Pork Chops with Apricot Glaze

Adapted from Healthy Cooking (Aug./Sept. 2011), page 52.

Prep: 5 min. / Cook: 15 min.
Serves 6.

6 boneless pork chops (6 oz each)
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup apricot preserves or jam
2 Tbs. hoisin sauce
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (or less if you like things milder)
3 Tbs. chopped peanuts
Thinly sliced green onions

Combine ginger, salt, garlic powder, and pepper; rub over pork chops.

Heat apricot preserves, hoisin sauce, and red pepper flakes until preserves melt; set aside 1/2 cup.

Grill pork over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side or until 160 degrees, basing with sauce.  Brush with reserved sauce; sprinkle with peanuts and onions.

Notes:
- The original recipe says to grill the pork covered, but it came out great without covering it.

Havarti Shrimp Quesadillas

Adapted from Taste of Home (June/July 2010), page 22.

Prep: 10 min / Cook: 5 min each
Yield: 6 quesadillas

1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, chopped
2 tsp. canola oil
2 tsp. butter
6 Tbs. apricot jam
6 flour tortillas
6 oz. Havarti cheese, shredded or thinly sliced
1/2 lb cooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped

In a large skillet, saute mushrooms in oil and butter until tender.

Spread 1 Tbs. jam over half of each tortilla; top with cheese, shrimp, and mushrooms.  Fold tortillas over.

Grill quesadillas, uncovered, over medium heat for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cheese is melted.  Cut and serve.

Notes:
- Diced fresh tomatoes would probably be really good in these.

Catalina Chicken Breasts

From Kraft Foods.

Prep: 10 min. Total: 55 min.
Makes 6 servings.

2 tsp. vegetable oil
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 1½ pounds)
½ cup Catalina dressing
½ cup apricot jam
½ package dry onion soup mix (about 3 Tbs.)

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Heat oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 5 min. on each side or until browned. Remove chicken from skillet; place in 3-qt. baking dish.

Mix dressing, jam, and soup mix in small bowl. Pour over chicken.

Bake 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Notes:
- Karen of the 365 Days of Slow-Cooking blog turned this into a crock pot recipe.  She used 4 chicken breasts, 1 cup Catalina dressing, 1/2 pint (1 cup) apricot jam, and a whole package of dry onion soup mix.  Omit the oil.  Cover and cook on high for 3 hours.

Apricot Chicken

From Simple and Delicious (March/April 2006), page 33.

Yield: 4 servings

½ cup apricot preserves (or jam)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon chicken broth or sherry
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 medium green pepper, chopped
½ cup salted cashews
Hot cooked rice

In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Add chicken and toss to coat. Transfer to a shallow microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes, stirring once.

Add green pepper and cashews. Cover and microwave on high for 2-4 minutes or until chicken juices run clear, stirring once. Let stand for 3 minutes.

Serve with rice.

Nutrition Facts:
1 cup = 391 calories, 16 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 63 mg cholesterol, 673 mg sodium, 34 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 28 g protein

Notes:
- I ended up having to microwave my chicken longer than it says, but that might be because my “shallow dish” was more of a not-so-shallow bowl.
- Unless you plan on not having leftovers, I would recommend adding the cashews just before eating. If they sit until the next meal, they’ll get soggy.

Salsa Chicken

From Mom Larsen.

Prep: 5-10 min. / Cook: 15-20 min.
Serves 7.

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in strips
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix (use Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix for lower sodium)
1 can diced tomatoes
1/3 cup apricot or peach jam

Empty taco seasoning onto a plate or into a plastic bag. Add chicken strips and toss to coat.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken and sauté 5-7 minutes or until done.

Stir in tomatoes and jam. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Serve with rice.

Nutrition Facts:
1/2 cup sauce = 150 calories, 3.4 g fat (0.4 g saturated fat), 31.4 mg cholesterol, 538.4 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 9.5 g sugars, 14.3 g protein

Notes:
- 1 package of taco seasoning = about 3 1/2 Tbs.
- Mexican stewed tomatoes are the best for this.
- My mom chops her tomatoes up (thinner, chunkier sauce); I puree mine (thicker, smoother sauce).  Do what you want.
- Using the Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix will save you about 220 mg sodium per serving.

Apricot Almond Chicken

From Simple and Delicious (Sept./Oct. 2006), page 12.

Prep: 10 min. + marinating / Cook: 20 min.
Yield: 6 servings

Apricot-Mustard Sauce
½ cup lemon juice

¼ cup Dijon mustard (or whatever mustard you have)

2 teaspoons minced garlic

½ teaspoon white pepper (black works, too)

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup apricot preserves or jam (try experimenting with other flavors)

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons butter

1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 cup sliced almonds
Hot cooked rice

In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, mustard, garlic, pepper, jam, and ½ cup oil.  Pour ½ cup marinade into a large re-sealable plastic bag; add chicken. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.

Drain and discard marinade from chicken. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook chicken in remaining oil for 8-10 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine cornstarch and broth until smooth. Stir in the preserves, butter, cornstarch, and remaining marinade. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Spoon over chicken; sprinkle with almonds.

Serve with rice.

Notes:
- The recipe makes a LOT of sauce, but it would also be good on other white meats and possibly meatballs (appetizer).