Balsamic Pork Cutlets (from Family Circle)

6 boneless pork chops, pounded to 1/2" thick.(I just buy "thin cut")
1/4 cup flour
1 T oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red sweet bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
14oz can beef broth
6.5oz can mushrooms( in this dish, canned are fine. you can do fresh sautee'd too)
2-3 T balsamic vinegar (2 T was plenty for my taste)
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
package orzo, cooked (you can sub rice for this too)
Season chops with a little salt and pepper then coat with flour. Reserve unused flour. Over medium-high heat, brown chops in the oil, 2-3 mins per side. Remove to plate. To drippings in pan add onion and bell pepper. Cook 3 mins stirring so it doesnt burn. Add garlic. Take 1 T of reserved flour and add to can of broth, then pour into pan. Stir in drained mushrooms, vinegar, parsley, basil pepper and salt. Bring to simmer. Add pork, cover and cook on medium-low for 10 mins, turn chops halfway through. Serve over orzo or rice. * This was very tasty and was even better the next day.*

Honey Lime Enchiladas

These are our new favorite enchiladas. Just double and put one in freezer!
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tsp chili powder(more if want spice)
1-2 large garlic cloves, pressed
1.5lbs cooked chicken, SHREDDED
Mix above ingredients and marinate 30 mins. Stiring occasionally. In another bowl mix:
20 oz can green enchilada sauce
1 cup cream
This is your sauce. (save a cup or so for serving)
Spread a little sauce in bottom of greased 9x13. Take 10 flour tortillas and fill with chicken mixture, then grated cheddar, then drizzle spoonful of sauce. Roll up and place in dish. Drizzle sauce over top then extra cheese. Bake 30 minutes. Serve with remaining sauce. These are not hot if you use mild enchilada sauce!

Baked Mushroom Chicken

I think I will cook this every night for dinner.....
4 large chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
3T butter
1.5 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
3/4 cup chicken broth
salt & pepper
1/3 cup grated mozzarella(or more)(be generous)
1/3 cup grated parmesan (or more)(be generous)
1/4 cup sliced green onions
Pound out the chicken breasts between plastic wrap. I sliced each one in half horizontally to make 8 breasts because they were thick. If using already thin ones, double the breasts. Make them 1/4" thick. Salt and pepper them, then dredge in flour. Brown over med-high heat in butter. Add oil to butter if burning. Place browned chicken in large casserole dish. Meanwhile, in 1-2T butter, sautee mushrooms till darker and yummy. Add salt and little pepper and chicken broth. (you may want to double chicken broth if using more breasts.) Boil 5 mins till liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup. Pour mushrooms over chicken, and bake 15-20 minutes @375. Take out and top with cheeses and green onions. Bake another 5-6 mins till melted. I served this over cooked egg noodles tossed with butter, parsley flakes and salt. WAY GOOD.

Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

This bread is so fast to whip up and so moist! The glaze is simply heaven! From allrecipes.

3 c flour
1 1/2 t salt
1 1/2 t baking powder
2 T poppy seeds
2 c white sugar
1 c oil
3 eggs
1 c milk
grated rind of 1 lemon
1/2 c fresh lemon juice (or if you are in a pinch you can use 1 1/2 t lemon extract)
1 1/2 t vanilla extract

GLAZE:
1/4 c orange juice
3/4 c white sugar
juice of 1/2 a lemon (or 1/2 t lemon extract, but juice is always better!)

~In large mixing bowl stir together dry ingredients.
~Make well in center and add wet ingredients. Mix them well and then incorporate all the dry.
~Mix well for about a minute, until smooth.
~Pour into greased pans (I've used different sizes, but last I made was 2 med. loaves and 2 mini loaves. It makes approximately 3 medium loaves).
~Bake at 350 for around 50-55 minutes; less time for mini loaves. DO NOT OVERBAKE! Check them very carefully with toothpick just until done.
~Mix glaze ingredients well and drizzle over hot loaves completely covering them. Cool.
~Best when eaten the next day.

Jalapeno Jelly

Recipe from The Silver Scissor blog. Perfect! Not too hot. Must be served with cream cheese on Club or Triscuit crackers!

3/4 lb jalapeno peppers
2 c apple cider vinegar, divided
6 c sugar
2 pouches LIQUID pectin
green food coloring, optional but highly recommended!

~Wash peppers, drain. Remove stems and seeds. Puree peppers and 1 c vinegar in food processor or blender (blender works great!).
~Combine puree, 1 c vinegar, and sugar in very large pot. This will bubble up quite a bit so use a stock pot or larger pot.
~Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 10 minutes. Have a book or other good reading material nearby to help pass the time!
~Stir in liquid pectin. Return to a rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute stirring constantly.
~Remove from heat. Skim foam. Stir in a few drops of food coloring, otherwise it will be a weird yellowish color.
~Ladle hot jelly into jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
~Process 10 minutes in boiling water canner.
~Makes approximately 7 half pints.

Best Buttermilk Biscuits

This is the best recipe I've found for buttermilk biscuits! Soooo good. Love the texture-a little crispy on outide and very moist inside.


2 c flour
3 t baking powder
2 t sugar
1/2 t cream of tartar
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/2 c cold butter, sliced
3/4 c buttermilk (or more)

-You can do this in your food processor or in a bowl. Mix all dry ingredients then add butter slices. Pulse until coarse crumbs or use pastry cutter. Add buttermilk and mix just until it comes together. I needed to add a little more buttermilk to mine as it was a little dry.
-Put dough on floured surface, roll out with rolling pin just a little and cut out biscuits.
-Put on greased baking sheet and bake at 500 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
-Makes approximately 12 medium biscuits.

Pumpkin Pie Dessert Cake

Ok girls.  Here is another delicious one!!  This tastes like pumpkin pie, but with a sweet buttery-goodness crust!!  It's really yummy!

1 large can pumpkin
1 T pumpkin pie spice (can do 2t cinn, 1/2 t each ginger, nutmeg and allspice to replace)
4 eggs
1 can evaporated milk
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 c sugar
Mix all ingredients. Pour into 9x13 pan.  Bake 30 minutes at 350. (I baked mine almost 40 min. because the middle wasn't set) Mix 1 yellow cake mix with 1 cube butter til crumbly.  (My sis and I agree it needs 1 1/2 cubes butter to get good results.  1 cube leaves it dry.)  Put on top of pumpkin mixture.  Bake in oven 30 minutes more.  Serve room temp with dollop of  whipped cream.  Enjoy!!

White Cake with Peach Glaze

I had this at a friend's 'Chuck' premiere night party.  Delicious cake and the show was pretty funny.  I had never seen it, though it's been on for several seasons.  Sorry it's late.  Are there peaches left anywhere??  Next year for sure!!!


Make a white cake

8oz of cream cheese
8oz of Cool Whip
1/2-3/4 of powdered sugar
MIX ALL OF THIS TOGETHER, AND PUT ON TOP OF WHITE CAKE

GLAZE
1C sugar
pinch of salt
3/4 C water
2T lemon juice
1-2T butter
4T heaping of cornstarch
MIX THIS AND STIR CONSTANTLY ON BOIL TILL IT THICKENS, PUT IN FRIDGE TO COOL.

Dice up 4 cups of fresh peaches, mix with glaze and put on top of cake. YUMMY!

Chicken Alphabet Soup

My kids loved this. Yummy and very easy.

3 medium carrots, sliced
2 celery ribs, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 T olive oil
2 qt. water
8 chicken bouillon cubes
4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
1/4 t dried thyme
1 1/2 c uncooked alphabet pasta
2 T minced fresh parsley (I keep this in a baggie in the freezer so it's easily accessible, just like you Mom!)

-In a large pot saute veggies in oil until tender. Stir in water, chicken, thyme, and bouillon cubes.
-Bring to a boil. You can then let this simmer as long as you like, but if you need it ASAP, once it comes to a boil add pasta. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until tender.
-Stir in parsley.
-Serves 10.

Crock Pot Applesauce

My favorite time to bake is here! Anything with apples, pumpkin, cranberry, pears, can't wait! So to kick off this autumn season I made something I think you'll like. Well, I know you'll like it, you may even love it as we did! I got the recipe from Secondsister. It is heaven and the fresh whipped cream melting on top of the hot applesauce is a MUST! This is the most simple dessert yet so amazingly delicious!

Variety of apples-mcintosh, pink lady, rome, golden delicious, anything!
fresh lemon juice
2 Cinnamon sticks
brown sugar, to taste
2 vanilla beans (optional)
whipped cream sweetened with sugar and vanilla

-Fill your crock pot up with peeled, cored, and quartered apples.
-Sprinkle with lemon juice to help prevent them turning brown.
-Sprinkle on a few tablespoons of water.
-Put cinnamon sticks and vanilla beans down in the apples. You can even sprinkle with some ground cinnamon if you like.
-Put lid on and cook on high all day. Mine took about 6 hours.
-Mash up a little with potato masher unless you like it more chunky. Stir in brown sugar to your liking. It doesn't take much, depending on the sweetness of your apples I guess.
-Serve hot in a bowl with a huge dollop of cold whipped cream. HEAVEN!

Chicken Chimies

Quick and good!

2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
garlic salt and pepper to taste
10 flour tortillas
8oz monterey jack cheese, shredded
4 green onions, sliced
1-2 T oil
Toss shredded chicken with a few sprinkles garlic salt and pepper. Spoon chicken into tortillas, top with cheese and green onions, then wrap up burrito style. Heat oil in skillet, and add 'burritos', sautee till golden on both sides. Serve hot with your favorite toppings: sour cream, guacamole, salsa. These are good the next day just warmed in the microwave.

Mexican Lasagna

Brandon took left-overs to work for lunch with him for about 5 days- he loves this.

1/2 lb EACH ground beef and ground sausage
1 jalapeno, chopped( I did not use this, spicy enough w/o it)
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp EACH salt and pepper
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
10oz can enchilada sauce(mild)
18 corn tortillas
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded jack cheese
2 tomatoes chopped
4 green onions sliced
fresh cilantro
1 avocado sliced or diced
Cook sausage and beef. Drain. Add jalapeno, and next 5 ingredients, cook till heated. Stir together soups and enchilada sauce in a pan, cook till heated. Spoon 1/3 of the sauce onto bottom of greased 9x13. Layer 6 tortillas. Spoon half the meat mixture and 1/3 sauce over tortillas, then sprinkle with half the cheddar cheese. Add 6 more tortillas, repeat layers, ending with tortillas. Sprinkle top with the jack cheese and next 3 ingredients. Bake @350 for 30 minutes. Serve with avocado on the side.

Patty Casserole

I picture this recipe coming from a little grandma born and raised in a little Utah town somewhere with a name like Verla. It's a goody.
1 lb or so ground beef
2 potatoes grated
1 carrot grated
half an onion grated
2 eggs
2 T flour
1 can cream of mushroom or chicken, whatever you have in the pantry
1 soup can filled with milk
Mix grated veggies and meat. Add flour and egg. Season if you like. Shape into 8 patties. Brown both sides in a little oil. Place in a 9x13 baking dish. Heat together soup and milk. Pour over patties, cover and bake @350 for 40 minutes. Serve over hot rice spooning "gravy" over top.

Oatmeal Cinnamon waffles

These are the hearty-ist waffles I've eaten, and they are so good.
1 3/4 cups wheat flour
1 T baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups quick-cooking oats (I used reg.)
2 T each cinnamon and packed brown sugar
Mix flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl mix wet ingredients. Add flour mixture to wet, and then add oats, cinnamon and brown sugar. Mix till just combined. Spray hot waffle iron with oil. Cook waffles like normal. Serve immediately. I love eating these with a sliced fresh banana on top and a drizzle of Mrs. butterworths.

Pork Chop Supreme

6 pork chops, bone-in
paprika
salt&pepper
2 T olive oil
1 cup water
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 packet onion soup mix
2-3 T flour
1 T fresh parsley
1/4 cup cold water
6oz can evaporated milk
Season generously the pork chops using paprika, salt and pepper. In the biggest skillet you own, brown them well in olive oil. Mix together onion soup mix, 1 cup water and celery. Pour over chops. Cover and simmer 45mins. Remove chops, set aside and keep warm. Combine flour, parsley and 1/4 cup cold water till smooth. Add to juices in pan. Then add milk. Whisk till bubbly and thickened 3-5 mins.(at this point if you want a lot of gravy, you can add more milk, water/flour to this.) Cover chops with sauce and serve with mashed potatoes or noodles. **This also would be great in a crock pot for a couple hours instead of skillet cooking.