Using fewer ingredients still offers delicious taste and nutrition

Many of you have asked for recipes with a limited number of ingredients. When checking out my database, a number of cookbooks and even those online, I’ve found that five ingredients seem to be the magic number.
By using what is in your pantry (and just a few additional items), you can keep dinner simple and affordable and just as healthy and delicious. These recipes all use minimal ingredients, not counting salt, pepper, various herbs and seasonings and a liquid, yet still offer wonderful taste and good nutrition.

Pork Roast with Honey Mustard Sauce
A boneless pork roast is seasoned to perfection with garlic, onions, apples and honey mustard in your slow cooker and served with a thick, creamy honey mustard-garlic sauce.
1 boneless pork roast (2-3 pounds)
1 onion, chopped
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thickly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup honey mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup water
Season pork roast with salt, pepper and thyme. Place in a 4-6-quart crockpot and spread honey mustard over the roast. Place onions and garlic on top of roast; add chicken broth. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours.
Remove roast and cover with foil to keep warm. Combine cornstarch and water in small bowl and mix well. Add juices and cooked onions and garlic from crockpot to a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until mixture boils. Add cornstarch mixture and stir until thickened. Season to taste. Serve pork roast with sauce. Makes 6-8 servings.

Artichoke Salad
This salad is really simple, using only three ingredients. I like to add a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil over the salad just before serving.
1/2 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
8 oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts
1/2 cup chopped unsalted pistachios
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook green beans in boiling salted water, uncovered, for about 5 minutes, or until crisp tender. Drain into colander and immediately run cold water over the beans. Drain artichokes, reserving liquid. Coarsely chop artichoke hearts. Combine beans, artichokes and nuts in a medium bowl and toss gently. Cover and chill for 2 hours before serving. Makes 4 servings.

Spinach Quesadillas
Try various flavored tortillas and different cheeses (like Havarti or Gruyere) for a new taste.
16 oz. bag fresh cut leaf spinach
2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
8 plain or flavored flour tortillas
Rinse spinach and place in a microwavable container. Microwave for three minutes; the spinach will have softened and shrunk to half its size. Place spinach in a colander and press out any excess moisture.
Place four tortillas on a flat surface. Sprinkle half of the cheese on them, then all the spinach, and then the remaining cheese. Top each with another tortilla and press gently.
Heat each quesadilla in a non-stick skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side until cheese melts and tortillas are crisp; press gently with spatula as they cook. Cut each quesadilla into six wedges. Makes 8-10 servings.

Braised Pork Chops with Pears
Anjou pears add a distinct flavor to this savory pork chop dish, which is braised in beer.
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 center-cut, bone-in pork chops
2 Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
1 can/bottle (12-oz.) dark beer
1 tsp. dried sage
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork chops with salt and pepper and sear until lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer chops to a plate. Drain all but one tablespoon pork fat from pan. Add pears and sauté over medium-high heat about 5 minutes, or until golden. Transfer pears to plate with pork chops.
Add beer and sage to the pan and using a wooden spatula, scrape up caramelized bits from the pan. Add chops and pears and reduce heat to a simmer, cover skillet with lid; and braise until chops are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Remove chops and pears from pan. Remove any fat from liquid, increase heat to medium, and cook until sauce is reduced by half. Serve pork chops topped with pears and sauce. Makes 4 servings.

Grilled Greek Chicken
Chicken breasts, red wine vinaigrette, oregano, tomatoes and feta cheese make for a delicious Greek-inspired grilled chicken dinner.
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Red wine vinaigrette
Chopped fresh oregano
4 small heirloom tomatoes, halved
2 oz. feta cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Marinate chicken breasts in a mixture of one cup red wine vinaigrette, 1/4 cup fresh oregano and 1/2 teaspoon salt for 1 hour. Remove chicken from marinade and grill over medium-high heat, turning once, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Keep warm.
Toss tomatoes with two tablespoons red wine vinaigrette in a medium bowl; salt and pepper to taste. Lower grill temperature to medium and sear tomatoes, cut sides down, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Return tomatoes to bowl and toss with some fresh oregano. Slice chicken and transfer to a platter. Spoon tomatoes alongside chicken and crumble feta cheese and additional fresh oregano over tomatoes. Makes 4 servings.

Onion Custard
This savory onion custard seasoned with herbes de Provence uses only five ingredients.
2 Tbsps. butter
2 cups yellow onions, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. herbes de Provence
4 egg yolks
1-1/2 cups half-and-half
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Melt butter in a medium skillet; add onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in herbes de Provence, salt and pepper; cook for another minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Using a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks with cream, and then stir in onion mixture. Divide evenly among six four-ounce ramekins. Place ramekins in a large baking pan with two-inch sides and fill halfway up the sides with boiling water; transfer to oven. Bake until custards are set, about 30 minutes. Serve custards warm. Makes 6 servings.