Sweet & Spicy Pork Tenders

Sweet & Spicy Pork Tenders

5 boneless pork chops
1 pkg. mild taco seasoning
1 Jar apricot jam
1 c. salsa

Cut pork into bite size pieces. Mix pork and taco seasoning into plastic bag and shake well. Then brown meat in 3 tbsp oil, add apricot jam and salsa. I put this in the crock pot for 4-6 hours.

I use my rice cooker for rice but I know my mom always uses minute rice!

Cinnamon Bread

This is a variation on the bread that I make and found it on my sis-in-laws sister's blog...did that make any sense? Oh well it was a great idea and super easy!

Bread Dough
10 ½ Cups Flour
½ Cup Sugar
1 T Salt
3 Rounded Tbsp SAF Yeast (quick rise)
3 Tbsp Soy Lecithan (looks like honey)
4 Cups Hot Tap Water
Mix Flour, Sugar, Salt and Yeast in mixer and start mixing. Get Tap Water as hot as you can—add water, then Soy Lecithan(just squeeze lecithin into mixer—don’t measure) Knead (mix) 5 minutes in mixer (decide within the 1st minute if it needs more flour or water) Dough should pull away from edge of bowl.


Divide into 4 equal portions if using regular loaf pans. Roll into a long rectangle. Sprinkle liberally with cinnamon chips (from Kitchen Kneads). Start with small end and roll tightly.

Place seam-side down in greased pan. Let rise 25 minutes and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.



Here is the final product. It is very much like the Old Grist Mill Cinnamon Bread. My parents made french toast out of it and said it was delish!

Sweet Pork Salad/Burrito

Our main dish tonight was Sweet Pork Salad/Burrito. It was from my dinner group so here is the recipe.

Sweet Pork
1/2 cup Worcestershire
1/2 cup water
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ginger
2 Tbsp minced onion

Mix all together and pour over a 3-4 pound pork loin roast in a crock-pot. Cook low 8 hours. Shred meat and drain excess juice. Add the following

2 cups red enchelada sauce
2 cups brown sugar

Serve on tortillas with black beans, rice, lettuce, olives and whatever toppings you like

Sydney was dying to be in a picture so here she is with my salad...

Reviews...

Eric - According to the kids he ate "a million burritos"! Positive review

Sydney - "Love It"

Me - Soooo good!

Homemade Mac 'n Cheese

Tonight the 2 things we had didn't really go together Sweet Pork Salad/Burritos & Homemade Mac 'n Cheese) because I let Sydney pick the main dish and I already had this Mac 'n Cheese ready to go.

Homemade Mac 'n Cheese

3 Eggs, Beaten Well
1 C Milk
1/3 C Water
3 T Grated Onion
3/4 tsp Salt
3 C Cooked Macaroni
2 C Grated Cheese

Mix all ingredients well. Put in a greased baking dish (glass) 9x13. Top with more grated cheese, cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Don't let it brown.

Reviews:
Hunter - "It was delicous"
Sydney - "Good"

I used the "Time Bake" feature on my oven so it cooked a little long and was crisy on top but we ate the bottom and it was awesome!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have always like to make cookies and decided we needed a little treat tonight. I swear I use the same recipe every time and the cookies turn out different every time! Tonight I did use my fabulous Baker's Flour from Big J Mill and Hunter was in LOVE with the cookies. His words "These are delicous chewy, gooeyness"

Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 C Shortening
3/4 C Sugar
3/4 C Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
2 1/4 C Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
1 pkg Chocolate Chips

Mix together Shortening, Sugar, Brown Sugar, Eggs, Vanilla. Mix Flour, Baking Soda and Salt in a separate bowl (I don't really do this part I just add it all to the same mixing bowl because I don't have time to mix it separately and get another bowl dirty but the recipe says to so I will tell you to) and then add SLOWLY to bowl. Stir in Chocolate Chips (I use my mixer to mix them in but I am sure your not supposed to but it is easier and faster that way). Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes.

This time the cookies turned out flat and chewy...our favorite!

BBQ Ribs

Tonight we had BBQ Beef Ribs for Dinner. Sorry no picture because I had to throw them in the crockpot before I left for work, which I was already late for so no pic!

Here is what I did...

2 pkgs Beef Ribs
1 Onion, Chopped
BBQ Sauce (You can make homemade, I used a bottle)

Spray crockpot with cooking spray, spread onions on the bottom, top with ribs and pour sauce over the top. Cook 8-10 hours on low.

We had mashed potatoes and gravy and broccoli. Just FYI I use my crockpot A LOT because I work 4 days a week and I can just turn it on and dinner is basically done when I get home. So expect many crockpot dinners!

Mini Meatloafs

Tonight in addition to our regular dinner I also had to make my 10 freezer meals for my dinner group. I made Mini Meatloafs because they thaw faster and don't take as long to cook as regular meatloaf. Also, if you have a smaller family you can thaw half if that is all you need.

Here is the recipe...

2 lbs Ground Beef
1 Cup Saltine Crackers, Crushed
1/2 C Onions, Chopped
1/2 C Ketchup or BBQ Sauce
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1 egg

Mix all ingredients together and then shape into 6 "mini" meatloafs. Top with more Ketchup or BBQ Sauce when baking. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Top with cheese the last 5 minutes.

I had already put them in the freezer before I got a picture so this is the best one picture!

Angel Hair Pasta With Shrimp

We usually have Sunday dinner at one of our parents house but today we have to meet with the bishop so I was cooking! Hunter was SUPER excited to be having shrimp!

Angel Hair Pasta With Shrimp

1 lb Raw Shrimp

1/3 C Olive Oil

1/2 C Garlic, Chopped

1 C Onion, Chopped

1 C Green Pepper, Chopped (I omitted this)

3 C Fresh Tomatoes, Chopped

1 T Basil

1 T Oregano

Salt, Red Pepper Flakes, and Black Pepper to taste

1/2 C Butter

1 C Parsley, Chopped

1 lb Angel Hair Pasta

Heat Olive Oil. Saute Garlic, Green Peppers, and Onion until soft. Add Tomatoes, Basil, Oregano, Red Pepper, Black Pepper, and Salt. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. Add Butter, Parsley, and Shrimp. Simmer until Shrimp are pink. Cook Pasta as directed on package. Mix sauce with pasta and serve with Paresan Cheese.

Here is the saute and simmering...

Here is the final product on Hunter's plate. Hunter wanted to know why they don't serve this at restaurants! I will take that as a positive review! He also said he could eat this every night!

Cinnamon Rolls

I love to make breakfast on Sunday mornings so I decided to make cinnamon rolls this morning.

Bread Dough

10 ½ Cups Flour
½ Cup Sugar
1 T Salt
3 Rounded Tbsp SAF Yeast (quick rise)
3 Tbsp Soy Lecithan (looks like honey)4 Cups Hot Tap Water

Mix Flour, Sugar, Salt and Yeast in mixer and start mixing. Get Tap Water as hot as you can—add water, then Soy Lecithan(just squeeze lecithin into mixer—don’t measure) Knead (mix) 5 minutes in mixer (decide within the 1st minute if it needs more flour or water) Dough should pull away from edge of bowl.

Split dough in half and and roll into a rectangle. Spread with a mixture of cinnamon, brown sugar, and melted butter. Roll up and cut into rolls. Let them raise for 25 minutes. Then bake them at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Here they are just out of the oven. I usually make frosting with powdered sugar, butter, milk and vanilla but this morning I didn't have time so I used canned frosting. Our Sunday School kids ate almost both pans! We saved a few for Hunter & Sydney!

These are pretty fast to make and SUPER Good! You can also use this recipe to make 4 loaves of bread just increase the cooking time to 25 minutes.

Frog Eye Salad

Just because I'm not making dinner for us tonight doesn't mean I'm still not cooking for tonight! For my meetings we are having potluck dinner tonight and I was assigned a salad so I decided to make Frog Eye Salad. I was always amazed when people made this because it looked complicated but it is not!

Here is the recipe:

Frog Eye Salad
1 (16oz) pkg Acine de Pepe Pasta, cooked and drained
**Just a note: Our Wal-Mart does not carry this so I have to go to Smith's
3/4 C Sugar
2 Eggs
1 1/4 C Pineapple Juice
1/4 tsp Salt
3 T Flour
1 Can Crushed Pineapple, Drained (use for the juice needed above)
1 Can Chunk Pineapple, Drained (use above)
2 Can Mandarin Oranges, Drained
3 C Marshmallows
12oz Cool Whip
1 C Coconut (I omit this)

Cook the following ingredients on low-med heat until thick: Sugar, Eggs, Pineapple Juice, Salt, and Flour. Pour this sauce over Acini De Pepe and chill overnight. Add the following before serving: crushed and chunked pineapple, madarin oranges, marshmallows and Cool Whip. Also, Coconut if you use it. Makes 20 servings.

Here is the final product. I like to add the fruit and stuff a few hours before serving so the Cool Whip mixes in for a little while. I know there is a recipe that uses pudding instead of making the sauce but I don't have it and someone told me it is not as good. Let me know if anyone has tried that recipe and what you think.

Waffles

I won't be able to make dinner tonight so I made these "famous" waffles. My sister-in-law, Courtney, made them on Christmas Morning for my parents and my Dad has raved about them ever since. Courtney sent me the recipe and I bought buttermilk yesterday after forgetting to get it at 2 store and the 3rd store was a charm! Here is the recipe:

4 eggs
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup melted butter, cooled
milk

Mix eggs in blender until light. Mix dry ingredients together in separate bowl. Alternate adding dry ingredients and buttermilk to blender, ending with buttermilk. Add butter last. Add a splash of milk to thin the batter.

Here is the result (ignore the bad lighting!)

Yes, they are good! They are a light fluffy waffle and the best with homemade syrup! Yes, I make homemade syrup and my kids prefer it over store bought!

Thanks Court for the recipe...I hope it wasn't a secret!

Baked Spaghetti...

I always like to have homemade meals for dinner and we are trying to make it a "treat" to go out to eat. So this blog is what we are having for dinner each night and I will post recipes if I have them.

My goal is to have better meal planning and more dinners at home! I welcome any recipes and what everyone else is having for dinner tonight! Please email me at emh1996@yahoo.com.

Guess what this means Ryan? LEFTOVERS at work!! I will then post family opinions on the meals. Hopefully blogging about our dinner will help me stick to cooking every night!

Here is tonight:

Baked Spaghetti

1 Cup Onion, Chopped

1 T Butter

1 Can Tomatoes, Diced

1 Can Sliced Mushrooms, Drained

2 tsp Oregano

1 lb Ground Beef, Cooked and Drained

1 (12oz)Pkg Spaghetti Noodles, Cooked and Drained

2 C Shredded Cheese

1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/4 C Milk

1/2 C Paremsan Cheese

In a large skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. Add tomatoes, mushrooms, oregano and cooked ground beef. Simmer for 10 minutes. Place half of the cooked spaghetti in a 9x13 inch pan and top with half of the meat mixture and 1 cup shredded cheese. Repeat layer. Mix the soup and milk until smooth. Pour over the top of the last layer. Sprinkle with Paremsan Cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes uncovered. Put last cup of shredded cheese on top. Cook for 10 more minutes or until heated.

Here is the simmering...

Here is the final product prior to cooking...