Whats for dinner...

K so today I just have to share what we are having for dinner.  The house is clean (almost) and I actually have time to make something really yummy for dinner tonight!  So we are going to have Pork Chops with Cider Sauce, Roasted potatoes, green beans and broccoli(cause Hunter doesn't like green beans).  followed by Caramel Apple Cupcakes!!

OK so pork chops:

4 center cut pork chops

salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 onions thinly sliced

1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage

1 1/2 cups apple cider

Season pork chops with salt and pepper. In a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, warm olive oil. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened and golden, about 5 min. Push onions to edges of skillet and add chops.  Cook, turning once, until browned, about 6-minutes total. 

Sprinkle sage over chops and pour cider into pan.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chops are cooked through, 8 to 10 mins.  Remove chops from pan, raise heat to high, and boil sauce until reduced and thickened, 2-3 min. Pour sauce and onions over chops and serve.

Roasted Potatoes:

Enough potatoes to serve the number of people you are serving!  Any kind of potato you want, although thin skinned potatoes work very well!  I used heirloom fingerling potatoes cause they were cute and on sale!  Garlic(chopped or powder) salt and pepper to taste, rosemary(fresh chopped).  Cut potatoes into bite size pieces and sprinkle with seasonings, drizzle 1/4 cup olive oil(depends on how many potatoes used actually, but enough to coat them all liberally).  Bake for 30-40 mins(until done) at 415*f.

If you have fresh veggies, green beans/broccoli throw them on a separate pan, season, and bake for 10-15 mins at 415*!!!!!

Caramel Apple Cupcakes:

Ingredients needed:  1 1/4 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 eggs, at room temperature, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup veggie oil, 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract, 1 lb apples( that's usually 2 nice size apples.  You can use any kind you want, I like to use 1/2 granny smith and 1/2 Macintosh or gala)(peeled and shredded), 1 1/2 cups chewy caramel candies(about 25), and 1 tbsp heavy cream.

What to do:  Preheat oven to 350*, line a cupcake pan with baking liners.  In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth.  Whisk in the oil and vanilla.  Stir into the flour mixture until just combined.  This will be kind of thick.  Stir in the apples.  Spoon batter into the prepared pan until almost full.(usually a little over 1/3 of a cup each for me).  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done.(it takes 28 min in my gas oven).Let cool slightly in pan then transfer to a rack to cool completely.  It is very important that they be cooled completely!  In a small bowl, microwavable bowl, combine the caramels and cream. Microwave for 1 minute on medium power, then stir; repeat in 30-second intervals until melted and smooth. 

The first time I made these I let the caramel cool then spread it like a frosting on the cupcakes.  This time I poured it onto the cupcakes while it was still hot.... you decide what you want to do!

 

 

And that is what is for dinner tonight!  I will add pictures as we start cooking!!!