Irish Stew

I love planning special menus for holidays. Not just Thanksgiving & Christmas, but ANY holiday. Today is St. Patrick's Day, so it's time for the annual soda bread, Irish stew, and teasing from my husband about the one day a year it smells like beer outside at my alma mater...

My sweet husband enjoyed this meal so much, he asked if there were any other Irish holidays we could commemorate with this delicious meal. That sure is nice to hear!

Although traditional Irish Stew recipes use lamb seared in bacon fat, I took the liberty of using pork and olive oil. The results are magnificent. The pork is super tender, the broth so savory a toddler will keep you busy feeding HIM your broth, and the vegetables are tender and delicious. The stew has enough potatoes to stick to your ribs, but not so much that you feel guilty about the carbs.

I served this stew with Weight Watcher's recipe for Irish Soda Bread.


Irish Stew
2 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 green pepper, diced (traditionally, this would be onion)
garlic cloves, minced
3 potatoes, diced
2 c beef broth
1/2 c white wine (I used leftover Chardonnay)
1 tsp thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 pork chops, cut into 1" cubes
2 Tbsp flour
olive oil

Saute the diced veggies in olive oil. Meanwhile, coat the pork cubes in seasoned flour. Sear the pork cubes in batches (so the pan doesn't get crowded). Place all ingredients in a crock pot on High for six hours.

Jambalaya

There is a sense of victory when you can transform leftovers into a completely different meal, don't you think? We really enjoyed this jambalaya made from leftover Easter ham. The flavor is rich and luscious, filled with exciting spicy flavors.

Nearby, we have a fantastic Cajun restaurant that inspired me to try my hand at making a thick, spicy jambalaya. It's one of the restaurants I often think about when my husband asks me where I'd like to go out to eat. They have a wonderful option where you can get a half serving of two different dishes. Usually, their jambalaya occupies half of my plate...

Jambalaya

1/2 c ham, cubed

1/2 c cooked chicken, cubed

1 Tbsp canola oil

2 celery stalks, diced

1/4 c onion, diced

1/2 green pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

14 oz can diced tomatoes

8 oz can tomato paste

1/2 c chicken stock

1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 bay leaf

1/2 tsp thyme

dash Worcestershire sauce

dash or two Tabasco sauce

cooked rice for two people

Heat the oil in a pan at medium heat. Saute the veggies until they are tender, but not brown. Add all the ingredients except rice. Cover and simmer for twenty minutes, then stir in the rice. Serves 3 people.

Ham & Pepper Calzones

I'm intrigued by the idea of making pizza at home, but I hesitate to compete with the glorious taste of Papa John's delights. Plus, I wanted to serve fewer points at dinner tonight, so here is a great idea: make a calzone.

The warm ham, melted cheese, and sauteed bell peppers are an unbeatable combination. Everyone, including the dog, was excited about the aroma of fresh bread and meat that filled the house. Those of you who are vegetarians could substitute roasted red peppers for the ham. Anyone looking for a place to inject more whole grain could use whole wheat pizza dough like I did.

Ham & Pepper Calzones

2 tsp olive oil

2 bell peppers, sliced (one red, one green)

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 oz tomato paste

1/4 lb sliced deli ham, cut into thin strips

1 lb pizza dough

1 c shredded mozzarrella cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile,heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Saute the bell peppers and garlic until tender (5 minutes). Add the ham and cook until lightly browned (3 minutes). Allow this mixture to cool.

Turn out the pizza dough onto a lighlty floured surface. Divide the dough in half and roll each half into a 10-inch circle. Spread half the tomato paste on a dough circle, sprinkle with half the oregano, alf the ham mixture,and cheese, leaving a one-inch border of dough clean. Fold the dough over the filling, crimping the edges to seal the calzone. Repeat with the second piece of dough.

Bake the calzones on a baking sheet prepared with nonstick cooking spray for 20 minutes. Serves 4 (7 points each).

Spinach & Cheese Stuffed Pork Chops

My brother Jeff is hilarious. He has a way of telling jokes that makes them extra funny. I remember him joking about the Simpson's episode that Homer asked for the most expensive dish stuffed with the second most expensive dish. In the spirit of stuffed meat, here comes another way to dress up an ordinary pork chop.

You'll love the rich, creamy spinach goodness couched between layers of tender pork. This meal is delicious with rice and squash or sweet potato and green beans.

Spinach & Cheese Stuffed Pork Chops

2 pork chops

1 wedge light Laughing Cow Swiss cheese

1/2 can spinach

1 Tbsp olive oil

Slice a pocket into the side of each pork chop. Mix together well-drained and squeezed spinach with the cheese. Stuff each pork chop pocket with the spinach mixture, then sear the outside of the pork chops in a pan treated with olive oil. When both sides of each chop are seared to lock in the moisture, transfer them to a baking dish and bake in a 400 degree oven for ten minutes. Serves 2.

Apple Rosemary Pork Chops

I had a couple of leftover Granny Smith apples when I made the Apple Raisin Pie, so my husband suggested making pork chops with apples.

I really enjoy watching cooking show when I'm nursing our son. It's fun to learn new techniques and hear about other people's ideas for flavor combinations. Recently, I learned that it is important to let meat come to room temperature before placing it on a hot surface to cook. Otherwise, the meat fibers shrink and you get tough meat. Moreover, it is important to let meat rest after it is cooked (and before you slice it) or the juices will run all over the plate and you'll eat tough meat. What a difference those two techniques made to the juiciness of tonight's pork chops!

We enjoyed these pork chops with french style green beans and au gratin potatoes. The meat was so flavorful and tender. The apple wedges were succulent and absorbed flavors from both the meat and the rosemary.

Apple Rosemary Pork Chops

2 pork chops

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Granny Smith apple, cut into 8 wedges

1/3 c chicken stock

1 tsp dried crushed rosmary

Let the pork chops come to room temperature. Heat a skillet to medium heat, then spray with canola oil cooking spray. Cook the pork chops for 4 minutes on one side, brushing half of the mustard on the upward-facing sides. Flip the pork chops and brush the remaining mustard on this upward-facing side. Sprinkle the crushed rosemary over the pork chops. Let the pork chops continue to cook for 4 more minutes, then remove them from the pan. Cover the chops to keep them warm. Deglaze the pan (pick up all those meaty bits currently stuck to the pan) by stirring the chicken stock in the pan for a minute or so. Add the apple wedges and turn the heat down to medium-low. Cover and cook until the apples are tender, then return the pork chops to the pan for a minute. When serving this, place the apple wedges over each pork chop and drizzle with the au jus. Serves 2.

Sweet & Sour Pork

I love Asian meals, especially those that contain sweet and sour sauce. Generally, I buy bottled sauce. Today, I wanted to make my own. This sauce is so delicious, you'll love it!

Sweet & Sour Pork
1/4 cup Splenda
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1/2 cup reserved pineapple juice (or grapefruit juice if you are using fresh pineapple)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 c water
1 red pepper, chunked
1 green pepper, chunked
1 c fresh pineapple, chunked
1 carrot, chunked
2 pork chops, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 Tbsp olive oil

Combine the Splenda, ketchup, soy sauce, juice, and vinegar in a small saucepan. Simmer the pork pieces in the sauce. Meanwhile, sweat the vegetables in olive oil (just shy of a sauté – we don’t want to brown the veggies). Combine the softened vegetables, pineapple, pork, and sweet & sour sauce into a single pan. In a separate bowl, stir cornstarch and water, then stir this cornstarch mixture into the sweet & sour sauce mixture. Simmer for a few minutes for the sauce to thicken, then serve immediately over a bed of rice. Serves 3.