Apple Caramel Pork Chops

4 (3/4 inch) thick pork chops
1 1/2 - 2 cups apple juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Sauce:
4 tablespoons brown sugar
dash of salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tart apples - peeled, cored and sliced

Marinate pork chops in apple juice and soy overnight. Place oil in skillet and sear all sides of the pork chops at high heat. Place chops in a square glass dish, and add the marinade. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until chops are done (depends on the thickness of the chops). While they cook, melt butter in skillet, and stir in brown sugar, salt and pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg, then the apples. Cover and cook until apples are just tender. Remove apples with a slotted spoon and arrange on top of chops. Keep chops and apples warm in oven (set to warm or 175). Continue cooking sauce uncovered in skillet, until thickened slightly. Spoon sauce over apples and chops.
We like to eat these with yams.

Recipe adapted from a recipe on allrecipes.com

Strawberry Glazed Chicken

2-3 chicken breasts, sliced
1/4 cup strawberry jam
1/4 cup water
1 avocado, sliced
sliced strawberries
hot rice

Sauce:
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 tsp honey
1 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
10-15 strawberries, mashed

Cook chicken in jam and water on the stove, covered (Best if done over a lower heat). Surround a pile of rice with the sliced strawberries. Top the rice with the chicken slices, followed by the avocado, and then top with the sauce. For the flavors to work well together, each bite should include rice, fresh strawberry, avocado, chicken, and the sauce.

Orange Chicken Salad

3-4 Chicken Breasts
Fresh Spinach (Can use other lettuce, but not iceburg)
1 can mandarin oranges
Craisins

Marinade: (mix well)
1 tsp orange zest
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp honey
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika

Dressing: (mix well prior to serving)
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup red wine (or white wine) vinegar
2 Tbsp garlic herb seasoning
3/4 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp olive oil

Marinade chicken overnight. Cook in marinade at 350 until chicken is done. Slice chicken into strips. Place chicken on a bed of spinach (or lettuce). Top with mandarin oranges, craisins and the dressing.

Recipe adapted from several recipes found on allrecipes.com

Twice Baked Potatoes

4-6 Potatoes
4 oz Cream Cheese, cubed
1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded (divided)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks green onion, chopped
Cooked Bacon, crispy and chopped (about 3/4 of a 16 oz package

Bake pototes in the oven. Cut potatoes in half and carefully remove the insides of the potatoes making sure to leave the skins intact. Mash potatoes as you normally like to, and then mix in the cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese, and garlic. Use this mixture to stuff the skins of the potatoes. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese, followed by the bacon. Reheat these in the oven until cheese is melted and potatoes are warm. Sprinkle the chopped green onion, and serve.

Strawberry Shortcake

2 c flour
3 tbs sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c cold butter or margarine
2/3 c milk
1 box strawberries
1/2 c sugar
whipped cream or whipped topping

Preheat oven to 425 and grease 8-inch round cake pan. In medium bowl, combine flour, 3 tbs sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk just until it forms a soft dough that leaves side of bowl. Knead dough on floured surface 10 times, then pat evenly into cake pan. Sprinkle with 1 tbs sugar and bake about 20 minutes until golden.

Meanwhile, wash and cut up strawberries and toss with 1/2 c sugar until sugar is dissolved. When cake is done and cooled, cut it in half horizontally.

Layer half of strawberries and some whipped cream between cake layers, then replace cake top and cover with the rest of the berries, some more cream, and a few berries on top as a garnish.

(adapted from The Good Housekeeping Cookbook)