So DAD GANSIE and my mom go to this hotel piano bar every Friday night.  Nicky plays the keyboard and sings duets with other patrons.  Mostly songs from the 40s and 50s, I think.  My dad brings bags and bags of candy to give to all the older ladies and my mom hides in embarrassment.  My parents have become close with the regulars, including Nicky and his wife, Julie.

Julie cooks!  And Julie enters tons of cooking contests.  I forget how much she’s won, but I think it’s impressive.  She’s in another contest now – “Cooking with Smithfield” and DAD GANSIE asks that the ES community vote for Julie’s Chile-Cheese Stuffed Pork Chops with Ginger-Jalepeno Glaze.

So, listed to DAD GANSIE and go vote for Julie.  After the jump is her take on this crazy sounding glaze.

from: Julie
to: gansie
subject: from Julie (friend of your dad & mom)

Your dad asked me to email you about the recipe I have on the Smithfield website that I was asking for votes for (how’s that sentence for an English major?)  Anyway, he said you liked the sound of the glaze & wanted to know how I came up with the recipe.

Actually, I created that glaze probably about 10 years ago & used it with chicken.  Someone who tasted it said I should bottle it.  So I’ve always kept it in mind for future use.  When this recipe contest came along, I decided to stay with the Southwestern (pepper jelly) theme & stuffed the pork with the chiles & cheese.  The sauce is great with it.  Basically, that’s it.

(On the pepper jelly…)  There’s green & red.  The red is hot (but not overly so) and has a wonderful flavor.  It’s usually just called “jalapeno pepper jelly.”  It’s a clear jelly.

And if anyone is inclined to give me a vote, the link is below and my recipe is:
Chile-Cheese Stuffed Pork Chops with Ginger-Jalapeno Glaze.

http://smithfield.com/member_recipes/contest_finalists

Thanks (your mom & dad are THE BEST)

Julie