When you’ve spent your whole summer on a loose and open schedule like ours, it can be hard to get back into the groove of things when the school year comes along. We definitely felt this more this year than ever. Summer was long and blissful. I smile whenever I think of the long bike rides, days at the beach and evenings reading on the sun porch. Even with the start of school being delayed by a week (thank you, Irene), we just weren’t ready for the order and strict scheduling that comes with school starting.

And boy, did it start. This year, our schedule is more hectic than ever between the kids’ activities, my work and juggling a confusing schedule of school pick-ups. With Will in the first grade this year, there is also a constant stream of homework and studying (he averages 2-3 tests and quizzes per week). Even Paige, who is still in preschool, has had homework this year, thanks to a new and enhanced school curriculum.

Talk about going from zero to sixty, right?

Tonight it occurred to me that we’ve finally hit our stride in this whole school year business. The kids have their after school routine down. Homework gets done with minimal resistance, dinners are back to being eaten in the kitchen at our table and bedtime happens faster and easier. Sure, there are times when the kids want just a little more time to play before bed (and I have to say no). But overall, things are flowing now.

Even dinner prep, which was a challenge for me in post-summertime, is happening on time and without so much stress. I’m back in the routine of cooking earlier so that we eat earlier. In summer, a 6:30 or 7 p.m. dinner was fine for us. But during the school year, dinner needs to happen at 5:30 or 6 p.m. The key to making this happen was relying on easy, minimal prep dinners.

Of course, it hasn’t been without challenge. Earlier this week, I mentioned that I’ve been in a bit of a protein-rut lately and was hoping that an assignment I’ve been working on with Costco and the National Pork Board might help me break out of it. Thank goodness, it did.

This pork dish — Apricot-Glazed Sage and Garlic Pork Tenderloin — may sound complicated, but it’s actually really simple: Cut slits into tenderloin and stuff them with sage and garlic. Bake for 30 minutes. Glaze with apricot and bake a little more. (Ok, there are a few little steps I left out, but you have the idea.) It takes maybe 5 minutes to prep. Now, granted, it does take about an hour total — from prep to plate — to get on the table. But it’s so hands off that it’s a-ok. And the leftovers? Perfect for another night’s dinner … or packing for lunch.

But what about the flavor? The sage and garlic subtly flavors the pork, without being overwhelming. (Note: you will want to carefully fork out the garlic and sage leaves before eating.) And the apricot preserves gives the meat a pleasant sweet coating all over — and no, it’s not in-your-face apricot flavored. In fact, Will likened the flavor to a sweet barbecue sauce.

Worth. Every. Bite.

If you want to learn more about pork and how to cook the many cuts of it, check out the Pork, Be Inspired website. Also, you should know that back in May, the USDA lowered the temperature guideline for pork loins, chops and roasts from 160 degrees F to 145 degrees F with a three-minute rest. It will be pinker than you grew up with  — but it will also be juicier and so tender. Trust me, you’ll like it. Ground pork should still be cooked to 160 degrees F. For best results, use a meat thermometer to ensure that your meat is cooked to the right temperature.

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Ok. Maybe Split Pea Soup isn’t just for spring, but I do associate it with it, especially because I make it using a leftover ham bone (did you save one from Easter? I did … and I have one in the freezer too). But really it’s perfect for any time of year, especially if you remember to save your ham bones for later.It’s not the prettiest thing to come out of the kitchen, but I love it anyway.

The first time I remember having Split Pea Soup was in the springtime with my grandparents. We ate it outside in the backyard from little paper bowls with plastic spoons. I remember sitting at the black metal table, my feet swinging from the chair and being surprised at how good the sweet, smoky soup was.

Whenever I taste it, I think of that day. Amazing how flavors can become so intertwined with memory, isn’t it?

My recipe for Split Pea Soup is simple and easy, just the way I like it. It only takes a few ingredients to combine and create just the right flavor. Making it does take a little while though — close to two hours, plus soaking time for the peas. But much of that time is hands off, so it’s not that bad. Nonetheless, this isn’t for a busy weeknight — save it for the weekend instead.

And speaking of the weekend, I hope you really enjoy yours.

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Remember how I was meal planning for a while? It worked so well, and being organized (and planned) made the evenings go really smoothly.

Unfortunately, I really haven’t done that in a long time. In fact, my meal planning calendar still lists a week in October. As a result, dinner has become a great big hectic feat — I hate that. It’s awful when you see 5 p.m. fast approaching with nothing defrosted and no idea what to make. Clearly, I need to start doing that again.

When I took out pork chops for dinner last night, I knew I needed to have a plan long before dinnertime arrived. Otherwise, I would be freaking out, and trying to figure out how to turn them into something tasty.

I rarely make pork of any kind, so I turned to my vast collection of cookbooks. I don’t often cook from cookbooks, but when I do it’s because I need to make something that will most likely work. Since I am relatively inexperienced with pork, this stir-fry recipe allowed me to experiment with a new way of making chops … and it turned out great. I will definitely use this cooking method again (and this recipe too).

Making this Quick Pork and Peanut Stir-Fry was so easy. I traded out chicken broth for vegetable stock that I had in the fridge. I also used a low-sodium soy sauce and halved the amount of ginger in the recipe. The result was an intensely flavored dish that everyone polished off fast. I loved the sweet-ish sauce with the crunch of the peanuts and onioniness of the scallions (aka green onions).

The trick to making this quickly is to have all the ingredients ready to go when you start cooking. It takes maybe 15 minutes to make, max, so you won’t be waiting long to enjoy it.

What’s your favorite stir-fry?
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Pork chops are one of those foods that elicit either really positive or really negative reactions in my house. Some recipes, like Pork Chops Saltimbocca and Rosemary Garlic Pork Chops are total favorites, while others fall completely flat — leaving us silent and brooding. And honestly, whenever I say we are having pork chops for dinner, the statement is met with silence …

Yes, I find pork a challenging meat to work with.

Fortunately, I’ve learned over the years that if I plan ahead and really think about a recipe before I make it, I more often than not meet with pork chop success. That’s the case with these Marinated Grilled Pork Chops. These babies are a little tangy (thanks to the lime!) and definitely flavorful. But it’s not overpowering flavor, instead it’s subtle and light … just right for serving with rice and a big salad.

What is great about this recipe, I think, is that it’s largely a throw-together one. The marinade takes just a few minutes to whisk together, then you set the meat to soak it up for between 30 minutes and an hour, and then you grill it. Easy peasy, and it doesn’t even heat up your kitchen.

So, what did my crew of tasters think? There wasn’t a spec of pork left after dinner … in fact, Paige asked to be excused, leaving some on her plate, but then quickly returned to finish it. Frequency of that happening? Close to never.

Do you have a killer grilled pork chop recipe? Share the recipe (or a link) in the comments! Read the rest of this entry…

Whenever Gourmet magazine arrives, I skim it almost immediately. But the trouble with skimming is that you can totally miss something amazing. And delicious. And totally craveworthy.

That almost happened with this Pork Chops Saltimbocca with Sauteed Spinach recipe. I nearly passed it right on over. The title of the recipe didn’t catch my eye, and while the photo was alluring, it just didn’t stop me in my tracks. However, when I was flipping through this weekend, putting together a meal plan for the week, I stopped on this recipe. A few weeks ago, I picked up some beautiful bone-in pork chops and I really needed to eat them already. When I saw that this had prosciutto and fontina in it, I was hooked.

Oh my goodness, you need to make this recipe. It’s divine.

The pork cooks up with so much flavor bursting out every inch. It’s tender, salty and scrumptious. The smooth cheese melts, creating a wonderful, gooey and sharp center to the chop. And the sauce just brings a wonderful richness to the dish. We’ll be eating this again soon.

Heck, Shawn declared the dish restaurant quality — how much better can it get than that?

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Knock, knock!

That’s what Paige says when she’s running into a room. It’s her own special way of announcing her presence. It brings an ear-to-ear smile to my face just to think about it. She is so sweet, so smart and so loving … I couldn’t ask for more. And this weekend, she impressed me as she actually acknowledged and played with my niece, who is just three months older. It was nice to see the girls and Will get along so well.

We are back from the wedding and back to life (after hitting the minor speed bump of a half-day of power outage today). That means, as promised, we are back to food. YAY!

One of my very, very, very favorite things is a well-seasoned pork tenderloin. Particularly one that has the rich flavors of garlic, rosemary and white wine soaked deep through the meat. This recipe adapts those delicious flavors to the faster-cooking pork chop. It’s a rich, tender and tasty way to enjoy boneless chops.

Serve it up with some rice pilaf and a green veggie (like green beans) and you will have an easy and delicious meal.

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Me: I’m thinking of making a quiche with the leftover ham for breakfast tomorrow.
Shawn: A quiche? (crinkles nose) Am I even going to like that?
Me: I don’t see why you wouldn’t. It’s just eggs, ham and cheese.
Shawn: That’s all?
Me: Yes, that’s it. I can’t believe you’ve never had one before

My husband had never had quiche before I whipped this one up last week. Although it was a brunch staple in my household growing up, it wasn’t in his. He was particularly surprised to actually like it. It just goes to show that just because you haven’t had something doesn’t mean it isn’t totally delicious and worth eating.

Quiche is a lighter, fluffier French cousin of the frittata. It is often made in a pie crust, but can be made crustless as well. For this quiche, I used leftover ham but you could use a cubed ham steak too for this recipe too. But the possibilities for quiche are endless. Vegetables and meats of all shapes and sizes can be added. But you have to have cheese, if you ask me. Without cheese, it’s just eggs in a crust. But, traditionally, quiches didn’t typically contain cheese . . . Read the rest of this entry…

Let’s get something clear – I don’t like pork chops. I purchased a large quantity when I was developing recipes for the cookbook and have several left over. I was dreading eating them, but knew I couldn’t put it off forever (much as I would like to!). But then I saw a recipe at Kalyn’s Kitchen. Simple, easy, and sounding quite tasty. I decided to try it.

Of course, I was missing some ingredients and added others. When all was said and done, Shawn likened this to the boneless spareribs at our local Chinese food restaurant – except, this version is cleaner, healthier and fresher. And without prompting, he answered the question I always ask him, “Would you have me make this again?” with enthusiastic affirmation. As for Will? He was too busy eating it up as fast as he could give any response . . . but I imagine that means it was good.

So, thanks Kalyn for the inspiration. This was a great dish (speaking of dishes, that is Will’s new Corelle there – He’s loving it.)

1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground ginger (the powdered one you’ll find in the supermarket)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp cinnamon (use a good quality one)
4 thick pork chops

Combine all the ingredients except the pork chops in a bowl and whisk together.

Wash pork chops and place in a Ziploc bag. Pour marinade over. Let sit for 8 hours or more (I let mine marinate all day while I was at work – about 9.5 hours.

Cooking Methods:

1) Grill: Set the heat to medium on your gas grill. Let the grill warm. Place pork chops on and cook, 6-8 minutes on each side. Cut into the chops to be sure they are done. If they aren’t, cut slits 1/4 inch apart, place on top rack and turn heat up to high. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes until done.

2) Oven:Turn on your broiler. Place pork chops on a broiling pan and into the oven. Cook about 12-16 minutes until cooked through. Follow the above procedure if they aren’t yet done.