Beer Pork Chops with Mushrooms and Spicy Green Beans

How crazy is this? I make a post yesterday about how while I normally make chicken, pork chops were calling to me and then today I also post another pork dish.

This meal was absolutely delicious. While it may not photograph extraordinarily, I really wish there was a way to transfer flavors via the internet. The flavors of the beer, onions, mushroom, and pork melded together so well with the spicy taste of the green beans.

I served the meal with just a plain noodle. It was definitely good to do that, because there was lots of sauce going on that soaked up in the noodles.

Beer Pork Chops with Mushrooms

Ingredients

4 pork chops

1 10-oz can cream of mushroom soup with roasted garlic

1/2 cup beer of your choice

1 cup mushroom pieces

1 onion, finely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In a skillet brown the pork chops on both sides. Place in a baking dish.

3. Mix together the cream of mushroom soup and beer. Pour over the pork chops.

4. Arrange the mushrooms and onions over the pork chops.

5. Bake for 45 minutes.

* serves 4

CALORIES: 202 calories

Spicy Green Beans

Ingredients

4 slices bacon

1/2 onion, diced

1 tsp adobo sauce

1 lb fresh green beans

1 8-oz can petite diced tomatoes

1/4 cup water

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

2 tbsp lemon juice

Directions

1. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until the bacon is crisp. Remove the bacon and place on paper towels to drain. In the bacon fat, add the onion and garlic, cooking until fragrant. Add the adobo sauce and tomatoes, cooking for 2 minutes. Stir in the green beans, water, honey, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover the pan, lowering heat to medium-low. Simmer until the green beans are tender, 30 to 40 minutes.

2. Crumble the bacon. Sprinkle the bacon pieces and lemon juice over the green beans.

* serves 4

CALORIES: 89 calories

Pork Chops with Mushroom Bourbon Cream Sauce and Mushroom Pasta Salad

My meat of choice is usually chicken. Ever since I was a little girl, chicken has been my go-to. I went to New York once with my mom when I was in high school and for the week I was there, every meal I had was chicken.

I have very little variation in my diet, clearly.

But I made a change with this dinner! I actually really like pork chops, but for some reason I just don't make them very often. I don't really have a reason for my lack of pork in my diet, except that I just am drawn to chicken most of the time.

This dinner was such a success though that I think I need to change things up!

The biggest success of the dinner wasn't the pork itself actually. It was the fact that the breading on the pork was the best breading I've ever had on a piece of meat that I cooked. It didn't flake off, it didn't stick to the pan, it didn't leave spots of exposed meat.. It just worked.

The pasta salad was a nice accompaniment (though it seems to be upstaging the pork in the picture).

Pork Chops with Mushroom Whiskey Cream Sauce

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 lb sliced mushrooms

2 tbsp chopped onions

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup white cooking wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tbsp Jameson Irish Whiskey

Salt and pepper to taste

1 egg

2 tbsp water

2 pork chops

all-purpose flour

2 cups bread crumbs

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

1. Saute onions, garlic, and mushrooms in 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet until the mushrooms are browned, about 15 minutes.

2. Increase the heat to high and add the white wine. Boil for about 4 minutes, until the liquid creates a glaze. Add the chicken broth and whiskey. Boil and reduce by 2/3. Add the cream and simmer, allowing the sauce to thicken.

3. Whisk the egg and water together in a shallow dish. Sprinkle both sides of the pork chops with salt and pepper. Dip the pork in the flour, the egg mixture, and then the bread crumbs. Make sure the pork is thoroughly coated in bread crumbs.

4. Heat the 1 1/2 tbsp oil in a skillet. Add the pork chops and cook for about 4 minutes on each side, until brown. Place the pork chops in a preheated oven set at 400 for 8 minutes.

5. Serve the pork chops with the sauce on top.

* serves 2

CALORIES: 518 calories

Mushroom Pasta Salad

Ingredients

4 oz dry pasta

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried thyme

2 oz mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup snow peas, chopped

1/4 red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 yellow bell pepper, chopped

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. Rinse in cold water and drain.

2. In a large bowl mix the vegetable oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, oregano, thyme, and mushrooms. Add snow peas, peppers, and pasta. Mix to make sure everything is covered in the flavors evenly.

3. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

* serves 3

CALORIES: 100 calories

Gingered Pork Chops in Orange Juice

I hadn't cooked pork in a really long time before a few nights ago. When I was in college I made pork chops a lot. I find, like chicken, with pork chops there are so many things you can do to change the dish. I'm not sure how come pork fell off my radar for so long - but it is back on it!

In the past I have had some experiences with the pork chops being too dry. But this was not the case with this dish. I paired it with orange mashed potatoes, really playing up the orange flavor in both of the dishes all the while not being overpowering.

Gingered Pork Chops in Orange Juice

Ingredients

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tsp ground ginger

salt, to taste

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

2 pork chops

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

1/2 tbsp whiskey

3/4 cup orange juice

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place the flour, ginger, salt, and pepper in a ziplock plastic bag. Put the chops in the bag and shake to coat. Heat the oil in a skillet and once hot, brown both sides of the pork chops. Transfer the chops to a casserole dish.

3. Put the onions in the hot skillet and cook until limp. Pour the whiskey into the pan and scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan. Pour the onion and juices over the pork chops. Pour the orange juice into the casserole dish.

4. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Serve with the orange sauce in the dish.

* serves 2

CALORIES: 356 calories

CHOLESTEROL: 55 milligrams
FAT: 19 grams