Menu Planning Central

Making Life Easier Since 2007!

Apple & Herb Stuffed Pork Chops

Spread the love
    102    

This easy apple stuffed pork chop recipe is a delicious and healthy meal your whole family will love!

Each and every bite of these delicious apple stuffed pork chops is loaded with incredible flavor. The fresh rosemary and lemon zest lend a light citrus nuance, while the apple and cinnamon add a depth of warmth to this dish. These easy apple stuffed pork chops are an enjoyable and healthy meal your whole family will request over and over again.

 

This easy and delicious recipe is part of our Family Friendly Menu Plans.
(Save $10 on our signature annual menu plan with coupon code Save10!)

Print

Apple & Herb Stuffed Pork Chops


Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword Apple Stuffed Pork Chop, Easy Apple Stuffed Pork Chops, Easy Dinner Recipe, Easy Dinner Recipes, Family Favorites Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Resting Time 5 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4
Author MenuPlanningCentral.com

Ingredients

Ingredients:

  • 3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 small yellow onion diced small
  • 2-3 fresh garlic cloves finely minced
  • 2 c. kale leaves stems removed, finely chopped
  • 1 large apple diced small
  • 1 t. ground cinnamon
  • 2 t. organic lemon zest
  • 2 T. fresh rosemary leaves finely minced
  • Sea salt and black pepper to taste
  • 4 1 ” thick-cut bone-in pork chops

Instructions

  1. Place top oven rack in center position and pre-heat oven to 375°F.
  2. Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large, ovenproof skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and fragrant, around 4-5 minutes.
  3. Reduce heat to medium and add another tablespoon of olive oil. Add the kale, apple, cinnamon, lemon zest, and fresh rosemary to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apple is soft and the kale is just wilted, approximately 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir to combine. Remove from heat and transfer apple mixture to a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
  4. With a sharp knife, carefully make a slit through the center of each pork chop to form a pocket. Do not cut all the way through. Divide the apple-rosemary filling between the 4 pork chops and secure the openings with toothpicks to hold the stuffing inside.
  5. Return the skillet to medium-high heat and add remaining olive oil. Sear the pork chops on both sides until golden brown, around 3-4 minutes per side. Season with additional salt and black pepper, if desired.
  6. Transfer the skillet with the pork chops to the pre-heated oven and roast until the pork chops are cooked through, around 15-20 minutes or until an instant read thermometer (aff.link) inserted in the center reads 145°F.
  7. Allow pork chops to rest for 3-5 minutes before serving with your favorite side dish. Enjoy!

Know Someone Who Might Like This Recipe?
Check out Our Popular “Refer A Friend” Program Here! 

 

Easy Apple Stuffed Pork Chops

 

Oven Roasted Tomato & Fennel Soup

Spread the love
    51    

Italian Tomato SoupInspired by my Italian Nonna, this oven roasted tomato and fennel soup is like a big old hug!

This soup really hits the mark when you want something warm and delicious that won’t weigh you down. Like most tomato-based recipes, while this soup tastes great right away, the flavor is even better the next day.

When your garden is lush and overflowing with ripe juicy tomatoes, you might want to make a double or triple batch.  Since it stays fresh in the refrigerator for several days, make enough to enjoy some now, share some with a friend or neighbor, and stock some in your freezer for later. To make life easier, be sure to package your soup in portions that will be the perfect size for lunch or light dinners to enjoy on another day.

And…don’t forget to label your packages. You’ll thank yourself later!

Roasted Italian Tomato & Fennel SoupPrep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4

Quick Safety Tip:  An immersion or stick blender makes it quick and easy to blend this soup to the proper consistency.  If you don’t have one, you can also use your kitchen blender to process the cooked veggies and liquid. Just make sure the blender lid is properly vented and you process in small batches to prevent the hot liquid from overflowing.

Ingredients:

1½ lbs. Roma tomatoes, halved
2 medium red bell peppers, deseeded and quartered
1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
2 large carrots, cut in half lengthwise
2 medium shallots, outer skin removed and halved
4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
2 T. fresh thyme leaves
4 c. organic chicken broth
½ c. full-fat coconut milk
½ c. fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat® baking mat. Set aside.
  2. Arrange the tomatoes, red peppers, fennel, carrots, shallots, and garlic in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Toss to combine and sprinkle veggies with fresh thyme leaves.
  3. Place baking sheet in preheated oven and roast until vegetables are tender and lightly charred, approximately 20-25 minutes.
  4. Transfer the roasted veggies and any juices from the baking sheet to a large soup pot and add chicken broth. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot and and bubbly. Remove from heat.
  5. Using an immersion blender, blend contents of the soup pot until completely smooth. Stir in the coconut milk and fresh basil, and serve immediately.

If you enjoy healthy and delicious recipes just like this one, visit our Family Friendly Menu Plans page. 

Save $15 on our convenient annual plan with coupon code Save15!

Find out more about out our “Refer A Friend“ program here!

Instant Pot® Cherry BBQ Baby Back Ribs

Spread the love
    60    

Instant Pot BBQ RibsThese succulent cherry BBQ baby back ribs are fall off the bone tender thanks to the Instant Pot®!  These are sure to become a new family favorite that they will be asking for again and again.  This recipe is so easy and delicious, you will be happy to add it to your menu planning rotation.

What’s the secret? It’s the unique combination of cinnamon and rosemary in the dry rub we use that really enhances the flavor of this Amazing Dark Cherry BBQ Sauce! The great thing is that if you want to change it up once in a while, the flavors of our dry rub pair well with just about any barbeque sauce. These ribs are super fast and easy to make, AND they taste like they’ve been cooking all day long. 

Pressure Cooker BBQ RibsTip: To achieve that signature mouth-watering, caramelized crust we all love on our ribs be sure to place cooked ribs under a hot broiler or on the grill for a few minutes after cooking in the Instant Pot®. 

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes + time to come to pressure
Serves: 4

Dry Rub Ingredients:
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. chili powder
1 t. dried rosemary
1 t. ground cumin
½ t. cinnamon
¼ t. cayenne pepper
½ t. smoked paprika
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Other Ingredients:

2½ – 3 lbs. baby back ribs
1 c. beef stock (or water)
Dark Cherry BBQ Sauce* (or BBQ sauce of choice)

Directions:
1. Combine ingredients for the dry rub in a small bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
2. Carefully remove membrane from back of baby back ribs with a sharp knife, if necessary. Cut the ribs into 3 or 4 equal-sized parts and massage the dry rub into each section on both sides. Set aside.
3. Add beef broth or water to Instant Pot® and insert the metal rack. Place the seasoned ribs on their sides, meaty side out on top of the insert. (Do not stack them flat on top of each other).
4. Lock the Instant Pot lid into place and flip the pressure valve to “Sealing.” Set the “Manual” setting to high for 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set aside.
6. Once cooking time is complete, do a quick release (QR) by flipping the sealing valve to the “Venting” position. Unlock and remove the Instant Pot® lid and carefully transfer ribs to prepared baking sheet. Brush ribs with a generous amount of BBQ sauce on each side.
7. Pre-heat broiler to high and broil the ribs for 3-5 minutes or until nicely browned. Remove from oven and cool slightly before cutting into individual portions. Serve immediately with extra BBQ sauce for dipping.

If this is a recipe your family enjoyed, you will really love our Family Friendly Menu Plans!  Save $15 on our convenient annual plan with Coupon Code Save15!

Are you part of our “Refer A Friend” program? If not, click this link for details! ?

 

Creamy Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo

Spread the love
    100    

This delicious chicken and broccoli alfredo dish is sure to become a favorite for you and your family!

Creamy Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

The enduring appeal of classic Alfredo sauce lies in its simplicity. Featuring a luxurious blend of heavy cream, real butter and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, traditional Alfredo sauce delivers incredibly rich flavor without a lot of fuss.

This version builds upon the classic ingredients with the addition of rich cream cheese and fresh garlic. In addition, the heavy cream is replaced with a lighter blend of half & half and chicken broth. The results? A creamy, delicious and easy sauce that appears much more complicated than it actually is. This one is sure to become a new family favorite!

Tip: To prevent curdling, remove half and half from refrigerator when starting this recipe so it is less cold when added to the hot ingredients.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. fettuccine noodles, cooked according to package directions
  • 1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed and torn into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 head fresh broccoli florets (reserve stalk and stems for another use) – or 1 12 oz. bag frozen broccoli florets
  • 2 T. water

Creamy Broccoli and Chicken Alfredo RecipeSauce Ingredients:

  • 1 c. butter
  • 4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and finely minced
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 1¼ c. half & half (not low fat),
  • ½ c. organic chicken broth
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste,
  • 1 c. Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 3 T. fresh parsley, chopped
  • Additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve


Directions:

  1. Cook the fettuccine while preparing the sauce so the noodles are still warm when ready to toss with the other ingredients.
  2. Prepare broccoli by placing florets in a microwave-safe bowl with 2 tablespoons water. Microwave on high until crisp-tender. Cooking time will vary depending on individual microwave ovens, so test after 2 minutes and adjust cooking times accordingly. When finished, drain to remove excess water. Set aside.
  3. Add garlic and butter to a saucepan and turn heat to medium. Sauté garlic for 1-2 minutes before adding cream cheese, half & half, and chicken broth. Continue cooking while stirring constantly until cream cheese is completely melted.
  4. Reduce heat to low and continue stirring for about 15 minutes or until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and stir in freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  5. Add chicken, broccoli and cooked fettuccine noodles to a large serving bowl. Add the sauce to the bowl and gently toss until thoroughly combined.
  6. Top with chopped parsley and more freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve immediately. Enjoy! 

If you enjoyed this delicious Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo recipe, you will really love our Family Friendly Menu Plans! Get a full year of our best family friendly weekly menu plans for around $4/month!

Are you a member of our “Refer A Friend” program? If not, click this link for details! ?

Pulled Pork BBQ Sliders

Spread the love
    11    

Your family is going to absolutely LOVE these super easy slow cooker pulled pork BBQ sliders!

Put your slow cooker to work making this delicious and easy dinner!  Just toss the ingredients into your slow cooker in the morning, and you’ll have dinner on the table in a jiffy when you get home.  Whether you like a lot of BBQ sauce or a lighter infusion of flavor, this recipe is delicious either way!

 

Delicious BBQ Pulled Pork SlidersIngredients:

  • 2 pound pork shoulder roast
  • 1 T. kosher salt
  • 1 ½ t. black salt
  • ¼ c. apple cider vinegar
  • ¾ c. prepared BBQ sauce+additional sauce for serving
  • 2 whole cloves garlic, smashed, peels removed, roughly chopped
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 T. shallot, minced
  • Slider buns, opened with inside buttered and grilled (or toasted in the oven)
  • Red cabbage, thinly sliced (optional)

Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork SlidersDirections:

  1. Add the pork shoulder to slow cooker and season with salt and pepper.  Mix together cider vinegar, BBQ sauce, garlic, onion, and shallot, then pour over the roast. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low.
  2. The roast should be very tender after 8 hours. Carefully remove from slow cooker and place on a serving platter or cutting board reserved for meat. Remove large deposits of fat. Using a fork in each hand, start “pulling” in two directions, working on one small section of pork at a time. The goal is to “shred” the meat into small strands.
  3. Place shredded meat into a serving container or add it directly to the prepared slider buns. Top with red cabbage for some crunch and color – or add any of your favorite toppings. Add additional BBQ sauce if desired.  Serve immediately and Enjoy! 

If you enjoyed this super easy slow cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Slider recipe, you’re going to love our Family Friendly Menu Plans! Get a full year of our best family friendly weekly menu plans for around $4/month!

 

Are you a member of our “Refer A Friend” program? If not, click this link for details! ?