Pan Seared Pork Chops with Mustard-Sherry-Cream reduction

This was a last minute decision for dinner tonight. I got home at 6:15, walked the dog for a half hour, then realized "oh man... what's for dinner?" So, ransacking the fridge at 6:45 at night, knowing full well that American Idol comes on in just over an hour... I came up with this quick fix. Sorry for the lack of pictures... use your imagination!

All you need is some thin-cut pork chops (or one thicker chop cut in half lengthwise), brown mustard, cooking sherry (or chicken broth & a splash of lemon juice), half & half or milk, and salt & pepper. Seriously!

Heat a pan with a little olive oil & butter over med-med.high heat. The olive oil will allow a higher cooking temperature & the butter gives extra flavor. While the oil & butter are heating, season each side of the pork chop with salt & pepper. Place in the pan and allow to sear for about 3 minutes, or until golden brown, before flipping to the other side. When both sides have cooked, place the pork on serving platter or plate to rest.

The pan you cooked the pork chops in has all kinds of "crispy goodness" at the bottom from the seasonings & meat. This will make the super tasty sauce that gets poured over the pork. To the pan, add a few tablespoons of spicy brown or dijon mustard and about 1/4 cup (a few splashes) of cooking sherry. If you prefer, you can use broth and a splash of lemon juice. Whisk these together and reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer for a minute or two, or until slightly thickened. Add a few splashes of cream, half & half, or milk... whatever you have on hand. Simmer for another minute, stirring or whisking constantly so the cream doesn't burn.

Pour the tasty goodness over the pork chops & enjoy! Tonight I cut corners and we had this with bagged salad & Stove Top stuffing... but hey... a working girl's gotta do what a working girl's gotta do!

Curried Lentil & Veggie Stew

I live in Portland, Oregon and the weather here is often dreary, cold, and rainy.... much like it is today. On days like this, I crave a bowl of some kind of warm comfort food, which often translates into soups and stews. Today, I decided to make Curried Lentil Stew. I came across a recipe for a lentil soup, and thought that it would be great with an Indian flair, and served as a heartier, main-dish stew. So, I improvised. Added a bit of this, a bit of that, and voila! A delicious vegetarian dish that even satisfies meat eaters.

Start off by heating about a tablespoon of olive oil (a few turns worth) in a large pot over medium-med. high heat. Dice an onion and a few carrots. Sautee them in the oil for about 6-8 minutes or until the carrots are tender, but still with a bit of "bite."

Add some cumin & a good amount of curry powder (we are talking 2-3 tablespoons) to the carrots & onions and allow to cook for another minute or two. This will allow the curry flavor to develop and penetrate into the veggies.

Add about 2 cups of water, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can veggie broth, 1 cup red lentils, 1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach (thawed & drained), and salt & pepper to taste. Turn heat up to high and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Let the goodness simmer for about 15 minutes or until the lentils are cooked. Lentils have a nutty texture to begin with, so if you haven't ever worked with lentils, don't expect them to get really soft.

Stir in some sour cream or plain yogurt.... and voila!

Add a dollop of sour cream or yogurt on each bowlful for presentation. You can serve this with rice, couscous, flatbread, or my favorite way... straight up with hot sauce & a spoon!