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

Fried Chicken and Gravy

Last night, other than the green beans, we had a meal of Pinterest recipes.  I have plenty to share this week, just from one meal!  (When I have time, that is...my school year is wrapping up and it is a bit crazy busy around here)

Anyway,  I have made fried chicken before but when I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I was eager to try it.  I mean, gravy too?  That is just icing on the cake.  Or gravy on the chicken.

I followed the recipe fairly closely but next time I make this (and there WILL be a next time), I will make some minor changes.

Chicken Ingredients:
Chicken breasts or tenderloins (I used a couple pounds of tenderloins)

3 cups of flour

salt and pepper to taste

1 sleeve of saltine crackers, crushed into little tiny pieces

1 Tbsp bacon fat (I have started saving bacon fat from when I "bake" bacon and freezing it...came in handy!)

Vegetable or canola oil (as needed)

Chicken Directions:
If possible, "brine" the chicken by placing it in a large ziplock bag filled with water and salt.  Keep in the fridge for a few hours.

Drain the chicken, then pound it with a mallet to make it thinner.  

Meanwhile, heat the bacon fat and the oil (I just did poured oil until the skillet had at least an inch in it) into the skillet.  Heat on medium heat.

Mix the flour and cracker crumbs together in a bowl.  Salt and pepper to taste. (The original recipe suggested 2 cups of flour with salt/pepper in one bowl, and then 1 cup of flour mixed with the cracker crumbs in another for a second dip. Honestly, in the future, I would just dip once (one bowl with 2 cups of flour and 1 sleeve of crushed cracker crumbs).    Saves on dirtying up the dishes. :)

Dip the chicken into the flour mixture(s).

Add to the skillet (when hot), making sure not to crowd them.

Heat/cook on one side until golden brown, then flip it.

When it has cooked through, remove from oil (and then add another).  We put a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet and let them sit on the cooling rack (covered by aluminum foil to keep warm).

Gravy Ingredients:
1/4 cup pan drippings (from frying chicken)

1/4 cup flour (you can use 1/4 cup reserved flour from the chicken but I just got a new 1/4 cup flour)

1 1/2 cups milk

salt and pepper to taste
 
Gravy Directions:
Remove about 1/4 cup of pan drippings from the skillet.  Heat in a saucepan or another skillet (or you can do the same one but I did it in a saucepan so my gravy would be ready when my chicken was) over low or low/medium heat.

Add in 1/4 cup flour.  Stir frequently until nice and smooth.

Slowly add the milk.

Continue to stir as it thickens.

Bring to a boil then reduce heat until heated through.

Serve over chicken and/or mashed potatoes.

YUM!

Pork Chops and Potatoes with Gravy

 I saw this on Pinterest not long ago and thought it seemed like a good recipe to try. Gravy, potatoes, meat, and all in one dish.  Perfect.

Finally this week, I gave it a try.

And it was delicious.

Like really good.

I wanted to eat it all.

Even my picky little eaters chowed down on it.

We will be having this again...

(Note:  I followed the original recipe fairly closely though I changed things up just slightly...)

Ingredients:
4 Thick boneless porkchops (I used 5 and some did have bones...)

1 egg

2 Tbsp milk

salt/pepper

2 Tbsp oil for frying pork chops

5 potatoes, sliced thin (honestly, I think three would have been enough...I sliced pretty thin)

1 stick of butter (I used unsalted)

1/4 cup flour and 1/2 cup flour

1 cup milk

1 cup heavy cream (I was actually out so I used an additional 3/4 cup milk and an extra 1/4 cup butter which is a substitute for heavy cream according to my research)

1 envelope onion soup (I usually use a homemade version but I actually had a Lipton's version I used this time)

1 medium onion chopped (or pureed if you leave them in the food processor too long...)

1 cup (more or less to taste) mushrooms. I used just a few. I love mushrooms.  Most people I live with don't and they did complain about the few I used...

2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

The original recipe has you start the pork chops first, but I started the gravy first to make sure it thickened.

To make the gravy:  In a saucepan, melt the stick of butter.  Add in 1/4 cup flour.  Stir in the milk and heavy cream.  Stir often.  When it has thickened, add in the onion soup mix.  I then removed it from the heat.

While I was waiting for the gravy to thicken, I worked on the pork chops.

Add some oil to a skillet.

Mix the egg and 2 Tbsp milk in a shallow bowl, and place the 1/2 cup flour with salt and pepper to taste in another bowl.

Dip each pork chop in the egg mixture then the flour mixture. 

Add to skillet, browning each side for a few minutes.

Once the pork chops were ready, I started assembling...

Place the browned pork chops in the bottom of a large casserole dish or Dutch oven.

Add layer of mushrooms/onions (if desired).

Layer sliced potatoes on top. 

Then pour the gravy over the top.  (This is out of order from the original recipe)

Bake for about an hour and a half.  About thirty minutes into it, I did cover the casseroled dish with aluminum foil)

Enjoy!

We ate ours with carrots/Ranch and leftover yeast rolls.

Reba

Hamburger Gravy

It isn't anything fancy.

And the picture doesn't help advertise it at all.

But it was good.

How do I know?

There was NOTHING left.

Nothing.

I try to do "breakfast for dinner" just about every week. But I don't want to do the same thing over and over again.

Recently on Facebook, someone posted about having "hamburger gravy".  I have had it on my mind ever since.

So last night I rolled out some buttermilk biscuits (a first for me...I need more practice in that department).  I fried up some hashbrown potatoes (need to practice that too).  And I made a little hamburger gravy. Basically it is a white sauce (very similar to the starts of baked potato soup) and I added in some browned hamburger meat.  Then we poured it over the biscuits and the potatoes.

Yum.

It was just right for a cool evening.

(Note: Sausage would be good too...just not everyone in my crew likes sausage)

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp butter (I use unsalted)
6 Tbsp flour (all purpose)
3/4 tsp salt (more or less to taste)
3 cups of milk
1 lb ground beef, browned

Directions:
Melt butter over low heat in a saucepan.

Add flour and salt and stir until smooth and bubbly.

Remove from heat temporarily and add in milk.

Return to heat (I upped it to medium) and stir continuously until thickened.

Add in ground beef when the sauce is thickened as wanted.

It took about 10 minutes for mine to get pretty thick.

The key is to keep stirring so it doesn't burn on the bottom.

Like I said, nothing fancy. But it was good.  Apparently.  Because now it is all gone. :)

Reba

Crockpot Beef Tips in Gravy

On our last day of our January Grocery Challenge, I was running out of ideas on what to make.  I knew I had some stew meat in the freezer, so that seemed like a starting point. I had pinned a few beef tips recipes, so I quickly perused them to see what would work.  The recipe I found was just what I needed. It used ingredients I had (mostly...will get to that in a minute).  And though the recipe I found was actually for the oven, I decided I would attempt it in the crockpot.  I am glad I did.  It was delicious.  The gravy was just right, and the meat was tender. 

I will definitely make it again.  Grocery Challenge or not.

Ingredients:
2 lbs beef tenderloin tips (or in my case stew meat)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 packet brown gravy mix (I actually did not have one and didn't have time to get one but I found a WONDERFUL substitute using ingredients I had at home...I will be making a large batch of it for future use)

1 packet Lipton dry onion mix (I used the onion with mushroom)

1 4 oz mushrooms (I omitted this one since I used the onion with mushrooms soup)

1 cup water

Directions:
Place the meat in the crockpot.  Mix all of the other ingredients and pour over the meat.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  (Mine was MORE than ready after about 6)

Yes, that is all you do.

We ate ours over rice (mainly because I didn't have time to make mashed potatoes).

Yum!

Reba

Parmesan Honey Pork Roast

I am always looking for a good pork recipe.  Pork mixes things up for us.  Though I like chicken and beef, sometimes you just need something different. 

My favorite pork recipe is fall pork tenderloin.

Mmmm...been craving that lately.

But one of our kids is on an elimination diet for the time being. And that includes 2 of the 3 ingredients in the fall pork tenderloin.

So that will have to wait.

When I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I was intrigued.

A new pork recipe.

And it sounded yummy...

Plus, I love crockpot recipes.

So I gave it a go.

And it was good.

My only regret is that there was just a little left over.  And we ate a lot of good meals that week.  The leftovers went to waste. :(

But other than that, it was good. :)

Ingredients:
1 pork tenderloin, boneless (2-3 pounds)

2/3 cup grated Parmesan (only freshly grated for me...I am picky like that)

1/2 cup honey

3 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp dried basil

2 Tbsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp cornstarch (unless you are me and you just kind of add until you think it is enough...)

1/4 cup cold water

Directions:
Place roast in a slow cooker.  (I used a crockpot liner but if not, you probably want to spray with cooking spray first.)

Mix together the Parmesan, honey, soy, basil, garlic, olive oil, and salt.   Pour over the roast.

Cook on low for 6-7 hours.  The meat temperature should read 160; however, I go by the way it looks on the inside and usually have a little taste test. :)

Once the meat is cooked, remove the pork from the crockpot and keep warm in a separate dish.  Skim the fat off the remaining juices, then move the liquid to a saucepan.  Bring the liquid to a boil.  Mix the cornstarch and cold water until smooth.  Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the boiling liquid.  Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Serve the liquid over the roast.

I actually went a little overboard on the cornstarch, so mine was really thick. 

But it was delicious.

I will be making it again.

I served it with fried hashbrown potatoes, blackeye peas, and rolls (I think...it has been a week or so).
Happy cooking!

Reba

Roast Beef in Gravy

I have other recipes to post, but I want to post this one right now while the taste is fresh on the tip of my tongue.

Yum.

My friend Julie had posted this recipe on her FB. I also found it on Pinterest and had even pinned it. But it was Julie's recommendation that motivated me to put it on the menu.

Yum.

And easy.

I put this in my crockpot right before lunch and by dinner, the house smelled good (which was nice since earlier today I burned a Pop-Tart in the microwave due to a number malfunction). And my stomach was growling.

Then, just as if that wasn't torture enough, Hubby was a little later than usual getting home.

At that point, I was ready to just pop the lid off the crockpot and chow down.

Yet, like a good wife/mom, I waited.

And it was worth it.

Thanks for sharing, Julie!  We WILL be having this again!

Ingredients:
Roast (I used an arm roast which we got with our "half a cow")...about 3-4 pounds.  3 pounds was just the right size for us...there is just a smidgen left thanks to a really hungry teenager)

1 envelope Ranch dressing mix (the powder, not made)

1 envelope brown gravy mix

1 envelope Italian dressing mix

1/2 cup warm water

Directions:
I really think you can just mix the mixes and the water together and pour it over the thawed roast in the crockpot.

I also read you could sprinkle the mixes on the meat then add the water.

I did it that way.

I really don't think it matters.  

However you do it, cook on low for 6-8 hours.  You could probably cook on high for 3-4. I don't know...I haven't tried it on high.

But I do know with the low, around 6 was just right.

And it was good stuff.

We ate it with potatoes, rolls, and carrots and Ranch.

BIG hit.

And easy to boot.

We will be having this again.

Enjoy!

Reba

Butter Cream Chicken

We have actually have had this recipe twice now.  I don't know why I didn't blog about it the first time because we loved it then, and we loved it again last week.  Maybe because my gravy wasn't as thick as I thought it should be.  Or my camera wasn't on hand.  Or the stars weren't aligned.  Who knows.

Last week I was trying to figure out the menu. I needed a good chicken recipe.  My husband came in and offered to help me think of one.  He had one in mind but I couldn't remember which recipe it was. So we scrolled through Pinterest together until we found this recipe under my "Tried and True". 

So I made it this past week.

And I made what I thought was plenty.

Except apparently it wasn't.

There was NONE left.

I almost started crying when I realized that.

None.

I really had hoped for a little bit for my lunch the next day.

My family has already told me that next time I must make more.

Yes, it is that good.

It is a little time consuming but worth it.  I promise.

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts (I used my usual chicken tenderloins...they are so easy to cut to me)

1 1/2 sleeves Ritz crackers (I used low fat), ground into crumbs.  I usually throw them in a bag and pound them with a mallet. This time I threw them in my mini food processor.  Oh wow. How did I not know how easy that was???

Olive Oil

1 cup chicken broth

4 Tbsp butter (I did use my Smart Balance since it is lighter)

1 cup + 2 Tbsp half and half (I used the light)

1/2 tsp dried thyme

2 Tbsp cornstarch

salt and pepper


Directions:
Cut the chicken into small chunks (much easier with kitchen scissors).  Place in a plastic ziplock and pound flat with a mallet or whatever you have on hand like canned food.  Just so you know, I am pretty sure pounding with a mallet is therapeutic.  


Put the cracker crumbs in the ziplock bag with the chicken and shake your cares away (while coating the chicken).

I usually add a little salt and pepper at this point, all two times I have made it and all. :)

Add about 5 Tbsp of olive oil to a large skillet and heat on medium high.

When the oil is nice and hot, throw the first batch of chicken into the skillet.  I did two batches for this meal. I should have done three.

Cook until the bottom is a nice golden brown color.  Then flip the chicken over.  That should be about 3-4 minutes each side.  Obviously, when you are working with chicken, you don't want any pink.

After the first batch is done (I put mine on a plate with a paper towel to absorb any extra oil so that it doesn't end up on my hips...), add a little more oil and cook the second batch in the same manner.

After that batch is done, cover with aluminum foil.  Now it is time for the sauce.

Add the butter and the chicken broth to the skillet.  Don't worry about any little extra crispies on the bottom. They just add flavor to the gravy.

Whisk the mixture around a bit.

Add 1 cup half and half and the dried thyme.  Whisk around.  Bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add the 2 Tbsp half and half and the 2 Tbsp cornstarch.  Stir together until smooth. 

Pour the cornstarch mixture into the skillet and whisk around.

Let it come to a boil again.

When it is thick enough, add a little salt and pepper to taste and serve with the chicken.

The only trouble I had making this recipe was getting my gravy to thicken.  I kind of wonder if it is because I use all light ingredients.  To solve this, hubby and I just threw in a little more cornstarch to thicken it up.

The only change I may make is next time I may try making the gravy in a small saucepan while cooking the chicken and adding it to the skillet at the very end.  That way my chicken will still be hot, and the gravy will have more time to thicken.  I don't know if that will work but it is worth a try.

Regardless, it is good stuff.

We ate it with brown rice, salad, and cheesy breadsticks.

And like I said, there was none left.

None.

Reba

Meatballs and Gravy

This summer, we (me and three) visited my sister for a week. One night she made meatballs and gravy, then served it over rice. One daughter is picky, so she went more for the rice, but the other two (along with me) LOVED the meal. And I have been determined to make it ever since.

Well, sure enough, there is the recipe in our family cookbook, passed down from my mom. And finally this weekend, I had a chance to make it.

I am going to give you the whole recipe, though I have to confess something. My sister suggested a shortcut which comes in handy for those days you just don't have time to roll out meatballs. Schwann's meatballs. And lucky me, our school just had a Schwann's fundraiser, so I was able to get a couple of bags. But if I had had time, I would have made the meatballs.

Meatball Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 cup crushed crackers (I am thinking Ritz would be good)
1 tbsp minced onion
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
1/3 cup milk

Gravy Ingredients:
1-2 cans cream of mushroom soup (depending on how much gravy you want)
1 package brown gravy mix
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp minced onion
1/8 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all meatball ingredients together and form meatballs.

Place in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Drain and place in a layer in a casserole dish.

Drop oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Mix all gravy ingredients together and pour over meatballs in casserole dish.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour at 325.

Good served over white rice, beef flavored rice, mashed potatoes, or egg noodles.

We had ours over white rice. Yum.

Happy cooking!
Reba

Stuffed Burger Bundles

I have been wanting to make these for some time but when it came time to make them, I would ultimately put them off until another day. I don't know why. They are not complicated and are very tasty.

This recipe comes from the kitchen of my cousin and his wife. In fact, in our family cookbook, they said it was the dish that made him propose. My cousin knows good food when he tastes it!

Anyway, here is the recipe.

Meatballs Ingredients:
1 cup seasoned crouton stuffing mix, such as Kellogg's. I think I ended up having to use Pepperidge Farm. It worked.
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 pound ground beef (unless it is my family, then we go for 2)

Gravy Ingredients:
1 10 oz. can of cream of mushroom soup
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp ketchup

*As my cousin's wife suggested, double the soup, sauce, and ketchup, double the gravy and double the fun. I would agree. I would have done this had I had another can of soup. The gravy is really good.

Directions:
Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions.
Combine milk and meat thoroughly. Divide into five patties (about 6" in diameter) on waxed paper (unless you used more meat like I did...).
Divide stuffing evenly into the middle of each patty, then wrap meat around the stuffing to form a large meatball. Make sure meat seals in stuffing all around.

*I will be honest. I didn't evenly divide the stuffing. I just took a small handful, shaped it into a ball, then put it on the "patties" to form the meatball.

Place the meatballs in a 1 1/2 qt casserole dish.

Combine gravy ingredients to make gravy; heat through and pour over meatballs.

Bake uncovered at 350 for 45 minutes.

The gravy is excellent on mashed potatoes. We had ours served over white rice...oh yum. Good stuff. VERY filling!

Reba