Ritz Cracker Crumb Pork Chops

They’re not just for snacking—Ritz crackers go in casseroles, main courses, appetizers, side dishes and even desserts! Everybody loves Ritz, and even more when they’re on pork chops.

Breading is an essential ingredient in so many recipes. Turns out that many pantry staples (including crackers, chips, and other dried goods) can be used as a breading. All it takes is crushing up some crackers to get the same effect as your usual breadcrumbs and you may even find that you like some of these swaps better than the real thing! Ritz Crackers make a great substitute for traditional breadcrumbs. 

Why use breading? Firstly, there’s the elements of taste and texture. Seasoned breading on a chicken or pork cutlet, for instance, helps encrust the meat in more flavor. It also adds a bit of texture and along with a good blend of spices, a humble pork chop becomes amazing!

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Ritz Cracker Crumb Pork Chops
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Instructions
  1. In a small dish, combine spices. Mince onion (chopping by hand).
  2. Empty 1 1/4 sleeves of crackers into a large zip-lock bag. Crush crackers finely until you have a uniform size. Add seasoning mixture & onions to the bag & toss well to incorporate.
  3. Create a breading station for pork chops. One dish with flour, one with the beaten egg & one with the cracker crumb breading.
  4. Dip one of the chops into the flour & flip it over a couple of times . Coat all sides of the pork chop well with a thin layer of flour. Dip the flour coated chop into the egg, coating all sides.
  5. Lastly, dip coated chop into cracker crumb breading mixture. Press the crumb mixture onto the pork chop with your hand to ensure it is coated well. Lie breaded pork chop onto a platter. repeat this process for the rest of the pork chops.
  6. Place breaded chops in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. This will help the batter adhere to the chops better.
  7. Heat a griddle to a medium-low heat & spray griddle with cooking spray. Grill chops on both sides until cooked through & nicely browned. Serve with pork gravy if desired.

Ham & Cheese Cornbread Roll

If you like corn, chances are you are also a big fan of cornbread in its many interesting forms. I used to think that cornbread was so good it didn’t need anything extra thrown in the ‘mix’.

Cornbread appeals to all of our senses, a pop and sizzle as batter pours onto a hot griddle, the earthy fragrance that fills the kitchen when its baking. Then there’s the taste …. !! We love what makes us feel good, especially comfort foods that are warm, simple and delicious.

The beauty of cornbread is that it can take on so many different flavors. It can be sweet, savory or as spicy as you would like. Thanks to its simplicity, there are very few food items it wouldn’t pair with, so the limits to cornbread-based culinary creations are endless.

While this isn’t necessarily your classic cornbread it makes a very interesting meal served with a baked potato and some Parmesan zucchini fries.

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Ham & Cheese Cornbread Roll
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Instructions
Cornbread Roll
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a 15 X 10 X 1-inch jelly-roll pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar & baking powder; set aside. With a hand mixer, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff but not dry. Alternately fold in cornmeal mixture & oil; fold in cheddar cheese saving some to sprinkle on top of roll before placing in the oven.
  3. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan & bake for 5-6 minutes (top should spring back when lightly touched with finger; do NOT over bake). Remove from oven & turn bread onto a towel that has been lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Remove & discard parchment paper. Starting at narrow end, roll bread with towel; set on a wire rack & allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Filling
  1. In a small bowl, mash together butter, mustard, onion & Worcestershire sauce until combined & thick. Unroll bread, remove towel & top with ham slices; spread filling mixture over ham & sprinkle with shredded Swiss cheese. Reroll bread & place, seam side down on lined jelly roll pan. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese & bake until cheese is melted, about 5-6 minutes.

German Schupfnudeln – Potato Finger Noodles

I treasure these old recipes, such precious pieces of German history that have been passed down for generations. Researching food history is a subject I will probably never stop enjoying.

In the 17th century when the potato first came to Europe and Germany, people started developing the recipe for these potato finger noodles with the use of a ‘potato ricer’. The name schupfnudeln  combines the cooking technique with their appearance. Traditionally, given their distinctive ovoid shape through hand rolling. The noodles are a nice alternative to pasta, rice or regular potatoes. There is no universal recipe for this dish, as there are many different regional versions on how to prepare them. The dough is kneaded then rolled into a long, thin cylinder. This roll is cut into pieces about half an inch in width then rolled into the typical shape. Afterwards they are cooked in salted boiling water and lightly pan fried.

Schupfnudeln are made and eaten all over southern Germany. As well as being served in restaurants, you will find them in the Christmas markets and at beer festivals. Whether served sweet or savory, it is necessary that the comparatively flavorless noodles incorporate the flavor of other ingredients. I find them a great compliment to German cabbage rolls or kohlrouladen.


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German Schupfnudeln - Potato Finger Noodles

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Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine German

Servings
noodles


Ingredients

Course Lunch, Main Dish
Cuisine German

Servings
noodles


Ingredients

Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!


Instructions
  1. Previous Day - boil potatoes with skins on in salted water until tender, 35 - 40 minutes. Peel potatoes & either pass through a ricer or grate on a fine grater. Your end result should yield 3 1/2 cups of mashed potatoes. Refrigerate overnight.

  2. In a small bowl, whisk egg together with onion; stir into potatoes. Sprinkle in the flour, salt & pepper, mixing to form a dough. Turn dough onto floured surface & knead for about a minute. Dough should be fairly soft. Roll dough into a long noodle. Divide into 5 even pieces, cut each piece into eights, then pinch each piece in half giving you 80 noodles.

  3. With floured hands, roll each piece into a 4-inch noodle with the middle a little thicker than the ends. Boil noodles for a few minutes before frying. In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add noodles in batches so they are not crowded & saute until all sides are nicely browned. Transfer the noodles to a paper-lined plate to drain off any excess butter.