Apple Season

After a successful day of apple picking, I now have a large basket of apples. I’ve been searching the internet looking for new and interesting recipes. I’ve found recipes for everything from cider to apple pie. Here’s the one I’m trying out tonight.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 large boneless pork chops
3 tablespoons butter
2 sweet apples of your choice, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 cups crumbled gorgonzola cheese
Directions
Butterfly each pork chop by slicing horizontally through the center with a sharp knife. Leave them attached on one side so they can be flipped open to create a butterfly shape.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add pork chops, reduce heat to medium and cook slowly for 5 to 7 minutes each side, or until they are done to your liking. Set aside.
Melt butter or margarine in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add apples and saute until tender, then turn off heat and add cheese to skillet. Mix together slowly to form a creamy thick sauce.
Place reserved chops on serving plate and stuff each one with 1/4 of the apple/cheese mixture. Serve hot.

Dust off the Crock Pot

Back to school time is always busy. I have two active kids at home with very hectic schedules. I’m running to games, getting them to practices and helping out with homework so it’s tough to find time to make healthy meals. I’ve come to rely on my crock pot to keep everyone eating well. It’s so easy and there’s nothing like coming home to the smells of a hot meal cooking.
Here’s my favorite Beef Stew recipe…
Ingredients
2 lbs boneless beef cut for stew
Pan Searing Flour
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 slices Applewood Smoked Uncured Bacon, cut in 1/4-inch strips
1 pkg (40 oz) Stew Vegetables (set aside potatoes)
6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups red wine
4 cups Beef Culinary Stock
2 bay leaves
4 Tbsp Tomato Paste
2 Tbsp Herbes de Provence
Instructions
Dust beef with pan-searing flour.
Heat oil on MEDIUM in large braising pan. Add beef; brown, turning to brown all sides, 8-10 min. Remove beef; place in slow cooker. Add bacon to pan and cook until crisp; set aside. Discard all but 1 Tbsp drippings from pan.Add stew vegetables (minus potatoes) to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4-5 min.
Stir in all-purpose flour. Add wine, stirring to loosen browned bits on bottom of pan. Cook 3-5 min, until liquid is reduced by one-third, to a syrupy consistency. Add broth; bring to simmer.
Pour broth mixture over beef in cooker. Add potatoes, bacon, bay leaves, tomato paste, and herbes; stir slightly.Cover; cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours or LOW 7-9 hours. Transfer beef and vegetable to serving platter. Discard bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over beef; serve.
It's also great idea to have cut fruits and vegetables in the fridge for snacking or cooking. I bring a fruit and a veggie arrangement home with me every week. http://www.fruitfreshup.com/catalog.asp?prodid=593019
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Nobody’s going hungry this year!

An Apple A Day

Every year I take my daughters apple picking. It’s a fun family tradition we’ve enjoyed since they were little ones. Apples are one of the easiest fruits to pick so it’s fun for all ages. They can be eaten fresh, cooked, canned or even frozen. Apples are fat, sodium, and cholesterol free and one medium apple has about 80 calories.
Picking tips:
Select firm, bruise-free apples.
Picking apples from a tree is easy. Roll the apple upwards off the branch and give a little twist. Don't pull straight away or shake the trees or branches.
Leave the stem on the apples, it helps them store longer.
Once picked:
Place the apples gently in a basket - dropping them may bruise the apple causing it to go bad more quickly.
Don't wash apples until just before using to prevent spoilage.
Keep apples cool after picking to increase shelf life. A cool basement or the fruit drawer of a refrigerator is ideal.
Kept cool, fresh-picked apples will generally keep weeks.

Start planning your apple picking adventure today!