Pork Chops and Potatoes

This picture doesn't do this dish justice. Oh, it showcases the pork chops perfectly (thanks to the Hubs for taking it). But what you can't see is the pile of tender potatoes underneath the broth/sauce.

Yum.

The one and only negative about this meal was that it needed to cook for an hour and a half. By the time you throw in prep time, it takes about 2 hours total. That isn't a big deal on a Saturday.  On a Monday, it meant a late dinner for us. 

But it was worth it. 

I found the original recipe here. 

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp butter
6 Tbsp flour
28 oz. chicken broth (I used 32 because that is what I had on hand)
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
6 pork chops (I used boneless because that is what I had...)
sage (to taste)
4-6 red potatoes (depends on size of potato), thinly sliced (HIGHLY recommend using a mandolin)
1 small sliced onion
paprika and parsley to taste

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour over medium heat.  Add the chicken broth, stirring often until it begins to thicken and bubble.  (I used a whisk to remove lumps)  Then cook one minute longer.  Add salt/pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet.  Brown the pork chops (each side), sprinkling the sage, salt, and pepper over the meat as it cooks. 

Layer in a 9 x 13 inch pan:
Potatoes (thinly sliced)
Onion Slices
Broth/Gravy
Pork Chops

Cover tightly with aluminum foil.  Bake for 1 hour.  After an hour, remove the aluminum foil and continue to cook for another 30 minutes.

Enjoy.

It is two hours after dinner here, and my house still smells amazing. 

Reba

Breakfast Bake

Not the best picture but considering the craziness of the week, I have to take what I can get...

So this past week I have been clipping recipes from the paper and then actually trying them instead of just sticking them in a pile to deal with later.

This recipe caught my eye because it is a breakfast casserole. Now I have another recipe that is actually similar. 

But with ONE major difference.

At least a major difference to me.

This recipe uses bacon.

Bacon.

Bacon.

Oink. Oink.

I LOVE bacon.

Most recipes I have seen use sausage.

I don't love sausage as much.

So I decided to give this a try.

And I loved it. 

In fact, I have been eating the leftovers for lunch.

Most of my family liked it, with the exception of one child who doesn't care for eggs (though she admitted this wasn't so bad) and another who won't touch a potato to save his life...

By the way, this is EASY to put together. It does take a while to cook though so plan ahead.

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
1/4 tsp salt
1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled (or in my case, just cut into small pieces)
1 package frozen hash browns, thawed (I used Southern style)
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
8 eggs
pinch paprika (optional...I left it out)

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350. 

In a large mixing bowl, mix the bacon crumbles, hashbrown potatoes, salt, and half the cheese.

Spread into a greased 9 x 13 dish.

Whisk the eggs and the milk together and pour over the top of the potato mixture.  Sprinkle paprika if desired. 

Bake for 45-50 minutes (mine took more like an hour).

Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.

Enjoy.

We actually ate it for dinner (we like "breakfast for dinner" around here) with fruit and toast.

Yum.

Enjoy!

Reba

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

I saw this recipe (or rather the pictures from it which are MUCH nicer than my pictures) on Pinterest and decided we just really needed to try it.

So finally last week, we did.

And I really liked it. 

It was good stuff. :)

Ingredients: 
2 Tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed (or in my case, minced)

6 boneless chicken breasts

1 jar of tomato sauce (or in our case, a jar of homemade non-tomato sauce)

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1 cup mozzarella, shredded

1/2 cup Parmesan, shredded

Croutons (the original recipe called for a whole package...I didn't use that many. I think I am too cheap :)

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven at 350.

Spread the olive oil over the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch pan.  Sprinkle the crushed garlic over the olive oil.

Place chicken on top of garlic.

Sprinkle the chicken with half of the chopped basil.

Top with the tomato sauce (or in my case, the non-tomato sauce :).  Sprinkle remaining chopped basil.

Top with 1/2 cup mozzarella and 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Sprinkle croutons over the cheese.

Then top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 35-45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Reba

Bubble Up Enchiladas

Yes, another Pinterest recipe.

Something that caught my eye.

Last week, I decided to give it a try.

SOOOO glad I did.

It was easy. Fast. And yummy.

Is there a better combination?

One of my children who used to turn his/her nose up at Mexican food of any kind ended up eating half of this meal...himself! (Oops, I guess that gives up the whole his/her comment above)

I will definitely be making this again.

Oh, the original recipe (click on words above) was a very low fat recipe. I made it close to the original recipe, but my family really likes ground beef, so we did that rather than ground turkey. Probably not quite as healthy, but I do use a fairly low fat beef...

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground turkey (or in our case, ground beef), browned and drained...of course, as is usual for us, we had more like 1.5 pounds

1 can tomato sauce (called for an 8 oz, I used a slightly larger one because that was what I had plus I had extra ground beef)

1 can mild enchilada sauce (10 oz, the RED sauce)

1 can reduced fat refrigerated biscuits (I used the light Grands)

1 1/4 cups shredded Mexican cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

After browning/draining meat, pour the tomato sauce and enchilada sauce over the meat.

In the original recipe, you cut put the biscuits into fourths and stir into the beef mixture. I just cut the biscuits into several pieces.

I just cut the biscuits apart and spread across the 9 x 13 dish (greased).

Then I poured the enchilada sauce/tomato sauce/ground beef over the top.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Take out and sprinkle Mexican cheese over the top.

Return to oven and bake for 10 minutes more (or until cheese is melted).

Enjoy!

Like I said, very easy. Very simple. And very yummy.

My favorite combination.

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

Another Pinterest recipe.

It just sounded good.

Wild rice- love. Parmesan-love. Sour cream-love. Chicken-love.

A win win situation for me!

And perfect for a cold night.

So I headed on over to Better Homes and Garden and checked out the recipe behind the picture. (The picture on Pinterest, not on here above :)

As with any recipe, we had to make some adjustments.

The original recipe calls for celery.

My family isn't particularly crazy about celery, though I did have some for a recipe we are having tonight. I decided to just nix it. I am sure it gives the dish a nice little crunch. I just don't think my kids have recovered from the last casserole I made with water chestnuts. They still talk about that one ingredient with a distrust in their eyes.

Anyway, after all was said and done, the recipe was a hit. Even my pickiest eater who turned her nose up at it the first time she saw it ended up liking it to her dismay and even had seconds.

I will be making this again.

Ingredients:
1 box wild grain and rice, cooked according to box directions (this was the longest part of the process for us)

1 medium onion chopped (I just added some dried chopped onion later in the recipe for a little flavor; my family isn't big on a lot of onion)

1/2 cup celery chopped (optional for us :)

2 tbsp butter (only needed if you are sauteing the onion and the celery)

1 can cream of chicken soup (or you can use a can of chicken with white and wild rice soup...we stuck with the basic cream of chicken)

1/2 cup sour cream (I use light)

1/3 cup cooking white wine (can also use chicken broth instead...I just love the flavor of cooking wine)

1/2 tsp dried crushed basil (can use 2 tbsp fresh snipped basil instead)

2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey (I used about 3 boiled chicken breasts, shredded)

1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese (I HIGHLY recommend shredding it "fresh"...YUM)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

If you are using onion and celery, saute first in the butter over medium heat in a skillet.

Combine the sour cream, cooking wine, cream of chicken soup, rice, chicken, and basil (and the sauteed ingredients if used) in the skillet or in a large bowl.

Spread in a 2 quart baking dish (not greased).

Top with shredded Parmesan cheese.

Bake (uncovered) for about 35 minutes.

Enjoy!

It makes about 4 "servings" but this was actually just right for our family of 6.

Oh, and our oldest had actually eaten dinner already at a school function, came home and smelled this, and insisted on eating some. I think he ate two bowls of it after having already eaten a dinner!

More soon,
Reba

Sausage Egg Casserole

I know, I know, almost everyone has a recipe similar to this. But I am going to post it anyway. If anything, just so if I ever lose mine, I will know where to find it. :)

Oh, the brown spot? That is the sausage. For whatever reason, I am missing a piece of cheese. I don't know why.

We had this (and pumpkin muffins) for Easter breakfast. The nice thing about this casserole is that it needs to be prepared the night before. Then you just get up in the morning and stick it in the oven.

My kids will eat it sometimes though they are not really sausage eaters. We eat bacon more often.

Mark and I like it though. And it is a great dish to take for a brunch.

Anyway, here it is...

Ingredients:
4 slices of bread
1 pound sausage
6 eggs
1 cup milk
6 slices American cheese (or 1 cup grated cheddar cheese or Colby)
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
Line a greased 11x7 inch dish with bread slices (cut when necessary).

Fry sausage, drain.

Spread sausage over the bread slices.

Cover the sausage with cheese slices. (Don't forget one like I apparently did)

Beat eggs, milk, dry mustard, and salt. Pour over cheese.

Refrigerate overnight.

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.

Enjoy!

Happy cooking!
Reba