Spanish Pork,Monkey Bread and Apple Salad

The Labor Day weekend is over and now it's back to business around here. All the usual chores I do on Monday are going to be on Tuesday this week...but the work week will be shorter. If you've read my blog before, you know that I have my "Monday Mountain o' Laundry" going and I'm prepping do-ahead food items for the week. I've already weeded the front landscaping (after the morning school drop-off) and the trash is out!

I'm happy to get to sit down for a few minutes so we can "talk recipes"! I sorted out three from my files last night. The first one is a pork chop recipe that my Aunt Hazel Bell used to make. It has rice and tomato sauce on top of the chops and bakes in the oven once you've put it together. I think it's the perfect meal when you pair it with a salad. Hope you like it!


Aunt Hazel's Spanish Pork Chops

Place pork chops in greased pan. Put 1 TBSP rice on each chop; on top of rice, place a slice of onion. Pour 2 C tomato soup over all; add enough water to cover chops. Cover tightly with foil. Bake for 1 1/2 hours at 350 degrees; baste once in a while. (I think I put a little salt and pepper on the onions.)



This is a quick version for Monkey Bread. It's like sticky nut buns without all the trouble of making your own bread dough, so you can make it any time.

Quick Monkey Bread

1/2 C chopped pecans
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3 (10 oz.) cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 C firmly-packed brown sugar
1/2 C butter or margarine, melted

Sprinkle chopped pecans evenly in bottom of well-greased 10" Bundt Pan; set aside.
Combine sugar and cinnamon. Cut biscuits into quarters; roll each piece in sugar mixture and layer in pan.
Combine brown sugar and butter; pour over dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Cool bread 10 minutes in pan; invert onto serving platter. Yield: one 10" coffee cake.


Since it's "Apple Season," I had to include my favorite recipe for an apple salad. Don't remember where I got this one, but it's supposedly the original recipe for Waldorf Salad created in 1893 by Chef Oscar of the Waldorf -Astoria Hotel in NYC. Whether my note on this old recipe is accurate or not, it is a delicious apple salad!


Waldorf Salad
Chef Oscar 1893

2 C cored and diced Red Delicious Apples
2 C cored and diced Yellow Delicious Apples
1/2 C chopped celery
1/2 C raisins
1/2 C chopped walnuts
1 C mayo (Hellman's)
2 TBSP sugar
1/8 tsp McCormick Apple Pie Spice
1/8 tsp vanilla extract
Lettuce leaves

Place fruits and nuts in mixing bowl. In small bowl, combine remaining ingredients, except lettuce. Mix well; pour over all. Toss gently to mix; chill. Serve on lettuce leaves.

I will be swapping recipes at these places today:
BlessedwithGrace
Gypsy'sCorner
BalancingBeautyandBedlam


Have a great week!