Pretzel Crusted Pork Chop w/ Cranberry-Dijon Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

4 Bone in Pork Chops (approx. ½ to 1 inch thick) – or one
per person

2 cups Snyders of Hanover Homestyle Pretzels

2/3 cup AP Flour

Egg Wash: 1 egg beaten w/ 2 tbsp milk or water

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp onion powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp dried crushed rosemary

½ tsp dried thyme

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

Cranberry Dijon Sauce

1 can jellied cranberry

¼ cup Dijon mustard

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

1 small shallot, minced

1)     Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2)     In a food processor, combine pretzels, rosemary,
and thyme and pulse briefly to create chunky pretzel crumbs (not too fine,
texture is key)

3)     Combine flour, garlic & onion powder, black
pepper, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika

4)     Dredge pork chops in flour mixture, followed by
egg wash, then pretzel crumb mixture.

5)     Completely cover in pretzel crumb mixture,
applying pressure to make sure pretzel crumbs adhere.

6)     In a large skillet over medium heat, melt olive
oil and butter and coat the pan liberally.

7)     When pan is hot, add pretzel crusted pork chops
and let cook for 4-5 minutes each side.

8)     To finish cooking pork chops, place on baking
sheet and bake in oven for an additional 10 minutes, or as needed to cook
through.

FOR THE CRANBERRY-DIJON SAUCE

1)     Melt butter and olive oil in sauce pan over
medium heat

2)     Add minced shallot and sautee until translucent

3)     Add jellied cranberry, Dijon mustard, and maple
syrup

4)     Whisk until combined and sauce mixture is uniform
in color

5)     Simmer for 10 minutes until sauce is thickened.

6)     Serve with pretzel crusted pork chops.

I read about flax meal crusts being used for pizza – basically a low carb or virtually carb-less crust since the carbs in flaxmeal are from fiber – and thought it would be great for a quiche… a nice crunchy vehicle for whatever you want to throw into your egg mixture. I was right!

Happy Saturday Morning… enjoy this healthy dish!

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 1.5 cups ground flax meal
• 3/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese (or plain parmesan works fine)
• 2 eggs

For the filling:

• 6 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 1 cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese
• half a bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped broccoli
• salt & pepper to taste
• 4 slices cooked turkey bacon, chopped

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• combine all ingredients for crust
• press crust dough into bottom of a pie pan or quiche dish and mold into a flat crust
• pre-bake for 8-10 minutes
• Combine all quiche filling ingredients leaving out 1/4 cup of the cheese
• Fill par-baked crust with filling and sprinkle the top with remaining cheese
• Bake for 35-40 minutes until cooked through
• Slice and enjoy

Who doesn’t love a crispy fried egg roll? They are sweeping the nation’s chain restaurants who are stuffing them with every kind of cheese, meat, and veggie combination imaginable. Tex Mex, Southwest, and Avocado egg rolls are some of the popular ones I’ve seen on menus that aren’t traditionally Asian in origin. Unfortunately, all of these options aren’t exactly ”health food”.

While I have seen the egg roll head from Asian flavors to all over Latin American in restaurants, I had yet to see an Italian version… until my own of course!

This is another amazing holiday appetizer. Finger food with a dipping sauce that’s crispy, gooey, and healthy all at the same time. Baked not fried, chicken sausage instead of pork, and chock full of veggies. You can chow down on a ton of these delicious hors d’oeuvres at your next holiday party without worrying about becoming a Santa Claus body double.

Yields 20-25 egg rolls

Ingredients:

5 italian chicken sausages, sausage removed from casing

1 yellow onion, chopped fine

3 cloves of garlic, minced

3 bell peppers (i like using 2 yellow and 1 green) chopped fine

1 8 oz package crimini mushrooms, sliced

1 Package shredded reduced fat italian blend cheese

1 package egg roll wrappers (can be found easily in the refrigerated produce section usually at any supermarket)

Olive oil or cooking spray

1 cup marinara sauce for serving

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, spray with cooking spray or drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and begin to sauté chicken sausage removed from casing until cooked through, golden brown and crumbled.
• Remove from skillet and let excess fat drain on paper towel
• Return the same skillet to medium high heat and add additional cooking spray or drizzle of olive oil.
• Add minced garlic, chopped onions, and sliced mushrooms. Sautee for 5 minutes until onions begin to become translucent.
• Add chopped bell peppers and continue to sauté until all vegetables are cooked through.
• Add sausage back to the pan with vegetable mixture and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes so all the flavors can marry together
• Remove mixture from heat and empty into large mixing bowl.
• Once cooled slightly, add 1 package of low fat shredded italian cheese. Mix to combine.
• To assemble lay egg roll wrapper and spoon approx. 1/4 cup of sausage mixture in the middle of the egg roll wrapper.
• Wet your finger or a brush with water and coat or brush the outside perimeter of the egg roll skin with a little water to seal.
• Fold each East & West end of the egg roll skin over the mixture and then roll up like a burrito from South to North, tucking in contents and making sure egg roll is secured.
• Repeat until all egg rolls are assembled.
• Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or brush with olive oil and arrange egg rolls.
• Spray the tops of egg rolls with cooking spray or brush tops with olive oil and bake for approx 25 minutes in a 400 degree oven until golden brown and crispy.
• Serve warm with marinara sauce for dipping.

Who doesn’t love mac & cheese? It’s an all-American staple ingrained in our brains from childhood thanks to that blue box of powdered cheesy goodness. Sure, there are ways to cut caloric corners here with low fat cheeses and skim milk but when I eat mac & and cheese, I want the richest, cheesiest experience I can render for myself. My recipe has an incredible depth of flavor thanks to bacon used through out the entire cooking process and a mixture of 3 unique cheeses that sing together in macaroni harmony. My mac & cheese recipe is great on its own but if you are watching your girlish (or boyish) figure these holidays make this appetizer and satisfy your craving in just a few bites. No guilt necessary!

For the Parmesan Cups:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese (I like to use fresh grated parmigiano reggiano for the best flavor)

2 cups grated Parmesan cheese will yield about 8 Parmesan Cups (depending on the size of your muffin tin mold you’d like to use)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. Place a 1/4 cup mound of grated Parmesan cheese and using a spatula, flatten the mound until it’s a circle about 4 inches in diameter (depending on the size of your muffin tin)
3. Bake for 8-10 minutes until cheese just starts to brown and bubble
4. Remove baking sheet from oven & working quickly, use a spatula to move the parmesan circles to a muffin tin while they are still pliable
5. Gently press the parmesan circle into the muffin tin to mold into a cup.
6. Let cool in the pan until firm
7. Remove cups from pan and fill with mac and cheese just prior to serving

For the Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb elbow macaroni (cooked to package directions)
• 2 cups milk (heated in microwave or on stove top)
• 3 strips bacon
• 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped fine onion
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 cup grated gruyere cheese
• 1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup grated smoked gouda cheese
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter + 1 tbsp melted

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1. In a large pot on medium heat, cook bacon strips till fat is rendered and bacon is cooked through and slightly crisp
2. Remove bacon from pan and set aside
3. Add 2 tbsp butter and chopped onion and minced garlic
4. Sauté onion and garlic mixture in bacon drippings and butter until cooked through and onions are translucent (about 5 minutes)
5. Add flour and using a whisk, stir the flour so it begins to cook with the fat in the pan
6. Continue whisking flour mixture for 1-2 minutes
7. Slowly add hot milk and continue stirring with whisk until mixture is smooth and thickened
8. Remove from heat and slowly add cheese in handfuls, whisking in between handfuls to make sure cheese is fully incorporated
9. Add cooked macaroni to the pot and stir well to combine.
10. On a baking sheet, arrange panko bread crumbs and drizzle with 1 tbsp melted butter
11. Place baking sheet in the oven and toast bread crumbs until golden brown and crispy (about 5 minutes)
12. Remove breadcrumbs from oven and crumble bacon into panko bread crumbs. Mix to combine.
13. Spoon mac and cheese into Parmesan cups and sprinkle with bacon/bread crumb mixture.
14. Serve warm and Enjoy