantastic on your holiday table. But you’ve got to cut the horseradish to make this a repeat recipe. In real life, there’s just too much tang to make it really appetizing. I’ve incorporated the tweaks below – just keep in mind that you should incorporate as much horseradish as you prefer.
Ingredients List
Equipment Needed:
- 4 – 24” lengths of String (butcher, twine, whatever you have laying around that is a bit thicker)
- 1 Stem – can be from a small sugar pumpkin, butternut squash, zucchini, or any other stemmed vegetable. You can substitute celery if you can’t get a stem.
Ingredients:
- 8oz Cream Cheese (1 package) softened, room temperature
- 4 tbsp Everything Bagel Seasoning divided 2 tbsp & 2 tbsp
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tsp prepared horseradish – you may omit this. 2 tsp made this inedible for my family (and my husband loves horseradish) so adjust for your family. We’d leave it out entirely next time.
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup Sharp Cheddar shredded
- 2 tbsp fresh chives or green onions
- 1 bag pita chips, crackers, or vehicle of your choice
Step 1: Prepare Your Pumpkin Stem
I used a butternut squash stem that popped off quite easily. Delicious Table suggests cutting the top off of your squash and then using a knife to cut the extra pumpkin from around the stem. She says not to try to pull it off because it will usually break, so use your judgment here.
Step 2: Make the Cheese Ball
In a medium bowl, mix softened cream cheese, 2 tbsp Everything Bagel Seasoning, sour cream, horseradish (if using), Worcestershire sauce, cheddar cheese, and fresh chives. Using a rubber spatula, mix and form a round ball in the bowl.
NOTE: this was a shoulder and forearm workout! I’d use a mixer with the paddle attachment next time. Just be judicious and don’t beat it into oblivion.
Step 3: Wrap the Cheese Ball
Place a large sheet of plastic wrap on the counter and set the cheese ball in the center. Wrap the cheese ball tightly with the plastic wrap. I twisted the top to secure and that worked just fine.
Step 4: Form the Pumpkin
Lay the 4 pieces of string in a star pattern on the counter. Place the wrapped cheese ball in the center. Tie each string tightly enough to create impressions in the cheese ball. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Step 5: Finish the Pumpkin
Get ready to sprinkle your pumpkin with Everything Bagel Seasoning. Cut the strings and discard. I unwrapped the top while holding the cheese ball and sprinkled seasoning around the edges and top. It’s super sticky, so don’t set it down until you’re absolutely ready. Seasoning is gonna kinda go everywhere so you might consider placing a cookie sheet under the pumpkin while you’re sprinkling to catch wayward bits. Once you have enough seasoning on the sides, place your cheese ball where you want it – it’s not easily moved so place with intention. Place your stem and enjoy what you’ve created!
Conclusion
This Everything Bagel Cheese Ball is a delight to the eyes and festive to the core! With a little bit of adjustment on the horseradish level, this is a winner every time. Cute, easy, and tasty. It doesn’t get any better than this! In real life, this recipe works!
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Pumpkin Deviled Eggs
Recipe Overview
Ummmmm, put these in the fail category. Good idea, but it didn’t work out at all! Which I was super bummed about, because they looked so cute on Kathryn’s recipe card. I’ve made approximately a million deviled eggs in my life and thought I’d pretty them up using this recipe. It was too wet and I couldn’t get them to look like pumpkins at all. I’ll stick with my dijon mustard next time! In real life, these just didn’t make the cut.
Ingredients List
- 6 hard boiled eggs
- 2 tsp yellow mustard
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chives (chopped)
- Paprika or red cayenne pepper (optional)
Step 1: Prep the Eggs
Peel the hard boiled eggs and slice lengthwise. Separate the yolks from the whites.
Step 2: Make the Filling
Mix yolks, mustard, mayonnaise, salt and pepper together in a bowl.
NOTE: We all prefer dijon over yellow mustard. Use your preference. If you want to try to make these into pumpkins, I’d leave the mayonnaise out until the end and add a little at a time until you get a consistency that will allow you to impress the lines.
Step 3: Scoop and Roll it Until it is Round
Scoop about 2 tsps of the mixture into a spoon and roll it until it is round. Place in an egg white and press the yolk mixture down with your fingers to fill the egg white.
NOTE: I didn’t get mine to do this. It was way too wet.
Step 4: Make 3 to 4 Indents
Using the back of a knife, make 3-4 indents in the yolk mixture to resemble pumpkin sections. Top with a ¼-½ inch chive. Sprinkle with paprika or cayenne if you prefer.
Conclusion
This recipe had lots of 5-Star reviews, which is why I tried it. Honestly, I can’t see how. Skip this one and use your tried and true deviled egg recipe. I’ll keep looking for one that tastes good and gives us all the cuteness of Fall.
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Awesome and Easy Creamy Corn Casserole
Recipe Overview
Descriptive names that actually describe the product and result?! A seemingly unheard of accomplishment in the land of internet recipes has finally been tackled. LETSGGGO’s Awesome and Easy Creamy Corn Casserole is both Awesome and Easy! It’s soooo simple and just this morning my husband was reminding me how good it was. Seriously, put the kids in charge of making this holiday side dish and free yourself up for the more complicated tasks.
Ingredients List
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 (8.5oz) package dry corn bread mix (I used Jiffy)
- 1 (15oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
- 1 (14.75oz) can creamed corn
- 1 cup sour cream
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350oF. Lightly grease a 9×9 baking dish.
Step 2
In a medium bowl, mix melted butter, eggs, corn bread mix, whole corn, creamed corn, and sour cream. Spoon mixture into prepared dish.
Step 3
Bake until the top is golden brown.
NOTE: The original recipe called for 45 minutes. Granted I used a round dish, but it is pretty similar in size to a 9×9. At 45 minutes the top wasn’t golden brown and the insides were still liquid. I had to bake for an additional 25 minutes before mine was cooked through for a total baking time of 70 minutes. Take a look at the video for a good indication of the coloring to indicate it has cooked through.
Conclusion
With a slight adjustment for cooking time, this Awesome and Easy Creamy Corn Casserole gives you all the things you want in a side dish. Ease. Little prep. And ultimately, deliciousness that everyone will eat. Put this in your rotation for Summer, Fall, and Winter.
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Favorite Green Salad with Apples, Cranberries, and Pepitas
Recipe Overview
This delightful harvest salad will stand out perfectly on your Thanksgiving table. Nestled amongst a sea of carbs, this Favorite Green Salad with Apples, Cranberries, and Pepitas from Cookie and Kate breathes a breath of fresh air and lightness into your Thanksgiving palate. It is the kind of recipe I love: quick, easy, low clean-up, and delicious. It’s a win all-around!
Ingredients List
Green Salad
- 5 cups of your favorite salad
- 1 large or 2 small Granny Smith apples
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
- ⅓ cup chilled goat cheese, crumbled
Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tbsps apple cider vinegar
- 1 ½ tsp honey
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Step 1: Toast the pepitas
In a medium-sized Skillet, toast the pepitas over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they turn golden on the edges and make little popping noises. Transfer the pepitas to a small bowl to cool.
Step 2: Make the dressing
Make the dressing: In a cup or jar (I like to use a measuring cup for easy pouring later), wisk the olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, and salt until well blended. Season to taste with pepper.
Step 3: Chop up the apple
Just before serving, chop the apple into thin, bite-sized pieces (smaller than I did in the video). Place your greens in a large serving bowl. Top with sliced apple, dried cranberries, and toasted pepitas. Use a fork to crumble the goat cheese over the salad.
Step 4: Drizzle the dressing on
Drizzle the salad with just enough dressing to lightly coat the leaves once tossed ( you probably won’t need all of it). Gently toss to mix all of the ingredients and serve!
Conclusion
My family ate this salad for two days after I made it for the Holiday Review. The next Sunday when family came over, I made it again and it was a giant hit. Everyone raved on and on about how good it was, because it is! This recipe works in real life!
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