Recipes

Recipes

Marinaded Pork Chops
Roasted Corn Salad
Stuffed Peppers
Roasted Eggplant Lasagna
Roasted Asparagus Prosciutto and Egg
Salmon with Brown Sugar Glaze
Rustic Chicken and Dumplings
German Potato Salad
Chicken Thighs with Lemon Garlic Olives
Grilled Chicken Salad with Seasonal Fruit

Marinaded Pork Chops

(from July/August Real Notes 2025)

Total Time: 6 hrs 10 min | Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 2 large pork chops
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme or to taste
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon mesquite-flavored seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Gather all ingredients.
2. Place pork chops on a flat work surface. Slice horizontally through the middle without cutting all the way through. Open like a book.
3. Whisk all marinade ingredients together; pour into a large resealable bag.
4. Add pork chops, coat well, squeeze out air, seal, and refrigerate 6–8 hours.
5. Preheat grill to medium-high, lightly oil grate. Remove chops from marinade, discard excess.
6. Grill until browned and slightly pink in center, ~8 min per side (145°F internal). Rest 5 min before serving.

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Roasted Corn Salad

(from July/August Real Notes 2023)

Ingredients

• 8 ears fresh corn in husks
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 limes, juiced
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce

Directions

1. Soak corn in water at least 15 min.
2. Preheat grill to high. Remove silks but leave husks.
3. Grill corn 20 min, turning occasionally. Cool, remove husks.
4. Cut kernels from cob; mix with peppers and onion.
5. Blend cilantro, oil, garlic, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, and hot sauce until smooth; stir into corn mixture.

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Stuffed Peppers

(from July/August Real Notes 2022)

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup uncooked Arborio rice
• 2 green bell peppers, halved and seeded
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pinch ground black pepper
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease baking sheet.
2. Boil water, add rice, simmer 20 min. Remove from heat.
3. Roast peppers cut-side down 25–30 min.
4. Sauté onions, basil, seasoning, salt, pepper in oil 2–3 min. Add tomato, cook 5 min. Stir in rice, heat through, mix in feta, fill peppers.
5. Bake 5 min more. Serve immediately.

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Roasted Eggplant Lasagna

(from September/October Real Notes 2021)

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 (16 oz) container ricotta cheese
• 2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
• 1 egg
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 sprigs oregano, chopped
• 3 sprigs thyme, chopped
• 10 grinds black pepper
• 2 1/2 cups tomato sauce
• 1 (10 oz) frozen spinach, thawed & drained
• 6 slices part-skim mozzarella

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Salt eggplant, let sit 20 min, rinse, pat dry, brush with oil.
2. Roast eggplant 10–15 min per side until tender. Reduce oven to 350°F.
3. Mix ricotta, Italian blend, egg, garlic, herbs, and pepper.
4. In foil-lined 9-inch pan, layer sauce, half eggplant, spinach, ricotta mix, sauce, remaining eggplant, spinach, ricotta, sauce. Top with mozzarella.
5. Bake covered 30 min. Uncover and bake 5–10 min more until bubbly and browned.

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Roasted Asparagus Prosciutto and Egg

(from May/June Real Notes 2021)

Ingredients

• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 oz minced prosciutto
• Black pepper
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• Pinch salt
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 lemon, zested & juiced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Drizzle asparagus with oil in baking dish.
2. Sauté prosciutto in oil 3–4 min; sprinkle over asparagus with pepper. Roast 10 min, toss, roast 5 min more.
3. Poach eggs in simmering water with vinegar and salt 4–6 min. Drain on towel.
4. Drizzle asparagus with lemon juice, top with egg, sprinkle zest and pepper. Serve.

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Salmon with Brown Sugar Glaze

(from May/June 2014 Real Notes)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 4 (6 oz) boneless salmon fillets
• Salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat broiler, set rack 6 inches from heat. Spray broiler pan.
2. Season salmon with salt and pepper, place on pan.
3. Mix brown sugar and mustard; spread over salmon.
4. Broil 10–15 min until fish flakes easily.

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1. Season chicken pieces all over with the Morton’s seasoning blend.

2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add chicken pieces, skin sides down, and cook until golden brown, 6-8 minutes.  Turn chicken pieces and brown again, 6 to 8 minutes more.

3. Add broth and water; bring to a boil over high heat.  Add onion, poultry seasoning, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper.  Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 20 minutes.  Add carrots and celery.  Leaving pot partially covered, continue simmering over low heat until vegetables are almost tender, about 20 minutes.  Add carrots and celery.  Leaving pot partially covered, continue simmering over low heat until vegetables are almost tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, sift flour, baking powder, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a large bowl.  In a separate medium bowl, whisk together egg and buttermilk.
5. Cut chilled butter into dry mixture using a pastry cutter or tow forks.  Blend well to a crumbly consistency.  Add buttermilk mixture and gently sir with a wooden spoon until combined.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
6. Turn out dough onto a floured surface.  Using your hands, pat dough to approximately 1 inch thickness and gently fold outer edges into center.  Continue to gently fold, do no knead, until it comes together.  Pat dough out again to approximately 1 inch thickness.
7. Remove cooked chicken from Dutch oven (170 degrees) and put it on a plate.  Cover with foil to keep warm.  Skim fat from the broth.  Bring broth to gentle boil over medium high heat.
8. Using a knife, cut dough into 9 (2x2 inch) squares.  Gently drop each square, one at a time, into boiling broth.  Lower heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until all dumplings rise to top and a toothpick inserted in center come out clean, about 10 minutes.  Return chicken to pot and simmer an additional 5 minutes.  
9. Spoon chicken and dumplings into bowls and garish with parsley.

 

1. Gather all ingredients.
2. Place potatoes in a large pot and add water to cover by at least 1 to 2 inches; bring to a boil.  Cook until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes.  Drain, and set aside to cool.
3. While the potatoes area cooking, place bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.  Fry until browned and crisp, 10-12 minutes, turning as needed.  Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and crumble when cool enough to handle.  Leave bacon grease in the skillet.
4. Cook onion in the bacon grease over medium heat until browned, 6-9 minutes.  Add vinegar, sugar, water, salt, and pepper to the pan and bring to a boil.
5. Once boiling, add potatoes, and 1.2 of the crumbled bacon. 
Cook until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Transfer warm potato sald to a serving dish and sprinkle remaing crumbled bacon over top.  Garnish with parsley and serve warm.



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1. Gather all ingredients.
2. Place potatoes in a large pot and add water to cover by at least 1 to 2 inches; bring to a boil.  Cook until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes.  Drain, and set aside to cool.
3. While the potatoes area cooking, place bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat.  Fry until browned and crisp, 10-12 minutes, turning as needed.  Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and crumble when cool enough to handle.  Leave bacon grease in the skillet.
4. Cook onion in the bacon grease over medium heat until browned, 6-9 minutes.  Add vinegar, sugar, water, salt, and pepper to the pan and bring to a boil.
5. Once boiling, add potatoes, and 1.2 of the crumbled bacon. 
Cook until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Transfer warm potato sald to a serving dish and sprinkle remaing crumbled bacon over top.  Garnish with parsley and serve warm.



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1. Preheat the grill to high heat.  Lightly oil the grill grate.
2. Grill chicken until juices run clear, about 8 minutes per side.  Remove from heat, cool, and slice.  Set aside
3. Meanwhile, place pecans in a dry skillet over medium high heat.  Cook pecans, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 8 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.
4. To make the dressing:  combine red wine vinegar, sugar, vegetable oil, onion, mustard, salt, and pepper in a blender.  Process until smooth.
5. Arrange lettuce on serving plates.  Top with grilled chicken slices, strawberries, and pecan.  Drizzle with dressing to serve.

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