This post was originally published September 24, 2014. I’ve updated it with new pictures and wanted to share it again since it’s apple season!

When Fall (and football season) hit I pretty much crave two specific (adult) beverages – pumpkin beer and hard apple cider. It’s a happy day when the pumpkin beer display appears at the grocery store. Hard apple cider, I’ve noticed, seems to be available all year round which is a treat because sometimes a cold, refreshing, slightly sweet apple bevvy really hits the spot on a warm evening on the patio.

I don’t cook pork chops very often at home. No reason why really, it just doesn’t seem to be something I remember to include when I am planning our meals. I really should start adding them into regular rotation because I’ve noticed when I do make them, everyone devours them – including the kids (the whole family loves these Parmesan Baked Pork Chops!).

I’ve always loved the flavor of pork chops with apples – adding the hard cider the mix just makes it better! If you are cooking for your family, don’t worry – the alcohol cooks off in the skillet making them kid friendly. (You can always use regular apple juice or apple cider instead.)

How to make Skillet Pork Chops with Apples and Onions

1. In a small bowl mix together salt, pepper, rosemary and garlic powder. Season both sides of pork chops liberally.
2. In a large heavy skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Place the pork chops into pan. (If not enough room, cook pork chops in batches). Cook on one side for 4 minutes until chops are golden brown and releases from pan easily. Cook other side for additional 3-4 minutes.
3. Take pork chops out and place on to a plate. Repeat with remaining pork chops, if needed.
4. Add sliced onions and apples into skillet. Season with pinch salt and pepper. Pour in part of hard apple cider (about 1/4 cup) to deglaze pan while tossing apples and onions. Add rest of hard apple cider and let simmer for 5 minutes uncovered or until liquid reduces a bit. Add pork chops back into skillet and cover.
5. Turn off heat and let sit for 1-2 minutes. Using tongs, take out pork chops and place in dish. Pour apple and onion mixture over pork chops and serve.

Since the pork chops are boneless and thin, this Hard Cider Skillet Pork Chops with Apples and Onions recipe cooks up fairly quickly making it a good option for a weeknight dinner. I don’t know about you, but I love skillet meals like this.

We ate these skillet pork chops with apples alongside these Cheddar Dill Roasted Red Potatoes but mashed potatoes or wild rice would be another great side as well.

PS…I’m curious, what’s your favorite hard cider or pumpkin beer?

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Click here to pin this Harvest Farro Salad recipe!

Originally published in November, 2016.

Have you all tried farro yet? I’ve shared a few recipes using it here (like this Garden Farro Salad with Feta and Italian Tuna and White Bean Farro Salad – you must make both!). Farro is amazing – and for so many reasons. It’s a hearty whole grain with a lot of oompf to it, quite the opposite of quinoa or couscous. It’s got so much texture and a nutty flavor that I love, which is why I enjoy it so much in salads like this.

Here’s the other thing I love about it, it’s got 7 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber in it. It will fill you up and make you feel good. Salads like this are perfect option for lunches in my opinion. A no brainer.

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Balance out any entertaining menu with this crunchy, delicious and healthy Apple, Celery and Walnut Salad – one of my favorites!

(This post is sponsored by Fisher Nuts.)

Are you planning out your menu for Super Bowl still? I am. There are so many great recipes and ideas floating around, it’s hard to narrow down. I usually figure it out last minute, like the day of. Of course, if I was having a party this year I probably would have started a little planning by now.

I do know this. As much as I love indulgent food when I’m watching football, I also like to balance things out with not so indulgent food. Salads aren’t typical Super Bowl or football watching food but I can guarantee you that if you are entertaining or just hanging out at home, this Apple, Celery and Walnut Salad will be much appreciated by those who are working hard at keeping that healthy balance this time of year. I find that I’m usually the salad maker and bringer when it comes to parties or get togethers, are you surprised?

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Last fall, shortly after my baby was born, a friend of mine brought me some lunch. She brought a salad, some apple chips and a bowl of pumpkin soup. That pumpkin soup seriously rocked my world! It was made with ‘real’ pumpkin, not from canned pumpkin (I’m not knocking canned pumpkin – I use it all the time – but what a difference!) and it was pureed and topped with a drizzle of roasted pumpkin oil. So gourmet! (and incredibly thoughtful because let’s face it, lunch like that wasn’t happening very often during those early baby days!)

(bringing food to a mom of a newborn – best thing ever!!)

I remember feeling so healthy after eating that soup, knowing it was just a bowl of pure goodness. Normally I prefer chunky soups but for some reason, a squash soup like that pumpkin soup or this Slow Cooker Curried Butternut Squash Soup is just perfect pureed smooth.

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This post is sponsored by Fisher Nuts.

Well friends, I’ve jumped on the rotisserie chicken bandwagon, if there is even such a thing. I have never been a big purchaser of rotisserie chicken, only because I’ve always been too lazy to deal with all the bones and such, but I guess you can say my perspective has changed.

Having a freshly precooked chicken available to me is definitely convenient and a huge time saver. The last few weeks I’ve been picking up a chilled rotisserie from the deli and making chicken salad with it. Lots of chicken salad. It’s been nice…real nice. A great change up in the sandwich category in our house. 🙂

I’m excited to share today’s recipe with you because it’s the first of several recipes that I will be working on with Fisher Nuts. You may recall I worked with Fisher Nuts last year and shared this Autumn Spinach Salad with Pecan Vinaigrette, these Gingerbread Spiced Nuts, and this Honey Nut Cocoa Crunch Granola with you all.

Nuts are a staple in my kitchen so it’s a no brainer when it comes to developing recipes featuring them. Fisher Nuts are preservative free and can pretty much be found everywhere. Follow the hashtag #ThinkFisher on social media for more recipes!

This salad was inspired by a chicken salad I used to always buy at my local grocery store deli that was made with tarragon and sliced almonds. I was obsessed with this chicken salad for years and lived off of it back in my post college days. I would purchase a container of it along with some fresh crusty bread and wine and that would be my dinner in front of the television after a long day at work.

I’m happy that I’m finally making my own version of it, even if it is 15+ years later….better late than never! I added some extra crunch and seasonal flavor by including chopped Granny Smith apples to the salad. I love apples in the fall, especially in salads.

This rotisserie chicken salad with apples recipe is perfect to serve while watching an afternoon football game this fall. It’s light and can be made ahead which is always a good thing. Prepare your chicken salad ahead of time then just assemble into sandwiches using small crusty mulitgrain rolls from the bakery and some fresh arugula. Or you can always turn it into a light weeknight dinner during the busy school year.

Of course it would be great in lunch boxes too. 🙂

Enjoy this Rotisserie Chicken Salad with Apples and Almonds recipe and hope everyone is having a great week!

If you’re looking for more ideas with what to do with your rotisserie chicken here are 20 healthy recipes using shredded chicken to help you out!

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I don’t know about you but when I start to crave salad I get kind of obsessed about it. I like my salads heavy on the veggies, fruits and nuts and light on the “other” stuff. I’m a bit of a salad purist I guess you can say, sometimes simple is just best in my opinion.

We ended up at Panera and enjoyed our lunch outside by their fountain.  You really can’t beat Panera’s salads as far as freshness and quality go. You already know how I feel about their bread and sandwiches, but just so you know, their salads are pretty much at the top of the list too, especially when I’m looking for something healthy when I’m eating or taking out.

I ordered the Fuji Apple Chicken Salad and my little one had herself a sandwich with yogurt. This was my first time ordering this salad at Panera and ohmygoodness it was so good. I loved everything about it..but especially the apple chips and vinaigrette. Everything was very fresh and tasted great. I’m not a big chicken eater but I did taste it for fun and gave the rest to my little girl who gobbled it up in minutes. I think the chicken might have been her favorite part of her lunch, she kept asking for more (and actually still is, lol). I was pretty happy to read on the menu that the chicken used at Panera is all natural and antibiotic free. That’s always a good thing.

I found it pretty interesting to learn more about the chefs and what goes into creating the recipes at Panera. These guys really care about how their food tastes and it shows.  You can find a couple of quick videos for you to watch featuring Panera’s Head Baker Tom and Head Chef Dan and their inspiration and passion for food. Hey Dan, Can I come work for you? Thanks. (Nothing personal Tom, but I’m just not a great baker. Unless you want to teach me…now that’s an idea!)

Tom and Dan Introduction

At the Farmer’s Market

“Our menu wasn’t developed in a test kitchen. It was inspired by the food.” (<<<< I love this!!)

If you are a Panera lover like I am visit them on Twitter: @panerabread and Facebook!

(Disclaimer:  Panera Bread provided me with compensation for writing this post. My opinions, however, are always my own.)

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So since our weather here in Florida has definitely warmed up, my salad cravings have just gotten a little more intense. I loved this Fuji Apple Chicken salad so much that I decided I needed to make my own version of it at home.  The salad base was simple…greens, sliced apples, cheddar cheese, red onion, grape tomatoes and toasted pecans. Make it your own by adding leftover grilled chicken, sliced hard boiled egg or maybe use spinach for the greens. The vinaigrette was bright and slightly sweet with the addition of apple juice, though you can always add a little honey if you like it sweeter.

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Apple, Nut & Cheese Salad with Apple Vinaigrette

• Author: Aggie's Kitchen
• Category: Salad

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Ingredients

For the Salad

• Greens (mixed greens, romaine, spinach)
• Sliced Apples (fuji or granny smith)
• Cheese (cubed cheddar or crumbled gorgonzola)
• Nuts (toasted pecans, almonds or walnuts)
• sliced red onion and tomatoes

For the Vinaigrette

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons apple juice
• 1 teaspoon minced shallot (or sweet onion)
• 1 teaspoon minced apple
• salt and pepper

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Instructions

1. Combine ingredients in jar or container and shake well. Adjust to taste (I don’t like a lot of oil in my dressings, you may want to add more to your liking).

If you’re still craving salad after this, check out these great salad creations:

Cucumber Feta Salad – Two Peas and their Pod
Grilled Romaine with Blue Cheese Dressing – Mom’s Cooking Club
Chopped Broccoli Salad with Tahini Soy Dressing – Family Fresh Cooking
Blackened Fish Taco Salad with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette – Aggie’s Kitchen
Spinach Couscous Salad – Aggie’s Kitchen

Follow Aggie’s Kitchen’s board Salads on Pinterest.

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It’s not too late…to make this cranberry sauce! I promise.

It is wonderful..super fresh, tart but sweet.  I found the recipe for this Apple-Orange Cranberry Sauce last year on Williams Sonoma’s site.  I love that it has chunks of apples in it along with orange zest and juice.  And the best part is it will probably be the easiest thing you cook for Thanksgiving dinner.

Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!  I’m feeling super blessed and thankful for all the good things in my life…my wonderful husband and kids, our families, our friends and our health.  I’m also very thankful for all the wonderful opportunities that I have experienced this year thanks to this blog…I’m thankful for all of you who read it and who comment and who support me.  I’m thankful for all the great people I’ve met “virtually” and in person whether through blogging, Facebook or Twitter…

Life is Good. God Bless.

Future Food Blogger?  🙂

Apple-Orange Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 orange, zested and juiced
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
• 2 bags fresh cranberries (about 6 cups), rinsed
• 3 cups water
• 2 cups sugar (original recipe calls for 2 1/2 so if you adjust to your liking)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:

1. In a medium sauce pan, combine fresh squeezed orange juice, zest, apples, cranberries, water, sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a slow boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Gently stir occasionally, until cranberries "pop", apple softens and sauce thickens, about 10-15 minutes.
2. Let cool completely before serving. Makes a large batch, perfect for leftovers.

Over the years, I've started to reduce the sugar gradually. If you have a sweeter tooth, stick to the two cups. If you are looking to cut back, try with 1 cup of sugar and you can always add more.

To help with adding more natural sweetness, I like to include the squeezed halves of oranges and the apple cores to the cooking process and then remove.

Recipe adapted from Williams Sonoma

 

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