French Style Braised Lentils

Fabulous fall! Though I wait impatiently all year for the first taste of spring berries, it is fall flavors that have my heart.

Yes, I am a big fan of pumpkin and all shapes and sizes of winter squash, but fall is much more than just a pumpkin spice latte! Fall is full of savory apples and sage, thyme and filling dishes like creamy mashed potatoes and French style braised lentils. All amazing flavors that I am excited to share with you this month.

Fall also seems like a great time to finish my time with The Secret Recipe Club. It has been an amazing ride and I have highlighted some amazing dishes here on Adventures in All Things Food. I have been honored to also have my dishes featured on various blogs over the years. There is something exciting about seeing my family's favorite dishes come to life on other food blogs.

For my final Secret Recipe Club feature I was honored to be assigned to cook from Lavendar and Lovage, where Karen shares some amazing dishes and recipes. She divides her time between North Yorkshire and SW France, and her food reflects that.

I have to admit that I love lentils. I have only two recipes in my repertoire that use lentils and was thrilled to find a hearty and easy dish with lentils on Karen's blog. Her French Style Braised Lentils sounded like the perfect fall dish to share with my family on Sunday. Paired with pan seared pork and apples, mashed potatoes and a little salad, it had everyone falling in love with these fall flavors.

This recipe is very simple and makes a lot of lentils. I made up a full batch for the family and was thrilled to have leftovers for several lunches. The dish begins with a simple saute of the vegetables and bacon. Then the remaining ingredients and lentils are added to simmer for 30 minutes.

This dish proves once again why dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar are staples in my pantry. The combination is amazing!

Once this dish is started, simmering leaves plenty of time to make the rest of the meal.

I opted for a mixture of green and red lentils. Though, the red lentils didn't come out as colorful as I had hoped. They had looked so pretty on the shelf at Trader Joe's. I just couldn't resist!

French Style Braised Lentils
recipe from Lavendar and Lovage

You Will Need:

• 1 tablespoon butter (or oil of your choice)
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 3 slices of bacon, chopped
• 2 c. lentils
• sprig of fresh thyme
• 1Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 4 c. water
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat the butter in a dutch oven and add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic and bacon. Saute over medium heat for about 10 minutes. They should be softened and the onions should be translucent.

Add the lentils to the pan and stir to coat, then add the remaining ingredients. Stir to mix and then cover and simmer gently for 25 to 30 minutes. The lentils should be tender.

Season to taste and serve immediately, or keep warm to serve with the main course. This dish reheats very well and can also be made ahead of time.

Enjoy!

A fond farewell to all my friends in The Secret Recipe Club! So many amazing memories and delicious dishes have been shared. Thank you all!

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Maple Brined Granola Pork Chops

I received complimentary product from Golden Girl Granola in order to create this recipe. All opinions and experiences are my own.

I love pork chops! Okay, I don't ever remember my Mom making them while I was growing up. Maybe that is why I love them so? I know the running joke about pork chops for dinner. Dry, leathery chops have never crossed my lips. No, all of my pork chop memories have been delicious ones.

In fact, I have quite a few recipes that I enjoy, but now I have a new one to introduce you to. I think you are going to really love these Maple Brined Granola Pork Chops!

Yes, you heard me. These chops are brined ahead to stay nice and juicey. Then they are encrusted in Golden Girl Granola for a wonderful crunchy texture. You may never want to touch bread crumbs again after trying these.

To get started you need thin cut pork chops.

I put my pork chops in a simple brine overnight. This extra step is definitely worth it!

The fun part of this recipe is using granola in a whole new way. Granola in a dessert? Sure! But, for dinner as the main course? That is something I haven't seen as often.

Golden Girl Granola is a family based granola business from Shirley, MA. You can see all 7 of their fun granola flavors and order your favorites from their site. Be sure to check out their recipes, too. You might find even more new ways to look at granola.

These pork chops are juicy on the inside, crunchy outside and slightly sweet from the maple syrup. Truly a surprising and enjoyable dish. We enjoyed ours over a bed of couscous and a side salad and roasted asparagus.

What would you pair these Maple Brined Pork Chops with?

Maple Brined Granola Pork Chops

You will need:

• 4 c. cold water
• 2/3 cup kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 6 thin-cut pork chops
• 2 c. Golden Girl Forest Maple Granola
• 1/4 c. canola oil
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. flour
• salt and pepper
• fresh chopped parsley to garnish *optional

In a glass dish, combine the water, salt and maple syrup. Make sure all porkchops are submerged in the brine. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

In a food processor, pulse the granola till it is in uniform crumbles. Set aside.

Create a dredging station. In one container add the flour and liberally season with salt and pepper. Whisk up the eggs in the middle container and add the processed granola to the final station.

Heat a cast iron pan on medium high heat. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Dredge each pork chop in flour, dip in egg wash and then cover with granola. Brown on both sides and then set aside. Repeat with all the pork chops, then arrange them in oven safe dishes and bake till the internal pork chop temperature reaches 160 degrees.

Enjoy! 

Honey Parmesan Pork Roast - November Secret Recipe Club #Recipe

It definitely feels like Fall around here. Days are getting shorter and a comforting homemade meal at the end of the day is just what I am looking for. So, I brought out the Crock-Pots and made this amazing Honey Parmesan Pork Roast from Jessie Weaver's blog. 

Yes, it is November and time to celebrate another great Secret Recipe Club find and blogger.

This month I was assigned to http://www.jessieweaver.net/, where Jessie shares recipes and tips for fellow Moms and wives who feel imperfect. I know, join the club, right? Jessie also happens to be the fabulous lady who had my blog in the swap last month. She has 3 kids, a little younger than my own, and posts lunches, recipe as well as daily life as a busy Mom. 

This recipe stood out to me because it involved a Crock-Pot and I have never tried honey or Parmesan cheese on a pork roast before. I was intrigued, and it ended up making a fabulous dinner paired with mashed potatoes and oven roasted Brussels sprouts.

Oh, and you will love how few ingredients you need to make this one...

Honey, Parmesan, soy sauce, basil and garlic... it is quite a party in the sauce! Usually I don't add cheese to a glaze like this, but it was fabulous. The only deviation I made to Jessie's recipe was to throw in a few frozen basil cubes. I happened to have them on hand and did this in lieu of the dried basil.

I also seared the outside of my pork. But, that is as far as I strayed from her recipe. Really, it is fabulous on it's own... I just have a compulsion to sear the outside of my meat before putting it into the slow cooker. 

Everything gets a mix, then it gets poured over the pork. Now, it could have been even easier if I had used a disposable slow cooker bag, but I never remember to pick them up when we are out shopping. 

I think I love this roast because it is both tender and the gravy is so flavorful. Jessie recommended enjoying it over mashed potatoes... and I have to agree! But then I am always looking for a reason to break out the mashed potatoes. 

So, make this for your own family, enjoy the praises as they lick the plate clean. Go on, give it a try. You can thank me later...

Honey Parmesan Pork Roast
recipe from jessieweaver.net

You will need:

• 3-4 lb. sirloin pork roast
• 1/2 c. honey
• 2/3 c. grated Parmesan Reggiano
• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tsp. frozen basil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/4 c. cold water

Start by mixing up the sauce in a small bowl. Whisk together the honey, cheese, soy sauce, basil, garlic, olive oil and sauce. Sear the pork roast on all sides and then place in the slow cooker. Cover with the sauce and cook on low for 6 hours or until the center of the roast has come to temp.

Remove the roast and cover while making the gravy. Pour the drippings into a measuring cup and skim off any excess oil. Create a corn starch slurry with the cornstarch and water. Add both the drippings and slurry to a large skillet and bring up to a simmer. Whisk the gravy as it begins to thicken and serve over the roast.

Enjoy! 

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