Embracing Him

This weekend was jam packed and this week is just as full of activity. I haven’t had time to construct my weekly menu plan, so even though I hate doing so I’m making up dinner plans day by day. In addition, I’m clearing out the freezer and pantry of stockpiled items that may soon expire, so I’m limiting myself to using only certain ingredients.

As I poked around in the kitchen this morning, I noticed several bottles of barbecue sauce waiting to be used and spotted a lone orange in the fruit bowl. The can of Dr. Pepper I brought home from my MOPS meeting last night was resting on the counter and the pork chops I defrosted yesterday were quietly awaiting their fate in the refrigerator.

I pulled out my faithful Crock Pot and got busy prepping today’s dinner. I browned the pork chops and created a sweet sauce using the barbecue sauce, Dr. Pepper, and orange juice. In our house, this recipe is already a winner as I love the barbecue sauce I’ve literally doctored up! JT will enjoy the fork tender pork chops and the girlies will gobble up the sweet sauce. The chops and sauce will be perfect when served over last night’s left over white rice.

Now that dinner is simmering away I can get back to schooling and preparing for Sweet Pea’s birthday party this weekend. Isn’t the Crock Pot an awesome invention?

Dr. Pepper Pork Chops
4-6 pork chops
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 (12 ounce) can Dr. Pepper
1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
zest of 1 large orange
1/2 cup orange juice

In a large skillet, heat the oil to medium high heat. Season the pork chops with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Brown lightly on both sides and remove from the skillet. Place the pork chops into the slow cooker.

Combine the Dr. Pepper, barbecue sauce, orange zest, and orange juice. Pour mixture over the pork chops. Cook on low for 4 hours.

Photo: Courtesy of midnightcomm (FLickr)

I’m in the process of revising the meals I prepare for my family to ensure we’re not consuming too much saturated fat. In addition to revamping our favorite recipes, I’ve purchased two lowfat cookbooks from the American Heart Association and found some promising lowfat recipes online.

The newest recipe I’ve discovered is for a wonderful lemon rice. We’re big fans of rice, so I made this dish last week. This simple recipe was fresh and fragrant and JT and I both enjoyed it. The lemon zest and fresh parsley brighten the dish and heighten the flavor.

To make sure the recipe was healthy, I used low fat, low sodium chicken broth. Since I didn’t have any fresh garlic bulbs, I used jarred minced garlic which worked just fine. I plan to serve this rice again next week along side Orange Chicken, but I plan to use jasmine rice and add chopped broccolini for additional flavor complexity.

Fragrant Lemon Rice
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup long grain white rice
2 teaspoons fresh crushed garlic
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
zest of one lemon

Bring stock to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Stir in rice and immediately reduce heat to low. Cover pan and simmer 20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes, covered. Add the remaining ingredients and fluff with a fork before serving.

Photo: Courtesy of Laundry Broad (Flickr)

Though I have a recipe file chock full of old favorites, I like to try new recipes whenever I get the chance. Last night I prepared a new chicken recipe I discovered on a forum I frequent and both JT and I were very impressed with the results. Not only was the dish easy to prepare, but the flavors were out of this world! The chicken was moist, sweet, and spicy and created a great sauce perfect for a side of rice.

The Cajun seasoning is a must in this recipe. Don’t fret if you don’t have any on hand, but do check your spice cabinet or pantry before you run out to the supermarket. If you’ve got a well stocked pantry, there’s a good chance you already have the ingredients for Cajun seasoning right in your kitchen.

I thought the Cajun seasoning was quite spicy, so I didn’t serve the chicken to the children. However, JT didn’t feel the heat as much as I did. If you’re concerned about the level of heat, I suggest you decrease the amount of cayenne pepper in the Cajun mixture or decrease the amount of Cajun seasoning used in the sauce.

All in all, this recipe is fantastic and it now has a home in my permanent recipe file!

Cajun Curry Chicken Breasts
1/3 cup honey
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons mustard
2 tablespoons melted butter
3 teaspoons cajun seasoning
3 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4-6 boneless chicken breasts

In baking dish, combine honey through garlic and mix well. Add chicken in single layer and coat well on both sides. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until no longer pink.

Easy Cajun Seasoning Mix
2 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder

Add all ingredients in a bowl and stir well.

Photos: Courtesy of jen_m_stewart (Flickr)