Sunday, July 17, 2011

Smothered Pork Chops

Smothered Pork Chops

5 slices bacon, chopped
6 bone-in pork loin chops, about 3/4-inch thick
Salt and Pepper
2 yellow onions, peeled, halved and sliced into 1/2-inch thick half moons
1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

In a large skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until lightly browned, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels, leaving the drippings in the pan. If you have more than 2 tablespoons drippings, drain the excess. If you don’t have quite that much, supplement with canola oil. When the bacon is cool, transfer to a small bag or tupperware and refrigerate until later.

Heat the skillet with the drippings over medium or medium-high heat until rippling and hot. Meanwhile, pat pork chops dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook pork chops until they are golden brown on each side, about 2 minutes per side, cooking them in batches in the skillet if your skillet isn’t big enough to hold all six at a time in a single layer. When golden on each side, transfer the chops to the slow cooker and repeat with remaining pork.
Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of fat from the skillet; add onions, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup water to empty skillet. Using a wooden spoon, scrape browned bits from bottom of the pan and cook over medium-high heat until onions are soft, about 4-6 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour onion mixture over chops in the slow cooker. Add broth, soy sauce and remaining 1 tablespoon brown sugar to skillet, bring to a boil and add bay leaves. Pour mixture over onions in slow cooker.

Cover slow cooker and cook on low until pork is tender, about 8 hours (or cook on high for 4 hours).

When ready to serve, carefully transfer chops to serving platter with a large spoon and tent with foil. Discard bay leaves and pour liquid through a mesh strainer into a saucepan, reserving the solids. Transfer solids to a food processor or blender with 1 cup liquid and blend until smooth. Stir the blended mixture back into remaining liquid in the saucepan. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons water together in a small bowl and stir into sauce. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Stir in vinegar, season with salt and pepper, pour over chops and sprinkle with reserved bacon and parsley. Serve.

Review: Made as stated and it was GREAT! This was very tasty!

Pico De Gallo

Pico De Gallo

Ingredients
2 medium tomato, diced
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
4 sprigs fresh cilantro, finely chopped
3 green onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
Juice of one lime




Directions
1. In a medium bowl, combine tomato, onion, jalapeno pepper (to taste,) cilantro, garlic and green onion. Season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice of one lime over mixture Stir until evenly distributed. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Review: These measurements can be modified upon the spice that you prefer. The original recipe was adapted from allrecipes. This is great tasting and makes a great addition to an Mexican inspired dish.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos adapted from Real Mom Kitchen

•1 whple chicken
•1 onion, diced
•1 (16 oz.) jar of salsa verde
•1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
•1 tsp ground cumin
•1/4 tsp of salt
•1/8 tsp of pepper
•2 cloves of garlic, minced
•shredded cheese
•guacamole
•pico de gallo or fresh salsa
•tortilla shells

1.Place chicken in the bowl of a slow cooker.

2. In a small bowl mix cumin, salt and pepper. Rub seasoning into the skin of the chicken. Top chicken with the diced green chiles, onion, and garlic. The pour the slasa over the chicken.

3.Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

4.Remove chicken from pot and shredded. Mix in enough of the juice leftover in the slow cooker to make the meat moist.

5.Spoon chicken into tortillas and top with shredded cheese, guacamole and pico de gallo.

Review: I made this and then froze half the chicken to use latter to make enchildas. The chicken had great flavor and was supper smple to prepare.

Italian inspired chicken

Italian inspired chicken from a Dear friend! Thanks again Beverly!

2 pounds of chicken breasts
2 tablespoons of pappy's choice seasoning
2 jars of Ragu Four cheese
5 slices of bacon, cooked and cut up into pieces
1 cup of fresh mushrooms
1 small tomato, diced
parsley if desired

Directions:
1.season chicken breast the day before with pappy's choice seasoning. Refrigerate.

3. Cook bacon, and set aside.

2.The next day In the bottom of a roasting pan add i jar of four cheese Alfredo sauce then add chicken, top with diced bacon pieces, fresh mushrooms then add another jar of Alfredo sauce then garnish with diced tomatoes and a bit of parsley if desired

3.bake at 350 for about 1 hour or until chicken is done.

Review: This tasted great and had plenty of flavor! We served ours over pasta and the kids loved the flavor of the sauce!

Friday, July 15, 2011

Friday Favorites

Once again I am partcipating in Friday Favorites over at finding joy in my kitchen! Come join us and check out a ton of great recipes!



Sweet and Sticky Grilled Drumsticks

Frozen Banana Pineapple cups

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos

Citrus Berry Stuffed French Toast

Grilled Zucchini and Summer Squash

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Lime chicken Marinade

Lime chicken Marinade from blog chef

1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 lime (juiced)
2 teaspoon white sugar
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
3 green onions (chopped)
4 garlic cloves (minced)
Zest from ½ lime

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: In a sealable plastic bag or bowl combine red wine vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, green onions, garlic and lime zest. Add chicken. Seal and refrigerate for 6 hours to overnight.
Step 2: Once chicken is done marinating, heat and grease an outdoor grill (or indoor grill pan) and grill chicken until it is fully cooked and has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Review: The marinade was great. I marinaded mine overnight and it was delicious!As the blog chef suggested this chicken would be great in a quesadilla or taco. We had it grilled, but may use leftovers in quesidalls tomorrow!

Meatball Sandwich

Meatball Sandwich from For the Love of Cooking

Mushroom Marinara:

2 tsp olive oil
1/2 sweet yellow onion, diced
6 oz of button or cremini mushrooms, sliced thinly
3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz can of tomato sauce
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
1 tsp white sugar
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and mushrooms and saute until tender; add the garlic and cook for 60 seconds, stirring frequently. Add the remaining ingredients. Simmer for at least 2 hours.

Meatballs:

1 lb lean ground beef (I used 93/7)
7 button mushrooms, diced finely
1/4 sweet yellow onion, diced finely
1/4 cup of Italian style breadcrumbs
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 egg
1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp fennel seed, crushed
Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
1 tsp olive oil (for cooking)
Put the onions, garlic and mushrooms in a food processor to chop, otherwise chop them as small as you can. Combine all ingredients (except for olive oil) together gently. Form into small meatballs and set aside. Once the meatballs are prepared. Heat a skillet over medium heat with 1 tsp olive oil. Cook the meatballs until golden brown on all sides. Remove from skillet and place the cooked meatballs in the mushroom marinara.



Hoagie rolls
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Parmesan cheese, shredded
Fresh basil, chopped
To assemble, place meatballs with some sauce in the hoagie rolls. Sprinkle the top with mozzarella and Parmesan. Place in a pan, under the broiler and melt cheese - watch carefully so don't burn. Top with basil and serve. Enjoy!


ReviewOk..the first time I made this I cheated and used jarred sauce, but the second time I made these I made it from scratch! Both good, but I loved the flavor of the homemade sauce. I made an extra batch and refrigerated it!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Family Favorite: Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala
from blogchef.net

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon oregano
salt and pepper (to taste)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
10 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms
4 garlic cloves (minced)
2 cups Marsala wine
3 cups chicken stock
1 package linguini (cooked)

Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: 1 at a time, place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of wax paper (or plastic wrap). With a mallet pound chicken breasts until they are about ¼” thick.
Step 2: On a plate combine flour, salt and pepper, and oregano. Dredge chicken breasts in flour until coated thoroughly.
Step 3: Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet. Fry chicken breasts until they are almost fully cooked (about 3 minutes on each side). Remove from pan and keep warm in the oven at 175 degrees.
Step 4: Deglaze the pan with Marsala wine. Make sure to scrape up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan and mix them with the wine.
Step 5: Add chicken broth mushrooms and garlic. Cook on medium-high for 10 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by half. Add chicken breasts back to the pan and cook for another 10 minutes. The sauce should now have become somewhat thick. Serve on a bed of linguini.
(Makes 4 Servings)

Review: Ok this has to be the BEST tasting Chicken Marsala ever! My husband really really likes chicken Marsala and he loved the taste of everything in this dish! This will quickly be a staple in our monthly menu! Just a reminder do not use Marsala cooking wine use regular Marsala wine found in the wine section of your grocery store!

Monday, July 11, 2011

UPDATED Ranch turkey Burgers

Ranch turkey Burgers adapted fromallrecipes

Ingredients
1 pound ground turkey
1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
1/4 c. bread crumbs
1 4 oz. can of diced green chiles
1 egg
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
seasoned salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.

Knead together the turkey,bread crumbs, ranch mix, egg,chile peppers garlic, Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, and pepper in a bowl until evenly combined; divide into 4 equal portions and form into patties.
Cook on the preheated grill about 5 minutes per side for well done. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Review: I love the kick that the can of fire roasted peppers gave to the burgers. The bread crumbs also do their job by holding the patties together! YUM!

Shrimp Fajitas

Shrimp Fajitas adapted from allrecipes.com

1 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined
the juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup of cilantro, minced
1/4 tsp of cumin
1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined
1 cup (1 small) chopped onion
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
3 tablespoons water, or as needed
6 (10 inch) flour tortillas, warmed

Directions

1. Marinate Shrimp in lime juice, cumin and cilantro and refrigerate for 2 hours

2.Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the red and green bell peppers, and onion. Cook, stirring frequently until peppers are hot, but still slightly crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

3.Pour the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil into the skillet, and add the shrimp. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pink and opaque. Reduce heat to low, and return the peppers and onion to the skillet. Stir in taco seasoning and water so that everything is evenly coated. Simmer until peppers are heated. Serve in warm tortillas.



Cilantro Lime Sauce (adapted from Indigo's Sugar Spectrum)
2 cups sour cream
3 drops Tobasco sauce
juice of 1 lime
3 cloves minced garlic
1 1/2 Tbsp dried cilantro
Whirl all of the ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Review: WOW talk about a flavor explosion! yum! I served it with fresh avacado slices, cheese, salsa and sour cream!

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Broiled Parmesan Tilapia

Broiled Parmesan Tilapia from allrecipes
Ingredients
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter,Softened
3tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
2 pounds tilapia fillets

Directions

1.Preheat your oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.

2.In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.

3.Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.

Review: This was simple and flavorful.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Chicken Parmesan Bundles

Chicken Parmesan Bundles

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
1-1/4 cups KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, divided
6 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.), pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
1 egg
10 RITZ Crackers, crushed (about 1/2 cup)(I used bread crumbs)
1-1/2 cups spaghetti sauce, heated
Make ItHEAT oven to 375ºF.

MIX cream cheese, spinach, 1 cup mozzarella and 3 Tbsp. Parmesan until well blended; spread onto chicken breasts. Starting at one short end of each breast, roll up chicken tightly. Secure with wooden toothpicks, if desired.

BEAT egg in shallow dish. Mix remaining Parmesan and cracker crumbs in separate shallow dish. Dip chicken in egg, then roll in crumb mixture to evenly coat. Place, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

BAKE 30 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF). Remove and discard toothpicks, if using. Serve chicken topped with spaghetti sauce and remaining mozzarella.

Review: I used the following healthy living suggestions and Saved 30 calories and 4 g fat per serving by preparing with PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese , KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese and bread crumbs.

Sauteed Zucchini

Sautted Zuchinni

1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup zucchini, sliced
1 sweet onion, sliced thin
1/2 tsp. ground thyme
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 roma tomato, chopped




Directions
Heat olive oil.
Add all ingredients, except for the tomato; saute until tender.
Add tomato and cook for 1 minute.
Serve plain or sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Number of Servings: 4

Monday, July 4, 2011

July Meal Plan!


I love meal planning on a monthly basis her is what is planned for this month...enjoy and feel free to browse..tons of great meal ideas.Also check out Orgjunkie.com for more great ideas!



Seafood

Zesty Talpipia

Broiled Parm Talapia


Shrimp Tacos


Shrimp Fajitas


Shrimp packets(recipe comming soon)


Sweet and sour Fish


Chicken

Au Gratin Chicken Bake

Parmesan Chicken Bundles

Margarita chicken

Crescent Chicken bundles

Lime chicken Marinade

Chicken burgers

Chicken Marsla

Turkey

BBQ TurkeY Meatloaf


Turkey and Spiach stuffed Shells

Pork

Smoothered Pork Chops

Slow cooker Carnitas

Bifanas

Beef

Philly cheeseteak sandwich

In n out burger and animal fries!

Sides:
Sweet Potato fries

Friday, July 1, 2011

Friday Favs

This week I am taking part in Finding Joy in My kitchen, Friday Favorite Link up. Here is what I found this week

In-N-Out Burger Animal Fries

BBQ TurkeY Meatloaf

Healthy Orange Julius

Strawberry Chocolate Nachos