I grew up in a kosher-style home and, though my love for prosciutto and lobster grew with age outside of the house, I rarely had the chance to cook pork and shellfish myself. Labor Day posed the perfect opportunity in my own (non-kosher) home to test the ultimate flavor-packed protein: pork chops. We succeeded without needing to fire up the oven or the grill. All we needed were a piping hot cast iron skillet, extra garlic, and a generous pinch of red pepper flakes. The outcome, paired with baked spaghetti squash with grated pecorino and French green beans, was unimaginably satisfying. If I hadn’t yet stolen Alex’s heart, Monday eve on the patio sealed the deal.

This boneless pork chop recipe is seasonally adaptive, allowing the heat and flavors to travel from summer to fall with comfort and creativity. If you aren’t a pork person, sub for filet or chicken. I hope you love this one!

Makes 2 servings

1 tablespoon canola oil
2 pork chops, about 1-inch thick
Sea salt and black pepper
1/2 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1. Take pork chops out of refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Sprinkle both sides with sea salt and black pepper.

2. Heat cast iron skillet with canola oil over medium high heat. Add pork to pan and leave, uninterrupted, for four minutes on each side. Then, add butter to pan and, once melted, use a spoon to pour over pork. Flip after 1 minute and repeat. Remove pork chops from pan and allow to rest on cutting board for 10 minutes.

3. Return the skillet back to the stove and turn heat to medium. Add garlic to existing butter/oil mixture and, when garlic is fragrant, add shallots and red pepper flakes. Continue to cook and stir until onions caramelize, approximately 10 minutes.

4. Add pork chops back to skillet and top each chop with shallots and garlic. Serve warm or at room temperature.

The post Roasted Pork Chops with Shallots + Garlic appeared first on Caramelized.

Perhaps it’s the “back to school” mantra surrounding my social media and shopping encounters; but lately, I’ve been on the hunt to find snacks that are both work- and school-friendly and, more importantly, diet-friendly.

Whole Foods’ snack aisles inspired my latest three snack recipes that, at first glace, seem super simple — as they should be. Guilt-free and nutritious (under 200 calories!), these bites bring satisfaction, color and crunch to a tedious task list on the job.

What’s your favorite snack for mid-day work dining or after school breaks? Share in the comments!

Almond Butter and Dried Cherry Toast

• 1 slice whole grain toast
• 1 teaspoon all-natural almond butter
• 1 teaspoon dried cherries
• 1/2 teaspoon shredded coconut

Toast slice of bread. Top with almond butter while still warm. Sprinkle cherries and coconut.

Beet Chips with Avocado Dip

• 1/4 cup beet chips
• 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• Pinch of sea salt

Combine yogurt, lime, avocado and lime in a food processor until smooth. Serve with chips.

Elvis Protein Smoothie

• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 tablespoon almond butter
• 1 small banana, frozen
• 1 teaspoon raw honey
• 1 tablespoon vanilla protein powder, optional

Blend all ingredients until well-combined and smooth. Serve chilled.

This post is brought to you by Whole Foods Germantown. Thank you for being supportive of my sponsors!

The post Healthy Snacking Habits appeared first on Caramelized.

For the first taste of the Cara + Alex wedding brand, our save-the-date mailings needed a detailed differentiator. Traditionally received as a basic reminder–wedding couple, date and location–our version begged for creativity and clean, sophisticated production to set the stage for our March affair.

I’m lucky to spend my days alongside a team of brilliant creatives at DCA, a Memphis-based creative communications consulting firm. They’ve treated my and Alex’s wedding as a formal client with brand attributes and applications; and the save the date mailer and wedding website were the first steps of the process. Pairing DCA’s design with The Stovall Collection’s talented production team was a match made in heaven. Stovall’s copper foil and embossment expertise marked the best introduction for our out-of-town wedding guests.

We needed a Caramelized touch to the trusted package, of course; so a candied dates recipe was featured to help “save the dates.” I hope you’ll try it out!

Makes 24 dates

1 lb. (about 2 dozen) pitted medjool dates
½ cup raw walnuts, halved
1 cup unrefined organic cane sugar
¼ cup water

1. Make small length-wise cut in each date and insert walnut half.

2. Lightly brush each date in water.

3. Roll dates in sugar individually until well coated, then place on parchment paper.

4. When dry, dates can be stored in muslin bag or airtight container.

The post Dates to Save appeared first on Caramelized.

Hang up the bunting banner, stock up the bar cart, and send out your invitations. It’s party time.

My fiancé and my childhood best friend were both celebrating birthdays just days apart, so I took charge to host our friends for bourbon drinks and sophisticated (and very simple) snacks.

I began with a quick farmers market grab of sunflowers and a trip to Miss Cordelia’s for cheese, charcuterie and other appetizer ingredients. Though the presentation might have made this look like an all-day labor, the assembly was absolutely easy. Keep scrolling for step-by-step creations to throw together a cocktail party in a matter of minutes!

The hors d’oeuvres…

Mozz pops

1. Take a package of mini fresh mozzarella balls, rinse in water and pat dry.
2. Place each mozzarella ball on a mini party skewer.
3. Place store-bought or homemade basil pesto in a dipping bowl.
4. Serve on a slate tray with even ends of mozzarella bites

Cheese + charcuterie

1. Place mini plates of brie, goat, and gouda on a large cutting board.
2. Add a side of honey or grain mustard.
3. Accompany cheese wheels with cheese knives.
4. Fan charcuterie (I like soppressata) and fig grain crackers around the cheese.

Pork belly and peach flatbread pizza

1. Prepare pork belly the morning of the party.
2. Thirty minutes before guests arrive, top store-bought flatbread crusts with all recipe toppings.
3. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.
4. Allow to cool slightly before slicing in squares to serve.

Homemade guac with fresh cilantro and heirloom tomatoes

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