Theresa's Mixed Nuts

Friday, September 22, 2023

Pork Chops with Curried Apple Cream Sauce

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.
 
 
Sorry for all of you summer lovers who are sad that your season will be biting the dust in a few days, but it is finally the time for us autumn lovers to shine. I love swapping out my summer dresses and sandals for leggings and boots, turning off the air conditioning and opening the windows, the cold bite of air first thing in the morning, and the strong scent of earth that rolls around this time of the year. I've resumed indulging in a hot cup of tea in the afternoons, something that I haven't done for months, and whipping up more baked goods and comfort foods for our snacks and meals. I've also started on my seasonal freezer clean out, trying to clear up space before the holidays hit. I found a package of pork chops Jason bought sometime over the summer, but since we aren't grilling much these days, I figured I'd head over to Golden Blossom Honey and see if I could find a comfort recipe instead of a grilling one to use them up. Of course they didn't let me down because I quickly came upon a recipe for Pork Chops with Curried Apple Cream Sauce and set off to work getting it ready for dinner. 
 
 
Growing up in the south, mashed potatoes and pork chops were a weekly staple on the dinner menu. It's a time that I miss and long to go back to. When the cast iron skillet came out, you knew there was going to be some good eatin' that night. Oprah once asked Faith Hill what the secret was to good southern cuisine and she responded that it all starts with a well seasoned cast iron skillet. I agree with her 100%, but if you don't have one, this recipe will still turn out beautifully in a regular pan. The flavors in pork and apples compliment each other perfectly, and the cream sauce tops off the dish with that down home taste that keeps you wanting to come back for more. My husband was definitely a fan of this recipe, so I'll for sure be putting this on the menu rotation a few more times this fall season.

Ingredients

Chops:

4 (1-inch) thick pork chops

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

salt and pepper, to taste

Sauce:

2 teaspoons butter

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice

1/2 cup onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY MUSTARD

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup half and half

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE


 
You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.


If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to
Pin It on Pinterest! 


   
Do you like cooking with cast iron cookware?

Friday, September 15, 2023

Roasted Pears with Goat Cheese

 Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.
 
 
I saw this post on Facebook the other day and couldn't help but nod my head in agreement:
 
Jason loves the green tea, but for me it's the Irish butter and goat cheese that gets me in the mood for a Costco run. I bought a 4 ounce goat cheese at our regular grocers not too long ago for almost $6, so those two packs that have a total of 20 ounces for $8 at Costco is a steal! I go through a lot of goat cheese on a weekly basis, using it on our sandwiches, bagels, and salad, but I never thought to use it in a dessert until I happened upon this Roasted Pears with Goat Cheese recipe over at Golden Blossom Honey. 
 
 
The days went from scorching to quickly turning into needing a cardigan when I leave the house. Autumn is definitely in the air and if you're looking for a simple but sophisticated dessert option, you're in the right place. These pears are my new go-to for fall dessert. They are so easy to make, but could fit right onto the menu of any upscale restaurant. The creaminess of the goat cheese blends exceptionally well with the pears, I am a little salty that I didn't discover this pairing sooner! I know we're a few months off from the holidays, but we do pear dishes a lot around Christmas here, and sometimes even for Thanksgiving. If you're an early planner or want to earmark a dessert to come back to for the holidays, trust me on this one. It's going to be a holiday favorite in no time, I'm sure! 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

2 Bosc pears, ripe but still firm; halved lengthwise and cored

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 slices from a log of goat cheese

4 tablespoons RAW GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

freshly ground black pepper

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

 


You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.


If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to
Pin It on Pinterest! 


   
Do you eat pears more in the autumn or winter?

Thursday, September 7, 2023

Tomato-Orange Soup

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.
 
 
It seems that Covid is making its rounds again. Several of my friends are infected and I'll be honest and admit that I am terrified of getting it again. I had it last November and seriously thought that I was going to die every day for 3 weeks straight. It was rough and not something that I want to have to go through again. Jason and our daughter both had the sniffles last week and boy did my paranoia spike. Thankfully it was just a seasonal cold for them both. I know that we are not immune to getting Covid again, so this time around I'm trying to be a little more prepared for if/when it does hit our house again. Preparing food was the worst for me because I could hardly move from my bed. So I have been doing a little food prep here and there in my spare time, putting together meals that I can freeze, then easily reheat should I become infected again myself. I didn't have much of an appetite when I was sick, but soup is one thing that I was able to bring myself to eat. I'm not a big fan of canned soups because of all of the sodium that they contain, and that definitely doesn't help when you're feeling dehydrated from illness. In my prep, I've been scouring Pinterest and Golden Blossom Honey for nutritious and delicious freezable soups and came across a few winners. This Tomato Orange Soup I found on Golden Blossom Honey and did a trial run of it this week. 
 
 
I remember when I was in school and had a sick day, nothing made me feel better than sitting in bed with a hot grilled cheese sandwich, tomato soup, and watching The Price Is Right (RIP Bob Barker). This still holds true today. This recipe has a nice little twist over traditional tomato soup with the addition of a hint of orange and mint. I wasn't sure if it was one that I was going to love, but I absolutely did. If you don't love orange or mint though, you could just add more broth in place of the oj and swap out the mint for parsley or basil and still have an easy and nutritious tomato soup recipe to fall back on. A blender works well for mixing, but if you  have an immersion blender I'd recommend using that so you don't have to puree in batches. The only thing I did differently than what the recipe called for was used fresh chopped mint over dried because my yard is still infested with it from when I had the bright idea to plant it in my garden bed instead of a container. Fingers crossed Covid passes us all this fall/winter, but if we do get hit, be sure to have this recipe on hand to help you get through it. You'll be glad you did!

Ingredients

4 cups low-salt chicken broth

1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes with their juices

2 medium onions, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

3 Tablespoons butter or margarine

2 Tablespoons flour

1/3 cup orange juice

1 teaspoon dried mint leaves

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE



 
You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.


If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to
Pin It on Pinterest! 


   
Have you noticed an uptick on Covid cases in your area this season?

Friday, September 1, 2023

Toasted Cheese, Turkey and Caramelized Apple Sandwiches

Disclosure- I received the mentioned product courtesy of the sponsor for the the purpose of this review. All opinions are genuine, based on my experience with the product, and have not been influenced by promotional items.
 
 
September, y'all. I barely remember what happened in August, it went by so quickly! Or maybe my brain was just fried from all that heat we had, idk. This is the month that I love and dread at the same time because it's the time of year that the fall festivals kick in and kick my butt at the same time. This weekend will be one of our busiest of the year so elaborate dinners, or even dinners that require much effort are out. While most of you in the States will probably be planning a weekend of cookout foods, we'll probably be doing quick and easy, like grilled cheese sandwiches and spaghetti. I did find this amazing sandwich recipe on Golden Blossom Honey for Toasted Cheese, Turkey and Caramelized Apple Sandwiches that I think I'll end up making for Jason tonight since he's taking the brunt of the workload today. 
 
 
I've already started buying the first autumn apples of the season, so I have plenty to put to good use. I forgot how much I love caramelized apples, so today I will double or even triple the apple part of this recipe because in addition to a fun twist on a turkey sandwich, you can make it ahead of time and use it for a pancake or waffle topping or even to top your ice cream. Or you can be like me and just eat it straight out of the pan because why not? I would suggest using a panini press if you have one on hand because the apples can be slippery little suckers and a bit tricky to work with when flipping the sandwich, or you could toast the one piece of bread and cheese first, remove from pan, place the second slice down, pile on your toppings, then replace the toasted cheese bread on top, making this a no flip recipe. Whatever works for you, works for me!

Ingredients

8 slices rye bread

3 tablespoons butter, melted

4 slices sharp cheddar cheese

8 slices smoked turkey, from deli

1 cup baby arugula leaves

Apples:

3 tablespoons butter

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons GOLDEN BLOSSOM HONEY

CLICK HERE FOR FULL RECIPE

 

 

You can find this recipe, as well as many more delicious recipes right on the Golden Blossom Honey recipe page! Be sure to follow Golden Blossom Honey on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on new products and promotions.


If you like this recipe, be sure to come back every Friday, where I feature a new recipe from Golden Blossom Honey, and be sure to
Pin It on Pinterest! 


   
Will you be attending any fall craft fairs or festivals this year?