Glazed Pork Chops

I know, I know. I am behind. It isn't that I am not cooking. I am just not posting.  (Ironically, I do have about five posts started, just not completed)

But this is a recipe I do want to remember. I found it here.  I have made it twice now and have loved it both times. Plus it is easy and fairly quick. My favorite combination.

Ingredients:

• Pork Chops (originally recipe called for 4 thick cut; we typically get 6 thinner chops due to family size)
• 1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar (depending on how many pork chops you use)
• 1/2 tsp of the following:  garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, cayenne, salt
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:   

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix brown sugar and spices/seasonings.  Rub the sugar mixture into the pork chops. I just put the mixture into a bowl then kind of "dredge" the chops in it.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet at medium/high heat.  I use a cast iron skillet because it can go into the oven.
• Once the oil is hot add the pork chops to the skillet. Cook about 5 minutes on each side until they are browned.
• Place in the oven for an additional 5-10 minutes (if you are NOT using a cast iron skillet, transfer to something oven safe) to thoroughly cook the pork chops.
• Enjoy!

Note:  I don't do paprika or cayenne due to food issues for one of my kiddos. So I just add a little of my own choices like a little onion powder and white pepper).

We ate this meal with half baked potatoes (completely baked but halved :) ) and French bread.  It is quite simple, quite good!

More soon.  Really. :)

Reba

Parmesan Baked Pork Chops

One day my dear friend Carol mentioned a favorite pork chop recipe she had found on Pinterest. She told me how easy it was and how good it was. That was all I needed to hear.  So a few days later I perused her Pinterest page and found the link.  I could not wait to make them. And the verdict is?  Yes, definitely a keeper. We will be having this again.  Soon!

(I would encourage you to visit the original link; the picture is much more appetizing there)

Ingredients:
4-6 boneless pork chops
Olive oil
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1 cup Italian bread crumbs (I used plain Panko and added a few herbs to give it an Italian flavor)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, black pepper, and garlic powder on a plate or in a shallow bowl.

Spray/rub olive oil onto the pork chops.

Dip into the cheese mixture, covering the pork chops completely.

Place on a cookie sheet (I just covered one with Parchment paper).

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Enjoy!

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

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Tonight we had a new family favorite for dinner thanks to my co-worker Katie (same Katie as Katie bread) and my sister.   This meal cooks all day in the crockpot, and it is 3 (yes, 3) ingredients (other than the bun).

Are you ready for this recipe? 

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients:
Pork Roast (or Ham Roast or Pork Tenderloin...I have used all of them)
1 can of soda (I use an all natural creamy root beer; I have heard Coke or cola works well too)
1 bottle of liquid smoke (I use an all natural hickory)

Directions:
Place the pork roast in the crockpot. Pour the soda and the liquid smoke over it. Cook all day on low.  Shred the meat.  Place on a bun with a little barbecue sauce if desired. 

Enjoy!

Reba

Fried Pork Chops

I feel like I have neglected this blog.  Not on purpose.  Just been busy.

But I am still cooking.  Well, mostly.  I haven't cooked dinner for the last two nights but that is because I have some other food projects going on.

However, the other night hubby was out of town, and I still cooked a real meal.

I think that should count for something...a gold star or a pat on the back at least.

Fried pork chops and roasted potatoes, rolls...

Yum.

I fry chicken on occasion but haven't fried pork much.

This week that changed.

I am pretty sure I went up like five notches in my oldest child's eyes...fried pork.  He was smiling from ear to ear.

This is the recipe I followed...

Note that the original author is cooking like 14 pork chops.

I cut that about in half.

Unfortunately I forgot to cut the rest of the recipe in half.

Not a big deal but I wasted some ingredients.

Oops.

So here is my recipe for 6 or 7 pork chops...

Ingredients:
6 or 7 thin boneless pork chops

2 eggs

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce (I used a homemade version)

3/4 to 1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 Tbsp salt

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp pepper (I used freshly ground peppercorns)

About 1 cup oil

Directions:

 Heat oil over medium high heat in a skillet.

Prepare egg wash by stirring eggs and Worcestershire sauce in a shallow bowl.

In another bowl, mix the flour and seasonings.

Dip pork chops in egg wash then coat both sides with flour mixture.

Place in skillet (do not crowd) and cook for 3-5 minutes on one side until it begins to brown.  Flip over and cook for another 3-5 minutes until gold brown.  You don't want to mess with them much; you will lose the coating.  And of course, the coating is the good stuff.

Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel. 

Obviously, this is not something you want to eat frequently nor is it healthy.

But once in a while, it is a treat...

Enjoy!

Baked Pork Tenderloin

I just can't take pork pictures.

I know what you are thinking.

I just can't take food pictures at all.

And that is true.

But I really can't take pork pictures.

They just don't do the food justice.

So go to the original recipe site and ooh and ahh over their pictures.

Though my pictures didn't turn out quite right, I will say that this was delicious.

My kids LOVED it. 

And they aren't typically big pork eaters.

Even I horded the ONE small leftover piece for my lunch a couple days later, threatening anybody who suggested eating it.

And though it takes a little bit to cook (around 45 minutes), it was easy to assemble.  And worth every bite.

Ingredients:
1 package pork tenderloins (around 2 to 2 1/2 pounds).  I buy the Farmland which has two tenderloins together.

4 garlic cloves quartered/slivered/sliced

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 Tbsp whole grain mustard (I used a spicy brown mustard because that is what I had...)

4 Tbsp honey (I HIGHLY recommend raw honey; I could eat it by the bowl full)

2 Tbsp fresh orange juice (with food sensitivities, we avoid orange so I used lemon juice)

1 Tbsp fresh rosemary or Herbs de Provence (I used rosemary)

3 Tbsp olive oil

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse and pat dry the pork tenderloins and place in a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Use a paring knife to poke holes all over the pork.  Place the garlic slivers inside the holes.  I know, it looks funny but YUM, tastes really good.

Mix together the remaining ingredients for the marinade (add the olive oil last, whisking together). Pour over the top of the tenderloins.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.  Baste halfway through the baking process with the sauce.  I think I forgot that part.  Oops. :)

Let it rest about 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Then enjoy.

The sauce/marinade is delicious.

We ate it with black eye peas, baked potato halves, and parkerhouse rolls.

Happy cooking!

Reba

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

Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

I have really been trying to stick with our Grocery Challenge for the month.  And that has meant eating a little simpler and a little cheaper. But last week we did splurge on one meal. 

Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin.

I probably should have gone with something cheaper. 

And by the last week of January when I have very little to spend, I will really wish that.

But what is done is done.

I will say that it was GOOD stuff.

And once January is over, I WILL make this again. :)

This is another Pinterest recipe. 

Like I said, not cheap.

But oh, so good.

(And the good news is there were leftovers so we had lunch the next day too :)

Ingredients:
Pork Tenderloin (around 3 pounds...I used the Farmland Pork Loin, 2 in a package.  The original recipe cut them, I just kept them in 2 pieces)

1 lb bacon (I didn't quite have a whole package, so mine was more like 3/4 a package which was enough)

3/4 cup soy sauce (I would probably reduce this to 1/2 cup in the future)

1 Tbsp minced onion

1/2 tsp garlic salt (I did use garlic salt but probably would use garlic powder in the future. Pork and bacon doesn't need any extra salt :)

1 Tbsp white vinegar

1/4 tsp salt

dash of pepper (I used the peppercorn grinder)

3/4 cups brown sugar (I actually reduced that to 1/2 which was plenty to me)

Directions:
Wrap bacon around pork and place in a baking dish.

Poke holes in the pork.  I just used a knife and stabbed holes all over the meat.

Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the meat.

Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours (or longer).  I flipped the meat a couple times to make sure it was all in the juices at some point.

The original recipe had this bake for 2-3 hours at 300.  However, I needed to cook potatoes and bake some bread, all at 400 degrees. So I cooked this for about 50 minutes to an hour at 400.  After about 40 minutes, a little bit of the bacon was getting dark so I covered the meat with foil and moved it down a rack.

After about 50 minutes, I checked the temperature. It was between 140-150.  I then pulled it out and let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

We had this with fingerling potatoes, honey yeast rolls (new recipe), and black-eye peas.

And I enjoyed each and every bite.

Yum.

Happy cooking!

Reba

Pork Chops and Rice

 Another Pinterest Recipe.  I loved the appeal of how simple it is (as in few ingredients, few steps).  Since Hubby was gone and I was in full "get ready for Christmas mode", I wanted things as simple and easy as possible. So I thought I would give this a try.

Well, it was a hit.

My oldest child (a teenager) couldn't stop eating it.  He LOVED the flavor of the rice. 

I just smiled and said "Thank you". I felt a little guilty.  I mean, it really was simple and nothing I did beyond assembling it.

That being said, this will become a "go to" meal on those nights I don't have much time to spend in the kitchen but want a good hot meal.

I will be making it again.

(The true sign it was well-liked?  NO leftovers. Oh, there were the first night but my teenager who normally doesn't touch leftovers finished it off the next day...that says a lot. :)

Ingredients:
4 pork chops (The original recipe called for bone-in, I ended up buying boneless because it was more available AND it was a little cheaper...it worked.  If hubby had been home, I would have thrown in a couple more.)

salt and pepper to taste

2 to 3 tbsp vegetable oil

1 cup uncooked long grain rice

1 packet Lipton's Recipe Secrets Onion Mushroom soup mix

3 cups water

Note:  The original recipe used 2 cans of French Onion soup.  Due to some dietary restrictions, we couldn't do that so I decided to use this instead...it was wonderful!

Directions:
Salt and pepper pork chops liberally.

Brown both sides of the pork chops in the vegetable oil in a skillet.  Note: You do NOT have to cook it through. Just brown it.

In a 9 x 13 inch dish, spread the cup of rice out.

Mix the water and the onion soup mix and pour over the rice.

Place the browned pork chops on top.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Bake at 375 for 1 hour.  Don't remove the foil or the rice will NOT cook through.

Enjoy!

We ate this with salad and the cheese stuffed rolls I mentioned in the last post.

Good meal.

Enjoy!

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

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

I was in the mood a good meal. You know, like a full meal. I had thought about ham but couldn't find what I was looking for.  So I picked up a pork tenderloin.  (Sidenote:  When did pork become so very expensive???) Then I came home and tried to figure out exactly how I was going to cook it.  Thank goodness for Google.

I found a recipe on the WW website.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin.

If you want to see a really nice food picture, go there.

I followed the recipe fairly closely, though I upped the olive oil.

And even after doing that, this is a fairly low calorie meal. Or at least this main dish was. We ate it with fingerling potatoes, rolls, and black eye peas.

Just the meal I wanted.

Oh, and the best part?

Our house smells incredible!

Ingredients:
2 lb pork tenderloin (mine was almost 2 1/2...I have a bottomless pit in my teenager :)

2 tsp dried thyme (or 2 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped)  I LOVE having fresh thyme but all of my thyme was out of time.  It was not good anymore. :( So it was dried thyme for us.

2 tsp dried oregano (or 2 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped)  Again, it was dried for us tonight...

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder (I used dried chopped onion)

1 tsp table salt (I actually did the freshly ground sea salt)

1 tsp freshly ground peppercorn

2 tsp olive oil (except I used 4)

Directions:
Spray the bottom of a shallow roasting pan.

Mix the olive oil with the spices/seasonings.  (I think you are really supposed to rub the olive oil on it then sprinkle the seasonings over it but sometimes I like to be different...)  Rub onto the tenderloin.

Roast for 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees (the thermometer should read 160 but honestly, we just sliced it and checked out the color :).

Let sit for 10 minutes then slice.

Very simple but very good.

And it makes your house smell really good.

Happy eating!

Reba

Pork Tenderloin With a Pan Sauce

I am behind on recipes.  :(  It has been a really hectic week.

Anywho...

Recently on Pinterest, I found a recipe that looked SOOOO good.  Or maybe it was the picture that looked so good. :)  Either way, I just had to try it.

Pork Tenderloin with Pan Sauce.

So a couple weeks ago, I decided to give it a try.

And it was just as good as I hoped it would be.

I followed the original recipe fairly closely with just a few minor changes after reading some of the comments.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

juice from one lemon

1 or 2 tbsp Worcestershire

1-2 tbsp fresh parsley, finally chopped

2 tsp dry mustard

freshly ground pepper (to taste)

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (if your grocery store has herb "singles", it is a great place to get already peeled cloves)

1 lb pork tenderloin (okay, mine was more like two so I upped my ingredients)

Pan Sauce:
Scrapings from pork tenderloin

1/2 cup chicken broth

2-3 tbsp pork marinade

1-2 tsp butter

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients from the first list (minus the pork tenderloin).  Reserve 2-3 tbsp for later use.

Place the pork tenderloin in the marinade in a large ziplock bag and marinate in the fridge for 3-4 hours.

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.

In a hot skillet, sear the pork tenderloin on medium high heat for 2-3 minutes per side.

Place in the oven for 30-40 minutes.

After reading some comments, I put this in a large baking pan.  Then I poured the marinade over it so it cooked in the marinade.

I am not sure if that is considered safe or not.

My thinking was that if the pork is going to cook any bad germs out, the marinade will too.

My main goal was to keep the pork moist while it was cooking.  I removed the pork from the marinade before serving.

Like I said, I was going on the advice of some of the commenters.

Nobody got sick, so I would probably do it again that way. :)

Oh, latebreaking news...one commenter said that she had read to boil the marinade for about 5 minutes and it would be good to go.  Take that for what it is worth. :)

Or just cook it without the marinade and avoid all of these questions and concerns I have. That is what I may do next time if I don't want to live life on the edge. :)

Sorry for the rambling.  It is late and I am really tired.

So toward the end of the cooking time (start checking it around 30 minutes so it doesn't dry out), get the pan sauce ready. 

Add the chicken broth to the skillet, scraping up any pork tenderloin that might be left in the skillet from earlier.

Add the reserved marinade and bring to a boil.  Boil for about 2-3 minutes.

Add the butter. Remove from heat and stir the sauce, letting the butter melt.

Pour over the pork tenderloin.

Enjoy!

We ate ours with potatoes and black eye peas. Yum.

Reba

Asian Pork with Mushrooms

I saw this recipe on Pinterest (of course) and have been itching to try it. We have really expanded our tastes in recent years. When we first got married, adventure might be trying a different type of Hamburger Helper. These days, we eat sushi, Thai, Chinese, etc. I also am using a lot more fresh herbs, fresh cheeses, etc.

Anyway, Friday I ran home for lunch. (Okay, drove, not ran) I had enough time to prepare this and still eat a quick lunch.

As soon as I got home from school on Friday afternoon and stepped out of my car, I could SMELL this. Even in our garage. And it smelled WONDERFUL.

For the next couple of hours, my stomach growled as the aroma continued to drift through our house.

I posted on Facebook that I hoped dinner tasted as good as it smelled because I would be quite disappointed otherwise.

Thankfully it was.

I followed most of the recipe, making a couple changes mainly based upon what kinds of ingredients I had on hand.

Ingredients:
2 lb pork center loin roast

salt and pepper (I just used freshly ground sea salt and peppercorn)

Non-stick spray

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar (I was out of balsamic so I used red wine vinegar)

3 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp Chinese five spice (found in the "ethnic foods" section by the Chinese food)

3 cloves garlic (it was supposed to be crushed, but I minced it)

1 tbsp fresh grated ginger root (I had trouble grating it so I minced it)

8 oz sliced mushrooms (I used Baby Bella)

Chopped cilantro

Directions:
Salt and pepper the pork.

Spray a skillet and brown the pork on medium high heat for about 7-8 minutes.

In the crockpot, add the broth, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, Chinese five spice, garlic, and ginger.

Put the pork in the crockpot, cover, and cook on low for about 8 hours.

At about the 7:30 mark, remove the pork from the crockpot to rest. Add mushrooms to the sauce and continue to cook on low for the remaining 30 minutes.

Shred the pork with two forks then return to the crockpot.

Add cilantro if desired. (I LOVE cilantro)

Serve over rice or noodles.

We ate it over egg noodles.

The pork was very low calorie. The noodles not so much. :)

All of it was good though.

All of it.

Yum.

Enjoy!

Reba

Fried Pork Bites

Just a reminder: I never claimed to be a food photographer.

Anyway, I decided that I wanted to spend more quality time with the kids. One on one. That is not easy in this house. One way I decided to make this effort was with food. After all, isn't food the universal language? Plus, as an added bonus, maybe my kids will pick up on some important cooking skills that will help them when they move out of the house one day. :)

I started last week with the firstborn (still need to share that recipe). This week was Child 2's turn. She had it all planned out last week I think. That is what she does. Poor Child 4. He doesn't think he will ever get his turn.

Sidenote: These are "guaranteed" cook with mom times. That doesn't mean we won't take advantage of the spontaneous moments, like when child 3 helped me make Pizza Snowballs the other day.

Anyway, Child 2 had this at school once for a family tree recipe activity. This recipe came from her friend whose mom R also happens to work at our school. It is a German recipe or at least comes from the German side of the family. It probably has a better name; I need to ask her. It wasn't on the recipe. So until then, I have made up my own. :)

Unfortunately, Child 2 poured so much of her energy into her dessert (she has a HUGE sweet tooth) that hubby and I ended up doing most of the work for this. But if she hadn't been busy baking, she would have been able to help with this. I would consider it kid-friendly. And it is easy and quick.

Enough of the chatter. Here is the recipe:
Fried Pork Bites

Ingredients:
1 lb pork tenderloin (we used a 2 lb pork tenderloin...I am wondering if the the breakfast thin pork tenders wouldn't work too; they would probably be cheaper)

1 sleeve crackers (I used Ritz. I doubled just to make sure we had enough but one would have been fine)

1 egg

1 tbsp parsley

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 cups vegetable oil (I used my normal blend just to feel healthier :)

Directions:
Crush the crackers. We put them in a gallon size ziplock and pounded away :). Add the parsley, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Cut the pork into bite size chunks (like nugget size). Pound with a meat tenderizer to flatten.

Dip the pork pieces into one beaten egg.

Add to the bag of cracker mix.

Shake away.

Use tongs to remove the pork from the cracker mix and add to oil in the skillet. (I would recommend heating the oil first so it is hot and ready to fry)

Cook about 2 1/2 minutes per side.

I think with our meat (2 lbs), it took about three batches to get it all cooked.

Enjoy.

I am beginning to see a pattern here. Out of the two times the kids have picked meals, they both have picked fried foods (which is very rare around here) and not exactly the cheapest meats. The first one chose catfish which costs a lot right now, and then the pork tenderloin was a bit more than we would spend on a typical meal. I think we may need to have a course on eating frugally AND healthy.

Oh, it was recommended to serve this with gravy. I didn't. I was already working on the cheesy hashbrown potatoes, Parmesan Pull-Aparts (bread), and black eye peas while helping my daughter with her dessert; I just couldn't add something else in. But hubby felt like it needed something like that. He ended up using ketchup to dip it. Oh, this tastes a lot like fried chicken even though it really is pork. :)

More later,
Reba

Ranch House Crock Pot Pork Chops

As you know, my latest "interest" is Pinterest. I have been trying to make at least one recipe from my Pinterest boards each week. As soon as I saw the picture and recipe, I knew it was next on my list.

This recipe actually has both a pork chop recipe and a mashed potato recipe, but I am going to separate them out to make it easier for me later when I am trying to find one or the other.

The recipe actually came from this site which apparently got it from this site. Not sure who came up with it originally, but whoever did, thank you. It is a very simple crockpot recipe yet oh, so good!

Ingredients:
6 pork chops (I just used loins)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 envelope DRY Ranch dressing mix (I used Hidden Valley)

Directions:
Place the pork chops in the crockpot. Of course, I am use my handy dandy liners for easy clean up later.

Pour the cream of chicken soup and Ranch dressing over the pork chops. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4. I did the low for 6.

Eat over mashed potatoes or rice...I imagine it would be good with either one.

Very simple, very tasty.

My favorite combination!

I will share the potato recipe soon...they were amazing!

Happy cooking,
Reba

Skillet Pork Chops

Here is a family favorite...easy and pretty filling. This recipe comes from my mom. It is kind of a comfort food. Skillet Pork Chops. I am sure you could do something similar with chicken. We just have so many chicken recipes that if I can get a recipe for something different, I use it. Plus, I have always just eaten this with pork chops.

Skillet Pork Chops
Ingredients:
4 pork chops (I use six, and I do use the thin breakfast kind because they cook faster)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp flour (I double up since I am using more pork chops...)
1/4 tsp sage (I do 1/2)
1/4 tsp thyme (I do 1/2)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use light)
1/2 cup water (I just fill the soup can with water)

Directions:
Rinse the pork chops. You are supposed to use the whole pork chop but about a year or two ago, my husband started cutting them up into "nugget size" or chunks. We just do it all of the time now.

Combine the flour, sage, and thyme and coat the pork chops with the mixture. I just throw it all in a gallon ziplock and shake away. This will NOT be a thick coat.

Brown the pork chops in a skillet in the oil. When both sides are brown, add the soup and water. (My original recipe calls for moving the pork to the side and adding the soup in the middle but I have no room to move the chops. I just pour it all together). Stir together.

Cover the skillet. (Oops, forgot to do that tonight :)

Simmer until tender.

Very good served over rice.

We had it with mashed potatoes (a microwave kind was all I could manage), salad, and bread. I usually do black eye peas too but we were out. But my son out of the blue said, "This would taste so good with rice..." And I don't think he had read the recipe.

Anyway, that is all there is to it. It takes less than thirty minutes which is my criteria for "quick". And it involves few steps, thus "easy". And it makes my tummy happy, so I say "delicious".

Enjoy!

Reba

Pork Chops Ole

This recipe showed up in our family cookbook a few years ago courtesy of my little sister. I will admit, I didn't really notice it for a while. But then one day I decided to try it. Oh, yum. Loved it. So now it is in our rotation. I love the combination of pork and Mexican flavor!

Pork Chops Ole
Ingredients:
6 loin pork chops (I use boneless)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
seasoned salt and pepper
3/4 cup long grain rice
1 1/2 cups water
8 oz tomato sauce
1/2 envelope taco seasoning (about 2 tbsp)
chopped bell pepper
1 bag cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

In a skillet, heat the oil (I don't really measure it). Brown pork sprinkled with seasoned salt and pepper. I am fairly liberal with it.

Meanwhile, in a greased baking dish (I use 13x9), stir together water, tomato sauce, rice, and taco seasoning.

Place browned pork chops on top.

Top with bell pepper. Do you remember me saying that we are not big veggie eaters? I think this one would be at the bottom of our list. It is one taste I have yet to acquire. So I don't use one. :)

Cover tightly with foil.

Bake for 1 1/2 hours.

At the end of the cooking time, take out and sprinkle with cheese. I usually use cheddar OR the Mexican blend (both low fat). Return to oven until cheese is melted.

This is a dish my whole family will eat. Even my "non Mexican" food eaters will eat it.

It is a good recipe, though you have to plan ahead due to cooking time.

Here are a couple of pictures...have I mentioned I am not a good food photo taker? :)


Here is a not pretty pic of my plate. I wasn't in a plating mood. I was in a hungry mood. The left is the pork chop, the right is the rice. The rice is by far my kids' favorite...

Happy cooking!
Reba

Fall Pork Tenderloin

I just really started using my crockpot in the last two years. Now I wonder how I survived without it. Well, at least made dinner without it. I probably would survive.

Anyway, I think I got this recipe last year from a co-worker. "A" gives me good recipes. :) This is easy and yummy, my favorite combination.

My first essential for this recipe is the Reynold's Crock Pot Liner. I am not in any way getting kickbacks from Reynold's. I just love those bags. I am more likely to use my crockpot because of these.

Take a 2 pound pork tenderloin and place it in the crockpot.

Pour 1 can of cranberry sauce and 3 cups of apple juice (I use the 100 percent juice kind). Sprinkle 3/4 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of black pepper over the tenderloin.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Yes, that is it.

I ran home during my activity period (mid day) to throw it all in the crockpot and get it cooking. By the time I got home, our whole house smelled like fall pork tenderloin. And my stomach started growling.

The only way to describe it is a perfect combination of salty and sweet. Yum.

Thanks to "A" for the recipe.

Here is a picture of the pork still in the crockpot. I just pull it out of the juices when we are ready to eat it.

Tonight's side dishes included fingerling potatoes, cheesy bread, and black-eyed peas. I will be sharing a couple of those other recipes
Did I mention that I am not a professional food photographer?

More soon!
Happy cooking!
Reba
Postnote: Just started counting calories this past month. This dish is one of the lower calorie meals I make! I think I may be making it even more often...