Crispy Pork Chops

I don't think you can get more Southern than pork chops.  Nor can you get more comforting.  Well, unless you made a big pot o' soup, which is pretty darn comforting if you ask me.  But it's clearly too warm outside for soup.  And while I love lighter dishes in the warmer months, something about Summer weather just screams for good Southern food.  Must be memories of visiting grandparents or something.  But I do love a good pork chop, and if you're looking for a homey weeknight meal, this would pair well with any of your favorite garden-fresh veggies as sides!  Enjoy!

6 4-ounce bone-in pork chops

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk

1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

2 tablespoons olive oil

Season pork chops with salt and pepper.

Place the flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Combine the eggs and buttermilk in a shallow dish.  Combine the Panko, cheese, and thyme in a third shallow bowl and mix well.  Dust each chop with the seasoned flour on both sides.   Then dip the chops in the buttermilk mixture to moisten, and finally press into the breadcrumb mixture to coat evenly on both sides.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until sizzling hot.  Add the pork chops, cooking in batches and adding more oil if needed, and saute about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy.  Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.

Serves 6.

Recipe adapted from Southern Kitchen, by Sara Foster.

Shrimp & Grits

Although I'm a Marine Junior (nope, we're not "brats"!) and a Navy wife, I am a Southern Lady.  I was born in Virginia and have lived here most of my life.  I adore shrimp and love comfort food.  And for Mother's Day several years ago, I couldn't resist buying this cookbook for my own Mama, since I am forever telling my husband that I learned how to make a particular dish because "my mama made it"!  That said, I'd never had grits until after college, when Mama tried this recipe and now I appreciate how humble, yet elegant, this dish can be.  In fact, my mama has considered making this meal for Christmas breakfast.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

For the grits:

5 cups water

1 cup grits

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

cayenne to taste

For the shrimp:

8 slices bacon

1 tablespoon butter

1 onion, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 cup white wine

salt and pepper to taste

3-4 scallions, chopped for garnish

To prepare the grits, bring water to boil in a small saucepan.  Add the grits and salt.  Lower heat to medium-low, cover and cook 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.  Add the butter, cheeses, and cayenne, and stir to incorporate.  Cook until cheeses are melted and remove from heat.

To prepare the shrimp, cook the bacon in a large non-stick skillet until crisp.  Remove to paper towels to drain.  Crumble the bacon and set aside.  Drain the skillet except for 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings.  Add butter, onion, and garlic to the drippings and saute over medium-high heat until translucent.  Add the shrimp and saute until they turn pink.  Add lemon juice, wine, salt, and pepper and cook until heated through.

To serve, divide the grits among serving plates or bowls.  Spoon the shrimp mixture over the top and garnish with crumbled bacon and scallions.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6.

Recipe adapted from My Mama Made That, by the Junior League of Hampton Roads.

Mint Juleps

Mint Juleps are the official drink of the Kentucky Derby.  And, as my husband is a native of Louisville, we pull out all the stops for Derby Day!  As part of our wedding registry five years ago, we received eight pewter julep cups, and every year they grace our table perfectly frosted and totally in keeping with the spirit of the Run for the Roses!  Mint Juleps are sweetly Southern, wonderfully refreshing, and delicious no matter how you like your bourbon.  Enjoy!

Minty Simple Syrup

2 cups sugar

2 cups hot water

6-8 large sprigs fresh mint

Mason jar with lid (or other airtight container)

Boil sugar and water together for five minutes.  Remove from heat and pour over mint sprigs until just wilted (this goes quickly, so don't walk away!).  Pour mint-infused syrup into a Mason jar and let cool.  Once at room temperature, put the lid on and chill the syrup overnight.

For the Juleps:

Mint-infused simple syrup

Bourbon

Torn mint leaves

Crushed ice

Fill julep cup with crushed ice and allow to frost.  Place a tablespoon or two of torn mint leaves over the ice.  Pour bourbon over the mint and top of with a splash of simple syrup (I started with 2 shots bourbon and 3 tablespoons syrup).  Stir to combine, adjust ingredient ratios to taste, and garnish with a sprig of mint!  Serve ice cold.

Kentucky Hot Browns

Happy Derby Day!!!  My husband is a native of Louisville, Kentucky, "the land of beautiful horses and fast women" so the first Saturday of May is a special day for us.  The annual Run for the Roses brings back wonderful memories from the beginning of our courtship for me, and I enjoy celebrating those cherished moments with a festive meal!  Let me take you back a moment...  We started dating just before Thanksgiving 2005.  By Valentine's Day, Hubs was transferred to Columbus, Ohio, and I was still stationed in Norfolk, Virginia (we were both active duty Navy at the time; now it's just my husband).  One night, before he moved, we were hanging out in my apartment and I jokingly told my then-boyfriend that he should take me to the Derby since I'd never been.  He replied that that was a great idea and I didn't think any more of it; I kinda thought he was joking, since the event was months away, our relationship was new, and he was about to move...I didn't want to get my hopes up since I didn't know how serious we really were.  Well, he was serious, and a couple of months later, I was on a plane to Ohio, where he'd pick me up and then we'd drive to his parents house in Kentucky.  I'd meet them and we'd spend the weekend, go to the races, and then I'd fly back to the East Coast.  Let me be clear:  I had no idea how big a deal the Derby was.  I didn't get a big hat (didn't know I needed one).  I didn't realize just how expensive it was to be anywhere but the in-field.  I didn't know anything about horse races, Secretariat, the lyrics to My Old Kentucky Home, or mint juleps.  I learned quickly, though!  Apparently my now-husband called his mom at the last minute to let her know he was bringing me home and taking me to the Derby.  She scrambled and called in favors of everyone she knew to get us seated tickets.  She also arranged a pre-race brunch at a high-falutin' country club, which included gourmet boxed lunches to take to the racetrack.  We had great seats, drank juleps all day, bet on nearly every race, and had a wonderful time!  And so, now every year on Derby Day, I remember our first big event as a couple and celebrate by making Kentucky Hot Browns, Derby Pie, and Mint Juleps!  Now...on to the recipe!!

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups half and half

1/2 cup Pecorino Romano Cheese, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish

Salt & pepper

14 oz. thick-sliced roasted chicken breast

2 slices thick bread (I use sourdough)

4 slices fried bacon

2 Roma tomatoes, quartered

Paprika

Parsley

In a two-quart saucepan, melt butter and slowly whisk in flour until combined and forms a roux. Continue to cook roux for two minutes over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Whisk half-and-half into the roux and cook over medium heat until the it begins to simmer, about 2-3 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and slowly whisk in cheese until the sauce is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Place bread in an oven-safe dish and cover each with 7 ounces of chicken. Take the tomatoes and set them alongside the base of each sandwich. Pour half the sauce over each sandwich to completely cover each Hot Brown. Sprinkle with additional Pecorino Romano cheese. Place entire dish under a broiler until cheese begins to brown and bubble. Remove from broiler, cross two pieces of crispy bacon on top, sprinkle with paprika and parsley, and serve immediately.

Serve with Fried Green Tomatoes, Roasted Asparagus wrapped in Prosciutto, Mint Juleps, and Derby Pie.

Serves 2.

Recipe adapted from The Brown Hotel at www.brownhotel.com.

Fried Green Tomatoes with Buttermilk Green Goddess Dressing

Anyone remember reading (or watching) Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe?  I've always loved both the movie and the book, but for the life of me, I committed a sin to all Southerners: I'd never tasted a fried green tomato in my entire life!  That is, until my husband and I were visiting family in Kentucky and went out to dinner with his best friend and his wife.  K ordered some fried green tomatoes and insisted I try one!  Oh my word was I hooked!  I couldn't wait to make up my own batch, so when I saw this recipe in a magazine, I couldn't wait to try it!  Living in California, green tomatoes are hard to come by; luckily, tomatillos are available year-round!

For the tomatoes:

1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk

1 large egg

1/3 cup flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste

canola oil for frying

4 large green tomatoes (or tomatillos) cored and sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds

For the dressing:

1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons fresh chives

2 tablespoons fresh tarragon

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Juice of 1/2 a lime

5 fresh basil leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with a brown paper bag or parchment paper.

Place the buttermilk and egg in a shallow bowl and whisk to combine.  Combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and pepper in a separate shallow bowl and stir to mix.

Pour canola oil into a large skillet to just barely cover the bottom and place over medium-high heat until sizzling hot.

One at a time, dip the tomato slices in the buttermilk and then in the flour mixture to coat both sides, shaking off excess.  Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet, carefull place 4-6 tomato slices in the hot oil and fry until the undersides are golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Use tongs or a slotted spatula to transfer the fried tomatoes to the prepared baking sheet to drain.  Place in the oven to keep warm and repeat the process with the remaining tomato slices.

Season with additional salt and pepper and serve warm with the dressing drizzled over the top or on the side.

Make the dressing:  Place all ingredients in a blender or food processer and puree until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use or for up to one week.  Makes about a cup.

Serves 6-8.

Recipe adapted from Southern Kitchen, by Sara Foster.

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South Beach Diet Chipotle Beef Burrito

About a year ago, I encouraged my husband to take part in the meal planning.  I suggested he look through my cookbooks and mark a few recipes he'd like to try with post-it tabs.  Thrilled to be included in "my" domain, my husband poured over my South Beach Diet books and marked a dozen or so dishes.  Over the course of the next few weeks, I made many of the recipes he selected, careful not to change one single thing (my husband often chides me for not trusting the experts and making recipes more complicated than is necessary).  Well, my husband learned that every now and then the "experts" are wrong and the recipes are on the bland side...especially when you're talking about a diet recipe!  After a handful of SBD fails, my husband gave me the go-ahead to tweak recipes as I saw fit and agreed that he'd stay out of the creative liberties I took while making dinner.  Last week I was going through some of the dishes he'd picked out, and somehow I missed this one.  Actually, I'm fairly certain I'd ignored it on purpose, as I'm not typically a fan of chipotles in adobo sauce and I also stand by the phrase "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and therefore believe that Old El Paso's taco kits are just fine, thanks very much.  But, I decided to take one for the team and make this recipe.  And it's fabulous exactly the way it's written, even with those pesky chipotles I normally loathe.  That said, it's even better with a little reduced-fat sour cream and avocado slices.  Or serve it up with guacamole salad for a little South Beach Diet flair!  Enjoy!

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, diced

1 pound lean ground beef

2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo, plus 2 tablespoons sauce from can

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 6-ounce bag fresh baby spinach

4 whole-wheat tortillas

1 cup reduced fat shredded Mexican blend cheese

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic and onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.  Add beef and cook until well browned, about 6 minutes.

Add chiles, adobo sauce, and beans to beef mixture.  Cook until beans are warmed through, about 3 minutes.  Add spinach, stir to combine, and cook until wilted, 2-3 minutes more.

Lay one tortilla on a serving plate.  Sprinkle about 1/4 cup cheese down the center of the tortilla, then top with one-fourth of the beef mixture (approximately 1 cup).  Fold two sides of the tortilla toward the center, and then roll up to form the burrito.  Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.  Serve hot.

Serves 4.

Recipe adapted from The South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook, by Arthur Agatston.