What's For Dinner?: October 2010

Mushroom and Cream Cheese Log

11:54 AM |

This is a super easy super taste app that my mom used to make. It is super easy and can be prepared ahead of time and brought someplace to bake or to bake closer to when company is coming.

4oz softened cream cheese
3 cloves of garlic, chopped (or 1 tbsp of garlic powder can be used as a short cut)
1/2-1 small can (3oz) of mushroom pieces and stems, chopped
1 package of crescent rolls

Preheat the oven to 375.
In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, garlic and mushrooms.
On a large cutting board or other large clean surface, unroll the package of crescent rolls into one giant rectangle- do not separate into pieces. (You'll have to play with it, pinch seams together, etc. It doesn't have to be perfect.)
Spread the cream cheese mixture across the crescent roll sheet.
From the long end, roll it up and then cut into 1/2" slices.
Lay each slice on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 12 minutes.

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Quick-Sauteed Spinach with Garlic

11:42 AM |

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 bag of spinach leaves (I use the ones in the bagged salad aisle)

3 (or more, depending on taste) cloves garlic, peeled and sliced or chopped

Generous pinch red pepper flake

Salt and black pepper, to taste

In your largest saute pan, heat the oil over high heat until very hot, almost smoking. Add the spinach and cook, stirring furiously, for about 1 to 2 minutes, the spinach should turn bright green and wilt slightly. Add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring rapidly, for 30 seconds.

Remove the spinach from the heat and add the red pepper and salt and black pepper. Toss well and serve.

If you are making this to go with the pork chops and mashed potatoes, this is easy to do while the chops are cooking and can be set aside and reheated later.

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Garlic Mashed Potatoes

11:37 AM |

This is a combo recipe of a lot of other recipes I've used over the last few years.

Potatoes, peeled or mostly peeled (1-2 per person)
Salt
¼ top ½ stick of butter
1 C sour cream
milk
garlic cloves (at least 4, depending on your taste)
Directions:
Peel potatoes and cut into fairly large chunks.
Boil until tender to fork. Drain.
Add salt (to taste), butter and sour cream
Mash by hand.
Add milk to desired creaminess.

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Drunken Pork Chops

11:34 AM |

One of my favorites. I had a version of this at a restaurant at the Boardwalk hotel in Disney about 6 years ago. I would have to say that this recipe is the closest and tastiest. I serve this with the mashed potatoes and spinach recipes I'll be posting. YUM.

Alterations I made: 1 bottle Bass Ale, 1 package of dry onion soup mix and 6 really thick cut pork chops (1.5" thick). I also threw a chicken breast in for one of my guests.

Ingredients:
4-6 pork chops
flour
salt & pepper
1 can cream of mushroom soup
¾ C beer
1 small jar mushrooms, drained
2 Tbs dry onion soup mix or 2 Tbs minced onion & garlic powder to taste
Directions:
Coat chops in flour, sat & pepper, and brown. Put in single layer in baking dish.
Prepare mushroom soup according to label direction, substituting beer for water or milk.
Add mushrooms and soup mix or powders, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Pour over chops and bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.
Gravy is great to serve with mashed potatoes.

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Fall Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

11:30 AM |

From allrecipes.com
I subbed dried cranberries for fresh cranberries.

1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup cranberries
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons white sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
2 heads romaine lettuce - rinsed, dried, and torn into bite-size pieces
2 medium heads Belgian endive - washed, dried and chopped
2 red Anjou pears
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Directions

In a saucepan, combine vinegar and cranberries. Cook over medium heat until cranberries soften. Remove from heat; add olive oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Place in blender and mix until smooth. Refrigerate until chilled.
Core and julienne one pear, core and dice the other.
In a large bowl, combine the Romaine lettuce, endive, diced pears, walnuts and Gorgonzola. Toss and drizzle with enough dressing to coat.
Divide among salad plates and garnish with julienned pear. Top with any additional walnuts as well.

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Coming Soon!

12:56 PM |

A blog about Harvest Salad, Drunken Pork Chops served over Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Spinach and the Mushroom Log Appetizer. Having dinner guests and I'm cooking! YAY! Check back after the weekend!

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Mushroom and Cream Cheese Log

Quick-Sauteed Spinach with Garlic

In your largest saute pan, heat the oil over high heat until very hot, almost smoking. Add the spinach and cook, stirring furiously, for about 1 to 2 minutes, the spinach should turn bright green and wilt slightly. Add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring rapidly, for 30 seconds.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Drunken Pork Chops

Fall Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

Directions

Coming Soon!