Lite Bite: Crock-Pot Pork Chops & Sweet Potatoes

Back with a quicky "lite bite" post!

This was a go to meal for my mom growing up and still is for she and my dad. I've now translated it over to my everyday recipe book. Super simple pork chops and sweet potatoes pair perfectly together for a simple but comforting fall or winter dinner. #TBT to when I used to eat this meal and fix my sweet potato up with equal parts 5 Tbsp. butter to 5 Tbsp. brown sugar...

Crock-Pot Pork Chops & Sweet Potatoes
yields 4 servings

Ingredients: 
1-1 1/2 lbs. pork chops (account for one pork chop per serving)
4 good size size sweet potatoes
1 cup chicken, veggie, beef stock (whatever you have) 
1 Tbsp. Oregano or Italian Seasoning  
olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions: 
Heat a little bit of oil in a non stick skillet over medium high heat. Season pork chops with salt, pepper and oregano on both sides. Place your pork chops in the pan, and sear on both sides. About 1 minute per side. You are not cooking the pork chops yet you just want to get them browned. Once seared, take out of pan and place in crockpot. Pour a little pit of chicken stock in the hot pan to deglaze it and get all the browned bits off the bottom. Pour over the pork chops in the crock-pot. Add a little more stock (1 cup or so) to moisten. 

Wrap your sweet potatoes in foil and place right on top of the pork chops. Put your lid on and cook on low all day (6-8 hours). Pork chops and sweet potatoes should be very tender when done.

I keep it simple and serve a pork chop with a plain sweet potato. I love mustard, so sometimes dip my pork chop in whatever fancy mustard I have in the fridge. Loving this right now. You could also do a nut butter or brown sugar on your sweet potato. 

Annie

Bites of My Life

Last week was really nice. Days were productive, but not overly busy, despite missing three days of work the previous week. I was able to enjoy the amazing fall weather we have been graced with and even better got to enjoy some much needed fall baking. Need as in needed for my sanity. I get off my tracks a bit if I go too long without baking. 

-I was in post-wedding depression the better half of last week so I opted to drink my morning smoothie out of the commemorative "Elmgreen" bar glass that was handed out at as a favor from Claire's wedding!
-Brought back this Fall Panzanella Salad with Cornbread Croutons from last year to have for lunches last week!
-Perfected the best baked salmon. Perfectly seared then baked to perfection!
-Stopped by my parents to pick up a few things on Tuesday and found this stew on the stove. I quickly invited myself for dinner. Mom used this recipe, but subbed quinoa for rice. 
-All the best recipes hide in this book. I love when I get to use it! I gathered all of our family favorite recipes and compiled them into a cookbook to gift each family member last year for Christmas. 
-See all these things... get ready for the end result, coming in recipe form later this week!
-Chili is my favorite food. Hence my love for the event mentioned next. Pictured here is a sampling I had of duck chili with creme fraiche and green onion topping. But nothing beats my momma's chili. 
-A local marketing company puts on a Chili Cook-Off downtown every October. I've attended as a patron the past 3 years, but was so excited to help represent The Jones Assembly as a contender this year!
-I love rice cakes, anyone else? They kind of taste like Styrofoam but are also kind of delicious. Smothered in almond butter and paired with turmeric scrambled eggs leads to a delicious weekend breakfast. 
-Trader Joe's Multi-Grain O's on top or bottom of my smoothies all last week. It is that extra little umph my smoothies were needing and satisfies the "crunch" amongst all the sips!
-After spending Friday night in Tulsa for Octoberfest, I had the most relaxing Saturday. AKA laid on the couch all day (which I never do so it felt amazing). Got up once to go to the store after Lindsay and I settled on making this for dinner. Having the leftovers for dinner tonight and I'm eager to get home to heat them up because it was SO GOOD!
-Did a step-by-step video on my instagram story yesterday on how I store my fresh ginger that I use in my daily smoothies. Not that anyone should care, but hope some of you saw and it found it helpful! If you have questions on how I do this, shoot me a message!

Annie

Bites of My Life

I haven't "gone back to school" in a couple years now, but hearing about schools starting and having a teacher as a roommate, I have a sense of the school year creeping in and can feel my routine starting to fall back into place. Summer has been c-r-a-z-y and I don't expect much less this fall, but the idea of a routine amongst the crazy sounds pretty nice. 

-I'm really trying to take advantage of what StudioHop has to offer, by exploring studios outside my comfort zone. I stepped into Four Graces pilates studio last week and fell in love. Use my code, AnnieHop20 to get $20 off your first month and hop to pilates with me. 
-Easy tuna nicoise salad for dinners last week. Canned tuna, soft boiled egg, olives, green beans, cherry tomatoes and salty capers!
-Annie through the years while cleaning out old boxes and organizers. I found a slew of old business cards from my high school entrepreneur adventure to my summer gig in D.C.
-Friday started off slow and easy with this at home smoothie bowl. 
-Friday ended a little more wild being transported via party bus.
-Beer, nachos, fried chicken and okra. Solid Oklahoma night at our state's oldest bar. 
-Shnugs and snugs with Claire now that she if back from NYC.
-From living with Matty girl when she first met Steve to then seeing them get married is something rare and so cool. Funnest night celebrating the Behms.  
-StudioHop recently launched in Tulsa and I'm so excited to have Katie repping SH up north. Catch us both at their Tulsa Launch Party this Saturday at Lululemon on Brookside!
-The Matcha Flotcha Flame from Wheeze the Juice is my version of matcha heaven. Just matcha, coconut milk and cinnamon. 
-A rainy weekend, fallish temps and having someone around who geeks out over pumpkin seeds, resulted to these Double Chocolate Pumpkin Seed Cookies along with Perfect CCCs being baked up yesterday.
-A healthy twist on Shrimp and Grits coming soon!

Annie

Spring Green Frittata

I used to never eat eggs for breakfast. At brunch, give me all the eggs, but during the week I was a regular with smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt and granola. Once I did Whole 30, I quickly realized with oatmeal and yogurt out, eggs needed to join the breakfast rotation. I'm now eating more eggs in the morning, but I've always loved them for lunch and for dinner. What I'm getting at is that eggs are equally a breakfast, lunch and dinner staple for me. 

My favorite childhood meal my mom used to and still makes is her hashbrown quiche. While it is very much a breakfast dish, we only ever made it for dinner. Last week I picked up the Mushroom, Spinach and Cheese Frozen Quiche from Trader Joe's. If you haven't tried their frozen quiches yet, I urge you to. Such a good freezer staple. I heated up my quiche this weekend for lunch and served with an arugula salad. All this egg and quiche ramble is a long way to let you know what inspired this frittata. 

I've done this before, but I love making a frittata and then toasting a wedge to have for lunch each day during the week. This veggie packed egg dish is really satisfying mid day and actually reheats great! With spring fever I was inspired to keep things springy and green. Leeks, zucchini and spinach with a little salt and pepper is all you need for this dish! Leeks are a personal favorite. They look like massive green onions and kind of taste like them too. 

Cooking for one? Make this frittata and reheat through the week. Cooking for a crowd? This dish is perfect for an Easter brunch or a girl's lunch.

Spring Green Frittata
serves 4-5

Ingredients:
1 large leek, thinly sliced including greens and whites
1 medium zucchini, sliced in half and thinly chopped
1 large handful of spinach
1 Tbsp. butter, ghee or olive oil
8 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Directions:
Preheat the broiler setting on your oven (your oven should have a broiler setting, but if it doesn't this is about 525 degrees). Place a 10-inch cast iron pan or heavy bottom, broilerproof, non-stick pan over medium heat. Add your ghee or oil and heat. Add your sliced leeks and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook with the leeks for 2 more minutes. Sauté together until both veggies are tender. Add the handful of spinach, stir and cook until wilted. Should only take about a minute.

In a large bowl whisk eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Make sure your veggies are evenly spread out in your pan. Pour the eggs into skillet. Cook until almost set, about 3 minutes. Once the bottom is starting to set but the middle is still jiggly, place into your oven to broil. Broil until frittata is puffed and the top is golden, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the top with salt, cut into wedges and serve! Serve next to arugula tossed in a light lemon/olive oil dressing!

Annie

Copycat Republic's Grilled Shrimp Salad

Yesterday I got to share my talented friend Katie and her budding photography business, KGC Photography. A few weeks ago Katie and I got together to play around in my kitchen and with her camera. I made lunch and she photographed. It was too fun. I felt like a celeb chef for like 5 seconds!!!

At the time, I had recently shared this blog post on the Best Salads in OKC. With the post on my brain, I thought it would be fun to recreate one of my faves, the Grilled Shrimp Salad from Republic Gastropub. 

I recommend this salad to evvvvvveryone! It is filled with eclectic ingredients but they make it work. Components are: spinach, grilled shrimp, spaghetti squash, roasted brussels sprouts, crispy salami, smoked gouda cheese, red onion and tossed with a horseradish dressing. 

I was on Whole 30 at the time so I modified a bit, eliminating the gouda and swapping the dressing for my favorite balsamic dressing. With so many ingredients the salad takes some time, but if you pre-prep this salad it can easily be thrown together. I had already roasted my spaghetti squash and brussels and made the dressing. When it came to lunch time I just had to sautee the shrimp and toss it all together. 

Copycat Republic's Grilled Shrimp Salad
yields 2-3 servings for an entree salad

Ingredients:
8 oz baby Spinach
1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 spaghetti squash, forked into strands
2 oz sliced salami
1 lb. brussel sprouts, halved
~5 Tbsp. avocado oil, divided (or whatever oil you prefer)
1 tsp. Pink Himalayan sea salt (or regular kosher salt)
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp (10-12 shrimp)
1 clove of garlic minced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp. butter or ghee
salt and pepper

Dressing: yields a little extra, but this is a great balsamic dressing to have on hand!
1/4 cup balsamic
1/2 cup oil
1 Tbsp. spicy brown mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:
*I suggest doing some prep for this salad. Pre-roast your squash and brussels and make your dressing ahead. This way everything can easily be thrown together.

Preheat your over to 425 degrees. You will use the same oven temperature to roast your spaghetti squash and brussels sprouts.

Slice your spaghetti squash in half and scrape out the seeds. Season with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper.  Place in a baking dish and roast cut side up for 45 to 50 minutes, until fork tender. Now prep your sprouts. Cut the bottoms off your brussels sprouts then slice them in half. Place on a roasting sheet and generously coat them in oil, salt and pepper. Once there are 25 minutes left of the squash, pop your sprouts into the same oven. Roast for 25 minutes until browned and crispy. 

Heat a pan over medium heat. No need to oil the pan, your salami has enough fat in it. Cook your salami in a pan for about 3 minutes on both side, transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the grease. Keep the pan, we will use it in a bit to cook the shrimp. Cut the crispy salami into long strips and set aside.

Now time to make the dressing. In a small mason jar or in a small bowl combine the mustard, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and red pepper flakes if you are using them.  Shake or whisk to combine. 

Once your squash, brussels and salami are all done, it’s time to prep the salad. In a large bowl place your spinach, sliced red onion, sliced salami, and brussels. Fork one half of spaghetti squash to create strands. Fork them right into the salad ingredients. Give the salad a good drizzle of dressing and toss. Final touch is the shrimp. 

Over low-medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan with the salami drippings. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, being careful it doesn't burn. Add shrimp to the pan then sprinkle over salt and pepper over the top. Cooking for 2 minutes on both sides, until pale pink. Increase the heat to medium high and add 1 tablespoon butter or ghee. When the butter starts to foam add your chopped parsley. Stir the shrimp around until it is all coated in the buttery parsley. Immediatly plate, adding 4 pieces to each salad. 

All photos by KGC photography, see more of her work here.

Annie