Fresh ideas for dinner

By Staff
Ask Mr. Food
Mealtime made easy! Mr. Food shares his top picks for a well-stocked pantry.
Meal kits – paired with fresh meat, it's easy to create hearty, complete meals in no time
Canned fruits and veggies are a quick way to balance the meal
Canned meats – tuna and chicken are a great addition to packaged salad mixes
Spices – nothing makes a meal "your own" like your favorite combination of spices
Salsas, chutneys, oils and sauces add a taste of the exotic with Mexican-, Indian- and Asian-inspired condiments
Ever think about your refrigerator and pantry as your mealtime solution center? When planning a meal, people first consider what meat they have in the fridge, followed by what they have available in the pantry*.
Additionally, Americans are looking for more variety in their meat choices. A recent USDA study revealed that 60 percent of consumers have pork on hand as an alternative to beef or chicken. Quick to fix, pork offers a variety of ways in which to prepare a delicious meal in no time. In the skillet, boneless chops are the perfect choice. In the oven, tenderloins are ideal when seasoned or marinated and baked.
Mild in flavor, pork is complemented by a variety of tastes both sweet and savory. Paired with products from the pantry, such as prepackaged meal kits, rice and pasta mixes and any number of spices, sauces and chutneys, pork offers a wide range of tastes your family will love. And you'll love the preparation ease it provides that allows you to spend less time fixing dinner and more time enjoying it.
*Survey conducted for Hamburger Helper by RoperASW.
For additional quick-fix meal ideas, visit DinnerMadeEasy.com.
For more pork preparation ideas, go to otherwhitemeat.com.
Stuffed Pork Chops With
Loaded Mashed Potatoes
1 package Pork Helper Oven Favorites
breaded pork chops &mashed potatoes
2 cups hot water
2/3 cup milk
3 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
8 medium green onions, sliced (1/2 cup)
1 package sliced mushrooms (8 ounces)
4 boneless pork chops (about 1 to 1 1/4 pounds)
1 cup hot water
Heat oven to 400¡F. Stir dry potatoes and seasoning,
2 cups hot water, the milk and melted margarine in
1 1/2-quart ungreased casserole until well blended. Stir in sour cream, cheese, red pepper, green onions and mushrooms.
Grease 13×9-inch pan. Cut 3-inch pocket in each
pork chop, cutting lengthwise. Place pork chops in pan. Sprinkle one-fourth (about 2 tablespoons) of the bread crumb Topping on pork chops; press firmly. Turn pork chops over and sprinkle with remaining topping. Spoon about 2 tablespoons potato mixture into each pocket.
Secure pockets with toothpicks.
Place both pan of pork chops and casserole of potatoes in oven. Bake uncovered 27 to 33 minutes until pork chops are no longer pink in center or until thermometer reads 160¡F. Gradually stir 1 cup hot water into Gravy Mix, using wire whisk or fork, until blended. Serve with potatoes and pork chops.
4 servings.
Pork Chops and Stuffing Bake
4 boneless pork chops (about 1 to 1 1/4 pounds)
4 slices process Swiss cheese
1 package Pork Helper pork chops &stuffing
1 jar (4.5 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
1 1/2 cups hot water
1/2 cup hot water
2 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
Heat oven to 375¡F. Place pork chops in ungreased
13×9-inch baking dish; cover with cheese slices.
Sprinkle with stuffing and mushrooms.
Stir together 1 1/2 cups hot water and the seasoning; pour over stuffing. Stir 1/2 cup hot water and the gravy mix with wire whisk until smooth; pour over mixture in dish. Drizzle with melted margarine.
Cover and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until top is golden brown and juice of pork is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut or until thermometer reads 160¡F. 4 servings.
Peppered Pork Tenderloin
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound)
2 teaspoons lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
(cayenne) or pepper blend
seasoning
Heat oven to 425¡F.
Rub entire surface of tenderloin with
both peppers. Place in un-greased shallow
11×7-inch roasting pan.
Roast uncovered 15 to 20 minutes until
top is golden brown and juice of pork is
no longer pink when centers of thickest
pieces are cut or until thermometer reads
160¡F. Let stand 5 minutes. 4 servings.
Asian-Style Pork and Vegetables
1 tablespoon sesame oil or vegetable oil
1 pound boneless pork chops, cut into 1-inch
pieces
1 medium onion (such as Walla Walla or
Spanish), sliced
2 1/4 cups hot water
1 package Pork Helper pork fried rice
1 bag (1 pound) frozen stir-fry vegetables
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1/4 cup cashews or peanuts, broken, if desired
Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over high heat. Cook pork and onion in oil 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pork turns white and onions begin to soften.
Stir in hot water, uncooked rice and seasoning. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes. While mixture is cooking, run cold water over vegetables to thaw.
Stir vegetables and peanut butter into rice mixture; cook 3 to 5 minutes longer or until hot. Sprinkle with cashews.
6 servings.