Meal of the Day: Carolina Country Style Ribs.

Times:
15 minutes prep, 60 minutes cook

Ingredients:

1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 cup water, cold
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons molasses, OR 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Cooking Directions:

Place ribs in a large bowl or resealable plastic bag, set aside. In 4-cup glass measure, stir together vinegar, water, oil, molasses, salt, red pepper flakes and cayenne pepper until salt is dissolved. Remove 1/2 cup marinade; set aside. Add remaining marinade to ribs; seal bag and marinate for 4 - 6 hours in the refrigerator. Remove ribs from marinade; discard marinade.

Prepare medium-hot fire; grill ribs over indirect heat for 50 to 60 minutes or until pork is tender and the internal temperature reaches 160º F. Baste ribs twice with reserved sauce mixture during last 15 minutes of grilling.
(Serves 6)

Serving Suggestions:

Give a vinegar-based sauce a try with these hearty ribs. Serve with hush puppies, corn on the cob, baked beans, and your favorite cornbread.

Nutrition:

Calories: 198 calories
Protein: 14 grams
Fat: 14 grams
Sodium: 355 milligrams
Cholesterol: 51 milligrams
Saturated Fat: 5 grams
Carbohydrates: 2 grams
Fiber: 0 grams

Random Cooking Tip

For marinated pork chops, put pork in a self-sealing bag with marinade in the refrigerator first thing in the morning. By suppertime, pork chops can be removed from marinade -dispose of used marinade- and ready to grill.

Meal of the Day: Barbecue Pork Skillet.

Times:

5 minutes prep, 10 minutes cook

Ingredients:

4 pork chops, 3/4-inch thick
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup Italian dressing
1/4 cup barbecue sauce

Cooking Directions:

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat and brown chops about 1 minute on each side. Add remaining ingredients to pan, stirring to blend. Cover and simmer for 5-8 minutes until internal temperature on a thermometer reads 160 degrees F.

(Serves 4)

Serving Suggestions:

This is a quick way to serve up tangy barbecue flavor in a hurry from your stovetop. Serve these saucy chops with warm dinner rolls and Citrus Slaw.

Nutrition:

Calories: 180 calories
Protein: 25 grams
Fat: 7 grams
Sodium: 430 milligrams
Cholesterol: 60 milligrams
Saturated Fat: 3 grams
Carbohydrates: 3 grams

Meal of the Day: Italian-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin.

Times:

15 minutes prep, 30 minutes cook

Ingredients:

2 pork tenderloins, about 1 pound each
2 tablespoons butter
1 8-oz carton fresh mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
1 6-oz package long-grain and wild rice mix, cooked according to package directions and cooled
1 cup pecans, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 10-oz container Alfredo sauce, refrigerated
3 tablespoons Chardonnay, OR other dry white wine

Cooking Directions:

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut lengthwise slit in each pork tenderloin, cutting to but not through the other side. Set pork aside. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and green onions; cook until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in cooked long grain and wild rice mix, pecans and parsley. Set aside 3/4 cup of the rice mixture. Spoon remaining rice mixture into 1 1/2-quart casserole; cover and set aside. Divide 3/4 cup rice mixture between slits in pork tenderloins, spreading evenly in slits. Close slits; secure with toothpicks.

Stir together Italian seasoning and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over top of pork tenderloins. Place pork tenderloins on rack in shallow roasting pan.
Roast tenderloins, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes until internal temperature is 160 degrees F. Bake casserole of rice mixture alongside tenderloins. Meanwhile, for sauce, combine Alfredo sauce and Chardonnay in medium saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until bubbly. To serve, spoon rice mixture onto serving platter. Remove toothpicks from tenderloins. Cut pork tenderloins into 1-inch-thick pieces; arrange on rice mixture on platter. Serve sauce with pork and rice mixture.

(Serves 6 - 8)

Nutrition:

Calories: 579 calories
Protein: 39 grams
Fat: 31 grams
Sodium: 1141 milligrams
Cholesterol: 117 milligrams
Saturated Fat: 10 grams
Carbohydrates: 34 grams
Fiber: 3 grams

Meal of the Day: Lemon-Pepper Pork Cutlets.

Times:

15 minutes prep, 10 minutes cook

Ingredients:

4 pork chops, boneless, 1/2-inch thick (about 12 ounces total)
1 tablespoon lemon peel, grated (about 1 lemon)
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh

Cooking Directions:

Place each chop between two pieces of plastic wrap; flatten to 1/4-inch thickness. Stir together lemon peel, sugar, pepper and salt in small bowl; rub mixture on both sides of cutlets. Coat cutlets in flour; shake off excess flour.

Heat butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brown cutlets quickly, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Remove from skillet and keep warm.

Pour drippings from skillet; discard drippings. Wipe skillet with paper towels. Add cream and lemon juice to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat until cream is reduced by one-half. Pour cream sauce over cutlets.

(Serves 4)

Serving Suggestions:

Turn ordinary pork cutlets into a company-special entrée by using freshly grated peel and pepper as a delicious, easy rub. Then top with a creamy lemony sauce for the finishing touch. Serve with steamed asparagus and wild rice pilaf

Nutrition:

Calories: 301 calories
Protein: 21 grams
Fat: 22 grams
Sodium: 539 milligrams
Cholesterol: 110 milligrams
Saturated Fat: 12 grams
Carbohydrates: 9 grams
Fiber: 0 grams

Meal of the Day: Barbecue Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp With Basil Stuffing.

Times:

25 minutes prep, 15 minutes cook

Ingredients:

32 fresh shrimp in shells, OR frozen shrimp

Basil Stuffing:

16 slices bacon, cut in half
32 leaves basil, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 - 1 cup bottled barbecue sauce

Cooking Directions:

Thaw shrimp, if frozen. Remove shells from shrimp, leaving tails. Butterfly each shrimp by cutting a slit along its back; remove vein. Rinse shrimp and pat dry with paper towels.

For stuffing, combine basil, Parmesan cheese, and garlic in small bowl. Place stuffing in slits. Leaving tail exposed, wrap each shrimp with half-slice of bacon, tucking in ends.

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Place shrimp on baking sheet with tails pointing up. Bake until shrimp turn opaque, about 14 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Dip shrimp into barbecue sauce and place on grill until sauce caramelizes or return to baking sheet and bake until sauce is caramelized, about 3 minutes.

Serves 6 (appetizer).

Serving Suggestions:

Company coming? Don't just throw another shrimp on the barbe' ... fix these succulent shrimp appetizers that Chris Lilly, pitmaster at Big Bob Gibson's in Birmingham, Alabama, developed and sampled on the Today show.

Nutrition:

Calories: 155 calories
Protein: 12 grams
Fat: 9 grams
Sodium: 601 milligrams
Cholesterol: 72 milligrams
Saturated Fat: 3 grams
Carbohydrates: 5 grams
Fiber: 1 grams

Recipe courtesy of Chris Lilly at Bib Bob Gibson's www.bigbobgibson.com

Meal of the Day: Ham and Cheese Muffins.

Times:

10 minutes prep, 20 minutes cook

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
8 ounces ham steak, boneless, diced
1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, grated

Cooking Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour 12 regular muffin tins. In a large bowl stir together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Whisk together the egg, buttermilk and oil in a small bowl. Stir in the ham and cheese. Using a rubber spatula, stir the egg mixture into the dry ingredients just until combined. Do not overmix. Spoon into each of the prepared muffin tins approximately 3/4 full. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from muffin tin and let cool.

(Makes 12)

-Bacon and Cheese Muffins: Substitute 6 slices bacon, diced and panbroiled, for ham.

-Sausage and Cheese Muffins: Substitute 8 ounces pork sausage, cooked, crumbled and drained, for ham.

Serving Suggestions:

These savory muffins are fun for kids to make—and they’re great for breakfast, in a lunchbox or as an after-school snack. Try one of the variations: Bacon and Cheese or Sausage and Cheese.

Nutrition:

Calories: 230 calories
Protein: 14 grams
Fat: 12 grams
Sodium: 750 milligrams
Cholesterol: 50 milligrams
Saturated Fat: 4 grams
Carbohydrates: 17 grams
Fiber: 0 grams

Meal of the Day: Bacon-Wrapped Pork Chops With Seasoned Butter.

Times:

10 minutes prep, 15 minutes cook
Ingredients Icon
Ingredients:
4 6-7-ounce boneless pork loin chops, 1 1/4-inch thick
4 slices bacon, thick-cut
Garlic-Mustard Butter

Cooking Directions:
Dry the chops with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Wrap a strip of bacon around each one, securing with a toothpick. Cook as directly below to medium doneness. *Remove toothpick; serve chops with Garlic-Mustard Butter.

Broil: Broil 4 inches from heat source, 6-7 minutes. Turn and continue broiling to desired doneness, approximately 5-6 minutes until internal temperature on a thermometer reads 160 degreesPanbroil: Heat grill pan over high heat; add chops, lower heat to medium-high and cook for 6-7 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn and continue cooking for about 5-6 minutes until internal temperature on a thermometer reads 160 degrees F.
Grill: Prepare medium-hot fire in grill; grill chops over direct heat for 6-7 minutes; turn and grill 5-6 minutes until internal temperature on a thermometer reads 160 degrees F.

(Serves 4)

Serving Suggestions:
Move over, filet mignon! These mighty bacon-wrapped chops have the taste territory covered! Top with Garlic-Mustard Butter. Serve with baked potato and steamed broccoli.