Pork Steaks Braised in White Wine

1 tsp. dried sage leaves, crumbled
1 tsp. dried rosemary leaves, crushed
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. salt
fresh ground pepper
2 center-cut loin pork chops
2 Tbs unsalted butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup dry white wine

In a small bowl, combine sage, rosemary, garlic, salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Mix into a paste. Press small amounts of mixture firmly onto both sides of each steak and let sit for at least five minutes (I rubbed the marinade on the steaks in the morning and let them sit all day, covered in the fridge).

In a heavy skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil over moderate heat. Place the steaks in the hot oil and butter and brown for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Use tongs to turn the meat. You don't want to pierce the meat with a fork. You will loose the natural juices. Add all but a small portion of wine to the skillet. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the steaks 15-20 minutes (depending on thickness), turning occasionally. When chops are tender, remove from pan to serving platter. Add the remaining wine to the skillet and again deglaze the pan. Pour sauce over chops and serve.

Review - These were really good. The original recipe called for pork chops, but I had pork steaks in the freezer, so that's what I used. The garlic can be increased by a lot. Isn't that true of almost all recipes?

Product Review: We are big garlic lovers in this house. I have to plug my newest kitchen gadget that was a Christmas gift from my dad: the Kuhn-Rikon Epicurian Garlic Press. This thing is amazing! You don't even have to peel the cloves, just pop them in and squeeze. It's a breeze to clean too. It has a lifetime warranty, so you'll never need to buy another garlic press. Ok, my PSA is over.

Chile Verde

4 lbs. chuck roast or pork shoulder/butt
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 small onion, diced
10 tomatillos
1 (4-ounce) can diced chilies
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. sage
1 Tbsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Trim fat from roast and place in stoneware. Add diced bell pepper and onion. Finely dice tomatillos or use food processor and pulse. Add chilies and tomatoes to slow cooker. Add garlic and seasonings. Add cilantro to the top of the meat. If your slow cooker releases a lot of steam, place a layer of foil over the top and then cover with the lid. Cook overnight on low, 8-10 hours. Shred with a fork. Let sit on low/warm all day so the meat absorbs the juices. Serve with tortillas, rice, pepper jack cheese, and sour cream.

Review - Really good! Definitely cook over night. You'll wake up to a kitchen that smells wonderful. The meat was very flavorful and was incredibly tender and juicy.

Pork Steaks with Brown Sugar Apples

4 pork steaks (1/2- 3/4 in. thick)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp. chopped sage

2 red apples, sliced

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp. butter

Place pork, oil, vinegar, and sage in shallow dish and set aside. To make the apples, press slices into brown sugar. Place butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and cook apples for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden and soft. Set aside and keep warm. Place a frying pan over high heat. Drain the pork and cook for 3-5 minutes each side or to your liking. To serve, place pork on plate with apple slices and steamed green vegetables. Serves 4.

Review - The flavor of the marinade was wonderfully simple. When I make this again, I think I'm going to double the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and let it reduce to make a sauce (thanks for the tip Lisa). Jay wasn't crazy about the apples, but he's not a big fan of any fruit/meat combo. I thought apples and pork were customary everywhere, but I guess not if you're from Texas. Josie took a few bites of the pork. I served with polenta and peas. I liked the alliterative quality: pork, polenta, and peas.