The Bachelor's Kitchen

You might have noticed we talk a lot about cooking meals based on what’s on sale that week. That’s a very smart tactic in The Bachelor’s Kitchen. Not only is this money-saving, but it gives you a chance to stock up on things to fill you pantry and your freezer. Often, when it comes to fruit and vegetables, sale items are at their peak of freshness, especially if it comes from local sources.

We don’t know of any grocery store, no matter the size, independent or chain, that doesn’t publish in some way a flier of their sale items that week. Sometimes it’s in the mail along with coupons and other sales fliers. Sometimes these lists are only online or in the stores. But no matter how this information is available, it’s worth the effort to find them and use them to make your grocery list. This will save time and money when you get to the store.

Everyone can come up with their own strategy. Here’s mine, developed over several years of experience. Remember, I’m a bachelor. If you have a family to feed, you’ll probably have to make some adjustments to this plan.

A great strategy for using your time and your budget most effectively is to do the bulk of your cooking just one day a week. You can make meals and meal components all at once and be able to eat through most of the week. What do I mean by components? I like to make a pot of rice, enough to last for several meals. Or I might make a pot of beans which makes a good, nutritious side dish for several meals. I don’t just make a single loaf of bread, but several to last not just through the week, but for a week or two to come. Using these methods, you can maximize your fun without cutting in to your time during the work week.

A part of this strategy is to figure out, at least in a rough way, what you’re going to eat that week. For me, this is a two step process, both before and after I go to the store.

I keep a list in the kitchen of staples that I need as they get used up or low. There’s also a list at my desk of regular items to buy like milk, bread, cheese and the like. Then I look at the sales fliers from the stores I go to most often. One store has overall lower prices but limited selection. The other has wider selection, but higher prices. So, I usually alternate between them. I look for good deals on all the things I usually buy, and occasionally at things I might want to try. Using all these lists, I create my shopping list, organized by store section. Sounds like too much work? Guess what? There are websites that can help you with that. Most even will add all the ingredients from selected recipes to the list. The day before I go shopping, the list is printed out and I’m armed and ready to shop.

Then I look at my recipes for things to make using both the ingredients I have on hand and what I plan to buy. I look at both the ingredient list and the directions to make sure I have everything I need to make it.

Don’t look at your shopping list as inflexible. Sometimes you might find the goods in the store don’t look so good, so you may decide on something else that does look good. For example, one time the store advertised a pork tenderloin on sale. But when I got the store, I found it was this processed thing sitting in a liquid of chemicals and preservatives. Pass. No pork for me that week.

That brings me to the second phase, after I return from the store. After I put all the groceries away, I take my receipt and look at what I actually bought, making note of ingredients that will need to get used up during the next few days, like fresh produce and meat. I want to make sure I don’t waste my money or time by letting things go bad in the refrigerator. I want to make sure things that won’t get used right away are added to the freezer and that I have a plan to use up food that won’t keep very long.

Now, I’m ready to cook with a meal plan for the week already worked out. It doesn’t mean I will always stick to that plan. But at least I have some ideas about what I’m going to make and when.

With a little planning, you can make the most of your time in The Bachelor’s Kitchen.

Posted on October 16th, 2019 by James
Filed under: shopping, Tips & Advice | No Comments »

We all know diets do not work. Diets usually mean depriving yourself of something you like. Usually, they are temporary. Those are only the biggest problems. We at The Bachelor’s Kitchen recommend coming up with an eating plan, something you can live with for the rest of your life.

There is a lot of advise about eating: what you should eat, what you should stay away from, how often you should eat, where you should eat, when, what to do while eating, and so on. Usually, that means changing bad habits or forcing yourself to eat foods you might not enjoy very much. That just doesn’t work for most people.

So, what should you do? A new movement in eating may help. It’s called Mindful Eating. What does that mean? It means listening to your own body. Our bodies give us lots of clues about when we are hungry, when we’ve eaten enough and sometimes even what we need to eat. You probably have heard that you shouldn’t be watching television or other things while eating. Doing other things when eating distracts you from hearing what your body is saying, such as, “That’s enough!” Eating mindfully probably will slow you down, giving your body time to register that food has been received, which is one cue to stop eating. Many dietitians point to portion control as a big issue in overeating. Mindful eating can help reduce our quickly gobbling up everything in sight.

One of the great benefits of mindful eating is that nothing is a forbidden food. That overcomes one of the big drawbacks to dieting. The phrase all things in moderation is key here. Food does not come with a moral rating. Even foods that are thought to be bad for you are okay in small amounts as occasional treats. That means you will be more satisfied and less likely to binge. Eating mindfully means thinking of food as a way to take care of yourself, not a command to eat this or that way.

However, just as no food is forbidden, it’s a good idea to keep problem foods out of the house. When you sit down with a snack, make a plate, don’t take the whole bag. And know the difference between a snack and a treat. A snack is something to deal with hunger between meals or before bed, like crackers, cheese, nuts or fruit. A treat is something to reward yourself, something you like but have avoided.

Listening to your body will improve your timing, too. If you wait to eat when your body says it is hungry, you will avoid emotional eating. Just don’t get to the point where you are starving which could lead to overeating. Part of that timing means saving the sweets until the end of the meal. If you’re already full, you probably won’t eat a big dessert.

Eating breakfast is another technique in mindful eating. It gets your metabolism going, meaning you burn more calories. It makes you less hungry at lunch. It helps you think more clearly. Just go light on the sugar, which will not just make you fat, it will make you sluggish within a few hours. Experts recommend a balanced breakfast heavy on complex carbohydrates and protein.

Americans are notorious for having too many things to do in too little time. That means many of us bolt our food. But mindful eating means taking the time to enjoy our food. Not only should we take more time to enjoy our meals, we should not attempt to skip meals because we overindulged in a previous meal or plan to overeat later. Having a smaller meal when you overdo it is a better choice.

Mindful eating means not being afraid of being hungry or eating just to lose weight. If you’re hungry, have a snack. It will prevent you from eating too much at mealtime. Eating to lose weight simply doesn’t work. Changing your eating patterns, foods and proportions does work. The proper eating plan will cause your body to land at the right weight for you, even if that’s not what the tables or others say you should weigh.

As we said before, all things should be in moderation. While we should take time to cook and eat right, we should not become too rigid in our plan. Take time to enjoy friends, family and all the great things in life. Be flexible enough to enjoy it. And don’t punish yourself if you fall off the wagon. Everyone does at one time or another. Just get back on the plan as soon as you can and get on with it. Mindful eating means putting food and eating in its proper place in your life. It must be neither a punishment nor a substitute for something missing in your life.

Posted on October 14th, 2019 by James
Filed under: Health & Nutrition | No Comments »

French fries are one of America’s favorite foods. But these deep fried strips of goodness are loaded with fat and salt. So, the search is on for a healthier french fry.

One method tried a few years ago was to find a better cooking medium. Combining the oil with other substances reduced the amount of fat absorbed by the potatoes. The result was not good. Any more than a few fries resulted in what we might call intestinal distress and lots of messed underwear.

If you don’t want to fry the potatoes, the only obvious alternative is to use the oven. But many of you know that while those might taste good, they won’t be very crispy. We can fix that.

Begin with about 6 potatoes. Yukon Golds work well for this method. You will also need a large baking sheet or cookie sheet and some cooking spray. Olive oil, sugar and spices like garlic powder, salt and pepper are also going to be used. You can replace the garlic with something else, like paprika or cayenne, if you like.

Cut the potatoes into thick planks, like steak fries. You can peel them first if you want. Place the slices in a colander and sprinkle with sugar. Toss them a little to make sure the sugar touches all the fries. Don’t worry, they won’t be sweet. The sugar will draw out the moisture in the potatoes. Just let them sit in the colander and drain for about a half hour.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425ºF and thoroughly coat the baking sheet with cooking spray. When the liquid stops dripping out of the potato slices, empty them onto clean towels or paper towels and dry them well. Transfer the potatoes to a large mixing bowl or a resealable plastic bag. Add a 1/4 cup of olive oil, a teaspoon of garlic powder,  and a teaspoon each of salt and black pepper. Adjust the amounts for your taste. Mix well.

Spread the potatoes out in a single layer on the baking sheet, leaving as much space as you can around each slice. Bake for 20 minutes. Flip the potato slices over and bake for another 20 minutes until crisp and brown.

Are these fat-free? No. But we have reduced the amount of fat enormously. Are they same as what comes out of the frier at your favorite fat fast food joint? No. But they’re pretty good and a lot healthier.

Posted on October 12th, 2019 by James
Filed under: Cooking | No Comments »

Build a better burger and the world will beat a path to your door. 

No, really! 

Look at all the gourmet burger joints popping up all across the country, even the world. These places go beyond the fast food drive-through. They offer special spices, high quality beef, bakery buns and toppings, toppings, toppings. These burgers offer higher quality than you might normally make at home. That’s the whole point: a burger so good you’ll leave your house for them. 

It’s easy to make a hamburger, fry it or grill it, slap a piece of cheese on it, put it on a bun, add a few condiments and that’s it. Right? 

Well, certainly that would work. But you can make it even better. You can make YOUR burger. The amount of added effort is minimal, but that extra effort will be rewarded when you sit down to eat. 

First, here’s the equipment you need. 

1. A skillet that can take high heat. We recommend a cast-iron one if you have it. Do not use a non-stick skillet if you can avoid it. Those are great for eggs, but this is meat. 
2. Mixing bowl, into which you will put your ground beef and then add a few things. 
3. A smaller bowl with a whisk. 
4. A spatula
5. A food scale.
6. An egg ring, large round cookie-cutter or wide-mouth jar or glass.

That last item might raise an eyebrow. This will be used to help shape the burger so you don’t get those ragged, broken edges. Also, you can replace the skillet with a grill if you like. Also, this is an easy recipe to scale for larger crowds. If just for one or two, freeze the extra patties.

As for ingredients, you will need:

1. 1 pound ground beef. We recommend an 80/20 mix of lean and fat. Do not use very lean beef, it will dry out and maybe even burn.
2. 1 egg
3. 1/2 teaspoon salt
4. 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
5. 1/2 cup finely ground bread crumbs. We don’t like the sawdust-like stuff in the store and use Panko instead. It still works.
6. Low sodium Worcestershire sauce.

You will also need some hamburger buns and your favorite cheese in slices. The amounts above will make about 4 to 6 patties, depending on size. 

The Instructions 

1. Get your cooking surface hot. If it’s a grill, you want it hot and oiled. Inside put your skillet on low heat. Raise the heat to medium-high when you are ready to cook. 
2. Put the ground beef and bread crumbs into the large bowl. Use your clean hands to mix it up until bread crumbs are evenly distributed through the meat. 
3. In the smaller bowl, whisk the egg, salt, pepper and any other seasonings you like. Go easy on the salt in favor of some herbs. This is where you can get creative. Want Italian burgers, add dried oregano, dried basil, ground rosemary. Herb du Provence will give you a French burger. You can also get creative in the condiments on the table. When well mixed, add to beef mixture in the larger bowl. Do not add the Worcestershire sauce. You’ll use that when you cook them.
4. Again, use your hands to mix everything together. Make a small ball, like golfball size, and weigh it. You want around a half-pound. Then line the balls up on wax paper on your counter. Repeat until all the meat is used.
5. This is where the egg ring comes in. Using the wax paper as a base, use the ring as a mold. Make sure the meat is evenly distributed around the edge, and that the edge is not crumbling. They should be thick, at least a half-inch. Then make a depression in the middle of the patty while still in the mold. That keeps the burger from making a dome when it cooks. This should make about 4 to 6 burgers.
6. Put the patties on the grill or in the pan. Cover them and cook about 6 minutes on each side. After putting the patties on the heat, prepare to toast your buns. We prefer using a griddle pan for this. Heat the griddle to medium-low and then toast the buns on both sides of each piece. 
7. When the burgers are cooked, put a slice of cheese on top of each and turn off the heat. After the cheese is melted, move each patty to a bun, top with your favorite condiments and you are ready to eat. 

Pair this with fried potatoes, chips or potato salad. 

Posted on October 9th, 2019 by James
Filed under: Cooking, recipes, Tips & Advice | No Comments »

Have you ever wondered what is in baking powder?  How is it different from baking soda? And what does it do?

There are two ways to get fluffy baked goods. One is to use yeast. Those micro organisms eat sugar and secrete alcohol and carbon dioxide. The gas gets trapped in strands of gluten and, like a balloon, make the dough bigger. The more air, the lighter and fluffier the end product becomes.

The other way is to generate that carbon dioxide using chemicals. That means carbonates. One of the most common carbonates in the kitchen is sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda. Do you remember making a volcano for science class? You probably used baking soda and vinegar to create lava. The acid in the vinegar mixed with the alkaloid of the baking soda creating carbon dioxide. The mixture would then boil over and run down the side of your paper match mountain.

The problem with baking soda is that it reacts with acid, like that in milk, immediately, before you’ve even got your pan in the oven. That means all the gas will escape, leaving you with a baked brick instead of something light and airy.

That’s why baking powder is the more popular ingredient to lift your baked goods from brick to beauty. Baking powder uses baking soda with other compounds to create the same reaction, but once the food is exposed to heat. This allows the batter to partially harden and hold in the gas that’s created.

While some formulas may add other ingredients, the basic components of baking powder are baking soda, cream of tartar and corn starch. Cream of tartar is actually potassium bitartrate, a residue found on the bottom of wine barrels. It is an acid. Corn starch is a stabilizer that delays the reaction of the acid and the alkaloid.

Now you also know why it’s called baking powder.

Making your own means you will always have the freshes baking powder. Most baking powders last only a few months.

Posted on October 7th, 2019 by James
Filed under: Baking, Food Information | No Comments »

I don’t know about where you live, but here in The Bachelor’s Kitchen, autumn has certainly arrived. Mornings are cool and crisp, requiring a sweater or jacket. Afternoons are breezy and just warm enough to be delightful. That can only mean one thing across much of the country:  It’s Apple Time! 

More and more we’re finding out the health benefits of apples. They are rich in lots of good nutrients and fiber. And they taste good. There are hundreds of varieties of apples, of which only about a dozen appear in your store. If you can, go to one of those “pick your own” places and get up close and personal with your apples. Or you can check out the farmers market where some local growers may have some interesting heirloom varieties.

When you get them home, there’s lots of things to do with them. Plus they will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator. You can put slices on a salad to add sweetness and crunch. Sauté some slices in butter with cinnamon and maybe just a touch of sugar (depending on the variety) for a great dessert all by itself or as a topping. This is especially good on top of pancakes. You can, with the help of a slow cooker, make your own apple butter. Then there’s apple cake, apple pie and even just eating them all by themselves.

Posted on October 5th, 2019 by James
Filed under: commentary, Fun | No Comments »

Whole grains are not only more popular, they are great nutrition that helps you lose weight and stay healthy. We are all aware of oatmeal as a whole grain dish. But there is a grain you might not have considered: Bulgar.

Bulgar is a cereal food made from wheat groats, or berries. Groats are hulled grain kernels. Bulgar originated in Turkey and is found around the Middle East, India and Europe. In the grocery store, it comes parboiled (partially cooked) and can be found in the cereal or baking supplies aisle.

Bulgur can be used in pilafs, soups, bakery goods, or as stuffing. In breads, it adds a whole grain component. Its high nutritional value makes it a good substitute for rice or couscous. In Indian cuisine, bulgur or daily, is used as a cereal with milk and sugar. In the United States is often used as a side dish, much like pasta or rice. In meals, bulgur is often mistaken for rice because it can be prepared in a similar manner, although it has a texture more like couscous than rice.

Variety in your diet is good. So, try something new and pick up some bulgar at the store.

Posted on October 3rd, 2019 by James
Filed under: Health & Nutrition | No Comments »

I could have titled this post “When Good Recipes Go Bad.” If you’re an experienced cook, you know it sometimes happens that a recipe leaves something out or makes an error is figuring out how much of an ingredient you need. Time estimates also can be way off, I find. If you’re an inexperienced, take heed. This is why I say you should trust your own judgement and not necessarily follow a recipe exactly. Individual conditions may vary. A recipe can’t always take that into consideration.

Chicken was on sale, so I looked in my recipe box for something I had never made and came up with one for a Chicken Satay Pizza. Sounds good, right? But as I assembled the dish, it was clear this recipe was lacking in several things.

So, I’ve modified the recipe into something of my own. That’s what cooks do all the time. Don’t be afraid to make changes depending on what ingredients you have or what you learn about the dish when you make it.

I had that happen to me with a recipe the first time I made homemade bread. The recipe looked simple enough. Not too many ingredients. Relatively simple instructions. Too simple. The recipe must have assumed I had worked with yeast before. It left out several details about that. But I found answers later and have never looked back. Well, not too much.

Satay refers to grilled meats basted in peanut chili sauce. It’s a dish found all over Southeast Asia but is most associated with Thai cuisine. What makes this dish Satay is the use of peanut sauce as the base of the pizza. Instead of grilling, we’re going to sauté the chicken. This recipe called for sliced Provolone, but you can use whatever pliable cheese you like, such as Mozzarella, Monterrey Jack or Munster.

A Note About Sautéing: There are a few tips to make this quick frying method as easy and painless as possible.

• Allow the pan to heat up completely before adding any oil or anything else. I like to let the pan heat slowly, putting it over low heat while I get together my ingredients. As I do my prep work, I gradually turn the heat up. This helps the pan from getting too hot.
• A non-stick pan works well. But if you’re going to be browning or adding a sauce, you might want to go with a regular pan.
• Add just enough oil to barely coat the bottom of the pan and a bit up the sides. If the pan is hot, the oil will be ready for cooking right away. Don’t let it sit too long or the oil will start to smoke and burn. If it smokes immediately when you add it to the pan, your pan is too hot.
• Make sure the food you’re sautéing is dry. Pat it down with paper towels before adding it to the hot oil.
• Don’t crowd the pan. It’s okay to do the cooking in batches if you need to. Crowding the pan causes the food to steam rather than brown. That’s usually okay for vegetables, but not so good for meat.
• After the food has been in the pan for a few seconds, start moving it around. This will help keep it from sticking.

Here’s James’ Satay Chicken Mini-Pizzas

Serves 4

Equipment: Sauté pan, cookie sheet or baking sheet, aluminum foil, plate lined with paper towels, wooden spoon, chef’s knife and two cutting boards or one that can be thoroughly cleaned between uses.

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves cut into bite-size pieces about 1/2 inch wide.
• 1/2 cup prepared Thai Peanut Sauce (you probably won’t need all this)
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions (one bunch trimmed and using only about one inch of the green part)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 slices Provolone cheese
• 4 whole wheat pitas
• Salt, pepper, paprika, oregano and dried basil to taste.

Directions:

1. Heat a medium saute pan to medium or medium-high heat. Add oil and saute the chicken breast pieces just enough to get browning started. Do not overcook. Season the chicken pieces with salt, pepper, paprika and basil.
2. As chicken pieces are done, move onto the paper towel lined plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Always cover meat like this to hold in heat, but make sure steam can still escape.
3. Preheat oven to 425°F.
4. Lay pitas out on cookie sheet or baking sheet as flat as possible. I like to line the sheet with foil to make cleaning easier.
5. Spoon and spread peanut sauce on each pita, just as you would with pizza sauce.
6. Add a handful of chicken pieces on top of each pita and sprinkle them with the chopped green onions.
7. Top each pita with two overlapping slices of cheese so most of the pitas are covered.
8. Bake on middle rack in oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
9. Remove and allow to sit for two to five minutes before cutting in six wedges each.

This goes great with a nice salad or a mix of rice and steamed vegetables.

If you have a recipe you’ve made your own, share it with us here at The Bachelor’s Kitchen by clicking on the comments link below or going to the Contact Us page. You can also send us an email at bchlrkitchen212@gmail.com.

Posted on October 1st, 2019 by James
Filed under: recipes | No Comments »

Salmon is one of America’s favorite fish. It’s easy to cook and it has a meaty flavor that appeals to our meat-heavy tastes.

Sadly, the popularity of salmon means it is being overfished in the wild. Many environmentalists believe some species of salmon could even go extinct. Some foodies complain that farm-raised salmon just doesn’t have the taste that wild salmon has. I tend to agree with that.

There are several popular species of salmon, each with different characteristics and flavors. They are part of the same family as trout. Most are in the Pacific Ocean. One is in the Atlantic, called what else, the Atlantic Salmon. Some of these are also found in some lakes in Northern Europe and North America. Most Atlantic salmon is farm raised and makes up most generic salmon fillets you find in the store.

Of the Pacific species, four are probably best known here in the U.S.: Coho, Pink (also called humpies), Red or Sockeye, and Chinook. Chinook, also called King Salmon, are the largest and prized for their large, lean fillets. Pink and Red varieties are often used for canning. Another canned species is the Chum salmon, which ranges as far South as the Central California Coast.

One problem with farm-raised salmon, or other fish, is that they are usually fed something other than what they would naturally eat, like corn. Salmon eat other fish, but supplying wild fish for farm salmon is very expensive. Thus, the taste of farm salmon is more mild, almost bland. It also has less of the rich Omega-3 oil that makes salmon so popular for heart health.

Because many people think salmon is less flavorful than it used to be, the key is to cook it in a flavorful way. That’s what makes this Skillet-seared Salmon dish so attractive.

All you need is a nice fillet of salmon, a couple of Roma tomatoes, a pepper of your choice, some olive oil, a little salt and pepper and if you like it, some cilantro.

Wash and dry your salmon fillet. It should be about an inch thick at its biggest point. Like all good fish, it should be nice and pink, moist and not fishy smelling. You can leave the skin on if you like, or take it off when it’s cooked. Also, feel your fish. It’s the best way to tell if there are any little bones in it. When doing anything in a skillet with oil, always try to get your food as dry as you can.

Halve and remove the seeds from your tomatoes. Then chop into large chunks. Do the same with your pepper. You can use a regular green or red pepper, but for a little bite, use a jalapeno. Just be sure to clean out all the seeds and ribs. If using cilantro, wash and dry it thoroughly.

Now heat your skillet on medium high, then add a tablespoon of oil. When it’s hot, carefully lay in the fish. Just let it sit there for about 4 minutes then carefully turn it over. Be gentle. Fish cooks quickly. It should take about 8 minutes total. It’s done when a fork can easily pull it apart and it flakes into small clumps.

Remove the fish from the pan and set aside on a plate. Cover it loosely with foil.

Add the tomatoes and pepper to the pan and saute for a minute or two then add that to the fish. Garnish with cilantro, if you use it, and enjoy. For something a little heartier, add a couple spoonfuls of rice on the side.

One of the wonderful things about cooking salmon is that it can take a little overcooking because of its high oil content.

Posted on September 29th, 2019 by James
Filed under: Cooking, recipes, Tips & Advice | No Comments »

What would Homer Simpson do without Marge’s weekly Pork Chop Night? Pork chops are an American dinner staple. Pork is usually inexpensive and chops are easy to do in a skillet.

We had some pork chops in the freezer, so I decided to make a pork chop dinner. We also had lots of russet potatoes. Broccoli was on sale, so we had some crowns ready for steaming. Also on sale were button mushrooms. Sounds like the makings of a dinner to me.

Pork chops. I combined a couple of different recipes to come up with a pork chop that was incredibly tender and moist. The biggest problem with the usual skillet fried pork chops is that they get too dry and greasy. This method gives you the flavor of fried chops but the gentle heat of baked.

• 4 pork chops, washed and dried
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs or crushed crackers
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons yellow corn meal
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
• 1 tablespoon milk

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Beat egg in a shallow bowl, stirring in milk. In a shallow dish combine crumbs, flour, corn meal, garlic powder, salt, pepper, oregano and Old Bay.
3. When pan is hot, add oil. Dip each chop in egg mixture and then dredge in dry mix, making sure all sides are coated. Carefully lay the chops into the hot pan. Brown on each side, about five minutes per side.
4. Meanwhile, grease a baking dish. Move each chop once browned to the baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 30 to 49 minutes or until the chops reach an internal temperature of at least 170.
5. Remove from oven and allow to stand for about 10 minutes.

Smashed Potatoes. I don’t do a lot of mashing when I make mashed potatoes, it’s too easy to get them all gluey. Besides, I like some lumps of potato in the mix.

• 6 medium russet potatoes
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1-1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Peel, wash and cube potatoes into about 1/2-inch pieces. Put in cold water in large sauce pan. There should be enough water to cover potatoes by about a half inch or more.
2. Put pot over high heat until the water starts to boil. Then turn down heat to maintain a simmer for about 20 minutes or until potatoes easily fall apart when squeezed with back of spoon or set of tongs.
3. Remove from heat and drain most of water out, leaving about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water in the pot.
4. Add butter, milk, garlic powder, pepper and salt to potatoes and use a hand masher to crush the potatoes and mix all ingredients. Do not over beat!

Carmelized Onions & Mushrooms. This is a great side, adding a nice sweetness to both the chops and the potatoes. You can also use this to make a really good gravy if you like that sort of thing. Just add flour, water and a little milk or cream and you’re good to go.

• 1 medium onion, halved and cut into slices
• 8 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil if needed

1. Use the same skillet as the browned pork chops and heat over medium-low. Add oil if needed.
2. Brown and caramelize the onions, stirring frequently and scraping up all the
3. brown bits in the bottom of the pan.
4. Next add in the mushrooms and cook until soft and brown, stirring frequently.
5. If making gravy, turn up the heat and add the flour, water and a little milk. Stir constantly.

Steamed Broccoli. This is an easy green veggie. Just steam the trimmed broccoli until it’s just tender but still has a little bite. Sprinkle with salt and splash some good Balsamic vinegar on it. This should be the last thing done for dinner.

You’ll find the pork chops tender and moist. Who doesn’t like homemade mashed potatoes? It was a good dinner. Leftovers didn’t last long.

Posted on September 27th, 2019 by James
Filed under: Cooking | No Comments »