2.

garlic cloves garlic cloves, chopped

1.

small red small red bell pepper bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped

4.

corn muffins corn muffins, crumbled

1.

teaspoon teaspoon smoked paprika smoked paprika, palmful

2.

tablespoons chopped fresh tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves thyme leaves, from 4 to 5 sprigs

1.

pound pound green beans green beans, stem ends trimmed

A handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of the EVOO, twice around the pan. Add the chops and caramelize the meat for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the chops to a baking sheet and put in the oven to finish cooking through, 12 to 15 minutes. Add the butter to the same skillet and reduce the heat a bit. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk the wine into the pan and cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the preserves and 1 cup of the stock. Season with salt and pepper and let the gravy thicken over low heat.

Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with the remaining tablespoon of EVOO. When the oil smokes, add the linguica or chorizo and brown it for 2 minutes. Add the celery, onions, garlic, and bell peppers, and season them with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, then crumble the muffins into the skillet and combine with the vegetables. Dampen the stuffing with the remaining cup of stock and season with the paprika and thyme. Reduce the heat to low and keep the stuffing warm until it is ready to serve.

Heat 1 inch of water in a skillet and add salt and the beans. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the beans are tender, then drain.

Remove the meat from the oven and whisk the drippings into your gravy. Pile the stuffing on plates with the chops alongside and ladle the gravy over both. Scatter the parsley over the meat and stuffing. Serve with the green beans.

TIDBITRioja is a grape specific to Spain. Riojas come in both white and red and they are affordable. However, any dry red wine can be used. But since flavors get concentrated when wine is cooked, make sure the wine is one that you'd like to drink in a glass.EXPRESS LANE SHOPPING LIST - [image]4 thick boneless center-cut pork chops boneless center-cut pork chops, about 2 pounds total - [image]1 jar black cherry preserves black cherry preserves or all-fruit spread or all-fruit spread - [image] pound linguica linguica or chorizo or chorizo - [image]1 small red bell pepper bell pepper - [image]4 corn muffins corn muffins - [image]Fresh thyme thyme, 4 to 5 sprigs - [image]1 pound green beans green beans And make sure you have the following On Hand: - Salt and black pepper - EVOO - Butter - Flour - Dry red wine - Beef stock - Celery - Onion - Garlic - Smoked paprika - Flat-leaf parsley

Not-sagna Pasta Toss Easier than lasagna, because it's not not lasagna, this pasta, meat sauce, and ricotta toss-up is just as hearty and comforting as the layered Italian fave, but it's ready in a fraction of the time and with much less effort. Serve with a simple green salad dressed with oil and vinegar. lasagna, this pasta, meat sauce, and ricotta toss-up is just as hearty and comforting as the layered Italian fave, but it's ready in a fraction of the time and with much less effort. Serve with a simple green salad dressed with oil and vinegar.

4 SERVINGS.

Coarse salt

1.

pound curly pound curly short-cut pasta short-cut pasta, such as campanelle by Barilla, or cavatappi (hollow corkscrew pasta)

2.

tablespoons tablespoons EVOO EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil), twice around the pan (extra-virgin olive oil), twice around the pan

1.

pound pound ground sirloin ground sirloin

1.

medium medium onion onion, finely chopped

4.

garlic cloves garlic cloves, chopped .

teaspoon teaspoon red pepper flakes red pepper flakes (eyeball it in your palm) (eyeball it in your palm)

Black pepper .

teaspoon teaspoon ground allspice ground allspice (eyeball it in your palm) (eyeball it in your palm)

1.

teaspoon teaspoon Worcestershire sauce Worcestershire sauce .

cup cup dry red wine dry red wine, a couple of glugs .

cup cup beef stock beef stock

1.

28-ounce can 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes crushed tomatoes 1.

cups cups part-skim ricotta cheese part-skim ricotta cheese .

cup grated cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, a couple of handfuls, plus some to pass at the table cheese, a couple of handfuls, plus some to pass at the table

1.

cup fresh cup fresh basil basil, about 20 leaves

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water and cook the pasta to al dente. Heads up: you will need a ladle of the starchy cooking water to help form the sauce before you drain the pasta.

Heat a deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the EVOO, then the meat. Break it up into small bits and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the meat has good color to it. Add the onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes and season them with salt, pepper, the allspice, and the Worcestershire sauce. Cook for another 5 minutes, deglaze the meat and onions with the red wine, cook off a minute, then stir the stock into the meat. Stir in the tomatoes and bring it to a bubble. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 5 minutes.

Place the ricotta cheese in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Add a ladleful of boiling, starchy pasta water to the ricotta and stir to combine them. Add a couple of handfuls of grated Parm cheese to the ricotta and mix it in.

Drain the pasta. Toss the hot pasta with the cheeses. Add half of the thick meat sauce to the pasta bowl and toss again to combine. Tear or shred the basil and add it to the meat and pasta, then toss them again. Taste it to adjust the salt and pepper. Serve bowlfuls of Not-sagna with extra sauce on top and more grated Parm to pass at the table.

EXPRESS LANE SHOPPING LIST.

- [image]1 pound ground sirloin ground sirloin - [image]1 15-ounce container part-skim ricotta cheese part-skim ricotta cheese - [image]1 bunch fresh basil basil And make sure you have the following On Hand: - Coarse salt - Short-cut pasta - EVOO - Onion - Garlic - Red pepper flakes - Black pepper - Ground allspice - Worcestershire - Dry red wine - Beef stock - Canned crushed tomatoes - Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese