Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Apple Honey Pork Chops

I love pork chops and this recipe is easy to make and has flavors that I think compliment the meat for a down home meal.
Pork chops are yummy any way but when you add an apple, honey, mustard glaze, they become a real treat!  
The apple glaze is simple to make and your dinner will be a success! 

2-3 T. olive oil
4 (¾) inch pork chops
salt and pepper to taste
garlic powder, to taste
onion powder, to taste


1 ½ cups apple juice
1/3 cup honey
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard

 Season with salt,pepper, garlic powder and onion powder and 
set aside.




Mix apple juice, honey and mustard together, stirring to mix well. Set aside.




Heat oil in heavy skillet and cook chops on both sides 
until golden brown.



  Remove pork chops from pan.  

Add apple juice mixture to same pan and bring to 
a simmer for 3-5 minutes.  



Add pork chops back into pan and continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes,
turning pork half way through.  Juices will become thicker and glaze the pork chops.



Plate them up with boiled potatoes and a green salad!

This recipe calls for regular pork chops but I wanted to see how they would be with smoked pork chops.
I can tell you that they were awesome and if you can't find them where you live, just use good thick cut ham steaks.

© Nancy Rappleye 2012

Friday, February 24, 2012

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

 Mmmm, cinnamon bread toast for every one!   
When you have company and you are trying to think of something for breakfast, this bread makes great toast topped with a pat of butter or..... make  french toast with it!  

1 c. hot water
2 T. yeast
1 T. sugar


1 ½ cups warm milk
3 eggs
3/4 c.sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. raisins
8 c. flour


1/4 c. milk
¾ c. sugar
1-2 T. cinnamon


2 Tbs. soft butter to brush the top of baked loaves

  Dissolve yeast in 1 cup of hot water with 1 Tbs. sugar, stir and set aside while you heat the milk.

Just a little note to my Dominican friends...try to find some U.S. yeast (which is actually made in Canada! haha!) Amigo carries it, look for Fleichmann's Yeast. 





Place milk in a medium sauce pan and heat to luke warm 
like a baby bottle.
If you get it hotter than that, just let it cool until it is luke warm.


In a bowl or mixer place eggs, sugar, salt and raisins.
(Yes you can do this by hand!)




Add 4 cups flour and yeast mixture and mix until well blended.  




Add luke milk warm and 4 more cups of flour.  Mix well and kneed for 8 minutes.  




 Place in a greased bowl and cover with a towel.  Let rise till double in bulk, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.






  place on lightly floured surface and divide into thirds.  





Roll each third out into a  9x5 rectangle or what ever measurement will fit your bread pan.

liberally brush surface of dough with milk.   

Mix ¾ cup sugar with 2 Tbs cinnamon and sprinkle 1/3 of mixture on top of  the milk.  





Using two hands (I'm using one hand on the camera but would use two if I could! lol) rolling from the long side, roll up like you would cinnamon rolls. 


Tuck under ends and place in well greased 9x5 bread pans.  


Cover and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until double in size.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or till golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.  




Remove from pans, brush tops with butter.  Let cool on wire racks.




Honey get the toaster out and make my slices nice and thick!

© Nancy Rappleye 2012