MISC – Page 25 – Chasing MY Life WHEREVER it Leads ME

APPLE CINNAMON PORK CHOPS

APPLE CINNAMON PORK CHOPS
4 boneless pork chops
1 KNORR chicken gel bouillon
1 large frozen apple juice
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon + 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup + 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 apple, cored and sliced
Fresh ground pepper and salt to taste

Arrange pork chops in a single layer in the bottom of the crock pot.
Whisk together the bouillon, apple juice, water, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
Pour over pork chops.
Cook on low 4-5 hours.

Add sliced apple and sprinkle with remaining brown sugar and cinnamon.
Cook another hours.

HITCHING A RIDE

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GREEN CHILE BUFFALO WINGS and QUINTESSENTIAL MAC & CHEESE

GREEN CHILE BUFFALO WINGS adapted from a recipe at recipegoldmine.com
1 pound chicken wings and/or drumettes
1 can Old El Paso chopped green chiles, drained
1/2 cup Frank’s Original Red Hot Sauce
1 cup Smucker’s Orange Marmalade or Apricot Pineapple Jam
1 cup King Arthur flour
1 stick Crisco
1 stick organic butter
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 + 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Melt Crisco stick and butter together in a large skillet over a medium high heat.
Add flour to a gallon size ziploc bag.
Add chicken pieces and toss to coat.
Add chicken pieces to oil, but do not crowd.
Salt and pepper generously and then sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon sugar.
Cook until wings begin to bleed before turning.
Season again and sprinkle remaining sugar.
Cook until browned all over.

Add jam, hot sauce and green chiles to small food processor, processing until smooth.
When chicken is completely browned, dip each piece into the sauce and then place on baking sheet.
Bake 15 minutes until heated through.

Can’t say for sure who, though I highly suspect grams started it, but mom used to put crushed potato chips on top of casseroles, tuna in particular. I decided to taste test it on mac and cheese. I put it up against homemade crushed garlic croutons – the croutons won.

QUINTESSENTIAL MAC & CHEESE
16 ounces pasta, prepared per package
1/3 cup red onion, small dice
Himalayan Pink Salt
Fresh Ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons organic butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded Face Rock Vampire Slayer Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup extra sharp Cheddar Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large saucepan, melt butter.
Add onion, cooking until translucent.
Add flour, stirring until golden.
Add cream and stir until smooth.
Add seasonings, stirring to blend.
Add cheeses, blending until smooth.
Toss with cooked pasta and pour into prepared baking dish.
Top with crumbled Garlic Croutons.
Bake 30 minutes until heated through.

DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR LEPRECHAUN IS?

HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY

It’s time to link up for Happy Homemaker with Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at home mom and Laurie at I’m an Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday.

It was a lazy rainy weekend around here – lot’s of reading, baking, recipe creating, DVR catching up, race watching and goofing off.

BREAKFAST

Yogurt, blueberries and granola.

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
THIS MORNING:
Gray, dreary and drizzly.

FOR THE WEEK:
?? Keeps changing so we will see!

TO DO LIST
TODAY:

Laundry

Spring Cleaning

THIS WEEK:

EBAY

CURRENTLY READING

Finding Southern comfort by Barbara Lohr

So this is Love Callaways #2 Barbara Freethy

TELEVISION & DVR

Scandal

Justified

Perception

Rizzoli & Isles

PLAY TIME (If I can find any)
I’m still tweaking the new framework for my weekly menu and recipe links.

And for those that were wondering what those acronyms you often see on my menus are:

C.O.R.N. = CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT

Y.O.Y.O = YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN

Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

	BREAKFAST	DINNER	DESSERT
MONDAY	Oatmeal with Fruit	C.O.R.N. or Y.O.Y.O.
TUESDAY	Bagel & cream cheese	EXPERIMENT NIGHT
WEDNESDAY	Yogurt with Blueberries & Granola	Rosemary, Parsley & Thyme Chicken
THURSDAY	Scrambled Eggs with cheese & Toast	Garlic Cider Chicken
FRIDAY	Yogurt with Blueberries & Granola	White Bean Gratin
SATURDAY	Bacon & Eggs	Coffee Meatballs & Noodles
SUNDAY	Pancakes	Apple Cider Pork Chops

LAST WEEK’S RECIPES I TRIED and their RECIPE LINKS

Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup Bake – sooooooo good

Sauer Pulled Pork

Crock Pot Corned Beef (Secret ingredient garlic and 7UP)

Rosemary, Parsley & Thyme Chicken

Blueberry Crumb Cake

NEW RECIPES TO TRY IN THE NEAR FUTURE

Orange Cardamom Roast Chicken

Pork with Apple Cream Sauce

Hungarian Meatballs

Hawaiian Meatballs

Dulce De Leche Pineapple Ice Cream Sundaes

Dulce De Leche Cookie Bars

Couch Potato Bars – they have peanut butter, pretzels, bacon, potato chips and chocolate chips – A MUST TRY COMBINATION

MY FAVORITE PHOTO FROM LAST WEEK

I took a few photos for a golf pamphlet my mom is putting together. This one turned out pretty.

The pond looks like spring is about to bloom too.

BLOGS TO CHECK OUT
Nothing new this week.

HOMEMAKING TIP / PRODUCT REVIEWS
When using plastic ware for anything tomato or pizza sauce, a quick spray with non stick cooking spray will prevent the tomato sauce from staining your plastic.

Tired of sticking your finger reaching for your cake tester? Add some wine, OOPS I mean add a wine cork to the end for storage and make it safer.

ON MY MIND LATELY & PRAYERS & INSPIRATION

ROSEMARY, PARSLEY & THYME CHICKEN

Rainy and dreary here today so I started the crock pot and the oven for some yummy new recipes. This chicken recipe turned out particularly yummy and fork tender.

ROSEMARY, PARSLEY & THYME CHICKEN
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, frozen
2 stalks celery, sliced thick
1 bag baby carrots
2 shallots, sliced
1 clove Elephant Garlic, minced
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
several sprigs fresh thyme
several sprigs fresh rosemary
several sprigs fresh parsley
1 KNORR gel bouillon
3 tablespoons plum jelly
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup hot water
2 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca flakes
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cups egg noodles
fresh ground pink Himalayan salt and black pepper
1 cup frozen peas

Layer celery, carrots, shallots and garlic in bottom of crock pot.
Salt and pepper vegetables.
Place frozen chicken thighs on top of vegetables.
Gather peppercorns, thyme rosemary, and parsley into a cheesecloth bag and tie shut. Add bag to crock pot.
Whisk together wine, water, bouillon, jelly, lemon juice, and tapioca. Pour over chicken.
Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours.
Add peas and egg noodles. Re-cover and cook another hour.

BLUEBERRY CRUMB CAKE

Rainy and dreary here today so I started the crock pot and the oven for some yummy new recipes.

BLUEBERRY CRUMB CAKE also makes great muffins

CAKE
1/4 cup organic butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 JUMBO egg
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon PURE vanilla
2 cups flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 cups small wild blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 10 inch spring form pan with non-stick spray.
In a large bowl cream butter with sugar.
Add egg, blending well.
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
Alternately add flour mixture and milk, beating until well blended.
Fold in lemon zest and blueberries.
Spread into prepared pan.

TOPPING
1/4 cup organic butter, softened
1/3 cup flour
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons chilled butter, sliced thin

In a medium bowl mix together softened butter, flour, oats, white sugar and cinnamon until well blended.
Sprinkle on top of cake.
Sprinkle brown sugar on top evenly.
Place chilled butter slices randomly around.
Bake 40-45 minutes until cake tester comes out clean from middle of cake.

CAPPUCCINO CRÈME CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE PIE

1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup Hershey’s cocoa
1/4 cup sugar
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
1 – cup semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
2 – eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups ground ginger snaps
1 1/2 cups ground vanilla wafers
4 tablespoons butter, melted
CAPPUCCINO CRÈME (recipe below)
Cherry cordial Hershey’s milk kisses

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a small saucepan melt thebutter over low heat.
Stir in cocoa and sugar.
Add the sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips and eggs.
Stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Pour into crust.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until center is almost set.
Cool completely.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Just before serving, prepare and spread CAPPUCCINO CREME over top.
Garnish with chocolate pieces, if desired.
Cover and refrigerate leftover pie.

CAPPUCCINO CRÈME
1 cup (1/2 pint) whipping cream

1 1/2 teaspoons powdered espresso
2 teaspoons Hershey’s Cocoa
3 tablespoons powdered sugar

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, combine whipping cream, powdered espresso, Cocoa and powdered sugar. Beat until stiff. Makes about 2 cups.

AWWWWW

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SAUER PULLED PORK

SAUER PULLED PORK
2 cups sauerkraut, rinsed and drained*
2 pound pork tenderloin
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard mayonnaise mixture
1 cup beer**
salt and pepper, to taste

Place sauerkraut on the bottom of your slow cooker.
Cut tenderloin in half and lay on top of sauerkraut.
Generously salt and pepper meat.
Spread Dijon on top of meat.
Pour beer over around meat.
Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 4-5 hours.
Remove meat to cutting board and shred using 2 forks.
Serve on thick toast layers with sauerkraut and with sliced red onion.

*I used a local organic sauerkraut as is without rinsing or draining
**I used a pumpkin ale and used ALL of it

GRILLED CHEESE & TOMATO SOUP CASSEROLE

GRILLED CHEESE & TOMATO SOUP CASSEROLE
adapted from TasteofHome.com
serves 4
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
8 slices sourdough bread
4 slices provolone cheese
4 slices extra sharp cheddar cheese
4 slices mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons Classico sun dried tomato pesto
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 JUMBO egg, beaten
1 cup whole milk
1/2 +/- cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
Spread butter on 4 slices of bread.
Place in baking dish butter side down.
Spread cream cheese on top side.
Add 1 slice of each cheese on top of cream cheese.
Butter the 4 other pieces of bread and place butter side up on sandwiches.

In a small saucepan whisk together the tomato pesto, garlic, salt and pepper until well combined.
Over medium high heat add milk gradually, whisking until well blended.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 or so minutes until begins to thicken.
Pour a small amount of the tomato mixture into the beaten egg to begin with (do it too fast and egg will curdle) whisking constantly until well blended. Gradually add remaining tomato mixture, whisking constantly.
Pour over sandwiches.
Top with half of shredded cheese.
Bake 15 minutes, flip and top with remaining cheese and bake another 15 minutes or until golden brown.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY

It’s another Monday… and you know what that means. It’s time to link up with Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at home mom and Laurie at I’m an Organizing Junkie for Happy Homemaker and Menu Plan Monday.

It was a lazy weekend around here – lot’s of reading, race watching and goofing off. Weather was too nice!

BREAKFAST

I’m cheating and having Mickey D’s on my way to town.

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
THIS MORNING:
It’s cold this morning, but promises to be warm and sunny by the time I get back from shopping and errands! It’s just so short lived before it’s cold at night.

FOR THE WEEK:
Less and less promise of sun and more and more promise of dreary skies as the week progresses.