Bacon Wrapped Grilled Pork Loin Chops with Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

It’s starting to get warm enough outside that you can stand to be outside, and that makes me start thinking about grilling out. The cold never use to bother me, I would grill out in the middle of a blizzard, and I wouldn’t care. Now the older I get, the more I hate to be out in the cold. The other night it was so nice out I decided to fire up the grill for the first time this year. I didn’t have any steak, but I had some really nice pork loin chops. I wrapped them in bacon, then gave them a really nice sear on both sides, and cooked them through. I used the sauce from my first post as a garnish. As for an accouterment, I decided on these rosemary roasted potatoes. The recipe came from “The Essence of Contemporary Italian Cooking” cookbook that my lovely wife got me for my birthday. They turned out wonderful, and was a good complement to this fine meal. Give these a try, they are a simple way to change up ordinary potatoes.

2 pounds small potatoes washed and cut into chunks, peals on.
4 TBS extra virgin olive oil
2 TBS fresh rosemary leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
Course sea salt

Preheat the oven 375, line a large sheet pan with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Toss the potatoes with 2 TBS of the olive oil. Spread them evenly on the sheet pan, and bake, turning occasionally until golden brown on the outside, and tender on the inside, about 30 Min. Remove the sheet pan, and drizzle remaining olive oil over the potatoes. Sprinkle the sea salt and the rosemary/garlic mixture, and toss together until the seasoning is warmed through, serve immediately.

Chicken Fried Steak

I made this dish a few nights ago, and as soon as I plated it there was no doubt in my mind I was going to blog it. This is a recipe I make once in a great while, and every time I do, I ask myself why I don’t make it more often. This is so rich, and savory. Every bite melts in your mouth, and you get just a little bit of heat right at the end. I love that. If you like authentic southern style comfort food you will love this dish Buon appetito!





8 slices of bacon chopped
2 cup plus 1 ½ TBS flour
2 to 3 cups buttermilk
1 large egg
2 to 3 cups whole milk
Four 6 oz cube steaks
Vegetable oil for frying
½ cup onion.
Salt
Fresh cracked pepper
Paprika
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Cayenne pepper


In a bowl whisk together buttermilk, egg, salt and pepper. In another bowl combine flour and ¼ tsp each of salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. In a sauté pan render bacon down until crispy. Remove and let dry on a paper towel. Add onion to pan with rendered bacon fat, and sauté until translucent. Add 1 ½ TBS flour and make a roué. Whisk in milk, and add ¾ of the bacon back to the pan. Bring to a simmer until thick. Meanwhile heat oil in another sauté pan. Dip cube steak in buttermilk, and then dip in flour mixture. Next dip steak back into buttermilk, and back in flour mixture. Place in hot oil and fry until golden brown and nice crust forms. Serve steak over a bead of mashed potatoes, and spoon gravy over the entire dish, and garnish with remaining bacon bits.