broken_gizmo

Oh goodness. Entirely too much food.

I made my world famous pork chops, garlic mashed potatoes, and green beans. utterlyjaded and hanov3r both seem to think things were quite tasty, though, so I consider the evening a success, despite the fact that my garbage disposal is broken and my sink is backed up, and that I attempted to move a burner ... while it was on. (Ow.)

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Cider and Onion Smothered Pork Chops

source:365 All-American Recipes
servings:4
time:120 minutes

meri's comments:
I love this recipe. I stumbled across it while going through my cookbooks one day, and decided to try it, and haven't looked back since. I've cooked this recipe for a number of people, and have shared the recipe with even more people, and everyone has loved it. It does take a while to make, but it is well worth it.

Ingredients:


• 4 pork chops, center cut [1]
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  
• 1 pound onion -- sliced
  
• 2 cups apple cider [2]
  
• 2 tablespoons coarse mustard


Instructions:

1. Trim excess fat from chops. Season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add pork chops and cook until well-browned, about 4 minutes per side. Remove to a plate.
   
2. Reduce heat to medium-low and add onions to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and brown, about 12 minutes.
   
3. Add cider, increase heat to medium-high, and boil until cider is reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Stir in mustard and remaining salt and pepper.
   
4. Return chops with any juices that have accumulated on plate to skillet and push down into onions, covering with onions. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, turning once, until chops are fork-tender, about 1 hour.
   


Notes:

[1] I've found that this recipe doesn't work with boneless pork chops. Your mileage may, of course, vary, but it's my preference.

[2] Make sure you use apple cider, not apple juice. Unfiltered, if you can get it, the fresher the better.

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Mashed Potatoes

source:Cooking for Dummies
servings:4
time:1 hour

meri's comments:
I love mashed potatoes. I always have, ever since I was a little kid. (This is probably a good thing, since much of my childhood was spent in Kansas, the home of the 'meat and potatoes' meal.) Here's a fairly simple recipe.

Ingredients:


• 2 pounds idaho potatoes
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 3 tablespoons butter
  
• 1/2 cup milk
  
• freshly ground pepper -- to taste


Instructions:


1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into quarters.
   
2. Place them in a medium saucepan with cold water to barely cover and 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste.
   
3. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, for about 15 minutes or until you can easily pierce the potatoes with a fork.
   
4. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return them to the saucepan. Shake the potatoes in the pan over low heat for 10 to 15 seconds to evaporate excess moisture, if necessary.
   
5. Remove the pan from the heat. Mash the potatoes a few times with a potato masher, ricer, or fork. (You can use a hand-held mixer to mash them on low speed if you don't have a potato masher, but be careful not to overdo it!) Add the butter, milk, and salt and pepper to taste and mash again until smooth and creamy.


Notes:
- Substitute garlic salt / seasoned pepper for more interesting tastes.

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Green Beans and Shallots

Take green beans. Take shallots. Clean green beans. Mince shallots. Put both in pan. Cook, sans oil or seasons, until green beans are desired tenderness.