Front Burner

So I'm coming back with a bang. I can't believe I let an entire month slip by without posting a new recipe! I'm slacking big time and I need to make up for it. I even told a potential new follower that I would post my mom's Blueberry Cream Cheese Bread Pudding recipe and I failed at that too. I promise, that one will be coming soon. But for now... Pork Chops with Cherry Port Wine Sauce. Oh heavenly goodness. The reason the photo was taken subsequent to my first few bites was because I was enjoying it too much to pause for the picture. I served it with a rice pilaf and roasted cauliflower for an incredibly delicious and easy dinner.

Pork Chops with Cherry Sauce

2 Tbsp. finely chopped shallot
2 tsp. olive oil
1 cup fresh or frozen pitted dark sweet cherries, halved
2/3 cup ruby port wine
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt

PORK CHOPS:
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 1/2 tsp. ground mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 boneless pork loin chops
2 tsp. olive oil

In a small saucepan, suate shallot in oil until tender. Stir in the cherries, wine, vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 1o minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the coriander, mustard, salt and pepper; rub over chops. In a large skillet, cook chops in oil over medium heat for 4-6 minutes on each side. Serve with sauce.

(Recipe courtesy of Taste of Home Healthy Cooking)

About a year ago among a search for an Apple Sour Cream Pie recipe, I came upon this delicious sounding dessert and absolutely had to try it. This soon became one of my most beloved pies and a permanent addition to my recipe file. I frequently have requests for the recipe and as my friend Lauren pointed out, the blog is lacking in the dessert category (although not for my lack of good recipes... just for my lack of posting them!) So, in honor of Lauren and this insanely good pie, I am finally sharing this recipe with you all.

Berry Sour Cream Pie

1 9-inch unbaked pie shell (if you're feeling adventurous you can make it from scratch)
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries
1 1/2 cups fresh blackberries

Topping:
1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3 Tbsp. cold butter, cut up

Beat eggs. Whisk in sour cream and vanilla. Mix flour, sugar and salt. Add to egg mixture. Gently stir in berries.

Pour into pie shell and bake at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Mix brown sugar, flour and nuts. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly (alternatively, chop nuts in food processor, add brown sugar and flour and pulse until combined. Add butter and pulse until crumbly.) Sprinkle over hot pie and bake 10-15 minutes more.

I've been on the search, for quite sometime now, for that ever so perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe (known in the food world as the infamous CCC.) I've come to realize, however, that the problem with this quest is that the idea of a "perfect" cookie is different to everyone. Some like them crunchy, some like them soft, some like them thin, some like them thick. It's hard to make everyone happy. So I have to say that my search was purely for MY perfect cookie, a soft, slightly chewy, not too sweet treat of perfection. And when I ran across this recipe I had some reservations but absolutely HAD to try it. I wish I had come up with it on my own but while I love to cook and bake, I have no talent when it comes to developing my own recipes. So this comes to you from Jenny of the Picky Palate food blog (http://picky-palate.com/) Unlike me, this girl's got some skills when it comes to recipes! I've typed up the recipe here with my very specific ingredient recommendations (I will no doubt replicate this recipe with the same ingredients every time... who wants to mess with perfection?!)