Pork Chops with Green Pepper, Mushrooms and Tomato

This is one of my all time favourite meals.  It comes courtesy of my dad. The recipe itself is pretty loose and there's lots of opportunity to adapt. I personally really like the simplicity of the sauce and the full flavour of the tomatoes without much else getting in the way.

Serves 4

1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
4 pork chops
2 green peppers, chopped
1-1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced and halved
1 clove garlic, minced
1 28 oz can of whole tomatoes, cut up
1 Tbsp tomato paste (optional)
1/4 cup white wine (optional)
Egg noodles (or gluten-free fusilli)

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pork chops and season with salt and pepper. Brown the chops on each side and then set aside.

Turn the heat down a bit. Add the green peppers, onions and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes on medium to medium low heat. Add the tomatoes and stir everything around to mix. Return the pork chops to the skillet and settle in with the tomato sauce. Cook for about 30 minutes.  Depending on your preference, you can add the tomato paste and white wine.

Meanwhile, cook egg noodles according to their directions. This was always my favourite thing to serve with this meal prior to the celiac diagnosis. These days I make gluten-free fusilli and it works just fine.

Serve the pork chops with a hearty amount of sauce on them and on the noodles. Enjoy!

Sidebar: if you want a little bit more depth feel free to add 1/2 tsp of oregano and/or 1/2 tsp of basil.

Green Pepper Soup

There's a great song from the Mighty Boosh that goes "soup, soup a tasty soup soup..." which always makes me think of this concoction. This recipe come from my Irish relatives through my uncle, Dara and his mother. She made it for me when I visited her ten years ago in Galway. It's easy, sweet and delicious.

Serves 4

3-4 green peppers, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp of olive oil or butter
1 Tbsp of flour (I used rice to make it gluten free)
4 cups of chicken stock (gluten free optional)
1/2 cup of cream or blend

Sautee green peppers and onion in the olive oil/butter for about 10 minutes until they are soft. Sprinkle with flour and stir for a minute.

Add 4 cups of chicken stock and stir to blend the flour into the stock. Cook on medium to medium low for about 45 minutes.  I used an immersion blender and then I ran everything through a regular blender to get it extra smooth. Return the soup to a pot and blend the cream in and reheat.

Enjoy!

Kale Salad with Soy and Sesame

So it turns out that I don't hate vegetables. 2013 is definitely the year of growing up. This recipe comes from my friend, Sarah, and is quite delish as well as being a quick and easy veggie side to any meal.

1 bunch kale, washed and cut into big bite sized pieces
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce (gluten free)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted.

Steam the kale for about 6-8 minutes. It's important to not undercook or overcook it. Undercooked kale can be quite bitter. Drain and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the sesame oil, soy sauce and garlic.

In a sauce pan over low heat, toast the sesame seeds. These can burn easily so keep an eye on the pan, stirring frequently.

Toss the kale with mixed dressing and sesame seeds.

Enjoy!

Spicy Goat Cheese-stuffed Chicken

This is an old favourite that for unknown reasons
 I have forgotten about. I love chicken because it is so versatile and this recipe brings out all of its best qualities. It's meant to be barbecued but I often do it in the oven in winter months.

Serves 4. Courtesy of Canadian Living with adjustments.

6 oz of plain goat cheese
2 minced cloves of garlic
1 green onion, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1 pinch cayenne pepper
4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small bowl, mix goat cheese, garlic, green onion, thyme, marjoram and cayenne together. Set aside.

Trim any fat from chicken. With knife held horizontally and starting at the thinner side, cut chicken in half almost but not all the way through. I think fancy people call this a butterfly chicken breast. Open chicken like a book. Spread 1 side with one-quarter of the cheese mixture. Fold over and close with toothpicks.

In small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper. Brush all over the chicken breasts.

Place chicken in dish or on lined baking sheets. Cook at 350 for about 35-40 minutes. My oven can be a little off so feel free to check and adjust.