baked pork chops

I got this recipe after I became engaged to marry my husband.  His family gathered their favorite recipes together and presented me with recipe cards.  This one is from his Aunt Beth.

I think that recipes are one of the most thoughtful gifts anyone can give a new bride.  As we prepare to start families of our own, there is so much pressure to be a good cook for our husbands.  I especially worried that my cooking wouldn't hold up to the standard that his family had already set.  Thank goodness they were willing to share their recipes!

I've since lost my worries - he loves my cooking and appreciates all of the recipes that I've brought to our marriage.  But, it's still fun to fix some of his childhood favorites.  It's a great way to show him that I love him and appreciate where he came from.

These pork chops are one of my favorite of the recipes that I acquired as a young bride.  They are easy to make and positively delicious.  I just love the creamy sauce that tops them, and I often serve them over rice or mashed potatoes so that I can be sure that no sauce remains on my plate!  They are definitely a must-try.

Baked Pork Chops

• 4 -6 pork chops
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
• 4 T. olive oil
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 1 t. garlic powder
• 1 t. seasoned salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place the eggs, flour, and seasoned bread crumbs in separate bowls.  Dredge the pork chops lightly in flour, dip in the eggs, and coat liberally with bread crumbs.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.  Fry the pork chops 5 minutes per side, or until the breading appears well-browned.  Transfer the pork chops to a 9x13 baking dish, and cover with foil.

Bake for 1 hour.  While baking, combine the soup, milk, white wine, and seasonings.  After the pork chops have baked 1 hour, cover with the soup mixture.  Replace the foil and bake another 30 minutes.

chicken apple sliders

These are seriously some of the best burgers I have ever had!  We are normally beef people when it comes to hamburgers, but we couldn't resist trying this combination of apple, ground chicken, and bacon.  Um...can you say delicious?  I don't know if I can go back to beef now.  We especially love how easy and quick these were to make. 

Chicken-Apple Sliders
from Gooseberry Patch's Weeknight Dinners

• 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and shredded
• 1/4 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1/2 t. poultry seasoning
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 1/4 t. salt
• 2 T. honey
• 1 lb. ground chicken
• 8 slices bacon, crisply cooked, crumbled, and divided
• Optional: 2 slices favorite cheese, quartered
• 8 mini rolls, toasted and split
• Garnish: mayonnaise, shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, and onion

In a large bowl, combine apple, celery and seasonings; toss to mix.  Add honey, chicken and half of bacon.  Stir until combined; do not overmix.  Form into 8 small patties.  Grill or pan-fry patties about 4 minutes on each side, until chicken is no longer pink.  If desired, top with a piece of cheese during the last few minutes of cooking.  Place patties on rolls; top with remaining bacon and other toppings, as desired.  Serves 8.

buttermilk pecan waffles

This recipe is one of our favorites! It takes just a few minutes to prepare, feeds several, and is special enough for company.  I introduce to you Buttermilk Pecan Waffles!

These are better than a basic waffle - the buttermilk and pecans take the texture and flavor to a whole new level.  We love them served with Buttermilk Syrup, but just about any topping will do.  Hope you enjoy them as much as we do. 

Buttermilk Pecan Waffles
Adapted from Gooseberry Patch's Merry Christmas

• 2 cups flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Combine first four ingredients; set aside.  Beat eggs in a mixing bowl until light; mix in buttermilk.  Add dry ingredients to egg mixture and beat until smooth.  Stir in melted butter and pecans.  Pour 3/4 cup batter onto a greased and preheated waffle iron.  Cook according to manufacturer's directions, and repeat with remaining batter.  Makes about 7 waffles.

crumb-topped apple pie

I just love apple season!  Apple crisp, apple pie, applesauce, apple butter - they are all delicious, especially this time of year.

I've been in search of a good apple pie recipe, and I think I've found one!  Pioneer Woman has truly done it again.  This pie was a cinch to make but tasted like I took all afternoon.  Don't you love it when recipes taste and look more impressive than they are to make? I changed things up a bit by using sweet Gala apples instead of tart apples and drizzling the served pie with caramel sauce.  What can I say...I like things sweet!

Serve warm, drizzled with caramel sauce.  Or...serve cold.  Honestly, it's good either way!

To see the Pioneer Woman's original recipe, click here.  For my variation, see below!

Crumb-Topped Apple Pie

• unbaked pie crust
• 3 large (or 4-5 small) Gala apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 T. flour
• 1 cup cream
• 2 t. vanilla extract
• 1/4 t. cinnamon
• 1/8 t. nutmeg

TOPPING:

• 7 T. butter
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup pecans (finely chopped)
• dash salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare pie pan with pie crust dough.

Mix together cream, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 T. flour, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Pour over apple slices and gently combine.  Pour into pie shell.  Combine topping ingredients and mix until crumbly.  Pour over apples.

Cover the edges of the crust and lay a piece of foil loosely over the top.  Place pie pan on top of a rimmed cookie sheet and bake for one hour.  Then, remove foil and continue baking until bubbly and lightly browned, about 15-20 more minutes.  Serve drizzled with caramel sauce.

For the caramel sauce:

• 1/2 cups butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 dash salt
• 1/2 t. vanilla

Melt butter and sugar together over medium heat while stirring occasionally.  Let mixture simmer lightly until it starts to bubble and look foamy.  Cook this for 3-5 minutes.  Stir in milk, salt, and vanilla.  Turn burner off, but leave caramel sauce on the hot stove until ready to serve.

beef and noodles

There are some days when you want fancy.  On those days, you might braise some pork and whip up a fancy schmancy chocolate cake to impress some guests.  Or maybe you just feel like creating something fabulous and uncorking some wine to enjoy with your husband while you watch Everybody Loves Raymond episodes for the thousandth time.

I've been there...I understand.

But there are other days...days when you want something easy and economical...days when you want your belly to be full and you don't care what the meal actually looks like.

Those days call for comfort food.  Hmmmmmm....comfort food.

This dish isn't much to look at, I know.  It isn't even full of crazy spices, although you could add them if you like.  It's just simple, warm, filling, and delicious...and I loved it.

Beef and Noodles
Adapted from Gooseberry Patch's Flavors of Fall

• 3.5 pound beef roast
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 T. vinegar
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 48 oz. beef broth
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 T. flour
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 16 oz. uncooked noodles

Sprinkle salt and pepper on the roast and then place in a slow cooker.  Cover with vinegar and warm water and cook for 8 hours on low.  Remove beef from slow cooker and shred.  Place in a large pot or Dutch oven along with the juices from the slow cooker, beef broth, and butter.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer.  In a separate bowl, combine flour and cold water.  Gradually stir into stockpot and boil for 5 minutes.  Add noodles and simmer until noodles are soft.  Serves 10.

blueberry pancakes

For the Fourth of July, my children wanted a special, patriotic breakfast.  And what is more special and patriotic than red, white, and blue pancakes?  We made some delicious blueberry pancakes, based on a recipe we found in our Cook's Illustrated Baking Book.  We also whipped up some buttermilk syrup and dyed it a lovely red (or pink) to round out the meal. 

These pancakes are amazing!

Blueberry Pancakes
based on a recipe from Cook's Illustrated Baking Book

• 2 cups flour
• 2 T. sugar
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. salt
• 2 cups buttermilk
•  1 large egg
• 3 T. butter, melted
• 2 t. vegetable oil
• 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

 Whisk together  dry ingredients; in a separate bowl, whisk together wet ingredients.  Combine wet and dry ingredients, folding gently until just moistened (do not overmix).  Fold in blueberries.  Cook on a griddle set to 350 degrees.

turkey lo mein

I love this quick dinner!  It's easy to put together and low in fat and calories.  It's also a great way to sneak more veggies into a diet. :). This definitely needs to be in your 30-minutes-or-less file!

Turkey Lo Mein
from Taste of Home's Light and Tasty 2002

• 1 pound ground turkey breast
• 1 cup thinly sliced carrots
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 t. garlic powder
• 2 t. olive oil
• 2 packages (3 oz. each) ramen noodles
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 package (6 cups) coleslaw mix (without dressing)
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook turkey, carrots, onion, and garlic in oil until turkey is no longer pink.  Break noodles.  Add noodls, contents of seasoning packets, and water to turkey mixture.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 3-5 minutes.  Add coleslaw mix, peas, and soy sauce; cook and stir until cabbage is crisp-tender and noodles are tender, about 1 minute.