Tag Archives: recipes

Harvest Pork Chops

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Harvest Pork Chops :: Zim on a Whim

Please don’t ask me why these are called Harvest Pork Chops when the three ingredients it calls for have absolutely nothing to do with harvesting anything! Well, I guess if you want to stretch it a bit. This is a super easy pork chop recipe that my mother used to make when we were little, and it has stood the test of time all these years. I’m not sure where she got it from — perhaps her mother made it as well — and it only uses a few ingredients that you probably have on hand already!

Now, don’t be grossed out when I tell you the sauce is just ketchup and orange juice. I know, it sounds so un-gourmet, but after a nice simmer the flavors really connect well with each other. This is best served with some rice on the side, soaking up some of that sauce. Add a green veggie and you’re set!

You will want to use pork chops with the bone in. If you use the boneless ones, they will come out too dry. I have tried it, and even the sauce can’t help them!

If you have young children, give this a try. My kids really like this dish. {Even before they knew there was ketchup in it!} If you’re not so great in the kitchen, this is a very easy dish to whip up. Totally a beginner’s recipe. Try it and let me know what you think!

HARVEST PORK CHOPS
Ingredients:
4 Center Cut Pork Chops, bone-in (medium thickness/not too thin and not too thick!)
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Onion Powder
Canola or Vegetable Oil
1 cup Orange Juice
1 cup Ketchup

Directions:
1. Trim away the excess fat from along the edge the pork chops. Season both sides of the chops with kosher salt, black pepper, and onion powder.
2. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of canola or vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. (Use one that has a lid. You will need it later.)
3. Brown the pork chops a few minutes on each side. You are not cooking them through; You just want a nice brown color on them.
4. While the meat is browning, whisk together the orange juice and the ketchup until well combined. Add a little salt, pepper, and onion powder to this mixture as well.
5. Remove chops from the pan and drain the excess oil.
6. Pour the sauce mixture into the pan, and add the chops back in, coating them completely with the sauce.
7. Cover the pan and turn down the heat to low. Simmer for 45 minutes.
8. Serve the pork chops with sauce and rice. Enjoy!

Maybe instead of Harvest Pork Chops they should be called O.K. Pork Chops? O for orange juice, K for ketchup? Yes? No? Is this thing on?

Micha

Easter Quesadillas

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Easter Quesadillas | Zim on a Whim

Easter doesn’t have to be all about the candy! Here’s a fun and quick lunch idea that the kids will love after hunting down all those eggs. Quesadillas are so versatile and you can use whatever filling you like or what you have on hand. Here I used some thin deli ham and shredded cheddar cheese on flour tortillas. Just plain cheese quesadillas work great, too!

Here’s how to make them:

Take some Easter themed cookie cutters and cut out your shapes from the flour tortillas. Obviously you need 2 of each shape for each quesadilla.

Easter Quesadillas | Zim on a Whim

The metal cutters work better because they are sharper, but the plastic ones are fine, too. I just had to press down in sections and wiggle my cutter to get through the flour tortilla.

Heat up a skillet over medium heat. Place one tortilla shape in the pan. Add in some shredded cheese first, then some of the meat.

Easter Quesadillas

Top the meat with some more cheese.

Easter Quesadillas

You need cheese next to both tortillas to glue it together.

Top with the other tortilla shape and press down on it (with a spatula or carefully with your hands) so it all melts together.

Easter Quesadillas

In just a few minutes it will be golden brown. Flip to brown other side and melt the rest of the cheese.

Easter Quesadillas

Remove from heat and enjoy!

The kids will love this exciting new take on grilled cheese and the shapes make them fun to eat.

Now, not so fast. You are left with a bunch of tortilla scraps, right? It’s a shame to toss them so why not make baked tortilla chips with them?

Just cut up the scraps and lay them in a foil-lined baking sheet. Spray the chips with cooking spray and season to your liking. You can use just salt and pepper, or add in garlic powder, chili powder…whatever! Bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 10-12 minutes, or until crisp.

Baked Tortilla Chips

I hope you give these a try. If you like making quesadillas as much as I do, you might like to try my Roasted Asparagus and Pancetta Quesadillas soon!

Enjoy your holiday!
Micha

Biscoff Cream Pie ~ Easy and Delicious!

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Biscoff Cream Pie | Zim on a Whim

In the way Nutella took the country by storm, I believe Biscoff Spread is headed in the same direction. Have you heard of this delightful creation? It’s a creamy spread (like a peanut butter) but it’s made from Lotus’ Biscoff cookies! Europeans have been enjoying these cookies with their coffee for years, but I have only tasted them recently. They are nice and crisp with a bit of cinnamon. They taste like a graham crackers for adults! So you can only imagine how wonderful the spread is on bagels, toast, apples…you name it!

biscoff spread

I decided to create something with the Biscoff spread and I wanted to use a little of the cookies in this recipe as well. I felt like making a no-bake pie so of course it was easy! You’ll find you can whip this up in no time…just leave a couple hours aside so it sets up in the fridge…

Biscoff Cream Pie | Zim on a Whim

I’d like to thank Miki for her post on Chocolate Snack Cake with Biscoff Buttercream which brought me Biscoff Spread Awareness! I think we need a month for that…what do you think?

I’m ready to see what else I can come up with using this spread. My addiction has only just begun…

Biscoff Cream Pie | Zim on a Whim

Biscoff Cream Pie
by Zim on a Whim

Ingredients:
1 chocolate (Oreo) pre-made pie crust
1 small package instant vanilla pudding (3-4 oz.)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup Biscoff spread, melted
8 oz. tub of Cool Whip topping, thawed
A handful of crushed Biscoff cookies for decoration (and a little crunch)

Directions:
In a large bowl, add in the instant vanilla pudding and the milk.

Measure 1/2 cup of the Biscoff spread into a small microwaveable bowl and melt it in the microwave for 1 minute on medium power. Add the melted spread to the vanilla pudding and milk.

Using a hand mixer, mix the pudding, milk, and spread until well combined. Fold in the thawed Cool Whip with a spoon until well combined. (You can use the hand mixer again for this if you prefer, but do it quickly and don’t overmix.)

Pour into the pie crust.

Take a few of the Biscoff cookies and put them in a resealable bag. Using a rolling pin, crush up the cookies into crumbs. (This can also be done in a food processor but I didn’t want to have to clean mine.) Sprinkle the crushed cookies on top of the pie.

Chill for about 2 hours in the refrigerator, and then dive in!

I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!
Micha