Pork and Potato Stew

     I wanted to make some creamy and delicious potato soup. Michael asked me if I was going to put any meat in it or anything, but I didn't have any plans to. I decided to do so, that way he would enjoy it a bit more. I thought about putting some crispy bacon in it to add some savory salty goodness, but I didn't have any on hand. (I know, I know. I don't keep bacon on hand.) Anyways, I did have pork. Soooo, I just cut up a piece of pork into bite-size pieces and it worked just fine. This would definitely be delicious with bacon, what isn't!? This soup is definitely hearty for dinner, but isn't so heavy you can't enjoy it for lunch the next day (which would be fabulous!)
 
     I did end up adding a few tablespoons of cornstarch with water to make this a bit thicker, because I did want a stew, more than I did a soup. Either way, it is delicious.

Potato-Pork Stew
Yields: 4 servings

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

5 garlic cloves, minced

½ lb. pork, cubed

1-1½ lbs. potatoes, cubed

1 medium carrot, julienned

1 (14.5 oz.) can of diced tomatoes, undrained

½ tsp. ground cumin

1 tbsp. paprika

2 bouillon cubes (chicken, beef, vegetable)

3 cups water

 

In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion and sauté until translucent.

 

Add the garlic and stir continuously for 30 seconds, then add the pork and allow to brown a bit before stirring.

 

Allow the pork to brown on all sides before adding the potatoes and carrots. Once the potatoes and carrots have been added, allow them to cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

 

 

Next, add the cumin, paprika, and bouillon.

 

Stir for 30 seconds and add the tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil and cover. Reduce to a low heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender. If you like your soup a bit thicker, you may need to add a bit of cornstarch dissolved in water

 

 

 

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 4
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 375.9 
• Total Fat: 12.1 g    
• Cholesterol: 44.8 mg
• Sodium: 668.6 mg
• Total Carbs: 44.4 g
• Dietary Fiber: 8.2 g
• Protein: 22.0 g

Bustin' My Chops

     Tonight for dinner, I decided to do pork chops. I haven't cooked (or eaten, for that matter) pork chops in YEARS, due to some pretty gnarly experiences. Particularly, bone-dry meat and an aching jaw for a few days. It seems as though no matter how much you chew a ridiculously dry piece of meat, it will never go down quite right! I figured I would sear the pork chops in a pan and then bake them off in the oven. This ended up making fork-tender pork chops that were DELICIOUS...and a recipe which I will be using again! I served them alongside a green bean casserole and yeast rolls. 
     Note: I would not recommend serving with a green bean casserole, simply because the cream of mushroom soup in both parts of the meal (pork chops and casserole) makes it almost too rich to enjoy. Serving the pork chops with a side of just green beans would have been a better idea. Oh well, live and learn!

Baked Pork Chops

6 Pork Chops

1½ tsp. Garlic Powder

1½ tsp. Seasoning Salt

2 Eggs, beaten

½ c. All-Purpose Flour

1½ c. Italian-Seasoned Bread Crumbs

¼ c. Olive Oil

1 (10.75 oz) can of Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

⅓ c. Milk

⅓ c. White Wine

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Rinse pork chops, dry thoroughly, and season on both sides with the garlic powder and

seasoning salt, to taste. (I went liberal and rubbed it in a little.)

 Dredge the pork chops first in the flour, then into the egg, and coat liberally with bread crumbs.

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Sear the pork chops 

approximately 3-4 minutes per side, or until the breading appears brown. 

Place the pork chops in a 9"X13" baking dish, cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the can of cream of mushroom soup, milk, and white wine in a medium bowl. 

After the pork chops have baked for 30 minutes, remove from the oven and pour the soup mixture over them. Replace the foil and bake for another 30 minutes. 

Once finished, remove from the oven and leave foil on for about 5 minutes to let the meat rest, then remove and serve!