Homemade Pizza Sauce

We love pizza around here. I adore keeping these handy freezer crusts on hand. They are the perfect vehicle for cheesiness. But they are small. Even if you are doing two or three at a time, the amount of sauce needed is pretty small. Certainly less than even the smallest commercial jar of sauce out there. Plus, as far as I've seen, the commercial sauces tend to be a bit on the runny side. I like a nice, thick sauce for my pizza.

Like so many other things, I make a big batch at one time and freeze it in individual use portions. In this case, I freeze them in roughly 1/4 cup servings. That is enough to cover three of my individual size freezer crusts or enough to cover one small family pizza. Obviously, when you need sauce, you can thaw however many you need. They thaw so quickly in the microwave. 

To get the best thickness, I mix one can of plain tomato sauce and one can of plain tomato paste. Make sure you get the plain stuff (I also get it with no salt added), or the added flavors may make the final product a bit wonky. 

Add in the remaining ingredients. I like to add a little sweetness to my sauce and, believe it or not, light corn syrup gives the best flavor in my experience. You can leave it out if you'd rather. Or cut it down. Or double it. That's the nice thing about making things yourself at home - you can customize it to your family's tastes.

Freeze in individual portions. You could use a regular ice cube tray. I found this great cubical tray a couple years ago. I don't even remember where I got it, but it's great. The bottom is silicone, so you have some added leverage in popping the cubes out once they're frozen. These things keep for months and months as long as they're in an air tight container. and, again, they're super easy to thaw out when you're ready to make your own pizza.

Homemade Pizza Sauce
Yield: 1 1/2 cups sauce

6 ounces salt-free, plain tomato paste
8 ounces salt-free, plain tomato sauce
3 TBS light corn syrup (optional)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp ground thyme
3/4 tsp table salt (or to taste)

Mix all ingredients together. Freeze in individual portions. Thaw in the microwave as needed.

Meatloaf - Perfected!

I've been making meatloaf for years. Decades, really. It's gone through a number of iterations as the years dragged on, some better than others. I posted about my bacon wrapped meatloaves early on in the life of this blog. They are good, but the whole bacon thing fell by the wayside as I came to realize that the true glory of meatloaf is how easy it is to make at the last minute. The bacon wrapping puts a kink in that "easy." So, I stopped wrapping, but I still wasn't quite satisfied. Then, one night, I was really in a hurry to get the meatloaf made and decided to not even bother with dicing an onion; I'd use dried minced onion instead. What a revelation! I'm not entirely sure why it makes such a difference, but it does. To be honest, my meatloaf often gave me heartburn when I made it with fresh onion and garlic. Now, it never does. I absolutely adore my new recipe. It is so simple, so easy to make, and so delicious. It's tender, moist, and meaty.

Now, before I give you the recipe, let's talk just a moment about the top of a meatloaf. The classic is ketchup, but I've never been a big fan. It's not thick enough and it's too sweet. I really like using just plain tomato paste, but my husband has kind of given me the turned up nose at it. I recently decided to try mixing tomato paste and ketchup 50-50 and have decided it is the clear winner. You can go with whichever of those three sounds best to you, but my vote now goes solidly in the 50-50 camp.

Meatloaf - Perfected!
Yield: serves 4

1 lb lean ground beef (~93% lean)
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 TBS dried, minced onions
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup ketchup

Topping:
1/3 cup tomato paste or ketchup, or a 50-50 mix of the two

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with foil. In a large bowl mix all ingredients thoroughly. Dump onto the sheet pan and form into a flat, rounded loaf. Shoot for a loaf thinner than two inches, or it will take a really long time to bake. The recipe as written will make a loaf about 5"x10"x2". Recipe can be doubled easily, simply increase the cooking time to roughly one hour. If you want to make more than a double recipe, make more than one loaf to keep the cooking time reasonable. Spread the topping over the entire surface of the loaf. Sprinkle with a little oregano or parsley, if desired. Bake for 45 minutes or until cooked through. Let cool slightly before serving so that it does not fall apart when sliced.

NOTE: If you eat a lot of processed foods or tend to eat a lot of foods high in sodium, you will probably not be satisfied with the seasoning level as written. Increase the amount of salt you add, but don't go too crazy because there is a lot of sodium hiding in both the bread crumbs and the ketchup. Try 1/2 to 3/4 of a tsp the first time you make it and adjust from there.

Lamb Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy

Sometimes I just like to come up with new ways to put fairly normal things together. Meatballs are one of my favorite foods. I've posted about my everyday meatballs, about the Afghani kofta challow I love so much (seasoned meatballs in sauce over rice), meatball soup, and chicken meatballs. Really, in my mind, there is no time when a meatball doesn't seem like a great idea. And, if you've spent any time visiting my blog, you know that I adore gravy, lamb, and spinach. Mushrooms, too. Truly, this recipe is a win-win-win in my book. The flavors go so well together. It's a great one course meal.

Lamb Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy
Serves 4

Meatballs:
1 pound ground ground lamb
1/3 cup dried bread crumbs
1 egg
2 TBS ketchup
1 TBS dried minced onion
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp dried parsley

Mix all ingredients together and form into balls using a 1/3 cup of mixture per meatball. Refrigerate meatballs for one hour before cooking. Cook in a non-stick saute pan with one teaspoon of oil until nicely browned on all sides and cooked through. Use a meat thermometer to be sure of your internal temperature. When the meatballs are only a few minutes away from being cooked through, turn on the spinach to cook. When the meatballs are done, set them in a heavy bowl and cover with foil while preparing the gravy.

Spinach:
16 oz fresh spinach
1/4 cup chicken or beef broth

Bring broth to a simmer in a large pot. Add the spinach, tossing regularly until it is all wilted through. Remove from the heat and set aside until ready to serve. Can be kept warm in a low oven if desired.

Mushroom Sauce:
1 pint button or cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 tsp minced garlic
3 TBS Madeira (a fortified wine available in many grocery stores)
3 TBS heavy cream
1/4 cup whole milk
salt and pepper to taste

Drain off all but one tablespoon of fat from the meatball pan. Return to heat and saute the mushrooms, shallots, and garlic until nicely browned and softened. Add the Madeira to deglaze the pan. Add the cream and milk, stirring thoroughly. Cook through, adding the salt and pepper to taste.

To put the dish together, place a nice helping of the wilted spinach in the bottom of a pasta bowl. Spoon a large spoonful of the gravy over the top and then serve out 2-4 meatballs, depending on the individual's appetite. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Hummus with Spiced Lamb

There was a delicious article in Eating Well this month that focused on chef Michael Solomonov's Israeli street foods. He had two recipes for hummus topped with good stuff, and that got me thinking about what else I could scrounge up to put over hummus. I immediately started imagining crumbles of lamb heavily spiced with Middle Eastern seasoning, onions, and parsley. That got me thinking about the spice mix I use for my Middle Eastern Spiced Kabobs. Just the thought of it got me excited, so I had to try it. I basically used my kabob recipe substituting ground meat for the chunks and sauteing it all in a pan. It was everything I had imagined it to be. While this would be fantastic to serve as a dip for chips, it really is quite delicious and satisfying as a main course. As you might imagine, it is quite filling. Actually, it is darn filling. Surprisingly so. I ended up uncomfortably full because it was so good, I had a second helping without realizing I was already full! Word to the wise. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Hummus with Spiced Lamb
Yield: 4 small main course servings

2-3 cups of hummus (served at room temperature)
1 TBS olive oil
1 lb ground lamb
1/2 cup minced onion
1 TBS minced garlic
4 tsp spice mixture (see below)
1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
1/2 cup minced fresh parsely
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

Spice Mixture:
1 TBS ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground all spice
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Mix the spice mixture together in a small bowl. Heat a skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add the oil, lamb, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring often. The dish tastes best if you can get little crispy edges on the ground meat. Once the meat is cooked through and the onion is soft, drain any excess fat. Add the spice mixture, salt, and parsley. Stir to evenly mix. Serve over room temperature hummus. Add a drizzle of olive oil, if desired, and garnish with pine nuts.

Bison Saute

Here's a dish that may sound a little odd but tastes super great. To be honest, it was one of those "let's clean out the fridge" dinners that turned into a smashing success. The combination of flavors was just right and the bison really puts it over the top. Now, you could make this with ground beef, I suppose, but why would you (well, yeah, bison costs a lot more, but other than that)? The good news is that bison not only has a heartier flavor, it is healthier for you! Unlike beef, bison has minimal saturated fat and trans fat. Who'd a thunk it? Those big behemoths are packing around some good meat! I absolutely love the savoriness of the bison in this dish. Such a winner!

Bison Saute
Yield: 4 servings

1 lb ground bison
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 pint baby bella mushrooms, coarsely chopped
2 cups zucchini, thickly sliced/chunked
1 1/2 cups steamed butternut squash chunks
1 TBS minced garlic
1 tsp seasoned salt, or to taste

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Brown the bison meat until it is cooked through. Drain the bison onto large a paper towel lined plate or bowl, reserving a tablespoon of the drippings in the pan. If your bison was really lean, you can add a small drizzle of oil to the pan. Let the pan heat back up over medium-high heat and add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally until they are tender through and slightly browned. Remove the paper towel from the drained bison and put the onions in with the  meat.

Return the pan to the heat and repeat the saute process separately for the remaining main ingredients, the mushrooms, zucchini, and squash. If you try to saute them all together, they will just steam and you won't develop the full range of flavor. For each ingredient, cook over medium-high heat until they are browned and tender through. Add to the bowl/plate and continue with the next item. When all items are cooked, add the garlic to the pan, stirring briefly. Then return all items to the pan to heat together. Add the seasoned salt to taste and then serve!

Chicken Meatballs

Necessity is definitely the mother of invention... especially when it comes to recipe development! I started making these about a year ago when my boy started eating solid foods. I wanted a soft meatball that was mild and yet flavorful, low in salt, froze well, and was quick and easy to make. I initially only made them for him; I would make a batch and immediately freeze them, pulling a couple out as needed. But as time went on, I found I was snacking on them so much when I made them that maybe I should try making them for our dinner as a family. They are certainly tasty enough for anyone to enjoy! As I said, they are quick and easy to make and they freeze very well, so you can make a big batch and store them in the freezer for those days when you've forgotten to make a dinner plan.

Chicken Meatballs
Yield: 24 meatballs (using #40 disher)

1 lb ground chicken
3 slices fresh wheat bread crumbs (prepare in food processor)
1 bunch green onions (green tops only), sliced
      OR 1/4 cup dried minced onions and 2 TBS dried parsley
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp ground thyme
1/8 tsp ground sage
1/8 tsp ground rosemary
1/3 cup milk
1 whole egg
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
2-3 cups unsalted or reduced sodium chicken broth or stock

Mix all ingredients except the broth together in a bowl. Pour the stock into a shallow saute pan. Heat to a boil. Using a #40 disher, drop meatballs into the hot broth. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for ten minutes. Remove from the broth and let cool before freezing or serve immediately.

Chickpea and Lentil Stew

I wish I could have come up with a name for this recipe that is as delicious as this dish... but, alas, all I have is the humble "Chickpea and Lentil Stew." And there is meat in there. We're carnivores around here (not that we dislike vegetarian dishes, but we're partial to meat).

The first time I made this, I had a pound of lamb and was shooting from the hip. I knew the flavor profile I was shooting for and just went for it. I was multitasking (as I am wont to do these days!) and didn't take the time to write down what I put in it. Boy was I sorry once this dish was done. It was fantastic! At first taste, I immediately knew I would have to make it again, and soon, before I completely forgot what I had done. On round two, I made a bigger pot of it (now that I knew it would be good!) and I only had beef on hand. While it is delicious both ways, if you can find the lamb, I heartily recommend it. It adds a depth of flavor to the dish that beef just can't provide.

This stew is robust and flavorful. It has a Middle Eastern edge, but - as far as I know - is not authentic in any way (I did make it up as I went, after all). The chickpeas are substantial yet creamy (especially if you use ones canned without salt), and the lentils make a nice, hearty gravy. The cumin and garam masala seasoning gives it a lovely warmth. Yup, it's a keeper!

Chickpea and Lentil Stew
Yield: serves 6-8

1 1/2 - 2 pounds ground lamb (or beef)
1 large onion, diced (about 2 cups)
30 ounces canned chickpeas, drained (aka garbanzos - salt free, if possible)
2 TBS tomato paste
15 oz can petite diced tomatoes, with juice
4 tsp paprika
2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 cups beef stock
1 1/2 cups red lentils
salt, to taste

In a large Dutch oven (or heavy stock pot), brown the meat and drain off the fat. Over medium high heat, add the remaining ingredients. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Continue heating until the mixture just comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover to simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. Depending on the brand of lentils, you may need to add a little water to keep the stew loose. Just add a little at a time until the stew is the consistency you want. Keeps very well in the refrigerator for one week.

Pad Thai

Now, here's a dish to get excited about making in the comfort of your own home! For such an iconic Thai dish, there sure is a lot of really horrible pad thai out there. I mean, really horrible. In fact, I often don't order it when I'm out because it's such a crap shoot whether it will be worth eating. Fortunately, it's really not that hard to make it at home. In fact, if you buy ready-made tamarind pulp, it's not hard at all, and you can whip some up in no time flat. 

However... I am going to show you "the hard way" for one reason only. What if you can't find prepared tamarind pulp in your local grocery? Case in point: where we live now, I can easily purchase all the other required ingredients (fish sauce, palm sugar, and chile paste) at my local grocery, but I can only buy whole tamarind seed pods there. To get the prepared pulp (sometimes called tamarind paste), I would have to drive over thirty minutes to the appropriate grocery. The good news is that "the hard way" really isn't that hard. It's a little strange looking. Maybe even a little funky smelling, but not that hard.

To prepare your own tamarind pulp to use in this recipe and others, peel the crunchy pod off and strip off the funky long "strings". I know I had a picture of that here somewhere, but - for some reason - I can't find it right now. If you've never shelled tamarind before, the first time you do, you'll go, "Ahhh, yes. Funky stringy things!" Then soak the seeds in room temperature water for at least four hours, stirring and mashing periodically. To obtain a pulp with the right consistency, I use a ratio of 6-7 ounces shelled tamarind pods to 3/4 cup water. (The bowl in this picture has more water than I just recommended). They'll start out looking like this.

When they're ready to strain, they'll look more like this:

You don't have to get every last bit of flesh off the seeds, which are surprisingly large. Just be sure to use a fine meshed sieve. I found it easiest to use a rubber spatula to press the pulp through.

The result should look like this: dark copper in color and thick and creamy looking. It will smell... odd. Kind of sour and funky, but that's where you get the piquant edge that makes pad thai so good.

If you are lucky enough to have the appropriate ethnic grocery around the corner or a really well stocked neighborhood grocery, ignore the previous steps and start along with us here. To make the sauce, measure the ingredients either with a scale (my preferred method in this case, as it is a lot less messy) or with conventional measuring spoons/cups.

Heat the mixture gently in a sauce pan, just until the sugars are dissolved. Remove from the heat and cool. This recipe makes one cup of sauce, which makes one four person serving with a little left over. Double or triple the sauce recipe if you want to prepare more. This is a beautiful sauce once it's prepared. I wouldn't recommend sticking your nose in it too far. The tamarind is funky enough, but, remember, fish sauce is best tasted and not smelled!!! I like to make the sauce in advance and then I can store it in the refrigerator for up to a week before using it.

The only other "tricky" part of this recipe involves the noodles. You want to purchase 3 mm rice stick. To prepare it for cooking, simply soak it in room temperature water until it is just pliable, maybe 20-30 minutes. I usually start my noodles soaking and then do all my prep work of cutting and chopping. Typically, the noodles are about ready not too long after I've finished. You want to be careful not to soak the noodles in water that it too warm, because they can become overly soft and sticky. Yuck!

By the way, I give a range for the number of eggs to use for a four person serving as 2-4 because, well, it's a matter of personal preference. I really like the egg in this kind of dish (I'm the same way with fried rice), but not everyone feels that way.

Pad Thai
Adapted from She Simmers
Yield: 4 servings

To Make Your Own Tamarind Pulp:
6-7 ounces shelled tamarind pod
3/4 cup room temperature water

The Sauce:
75 g / 1/3 cup tamarind pulp
90 g / 1/3 cup fish sauce
75 g / 1/2 cup palm sugar
20 g / 1 rounded TBS brown sugar
20 g / 1 TBS chili paste (sambal oelek)

For Each 4 Person Serving:
1/4 cup vegetable oil
8 oz 3 mm rice stick noodles
2/3 cup pad thai sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large shallot, minced
2-4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups fresh mung bean sprouts

To prepare the sauce, mix all the ingredients together in small sauce pan and heat just until the sugars are dissolved. Remove from the heat and cool. If you need to prepare your own tamarind pulp, let the pods soak in the water for four hours and then press through a fine meshed sieve. See the tutorial above for more details.

Soak the rice noodles in room temperature water until they are just pliable, about 20-30 minutes. Drain the noodles in a colander and let drip until you are ready for them. Heat a large, flat bottomed skilled over medium heat. Add just a few drops of the oil and cook the scrambled eggs until just done. Remove from the pan and set to the side. Now turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the rest of the oil and let it heat until it starts to shimmer. Add the shallot and garlic, stirring until they begin to soften. Add the noodles and the sauce and stir-fry until the noodles are finished cooking (it takes just a minute or two). It's easiest to tell when they are done by tasting one. They should still have a slight bite to them. Add the sprouts, tossing to mix and then remove the pan from the heat. Add the egg and serve immediately. Garnish with lime and chopped peanuts.

Steak Pizza

I apologize up front that these are not the best pictures I've ever taken. I'm not sure if I was just not working the camera right or if this dish just isn't very photogenic, but either way, I'm disappointed in the photos. Fortunately, this issue does not in any way accurately affect how it looks in person or how it tastes. This dish came about as I was sick of making the same old same old pizza. My husband could never get sick of the same old same old pizza, but I could - and did.

One night I had some steak sitting in the fridge that needed attention. I also had a bag of fresh spinach that was starting to look a bit weary. I'm not really sure how the marriage of steak and spinach pesto came together into a pizza, but I am so glad that it did! This is a super yummy supper! I've made it twice now, and - as I just finished off the last of the leftovers - I can attest to its superiority in the following days as well.

The first step is to make a super easy spinach pesto. I whirled together spinach, garlic, Parmesan, and olive oil in the food processor. I added just enough oil for the mixture to become an easily spreadable paste. The color is fabulous... and it doesn't oxidize like basil pesto does. Super excited about that!

You have a couple of different options for steak in this dish. I've used both skirt steak and sirloin. Sirloin was easier to eat (it's less chewy) but the skirt steak had better flavor. A marinade wouldn't go awry here. If you want an idea, you could use this marinade. Grill, broil, or pan fry the steak over high heat to get nice flavor on it, but do not cook it past rare. Remember, the steak will get blasted with more heat again later, so we don't want to overcook it now. Let the meat rest briefly after cooking and then slice thinly across the grain. Set the meat aside.

Prepare a crust. I used my homemade version (get the recipe here), but you could use whatever pizza dough is your favorite. Spread it out on a sheet pan and prick with a fork. Place in a preheated 450 degree F oven for about ten minutes to let it get a good head start on baking.

Pull the crust out and spread a generous layer of the spinach pesto on it. Then lightly sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese. I'm usually in the "more cheese is better" camp, but less is really more here. Then evenly lay out the steak pieces. Crumble some feta cheese on next. Then sprinkle with very thinly sliced red onions. Lastly, sprinkle with a bit of grated Parmesan cheese. Bake at 450 degrees F until nicely golden, about 20 minutes. Let rest briefly before cutting into slices and serving.

Steak Pizza
Yield: one 11 x 17 inch pizza

1 pound pizza dough
12 ounces steak

12 ounces fresh spinach
4 garlic cloves
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
extra virgin olive oil (about 1/4 cup)

12 ounces mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Grill, broil, or pan fry the steak over high heat to get color on the outside, but leave rare inside. Let sit briefly before slicing thinly across the grain. Set aside.

In a food processor, puree the spinach, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. Slowly add oil just until an easily spreadable paste forms.

Roll/spread out the dough on a greased 11 x 17 baking sheet. Prick with a fork and bake for about ten minutes. Spread a generous layer of the spinach pesto on the dough. Then sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. Place the steak evenly out on the pizza. Sprinkle with the feta and then the onion. Lastly, sprinkle with the Parmesan. Bake at 450 degrees until nicely golden, about twenty minutes. Let rest a few minutes before serving.

Middle Eastern Spiced Kabobs

As food lovers, my husband and I were in hog heaven while living in the DC area. There were so many restaurants to choose from! We could eat at a different place every time we wanted to eat out and never double up unless we really wanted to. And the types of food available? Endless. So many different ethnic foods to choose from: Afghan, Indian, Greek, Peruvian, Thai, African... you name it! And that's not including the standard Italian, Mexican, and Chinese. Middle Eastern fare became one of our favorites. We ate a lot of kabobs last year!

Imagine our dismay, then, when moving to the suburbs of Chicago, we found that the vast majority of the restaurants around here fit into three categories: pizza, hot dogs, and Italian. Harrumph. I think I may have seen an Indian place the other day, but I was quite a bit out of our local area. Needless to say, we're craving some kabobs! What can you do but make your own? Fortunately, they're pretty easy. Once I got a seasoning that I liked, it was all cake.

You can use just about any kind of meat you'd like for these kabobs. I've mostly used beef, but lamb would be fabulous, as would chicken. Whatever type of meat you use, make sure you use a good cut. Nobody wants to gnaw on a tough piece of kabob!

The first step is to prepare the fresh ingredients. Mince a bunch of onion, garlic, and fresh parsley. Stir together and put in a medium sized bowl.

Next, you need to put together your spice mixture. This is a decent sized list of all dried spices that you can then store and use as needed. You'll only need four teaspoons of the mixture for this recipe. Save the rest for next time. I just love the smell of this mixture. Makes me salivate thinking about it!

Lastly, cube your meat and mix it all together. I like my meat in roughly one inch cubes. That way they're big enough to get some nice color on the outside without overcooking the inside. Here I've used sirloin beef. It was nice and tender and was cooked to about medium by the time it was all said and done.

The most important part of this recipe is how they are cooked. It's imperative that these are cooked outside on a grill. That's the only way to get that great, smoky flavor that makes these so delicious. Skewer them up and cook over a hot fire to get a good sear on them. Delicious!

Middle Eastern Spiced Kabobs
Yield: seasons up to 2 lbs of meat

1 1/2 - 2 pounds tender beef, lamb, or chicken cut in 1" cubes

1 TBS finely minced garlic
1 TBS minced fresh parsley
1 TBS very finely minced onion

4 tsp of spice mix (see below)
1 TBS olive oil
salt to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Let meat sit, covered and refrigerated, for 2 to 12 hours. Skewer and grill over high heat. Use a tender cut of meat and cook medium-rare to medium.

Spice Mixture:
1 TBS ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground all spice
1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Poultry Gravy and Waffles

I despaired of ever being able to photograph this delicious dish without it looking like... well, something unappetizing on a waffle. I think I took somewhere near sixty photos over two days in four different sessions. I tried different thicknesses of gravy, different lighting, different plates, different orientation of waffles. And you know what? I think this photo turned out okay! Sometimes, it's darn hard to show off a dish the way it deserves, and this dish deserves some hoopla.

Both sides of my family come from Pennsylvania Dutch country, so it's no surprise that I'm all about waffles and gravy. It amazes me how many folks turn up their nose at the mere thought, but they just don't know what they're missing!! It's reminiscent of biscuits and gravy, but so much better. Of course, I would take a waffle over a biscuit any day. (By the way, make sure you are using a waffle recipe that does not have added sugar... this is a savory application and sugar would be weird). While you can make this with chicken or turkey, since I grew up with it usually being turkey (I think my mom only thought about making it in the midst of Thanksgiving excess), that's what I prefer.

And wouldn't you know that the other day I found a pack of turkey thighs at the grocery! Who knew they sold such a thing!?! Turkey's not just for Thanksgiving anymore! And it was darn reasonably priced, too. I paid less than $2.00 a pound. Can't complain about that!

Before you get started with the actual cooking, it's good to have the veggies ready. I used a standard combination of onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, just like I would use to make chicken broth.

In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, add a small drizzle of oil to get things going. Heat the pan over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Add the meat, skin side down and let sizzle until most of the fat is rendered and the meat in nicely golden. Flip the meat as necessary to brown all sides. Drain off the fat and set aside for later.

Add the water, vegetables, and herbs and cook uncovered for about an hour or until the turkey is well cooked and falling off the bones.

Remove the broth from the heat and remove the meat and let cool until it can be handled without burning the bejeepers out of yourself. Discard the skin and bones and pull the meat into bite sized pieces.

Strain and reserve the broth. Skim any excess fat, if necessary. Hopefully, you'll have somewhere around four cups of liquid. If you have too much, let it simmer and reduce until it's about right. If you don't have enough, add water to make four cups. In the now empty pan, add 3-4 TBS of the reserved fat and the flour. Mix thoroughly and then slowly add the broth, whisking constantly over medium heat. Continue whisking until the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and add the shredded meat. Add salt to taste. Oh, and don't forget to make the waffles!!

Poultry Gravy and Waffles
Yield: 6 entree servings

For the broth:

1-2 tsp vegetable oil
2 turkey thighs or 2 lbs chicken thighs
6 cups water
1 medium onion, quartered
2 celery stalks, chopped
5-6 small/baby cut carrots
2 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

For the gravy:

4 cups of broth
3-4 TBS reserved fat
4 TBS flour
reserved meat
salt to taste

Heat a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil. When the oil is heated and shimmering, add the meat, skin side down. Brown the meat and render out the fat, turning as necessary. Drain the fat and reserve.

Add the water and remaining broth ingredients. Simmer uncovered for one hour, or until the meat is well cooked and falling off the bones. Remove the meat to let cool and strain and reserve the liquid (skim any fat, if necessary). You want close to 4 cups of liquid. If there is too much, you can simmer it down; if there is not enough, add water to make 4 cups. When the meat is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones and shred the meat into bite sized pieces. Set aside.

In the now empty pan, over medium heat, add 3-4 TBS of the reserved fat. Stir in the flour and mix thoroughly. Slowly add the broth, whisking constantly. Continue to cook and whisk until the mixture comes just to a boil and thickens. Remove from the heat. Add the reserved meat and stir. Add salt to taste. Gravy can be made in advance and reheated or used immediately. Serve over waffles (savory waffles - be sure to use a waffle recipe that does not include added sugar). Serve immediately after pouring over waffles.

Majadra

I know what you must be thinking... two posts in two days! Stop the presses! It is somewhat exciting. My little boy is starting to go to bed earlier and earlier. Tonight, he was in bed asleep by 7:30. To top it all off, my husband is out of town on business. My time is my own this evening. It doesn't happen that often these days, so I figured I'd make the most of it.

I celebrated by making another of those sandwiches I've been so fond of lately and then made a big old pot of this delicious dish. It may not be much to look at, but, boy, does it have some flavor! Majadra is of Lebanese origin and has rice, lentils, and caramelized onions. It also has a hint of spice and is absolutely delightful. You can serve it as a side dish or a main dish. I like to fill a bowl full to the brim and eat it with a spoon. It's very tasty. The best part is that it makes a decent amount and it tastes just as good reheated the rest of the week. It makes a perfect leftover lunch.

The other nice thing about it is that it's pretty simple to make. While it's not fast, it takes about an hour to complete it, the actual prep work is minimal and involves slicing an onion. That's it! Really! Okay, you also have to slice open a lemon for a little bit of juice, but, who's keeping track?

You start by putting the lentils on to simmer and caramelizing the onions. These two tasks take about the same amount of time, about half an hour. When the onions are starting to develop some really nice color, throw in a small stick of cinnamon. If you don't have a stick, you can also add just a dash of ground, but the stick adds more of an aromatic component to the dish rather than a flavor you taste with your tongue.

Once the lentils are tender and the onions are caramelized, you add the Batsmati rice to the onions to toast slightly. Then you add the drained lentils, boiling water, and cumin; cover it; and cook for twenty more minutes. After twenty minutes, you open the pot and fluff the rice. Spritz a couple teaspoons of fresh lemon juice over and add salt to taste (I think I added between 1/2 and 1 teaspoons).

Majadra
Yield: 6-8 servings

1 large onion, halved and sliced thinly
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup green lentils
water to cover lentils by 1-2 inches
1  2" cinnamon stick
1 1/4 cup Batsmati rice
2 cups hot water
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
salt to taste

Heat a large pot and the oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very golden, about 30 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed to keep them from burning. At the same time, put the lentils in a sauce pan and cover with water so that it is one to two inches above the top of the lentils. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer to cook for 25-30 minutes. The lentils should be tender about the time the onions are done. If the lentils are done before the onions, simply turn off the heat and let them sit. Drain the lentils once the onions are done.

When the onions are about 5 minutes away from being done, add the cinnamon stick and stir. Once the onions are nicely golden, add the rice and toast, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes. Add the lentils, the cumin, and the water. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a very gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. After twenty minutes, turn off the heat. Let sit 5 minutes. Remove the cover, add the lemon juice and salt and fluff gently with a fork.

Golden Crusted Pork Loin

Well, I guess I've been a little MIA lately, which is a little funny since all I've been doing is a lot of sitting around waiting for this baby to decide to come into the world. Granted, that means I haven't been doing a huge amount of experimental cooking since my feet balloon up to gargantuan proportions when I'm on them too long these days. I've been mostly sticking with the quick and easy "sure-things" when we aren't doing take-out or delivery. My due date has come and gone and we're just waiting for the little guy to decide to make an appearance. I'm not sure if its been a "nesting" thing or what, but the last two days, I've been very energetic and productive. Maybe that's a good sign? Please be a good sign. I'm ready to have my body back!

Last night, I had some pork tenderloin thawed out and was looking for a quick and tasty way to prepare it. I often butterfly my tenderloins and stuff them, but I just couldn't get up the gumption for that. My husband was dreaming of a pork tenderloin sandwich, but I was also wanting to forego any pounding and frying. I thought a nice crunchy crust might be found another way. Perusing through the pantry, I found what I was looking for... Panko (the perfect breading standby) and French fried onions (you know, the ones you put on top of green bean casserole). At that point I was on my way to a fabulously flavorful and easy dinner.

The breading goes on easy and stays on well through the cooking process. It comes out golden and crispy and very flavorful. I highly recommend it!

Golden Crusted Pork Loin
Yield: serves 4-6

1 package pork tenderloin (usually contains two loins)
2-4 TBS all purpose flour
2 eggs
1 cup French fried onions
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 TBS dried parsley
1/4 tsp salt
spray cooking oil

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. If the loin looks excessively marbled, consider using a roasting rack to keep the loins from sitting in the excess fat as it cooks. Remove the loins from their packaging, rinse and pat dry. Prepare the egg wash by cracking the two eggs into a large, shallow container and beat gently. Then prepare the crunchy coating. In a food processor, pulse the French fried onions until they are similar in texture to the Panko. Mix the fried onions, Panko, Parmesan, parsley, and salt together on a shallow dish or tray.

Sprinkle the loins with the flour until all surfaces are lightly covered. Gently tap off any excess. Then dip each loin into the egg wash and roll around in the crunchy coating until they are evenly coated. Place on the baking sheet. Spray lightly with cooking oil spray. Place in the top third of the preheated oven and roast until a thermometer placed in the thickest part of the loin reads 150F. Remove from the oven and let rest for five minutes before slicing and serving.

Wine Steamed Mussels

I find it amazing how sometimes the dishes with the most flavor are the quickest to prepare. Take this dish, for instance. In less than ten minutes, you end up with a super flavorful broth and perfectly tender mussels. I had never prepared mussels before last night. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy and delicious they were to prepare.

They're especially easy if you purchase fresh cultured blue mussels. These mussels are "farmed" up in Canada off Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, but really they're not so much farmed as managed. The mussels grow in waters in which they are native, they are simply "encouraged" to grow in specific places. They eat their natural food (i.e. the "farmer" does not feed them in any way). They are then allowed to grow naturally. Lastly, they are harvested year round to end up perfectly fresh at your supermarket's fish counter. Why are these cultured mussels easier to cook with? Because they've already cleaned them for you! No need to soak or remove those pesky beards. I can appreciate that!

Being a mussel buying newbie yesterday was, I'll admit, a bit embarrassing. I asked for three pounds of mussels; it is recommended that you plan for a pound per person. Since we're big eaters, I figured I'd get an extra pound. They were surprisingly cheap, even at Whole Foods. I got them on sale for $1.99 a pound here in the D.C. area, but even their regular price is less than $4.00 per pound. So the fish monger weighed them out for me into a plastic bag, placed the price tag on it, and proceeded to attempt to hand me the bag... with it hanging open. I looked at him like he was crazy and asked, "Are you really trying to hand me this bag of messy shellfish without any further packaging?" He rolled his eyes (very politely, I might add) and told me that they needed to breathe and that if I closed the packaging up, I'd kill them. Oh. Duh. Okay.

I did manage to get the little buggers home without killing or spilling them everywhere. When it came time to prepare dinner, I simply rinsed them off and picked through them to be sure there weren't any damaged or dead ones. If you come across a mussel with a broken shell or one who is open and won't close with a little tap, discard it. Let the mussels hang out while you prepare the broth: garlic, onion, tomato, white wine, and water is all that's in there, but once the mussels add their juices and it all cooks together a bit? Divine!!

Steam the mussels over medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes, until the vast majority of them open. The amount of time it will take to cook them depends on the heat, obviously, but also how many mussels you've got in the pot. Although I've read conflicting reports, the prevailing wisdom states that you should also discard any mussels that don't open during the cooking process. It seemed best to me to be safe rather than sorry, so I followed that suggestion. Be careful not to overcook the mussels or they can become rubbery and unappealing. They're ready when they've opened so keep and eye on them. Once the mussels are done steaming, stir the pot and ladle them up. Be sure to serve them with some rustic bread to sop up those perfect juices!

Wine Steamed Mussels
Yield: 3 servings

2 TBS butter
1 TBS minced garlic
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced tomato
1/2 cup white wine (such as Pinot Grigio)
1/2 cup water
3 pounds of mussels, cleaned and debearded
salt and pepper to taste

In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute until they are slightly softened. Add the tomato, wine, and water and bring to a boil. Add the mussels and cover the pot. Let steam for 5-10 minutes, until most of the mussels have opened. It is recommended that you discard the mussels that do not open during the cooking process. Remove from the heat and give the pot a stir. Taste the broth and add salt and pepper to taste. Be cautious about salting the broth before cooking and tasting as the mussels give off a salty brine when cooking. Serve immediately with crust bread for dipping.

Corej Chicken Marinade

I am so excited to share this recipe with you. I originally had it at a friend's cookout and immediately had to ask for the recipe (thus, I have no idea from where it originally came). I then decided to use it to make grilled chicken skewers for that large party I catered a few months back. While I think this dish has the best flavor when cooked over a grill, it's pretty darn good when broiled in the oven too, which is what I did last night. The other trick about this dish is that I think it's absolutely imperative that you use chicken thighs and not breasts. I once used this marinade to make grilled chicken breasts and it just wasn't the same. Don't get me wrong, it was tasty, but after having enjoyed it on the fattier, more flavorful thighs, it was a distinct letdown. 

This marinade will easily cover two to three pounds of meat. It's best if you can let the meat soak for at least 3-4 hours, but it's still delicious when you only have time to give it an hour. The combination of flavors is superb. What's more, I am not a fan of mustard (that's an understatement, mustard is one of three flavors in the world that I simply cannot abide), but I love its addition in this marinade. Not only does it boost the flavor but it helps to emulsify the marinade so that all the flavors meld together. Look at that rich, dark color! Yum!

Corej Chicken Marinade

Yield: enough to marinate 2-3 pounds of meat

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 TBS Dijon style mustard

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

1-3 pounds of deboned, skinless chicken thighs

Whisk all of the marinade ingredients together. Trim the meat as desired (either keep in whole pieces or cut into pieces to skewer for satay style) and place in the marinade. Let soak in the marinade, ideally, for 3-4 hours in the refrigerator. 

When ready to cook, prepare the grill or turn on the broiler. Grill over medium high heat or broil 5-6 inches from the element, flipping once. Use a thermometer to be sure the meat is cooked to approximately 160 degrees. 

The Corejs just told me they believe I've adapted the California Marinade recipe from the Better Homes and Gardens Barbeque Book, circa 1965. You've gotta love a classic!

Greek Style Chicken Pitas

You know what happens in five days? We finally start moving into our new place. I can't tell you how excited I am. Two and a half months in temporary housing is more than enough! I am really starting to miss my stuff. While I miss our king sized bed (two adults and a forty pound dog is a little cramped for a queen sized), fall appropriate clothing (it's getting a bit cool to be wearing summer wear in mid-October), and comfortable furniture (there is not a single chair in this place that doesn't make my butt go numb), what I really miss the most is my kitchen.

Now, I'm not saying I can't cook without all my kitchen gear, but I am quite limited in what types of things I can make. Additionally, it will be nice not to run out of dishes after one meal. Ooooo, and to have enough pots and pans to make all of the dishes in my meal at the same time! What a concept! I've really been sticking with simple stuff here lately. I especially miss having the wherewithal to successfully experiment in the kitchen. Prepare to feast your eyes!!

But, alas... I still have a week of dinners to prepare in this little no nothing kitchen. Fortunately, simple doesn't have to mean boring. This dish, although it's really great with homemade pita bread, can be easily made with store bought in mere minutes. This dish is flavorful and filling. I love the contrast between the tang of the tzatziki, the sweetness of the onions, and the savory flavor of the browned meat.

I like to use diced chicken tenderloin for this dish, but you could use regular chicken breasts as well. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and then add some minced garlic, a sliced onion, oregano, lemon juice, and a tiny bit of olive oil. You'll also want to salt and pepper to taste, but I often do that as I finish the cooking. That way I can be sure I don't overdo it.

Stir all the ingredients together and then let them sit at room temperature for about thirty minutes. This will give the meat a little time to absorb all the flavors. This is a great time to put together the tzatziki. After thirty minutes, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Drizzle a little olive oil in the pan and saute the mixture until the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through. Spoon chicken mixture into a pita pocket with tomato slices and the tzatziki. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Greek Style Chicken Pitas
Yield: 4 pita pocket "sandwiches"

1/2 pound diced chicken breast
1 medium onion, sliced
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
salt and pepper to taste
tomato slices
2 pita pockets, sliced in half
1 TBS oil, for sauteing

For the tzatziki:
1 cup plain Greek style yogurt
1/2 cup peeled, seeded, and minced cucumber
1 TBS lemon juice
1 tsp minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Mix the chicken, onion, lemon juice, oil, garlic, and oregano together. Stir to mix and let sit at room temperature for thirty minutes. Meanwhile, mix together the tzatziki ingredients. Stir until well incorporated and set aside. Slice tomatoes and pita bread. After the thirty minutes is up, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cooking oil and let it heat up before adding the chicken mixture. Saute until the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon cooked mixture into pita pockets and add tomato slices and tzatziki. Serve immediately.

Sun Dried Tomato and Feta Chicken

I am in countdown mode. In 23 days, we get our household goods delivered and start moving into our new place. I can't believe how much I miss my stand mixer... and my food processor... and all those little kitchen gadgets you don't know you depend on until you can't. It's interesting how this minimalist kitchen has impacted my cooking. In some ways, it's actually been a good thing. It forces me to be more creative, and it brings me back to basics. The other day, I finally broke down and made a loaf of bread. It has been so long since I kneaded a batch of dough from start to finish. I had forgotten how therapeutic bread kneading can be.

Last night, I was staring at a package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trying to figure out what to do with them. The trick, of course, is to use what you have to your best advantage. Chicken breasts can be a bit blah if you're not careful, so I wanted to be sure they had enough bold flavor. I started out with some sliced onions. About halfway through the cooking, I looked back in the refrigerator for more inspiration and saw a jar of sun dried tomatoes in oil. Then, when the breasts were cooked through, one last perusal of the fridge led me to a container of crumbled feta. The combination of flavors was very satisfying and robust. This "make it up as you go" dinner passed the test with flying colors, and I'll definitely be making it again!

Sun Dried Tomato and Feta Chicken
Yield: 4 servings

2 TBS olive oil
1 tsp butter
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup thinly sliced onions
1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash or other seasoning blend
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper
3 TBS sun dried tomatoes in olive oil
1/4 cup crumbled feta

Heat the oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium high heat until bubbly. Add the onions. Stir to coat with the oil and then cook for 2-3 minutes. Push the onions out of the way and add the chicken breasts. Spread the onions around them and let cook without disturbing until the breasts are nicely browned, about 5 minutes. Season the chicken breasts and then flip. Stir the onions. Let breasts brown again for another 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is just cooked through. When the chicken is almost done, add the sun dried tomatoes. Using a thermometer is your best bet to not overcook the chicken.  At the last minute, add the feta and stir to mix. Serve breasts with onion, tomato, and cheese mixture over the top.

Sausage Stuffed Shells

There's something about this recipe that just really appeals to me. I think it has to do with how cute those jumbo shells are. I love filling them with all kinds of different goodness. This is another recipe that is similar to my potato soup making... almost every time is different! In this version, I use sausage and mushrooms, but I just as often like to make a spinach and cheese version. I vary the cheese, I vary the meat, I vary the herbs, I vary the vegetables. It's all good!

This was a particularly good version, so much so that I actually wrote down what I put in and in what quantities. This is fairly easy to prepare; I find it easier than making lasagna, but just as tasty. I often prepare it when making dishes to provide to families needing a little help preparing meals... it's easy to prepare in advance, simply leaving the baking to the recipient so they can enjoy an easy, home cooked meal in their time of need.

The first step is to mix together the filling: sausage, garlic, onion, mushrooms, parsley, egg, and tarragon. Mix until well incorporated.

Boil the shells as directed on the box, except be sure to cook them al dente, because they will continue cooking in the oven and you don't want them to end up too soft. Also, be sure to boil more shells than you need, because invariably a few of them will be uncooperative and fall apart. Spoon about half a cup of sauce into the bottom of an oven safe dish. For this recipe, you need about an 8 inch dish. Stuff the filling into the shells and place them, seam up in the dish.

After all the shells are filled and placed, pour the rest of the sauce over them and sprinkle on the cheese.

Bake at 350° F for 30-40 minutes, until the cheese is beautifully golden and bubbly and the meat in the shells is cooked through. You can use a thermometer for this part, if you want to be sure it's fully cooked. Shoot for an internal temperature above 160° F. Let the dish cool slightly before serving.

Sausage Stuffed Shells

Yield: 4 servings

1 box jumbo pasta shells

1/2 pound ground sausage

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, minced

2-3 large mushrooms, minced

1 tsp parsley, chopped

1 tsp tarragon, chopped

1 whole egg

1 1/2 cup marinara sauce

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

Cook the shells until al dente and drain. This recipe fills about 14 jumbo shells, but you'll want to be sure to cook extra due to breakage. Mix all the ingredients, except for the sauce and cheese, together and stuff into the shells. Pour about 1/2 cup of sauce into the bottom of an oven safe dish. The dish should be about 8-9 inches to fit all shells. Place filled shells into dish, seam side up. Pour remaining sauce over the top and then sprinkle with the cheese. Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 350° F oven for 30-40 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbly and the filling in cooked through. Let cool slightly before serving.

Pork Chops with Feta

I know I've been a little MIA lately... every time we're staring another military move in the face, I start getting antsy trying to get my ducks in a row. In addition, the weather's been freaking fantastic! I have to take advantage of it while I can. Hell will be here soon enough. I've been riding my horse a lot... trying to get my fill before I have to find her a new home, and I've been trying to get a lot done around the house and yard; we'll be renting our current house to another military family when we leave. I'm sad to report that there's been a lot of take out lately. Shhhhhhh! Don't tell!

Tonight, however, I wanted to make an old fashioned, from scratch dinner. This combination turned into a winning one. So yummy!

I sliced the onions into long strips. I used two small onions. I put a little olive oil in a large saute pan and then cooked the onions, stirring frequently until they started to brown nicely.

I then cut a pint of baby portobello mushrooms in large chunks. I minced 3-4 cloves of garlic as well and added these to the pan to cook with the onions. When everything was nicely browned, I deglazed the pan with about 1/4 cup of Madeira.

I dumped the sauteed goods into a bowl to hang out while I cooked the pork chops. At this point, the pan was fairly clean again.

I drizzled a little more olive oil into the pan. When it was hot, I added the pork chops, cooking them over medium heat. I sprinkled them with salt and pepper. I let them cook without disturbing until it naturally let go from the pan and had a nice brown crust. I them cooked them on the other side until almost cooked through.

I returned the sauteed onions and mushrooms to the pan and threw in the thyme. I stirred everything together and turned the heat down to low.

The sauce was a little thinner than I preferred, so I temporarily removed the pork chops for a moment. I sprinkled a little cornstarch into the mixture and stirred until it was thickened.

I returned the pork chops to the pan and then sprinkled the feta over top. I turned the heat off and served them immediately.

Pork Chops with Feta

Yield: 4 small or 2 large servings

1 TBS olive oil

2 small onions, sliced

1 pint baby portobello mushrooms, cut in large chunks

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup Madeira

1 TBS olive oil

4 boneless pork loin chops

1 TBS fresh thyme, minced

1/2 -1 tsp cornstarch (optional)

1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

salt and pepper to taste

In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook until they soften and start to brown. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Continue to cook until the onions are tender and the mushrooms are nicely golden. Deglaze the pan with the Madeira. Pour the mixture into a bowl and set aside.

Add the other tablespoon of olive oil and let it heat up. Pat the pork chops dry before adding them to the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let the chops cooks without disturbing them until they release naturally from the pan and are nicely browned. Then, flip them over and let them cook on the other side until they are almost cooked through.

Add the onions and mushrooms back to the pan. Add the thyme and stir. Reduce the heat to low. If the sauce is too thin, remove the pork chops and sprinkle a little cornstarch into the sauce until it is the thickness you prefer. Return the chops and sprinkle the feta over top. Turn the heat off and serve immediately.