Rosemary Dijon Pork Cutlets

Sometimes there's no great story, it's just a really great dish. This is one of those times. I used pork cutlets because they caught my eye in the grocery store. After a long day on the road I knew they would cook quickly. The sauce is very creamy and the Rosemary, Dijon combination is perfect! This recipe is really more of a method. You could use any protein. Chicken, turkey, steak or even fish would be great. You can also flavor the sauce in a variety of ways. You could add your favorite cheese, herbs, even veggies like mushrooms or sun dried tomatoes. Get creative and give this a try.

Ingredients
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 TB seasoning salt
1 lb 1/2 thin pork cutlets
2 TB butter
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 TB fresh rosemary, chopped
1 TB Dijon mustard

Directions
Heat oven to 180 degrees. Combine flour and seasoning salt. Lightly coat pork cutlets in flour mixture. Melt butter over medium high heat in a large skillet. Cook cutlets for about 3 minutes on each side in the skillet. Remove to a oven safe pan and keep warm in the oven while your make the sauce. Deglaze pan with  chicken stock, scraping up brown bits. Add heavy cream and reduce by half or until sauce reaches the thickness you prefer. Add rosemary and Dijon. Serve over pork cutlets.

Perfect Roasted Chicken and Potatoes

I'm not kidding, I think this is the best roast chicken I've ever made. The skin is crispy. The meat is tender and moist. The potatoes soak up all the flavors from the roasting chicken. Delicious! Not to mention lots of left over chicken for other meals.

If you have the time, let the chicken sit in the fridge with a good coating of salt inside and out for an hour, or up to one day. It's a bit like brining. The salt has time to penetrate the chicken for extra flavor. The other trick is to cook the chicken over the potatoes and some onions. The drippings from the chicken will totally flavor the veggies on the bottom. If you like carrots, you could add those, too.

You should try this very soon!

Ingredients
1 whole chicken
5 Yukon Gold potatoes
1 small onion
1 TB fresh rosemary, chopped
1 TB fresh thyme, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed or grated
2 TB butter, melted
salt/pepper

Directions
Remove packet of giblets from inside chicken. Pat dry. If you have time sprinkle the chicken inside and out with salt, and let it sit in the refrigerator for 1 hour to one day. Before roasting, bring chicken to room temperature.Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice potatoes and onions. Place in the bottom of a roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper. Top the potatoes and onions with a baking rack. Put salt and pepper all over and inside the chicken, and put it on the baking rack. Mix herbs and garlic in the melted butter. Brush half of the butter mixture on the chicken. Place it in the oven for 1 hour, until the juices from the thigh of the chicken run clear. Half way through baking time brush chicken with the remaining melted butter mixture.

Sauteed Chicken with Garlic and Rosemary

I love

I love a lot of things, I love a whole lot of things

After reading through some of my blog posts, I noticed how many things I say that I love. The problem is, it's true. Which made me think of a poet that I LOVE, Eloise Greenfield. My copy of her book of children's poetry, Honey I Love is yellowed and dog eared. I've read the poems in this book to more children than I can count. I'm sure I love them more than any of the kids. 



I love a lot of things
Like
My herb garden - what is better than walking out the door and snipping fresh, fragrant herbs. Almost every time I do I bring them in and stick them under Puppy Daddy's nose. He is always amazed at the scent. Even better is how they taste. This recipe uses fresh rosemary. Sure you could use dried. It is cheaper and lasts for a while in your pantry, but doesn't hold a candle to fresh. I don't know how easy it is to grow in other climates, but in Florida it grows like a weed and there is no reason not to grow your own!

I love a whole lot of things
Like
Cookbooks - I got two for Christmas. This recipe is from a huge volume, The Bon Appetit Fast, Easy, Fresh Cookbook. I love Bon Appetit, too! I've looked at every single one of the 1,100 recipes.

And honey I love this, too.
Sauteed Chicken with Garlic and Rosemary is the first one I've tried and it did not disappoint. It was very easy and very tasty. I used thighs because I think they are much tastier, but you can use your favorite pieces.  The original recipe does not call for cream, but when I was making the sauce, it just seemed to ask for it. The cream softens and pulls together the flavors.
 
I hope you'll try this recipe and follow Honey I Love link to read the poem!

Ingredients
2 lb. chicken pieces, with skin and bones
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic
2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tsp. dried rosemary, crumbled
1 c. chicken broth
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 cup heavy cream
Fresh rosemary sprigs; optional

Directions

Season pieces with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet on high. Add chicken. Saute until brown, about 5 minutes a side. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and fry until chicken is cooked through, 15 minutes. Put chicken in a bowl. Keep 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add garlic and rosemary to skillet. Cook and stir until fragrant, 1 minute. Add broth, vinegar and cream. Increase heat and boil until sauce is reduced to 1/2 cup, scraping up brown bits, 8 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Put chicken juices in skillet. Cover. Cook over low heat until chicken is heated, 10 minutes. Spoon sauce over the chicken on a platter. Garnish with rosemary. 4 servings.