4 bone-in center-cut pork chops, each about 1 in. thick (about 2 1/4 lbs. total)
1/4 pound thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-in. slices
2 cups shredded green cabbage
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or cider vinegar
1. Combine fennel seeds, 1 tsp. caraway seeds, salt, and pepper in a mortar (see Notes) and coarsely crush with pestle. Sprinkle mixture over pork chops and set chops aside.
2. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, cook bacon until browned and crisp, about 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
3. Add pork chops to pan and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides and cooked through (cut into center to check), about 8 minutes total. Transfer pork chops to a rimmed plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
4. Add cabbage to pan and cook, stirring frequently, until cabbage is wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds, the vinegar, and bacon; cook 2 minutes.
5. Pile cabbage on a platter and arrange pork chops on top. Pour on any accumulated pork juices and serve immediately.
Notes: If you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you can crush your spices by whirling them in a spice grinder or a clean coffee grinder.
1 16-oz can or jar of sauerkraut
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup peeled and chopped apple
10 juniper berries, cracked
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
Place sauerkraut in a pot. Add wine, onion, apple, juniper berries, salt, pepper and oil. Add enough water to cover the sauerkraut. Bring to a simmer and let simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until the onions are soft.
This chili recipe is better when you cook it the day before and let it refrigerate overnight.
Ingredients
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 Teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 7 Tablespoons chili powder
• 2 Teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 15 to 16oz can of red kidney beans (drained)
• 1 15oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 15oz can tomato sauce
• 6 oz beer (1/2 can)
• 3 Tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Directions
Cook ground beef in olive oil with onion, garlic, salt and pepper until browned well in a large pot. Drain off fat. Add bell peppers, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder and jalapeno. Continue to cook on low heat for 5 minutes while stirring. After 5 minutes, add the remaining ingredients and gently bring to a boil. Allow to simmer for 25 minutes then turn off heat and allow to cool. Reheat when ready to eat. Serve with grated cheese, chopped onions, and cornbread.
Note: Reheat in Crock Pot and serve in your Crock Pot. Heat on low for 4 hours.
1 pound bacon
1/2 cup butter
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups sour cream
2 pounds fresh corn (or frozen corn, thawed)
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the bacon, then chop it into bite-size pieces and set it aside.
2. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, celery, and peppers until soft. Stir in the flour, then the sour cream, until well combined. Add the corn and most of the bacon bits and season with salt and pepper.
3. Pour the mixture into a 9- by 13-inch baking dish and sprinkle on the remaining bacon bits and the parsley. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until lightly browned. (Note: for a lower-fat version of this casserole, use half the bacon, butter, and flour). Serves 6 to 8.
2 cups canned pumpkin
3 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 tsp. ground cloves
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugar, water, vegetable oil and eggs. Beat until well mixed.
2. Measure the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, nutmeg and ground cloves into separate bowl, then stir until combined (a great job for kids). Slowly add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, beating until smooth.
3. Grease two 9- by 5-inch loaf pans and dust them with flour. Evenly divide the batter between the two pans. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Then remove from pans by inverting them onto a rack and tapping the bottoms. Slice and serve plain, buttered or with cream cheese.
Preheat your customers by rolling out the Red Carpet – look up when they approach, make eye contact, smile and be the first to speak. Use their name whenever possible. Have a real person answer your telephone. Behave like the King or Queen of First Impressions that you are and let that person know you are glad they came.
Serve a Singular Customer by giving the person in front of you your full attention. Hollywood stars are greeted by adoring fans, attended to by personal escorts, and their every whim is catered to. You can give your customers that kind of Personal Attention by listening well to their questions, owning their problems, and sticking with them until the question is answered or problem is resolved. If you pass them on to someone else who can better help, be sure to follow up!
Celebrities have people who take care of every little detail for them, so they can relax and do what they do best – entertain the rest of us! You can WOW your customers by thinking of every detail ahead of time. Anticipate each question or concern they might have and address it before they ask.
The Tom Hanks and Halle Berry’s of this world get preferential treatment wherever they go. Limo rides, the best seat in any restaurant, free gifts called SWAG! You can make your customer feel like a celebrity by giving them a little special treatment. When they mention they love to eat blood oranges – sneak a few into their hotel room. (Personally experienced by this “cook” at the Gaylord Opryland Resort).If you see an article they might enjoy, send it their way. Name your menu items after your regular customers. Do what you can to make them feel special.
A-list Celebrities have power – they have a voice in the projects they work on. They have influence – one word from Oprah and a book becomes a bestseller. (Oprah, can you hear me?) Add Star Power to your recipe by asking customers for their input and letting them influence the direction your business takes. You can do this by using blogs, twitter, customer surveys, focus groups, or good-old fashioned picking up the phone and talking to them one on one.
Add a dash of love for their entourage by having fun items for their children to play with available, providing treats for their pets, and being sure to address EACH person in the group with a friendly hello and a smile – not just the paying customer.
Remember the Wrap Around experience. Once your customer transaction is complete, send a thank you note or gift or call to ask for their feedback. Keep the relationship going and this customer will “feed” you for a long time to come.
Combine all these ingredients and you’ll have a very happy customer base, and a thriving business.
This guest post is a part of a blog tour for Donna’s book.
You can read more guests posts, interviews and excerpts by visiting the following blogs.
Dr. Sally Witt will conduct a book review on her blog.
Today you can read more about her book here:
Phil Gerbyshak / Make It Great who will run his own interview with Donna.
Becky Wyatt / Becky Wyatt Online where she will showcase Donna Cutting’s book.
Yesterday she visited:
Dr. Sally Witt will conduct a book review on her blog.
Spread 3 tablespoons cream cheese over each chicken piece.
Dot with butter and sprinkle with salt; roll up.
Wrap each with a bacon strip.
Place, seam side down, in a greased pan.
Bake, uncovered, at 400F for 35-40 minutes or until juices run clear.
Broil 6 inches from the heat for 5 minutes or until bacon is crisp.
If you are making these ahead for future use, freeze these uncooked on a cookie sheet in your freezer. When solid, wrap and put in a ziplock bag or vacuum seal desired quantities.
To cook from frozen state, thaw before cooking and follow directions above.
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
4 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
additional melted butter for brushing waffle iron
additional butter for serving with waffles
warm maple syrup
Pre-heat oven to 250?F and pre-heat waffle iron. Sift together flour, brown sugar, baking powder and soda, salt, and spices. Whisk eggs in a large bowl until blended, then whisk in milk, buttermilk, pumpkin, and butter until smooth. Whisk in dry ingredients just until smooth. Brush waffle iron lightly with melted butter and spoon batter into waffle iron according to manufacturer’s directions for quantity of batter. Cook according to manufacturer?s instructions. Transfer waffles to rack in oven to keep warm and crisp. Repeat until all batter is used. Transfer waffles to a large platter and serve with butter and warm maple syrup. Makes about 12 waffles.
1-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon rosemary
1-1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup melted butter
1 large egg
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease 12 regular-sized muffin cups or line with paper muffin cups.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and the herbs. Stir in cheese.
In another bowl, mix together the melted butter, egg and milk. Add to the flour mixture and stir together until all is moistened. Do not overmix. Batter will be a little lumpy.
Divide into 12 muffin cups. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, until muffins are golden and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove to a rack to cool or serve warm.
4 c. apples, peeled, diced
2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
2 eggs
½ c. oil
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
½ c. butter
1 (3 0z.) pkg. cream cheese
1 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
To prepare cake combine apples with flour; toss to coat. Ass remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Batter will be very stiff. Bake in greased 9×13-pan at 350 degrees 45 to 60 minutes.
Combine frosting ingredients and beat until smooth. Spread frosting over cooled cake.
