Crunchy Honey Garlic Pork Chops

I found this recipe on Facebook.  I made it yesterday for my boys.  They loved it. My son seems to really enjoy meat with a "sweet" taste to it.  I know it isn't particularly healthy but once in a while it is delicious.  I followed the recipe and did not change anything.

Crunchy Honey Garlic Pork Chops

Ingredients:

6-9 pork chops (not too thick, you can use boneless pork loin)
2 eggs
4 Tbs water
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
Canola or vegetable oil for frying chops

Glaze:

1 1/2 cups honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ginger
dash of cayenne pepper (to your taste)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 Tbs chopped garlic
2 Tbs butter

Whisk the eggs and 4 Tbs. water together in a shallow dish.

Mix the flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in another shallow dish.

Dip the chops in the flour, then over into the egg.

Then back over into the flour mixture once again. This is what puts the extra crispy coating on the chops. Be sure to get plenty of flour on in this last coating, then shake them a little and place in a pan with about a half inch of oil. Be sure the oil is hot, but not too hot or the chops will cook too fast. You need to get it good and hot and then turn to about medium.

Cook for about 6 minutes on each side. Try not to turn more than twice or your breading will come off.
Remove from the pan to a 9"x 13" baking dish.

Saute the garlic a little in the butter.

Add the honey, soy sauce, brown sugar, cayenne, and ginger. Bring to a boil then reduce to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Watch this carefully because it will foam and might boil over.

Pour 1/2 of the glaze over the pork chops. Flip them over and pour the other 1/2 over the other side. Place uncovered in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes. This sets the glaze and finishes them to be sure they are cooked through.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook

Honey Crunch Chicken

I made this chicken after hearing about it on the book on CD called Postcards from the Dead by Laura Childs that I was listening to. It sounded so good that I knew that I needed to make it. I changed a few things.  I actually used saltine crackers because I did not have the butter crackers in my house. I also made a sauce to go with it which was heavenly!  I will post the sauce that I used along with the other chicken recipe.

HONEY CRUNCH CHICKEN

By Laura Childs

1 cup Pepperidge Farm Golden Butter Crackers

2 eggs, beaten

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

¼ cup butter, cut into pieces

¼ cup honey

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Place the cracker crumbs in a shallow dish and the eggs in a second shallow dish. 

Dip the chicken in the egg, and then dredge in the cracker crumbs until well-coated.  Arrange the chicken in a baking dish.

Place small pieces of butter on and around the chicken. 

Drizzle the honey on top of the chicken.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes.

Serves 2 for dinner or 4 for lunch.

Excellent on top of a green salad.

 Enjoy!  

The Creative Cook

Frittata Italiana

I found this recipe in People magazine back in May and I just got around to making it.  I doubled the recipe and used a 12 inch pan.  I don't own any cast iron skillets.  Michele Mazza is the executive chef of Trattoria Il Mulino a New York City hotspot.  It appears that Michele shared his recipe all over the internet and on television because it can be found on many websites.  It sounded exactly like something that I would really enjoy eating.  I love the idea of potatoes and eggs.  My mother used to make potatoes and eggs when I was a child. I am excited to try the combination with the cheeses, potatoes, prosciutto and eggs.  Yum!

Frittata Italiana

By Michele Mazza

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. Olive oil

3 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

4 tbsp. water

3 oz. fresh mozzarella, chopped

2 oz. sliced prosciutto

2 oz. boiled potatoes, peeled and sliced thin

1 oz. Parmigiano cheese, grated

White pepper to taste

Preparation:

1.    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Heat olive oil in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together eggs, water mozzarella, prosciutto, potatoes, Parmigiano and white pepper.  Pour mixture into the hot skillet and place in the oven.

2.    Bake for about 10 minutes (a knife inserted into frittata should come out clean) and serve hot.  If top of frittata isn’t browned enough, stick pan under the broiler for about 1 minute.

 Enjoy!

The Italian Creative Cook 

Marbled Banana Bread

I made this banana bread a few weeks ago.  It was really tasty.  I did not even notice it had banana in it. The recipe is from My San Francisco Kitchen.  I am going to make it again, maybe tomorrow.  

Marbled Banana Bread

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 70 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

¼ cup butter, softened

2 ripe bananas

2 eggs

1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt

½ cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

1.       Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.       In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together.

3.       Add sugar and butter to a large bowl and beat with a mixer at a medium speed until well-blended.

4.       Add banana, eggs, and yogurt; beat until blended.

5.       Add flour mixture and beat at low speed until just blended.

6.       Melt chocolate chips in a microwave or in a double boiler stirring until smooth.

7.       Add 1 cup batter to chocolate, stirring until well combined.

8.       Spoon chocolate batter alternately with plain batter into a greased 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaf pan.

9.       Swirl batters together using a knife.

10.   Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

11.   Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack, then remove from pan and cool 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 1 loaf.

Enjoy!

The Creative Cook