Brown Sugar and Dijon-Marinated Pork Tenderloin
J. B. Miller
Indianapolis, IN
Makes 4–6 servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Marinating Time: 2–3 hours
Cooking/Baking Time: 15 minutes
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup sherry vinegar
½ tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ cup brown sugar
2-lb. pork tenderloin
1. Combine the first four ingredients in a large, zip-lock plastic bag to make the marinade.
2. Place tenderloin in marinade and close bag. Surround meat with marinade, and then place in refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.
3. Heat grill to medium-high. Remove tenderloin from bag, patting dry.
4. Grill tenderloin until desired doneness, 160˚ for medium. Thinly slice into medallions and serve.
Tips:
1. Be sure grill is hot before placing tenderloin on grill. Tenderloin should have a thin crisp crust.
2. This is especially good served with garlic mashed potatoes or polenta.
Tips from Tester:
1. You can also prepare the tenderloin in your broiler.
2. Use a meat thermometer to be sure the meat is cooked sufficiently.
Barbecued Ribs
Barry Coggin, Jacksonville, FL
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 10–15 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 2½–3 hours
2–3 lbs. pork ribs
olive oil
salt and pepper
paprika
barbecue sauce, warmed slightly
1. Rub ribs with olive oil. Sprinkle on all sides with salt, pepper, and a generous amount of paprika.
2. Sear 5 minutes each side on a very hot grill.
3. Wrap ribs in 3 layers of heavy duty aluminum foil so that they’re airtight.
4. Turn one grill burner on high. Place ribs on the other side, not directly above fire.
5. Cook 3 hours. Turn 2–3 times.
6. Unwrap on a serving platter. Cut into serving-size pieces.
7. Pour barbecue sauce over top of each piece. Turn and pour additional sauce over.
Pork Chops
Judi Robb
Manhattan, KS
Makes 3 servings
Prep. Time: 20–30 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 40–60 minutes
21-oz. can apple pie filling
3 thick pork chops
1 box pork-flavored stuffing mix
1. In large skillet brown pork chops on both sides over high heat. Do not crowd the skillet or the chops will steam in each other’s juices rather than brown. To prevent that, brown them 1 or 2 at a time.
2. Meanwhile, prepare stuffing according to directions on box.
3. In a greased 9 × 9 baking dish, spread apple pie filling over the bottom.
4. Place browned pork chops on top of apples.
5. Layer prepared stuffing over pork chops. Cover with foil.
6. Bake, covered, at 350˚ for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 more minutes.
7. Check to see if the chops are cooked through in the middle and tender. If not, cover and continue baking up to 20 more minutes if needed.
Pork Chops and Apples
Arlene M. Kopp
Lineboro, MD
Makes 5–6 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 1–1½ hours
5–6 pork chops
2 Tbsp. oil
3–4 apples, cored and sliced
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1. Brown chops on both sides in oil in a skillet, about 3 minutes on each side. Do not crowd the skillet or the chops will steam in their own juices rather than brown. Brown in batches for good browning results.
2. Meanwhile, place apples in a long greased baking dish. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
3. Top with browned pork chops.
4. Cover and bake 1–1½ hours, or until chops are tender and cooked through.
Pork Chop Divine
Norma P. Zehr
Lowville, NY
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 20–30 minutes
4 pork chops
salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. butter, divided
½ lb. red grapes, halved
½ cup brown sugar
1. Brown chops in non-stick skillet, about 3 minutes on each side, until browned. Resist crowding the skillet because the chops will steam in their own juices if they’re too close together. For best results, brown in batches.
2. Meanwhile, melt 2 Tbsp. butter in another skillet or a saucepan. Add grapes and cook over medium-high heat until they burst open.
3. Stir in brown sugar. Add 1 Tbsp. butter. Continue cooking until sauce is heated through. Stir occasionally so sauce doesn’t scorch.
4. Pour sauce over chops in non-stick skillet and continue cooking until chops are tender.
5. Serve chops topped with sauce.
Jean H. Robinson
Cinnaminson, NJ
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 20–25 minutes
4 boneless pork loin chops (about 1 pound)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
½ cup apricot preserves, or orange marmalade
juice and zest of 1 lemon
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. white pepper
1 Tbsp. ground ginger, optional
1. Brown chops 3 minutes per side in a heavy skillet in about 2 Tbsp. olive oil over high heat. Do not crowd the skillet or the chops will steam in their juices rather than brown. It’s better to brown them in batches.
2. Remove chops from skillet and keep warm. Reduce heat to low.
3. Add apricot preserves, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and ginger if you wish, to pan drippings, as well as any juice from the pork chop plate.
4. When sauce ingredients are thoroughly blended and hot, return chops to skillet. Spoon sauce over chops. Continue heating until chops are hot but not over-cooked.
Raspberry Pork Chops
Louise Bodziony
Sunrise Beach, MO
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 25–30 minutes
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
4 boneless pork loin chops, ½" thick
¼ cup raspberry preserves
1 tsp. vinegar
¼ cup raspberries
1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add pork chops, but don’t crowd the skillet. Cook 2–3 minutes or until brown, turning once.
2. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 10–15 minutes, or until pork is tender and no longer pink.
3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan combine preserves and vinegar. Cook over low heat 1–3 minutes, or until thoroughly heated. Stir in raspberries. Serve over pork chops.
Pork Chops Supreme
Barb Harvey
Quarryville, PA
Makes as many servings as you need!
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 1½ hours
1 thick pork chop per person
1 large onion slice per person
1 lemon slice per person
1 Tbsp. brown sugar per person
1 Tbsp. ketchup per person
1. Place pork chops in lightly greased baking dish. On top of each chop, place 1 large slice onion, 1 slice lemon, 1 Tbsp. brown sugar, and 1 Tbsp. ketchup.
2. Cover and bake 1 hour at 350˚. Uncover and bake half an hour more.
John D. Allen
Rye, CO
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 15–20 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 8–10 minutes
6 pork chops, about ¾–1" thick
vegetable oil for browning
8-oz. jar salsa
1. In a large skillet, brown chops in oil until golden. Brown them in batches so as not to crowd the skillet. If the skillet is too full, the chops will steam in their juices rather than brown.
2. Return all chops to the skillet. Add the salsa, turn down the heat, and simmer, covered, for about 8–10 minutes, or until the meat is tender.
Tip from the Tester: There’s a lovely amount of juice with this dish, which is perfect to serve over the meat and hot cooked rice as an accompaniment.
Tangy Pork Skillet
Sherri Mayer
Menomonee Falls, WI
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 15 minutes
4 pork loin chops
¼ cup Italian dressing
¼ cup barbecue sauce
1 tsp. chili powder
1. In a large non-stick skillet, brown pork chops on one side over medium-high heat. If the skillet is full, brown the chops in 2 batches so they brown well.
2. Remove browned chops to platter and keep warm.
3. Add remaining ingredients to pan, stirring to blend. Return all chops to pan, and turn them so the browned side is up.
4. Cover and simmer for 5–8 minutes, or until meat is tender.
A Tip —
Allow roasted, broiled, or grilled meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving so the meat can reabsorb its juices.
Pork Chop and Potato Casserole
Jeanette B. Oberholtzer
Manheim, PA
Makes 4–6 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 1–1½ hours
4–5 medium to large potatoes
salt and pepper
6 pork chops ¾–1" thick
milk to cover potatoes
1. Peel potatoes. Slice medium/thin and arrange in a large greased baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Arrange chops on top of potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Pour in enough milk to cover potatoes, but not the chops.
4. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1–1½ hours, or until chops and potatoes are tender. Cover loosely with foil if chops are browning before they and the potatoes are tender.
Donna Lantgen, Golden, CO
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 5–10 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 1 hour
1½ cups dry long-grain rice
2 cups water
10¾-oz. can cream of celery soup
1 Tbsp. chicken bouillon granules, or 1 chicken bouillon cube
4 pork chops
1. In a mixing bowl, stir together all ingredients except pork chops. Spoon into a lightly greased 9 × 13 glass baking dish.
2. Place pork chops on top.
3. Cover. Bake at 350˚ for 1 hour, or until rice and meat are both tender.
Pork Chops on Amber Rice
Esther Porter
Minneapolis, MN
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 15–20 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 55 minutes
6 pork chops
1⅓ cups uncooked minute rice
1 cup orange juice
¼ cup chopped green onion
10½-oz. can chicken-rice soup
1. Brown pork chops in heavy non-stick skillet. Do not crowd the skillet, but brown the chops in batches in order to avoid having the chops steam in each other’s juices.
2. Meanwhile, place uncooked rice in a lightly greased 7 × 12 baking dish. Pour orange juice over rice.
3. Arrange browned pork chops on top of rice. Sprinkle green onion over pork chops.
4. Pour chicken rice soup over all.
5. Cover and bake at 350˚ for 45 minutes. Then uncover and bake 10 minutes longer.
Ham Loaf
Ruth E. Schiefer
Vassar, MI
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 1 hour
1 lb. ground pork
1 lb. ground ham
1 cup milk
1 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
¼ tsp. pepper, optional
1. In a large mixing bowl, mix all ingredients together well.
2. Shape into a loaf. Place in a lightly greased baking loaf pan.
3. Bake at 350˚, uncovered, for 1 hour.
Tip from Tester: If you wish, spoon ¼ cup ketchup over top of the loaf 15 minutes before the end of the baking time.
Ham Loaf and Hash Brown Casserole
LuAnna Hochstedler
East Earl, PA
Makes 8–10 servings
Prep. Time: 5–10 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 60–65 minutes
2 lbs. ready-to-bake ham-loaf mixture
10¾-oz. can cream of celery soup
2 lbs. hash brown patties or cubes, or tater tots
2 cups shredded cheese
1. Press ham loaf into bottom of a lightly greased 9 × 13 baking dish.
2. Spread soup over ham loaf.
3. Layer hash brown patties on top.
4. Bake at 350˚ for 55 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on top.
5. Bake 5 minutes more, or until cheese melts.
June S. Groff, Denver, PA
Jeannine Janzen, Elbing, KS
Makes 9 servings
Prep. Time: 45–50 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 20–30 minutes
Standing Time: 10 minutes
6 medium-sized potatoes
2–4 cups cooked ham chunks
¼ tsp. garlic salt
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1. Peel potatoes. Cut into chunks and place in a medium-sized saucepan. Add 2" water, cover, and cook over low heat for 20 minutes or so, or until potatoes are break-apart-tender when poked with a fork.
2. Mash potatoes with an electric mixer, adding some of the cooking water to keep them from being too stiff. Mix in garlic salt.
3. Spoon into lightly greased 9 × 13 baking pan.
4. Scatter ham over potatoes.
5. Whip heavy cream until light and fluffy.
6. Gently fold cheddar cheese into whipped cream.
7. Spoon mixture over top of ham.
8. Bake at 350˚ for 20–30 minutes.
9. Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving to allow potatoes to firm up.
Company Ham and Noodles
Diane Eby
Holtwood, PA
Makes 5–6 servings
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 10 minutes
¼ cup chopped onion
2 Tbsp. butter
10 ozs. fully cooked ham, julienned (about 2 cups)
2 tsp. flour
1 cup sour cream
hot cooked noodles
chopped fresh parsley, optional
1. In a skillet over medium heat, sauté onion in butter until tender.
2. Add ham. Cook and stir until heated through.
3. Sprinkle with flour and stir for 1 minute.
4. Reduce heat to low. Gradually stir in sour cream.
5. Cook and stir until thickened, about 2–3 minutes.
6. Serve over noodles. Garnish with parsley if you wish.
Cumberland Stockpot
Esther Porter
Minneapolis, MN
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 60–75 minutes
4 bratwurst
1 small head of red cabbage
1 cup apple juice
3 Tbsp. currant jelly
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar
1 tsp. juniper berries, optional
1. Place bratwurst in good-sized saucepan.
2. Shred or chop cabbage coarsely. Add to saucepan with bratwurst.
3. In a small bowl, mix together apple juice, currant jelly, and vinegar. Pour into saucepan containing cabbage and bratwurst.
4. Cover and simmer for 60–75 minutes, or until cabbage is tender.
Sausage, Potato, and Cabbage Stir-Fry
Waynesboro, GA
Alta Metzler
Willow Street, PA
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 20–25 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 20–25 minutes
1 lb. bulk pork sausage
3–4 potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 3 cups)
4 carrots, sliced thin or diced, optional
½ cup water
salt and pepper
6 cups coarsely chopped cabbage
1. Brown the sausage in a large skillet. Drain off drippings.
2. Add the potatoes, carrots if you wish, and water to the meat in the skillet.
3. Stir up the browned drippings from the bottom of the skillet and mix through the meat and vegetables.
4. Cover and cook until vegetables are almost tender.
5. Add cabbage. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6. Cover and cook 5–8 minutes, or until cabbage and potatoes are tender, stirring several times to prevent sticking.
Fresh Sausage and Sauerkraut
Susanne Nobrega
Duxbury, MA
Makes 4–6 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 1 hour
1 lb. fresh sausage, bulk, or sliced link sausage
1-lb. bag sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
1 lb. (about 4 cups) fresh shredded cabbage
1 Tbsp. caraway seeds, optional
½ cup beer, regular, light, or non-alcoholic
¼–½ cup water, if needed
1. In heavy, large skillet, brown the fresh sausage thoroughly.
2. Remove sausage from pan. Do not clean the pan. Add sauerkraut, cabbage, and caraway seeds if you wish. Mix well.
3. Place sausage back in pan on top of the mixed cabbage. Add the beer, pouring all around.
4. Cover. Simmer 45–60 minutes until sausage is cooked through.
5. Check occasionally. If the dish becomes dry, stir in ¼–½ cup water.
Italian Sausage and Potatoes
Maryann Markano
Wilmington, DE
Makes 4 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 30–35 minutes
1 lb. sweet or hot Italian sausage, cut on the diagonal in 1½" lengths
1 lb. small red potatoes, each cut in half
1 large onion, cut into 12 wedges
2 red or yellow bell peppers, cut into strips
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 450˚.
2. Combine all ingredients in large bowl or plastic bag. Toss to coat with oil.
3. Pour mixture onto large, lightly greased jelly-roll pan.
4. Roast for 30–35 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender and sausages are lightly browned. Stir halfway through cooking.
A Tip —
Always use a portable oven thermometer inside your oven. Most ovens vary at least 25 degrees from their supposed degree settings which can alter baking times significantly.
Rhonda Freed
Croghan, NY
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 20–30 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 30 minutes
1 lb. pork sausage, cut in ¼" slices, or bulk sausage
2 1-lb. pkgs. frozen vegetable of your choice, thawed
10¾-oz. can cream of mushroom soup
3 cups leftover mashed potatoes (or 6 servings instant mashed potatoes)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1. Brown sausage in a large skillet.
2. Meanwhile, either lightly steam, or microwave, vegetable until crisp-tender.
3. Prepare instant mashed potatoes according to package directions, if you don’t have leftover mashed potatoes.
4. When sausage is browned, spread on bottom of a lightly greased 9 × 13 glass baking dish.
5. Spoon cooked vegetable over top of sausage.
6. Spread mushroom soup over vegetable.
7. Spread mashed potatoes over top.
8. Bake uncovered at 350˚ for 20 minutes, or until vegetable is done to your liking.
9. Sprinkle cheese evenly over top. Return to oven and bake an additional 10 minutes, uncovered.
Tip from Tester: Add 1 medium-sized onion, chopped, and/or 2 cloves minced garlic to Step 1.
Sausage Sweet Potato De-lish
Cathy Boshart
Lebanon, PA
Jackie Stefl
E. Bethany, NY
Makes 4–6 servings
Prep. Time: 45 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 1 hour
4 large sweet potatoes
1 lb. smoked sausage, cut in ¼" slices
4 large apples
salt to taste, optional
water
½ cup brown sugar
1. Place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan. Add about 1" water. Cover and cook over medium heat until tender. Check occasionally to make sure they don’t cook dry.
2. When fully cooked, remove from pan and allow to cool.
3. When cool enough to handle, pull off skins. Cut potatoes into ¼" slices.
4. Place half the potatoes in bottom of a greased casserole. Cover with all of the sausage, cut in slices.
5. Top with sliced apples, peeled or not peeled. Sprinkle with salt if you wish.
6. Cover with remaining potatoes.
7. Brush with water. Sprinkle with brown sugar.
8. Bake uncovered at 350˚ for approximately 1 hour, or until heated through.
Variations:
1. Use a 29-oz. can sweet potatoes, drained, instead of the 4 sweet potatoes. Skip Steps 1, 2, and 3.
2. Use kielbasa instead of smoked sausage. Cut the kielbasa into 6 pieces.
3. Brush potatoes in Step 7 with 1–2 Tbsp. prepared mustard instead of water.
— Jackie Stefl
E. Bethany, NY
Makes 6–8 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 50 minutes
3 lbs. sliced kielbasa
1 bottle chili sauce
20-oz. can crushed pineapple in heavy syrup, undrained
½ cup brown sugar
1. Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Place in a lightly greased 9 × 13 baking pan.
2. Cover and bake at 350˚ for 40 minutes.
3. Uncover and continue baking at 350˚ for 10 more minutes.
A Tip —
When I purchase bacon, I cook the whole pound, doing it 3-4 slices at a time between paper towels in the microwave. Whatever I don’t use immediately, I freeze in ziplock bags. It’s ready later with a zap in the microwave.
Coke Kielbasa
Shelia Heil
Lancaster, PA
Makes 3–4 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 15 minutes
1-lb. pkg. kielbasa
12-oz. can cola
¼ cup brown sugar
hot cooked rice
1. Slice kielbasa diagonally into ⅓"-thick slices.
2. Place in a medium-sized saucepan. Stir in cola and brown sugar.
3. Simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes, uncovered. Stir frequently to prevent the sauce from sticking as it thickens.
4. Serve over rice.
Italian Subs
Susan Kasting
Jenks, OK
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 15 minutes
6 Italian sausages
1 green bell pepper, sliced in ¼" strips
1 red bell pepper, sliced in ¼" strips
1 medium-sized onion, sliced in ¼" rounds
6 hoagie rolls, split
1. Pan-fry sausages, or grill, until browned on all sides.
2. In a separate pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, heat to medium/high heat and sauté the peppers and onions until tender-crisp.
3. Place one sausage and a generous amount of the pepper-onion mix in each hoagie roll. Serve immediately
Jane Steiner
Orrville, OH
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 20 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 20 minutes
Standing Time: 10 minutes
11-oz. tube refrigerated French bread
¼–½ lb. cooked ham, chipped or thinly sliced
small onion, diced, optional
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled, or ½ cup prepared cooked and crumbled bacon
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1. Unroll dough on a greased baking sheet.
2. Place ham over dough to within ½" of edges. Sprinkle evenly with onion, bacon, and cheese.
3. Roll up, jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Pinch seams to seal and tuck ends under. Place seam-side down on baking sheet.
4. Bake at 350˚ for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
5. Allow to stand 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm.
Cordon Bleu Stromboli
Melody Baum
Greencastle, PA
Makes 6 servings
Prep. Time: 15 minutes
Rising Time: 20 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 25–30 minutes
Standing Time: 10 minutes
1 loaf frozen bread dough, thawed (see package directions)
2 Tbsp. butter
8 ozs. thinly sliced deli ham
½ cup shredded Swiss cheese
5 ozs. thinly sliced deli turkey
1. Roll bread dough into an 8 × 10 rectangle on a baking sheet.
2. Spread with butter. Top with a layer of ham, followed by a layer of cheese, and finally a layer of turkey.
3. Roll up, jelly-roll style, starting with the long side. Pinch seam to seal and tuck ends under.
4. Place seam-side down on a greased baking sheet. Place in a warm place. Cover with a tea towel, and let rise for 20 minutes.
5. Bake at 350˚ for 25–30 minutes, or until golden brown.
6. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before slicing.
Chipped Ham Sandwiches
Betty K. Drescher
Quakertown, PA
Makes 8 servings
Prep. Time: 10 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 1 hour
1 lb. chipped ham
1 small onion, chopped fine
½ cup ketchup
2–3 tsp. apple cider vinegar, depending upon your taste preference
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1. Mix together all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Put in small roaster pan.
2. Cook uncovered at 300˚ for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
3. Serve in warmed mini-sandwich rolls.
