Crispy Pork Chops with Charred Tomatoes & Creamed Spinach (Prep-Pared)

Kroger's version of "Hello Fresh"

Escargot

This escargot was a Christmas Eve tradition for many years at our neighbors' holiday party (it paired nicely with the traditional Ketel One screwdrivers!) When the party was retired, our family adopted the tradition, and the smell of garlicky goodness still fills the house every Christmas Eve...

Here is the original recipe (Ruth's), and the recipe as we've modified it over the years.

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Tailgate Sangria

Fall Tailgate Sangria... delicious!

I found a Pinterest recipe and modified it a bit... doubled all ingredients, added lime and caramel vodka,  and increased the amount of cider. Here's what I used:

6 cups cider (I added more after everything sat overnight.)
2 bottles white wine (Pinot Grigio, I believe)
4 bottles ginger beer
1 cup caramel vodka
2 red delicious apples
2 golden delicious apples
2 lemons
2 oranges
1 Granny Smith Apple
1 lime

Slice the fruit, combine all ingredients to soak overnight. Add more cider in the morning if needed. Add ice and serve!

Soak overnight... the next day, just add ice!

Dill Pickle Dip

Dill Pickle Dip

Anyone who's known me since I was old enough to eat solid food knows that I. Love. Pickles. I've seen a few dill dip recipes floating around the interwebs, and I thought I'd give it a try. I followed no specific recipe, and I'm terrible about keeping track of amounts I add. But to my best estimation, here's what I mixed together... and it turned out pretty darn good:

• One package of cream cheese (not light) - 8 oz
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup light sour cream (this measurement could be on the light side)
• 3 Kosher dill halves, finely chopped
• 5-6 Tbs dill pickle juice
• 1 1/2 Tbs fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1-2 tsp dried dill weed
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp dried chopped onion (maybe a little more)
• Salt to taste (1/2 tsp?)
• Fresh ground pepper to taste

Serve with pretzel thins... delish!

Smoky Creamed Kale (The Kitchn)

Link to original recipe: Smoky Creamed Kale from The Kitchn

Searching for a side that would pair well with lamb chops, I discovered this recipe from The Kitchn. It was DELICIOUS!

I broiled it briefly at the end for a crisp top.

Smoky Creamed Kale

Serves 6

1 pound bag chopped kale OR 1 1/2 pounds kale
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup finely grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper

If using whole kale leaves, remove the stalks and major ribs and discard. Chop roughly.

Set a large bowl of ice cold water in the sink. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the chopped kale and simmer for 1 minute, then drain into a large strainer and immediately transfer to the bowl of ice water. Swish the kale around in the cold water, then drain and squeeze dry with paper towels or a kitchen towel.

Melt the butter in a deep sauté pan or 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Turn the heat down if necessary; do not let the flour brown.

Whisk in the milk. Cook the mixture, stirring slowly and continuously, until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens enough to coat the back of the spatula, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until the sauce is the consistency of soft pudding, about 2 more minutes.

Stir in the cheese, mustard, paprika, salt, and a generous quantity of black pepper. Add the drained kale and mix well. Warm over low heat then serve.

Hello Fresh - Spiced Turkey Meatballs

Link to original recipe here: Spiced Turkey Meatballs

Full recipe is Spiced Turkey Meatballs with Parsnip Mash & Roasted Carrots

Ingredients:

Ground Turkey 12 oz
Parsnips 12 oz
Carrots 12 oz
Red Bell Pepper 1
Onion 1 2 Garlic 2 cloves
Chicken Stock Concentrate 1
Nutmeg 1 t
Cayenne Pepper 1 t
Olive Oil* 2 T

Instructions:

1 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel and dice the parsnips into ½-inch cubes. Place the parsnips in a medium pot with a large pinch of salt and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain, reserving 2 cups of the liquid.

2 Prep the vegetables: Peel the carrots, then slice into 3-inch sticks (like French fries). Halve, peel and finely dice the onion. Core, seed, and remove the white ribs from the red bell pepper, then finely dice. Mince or grate the garlic.

3 Roast the carrots: Toss the carrots on a baking sheet with 1 Tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 20 minutes, until soft and caramelized.

4 Meanwhile, heat ½ Tablespoon olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ¾ of the onion, ¾ of the red bell pepper, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing, for 3-4 minutes, until softened.

5 Form the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the cooked red bell pepper, garlic, and onion mixture with the ground turkey, and a pinch of nutmeg. Season generously with salt and pepper. Form the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs.

6 Cook the meatballs: Heat ½ Tablespoon oil in the same large pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs to the pan and rotate, to cook on all sides, until browned but not yet cooked through. Add 1 cup reserved cooking liquid, the stock concentrate, and the remaining onions and peppers to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-6 minutes, until the pan sauce has thickened, the vegetables are tender, and the meatballs are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.

7 Make the parsnip mash: Mash the drained parsnips with a potato masher or fork. Add a pinch of cayenne (to taste, we used ¼ teaspoon) and season with salt and pepper. If the parsnip mash is too thick, add some of the reserved cooking liquid. Tip: For a richer flavor, add a pat of butter.

8 Serve the meatballs on a bed of parsnip mash, with the carrots to the side. Drizzle the pan sauce on top and enjoy!

Hello Fresh - Zucchini Noodle Lasagna

This has been one of my favorite Hello Fresh recipes. Link to original: Zucchini Noodle Lasagna

Ingredients:

Ground Beef 10 oz
Yellow Onion 1
Garlic 2 cloves
Zucchini 2
Crushed Tomatoes 1 box
Shredded Mozzarella ½ C
Dried Oregano 1 t
Chili Flakes 1 t
Ricotta Cheese 1) 8 oz
Olive Oil* 1 T

Instructions:

1 Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Halve, peel, and finely dice the onion. Mince or grate the garlic. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the zucchini into ribbons lengthwise, discarding the seedy cores.

2 Heat 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion to the pan and cook, tossing, for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and chili flakes (to taste) to the pan and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Season with salt and pepper. Add the ground beef to the pan and cook, breaking the meat up into pieces, 3-5 minutes, until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper.

3 Stir the tomatoes and oregano into the pan and cook for 5 minutes, until bubbling. Season with salt and pepper.

4 Meanwhile, season the ricotta with salt and pepper.

5 Assemble the zucchini lasagna: in the bottom of a greased baking dish, place two layers of zucchini ribbons. Top with ⅓ of the tomato mixture and ⅓ of the ricotta. Repeat for two more layers, then sprinkle with the mozzarella.

6 Place in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until zucchini has softened and the cheese is bubbling. Cut into slices and enjoy!