Fennel & Apple Stuffed Pork Chops

I decided for dinner one night that I was going to make some pork chops but wasn't quite  sure what I was going to do with them. I had some leftover homemade whole wheat pita chips from NYE and decided that I'd make a stuffing. I sauteed the fennel with some apples, garlic and thyme then threw in some Asiago cheese last minute too. I decided that since I was using bread as a stuffing, I didn't want to bread these so I just used some of our leftover champagne to help baste the pork while it was cooking. These were fantastic and there was even enough stuffing after filling the pork chops so that I could use it as a side dish also. 

Fennel & Apple Stuffed Pork Chops

4- 6oz. Center Cut Boneless Pork Chops

1 c. Fennel & Apple Whole Wheat Stuffing
1 c. Champagne (You can also use wine, chicken broth or water)
Garlic Powder
Kosher Salt, to taste
Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste

Trim any fat from your chop then make a pocket by slicing the meat horizontally, but not all of the way through. Stuff each chop with 1/4c. stuffing and place in an oven safe baking dish. Add the champagne (or other liquid) to the bottom of the pan to avoid sticking and to help baste the pork chops while cooking. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bake at 425 degrees for approximately 20-30 minutes or until desired temperature is reached (depends on the thickness or your pork chops). Serves 4. 

Points+=10 pts

Fennel & Apple Whole Wheat Stuffing

4 Small Whole Wheat Pitas

1/2 Fennel, white part only, chopped

2 Cloves Garlic

2 Apples, peeled, cored and small dice (I used Paula Red)

1 tsp. Fresh Thyme

1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 c. Low-Sodium Chicken Broth

1/2 c. Shredded Asiago Cheese

Kosher Salt, to taste

Fresh Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Add the pita to your food processor or chop in fine pieces and add them to a bowl. In a large frying pan, heat oil and add your fennel, apples and thyme. Saute until the fennel and apples start to turn translucent, then add to your pita crumbs. Add in the chicken broth and the cheese and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Add any remaining stuffing to an oven safe dish and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Makes approx. 3 cups. 

Points+=3pts per 1/2 cup serving

Enjoy!

Just linked this recipe to Baking Bad Foodie Friday

Vegetable Pasta Salad with a Pomegranate Balsamic Vinaigrette

I think I might have mentioned it before, but I love to find new vinegars and spices to use in my recipes. Last month, our cheerleading booster club held a vendor event with many at-home party representatives and I happened across a Pampered Chef table. Early on in my marriage, I probably owned most of their collection and had home parties several times. I hadn't seen their products in probably 10 years or so and was surprised to see they had increased their food offerings. They had this Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar that I thought sounded interesting so I ordered a bottle (amongst some other new spices I can't wait to try out!). During this past week between Christmas and New Year, my girlfriend had a luncheon with a small group and our children and I offered to bring a salad. This pasta salad was light and packed with flavor. The vinegar added a touch of sweetness but not overly so and paired nicely with the flavors of the sun dried tomatoes and zucchini. 

Vegetable Pasta Salad with a Pomegranate Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/2 lb. Farfalle Pasta (or your own choice)
1/2 c. Sun Dried Tomatoes, chopped
1 Small Zucchini, washed and quartered into 1/4" slices


Cook pasta according to package directions, rinse with cold water and drain. Add pasta to a bowl. Add the tomatoes, zucchini and dressing. Mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 8 (1/2 cup servings). 




Dressing
1/4 c. Pampered Chef® Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp. Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated
1/2 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
1/4 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper


Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. 


Points+=3 pts


Enjoy!


Linked to: Forkful of Comfort Wednesday Eats Link Party

Coq Au Vin

This is one of those meals when I didn't really know what I was going to make for dinner one night and found yet another package of chicken thighs in my freezer (I think they're all gone now!). I had an open bottle of red wine that I really needed to use up before it went bad also. So as I started to google chicken with red wine, Coq Au Vin kept coming up. I had never made it before but when my Mom was up for Thanksgiving, she mentioned that she was having a dinner party when she went back home to FL and was going to make this. So, to me, it was karma and Coq Au Vin was what I was going to make. I found many different types of recipes, all with their own unique twists, so I just created my own version with what I happened to have on hand and it was superb! I generally only cook with white wine when making a chicken dish (other than using red in marinara sauce for Chicken Cacciatore) and was pleasantly surprised. That, and the fact that the kids were fighting over the last piece told me this one was a keeper!

Coq Au Vin
8 Chicken Thighs, skin removed
3/4 c. All-Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp. Fresh Ground Black Pepper
2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp. Butter
1-10oz. Package Mushrooms, washed and quartered
3 Cloves Garlic, chopped
1/2 Spanish Onion, chopped
1 c. Carrots, sliced (I just sliced some of the baby carrots I happened to have)
2 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped
1/4 c. Brandy
1 c. Chianti (or any other type of dry, red wine)
1 c. Low-Sodium Chicken Broth

Dredge chicken in the flour, then sprinkle with black pepper. Heat about 1 tbsp. oil in a Dutch oven (or large pot), and add the chicken pieces (you will probably need to do this in 2 batches). Brown on both sides over medium heat and remove chicken from pot; set aside.  Add the butter to the Dutch oven and once melted, add in your mushrooms, garlic, onion, carrots and rosemary. Saute until the mushrooms and onions become soft. Deglaze the pan with the brandy and the wine, scraping up the bits from the bottom. Then add the chicken broth and chicken thighs. Bring to a boil, cover then reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serves 4-6.

Points+=7pts. per chicken thigh (It may be a little less as this includes all of the sauce it makes)


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Enjoy!

Linked the recipe to Lady Behind the Curtain  Cast Party Wednesday and Newlyweds Blog Linky