Bacon Stuffed Pork Chops!!

I must be channeling Paula Deen to be putting so much pork in one place, but I can't help myself! This is so good. And I promise you, it's much healthier than anything Paula Deen the Ham Queen ever made. Ham butter? Ew.

So, I basically took my Nanny's stuffed pork chops recipe and added a few things.

You will need:

• 2 thick cut pork chops
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 onion
• 1 TBSP butter
• garlic powder
• salt
• pepper
• lemon (optional)
• 1 box herb stuffing
• 2 strips thick cut bacon

Preheat the oven to 425.

First, fry up them bacons. If you don't know how to prepare bacon at your age, that's a shame and I pity you. Heat up the pan, fry on med-high heat for about 5-7 minutes on each side. ANYWAY, while that's going on, take this time to cut your celery stalks into long quarters and dice them. Then, dice up that onion, too.

Heat up a small skillet and put the butter in there. Now sautee your vegetable at a medium heat until tender. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder then remove from heat. Once the bacon is cooked evenly, remove from the pan and place on a paper towel to degrease them. make sure to blot both sides thoroughly. Let the bacon cool and then rip it into little bits with your fingers.

Follow the directions on the stuffing box then add vegetables and bacon chunks, mix it up, pop the cover on and remove from heat.

While the stuffing is sitting, season the pork chops on each side with salt and pepper. Get a big, sharp knife and make an incision in the middle on the long side where there's no fat (it's easier). Make it sort of a curved cut so that the stuffing has a pocket to rest in. And yes this looks hilarious, but please, soldier on.

Set aside about 2 cups of stuffing so that you're not re-dipping with a spoon covered in raw pork. Spoon in the stuffing and really pack it in there. Now get two lemon slices and place them on top on the stuffing. You don't have to, but it's pretty and adds a nice light flavor.

Wrap the pork chops in separate aluminum foil sheets so that they close at the top. Place them in a baking dish and bake for 40 minutes. Then, open foil and bake for another 5-8 minutes to give the stuffing a crispy shell.

Oh, my God. This stuffing is so good. Mmmmmm, pig meat.

Love,

Liz

P.S. Always make sure to cook all pork products thoroughly otherwise, YOU WILL DIE.

Pasta Sauce RE-RE-RE-RE-MiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiX!!!

It's been over 4 years since I started this blog and since then I've matured, and so have my recipes. Tonight I'll tackle the pasta sauce. I've definitely changes things around and updated ingredients. I hope you'll enjoy this new version as much I do!

Believe me once you realize how easy it is to make you own really good marinara sauce, you'll never eat it from a jar again.

This time, you'll need:

• 1 14 oz. can whole tomatoes peeled (with or without basil)
• 1 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tiny can tomato paste (you only need half the can)
• 1 whole tomato (diced)
• 1 giant onion or 2 medium sized onions (diced)
• 2 cloves garlic (diced)
• 2 fresh basil leaves or 1 TBSP or chopped basil
• 2 TSP oregano
• 1 hot pepper (diced) or 1 TBSP hot pepper flakes
• 1 lb. ground sirloin (browned and drained)
• 4 TBSP olive oil
• 2 TBSP salt
• 2 TBSP sugar
• 2 TSP black pepper 

Fist, heat up a medium sized frying pan, then add 2 TBSP oil. Once the oil is hot, sautee theonions until the are almost tender, then add garlic. When the garlic is golden brown, stir into the onions and remove from heat. While this is going on, pour the rest of the olive oil into a medium cooking pot and brown the ground sirloin.

Next, combine crushed and peeled tomatoes, diced tomato, onions, garlic, basically everything, into the pot with the browned sirloin. Bring to a boil and stir. Then, reduce heat and simmer, stir regularly. For hours. On end. Make sure you mush up those big chunks of tomatoes and onions once they tender. Unless you want it to be chunky, then leave it be and simmer for at least an hour.

The changes I've made, such as the quality of beef and extra herbs are definitely noticeable from my earlier attempts. Trust me, the ground sirloin apposed to beef is RIDICULOUSLY striking.

Love,

Liz