Pork Chops, Take 2!

Remember this recipe? We were happy with it, but wanted to try a few tweaks the second time we made it.

 Ingredients (for 4):

2 Golden Delicious apple, diced
1 Granny Smith Apple, diced
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 1/2 oz. golden raisins
1/2" piece ginger root, smashed (removed from sauce before serving)
1 1/2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 c. apple cider, plus a splash
1/4 tsp cinnamon
a pinch of nutmeg
a drizzle of olive oil
4 pork chops, seasoned on both sides with salt and pepper
1 tbsp butter

I've bolded the ingredient changes. The basic process was the same, but with those minor changes, we really thought that it came out even better. It was a little less sweet and had a bit more kick and tang thanks to the additional lemon and granny smith apple. We also chopped the apples a little smaller this time, since we wanted it a little less chunky, but it doesn't affect the flavor, so use a size that you like. This did make enough for 4 chops, not two.

Nikolas's Chai

 
For Christmas, my little brother had made me some chai tea mix. I love Chai tea, and buying a brewed cup at a coffee shop will run me around 4 bucks. A nice treat? Yes. Affordable? No.


I brew Nikolas's blend on days where I want a treat, but don't want to go out and pick up a cup. Plus, the flavor is actually better than the stuff you can get at a coffee shop. It takes some time to brew, so at our house it's made on a lazy Sunday morning or another day when we don't have to be anywhere.

Ingredients (for the chai mix):

3 oranges
1/2 c cardamom pods
12 cinnamon sticks, crushed
2 tbsp whole cloves
2 tbsp black peppercorns
2 tbsp allspice berries
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1/4 c. whole star anise

To make the tea mix, you'll need to dry the oranges. Line a baking sheet with parchment, and then place 1/8" slices of oranges on the sheet. Place the sheet in a 200 degree oven for 2-3 hours. Once dried and cool, combine with the rest of the spices. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months. This makes enough for 36 2-cup servings.

Ingredients (for the cup of chai):

1 1/4 c. milk, I used vanilla Almond Milk
2 tbsp chai mix (above)
3/4 c. water
1 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tbsp loose black tea

To brew a cup, add the milk, chai mix, water, and honey in a pot. Simmer for 25 minutes. Add loose black tea and brew for 5 minutes. Strain and serve. This makes 2 cups.

This recipe is based on this recipe.

Kitchen Gear - The Basics

I love cooking, but to cook you need stuff. Not a ton of stuff, but the right stuff. We've accumulated many kitchen items over the years since we left our parent's homes, but we are looking to add more things now that we are creating a home together. For any of you looking to buy new kitchen "gear," I recommend getting Alton Brown's Gear For Your Kitchen.

Source

 The book is divided into 6 chapters:

Pots and Pans
Sharp Things (Knives)
Small Things with Plugs (Small Appliances)
Kitchen Tools Unplugged (Gadgets and other tools)
Containment and Storage
Safety and Sanitation

In each he goes into specifics on what to look for in the product he's discussing and explains the differences in each. He makes his recommendations, or explains what he uses, but gives enough information to make an educated choice even if you go a different direction (everyone has a different cooking style). For example, he tells the reader the list of pots and pans that he keeps in his kitchen, but goes into enough detail about all the types of pots and pans that if you prefer something else, you are at least an educated consumer making the choice. I like his writing style as he makes something that could be a dull read pretty entertaining.

The introduction and last chapter are pretty informative. The introduction asks you to do a kitchen clean out, over the course of 60 days, to whittle down what you really use (and eliminate unitaskers not used frequently) and make room in your kitchen for the things you need, making it more efficient and pleasant to cook in.

The last chapter on safety and sanitation was an eye opener. While we all know what we should do, it's easy to take short-cuts (using the dish sponge to wipe off a counter top?). It made me more aware and was a good reminder on the subject.


Obviously, there are things he mentions that we have no need for based on our cooking style. But for those things that we were looking to purchase, it was a good overview of the qualities to look for. I also love that he included Bob Vila, MacGyver, and astronauts in the introduction alone. Now if that hasn't gotten you interested...

Devilishly Good Eggs

I love Alton Brown. I learn a lot of cooking basics by watching his show. We love deviled eggs and once we tried his recipe, there was no turning back. It is the best recipe for deviled eggs I've tried, and so good, I don't think I will be trying anymore.

I usually mess with recipes, but the only thing we have ever changed was adding paprika to the top instead of pink pepper. It's delicious.

Ingredients:

6 hard boiled eggs, cooled and peeled
1 teaspoon whole pink peppercorns, divided
1/2 teaspoon whole white peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon whole green peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon caper liquid
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch sugar

Slice the eggs in half from top to bottom. Scoop the yolks into a medium mixing bowl and lay the whites aside.

Place all of the peppercorns, except 1/2 teaspoon of the pink peppercorns, into a spice grinder and process until ground well. Add the ground peppers, caper liquid, mayonnaise, mustard, salt and sugar to the egg yolks and using a fork, stir to thoroughly combine.

Place the mixture into a zip-top plastic bag and cut a small hole at one of the corners. Pipe the mixture into each of the white halves.Coarsely grind the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of pink peppercorns and use to garnish the top of each egg.

Another tip I learned from Alton is to lay your eggs on their side for a day or so before boiling them. It centers the yolk, so whenever you are filling them, the hole is centered and more stable. 

The Duchess's Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

When I saw rhubarb in the store the other day, I knew I had to get some. I had wanted to try strawberry-rhubarb pie ever since I heard how delicious it was and thought that it would be the perfect Easter dessert. A friend had gushed about her mother's recipe before, so I asked her for it. So, here it is, the Duchess's Strawberry Rhubarb Pie:

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
2 cups chopped rhubarb
2 cups sliced strawberries
2 tbsp butter
2 Pie Crust

 

 It's a pretty easy recipe. Simply mix all the ingredients (minus the crust, of course) into a bowl. Place one pie crust into the bottom of a pie pan, add the mixture, and cover with another crust. Sprinkle the top with sugar if desired and then bake for 40-50 in a 425 degree oven.

I ended up with a bit of a short crust, so next time I'll have to roll it out a little larger. I also ended up cooking it for 40 minutes since I baked it in our toaster oven, which tends to cook things a bit faster than the conventional oven.