Hi guys today I’m so excited to be participating in LongHorn Steakhouse’s Virtual ‘Steaksgiving’ Campaign. They challenged me to come up with an out of the ‘turkey’ box recipe for thanksgiving and I hope you guys love what I came up with as much as I did.

The LongHorn Steakhouse Experience
The folks at LongHorn Steakhouse were kind enough to pay for the hubster and I to have an amazing meal and it was nothing short of that: Amazing! If you have never tried out LongHorn Steakhouse I totally suggest you try them out. When we walked in the decor was very nice and the hosts and wait staff were attentive and superb. We went at lunch time and the lunch menu is huge! With the beautiful decor and the attention to detail I was really surprised that the menu was affordable for a steakhouse. It was really hard to chose but they had a special Fall into Flavor menu that we both chose from. I got the Harvest Mushroom Filet. From the first bite it was clear why LongHorn is known for their steaks. The bordelaise sauce was perfect, the steak was juicy and while I was excited about mushrooms, I was totally unprepared for the trio of Shiitake, Oyster and Cremini mushrooms. The levels of flavor from the different types of mushrooms was definitely something I will be back for again. I also had the the potato and leek au gratin with my steak and it was yummy as well, just the right mix of creamy with a bite. The Hubster had the Apple Cider Baby Back Ribs with the Steakhouse mac and cheese, well at least he tried to have it….I sampled quite a few of his ribs and immediately knew they would be the inspiration for my dish! That apple cider BBQ glaze was sweet and tangy perfection and paired with the creamy mac and cheese we had a lovely meal. Our meals both came salads and unlimited honey wheat bread so it was a very filling meal. I will definitely be back to LongHorn Steakhouse again for the food, the service and the price!
Visit LongHorn and Give Back
It’s also a great time for you to visit LongHorn because this week November 17-20th LongHorn is giving back to local food banks. Bring in a canned good donation and get a FREE dessert! I can’t think of a better way to give thanks during this thanksgiving season than to give back. So please head on out and support!
Apple Cider Balsamic Pork Chops Recipe
Now on to my recipe inspired by the ribs at LongHorn, I decided to do a yummy Apple Cider Balsamic Pork Chop Recipe! I had to add a bit of island flavor to my ‘steaksgiving’ dish, so I paired this with a potato and plantain mash and sauteed spinach. To help me prepare my dish I was also able to talk to LongHorn Executive Chef Michael Senich. While talking with him I totally understood why everything was so superb at LongHorn, he has so much experience and knowledge. He has cooked everywhere from hotels, country clubs to Disney! He was able to give me some great advice on my recipe and share with me more about LongHorn. Check out the video below to watch me create this dish!
Ingredients:
4 Thick Cut Pork Chops
Dry Rub:
Salt
Black Pepper
Cayenne
LongHorn Steakhouse Prairie Dust Seasoning
Sauce:
16oz/2 cups Apple Cider
3oz Balsamic Vinegar
Honey (to taste)
Directions
Season the pork chops with the dry rub. In saucepan over medium high heat add apple cider, when cider has reduced by half (about 20 minutes) add balsamic vinegar and cook another 5 mins or until sauce coats your spoon. Add honey to taste. Place pork chops on grill and cook about 7 mins per side, coat with apple cider balsamic sauce as needed. Serve with additional sauce.
Potato Plaintain Mash
4 large russet potatoes
3 ripe plaintains
1-2 cups Milk
1 stick Butter
Thai Sweet Chili Sauce to taste
Directions
Peel and cut potatoes and plantains into small pieces. Boil in salted water until tender. Mash with milk and butter. Add sweet chili sauce to taste.