Banana Bread Brownies with Brown Butter Frosting

I always seem to have ripe bananas on hand. I wanted to go beyond the bread and muffins I usually make and this was perfect. These brownies were so moist and much more delicate than the usual pumpkin bars I make. I followed the recipe exactly, no need to change what's not broken. 

Just a tip though, make sure you have all the ingredients before you start browning the butter. Yeah, I didn't have close the amount of powdered sugar  I needed. Thankfully, Casey's had a box, and it was only $2 more than if I had been prepared and bought it from Fareway. Ugh. 

So, I had these delicious brownies made. A huge 15x10 pan of them. Mom's Morning Out was the next day, I thought I would bring some to share. And then we get a blizzard?! Yes, no school the next day, no MMO, and a pan of brownies staring at me, all day.
I apologize to all my MMO friends for the brownies you never got to eat. I promise I will make it up to you!
Here's the recipe so you can try them out:
Banana Bread Brownies with Brown Butter Frosting

***It's a great tongue twister for the kids. You want another brownie? Say it three times fast!

Pork Chops with Balsamic Maple Glaze & Honey Roasted Red Potatoes

I am apologizing in advance for the bad photo. I think I've said it before, I'm not a food photographer! I would love to learn some tips on how to take a decent photo - at night - in the kitchen. So far, I haven't figured it out. In spite of the bad photo, this was an excellent meal! Both were new recipes for me. I was looking for meal ideas using things I already had so I turned to trusty pinterest for some ideas. I came across this recipe for Pork Chops with Balsamic Maple Glaze and this is the picture I saw:

Now, who wouldn't want to eat that?! I modified her recipe quite a bit. I wanted to cook mine in the electric skillet and have the sauce a little thicker as it cooked. This is where I think my time in the kitchen is paying off. Here is my version:

Meat:

6 Center Cut Tenderloin Chops

Balsamic Glaze:

2/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1 2/3 cup chicken stock

4 Tbsp maple syrup

2 tsp mustard

4 cloves garlic, smashed

Dash each dried thyme and dried rosemary

Sprinkle of cornstarch

4 Tbsp butter

Bring all the ingredients (except butter) together to gentle simmer. Whisk to break down cornstarch. Let it thicken up slightly. Throw in cubes of cold butter and whisk-it will make the sauce nice and glossy. 

Heat skillet to 350 degrees with a splash of oil. Season the chops with salt and pepper and sear on each side. Pour sauce/glaze on top of chops, cover and cook for 2-3 hours. 

This is how mine turned out, but again not a representation of taste! They fell off the bone, they were so tender. All the kids loved it and Annaliese even wanted seconds, that doesn't happen very often. 

The potatoes on the side were a slightly altered version from Allrecipes.com. This is the original recipe for the Honey Roasted Red Potatoes.  Here is my version:

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds red potatoes quartered

1/2 onion, diced

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

2 Tbsp. honey

1 tsp. cayenne

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line an jelly roll pan with foil, coat with non-stick spray.

Mix all ingredients in large mixing bowl.  Spoon onto pan in an even layer. 

Bake one hour, stirring halfway through cooking. 

***These chops are going into our freezer meal rotation. I make the sauce up ahead of time, place the chops and sauce in a freezer bag. After they have thawed, you can cook in either a slow-cooker or oven. 

***If anyone wants to throw out some photography tips, I might be able to provide compensation with food?!!! Think about it!