Cider Glazed Roast Pork with Apples, Sweet Potato, and Sage

Cider Glazed Roast Pork with Apples, Sweet Potato, and Sage
Serves 4  ~  8 SmartPoints

{photo credit epicurious}

4  boneless pork chops, trimmed of fat
2 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp black pepper  
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 uncooked sweet potato, diced
2 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp sage
1/2  tsp ground allspice
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup apple cider
1 Tbsp unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 400°F. Pat pork dry; season with  salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, toss together onions, sweet potato, apples, garlic, sage,  1 tsp salt and allspice; drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.

Heat remaining olive oil in a large  skillet over high heat.
Sear pork on both sides, 2-3 minutes per side.
Place chops on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray
Spoon apple mixture around pork
Roast until pork registers 145°F in center, 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile: Place skillet on stove top over medium heat; add vinegar and cook, scraping up browned bits, 1 minute.
Add cider  and simmer to reduce to a syrupy texture; add butter and swirl skillet until it melts.
Drizzle cider glaze over top of pork chops

{adapted from a Weight Watchers Recipe}

asian rainbow salad with pork

Asian Rainbow Salad with Pork

Makes: 4 servings / Prep: 20 minutes / Cook: 5 minutes

You do not cook the cabbage so this is a fresh crunchy salad.

Ingredients
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice (2 limes)
1/4 cup (packed) brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 pound boneless pork chops, thinly sliced into bit size pieces
4 cups coleslaw cabbage mix (carrots and cabbage)
2 cups red cabbage mix
1 ½ cups small pineapple chunks
½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ cup chopped celery leaves {or cilantro}
½ cup honey roasted peanuts (optional)

Directions
In a small bowl, whisk the lime juice, brown sugar, soy sauce and peanut oil.

Place the pork in a shallow dish. Add 1/4 cup of the dressing and stir to coat. Let the pork stand 20 minutes at room temperature.

In a large bowl combine cabbage, pineapple, bell pepper, and celery. Drizzle with remaining dressing.  There is quite a lot of dressing left so use only as much as you like. Season the salad with salt and pepper.

Divide the salad among 4 dinner plates or shallow bowls.

Cook the pork including marinade over high heat in a heavy skillet until browned and just cooked through (4 to 5 minutes).

Top each salad with ¼ of the cooked pork and honey roasted peanuts.

Adapted from a recipe in Rachael Ray Magazine

burrito bowl

Burrito Bowl

adapted from a recipe by Food Network’s Melissa d'Arabian

Yield: 6-8 servings

photo: Food Network's Ten Dollar Meals

Ingredients:

5 cups cooked brown rice

1 tablespoon orange zest

4 cups shredded pork, recipe follows

1 can black beans rinsed and drained

1 can shoepeg corn drained

1 jar Pico de Gallo or salsa

2 avocados cut into small cubes

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup sour cream

2 green onions, chopped

Directions:

Toss the cooked rice with orange zest.

Divide the rice evenly among individual serving bowls. Add warm pork.

Let your guests top their own bowls with black beans, corn, pico de gallo, and avocado.

Sprinkle on cheese, and spoon a dollop of sour cream on top.

Finish with the chopped green onions.

Shredded Pork: (I make the shredded pork a day ahead)

3-4 pounds pork shoulder or Boston butt

2 tablespoon olive oil

coarse salt

coarsely ground black pepper

3 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 onion, coarsely chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, seeded and ribs removed, chopped

1 orange cut in half (zest removed and saved for the rice)

Place the pork shoulder/butt in a slow cooker.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle on salt, pepper, oregano, and cumin.  Top with onion, garlic, and jalapeno. Squeeze the juice of one orange over the pork. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high 4 hours.

Once the meat is tender, remove from slow cooker and let cool slightly before pulling apart with a fork. Strain and de-fat cooking liquid. Reserve the liquid to use when reheating.

If you cooked the pork earlier, reheat it in a large sauté pan with the reserved juice.

Original recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/burrito-bowl-recipe.html

wegmans braised wpop ribs

google image

Wegmans Braised WPop Ribs
Serves 8

Ingredients
2 pkgs (about 3 lbs each) center-cut pork spareribs, halved
1/4 cup Wegmans Cracked Pepper Seasoning Blend
2 cans WPop-Cola
32 oz Heinz Ketchup
Salt and pepper to taste

Large roasting pan (or 1 EZ Foil Rectangular Roaster Pan 16 1/8 x 11 3/4 x 2 7/8)

Directions
Clean grill with wire brush. Using soft cloth, coat grill grate lightly with vegetable oil.
Preheat grill to high
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Season ribs generously with cracked pepper. Sear on grill 3-4 minutes on each side.

Whisk together WCola and ketchup in large bowl; set aside.
Transfer ribs to roasting pan; top with cola mixture. 

Cover pan tightly with large piece of foil, sealing well.

Place pan on center rack of oven about 2 hours. Remove pan from oven. 

Use oven mitts to carefully remove foil cover; avoid steam. Transfer ribs to serving dish.

Pour sauce carefully into medium saucepan; skim fat from surface and discard. Bring sauce to boil on high on stove-top Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 5 min, until reduced by one-quarter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve sauce over ribs.

Option(s):

Delayed Baking
Place covered pan in refrigerator until ready to bake. When ready to bake, preheat oven for 10 min before placing pan in oven. As ribs will be cold from fridge, bake time may increase.

Slow Cooker (instead of oven)
Transfer grilled ribs to 6-8 qt slow cooker.
Pour sauce over ribs.
Cover and cook on HIGH 3-4 hours or on LOW 6-7 hours, until tender

Recipe from Linda Allen, Tampa Florida

Perfect to serve with Pasta with Brie, Basil and Tomatoes