Mom's Pork Chops

This is such a wonderfully easy meal. Comfort food to me. It may not be to Eric because it is not steak, but he is happy to see me comforted:)

Pork chops (how many you think your family will eat)

2 cans of tomato soup

carrots

potatoes cut into pieces ( I do mine thick scalloped style)

Melt a TB butter in fry pan and put in pork chops. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Turn and cook other side. This will take 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness of the cut. I get thin cut because it cooks faster.

Spray crockpot with cooking spray. Put 1/2 tomato soup at the bottom of the crockpot. Place potatoes, carrots, and other 1/2 of tomato soup. Then place the pork chops on top. Pour remaining can of soup on top. Cook for 6 hours on low.

Basically the tomato soup creates the sauce for potatoes. I just put some butter, salt & pepper on the potatoes and put sauce over everything. Happy that there are leftoevers.

Blondies

1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, plus more for the pan

2 1/4 cups flour, plus more for pan

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 cups packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

2 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup toffee bits

Preheat oven to 350. Butter 9x13 pan. Line the bottom with parchment. You will be using the parchment to lift the brownies out so be generous in using the parchment. Butter and flour the parchment as you would a cake pan.

In a saucepan, cook the butter until it turns a golden brown. Remove from heat. In a seperate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. In a mixer, combine butter and sugars. Next add eggs and vanilla. Add flour, nuts, and toffee. Pour into prepared pan.

Cook for 35 minutes. Do not overbake. Transfer to a wire rack to cook completely. Peel off parchment and cut brownies into desired shape. Blondies can be stored in an airtight container at room temp for 3 days.

Watched this on Martha the week before Valentine's. Fun to have something yummy that isn't the traditional chocolate. Enjoy.

Taco Soup

This may be the recipe that I have given out most often. Easy. Yummy.

1 pound ground beef
2 cans ranch style beans
1 can corn
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can Ro-tel
1 pkg ranch dressing
1 pkg taco seasoning

Brown the ground beef. Add all ingredients to crock-pot. Let it cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve with chips, cheese, and sour cream.

Jerk Chicken

1tsp grated lime rind

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

2 Tbs olive oil

1-2 TB finely grated jalapeno

1 TB ground allspice

1 TB brown sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

3 garlic cloves

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs

Put the first twelve ingredients into the blender. Put chicken into heavy duty ziploc bag. Put marinade over chicken. Let marinade for 3 hours. Prepare grill (or grill pan like me)

Remove chicken from bag and discard marinade. Grill about 5-6 minutes on each side.

Enjoy.

Chicken with Provencal Sauce

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast or 9 chicken tenders

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 1/2 TB olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup chicken broth

1 1/2 tsp dried Herbs de Provence

1 TB lemon juice

1 TB butter

Heat oil in skillet. Place chicken in skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook about 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm. Add garlic to pan. Add broth and herbs; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Remove from heat and add lemon and butter. Stir until butter is incorporated. Serve sauce over chicken.

This is so easy, quick and delicious that it may make it on your monthly menu. Plus, it is from Cooking Light.

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

These were voted the best by our family. Sometimes we don't even get plates ready to give these away to friends for fear of a serious breakdown from one of the boys.

"Why do we always have to give them away"

This is the recipe I played around with the most. I wrote the notes on a little piece of paper which I did not place somewhere special. That is why it took so long to get it posted. I wasn't trying to hold out on the favorite kind, I just had to make it 3 more times to make sure it was just right. I have used limeade, raspberry lemonade, and pink lemonade in these cupcakes.

Pink Lemonade Cupcake

White cake

1/2 cup buttermilk

3 egg whites

1/8 cup water

2 TB oil

1/2 cup pink lemonade, concentrate and thawed

*If you don't have buttermilk, take 1/2 cup reg milk and add 1/2 TB lemon juice. Let sit for about 7 minutes.

Mix all ingredients and fill cupcake liners 3/4 full. Bake 350 for 21-22 minutes.

Frosting

1 cube of butter, room temp.

2 1/2 - 3 cups powdered sugar

2 TB pink lemonade concentrate thawed

a little milk if needed for desired consistencya few drops of red food coloring to make the frosting pink ( If making limeade I just use a little zest from a lime on the top and no food coloring)

Cream butter. Add 2 cups powdered sugar. Add lemonade. Add the last of powdered sugar. Add milk if needed. Add food coloring if you wish.

Deliver to friends at your own risk.

Rootbeer Cupcakes

These were a favorite with the boys and Eric.

1 white cake mix

1 cup of favorite rootbeer

Mix. Divide batter evenly amoung cupcake liners. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.

Rootbeer Buttercream Frosting

1 stick of butter, room temp.

3 3/4 cup powdered sugar

3-4 TB milk

1 tsp rootbeer flavoring

Cream butter. Add powdered sugar. Add 3 TB of milk. Add rootbeer flavoring. Start the speed on slow and gradually increase speed until smooth and creamy. Add the last TB of milk if needed. Frost and poke in straws for a fun look. This recipe from 101 Gourmet Cupcakes.