4 medium zucchini
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 lb baked ham,deli-sliced thick and slivered
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Wash and dry the zucchini, trim off the ends, duh, and cut into slivers, or, more correctly, julienne-style.

Melt the butter in a large heavy skillet and saute the zucchini over medium-low heat until almost tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the ham and toss lightly. Cook until the zucchini is tender-crisp, adding more butter, if needed, about a minute. Mix in the basil, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the parsley, and serve.

You might be tempted to toss the chops and drink the sauce, but don’t or you’ll miss out on a really great, really easy entrée.

4 (6-oz) boneless, pork loin chops
1 Tbsp canola oi
l 1/3 cup whiskey
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Salt & freshlyground pepper

Heat a large oiled nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chops, about 2 minutes per side.

Lower heat to medium and add whiskey. Cover and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until the chops are cooked through. Remove chops to a plate and set aside.

Add 3/4 cup water, sugar and mustard to the skillet. Blend well and raise the heat to high. Reduce to a smooth sauce. It will thicken as it reduces, about 3 minutes. Spoon sauce over chops. Season with salt and pepper.

Do you know about "panko"? It's Japanese in origin and super-crispy in effect. I'll bet they will become your favorite crumb - how's that for a straight-line?

1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp melted butter
1 tsp + 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp chopped, fresh parsley
6 boneless pork loin chops, about 4 oz each
salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, butter, the tsp of mustard, Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Spread the Tbsp of mustard over one side of each chop and place them (naked side down) on a rack in a broiler pan. Add the breadcrumb mixture patting it into the mustard.

Bake until they fully cooked and the breadcrumbs nicely browned, about 20 minutes. Done.

If you know Latin food you know the chocolate here means this a mole' (that's mo-lay, not the critter that tears up your lawn) preparation. And you know it's delicious.

4 (4-oz) boneless pork loin chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
1/4 cup water
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup each red & yellow bell pepper strips
1 Tbsp minced seeded jalapeño pepper
1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion
1/2 oz semisweet chocolate, grated
1 tsp each chili powder & dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and cook chops 4 minutes per side or until browned. Remove from pan and place on a large plate.

Add water to pan, scraping to loosen the tasty browned bits. Pour this over the chops; Cover and set aside.

Reheat pan coated and add onion, bell peppers, and jalapeño pepper; cook 4 minutes or until tender.

Stir in tomatoes; cook a minute.

Stir in the chocolate and next 4 ingredients, add the pork chops and bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Place a chop and veggies on plates and serve with cilantro sprinkled on top.

This is a very q & e way to create an e & d (exciting & delicious) pork sandwich that is way different from your typical bbq pork version.

8 oz pork loin or boneless loin chops, cut in 1/4-inch strips
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp bourbon
1/3 cup bottled bbq sauce
2 large sandwich buns, split
1/2 cup deli coleslaw

Heat oil in a big heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork strips with salt and pepper and sauté until just cooked through, 2 or 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pork strips to a plate. Set aside.

Add onion to skillet and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes; remove from heat.

Add bourbon and stir up the crumbly browned bits. Add barbecue sauce and simmer until sauce thickens a bit, stirring often, about 3 minutes.

Put the strips into the sauce; heat 1 minute, then stack on the bottoms of the buns. Top with coleslaw and bun tops and serve.

Heat oil in a big heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork strips with salt and pepper and sauté until just cooked through, 2 or 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pork strips to a plate. Set aside.

Add onion to skillet and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes; remove from heat.

Add bourbon and stir up the crumbly browned bits. Add barbecue sauce and simmer until sauce thickens a bit, stirring often, about 3 minutes.

Put the strips into the sauce; heat 1 minute, then stack on the bottoms of the buns. Top with coleslaw and bun tops and serve.

If you agree that chops with a kicky, sweet, Asian character sound delicious here’s a quick and easy recipe for just that. It will take most our allotted 30 minures but it’s so very worth it.

2/3 cup apricot preserves
3 Tbsp low-sodium teriyaki sauce
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 boneless pork chops (4 oz each)
1/4 tsp each salt & black pepper
1/2 lb snow peas, trimmed
1/2 lb angel hair pasta
2 scallions, trimmed and sliced thin
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Make the teriyaki sauce by stirring preserves, teriyaki sauce, mustard and ginger together. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season chops with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes per side.

Spread a Tbsp of the apricot preserve mixture over each chop and cook, covered, over medium-low heat for about 6 minutes. Make a small slice in one to be sure it’s just a bit pink.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add snow peas and pasta. Cook for 5 minutes.

Drain pasta and snow peas and place in a large bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup of the teriyaki sauce and toss the rest with the pasta. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.

Serve pasta with pork chops, spooning reserved apricot sauce on top.

”Frozen”? “Cans”? Think that’s cheating? Ok, if you have the time

steam the beans in the nuker and cut up fresh tomatoes and

you’ll still finish in less than half-an-hour.

3 cups frozen Italian green beans (10 oz)
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes with garlic and olive oil
1/2 cup Italian seasoned dried bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 thinly-cut pork loin chops (1 & 1/4 Ib total)

Combine beans, potatoes and tomatoes in a medium saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes, or until hot.

Use that 5 minutes to combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese on a sheet of wax paper, beat egg in a pie plate and dip the chops in the egg, then crumbs to coat.

Turn the heat off under the veggies and proceed.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the pork and cook about 5 minutes, flipping once. Serve on a big platter surrounded by the veggies.

Please don’t go crazy with thyme, it’s a powerful flavor and too much is, well, too much. And aren't you pleased that I didn't include a corny thyme/time joke? Actually, I'm hurrying and just don't have the thyme to think one up. OOps!

4 (6-oz each) boneless center-cut pork chops 1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp pepper
½ cup fine, dry breadcrumbs
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1 Tbsp dried)
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Sprinkle pork chops evenly with salt and pepper and set aside. Stir together breadcrumbs and next 3 ingredients in a large shallow baking dish.

Dredge pork chops in breadcrumb mixture and cook in hot oil in a large skillet over medium heat about 4 minutes on each side or until done.

So very simple but those few sauce ingredients produce a pork loin that says, "oink"...no, it says, "Hey! I'm not like those other loins; I'm better." Don't you just love proud pork?

3 Tbsp bottled citrus stir-fry sauce
1 Tbsp each minced scallion and low-salt soy sauce
12 oz plain (not marinated) pork tenderloin

Heat up your grill (or if it's 10 below zero your ridged grill pan in the cozy kitchen).

Mix Sauce ingredients in a small bowl, apply to the pork and grill for 17 to 20 minutes, turning meat to brown all sides, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 160°F.

You don’t have to, of course, but wide egg noodles would be great with this easy pork dish, say I.

1 pork tenderloin (1 lb, cut to 1/2-inch-thick slices
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
1/3 cup fat-free low-salt chicken broth
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil or 1 Tbsp dried

Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium. Add the pork and cook about 2 min per side until lightly browned on both sides.

Add cream cheese, broth, dressing, Parmesan cheese and juice, stirring until cream cheese is melted and mixture is really blended. Ta-da! You’ve made alfredo sauce! (Or, at least, one version of it).

Cook 3 minutes (yes, that’s enough. Remember, you sliced them only 1/2 inch thick) or until sauce is thickened.

Sprinkle with basil, and that’s it.

I think ”Scallopine” is Italian for “Pound the daylights out of a thick slice of meat or poultry, and sauté it in butter and lemon until it becomes one of the tastiest entrees known to mankind”. Then again, maybe it means ”Don’t hit your finger while you’re pounding whatever it is you’re pounding

1 & 1/2 lb pork tenderloin
4 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1 & 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup olive oil
2 lemons, quartered

Cut pork loin into slices about 1&1/2-inch-thick. (You'll find it a lot easier to slice if the pork is really chilled.)

Place pork between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten to 1/4-inch thickness, usmg a meat mallet or rolling pin. Now mix together the eggs and the next 4 ingredients.

Melt butter with olive oil m a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Dredge pork in flour, shake off the excess, dip them in the egg mixture and cook in batches, about a minute on each side until browned.

Serve with lemon quarters.

This quick and easy dish is the first thing you should think of when you see prices of zucchini and other squash drop from the $2 & $3 per lb range. This usually happens in late summer and autumn.

1 lb boneless pork chops, cut 1/2 inch thick
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbso olive oil
2 cups peeled and cubed (1 inch) butternut or acorn squash
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
2 tsp snipped fresh rosemary or ½ tsp dried
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup orange juice
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tsp snipped fresh sage

Sprinkle chops with the salt and pepper and brown them in oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes, turning once.

Meanwhile, combine squash, onion, rosemary and spoon over chops. Pour in the broth and orange juice and bring to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Now add zucchini and sage and cook, covered, about 5 minutes more or until chops are done and squash is softened.

Remove the chops and vegetables to a serving platter leaving the juices. Bring these to boil then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes or until liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup. Spoon this good stuff over chops and vegetables and eat 'em up - yum.yum.

If your market is not a huge one, seasoned stuffing mix may be hard to find except at Thanksgiving time. If that’s your story just add a little powdered sage and thyme to any fine bread crumbs. If you can’t find powdered herbs forget the whole thing and go to McDonald’s.

4 pork loin chops, 3/4 inch thick
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbsp milk
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup herb-seasoned stuffing mix, finely crushed

Trim fat from meat, at least most of it.

Cover the bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with melted butter.

In a shallow dish combine egg, milk, and pepper.

Place stuffing mix in another shallow dish.

Dip chops into egg mixture then coat both sides with stuffing mix and place in prepared pan.

Bake, uncovered, in a 425 degree F oven for 10 minutes. Flip chops and bake for another 10 until done (160 degrees F) and juices run clear.

Another addition to your Pork Chop Hall of Fame. This quick & easy pork presentation is one of those, "Please give me the recipe for these" dishes.

1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
4 3-oz boneless pork top loin chops, cut 3/4 to 1 inch thick
1/2 to 1 tsp lemon-pepper seasoning
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp snipped fresh(or 1 & 1/2 tsp dried) oregano

You make the sauce in a small bowl by stirring together the water, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and mustard; set it aside.

Trim fat from chops - ok, you can leave a little. Sprinkle both sides of each chop with lemon-pepper seasoning.

In a 10-inch skillet melt butter over medium heat. Add chops and cook for 8 to 12 minutes or until pork juices run clear, turning once halfway through cooking time. Remove from heat & transfer chops to a serving platter; cover with foil to keep warm.

Pour sauce into skillet; stir to scrape up those wonderful crusty pork crumbs from the bottom of the skillet. Pour sauce over chops. Sprinkle with oregano.

Bet you can guess what makes this called “Hawaiian”, can’t you? Sure, when you add pineapple to anything you can call it “Hawaiian”.

4 medium-thick pork chops, about 2 lb
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
2 Tbsp light-brown sugar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Season pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper, then coat both sides in flour.

Heat oil in a large skillet and brown chops for about 2 minutes per side. Mix together pineapple, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over chops and cook, covered, over low heat for about 25 minutes or until chops are tender. If sauce becomes too thick just add a little water.

Add a salad or veggie and you’ve got a very different, very exciting complete meal.

The secret to successful potatoe packs? Slice them no thicker than 1/8 inch.

3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp sherry vinegar or red-wine vinegar
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp chopped garlic (1 large clove)
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 sweet potato, peeled and thinly sliced (1&1/2 cups)
1 Yukon Gold potato, peeled and thinly sliced (1&1/2 cups)
1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced (2 cups)
4 bone-in pork loin chops, trimmed (1&1/2-1&3/4 pounds total)

Preheat a grill to high.

Make the sauce by blending (in a blender, of course) oil, vinegar, paprika, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt until creamy, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed.

Place the sliced potatoes and onion in a bowl & add the remaining 1/4 tsp salt and 3 Tbsp of the sauce; toss well to coat.

Spread half the potato-onion mixture in the center of a 24 inch piece of HEAVY aluminum foil that you have sprayed with Pam or similar. Bring the short ends of foil together, fold over and pinch to seal. Pinch the seams together along the sides to seal the packet. Make a second packet in the same with the remaining mixture.

Now slather both sides of the pork chops with the remaining sauce.

The packets go on the hottest part of the grill and the pork chops to the front or back.

Cook the chops for 3 to 4 minutes per side and the packets for 5 minutes per side.

Transfer the chops to plates and whe the packets finish cooking open them (watch out for the steam), place the taters & onions next to the chops and serve 'em up. Easy, quick and delicious.

Here's more proof that Balsamic vinegar can make even cheap meat seem expensive.

2 lb pork tenderloin cut into 4 thick slices (or four 1/2 lb chops)
1 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 oz small shallots (about 8), quartered and peeled, leave the root ends intact
2/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp sugar

Pat pork dry and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook pork along with shallots, turning pork over once and stirring shallots occasionally, until pork is browned and shallots are golden brown and tender, about 5 minutes total.

Transfer pork to a plate and add vinegar, sugar, and remaining salt and pepper to shallots in skillet. Cook, stirring until sugar is dissolved and liquid is thickened slightly, about 1 minute.

Reduce heat to moderate, then return pork and juices accumulated on plate to skillet and turn 2 or 3 times to coat with sauce. Cook, flipping once, until pork is just cooked through, about 3 minutes total. Transfer pork to a platter and boil sauce until thickened and syrupy, a minute or 2. Pour sauce over pork and serve.

Don't laugh; Bisquick really adds a special touch to an old standard like this.

1/4 cup Original Bisquick
7 saltine cracker squares, crushed
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
I egg
I Tbsp water
4 boneless loin pork chops, 1/2 inch thick

Mix Bisquick, cracker crumbs, seasoned salt and pepper in a plate or shallow bowl. Mix egg and water in a similar bowl.

Got the picture? Dip it in the wet stuff, then smoosh it around in the Bisquick mixture to coat.

Spray 12-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Cook pork 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until just a bit pink in center.

After they tell you how good they are, tell them about the Bisquick.

This easy pork recipe really produces a dish that everyone will swear took at least an hour to make. Let them think it.

1/2 lb boneless pork loin, cut into I/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 pound fully cooked Polish sausage, cut into I/4-inch slices
1 14 oz can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup chili sauce (ketchup is ok)
I/4 tsp dried thyme leaves (or 1 Tbsp fresh if you have it)
1 cup frozen cut green beans
1 16 oz can great northern beans, drained
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Cook pork, onion and garlic powder in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pork is brown.

Stir in Polish sausage (kielbasa, if you prefer), tomatoes, chili sauce, thyme and frozen green beans. Heat to boiling over medium heat. Cover and boil 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in beans, cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until green beans are tender. Sprinkle with parsley and you're all set to impress.

Serve this with warm tortillas for Chinese Mexican food you ever ate(?)joint venture.

1 pork tenderloin (about 1 lb)
2 large sweet potatoes, cut in 1/2-in. wedges
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 & 1/4 cups diced pineapple
3 Tbsp chopped red onion

Heat oven to 500°F. Position racks to divide oven in thirds. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with nonstick foil(yes, there is such a thing and it's great).

Place pork on 1 baking sheet, sweet potatoes on the other. Mix 3 Tbsp barbecue sauce with 1 Tbsp cilantro; brush on pork. Drizzle potatoes with oil; sprinkle with chili powder. Toss to coat; spread evenly. Roast 8 minutes, then, pans out.

Gently toss the potatoes and turn the pork. Pans back for 8 minutes on the veggies and 10-12 for the meat.

Remove pork to cutting board and give it a minute or two to rest while you combine pineapple, onion and remaining cilantro and barbecue sauce in a bowl.

Slice pork; top with the pineapple salsa. Serve with sweet potatoes - yum, yum or is it, "yum, yam".

Of course we're not suggesting you eat butterflies! We're talking delicious boneless buttterfly pork chops ready in about 10 minutes.

1 tsp. grated orange zest
2 Tbsps. orange juice
2 Tbsps. olive oil
1 Tbsp. mustard
2 tsps. chopped rosemary
2 tsps. Worcestershire sauce
4 pork boneless butterfly chops

Combine orange zest, juice, oil, mustard, rosemary and Worcestershire sauce.

Place chops on lightly oiled or non-stick broiler pan; brush with orange mixture.

Cook under high for 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through, turning once. Brush chops occasionally with orange mixture during cooking.

Serve with thin strips of orange zest (for pretty) and salad greens (for healthy).

It seems pork recipes generally offer more zing than beef or lamb, and here the ginger and lemon grass do just that.

Find the store that sells lemon grass and be amazed at the other wonderful foodstuffs they offer.

2 cups ground pork
1 Tbsp fresh ginger root, grated
1 lemon grass stalk
1/2 tbsp sunflower oil
salt and ground black pepper

Remove any tough outer layers from the lemon grass and chop the center part as finely as possible. Stir this plus the ginger, salt & pepper into the meat and mix it well with your hands. Shape into four patties and chill for about 15 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan, add the patties & fry for 3—4 minutes on each side over medium heat until cooked through. Drain on paper towels.

Not to worry, the potency of the onions & garlic is way low after cooking. Try this delicious quick and easy recipe served over rice or as a tasty filling for mandarin pancakes or flour tortillas (Mexican Chinese food).

8 oz. boneless pork loin
1 Tbsp. cornstarch 1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
6 green onions
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 teaspoons soy sauce

Cut pork into matchstick strips. In a large bowl, mix pork, cornstarch, and wine. Cut onions crosswise into 1-inch pieces; then cut each onion piece lengthwise into thin slivers.

Heat a wide nonstick frying pan over high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat pan bottom.Add pork mixture and cook, stirring, until meat is lightly browned (2 to 3 minutes). Add onions and garlic; stir until onions are slightly softer and garlic is tinged with brown (1 to 2 minutes). Stir in soy sauce.

Here's a great one for the grill-guy or gal.

And we really do mean pound the chops with the mixture already in place; it infuses the meat with more of the delicious flavor. And we really mean cover the sauced-up chops well before pounding or your kitchen will have a new decor.

1 Tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1/2 cup minced onion
2 Tbsps. vegetable oil
4 boneless center-cut pork loin chops (about 11/4 lbs. total)
2 medium-size ripe avocados pitted, peeled, and sliced
Cilantro sprigs
Orange wedges

Mix chili powder, cumin, garlic, onion, and oil. Spread about 1 Tbsp. of this chili mixture on each side of each chop. Place each chop between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. With a kitchen mallet pound firmly but gently all over to a thickness of about 1/4 inch.

Place pork on a lightly oiled grill 4 to 6 inches above a solid bed of hot coals or over high heat on a gas grill. Close lid on gas grill. Cook, turning once, until pork is well browned on both sides and no longer pink in center; cut to test (5 to 6 minutes).

Serve pork with avocados; garnish with cilantro sprigs and orange wedges. Squeeze orange juice over meat and avocado to taste.

In just over twenty minutes you can present a really different and delicious dish that should become a family favorite.

1 lb pork tenderloin
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbsps packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp orange juice
1 Tbsp maple-flavored syrup
1/2 tsp each salt & pepper

Cut meat into 1/2-inch slices. Spray 10-inch non- stick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat.

Add meat and garlic and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until slightly pink in center.

Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook about 2 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and deliciously coats the slices.