Bacon Wrapped Pork Chops with Whiskey Glaze, BLT Tomatoes, and Peanut Butter Cup Dessert Bars

Freezer meal time!  But this recipe has a kick – whiskey!  The glaze for the pork chops combines honey whiskey and olive oil.  Don’t be afraid to slather it on thick – it provides extra juice to the pork and add wonderful flavor.

Looking for a fun side dish?  Try BLT Tomatoes.  A cross between a stuffed red pepper and a BLT sandwich, this side dish has the combination of flavors everyone loves, just in a different vessel.  Be sure to drain the tomatoes as directed, or when you cut into your cooked BLT Tomato, a watery tomato juice will spill out.  It doesn’t affect the taste, but it won’t be very attractive.  A time-saving and money-saving tip:  Don't like the heels of a loaf of bread?  Or do you have leftover hotdog or hamburger buns? Did the hee of the french loaf not get eaten?  Don't throw these away. Instead, break up in large cubes and put into a freezer storage bag.  The next time you need breadcrumbs you can pulse them in a food processor.  Need croutons?  Toss with olive oil and spices and bake. 

Peanut Butter Cup Dessert Bars don’t take more than 10 minutes to prep and pour into the pan.  But, you may find that once your family sees them on the counter, after they come out of the oven, it won’t take more than 5 minutes to devour!

Bacon Wrapped Pork Chops with Whiskey Glaze

Serves 6

6 pork chops

6 strips of uncooked bacon

garlic salt

pepper or crushed peppercorns

Sauce: 

2-3 tablespoons honey
2 oz. whiskey
2 oz. olive oil

Rinse pork chops and pat dry with paper towel. Wrap bacon strip around chop and tie in loose knot (so it will stay) or fasten with toothpick. Sprinkle with garlic salt on each side. Sprinkle with pepper or crushed peppercorns on each side. Place in freezer bag.

Prepare sauce and place in separate bag.  Rubber band and freeze together.

Broil 6-7 minutes on one side.  Flip them over.  Broil 6-7 minutes on the other side.  Baste occasionally with sauce while cooking.Cooking Instructions:  Thaw completely.  Lay pork out on cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil or broiler pan.

BLT Tomatoes

Serves 4

4 large tomatoes

4 slices bacon

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup chopped iceberg lettuce

1/2 cup stale bread cubes, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Hollow out 4 tomatoes.   Season with salt and pepper and invert to drain.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet.  Add the minced garlic, sauté 1 minute.  Remove garlic and bacon from pan, chop bacon.  In a medium bowl, combine the chopped bacon, garlic chopped lettuce, bread cubes, and mayonnaise.  Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Stuff the mixture into the tomatoes.  Bake, uncovered 20 to 30 minutes.

Peanut Butter Cup Dessert Bars

Makes 20 bars

1 1/4 all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Cooking spray

4 (0.75-ounce) peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine flour and next 3 ingredients (through salt), stirring well with a whisk. Combine peanut butter and next 4 ingredients (through eggs), stirring well. Add peanut butter mixture to flour mixture; stir until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Scrape the batter into a 9-inch square metal baking pan lightly coated with cooking spray, and arrange the peanut butter cups over batter. Bake for 19 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool in pan on a wire rack.