Maple Mustard Pork Chops

I need to start expanding the kinds of meat I buy and start experimenting more. My go-to is always ground turkey, pork tenderloin and chicken breasts. I love pork, but every time I see meat with the words "bone-in" it just seems like such a hassle to me. Well, it isn't, it's all in my head. The meat stays SO juicy when you have a cut of meat with the bone still in it.

Ingredients:

2 Pork Chops (center cut, or otherwise), bone-in
salt and pepper
3 Tbs. stone ground mustard
2 Tbs. pure Maple syrup

In a shallow dish, season the pork with salt and pepper. Add the mustard and maple syrup and rub (or as some say, message) the meat until each side of both pork chops are coated evenly. Cover with Saran wrap, or tinfoil, and let marinade for 15-20 minutes. Preheat the grill to 350 degrees. Cook the pork for 7 minutes on one side, flip, and continue for another 5-7 minutes on the opposite side.

* You can also cook these in the oven at 350 degrees for about 25 to thirty minutes.

Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken

It has been really REALLY hot out here this past week. My favorite thing to eat when it is hot out (or any time of the year really) is grilled chicken. This honey mustard marinade and sauce that we added made it SO juicy and tangy with a hint of sweetness. I wish we would have cooked more for leftovers!

Ingredients:

1/2 c. whole grain mustard (or stone ground)
1/2 c. honey
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. paprika
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne
4 chicken breasts

Mix the mustard, honey, lemon juice, minced garlic and spices together with a whisk. Reserve a few tablespoons worth to add to the chicken later. Place the four boneless skinless chicken breasts in a large Ziplock bag with the rest of the  marinade. Marinade the chicken for at least 20 minutes, flipping over every five minutes or so. Preheat the grill (around 350 if you are using propane). Grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes on each side. Make sure to cut into one of the pieces to make sure it isn't pink in the middle anymore. Spoon the remaining sauce on top of the chicken.

(Makes 4 servings, 5 WW points per serving)

Buffalo Turkey Burgers

I am trying to get better with the whole adding personal aspects of my life or little snippets of why I created the recipe to the page but so far I have failed miserably. I will try my best from now on :-).

I love buffalo style everything, minus the fact that 90% of restaurants add bleu cheese, to which I can't stand! So this recipe is a lean version (I always use ground turkey when making burgers at home), of a buffalo style burger, only using a Queso Fresco to get the same crumbling effect, but less of a foot-like cheesy smell.....Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3/4 lb. Jennie-O lean ground turkey, 90% fat free
1/2 c. shredded Pepper-Jack cheese
1/4 c. Panko breadcrumbs
2 Tbs. fresh chopped chives
3 Tbs. Frank's Red Hot Sauce, Chile n' Lime
Sliced Tomato
Romaine Lettuce
1/2 c. Queso Fresco cheese (or Bleu if you are into that sort of cheese....)
* Frank's Red Hot Sauce, Chile n' Lime or Original
4 Foldit, 5 grain Flax, Flatout Bread

In a medium size bowl, combine the ground turkey, pepper-jack cheese, Panko, chives and chile n' lime Frank's hot sauce together (I prefer using my hands). Heat a grill pan to medium heat and spray with non stick cooking spray. Form the ground turkey mixture into four equal size patties, making sure that the center is slightly more thin than the outside so that the turkey will cook more evenly. Place the patties on the prepared grill pan and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, placing a lid on top while they are cooking. Make sure to check the center of one of the patties if you are unsure if the center is cooked (you do not want to consume raw turkey!). Place a turkey patty on each of the four Flatout 5 grain "hamburger" buns. Top with romaine lettuce, sliced tomato, around 1-2 Tbs. of crumbed Queso Fresco, and many dashes more of hot sauce!

(Makes 4 burgers, 9 WW points per burger)

Sliced Potatoes on the Grill

Ingredients:

 2 tsp. Lawry's seasoning salt
1 tsp. fresh cracked pepper
2 Tbs. freeze dried (or fresh) chopped chives
3 or 4 small potatoes, scrubbed (not peeled), and sliced about 1/4 of an inch thick
Canola Oil
Pam non stick cooking spray

Lay a large piece of heavy duty tinfoil on a flat surface. Pour about 1/4 cup of canola oil on the sheet and spread, leaving at least 3 inches on each edge that is left dry. Place your potatoes in a thin layer on the tinfoil (see the first picture). Sprinkle the top evenly with each of the seasonings and the chives. Spray the top with non stick cooking spray. Bring the long edges up together so that the tops are touching, and start rolling them down in one direction until the foil is tightly secure on the top of the potatoes. Roll and tighten each side of the potatoes so that everything is secure.

My husband and I prefer the taste of a charcoal grill, so my directions are going to be according to that type of grill. After the coals are hot, place the foil package slightly off to the side on the grill and cook for about 15 minutes. Flip over and cook for at least 10 minutes more (unroll the top slightly to make sure they are fork tender).

The finished product.