Grand Prize Recipe: Autumn Pork Supper

We received hundreds of terrific entries in our Family Meal Recipe Contest this past Fall, but one entry stood out above the rest- the Autumn Pork Supper submitted by Alisa Brubaker of Peoria, IL. Alisa's recipe wowed us not only for its harmonious blend of multiple flavors, but also for the detailed and complete manner in which it was presented. Better still, she didn't stop with just the entrée: Alisa also included ideas for two complementing sides, either of which pairs beautifully with her delicious main course. We hope you'll try this recipe at home, and start thinking now about your own entry for next year's contest!

Apple-Cabbage Mixture

1 large cabbage, about 10 cups, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

2 apples, cored and cut in eighths

salt and pepper

Pork Chops

6 loin pork chops, ½ to ¾" thick

3 tablespoons oil and butter combination

½ cup apple cider or juice

2 tablespoons brandy (optional)

salt and pepper

Topping

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons bread crumbs

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup heated cider or light cream

Directions

1. Bring 2" of water to boil in a large pot. Cook cabbage about 3 minutes, then drain.
2. In a large skillet, melt butter. Saute onion and garlic over low heat, stirring until translucent, not brown. Add apples and cabbage, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir for another 3 minutes. Set aside in bowl.
3. Pat pork chops dry with paper towel. Season with salt and pepper.
4. In the same skillet used for the apple-cabbage mixture, heat the oil and butter. When hot, add chops and brown for a few minutes on each side. Remove and set aside.
5. Add cider and brandy to deglaze pan. Boil rapidly and reduce liquid by half.
6. Pour this liquid over the apple-cabbage mixture. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
7. Use a covered, heavy, oven dish, large enough to hold a single layer of 3 chops. Spread 1/3 of the apple-cabbage mixture in the bottom of the dish, then layer 3 chops, then a second layer of apple-cabbage mixture, then a second layer of chops. Finish with a layer of apple-cabbage mixture.
8. Lay bay leaf on top and sprinkle on breadcrumbs and cheese. Pour heated cider or cream over all.
9. Bake covered, for about 35 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Preparation time; 45 minutes

Baking time: 40 minutes

Alisa's Recommended Side Dishes

Rosemary Garlic Potatoes

1. Cube red potatoes into medium sized cubes.
2. Place potatoes in plastic bag and add fresh garlic (minced), olive oil, a touch of melted butter, 2 pinches of Rosemary, salt and pepper. Shake bag thoroughly to mix ingredients.
3. Place in covered pan or spread on baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees F for approximately 40-50 minutes.

Sweet Potato Cubes

1. Peel and cube sweet potato into medium sized cubes.
2. Place cubed sweet potato in a plastic bag with olive oil and sea salt. Shake bag thoroughly to mix ingredients.
3. Spread on baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees F for approximately 40-50 minutes.

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Additional Family Recipe Contest Recipes:

Bird's Nest(One-Pan Stir-Fry) | Cornish Hens | Sour Cream Coffeecake

Bird's Nest (One-Pan Stir-Fry)

Submitted by Olga V. Cresswell of St. Louis, MO

Ingredients

1 lb. Schnucks small red potatoes (do not peel)

6 oz. Schnucks ham, cubed

4 oz. Schnucks cheddar cheese, grated

½ small yellow onion, chopped finely

4-6 Schnucks medium eggs (1 for each family member)

1 tablespoon of Schnucks butter

1½ teaspoons of salt

½ teaspoon of black pepper

½ teaspoon of coriander (ground)

2.8 oz. can of Schnucks French fried onions

Directions

1. Cook potatoes (with skins on) in a large stockpot with 1 teaspoon of salt for 17 minutes. Drain, cool and cut into medium sized cubes.
2. In a 12" non-stick fry pan (on medium heat setting), melt butter and lightly brown onions for 3-4 minutes.
3. Add black pepper, coriander and ham to pan and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes.
4. Add cubed potatoes and ½ tsp of salt, and stir-fry (lower heat to low-warm setting) for another 3-4 minutes.
5. Create 4-6 pockets in the center of the pan big enough to hold each egg. Carefully break 1 egg into each pocket.
6. Sprinkle cheese and fried onions all over the top. Cover pan with lid and cook for 8-10 minutes. Check the eggs to make sure they pouched before you turn off the heat.
7. Allow stir-fry to stand for 5 minutes (covered) before serving.

Yield: 5+ servings

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Cornish Hens

Submitted by Nancy Wicks of Brentwood, MO

Ingredients

4 hens (approx. 1½ lbs.)

12 oz. jar of orange marmalade

12 oz. barbeque sauce

½ stick of margarine

Raisins to taste (¼ to ½ cup)

Directions

1. Clean hens; season with salt and place in roasting pan.
2. In a separate saucepan, mix together marmalade, barbeque sauce & margarine. Heat until margarine is melted and all ingredients are well blended.
3. Sprinkle raisins over hens, followed by the sauce mixture.
4. Bake at 325-350 degrees F for 2 hours, basting every 15 minutes.
5. Serve with white rice and green vegetables.

Yield: 6-8 servings

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Sour Cream Coffeecake

Submitted by Amy Whisnant of Springfield, IL

Grease and flour angel food cake pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Batter Ingredients

2 sticks of butter

1 teaspoon of vanilla

2 cups of sugar

2 cups of sifted flour

2 eggs

1 teaspoon of baking powder

8 oz. tub of sour cream (1 cup)

¼ teaspoon of salt

Topping Ingredients

3 tablespoons of dark brown sugar

½ teaspoon of cinnamon

½ cup walnuts, chopped

(Use an electric mixer on low speed to perform the following steps)

Directions

1. Cream butter and sugar together
2. Add eggs and vanilla
3. Sift flour, salt and baking powder
4. Add ⅔ of dry ingredients, slowly
5. Fold in ½ of sour cream
6. Add remaining ⅓ of dry ingredients and fold in remaining ½ cup of sour cream
7. Mix on low speed to remove lumps
8. Spoon ½ of batter into pan
9. Cover with ½ or more topping mix and repeat with remaining batter and topping
10. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes (optimal baking time is 58 minutes).
11. Cool completely 1 hour before removing from pan

Additional Winning Recipes | Grand Prize Recipe