Instant Pot Pork Chops w/ Green Beans and Potatoes

The inspiration for this recipe came from a conversation with a woman I work with and I needed to get it into my Instant Pot . When she talked about the green beans that she cooked in her pot , my mouth started watering and lightbulbs started blinking in my head. Growing up with the world's best cook, Janis Tosatto, this was a staple at our dinner table. I decided that I would try my rendition this week and it turned out perfectly .
This recipe will feed 2 people, with a few beans and potatoes leftover for lunch tomorrow. The seasoning I used on the pork and the vegetables is Red Rocks Hickory Smoke Seasoning from Savory Spice and is my go to for most everything. The beans and potatoes brought back such great childhood memories and the pork was tender and cooked through.

Instant Pot Pork Chops w/ Green Beans and Potatoes

2 10 oz Bone-in Pork Chops
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, sliced
2 cups chicken stock
14 oz green beans, broken in half
12 oz baking potato, peeled and cubed
3 garlic cloves, sliced
Salt and pepper (or seasoning of preference)

Hit the saute button and when it says hot, add olive oil. Brown chops on each side, 3 to 4 minutes and remove to plate.
Add onion, saute until soft.
Add stock, stirring to deglaze pot.
Turn off. Add beans, potatoes and garlic and more seasoning. Stir together.
Place chops on top of vegetables.
Making sure that the silicone ring is in
place, lock lid into place and close pressure valve.
Set on manual for 5 minutes at high pressure. My pot came to pressure within 12 minutes.
NPR for 10 minutes and release (with caution) remaining pressure.

Instant Pot Pork Sirloin Tip Roast

This is the very first meal I prepared in my new Instant Pot and I was very happy with the end result. I had prepared one of these pork roasts from Costco the traditional way and ended up with a tough and dry piece of meat. The one prepared in the Instant Pot turned out tender and juicy. You can season the roast anyway that you prefer, the following is what I did.

Pork Sirloin Tip Roast

Season a 2 pound Pork Sirloin Tip Roast with Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder and Horseradish Powder . Set the pot to Saute and add a Tbsp of Cooking Oil and when it is shimmering,  brown the pork on all sides and remove from pot. Add 1 chopped Onion, 4 or 5 chopped Sweet Baby Bell peppers and stir until soft. Add  1/4 cup Hard Apple Cider and deglaze the pot. Return Roast to pot and add remaining 12 Oz. Bottle of Hard Apple Cider. Close and lock the lid, hit the cancel button. Press the Manuel button and set for 45 minutes. Let the pressure release on its own.

We went for a walk and it was waiting for us.  It actually went to the warm setting and it turned out tender and delicious.

Tomato Sauce with Mushrooms and Pork & Leek Sausage

 

 

 

On Sunday, I asked Dan what he wanted for dinner on Monday night and he said pasta. I figured this would be an easy dish to prepare, because all of the ingredients could be found at one store, right? Wrong. Just like most other meals I prepare, I end up going to multiple stores to find all of the ingredients. This time my search was for a proper Italian sausage. I started at Kirkgate and could find none. Sainsbary's no. Tesco no. So I headed all the way up to Morrison's. This was my first trip there and I was very excited because this was a large grocery store. They actually have a frozen food section!! They had practically every kind of sausage that I could hope for , but no Italian! Come on, they had prosciutto, chorizo, hot dogs, brats and Polish, but no Italian. I ended up buying a pork and leek sausage that was okay. Next time I will just buy some pork mince (ground) and season it appropriately. My other problem was that I only have one large sauce pan, so I ended up having to make the sauce and pour it into a baking dish. I then placed that in the oven to keep warm until I cooked the pasta.

 

 

 

Tomato Sauce w/ Mushrooms and Pork & Leek Sausage

 

Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large sauce pan. Add 1 small onion chopped, about 1/2 cup and 170 grams sliced mushrooms. Saute for 10 minutes until soft. Add 4 cloves garlic, minced and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 tsp. Italian seasonings a few grinds of black pepper and salt.

 

Add 200 grams of crumbled sausages (3 removed of casings) and cook through.

 

Add 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning, I bay leaf, 1 (430g) jar of Passata Tomato Sauce with basil, 1 (220g) Can of chopped Italian tomatoes with juice, 1/4 cup red wine and 2 tsp. sugar.

 

Add 1/4 cup water to the tomato jar and give it a good shake to get out all of the tomato goodness and add to sauce pan.

 

Bring to boil, reduce and simmer, stirring often for 1 hour. Adjust seasonings, remove bay leaf and serve over favorite pasta.

Pork Chops with Pomodorino Tomatoes and Mushrooms

 

This is a recipe a came up with a couple of weeks ago. I knew I was serving the Roasted Rosemary Baby New Potatoes and wanted something really good to go along with them. I saw these beautiful pomodorino tomatoes and I thought they would go great with mushrooms on top of pork chops. So here is the recipe.

 

Pork Chops w/Pomodorino Tomatoes and Mushrooms

 

Season 2 thick cut bone-in pork chops with salt, pepper and dried rosemary. Heat  1 Tbsp, olive oil in a skillet on medium heat add chops and brown on both sides. Remove from the pan, place in baking dish and bake for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Slice 100 grams pomodorino tomatoes in half, slice 75 grams button mushrooms in half, and slice 1 garlic clove, thinly. To same skillet add 1 Tbsp. olive oil, then  mushrooms, sauté 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper and dried rosemary. Cook for 5 minutes. Serve over cooked pork chops.

Chunky Pork Shoulder Ragu

This is one of the best sauces I have ever made! How's that for an opening? So simple and so flavorful, this one is definitely a keeper. The recipe comes from Michele Scicolone's The Italian Slow Cooker. This will make 10 cups so be prepared to feed at least 6 people. Serve over a nice hearty pasta like rigatoni.

Chunky Pork Shoulder Ragu

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 lbs boneless pork shoulder roast
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
1 Tbsp finely chopped rosemary
1 28 oz. can tomato puree
1 28 oz can Italian peeled tomatoes, chopped
Salt
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper and brown on all sides. Remove meat to large slow cooker.
Add onion and fennel seeds to skillet and cook until onion is golden and tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, sage and rosemary. Add tomato puree and chopped tomatoes and a pinch of salt and stir well. Pour sauce into slow cooker, add crushed red pepper. Cover and cook on low 5 to 6 hours, until pork is very tender.
Remove meat to cutting board but leave sauce in cooker with heat on. With two forks, tear meat into bite size pieces. Return to pot and stir in fresh basil.

Sloppy Joes

I grew up eating Sloppy Joes that my mom made using a dry packet. I remember those sandwiches tasting so good. She would prepare them and then wrap them in wax paper before serving so that the buns would steam. A recipe in a little magazine called American Profile caught my eye and I decided to work off of it and try my own. Let's just say that mom's were still better. This was okay, but just not quite right.

Sloppy Joes

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb ground pork

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

2 (15 oz. ) cans tomato sauce

1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste

1 (15 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbsp. liquid smoke

1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp. jarred barbecue sauce

1 tsp. sugar (optional)

Coarsely ground black pepper

1/2 cup water

combine meats, onion and garlic in large skillet. Cook over medium heat, breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink. Drain excess fat.

Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally; until thick.

Serve on hamburger buns.

erves 8.

All Purpose Dry Seasoning

I tried a new rub last night on some pork spare ribs. The recipe comes from a cookbook called Barbecuing and Sausage-Making Secrets by Charlie and Ruthie Knote. I rubbed the ribs with the seasoning and let them sit for 4 hours, then I smoked them for another 4 hours. The rub was very good and is one I would use again with a few tweaks.

All Purpose Dry Seasoning

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. ground celery seed

1 tsp. white pepper

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. ground thyme

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Crush all lumps. Mix together in a bowl. Stores in a dry place for 3 to 6 months. Makes 3/8 cup.

Pork Chops with Hoisin-Molasses Barbecue Sauce

This is an excellent recipe and would work well with a grilled pork loin or grilled chicken as well. The recipe comes from the March 2008 edition of Cooking Light. Sometimes it actually pays to hold onto some of those old recipes that you say you will someday prepare. The sauce has a nice sweet flavor with the added heat of the mustard and the tanginess of the vinegar. This one is a keeper.

Pork Chops with Hoisin-Molasses Barbecue Sauce

3 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. molasses

3 Tbsp. hoisin sauce

1 Tbsp. rice vinegar

1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. Chinese hot mustard

Cooking spray

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

6 (4 oz) boneless center-cut loin chops, about 1/2-inch thick

Combine sugar and molasses in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook 3 minutes or until sugar melts, stirring occasionally. Stir in hoisin, vinegar, soy sauce and garlic; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in mustard. Keep warm.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper. Add to pan and cook 2 minutes per side or until cooked. Add pork to hoisin mixture and coat. Serve.

Crispy Pork Cutlets

Like so many of the meals I prepare these days, the recipe for this one comes from Cook's Country Magazine. They have a section of recipes under the heading of 30-Minute Suppers and they seem to be pretty good. I always have good luck with the ones I try. This was very good and simple to prepare. The magazine served theirs with buttered noodles, but I used mashed potatoes as a side. I reheated the leftovers the following night on a pizza stone and served them on sandwiches.
This recipe comes from the December/January 2008 edition.

Crispy Pork Cutlets

5 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 large eggs
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
8 boneless pork cutlets (3-4 oz. each), about 1/4 inch thick
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Pulse bread in food processor until coarsely ground; transfer to shallow dish. Place flour in second shallow dish. Beat eggs and mustard in 3rd shallow dish. pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper. One at a time, coat pork lightly with flour, dip in egg mixture and dredge in bread crumbs, pressing to adhere.
Heat 1/4 cup oil in large skillet over medium- high heat until just smoking. Fry half of cutlets until deep golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towel-lined plate and transfer to oven to keep warm. Wipe out skillet and repeat with remaining oil and cutlets.
Serve.

Ham and Bean Soup

Growing up, the one meal I hated more than any other was when my mother fixed ham and beans. I think we had them at least once a week and no matter how much she coaxed, pleaded or screamed, I would not eat them. The rest of my family loved them and covered them with ketchup (gross!!) and chopped raw onion. I would push them around my plate and pretend that I had eaten a few. After what seemed like hours, mom would relent and let me get up from the table. I would then go over to the candy cabinet (yes, we actually had a cabinet stocked with our favorite candy) and get some red vines or a few packets of sours ( those were a Smarties type of rolled candy that I don't know the correct name for, but a little on the fizzy side and oh so good).
I found this recipe and it looked so good that I decided to give the old bean and ham night a resurrection. This recipe comes from Cook's Country December/January 2008 edition and is very good. The ham is the real star of this recipe and it's very easy to prepare. The addition of the the vinegar at the end really brightens the flavor.

Ham and Bean Soup

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 lb. ham steak, patted dry and diced
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
6 cups water
2 smoked ham hocks
1 lb. dried navy beans, soaked overnight
2 tsp. minced fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until just smoking. Add ham and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, water, hocks and beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium low and simmer until beans are completely tender and the soup is slightly thickened, about 1 1/2 hours. ( I skimmed a lot of fat from the surface of my soup.)
Remove hocks from pot. If desired, let cool for 5 minutes, then shred meat and add to the soup. Stir in thyme, pepper and vinegar. Serve.

Peas and Prosciutto

This easy and delicious recipe comes from Giada DeLaurentiis's book Everyday Italian. I prepared it for some friends this past weekend and it was a big hit. Since I keep all these ingredients on hand all the time, this will become a standard in my house. The next time I prepare it, I might add a little chopped fresh mint to the dish. One of the notes in Giada's book about the recipe was adding leftovers to scrambled eggs in the morning. We tried that the following morning and it was a great suggestion!

Peas and Prosciutto

2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (1-lb) bag frozen peas
4 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

In a large heavy skillet, heat oil over medium-low flame. Add shallots and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add peas and saute until heated through, about 5 minutes. remove from heat and add prosciutto, parsley, salt and pepper. Serve.

Pasta With Pancetta and Broccoli

This was a very simple recipe that I prepared last night. The recipe may have come from Gourmet magazine, but I'm not 100% sure on that one. The recipe should have been prepared with orecchiette, but I didn't have any so I used cellentani. The orecchiette would have held the topping much better, but sometimes you gotta go with what you've got. The magazine recipe also called for a 10 oz box of frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, drained and patted dry. I used fresh broccoli that I steamed in the microwave first. This dish would be great with broccoli rabe if you can find it at your grocery. I used to grow it in my veggie garden, but gave that garden up, because I was tired of fighting the rabbits, deer and squirrels for the produce. This recipe serves four.

Pasta with Pancetta and Broccoli

3/4 lb. pasta

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, smashed

3 Tbsp. pine nuts

3 oz. pancetta, coarsely chopped

5 scallions, thinly sliced

10 oz. fresh, steamed broccoli

Fresh grated Parmigiano- Reggiano

Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until al dente. While pasta cooks, heat butter and oil with garlic in a 12 inch heavy skillet over medium high heat until garlic starts to sizzle. Add nuts and cook, stirring, until pale golden. Discard garlic and stir in pancetta and scallions, cook 1 minute. Add broccoli and a 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and cook over medium high heat, stirring, four minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, drain pasta and stir into broccoli mixture. Add some reserved water to moisten if needed. Serve with grated cheese.

Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

I'm actually posting on the same night that I cooked! With my new job taking all my time, I have hardly been able to cook, let alone sit at the computer and write about it. This week, I'm only working 9 hour days as opposed to 10 hours so I have a little extra time. I actually wanted to grill out tonight, but it was way too windy and cold. I decided to prepare the pork loin inside and create a rub for it. It turned out perfect, just the right amount of heat and salt.

Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. aleppo pepper
1 1-lb. pork tenderloin
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the first 6 ingredients and rub over entire pork tenderloin. Heat a cast iron skillet to medium heat; add olive oil. When oil is hot add meat and brown on all sides. Place skillet in oven and cook for 15 minutes. Let the tenderloin rest for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing.

Campanelle with Chicken and Peas

This recipe was adapted from one I found on www.discoverbarilla.com. Their recipe uses farfalle and did not have chicken. Since I didn't have any farfalle, I used campanelle. Campanelle is my favorite pasta shape and means bell flower. I have made other versions of this pasta, but this one is very simple and good.

Campanelle With Chicken and Peas

1 box (1 lb.) campanelle pasta

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 small white onion, diced

3 oz. prosciutto, diced

6 oz. cooked chicken

1 1/2 cup peas

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 cups half and half

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water. Saute onion in olive oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add prosciutto, peas and chicken and saute for 3 minutes. Add wine, simmer until reduced by half. Stir in half and half, cream and cheese, season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until sauce thickens slightly. Drain pasta and toss with sauce. Serve sprinkled with extra Parmesan.

Dutch Genever Cheese Soup

I came across this recipe in an old Gourmet or Bon Appetit and thought it sounded interesting. I decided to prepare it last week and was not all that impressed with the flavor. The recipe did not call for any seasoning other than the optional chives and gin, both of which I used and I added salt and pepper to taste. That helped somewhat, but the recipe was still on the bland side, so I picked up the hot sauce and gave it a couple of good shakes and it turned out okay. I really thought that adding the beaten eggs to the boiling broth would cause them to curdle, but they actually made the soup nice and smooth. I would not make this again, but thought that I would post the recipe as printed.

Dutch Genever Cheese Soup

4 cups unsalted chicken stock
5 eggs
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 1/3 cups grated Gouda cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped Dutch ham or other lean ham
3 Tbsp Dutch genever or English gin (optional)
2 Tbsp snipped fresh chives

bring stock to boil in heavy large saucepan. Beat eggs and cream in large bowl until smooth. Stir in cheese and ham. Slowly pour into boiling stock, stirring constantly. Pour in gin if desired, stirring to incorporate. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with chives if desired.

The Ultimate Mac and Cheese

I am always trying to find the best mac and cheese recipe, I just love the stuff. This is a recipe that I have come up with by trying other recipes and finding what worked best for me. I fixed this recipe last week and Dan loved it so much that he thought I should take it over to my sister's house for Easter. The entire family loved it, I just couldn't say what was in it. This can easily be doubled and serve 8 as your main meal.

The Ultimate Mac and Cheese

Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 bay leaf
3 oz. pancetta, diced
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. hot sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
2.5 oz. Gruyere, grated
4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
8 oz. dry penne pasta
1 tsp. finely grated lemon peel
6 oz. Monterey Jack, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
1/4 cup bread crumbs

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Boil a large pot of salted water.
Heat milk in small saucepan on low heat. Melt butter in skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion, pancetta and bay leaf; cook until soft, about five minutes; stirring often. Add flour and cook 2 minutes; stirring often. Slowly whisk in hot milk, bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes, whisking often, until thick and smooth. Add 1/2 tsp. salt, nutmeg, hot sauce and pepper to taste. Remove and discard bay leaf. Stir in Gruyere and blue cheese.
Cook pasta until al dente. Drain well and return to pot. Toss with lemon zest and Jack cheese. Add cheese sauce and combine. Stir in parsley and transfer to shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmigiano and breadcrumbs. Bake until bubbly and golden brown about 25 to 30 minutes.

Grilled Pork tenderloin w/Blood Orange Sauce

This recipe comes from Gourmet magazine, I changed it up by using blood oranges since I had some in the fridge. The taste was sensational and the prep work and grilling were simple. I used a 1 pound tenderloin, they used two 3/4 pound ones.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin w/Blood Orange Sauce

2 blood oranges
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. salt
2 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. dry Italian seasoning blend
1 (1 lb) pork tenderloin
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Prepare grill for cooking.
Squeeze enough juice from oranges to measure 5 tablespoons. Mash garlic to paste with 1/2 tsp. salt using a pestle and mortar (or mash with a large knife), then whisk together with juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasonings.
Pat tenderloin dry and rub with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. Italian seasonings.
Serve sauce over sliced grilled pork.

Pulled Pork Quesadilla

I was watching Simply Delicioso on FoodTV with Ingrid Hoffmann and got the inspiration to make these quesadillas. I had some leftover Chile-Citrus Slow Cooked Pulled Pork and thought it would be perfect for quesadillas. I reheated the pork and in a large skillet I heated my tortillas on medium heat for 2 minutes, until they were light brown and crispy. Add the pork, some grated Jack cheese, sliced avocados and fresh cilantro leaves and you have yourself some tasty quesadillas.

Chile-Citrus Slow Cooked Pulled Pork

I wanted to put something in the crock pot for last night's dinner, so I bought a pork butt. I had some small flour tortillas at home and thought that they needed to be filled with a shredded pork. So I picked up an onion, a bell pepper and a jalapeno and went searching for something to pour over all if it. I was at Target and went to the Mexican food aisle, where I saw all these different Archer Farms marinades and sauces. There was one called Chile Citrus Marinade and Grill Sauce and it seemed to be what I needed. The sauce has orange juice, roasted garlic and orange and lemon peel in it. The end result was perfect and my 13 year old nephew even liked it.

Chile-Citrus Slow Cooked Pulled Pork

1 3-lb boneless pork butt roast

1 Tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper

1 onion, sliced

1 bell pepper, cut into strips

1 jalapeno, seeded and cut into strips

1 (12.5 oz) jar Archer Farms Chile Citrus Marinade and Grill Sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Salt and pepper the roast on all sides and brown in skillet. Place the vegetables in the bottom of a crock pot; top with the browned roast and pour sauce over all. Cook on low for 7-9 hours.

Remove pork and shred using 2 forks. Return to crock pot and mix all together. Serve on tortillas or over rice. Top with fresh chopped cilantro and green onions.

Mustard Pan Sauce

I made this sauce to go with my Pan-Roasted Pork Tenderloin. This recipe was inspired by a recipe from the Joy of Cooking. I did not have some of the ingredients that they called for, so I came up with this one instead.



Mustard Pan Sauce


2/3 cup apple cider
4 tsp. stone ground mustard
1 Tbsp. Grand Marnier
1 tsp. hebes de provence
salt and pepper to taste


Add apple cider to pan that you roasted the pork tenderloin in and cook over medium heat until boiling, stirring to remove brown bits from bottom of pan. Add the additional ingredients and lower the heat, continue to cook for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve over pork.