Apple Coffee Cake

Source: Simply Recipes

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
5 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup whole milk
1 medium Cortland or other baking apple, peeled and sliced

1 Set the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch square baking dish with or pie pan a 4-cup capacity.

2 Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt.

3 In a bowl, combine 1/2 a cup of the sugar with the cinnamon, set aside.

4 In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Beat in the egg until blended. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk, beating until just combined.

5 Spread half the batter in the baking dish. Lay the apple slices on the batter so they just cover the batter (you may have to overlap some slices). Sprinkle the apples with half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Spread the rest of the batter over the apples. Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon-sugar on top.

6 Bake the cake for 25 minutes or until it is golden brown and apples start to bubble at the edges.

Vermont Maple Syrup Pork Chops

Source: Simply Recipes

6 pork chops
Oil as needed for browning
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp Worcester sauce
Salt to taste
Flour as needed to thicken the gravy

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly brown the pork chops in a small amount of oil, then place them in a flat baking dish with sides.

Combine the other ingredients in a small saucepan and heat until warm; pour over chops. Cover and bake for 45 minutes, basting occassionally.

Place the pork chops on a warming platter and pour the sauce into a saucepan. Thicken it slightly with flour to make a gravy, salt to taste, and serve it over the chops.

Serves 4 to 6, depending on the size of the pork chops.

Green Beans with Almonds and Thyme

Source: Simply Recipes

2 lbs of green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Cook green beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until just crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Using a large diameter strainer, transfer beans to a large bowl of ice water, cool completely. Drain well. (At this point you can make the beans a day ahead, store in refrigerator.) Alternatively you can steam the beans for 5 minutes and proceed directly to the skillet.

Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium hight heat. Whisk in 1 Tbsp of fresh thyme, 1 Tbsp of mustard and 1 teaspoon of garlic salt into butter. Add beans to skillet and toss until heated through, about 4 minutes. Transfer to searving bowl. Sprinkle with toasted almonds and remaining 1 Tbsp of thyme.

Serves 8.

Porkchops with Mushroom Bourbon Cream Sauce

Source: Simply Recipes

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup chopped onions
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup bourbon whisky
Salt and pepper

1 large egg
2 Tbsp water
4 6-7 oz center-cut pork chops
All purpose flour
2 cups fresh bread crumbs
3 Tbsp olive oil or grapeseed oil
2 Tbsp minced fresh basil

1 Prepare the sauce. Sauté onions, garlic, and mushrooms in 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat until the mushrooms are browned - about 15 minutes. Add the wine and boil down until the liquid is reduced to almost a glaze, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken stock, cream, and bourbon. Simmer until the sauce thickens, about 12 minutes.

2 Prepare the pork. Whisk an egg and 2 Tbsp of water in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle both sides of pork chops with salt and pepper. Dip chops into the flour, then egg mixture, then breadcrumbs, coating completely. Heat olive or grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and cook until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Turn the chops one more time and lower the heat to med-low and cook an additional 5-8 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chop is at least 145°F. Alternatively you can put the chops in a pre-heated oven at 400°F for 5-8 more minutes.

3 When about to serve the pork, bring the sauce to a simmer and add the chopped basil to it. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serves 4.