Maple Pork and Apples

Ingredients

• 4 pork loin chops, cut 1/2-inch thick (about 1-3/4 lb.) 
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
•  12 baby carrots with tops, halved lengthwise 
• 1 medium apple, sliced and seeds removed
• 1/3 cup  pure maple syrup

 

Directions

• Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper. In skillet melt butter over medium heat; add chops. Brown for 2 minutes, turning once. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add carrots, apple, and maple syrup. Cover; simmer for 8 minutes or until desired doneness
• Using slotted spoon, transfer chops, carrots, and apples to platter; bring syrup mixture to boiling. Boil gently, uncovered, 1 to 2 minutes or until thickened. Pour over chops. Makes 4 servings.

   

Sarah's Salad

Ingredients

• 1 head of iceberg lettuce
• 6 strips of bacon
• 1/2 of a 10 oz pkg. frozen peas
• 1/4 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese (or 2 1/2 oz. cut into strips)
• 2/3 cups diced green onion
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Miracle Whip

Directions

1. Wash and drain lettuce. Dry thoroughly.
2. Dice and cook bacon until crisp; drain and cool on paper towel.
3.  Put frozen peas in a colander. Run hot water over peas to thaw. Drain peas.
4. Tear lettuce into bit sized pieces and place in salad bowl.
5. Sprinkle sugar, salt, and pepper over top of lettuce.
6. Add peas, cheese, green onion, mayo and salad dressing.  If making salad ahead of time, layer ingredients in order listed finishing with mayo and salad dressing. Do not mix the mayo and salad dressing in, just drop them on top of the salad, cover tightly and refrigerate.  Toss salad when ready to serve.
7.  Garnish with bacon. makes 8 servings.

Mashed Potatoes with Crispy Shallots

Ingredients

6 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes - peeled and quartered
4 peeled garlic cloves
2 Tcanola oil
6 large shallots thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)
1 cup half-and-half
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
Kosher salt

Directions

In a large pot, cover the quartered potatoes and garlic cloves with cold water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the canola oil until shimmering. Add the shallots in a single layer and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until they are golden, about 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to paper towels to drain.

Drain the potatoes and garlic in a colander, shaking out the excess water. Add the half-and-half and butter to the pot and heat until melted. Remove from the heat. Press the potatoes and garlic through a ricer into the pot and season with salt. Stir and cook over moderate heat until very hot. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a bowl. Just before serving, sprinkle the shallots with salt and garnish the potatoes with the shallots.