Spicy Pork Chop Casserole

I am writing this recipe as written in the cookbook Incredibly Easy Gluten-Free Recipes.  However, when I made it, I doubled the recipe and used a 9x13 casserole dish.  I, also, had purchased a pork loin at the grocery store on sale in the last week and had sectioned it into 3 pound sections before freezing.  I sliced the  3 pound pork loin into 9 pork chops and put 8 of the 9 on top of the casserole.  The 9th, I pan fried and then put in the oven in a separate container for my husband's dinner.
I used Italian  diced tomatoes.
Additionally, I would like to thank Laura Poe for lending me the cookbook.  As we are new to gluten-free, it has been a blessing to have her encouragement.

Nonstick cooking spray
2 cups frozen corn
2 cups frozen diced hash brown potatoes
1 can (about 14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, drained
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp olive oil
4 boneless pork loin chops (about 3 oz each), cut about 3/4 inch think
1/4 tsp black pepper (I used more and I used fresh ground)
1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional - I didn't use)

1- Preheat over to 375 degrees.  Lightly spray 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
2- Lightly spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray.  Add corn, cook and stir over medium-high heat about 5 minutes or until corn begins to brown.  Add potatoes; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until potatoes begin to brown.  Add tomatoes, chili powder, oregano, cumin and red pepper flakes; stir until blended.  Transfer corn mixture to prepared dish.
3- Add oil and pork chops to skillet.  Cook over medium-high heat until browned on one side.  Place browned side up on top of corn mixture in baking dish.  Sprinkle with black pepper.  Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes or until meat is barely pink in center (160 degrees F).  Sprinkle with cheese, if desired.  Let stand 2-3 minutes before serving. 
Makes 4 servings.

Mulligatawny

This recipe is copied and pasted from here.  And, then, edited to reflect what I did or would do in the future.

•  1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1/4 cup butter (We used olive oil and about 2 Tbsp.)
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons curry powder  (I would use this amount next time.)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 apple, cored and chopped
• 1/4 cup white rice
• 1 skinless, boneless chicken breast half - cut into cubes
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pinch dried thyme
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, heated  (I didn't heat it.)

Directions

I served this with homemade naan.  I started the naan 45 minutes before starting the soup.  

Saute onions, celery, carrot, and butter in a large soup pot. Add flour and curry, and cook 5 more minutes. Add chicken stock, mix well, and bring to a boil. Simmer about 1/2 hour. 

Add apple, rice, chicken, salt, pepper, and thyme. Simmer 15-20 minutes, or until rice is done. 

I, think, next time I would put at least some of it in a blender to give it more of a creamy texture.

When serving, add hot cream.

Salsa for Canning

I am copy and pasting this recipe.

10 lbs tomatoes, chopped
6 medium onions, chopped
3 cups bell peppers (any kind), chopped
12 jalapeno peppers, chopped and seeded
5 chili peppers, chopped and seeded (this will make it spicy or milder, depending on the peppers you choose)
10 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 1/3 cups white vinegar
1/4 cup salt
2 tsp pepper
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp cumin
2 tbsp lime juice
3 cans tomato paste (the bigger cans, not the tiny ones)

Combine all ingredients except tomato paste in a large stock pot. Simmer approximately 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomato paste and mix well. Simmer another 20 minutes or so. At this point, I take out about half of the salsa, blend it smooth in the blender and then return it to the pot, but you can leave it chunky if you prefer. Ladle into hot jars leaving 1/4" headspace. Cap and process 15 minutes in a water bath canner. Remove jars and let cool.

This recipe makes approximately 15 pints.

I followed directions from here for getting the jars,  tomatoes, and finished product ready. 

The main tips I used were:
1) Use Roma tomatoes for salsa.

2) Place a few tomatoes at a time in boiling water, for 30-45 seconds.  Pull out and submerge in ice water.  Skins will slide right off.

3) Run jars through the dishwasher on the sanitize cycle.  (Our dishwasher does not have a sanitize cycle.  So, I used the pots and pans cycle and put it on heated water and dry.)

4) Bathe the jars in boiling water for 20 minutes.  (I aimed to have the jars covered with water, but my pans aren't big enough for the taller jars.)

5) I covered my towels after the bath to keep them from draft overnight.  All my jars were sealed in the a.m.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

We have been gone and this morning we were home and the weather was cool.  So, we picked all the good stuff out of our garden.  I could not bring myself to freeze all of it and, did I mention, the weather is cool.  So, the logical conclusion is...SOUP!

 

So, after looking on-line for a recipe, twice because my youngest takes great humor in closing my tabs or clicking on and opening ads.  I came across this recipe and proceeded to follow it very loosely, which for me is NEVER done with a new recipe.  But, did get great reviews from my husband.  :-)
So, after reading the recipe, I decided to start by browning my hamburger because I do not want all that grease in my finished soup which would be added if I added my raw hamburger to my veggies.
After browning the hamburger, while it was draining, I sweated my veggies.  These are the veggies at the beginning of cooking.

Once the veggies were tender, they looked like the picture above, I put the hamburger in.

I, then, added the rice and began adding tomatoes.  I'm not really sure how much tomato is in there.  I just kept pulverizing and adding till I thought it looked good.

So, here is my version of the recipe...

1 onion chopped
3 stalks celery chopped
4 small bell peppers chopped
1 pound hamburger browned
Garlic (Definitely used more than a clove)
1/2 cup white rice (uncooked)
Tomatoes
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp sugar (I will probably use less next time)
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Cinnamon

Brown your hamburger and drain.
While your hamburger is draining, put your onion, bell pepper, celery, and fresh chopped garlic in your soup pan.  (I used some of the hamburger grease that remained in the pan to sweat my veggies.  Or, you can use a little cooking oil.)
Let veggies cook until they are soft.
Put hamburger back in the pan.
Add rice, water, tomatoes, sugar, salt, and pepper.  Put a lid on it and let it cook till the rice is tender, roughly 45 minutes.  Watch it and stir it occasionally.  If it is looking like there isn't enough liquid, add more tomatoes.
Taste the soup at this point to make sure you like it.  You can add more salt, pepper, sugar.  When it is to your liking and the rice is cooked and a good sprinkle of cinnamon.  Stir and serve.  (I served with saltines because I thought it might need a little extra salt but didn't want to risk screwing up the goodness I already had going by adding to much salt.)

Beef Fried Rice

•  1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 3 cups cold cooked rice
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons chunky peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Pour eggs into skillet. As eggs set, lift edges, letting uncooked portion flow underneath. When eggs are completely cooked, remove to a plate; set aside.
• In the same skillet, cook beef and onions over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Stir the rice, bean sprouts and cilantro. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients until blended; stir into skillet. Chop egg into small pieces; stir into skillet and heat through. Yield: 4 servings.

On facebook, I am a member of a group called Food & Cheer.  One of the ladies in the group posted this recipe a week or so ago.  I made it for dinner Friday night.  Before I had even taken a bite, my husband was raving about how good it was.  I, also, took it to our church's potluck today.  Where my father-in-law requested the recipe.

Strawberry Salad

This recipe from Penzey's is similar to this Spinach and Strawberry Salad but it is a nice change up with the melon and dressing. 

Spicy Glazed Pecans:
1/2 c sugar
2 T water
1 t salt
1/2 t cayenne pepper
2 1/2 c pecan halves

Salad:
1 lb baby spinach leaves
3 T olive oil
1 c sliced strawberries
1 c diced melon (cantaloupe)

Dressing:
2 T balsamic vinegar
1/2 t. chocolate syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with grease parchment paper (or foil).  Combine the sugar, water, salt and cayenne in a heavy saucepan (non-stick).  Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.  Boil, WITHOUT stirring, for 2 minutes.  Turn off the heat and add the pecans, stirring for 1 minutes until the pecans are coated with the syrup.  Transfer pecans to the cookie sheet, spreading and separating them as evenly as possible.  Work quickly.  Place in oven; bake until the pecans start to brown, approximately 10-12 minutes, depending on the oven. (WATCH CLOSELY.)  When browned, carefully slide the parchment off the pan onto a cooling rack.  Separate the pecans with a fork and shake around a bit so they are not stuck to each other or the parchment.  Cool completely.  They will store in an airtight container.

Toss the salad.  Mix the dressing. 

Serve.

Tortillas

I am still perfecting making homemade flour tortillas.  Here is where I saw the original recipe.

1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
1 T. coconut oil
Start with 2/3 c. water.

Mix dry ingredients.  Add coconut oil mix until small 'peas' form.  Add water slowly until a soft dough forms.  I add more water if necessary.

Pinch dough into 12 balls and roll on a floured surface.  Heat on cast iron skillet.

After you cook them on both sides IMMEDIATELY put them in a dish towel.  Wrap them up together.  This keeps them warm and moist.