Broiled Pork Chops and Pineapple with Maple Sauce

This is SO EASY and SO FAST and SO GOOD!!  The recipe originally calls for salmon, but Brian hates fish so.... I looked at the ingredients, thought they looked yummy, and substituted pork chops for the salmon.  And it was fabulous!!  I also added bacon to the mix, you can never go wrong with bacon. 

1 cup rice
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp. cayenne
4 pork chops (or salmon fillets)
salt and pepper
1/2 of a pineapple, cut into 8 pieces
1/4 lightly packed chopped fresh cilantro
4ish pieces of bacon

Cook rice the way you like it (sticky, dry, whatever).  Heat your oven on the broiler setting.  Mix the maple syrup with the cayenne. Salt and pepper the pork chops and put them on a cookie sheet along with the pineapple.  Brush the maple syrup on them and broil for however long it takes for your thick or thin pork chops to be cooked.  Remember to baste the meat and pineapple with the maple syrup through out the cooking time.  Oh yeah, I put the bacon on top of the pineapple for half the time, then just put it on the bottom of the pan so that it would get crispy.  In the meanwhile, mix the cilantro into the rice and fluff it all up.  And that's it.  Serve it all.  Delicious!!

Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce

I decided this week that Brian needs to enter the world of fish. He HATES fish (but likes shrimp, shark, crab and calamari. Go figure). I decided to make my Mom's recipe and I love it!! It's super easy and delicious!! I did follow her method and omit the lemon-pepper and onion salt. I also seasoned the fish with kosher salt and cracked pepper. It's great! Oh yeah, Brian left "early" for the Daddy-Daughter Dance, so he missed out (although not according to him).

Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce

1 salmon fillet (about 2 pounds)

1 to 1½ tsp. lemon-pepper

1 tsp. onion salt

1 small onion, sliced and separated into rings

6 lemon slices

½ cup butter

Dill Sauce:

1/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 Tbs. finely chopped onion

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. prepared horseradish

¾ tsp. dill weed

¼ tsp. garlic salt

Pepper to taste

Directions: Line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with heavy-duty foil; grease lightly. Place salmon skin side down on foil. Sprinkle with lemon-pepper and onion salt. I sometimes just season it with sea salt and pepper instead of the lemon-pepper and onion salt (since it’s already topped with onion and lemon slices). Top with onion and lemon slices. Dot with butter. Fold foil around salmon; seal tightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Open foil. Broil 4-6 inches from the heat for 8-12 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Combine the sauce ingredients until smooth. Serve with salmon.

Crispy Fish Tostadas

These are fabulous. My husband asks for them more than just about any other dish. My fish-hater sister loved these too!

Fish fillets or fish sticks - 2 or so fillets per person
tostada shells
cheese - we grown-ups put sliced pepper jack on ours, the kids use shredded mozzarella
salsa
angel hair cabbage
avocado, sliced

Bake fish according to directions. Put cheese on shells at bake at 475 degrees for 2-3 minutes. Top with fish pieces, salsa, avocados and then cabbage. You can use guacamole instead of the avocado slices. I do that when the avocados are yucky or really expensive. I also cook up tilapia with some salt and butter and use that instead of 'fish fillets'. It just depends on what I have on hand or can find at the store. The kids usually eat 2 each.