On a recent sunny day, we drove through my boyfriend Paul’s East Texas hometown.

The drive was punctuated with observations, “That used to be Goodman’s department store” or “That lot was vacant for the longest time.” Most of his sentences started with “I remember when that was {insert memory here}.”

It was an interesting drive, to say the least. We didn’t spend a lot of time exploring because we were driving through on our way somewhere else, but we hit all the highlights on the main drag.

I was particularly intrigued by an old restaurant, now vacant. It looked like a rustic old barn, but there was a large stained glass window front and center. The two didn’t seem to go together, but it made a striking contrast.

Among other things, the space was a steakhouse where, according to Paul, they had some of the best soup he’s ever had.

Of course, once he said that, I felt the challenge to recreate the soup he loved.

He wrote the former owner to see if we could get the recipe, but he hasn’t heard back yet. Fingers crossed he’ll send it.

Until then, we have been experimenting with different recipes, and we think we have it close. Maybe, when top sirloin is on sale this week, we’ll try it again!

Steakhouse Soup

Ingredients:
1 lb top sirloin steak, cut into cubes
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs flour
1 onion, diced
6 red potatoes, finely diced
5 carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 cup water
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
2 cups frozen green beans, thawed
1 (46 fluid oz) bottle tomato-vegetable juice
2 cups beef stock
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
4 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbs paprika

Directions:
In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear sirloin cubes until browned and cook through. Sprinkle in flour; stir until browned. Add 1/2 cup water. Stir and cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.

Stir in beef stock and tomato juice; mix well.

Add onions, potatoes, carrots and green beans. Stir in salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and paprika. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer; cook until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

Serves 10

Nutritional Information: Calories Per Serving: 266, Calories from Fat: 57, Fat: 6 g, Trans Fat: 0 g (2 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 41 mg, Sodium: 517 mg, Potassium: 1058 mg, Carbohydrates: 35 g, Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 6 g, Protein: 19 g.

View this recipe to print or add items to My Shopping List.

Sometimes, the first thing that catches your eye is the thing that will stick with you.

It happened to me with my wedding dress. The first one I tried on was THE ONE. Although, I had to try on 97 more just to make sure. In the end, I went back to the first one.

The same thing happened as I was making dinner menus recently. I saw a recipe for a whole, boneless pork tenderloin that sounded delicious, but I had to read 76 more pork loin recipes only to decide I wanted to make the first one I’d seen.

I didn’t regret it.

Whole pork loin is on sale this week at Brookshire’s, and this is probably the best deal on meat that ever exists. There are so many ways to break down a whole pork loin. Generally, when I buy one, I can get a roast and two tenderloins out of it, or about 24 servings. That’s a lot of value in one cut of meat.

For this recipe, you can break down the loin into a roast, a tenderloin and chops, and make this from the tenderloin, or you can double this recipe and use it for the whole loin, then make the leftovers into sandwiches or stir-fry.

Honey-Butter Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:
4 Tbs butter
2 Tbs local honey
1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin, trimmed
1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375° F.

Heat the butter and honey over medium-high heat in a cast-iron (or other ovenproof) skillet until melted. Rub the pork loin with Cajun seasoning and black pepper. When the butter is hot and beginning to sizzle, brown each side of the pork loin for 5 minutes until seared. Lower the heat if the honey begins to brown.

Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer to the oven. Roast, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and transfer the pork to a large platter. Cover it tightly with aluminum foil. Add water to the skillet and stir over medium-high heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the pan sauce is reduced slightly.

Slice pork on the diagonal and drizzle with sauce. Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Nutritional Information: Calories Per Serving: 254, Fat: 11 g (6 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 103 mg, Sodium: 125 mg, Carbohydrates: 6 g, Fiber: 0 g, Protein: 30 g.

View this recipe to print or add items to My Shopping List.

Sometimes, like on a cold winter’s night, you want something creamy, cheesy and simple to make that will “stick to your ribs,” as my mom used to say.

Check, check, check, check.

This chicken dish fits the bill. I like anything with cheese and sour cream; my kids love anything with chicken, and we all love anything with bacon. Plus, there are those nights when you need a one-dish meal that cooks up quickly (like every Tuesday and Thursday night before soccer practice).

This week, boneless, skinless chicken breasts are on sale at Brookshire’s, so you can buy a package or two and cook up some chicken to use in this dish! Then, on the night you choose, it will be ready to mix up and pop into the oven.

This is called “Bubble Chicken” because the biscuits puff up, and the creamy mixture bubbles when the dish is ready.

Bubble Chicken

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 (10.75 oz) can cream of chicken soup
8 oz sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 1/2 Tbs ranch dressing mix
1/4 cup chopped bacon, cooked
1 (12 oz) can refrigerated Pillsbury Grands Jr. Biscuits

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F.

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Thoroughly mix chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, cheese, ranch dressing mix and bacon together.

Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. Toss with the chicken mixture. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the dish is bubbly and the pieces of biscuit are golden-brown. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Nutritional Information: Calories Per Serving: 814, Calories from Fat: 436, Fat: 48 g, Trans Fat: 0 g (23 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 146 mg, Sodium: 2110 mg, Potassium: 438 mg, Carbohydrates: 46 g, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 7 g, Protein: 46 g.

View this recipe to print or add items to My Shopping List.

Dear Shrimp Tacos,

I love you.

I might not see you often, but my loyalty never fails.

You are my favorite type of soft taco, and I sing your praises to the ends of the earth.

I love the texture you give to a soft taco. I love how a well-cooked shrimp has a bite to it and complements the softness of a corn tortilla and the crunchiness of some cabbage.

You’re amazing in the way you take on flavors of the seasonings with whom you frolic. I’m a fan, personally, of lime and garlic, but lemon, Cajun spices, salt and pepper, cumin, paprika and red pepper work just as well.

You are beautiful. Low-calorie. High protein. Low cholesterol. So easy to work with. Quick to cook. Full of flavor.

Dear Shrimp, I love you so.

Sincerely,
Me

Shrimp Tacos

Ingredients:
12 corn tortillas
1 lb 31/40 Gulf shrimp
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 Tbs garlic, crushed
1 cup red cabbage, shredded
1 red onion, slivered
6 Tbs cilantro
4 oz queso fresca, crumbled

Directions:
Remove tails from shrimp. Combine lime juice and garlic in a large bowl. Soak shrimp in juices for about 5 minutes. Don’t marinate too long or shrimp will cook.

Remove shrimp from marinade. Heat a nonstick skillet to high heat. Sautée shrimp until opaque, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place shredded cabbage, onion and queso fresca in the corn tortilla. Top with shrimp and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Makes 12

Nutritional Information: Calories Per Serving: 132, Calories from Fat: 30, Fat: 3 g, Trans Fat: 0 g (2 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 85 mg, Sodium: 179 mg, Potassium: 141 mg, Carbohydrates: 13 g, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 1 g, Protein: 12 g.

View this recipe to print or add items to My Shopping List.

My son returned home from spending the night at a friend’s house (apparently boy moms are NOT supposed to say “sleepover”), and after a two-hour nap, he couldn’t stop chatting about the great time he’d had with his school buddy.

They stayed up all night (of course) playing video games, flashlight tag, soccer, hide-and-seek, and slept on the living room floor in a blanket fort. They had pigs-in-a-blanket and doughnuts for breakfast, and for dinner, they’d had balsa wood pork chops.

Wait, what?

What is a balsa wood pork chop, I asked him, thinking maybe they smoked the pork chop over balsa wood, although I’d never heard of this and knew that balsa wood is super soft and probably doesn’t lend itself well to smoking. My mom used to craft dollhouse furniture out of balsa wood and could use a small craft knife to slice through it. More importantly, I had no idea how balsa wood would taste!

He set me straight pretty quickly.

You know, he said, that brown stuff that you pour on the pork chops, and it makes them taste good.

I wracked my brain.

They were really juice, he offered. Kind of spicy, too.

It was driving me crazy. I went to the pantry, opened it and figured it out immediately.

Balsamic vinegar? I asked.

I opened the bottle, he smelled it and immediately, the mystery was solved.

That’s it, he said.

Boneless Glazed Pork Chops

Ingredients:
4 boneless pork chops
2 Tbs brown sugar
2 Tbs balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tsp Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:
In a bowl, combine brown sugar with balsamic vinegar and all the spices until a paste forms. Rub boneless pork chops with the olive oil, and then rub with the paste.

Heat your grill to medium-high heat, and grill chops about 5 minutes per side, only flipping once and keeping the lid closed between turns.

Remove pork from the grill when the internal temperature reaches 150° F; let rest until internal temperature reaches 160° F.

Serves 4

Nutritional Information: Calories Per Serving: 625, Calories from Fat: 444, Fat: 49 g, Trans Fat: 0 g (16 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 146 mg, Sodium: 430 mg, Potassium: 611 mg, Carbohydrates: 5 g, Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 5 g, Protein: 39 g.

A few weeks ago, we went to an event in a small restaurant in an even smaller Texas town.

To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much from the choice of venues because certainly this town is not a dining destination.

Boy, was I ever wrong.

We pulled up to the restaurant on the downtown square in this little Texas town at twilight. The sun was setting behind the copper dome of the stately courthouse, and let’s be honest, no one does a courthouse like small Texas towns. The effect was majestic. The little restaurant was set into a strip of other small businesses, antique shops, an old-fashioned pharmacy, a boutique and a bookstore. The storefront was modest, but the aroma was intoxicating.

The menu was Southern comfort food at its finest: chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy; brown sugar ham with beans and cornbread; and macaroni laden with five different cheeses. Then, there was the open-faced beef sandwich. I didn’t order it, but I wish I had. Luckily, boneless chuck roast is on sale this week at Brookshire’s because I’ll be recreating this gem in my own kitchen.

Open-Faced Beef Sandwiches with Gravy

Ingredients:
3 lb boneless chuck roast
1 Tbs olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
2 Tbs David Wade Gourmet Worcestershire Powder
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups beef stock
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup water
2 Tbs parsley
8 slices good-quality sandwich bread

Directions:
Remove roast from the refrigerator, and let it come to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Rub the roast with salt, pepper and Worcestershire powder.

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a cast-iron skillet. When the oil sizzles, add the chuck roast, browning quickly on all sides. Add the onions; sauté 1 minute.

Remove from the heat, and add the beef stock to the skillet, scraping up browned bits of meat and onions.

Place skillet in the oven, and roast until the chuck is falling apart, about 2 hours.

Remove from the oven, and shred the beef with two forks. Keep warm.

In the skillet on the stovetop, heat juices until bubbly. Mix together flour and water; stir into the beef stock on the stove. Let simmer for about 5 minutes until thickened.

Sprinkle beef with parsley. Spoon beef over bread, topping with gravy. Serve immediately.

Serves 8

Nutritional Information: Calories Per Serving: 604, Calories from Fat: 382, Fat: 42 g, Trans Fat: 0 g (16 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 168 mg, Sodium: 299 mg, Potassium: 481 mg, Carbohydrates: 4 g, Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 1 g, Protein: 48 g.

Sometimes I feel like it’s impossible to get anything done efficiently anymore. I’m attending to one task, and then my attention is grabbed by something totally irrelevant.

Case in point: I’m hanging up wet laundry over the weekend. The vast majority of my clothes get line-dried instead of being tossed in the dryer. Sometimes this is a monumental process, and my laundry room often looks like a second closet. So, I’m hanging up laundry, and something on the laundry cart catches my eye. Hey! It’s that dog brush I forgot I had, the rubber one that gets all the dander off the dog and zaps shedding hair better than most brushes made for dogs. I grab the brush, the dog and drag him onto the back porch to get to work. The rest of the damp laundry sits in the purgatory of the basket, out of the washing machine but not yet hung (and totally defeating the purpose of hanging it when it’s damp to alleviate wrinkles).

Same thing happened online today. I set out to look for a new bacon recipe because John Morrell Bacon is on sale this week at Brookshire’s, and we all need more bacon in our lives. However, I got distracted by a post about essential oils on Pinterest, which led me to reading about how to clean my diffuser, which lead me to cleaning my diffuser, which led me to remembering I needed to get this work finished, so I sat back down…and opened Facebook, where there was a lovely bacon recipe staring me straight in the eyes.

The only problem is…you can’t get distracted while defrosting the tots. You have to finish this recipe. Your family will thank you for it.

The original recipe came with a sauce idea as well, but my family isn’t big on sauces. If you’re so inclined, serve with a side of barbecue or ranch to dip.

Cheesy Bacon Tots

Ingredients:
3 cups tater tots, thawed to room temperature
4 oz cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
16 oz John Morrell Bacon (each strip cut into thirds)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp chili powder

Directions:
Set tater tots out to thaw. While they are coming to room temperature, preheat the oven to 400° F. When tots are thawed, cut them in half lengthwise, and place a cube of cheese inside. Press halves back together, and wrap with a piece of bacon.

Mix brown sugar and chili powder in a small bowl. Roll each bacon-wrapped tot in the brown sugar mixture.

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Place each tot, bacon seam-side down, on the baking sheet. Repeat until you run out of bacon.

Bake for 20 minutes, turning the tots over halfway through the baking process. Cook until bacon is crisp. Serve hot.

Makes about 24 tots

Nutritional Information: Calories Per Serving: 96, Calories from Fat: 58, Fat: 6 g, Trans Fat: 0 g (3 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 9 mg, Sodium: 224 mg, Potassium: 55 mg, Carbohydrates: 6 g, Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 5 g, Protein: 3 g.

I’m slightly obsessed with the smoker. It has a place of honor on my back porch, and I tend to smoke something every weekend and sometimes on weekdays to boot. The smoker is almost like my slow cooker. I can fill it up when I run home at lunch or before I leave in the morning, and it’s ready to go at dinner time.

The other benefit of the smoker is that it smells so wonderful when you’ve got something cooking in it. Seriously, I prefer the smell of smoking meat to any scented wax cube they can invent. I’ll leave the windows cracked so the smell can waft into the house.

A boneless pork loin roast is one of my favorite things to smoke. It stays so moist and full of flavor. I love this recipe not only because it has two of my favorite spices, rosemary and garlic, but also because their value as aromatics is astronomical. This smells so good while smoking!

Of course, you can make this recipe in a traditional smoker, an electric smoker or on your grill over indirect heat.

With boneless pork loin roast on sale this week at Brookshire’s, there’s no reason not to run out and get this smoking!

Smoked Rosemary-Garlic Pork Loin Roast

Ingredients:
4 cups apple or hickory wood chips
1 (2 1/2 lb) boneless pork top-loin roast (single loin)
2 Tbs fresh rosemary
1 Tbs olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 lemon or lime
aluminum foil

Directions:
Soak the wood chips in water overnight. Drain chips after soaking (you can use the discarded liquid in the drip pan on the smoker for extra oomph.)

To make the rub, combine rosemary, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Massage into the pork loin.

Prepare your smoker. Place the boneless loin roast on the rack and spread rosemary sprigs over the wood chips. Cover and smoke about 2-3 hours or until the roast reaches 155 degrees.

Remove pork from the smoker; squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice over the meat. Tent with foil and let rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 8

Nutritional Information: Calories Per Serving: 269, Calories from Fat: 98, Fat: 11 g, Trans Fat: 0 g (3 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 112 mg, Sodium: 141 mg, Potassium: 536 mg, Carbohydrates: 2 g, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 0 g, Protein: 39 g.

View this recipe to print or add items to My Shopping List.

It’s no secret on this blog that I’m obsessed with our smoker. (See how it’s become “OUR” smoker and not just Paul’s smoker? I’m tactical that way.)

I’ve always also loved going into Brookshire’s and getting a rotisserie chicken, with the crackling, golden-brown skin and juicy meat.

I can now recreate that chicken at home with my smoker. Now, a rotisserie and a smoker are not the same. You will end up with a juicier bird from the rotisserie because the fat and other juices drip back onto the birds when they cook in that big, lovely industrial rotisserie. However, the smoker leaves you with a pretty great end result, too, because it never gets hot enough for the chicken to dry out, as is often the pitfall of cooking chicken.

I CRAVE a smoked chicken like no one’s business. It’s so easy, versatile and delicious.

This week, whole chickens are on sale at Brookshire’s, so this would be a great time to try this dish. You can use a traditional smoker or your grill.

Smoked Chicken

Ingredients:
1 whole fryer, washed and patted dry
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs David Wade’s Worcestershire Powder
2 Tbs paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Directions:
Prepare smoker or grill to medium heat. Place Applewood chips in the bottom of the smoker or a pan of chips on the grill.

Rub chicken with minced garlic, placing cloves under the skin of the chicken on top of the breast meat.

Rub with olive oil; season with Worcestershire powder, paprika, salt and pepper.

Place, breast-side up, on the rack of the smoker or on the grill over indirect heat.

Close lid and smoke for about 5 hours, or until juices run clear and the meat is cooked through.

Serves 4

Nutritional Information: Calories Per Serving: 407, Calories from Fat: 247, Trans Fat: 0 g (6 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 171 mg, Sodium: 1025 mg, Potassium: 100 mg, Carbohydrates: 3.2 g, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 0 g, Protein: 39 g.

View this recipe to print or add items to My Shopping List.

“What are we going to do for Easter?” my son asked me yesterday.

Do? What do you mean, do? We’re going to celebrate our eternal salvation through the sacrifice Christ made for us; that’s what we’re going to do, I told him.

But celebrate, how will we celebrate?, he wondered.

In past years, I’ve hosted Easter gatherings at my house for up to 40 people. We probably won’t do that this year, but we will celebrate with our family and some local friends.

There’s no need to remind you about my obsession with the smoker, but chances are, we’re going to smoke our ham this year.

Hormel or Brookshire’s spiral-sliced hams are on sale this week at Brookshire’s, just in time for Easter. Did you know that you can, indeed, smoke a precooked ham? Trust me, I plan to!

Since the ham is already precooked, you’re really just introducing it to the smoke and warming it through.

I think we’re going to use Applewood to add some sweetness, and probably fill the pan with apple juice instead of water, to help impart some flavor that way.

The ham has to be heated through to about 145° F. After that, it’s ready to eat!

You can use your grill over indirect heat if you don’t have a smoker, and set a pan of chips over the flame for that good, smoky flavor.

That’s it! I clicked past this picture on Pinterest too many times, and I was just unable to resist opening the link to the crispy, juicy, gravy-smothered delight that was these pork chops.

I did not regret it.

Assorted pork chops are a seriously economical choice for dinner, especially when they are on sale at Brookshire’s.

They are a versatile meat. They can take a variety of seasonings, cooking methods and even sauces, and still come out the shining star of a meal, as they do here.

These pork chops are seriously crunchy and seriously spicy. You can reduce the amount of creole seasoning if necessary, but for those of us who love a spicy kick, have at it!

Spicy Fried Pork Chops

Ingredients:

Pork Chops:
10 (1/4-inch thick) bone-in pork chops
2 cups flour
1/2 cup hot sauce
2 eggs, beaten
1 Tbs creole seasoning
1/2 Tbs black pepper
1/2 Tbs garlic powder
1/2 Tbs onion powder
1/2 Tbs paprika
cooking oil

Gravy:
3 cups low-sodium beef broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 Tbs flour
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs butter
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp creole seasoning
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
dash of hot sauce

Directions:
Start by removing pork chops from packaging and patting dry. Place pork chops in a large dish or shallow pan.

Mix creole seasoning, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Add 1 tablespoon of this mixture to the flour; stir to incorporate.

Beat egg; add hot sauce and remaining seasoning. Pour over pork chops until they are covered, and let marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Add oil to a cast-iron skillet; heat to 350° F.

Remove pork from refrigerator, and pour off excess marinade.

Dredge pork chops in seasoned flour and place in hot oil. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove from oil; drain on paper towels.

Place in oven heated to lowest setting to keep warm while remaining pork fries and gravy is prepared.

For the gravy, drain grease from cast-iron skillet. Add butter and olive oil to the skillet; whisk in flour. Stir for about 2 minutes until a thick roux is formed. Add spices and broth, continuing to stir. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer. Stir in cream and hot sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes or until thickened. Serve over pork chops.

Serves 10

Nutritional Information: Calories Per Serving: 372, Calories from Fat: 183, Fat: 20 g, Trans Fat: 0 g (7 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 104 mg, Sodium: 1153 mg, Potassium: 161 mg, Carbohydrates: 24 g, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 1 g, Protein: 29 g.

Recently, I was on a road trip and driving a couple of hours down the road to Dallas for some training meetings.

On the way, about halfway to be precise, there is the mecca of all Texas convenience stores. Really, it’s doing a disservice to call it a “convenience” store. It’s like the Galleria of gas and other things, the Taj Mahal of road trip treats. All that to say, it’s a Texas-sized oasis on a stretch of lonely road…you could almost write a country song about it.

I bought something you might not necessarily associate with a convenience store, even the Nordstrom of convenience stores. I bought a cast-iron grill pan. I wanted to buy the cast-iron biscuit pan, the mini cast-iron skillets and the cast-iron Dutch oven, but I’m sure I’ll be passing by again.

Point being, they have a whole collection of quality cast-iron cookware. I’ve always wanted the grill pan. The price was right, so I bought it.

I brought it home, seasoned it and put it to good use almost immediately with these Greek-inspired pork chops. The night I used it was raining, so it wasn’t a great time to fire up the outdoor grill anyway.

This week, boneless pork chops are on sale at Brookshire’s, your grocery oasis right near home. No road trip required, and let me tell you, their prices are great.

Greek Grilled Pork Chops

Ingredients:
4 boneless pork chops, about 1 1/2 lbs

Marinade:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp dried Greek oregano
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp black pepper

Directions:
Whisk together marinade ingredients: olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, Greek oregano, garlic and black pepper. Pour into a zipper-lock plastic bag; place pork chops inside. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight or at least 4 hours, turning a few times.

When ready to cook, let pork chops come to room temperature in marinade. Preheat the grill pan to medium-high heat. Slap the pork chops onto the grill pan, and let them cook about 3 minutes. Then, rotate 45 degrees to get lovely cross-hatched grill marks. Cook an additional 3 minutes on the first side; flip and cook an additional 8 to 10 minutes or until cooked through.

Serves 4

Nutritional Information: Calories Per Serving: 361, Calories from Fat: 169, Fat: 19 g, Trans Fat: 0 g (4 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 124 mg, Sodium: 101 mg, Potassium: 763 mg, Carbohydrates: 2 g, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 1 g, Protein: 45 g.

View this recipe to print or add items to My Shopping List.

I think sirloin steak is one of the most underrated cuts of beef.

You can grill it, for sure, but you can also use it in stir-fries, stroganoffs, stews and other dishes like this delicious French-inspired dish that brings up the flavor of the meat with crushed whole peppercorns.

For a long time, I confess, I really thought steak tips were the tip of a particular cut of meat. They aren’t. Steak tips are usually just a sirloin strip steak cut into bite-sized pieces. The name will fool you, or at least it did me.

You get a burst of pepper in this dish, as you press the peppercorns into the meat and sear it that way. The sauce is the perfect complement to the dish, especially when you serve it over rice to soak up all the juices.

This is definitely a meal that your family would love, or a definitive date night dish. Sirloin strip steak is already economical, but it’s on sale this week at Brookshire’s, too.

Sirloin Steak Tips Au Poivre

Ingredients:
4 (6 to 8 oz) sirloin strip steaks
kosher salt
2 Tbs whole peppercorns
1 Tbs unsalted butter
1 tsp olive oil
1/3 cup plus 1 tsp cognac
1 Tbs whole-grain mustard
1 cup heavy cream

Directions:
Bring steaks to room temperature on the kitchen counter, about 1 hour prior to cooking. Cut into bite-sized pieces, and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Crush the whole peppercorns with a mortar and pestle, or with the flat side of a large chef’s knife. Spread the peppercorns into a shallow plate or baking dish. Toss with the steak pieces, turning to coat and pressing peppercorns into meat. Set aside.

In a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil together. As they become fragrant, place steak in the pan (being careful not to overcrowd), and stir until browned and cooked through. Remove to a plate or bowl; tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.

Remove pan from heat. Drain excess fat, but do not scrape the pan. Add 1/3 cup cognac to the pan; ignite with a long lighter. Gently shake the pan until the flames die. Return the pan to the heat, and add mustard and cream. Bring the sauce to a boil, whisking constantly, whisking constantly. Add the remaining teaspoon of cognac and salt. Add the meat back to the pan; mix with the sauce and heat through. Serve over rice.

Nutritional Information: Calories Per Serving: 752, Calories from Fat: 516, Fat: 57 g, Trans Fat: 0 g (26 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 217 mg, Sodium: 183 mg, Potassium: 765 mg, Carbohydrates: 1 g, Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g, Protein: 55 g.

I posted on social media recently that I’m obsessed with Brussels sprouts. I was surprised at the number of people who “liked” my post and commented in agreement. I guess I thought that because we didn’t eat Brussels sprouts growing up that no one else did, either.

This is also a testament to the power of the parent who does most of the cooking. My mom didn’t like Brussels sprouts, so we didn’t eat them. I eat anything, so my boys pretty much get exposed to all kinds of food. More often than not, it’s one of them who doesn’t like something that is served. One in particular, I should say.

Back to Brussels sprouts… I eat them roasted with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. I want my boys to like them as well, so I found a simple recipe with everyone’s favorite ingredient: bacon.

Brookshire’s Bacon always cooks up crisply, with a bold, meaty flavor and beautiful, caramel color. It has a deep, rich flavor that showcases the meat, not the fat, and is versatile in any recipe.

After we tried this, I’m not sure one son was bowled over by Brussels sprouts, but he did eat the bacon.

Brookshire’s Bacon is on sale this week, and Brussels sprouts are at the peak of flavor. So, this quick, simple recipe should go on your menu list, for sure.

Bacon Brussels Sprouts Skewers

Ingredients:
1 lb fresh Brussels sprouts
1/2 lb Brookshire’s Bacon
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
wooden skewers

Directions:
Soak your wooden skewers in a shallow pan of water for at least 30 minutes before preparing this dish.

Trim ends off of fresh Brussels sprouts and remove loose leaves. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Separate bacon into strips. Thread one end of the bacon onto a skewer, and then place a Brussels sprout on the skewer. Wrap the bacon over one side of the sprout; thread through the skewer. The bacon will make an “S” pattern around the sprouts. Repeat until the skewer is full. Repeat with remaining sprouts and bacon.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Place skewers on the grill for about 5 to 7 minutes. Flip and grill another 5 to 7 minutes. If the bacon is causing flare-ups, move to indirect heat and grill until browned and toasty and bacon is cooked through.

These can also be roasted in a 400° F oven for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking time.

Serves 4

Nutritional Information: Calories Per Serving: 417, Calories from Fat: 280, Fat: 31 g, Trans Fat: 0 g (9 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 62 mg, Sodium: 1920 mg, Potassium: 786 mg, Carbohydrates: 12 g, Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 3 g, Protein: 25 g.

View this recipe to print or add items to My Shopping List.

When I was little, my favorite sandwich was egg salad.

I used to have it in my lunch on Fridays usually (because we didn’t eat meat most Fridays, not just during Lent), and this was back in the days before we packed school lunches in insulated bags with ice packs. Believe it or not, I survived the five-hour-old egg salad sandwich.

I also loved egg salad because it meant I got to help my mom make it and use her nifty harvest-gold colored egg slicer. The little guillotine wires sliced the egg into perfect little rounds, and then I could turn the egg sideways and slice again, cutting it into tiny little pieces.

That’s how I still slice my eggs, although my egg salad has evolved beyond the mayonnaise, salt and pepper.

Now, I add bacon to my egg salad because bacon makes everything better. John Morrell Bacon is on sale this week at Brookshire’s. This crisp, smoky bacon adds a nice hickory flavor to the egg salad, and if you wait to stir it until just before serving, a great pop of texture, too.

Try this for breakfast on a whole-grain bagel thin or in your lunch, refrigeration recommended.

Bacon Egg Salad

Ingredients:
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
6 strips John Morrell Bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup red onions, diced
1 Tbs green onions, chopped
8 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

Directions:
Mix together the Greek yogurt, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, mustard, salt and pepper.

Gently stir in the bacon, red onions and green onions. Carefully fold into the eggs until they’re completely coated with the dressing.

Chill well.

Serves 4

Nutritional Information: Calories Per Serving: 395, Calories from Fat: 248, Fat: 28 g (9 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 376 mg, Sodium: 1418 mg, Carbohydrates: 4 g, Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 3 g, Protein: 32 g.

View this recipe to print or add items to My Shopping List.

My favorite thing to do on Monday nights, when I’m home alone, is to stop by Brookshire’s on my way home from work to pick up a piece of fresh salmon from the seafood counter. Last time I was there, I didn’t even have to say anything, and the gentleman working behind the counter already knew my order.

“Salmon for one?” he asked.

You betcha.

I eat salmon alone because my family members aren’t fans, no matter how perfectly I cook it. That’s fine. I didn’t like salmon much growing up either. It really wasn’t until a few years ago that a family friend told me to never, EVER overcook fish, and that made all the difference in the world. Instead of a hunk of dry and tough fish, undercooking it just a bit gives you a light, flaky, velvety texture.

Yes, it’s safe to eat.

Dill and lemon, to me, are the perfect pairings with salmon.

If you don’t want to bake this, you can pan-fry it or grill it as well.

Salmon is on sale this week at Brookshire’s, so you’ll see me there more than just on Monday night.

Oven-Baked Dill Salmon

Ingredients:
4 (5 oz) salmon fillets
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs dill, dried
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp pepper
1 lemon, thinly sliced

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F, and spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. When oven is preheated, rub the salmon with olive oil, and sprinkle with lemon juice. Rub with dill, salt and pepper. Place in the baking dish, skin-side down. Top with lemon slices. Bake for 25 minutes, or until salmon flakes easily with a fork and is opaque. Do not overcook. Serve with extra lemon.

Nutritional Information: Calories Per Serving: 253, Calories from Fat: 143, Fat: 16 g, Trans Fat: 0 g (2 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 63 mg, Sodium: 647 mg, Potassium: 586 mg, Carbohydrates: 1 g, Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g, Protein: 28 g.

View this recipe to print or add items to My Shopping List.

When I was visiting Italy, one of my favorite meals, not only of the trip but of all time, was a slow cooked ragu over polenta.

A ragu is simply a meat sauce, slow-cooked until the meat is fork-tender and melts in your mouth, with tomatoes and spices.

In fact, most “sauces” you see in Italy are more a ragu than the marinara we know well in America.

You can make a ragu with almost any meat. I’ve had pork ragus and beef ragus. They’re delicious if you leave the bone in your meat during the cooking process, but it’s just as tasty if you use a boneless cut of meat, like this boneless rump roast on sale at Brookshire’s this week.

The trattoria where I ate my ragu in Italy was on a cobbled side street in Venice with a small garden with a tiny view of the water, covered in a pergola weighted down with flowering vines.

The whole street was resplendent with the smell of cooking meat and spices.

You can serve this over pastas or mashed potatoes, but the polenta provides a bit of bite that complements the heavy sauce.

Slow Cooker Ragu

Ingredients:
2 Tbs olive oil
3 lbs beef rump roast or round roast
1/2 cup white onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (28 oz) cans San Marzano Whole Tomatoes
1/2 cup red wine
3 Tbs tomato paste
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
2 bay leaves
1 tsp cayenne pepper
3 tsp salt
ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a cast-iron skillet or other heavy pan. Wait until it is fragrant and starting to bubble, then add rump roast. Sear on each side, about 5 minutes per side.

Place rump roast in the slow cooker with onions, garlic, tomatoes, red wine, tomato paste, basil, oregano, bay leaves, cayenne, salt and pepper.

Cook on low for 8 hours. Shred with a fork and remove bay leaves.
Serve over polenta, a hearty pasta or mashed potatoes.

Serves 8

Nutritional Information: Calories Per Serving: 461, Calories from Fat: 189, Fat: 23 g (9 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 29 mg, Sodium: 1099 mg, Carbohydrates: 29 g, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 4 g, Protein: 31 g.

View this recipe to print or add items to My Shopping List.

In a house with two picky eaters, one dieter and one kid who eats everything but the kitchen sink (and that’s only because I’ve never put hot sauce on it and put it on a plate), dinner can sometimes be a challenge to put together without repeating the same dishes over and over.

One kid doesn’t like mushrooms. One man doesn’t like white cheese or white sauce. One dieter doesn’t eat carbs.

Does anyone else feel my pain?

Luckily, bacon makes everything better, especially John Morrell Bacon on sale this week at Brookshire’s.

For whatever the reason (likely the bacon), this dish passed muster with everyone in my house. (I’ll just pretend I didn’t see one kid picking out the mushrooms).

This is delicious served over rice (cauliflower rice if you’re the low-carb dieter) with a side of steamed green beans or a fresh salad.

The bacon gives this dish a smoky flavor and pulls all the flavors together.

Bacon-Mushroom-Swiss Chicken

Ingredients:
3 slices John Morrell Bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 pint fresh button mushrooms
1 (10.75 oz) can cream of chicken soup
6 slices Swiss cheese

Directions:
Spray the crock of the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Place chicken breasts in slow cooker. Top with mushrooms and cream of chicken soup. Cook on low for 8 hours. Top with Swiss cheese, and cover lid until cheese begins to melt. Sprinkle with bacon and serve.

Serves 6

Nutritional Information: Calories Per Serving: 484, Calories from Fat: 200, Fat: 15 g (8 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 175 mg, Sodium: 890 mg, Carbohydrates: 6 g, Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 1 g, Protein: 63 g.

A few weekends ago, my parents were invited to go boating with my sister and her boyfriend. Her boyfriend owns a boat, which he keeps moored in a marina in a wide, deep river near their home. I wish my sister lived closer for lots of reasons, weekends on the boat notwithstanding.

I have to admit that I was a little envious of my parents’ visit and boat ride. There’s nothing more relaxing to me than being on the water, and while I know owning a boat requires lots of hard work and dedication, the payoff of spending the day with the sun sparkling on the water seems to be a great payoff.

I couldn’t wait to hear about the trip. When I talked to my mom, she told me all about the cool breezes, the little crab shack downstream where they stopped for lunch and how fast the boat could go. She also told me that there are places on the river where the boats will just stop to drop anchor, and all the boat people will visit and hang out. It sounded heavenly. What my mom really couldn’t stop talking about was an appetizer dip my sister had made for snacking on the boat ride. Super simple, super easy and super delicious, make this a few hours ahead of time to let the flavors meld. Of course, if you’re bringing it on a boat (or on a picnic, to the lake or to a party), keep it chilled.

Brookshire’s bacon is on sale this week, just in time for the holiday weekend and lots of cookouts and celebrations.

Brookshire’s Bacon Dip

Ingredients:
8 oz Brookshire’s Bacon, cooked crisply and crumbled
4 oz bleu cheese, crumbled
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and chill. Serve with celery, carrots, pita chips or crackers.

Serves 12

Nutritional Information: Calories Per Serving: 253, Calories from Fat: 191, Fat: 21 g (8 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 41 mg, Sodium: 718 mg, Carbohydrates: 6 g, Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 1 g, Protein: 10 g.

We’ve been eating a lot of red meat in my house these days.

First of all, Paul likes it. (Well, we all do!). Secondly, I’m always pretty seriously anemic, which means I have low iron counts in my blood. Red meat is a great source of iron and so is spinach. It’s a good thing that it’s my favorite vegetable. So, I eat a lot of both. I mix spinach into my eggs whites in the morning for a delicious scramble, and we toss a lot of meat on the grill.

However, I don’t want grilled meat every night. (Did I REALLY just say that?) On nights we don’t grill, I often employ the cast-iron skillet. (The iron from the skillet is said to transfer into your cooking and add nutrients to your food as well.)

This dish is a delicious and easy way to get your iron, enjoy your Angus ground chuck (which is on sale this week at Brookshire’s), and enjoy a meal the whole family is sure to love.

I’ve mentioned before that my sons can live off of rice, so serve this over a bed of white or brown rice,  or mashed potatoes. A side of spinach never hurt, either.

Salisbury Steak Meatballs

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs Angus ground chuck
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs garlic powder
5 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 large onion, sliced into 1/2 rounds
2 Tbs all purpose flour
1 pkg brown gravy mix
1 1/3 cups cold water

Directions:
Heat cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.

Mix Angus ground chuck with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Form into large meatballs.

Place meatballs into the center of the skillet and surround with onion slices. Drizzle the meat and onions with Worcestershire sauce. Sear meatballs, turning frequently to brown all sides. Stir onions while meat is browning so they do not burn.

Slide meat and onions to one side of the pan, and add flour to drippings on other side of the pan. Whisk and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to make a thick roux.

In a small bowl, combine gravy mix and water. Add a few tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce. Pour into skillet; stir into the meat and onion mixture. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes, or until meatballs are heated through and the gravy is bubbly. If you don’t have a cover for your cast-iron skillet, place a baking sheet over the skillet.

Serves 6

Nutritional Information: Calories Per Serving: 117, Calories from Fat: 41, Fat: 5 g (2 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 22 mg, Sodium: 703 mg, Carbohydrates: 10 g, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 4 g, Protein: 8 g.