Jerk Chops & Sweet Potato Crisps

     I love a little kick to pretty much everything I eat.  That's why I really love these jerk chops.  They are pan seared in olive oil so they have an incredible flavor, plus they have this spicy rub that really packs a kick!  This is also one of my favorite ways to cook chops because it's so quick.  Just don't smoke your house up like I do EVERY TIME I cook these.........you would think by now I'd be able to lower the heat enough to not set the fire alarms off.  Oh well, we all need a little excitement at dinner time, right?

     I've paired these with a sweet potato cut into rounds and baked.  I am not a sweet potato person, but for some reason when they are cut up like this I like them.  I only baked mine for 30 mins this time and they were a little too soft for me.  I think next time I would bake them about 45 mins for a crunchier chip!

Here's what you need:

1 Large Sweet Potato

Pork Chops

1 Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Jerk Seasoning

Salt

Ground Cinnamon

Butter Substitute (spray is okay)

I also threw in some Cajun seasoning for more spice but that is optional!

 

    The one thing I love about this recipe is that you need so few ingredients to make such a tasty meal!  You can add as much or as little spice, but I will warn you, the mixture of the jerk seasoning AND the Cajun spices is pretty spicy.  You feel a little tingle on your taste buds the whole time you are eating, so if you are not a big spice person, maybe you should play it safe and just use the jerk seasoning..........sissy.   Ha ha, just kidding.

 

 

First preheat the oven to 375 degrees and chop your sweet potato into rounds......or fries, whatever floats your boat.

 

Then spray some butter substitute or melt some in a bowl and brush onto your rounds.  Then sprinkle with some cinnamon.  You can leave the cinnamon off if you want it to be more like a fry, but I like the flavor combination.  Then bake them for 30 mins for soft rounds or 45 mins for crispy rounds.

 



While your potatoes are cooking you can prep your chops.  On each side, sprinkle your seasonings & salt and rub into the meat.  Then put your olive oil in a pan and heat.  When the oil is hot it's time to cook!

 

Place the chops in the oil and cook for two minutes on each side.  I use tongs to flip them because sometimes the oil gets a little poppy!  Then cook for an additional five minutes.  I usually will keep flipping them every minute or so of that time just to make sure one side does not burn.

 

 

These chops were HUGE, so I cut them in half to make 4 servings.  I also will butterfly them in the last 2 minutes or so to make sure all the pink cooks out.

 

     And there you have it!  You won't even need any type of sauce for these chops.  They are that good!  I threw some green beans on there for good measure.  Total calories for the chops & potatoes is 215 calories (including the olive oil) and 17 carbs.  The carbs are all in the potatoes!  I hope you will try this delish combo for  yourself!

Happy Eating.

 

 

 



Chili ~ For These Lovely Fall Nights!

     Fall is in the air.  You know how I can tell?  Because I am on fall break and am splitting my time between spending all my money making crafts and watching trashy daytime talk shows!  What goes better with a little chill in the air than homemade chili?  This is my version so feel free to tweak as you see fit.  But I will say, it's pretty darn good and only 203 calories & 10 carbs per 2 cup serving!!!!  If you add in crackers, don't forget to add the calories as well.

Here's what you need:

1 pound lean ground beef

1 Bell Pepper

1 cup chopped onion

Large can of diced tomatoes

1 - 16oz can chili beans

1/4 cup Masa Flour

2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

2 tsp Minced Onion

1 tsp Minced Garlic

1 tsp Cumin

3 tsp chili powder

 

 

I don't know what was going on with me, but I left several of these ingredients out of this photo! 

 

 

    First brown your ground beef and drain.  Chop your onion and your bell pepper.  Feel free to add more or less of these veggies to suit your taste!  Then just dump your veggies, spices and meat into a pot!  Can't get much easier than that can it?

 

 

 

    After you mix up that mixture, add in your beans (don't drain them) and your big can of tomatoes.  I also add about 2 cans worth of water.  I used my chili beans can.  Cut on high and bring to a boil, then lower it to simmer for at least 45 mins or so.

 

     Now what you DO NOT want to do is set your pot to high then go downstairs to supervise your husband who's making a photography prop for you and realize that you were supposed to set the pot to simmer...........by the time I made it upstairs the whole house smelled like burnt chili.  But surprisingly this chili is tough and it was just as yummy as if I'd been paying attention all along.







     We will be having the left overs for lunches and maybe even another dinner this week.  Having chili makes me feel like fall is really here!  Enjoy this new season!

Happy Eating.

Chicken Mozzarella Roll-Ups

Wow............It has been a while since I've made a recipe post.  Needless to say, if I haven't been posting, I probably haven't been cooking too much either.  Which means I've been living la vida fast food.........a lot.  I feel pretty crappy about it but it's been a little crazy at school.  No excuses.  Now that the wonderful week off known as fall break has arrived, I vow that I will be cooking each day and hopefully posting some great new recipes to get the blog caught up.  I made one last night that was terrific......Chicken Mozzarella Roll-Ups!

Here's what you need:

Chicken (not shown, but duh)

Sun dried Tomatoes (look at your package for serving sizes)

6oz Tomato Puree or Tomato Sauce

2oz of Mozzarella Cheese

Basil

Oregano

Salt/Pepper

 

 

First, you need to put your chicken breast in a Ziploc bag and beat it like Michael Jackson.  Ha ha. Sorry, I had to throw one in there to see if you were still paying attention.

 

Next, you are going to layer basil, sun dried tomatoes and cheese on top of the flattened chicken.

Then it time to roll up!  You want to roll the long side over on itself and secure the ends with toothpicks.

 

 

Before you place in the baking dish, put a layer of tomato puree in the bottom of your dish.  Place your chicken seam side down and top with the remaining sauce and remaining cheese. 

 

Bake these babies at 375 degrees for 40 minutes and you have a seriously yummy din-din.  Make sure to pair it with a veggie to keep the total calories for the meal down. 

 

Total counts on these were roughly 295 calories & 13 carbs per serving.  I only made enough for two servings, so if you are working on feeding a family you will need to double the recipe ingredients accordingly.  These things were seriously delicious and I just loved the little surprise of the sun dried tomato on the inside when you cut it up!  Hope you enjoy them!

Happy Eating.