Sound of Music Dinner

Door Bells and Sleigh Bells and Schnitzel with noodles....These are a few of my favorite things!!

I call this our Sound of Music Dinner!

I have wanted to make this dish for a very long time.  It was worth the wait!  The Pork Schnitzel could be made any day of the week with numerous accompaniments.  The Baked Apples with Smoke Applewood Bacon, same scenario, loads of meal options since it is so quick and easy.  The Spaetzle; well, I could just pull up a chair to the entire dish and eat it all by myself.  That's right, I wouldn't tell a soul and I wouldn't even feel bad about it.

Crispy & Savory Pork Schnitzel



Pork Schnitzel adapted from Tyler Florence

The Chef In My Head

4 boneless pork loin chops (about 5 to 6 ounces each)

1 1/2 C  flour

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp Tony's Seasoning

2 large eggs

1/2 C milk

4 cups dried bread crumbs 

2 T olive oil

2 T butter

1 sprig thyme

Lemon wedges

Directions:

Begin by placing each chop between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and gently pounding them out with the flat side of a meat tenderizer until they are about 1/4 inch thick

Put the flour in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. Whisk the eggs and milk in another shallow dish and season with salt, pepper and Tony's. Put the bread crumbs in a third dish and again season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge each piece of pork in flour, then in the egg and finally into the bread crumbs, pressing the bread crumbs onto the pork gently so they have a nice even coating.

Refrigerate cutlets, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes to allow the coating to dry out a little and adhere to the pork.

Heat oil and butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the thyme sprig and let it fry for about 1 minute to infuse the oil. Remove the thyme sprig and reserve. Gently lay the cutlets into the pan and cook until golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to paper towels to drain. Season with salt and transfer to a serving platter while still hot. Garnish with lemon wedges and the fried thyme sprig before serving.

4 Servings

Whole grain mustard makes this flavorful and delicious Spaetzle

Mushroom and Mustard Spaetzle adapted from Tyler Florence

The Chef In My Head

Ingredients:

Spaetzle, recipe follows

4 T. butter

2 T. olive oil, plus more

2 sprigs fresh thyme

3/4 pounds button mushrooms, quartered

3/4 pounds shitake mushrooms, rough chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 C. heavy whipping cream

2 T. whole grain mustard

2 T. chives, minced

Directions

Add 2 tablespoons of butter and the oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cooked spaetzle and saute until slightly browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan to a serving platter and set aside while you cook the mushrooms. Set the skillet back over high heat and add a little more olive oil and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the thyme, mushrooms and garlic and saute until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the cream and mustard and stir well. Reduce the mixture until the sauce is nice and thick, about 3 minutes. Fold in the spaetzle. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with chives and serve alongside the pork schnitzel, if desired.

Spaetzle:

1 C flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

2  eggs

1/4 C milk

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg-milk mixture. Gradually draw in the flour from the sides and combine well; the dough should be smooth and thick. Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot, over medium heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer. To form the spaetzle, hold a large holed colander or slotted spoon over the simmering water and push the dough through the holes with a spatula or spoon. Do this in batches so you don't overcrowd the pot. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the spaetzle floats to the surface, stirring gently to prevent sticking. Drain the spaetzle in a colander and give it a quick rinse with cool water. This can be made up to 1 hour in advance.

Delicious! Serves 4 to 6

Baked Apples with Applewood Smoked Bacon

Baked Apples with Applewood Smoked Bacon adapted from Tyler Florence

The Chef In My Head

Ingredients:

12 strips applewood smoked bacon

4 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme

3 medium Golden Delicious apples

olive oil

2 T. superfine sugar

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Arrange the bacon on a sheet tray, sprinkle with some of the thyme and bake until crispy, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Slice the apples horizontally to create 5 to 6 cross sections of the apple. On a separate sheet tray lined with a silpat or parchment paper lay the apples out in a single layer and drizzle with a little olive oil. Sprinkle a little sugar and thyme on each slice then bake in the oven until the apples begin to dehydrate and sugar has melted and caramelized, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Do not overcook.

To serve, lay the apple and bacon slices, alternating, in a long overlapping line on a serving platter. Or, break the bacon pieces in half and reassemble the apple slices back together, placing crispy bacon pieces in between each slice. Garnish with thyme sprigs if desired. 

Yummy!  Bacon taste like candy with these delicious roasted apple slices.

Serves 4.