Grilled Pork Chops with Wild Mushroom Risotto and Roasted Green Beans

I cooked this meal for my mom and sister (and Antoine) when they came into town to visit. I've made all of these (for the most part) before now, and just combined them into one dish. This was also my first attempt at a pork loin, which turned out really well.


Nothing really changed in this recipe. I brined and grilled the pork chops and pork loins until they were done. The only thing different was that I used Jack Daniel's Whiskey instead of white wine in the risotto, since I found a similar recipe in a Rachael Ray cookbook that used it. It added a nice smoky taste. I also used baby portabello, shiitake, and beech mushrooms to make a nice variety of mushrooms.

Overall it was a good meal. The only thing I would change would be to brine the pork loin in less salt or for less time...it did a way better job soaking it up than the pork chops have done. Also, I think the whiskey addition instead of wine was a really good choice...it made it taste even better. Thanks Rachael!

Butternut Squash Aglonetti with Gorgonzola-Walnut Cream Sauce

As I was shopping at the DeKalb Farmer's market in Atlanta, which I have grown to adore, I stumbled across some pre-made pasta. There was one that caught my eye - they called it Butternut Squash Aglonetti. I happily bought it and brought it home. I searched Food Network's website for things to make it with, and found a bunch of recipes for a sort of gorgonzola cream sauce. I combined a few of them to make this sauce with walnuts (most of the recipe came from Rachael Ray...is it obvious how much I love her?). I'll try my best to re-create my recipe.


Ingredients:

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 shallots, chopped
  
• 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, eyeball it
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, divided
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup Gorgonzola, crumbled
• Salt and pepper, to taste
  

Method:

• Boil some water and cook the pasta (aglonetti, in this case) until al dente, drain.
  
• Toast the walnuts (cook at 350F for 8 mins) and place them into a food processor. Set aside after they are ground.
  
• Melt butter over medium heat in a deep skillet. Whisk in the flour and cook, then whisk in the wine and let reduce by half.
  
• Add the stock, and then stir in the cream when it bubbles and begins to reduce. Lower the heat to medium low, simmer and allow sauce to thicken.
• Melt in the Gorgonzola, then stir in the ground walnuts. Season with salt and pepper.
• Toss the pasta with the sauce, and serve with Parmesan cheese.
  

Overall the combo worked fantastically. I made enough of it to use again, this time I added the meatballs to it and tossed it with rotini. Unfortunately I never took a picture of it, but as my family can attest it turned out pretty well. I think I'll try and experiment with different cheeses in cream sauces from time to time, since I was so happy with this one. I'll also try adding some fresh herbs to the sauce (or just on top) to give it some color.

4th of July: Burgers on the Grill and Peach Blackberry Cobbler a la Mode

This year for the 4th of July, I had my friends come over for a cookout. As host, I volunteered to supply the drinks and hamburgers, and also wanted to take a stab at making a dessert. So here are the two recipes I used that made my day a success...I think they both turned out excellent (as the pictures show!).


I had to call my dad to get advice on how he makes his hamburgers. He informed me that his secret is using BBQ sauce (whoops...haha), keeps the burgers tender and juicy for a long time. So I added the hamburger meat along with some Kraft BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, a little soy, salt, pepper, and garlic powder (I think that's it...). I made these into patties, stuck my thumb in the middle to help it cook more even, and grilled it until they were done. For my first attempt, it seemed like quite a success. Everyone devoured them and I got lots of compliments. Hooray!


What would the 4th of July be without some form of cobbler? I felt for once, I should finally attempt to make one. I found blackberries on sale, and consulted FoodNetwork for ideas on how to make the cobbler to begin with, and stumbled across a recipe for a peach and blackberry cobbler. YUM! So that's what I attempted, with a few modifications thanks to Mae Mae's expert cobbler-making advice.

Ingredients:

• 8 to 12 peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 tbsp flour
• 5 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup sugar
  
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Pinch salt
• 2 cups blackberries
• Frozen pie crust (~4), defrosted (should be soft and spread-able)
  
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 300F. In a bowl, combine the peaches, flour, brown sugar, lemon juice and salt, tossing gently. Carefully fold in the blackberries.
• Spread pre-made pie crusts around 8-cup baking dish, covering all the sides. Reserve ~1 crust to be cut into long thin strips for a lattice on top.
• Pour peach and blackberry mixture into baking dish over the crust. Cover with strips of crust.
  
• Brush the top of the dough with the melted butter. Place the cobbler on a sheet-pan to catch any juices that may boil over. Bake until the top is golden brown and juices are bubbling, ~1 hour. Let cool slightly before serving.
  
• Serve warm with Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.

These were both quite a hit as a combo. The burgers were tender and juicy, and altogether delicious (thanks again, Dad!). I was surprised as to how much they shrunk while cooking, but I'm proud of myself for not burning or undercooking a single one on my first try. The cobbler was awesome with the ice cream, although my peaches were not quite ripe (going to the farmer's market or roadside stand next time) and it was a little bitter (will probably add more sugar and sprinkle some on top also). Of course, I had to call Mae Mae for some tips on it, which is why my baking temperature was less than the recipe itself. Will definitely make another one!