Wednesday, 11 July 2018

Skillet Pork Chops With Mushroom Gravy

Filling, pretty healthy, veggie-packed and delicious. Thank you 12 Tomatoes

4 boneless pork chops
1 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 cup yellow onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock
3/4 cup beef stock
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, optional
Fresh thyme, garnish, optional
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

  • Season pork chops with garlic powder, then generously with salt and pepper.
  • Heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. 
  • Once hot, sear both sides of pork chops until nicely browned. 
  • Remove pork chops to a plate and cover to keep warm.
  • Drizzle another 1/2 tablespoon olive oil into skillet,
  • Add mushrooms and onion and sauté for 6-7 minutes, or until softened and lightly browned. 
  • Season with salt, pepper and dried thyme, if using
  • Sprinkle flour over onion and mushrooms and stir until everything is evenly coated. 
  • Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until flour has a chance to cook and be absorbed.
  • Stir in chicken and beef broths, stirring to scrape up burned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  • Bring mixture to a boil, then lower heat and let simmer for 15 minutes, or until gravy has reduced and thickened.
  • Return pork chops to skillet and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through and tender.
  • Remove from heat, spooning gravy over pork chops and garnishing with fresh thyme, if desired.

Sunday, 1 July 2018

Patriotic Ripple Ice Cream

An easy, no-churn recipe perfect for the Fourth of July. Thank you Love Bakes Good Cakes


2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
½ cup cherry pie filling (from a 21 oz. can - reserve the rest for another use)
½ cup blueberry pie filling (from a 21 oz. can - reserve the rest for another use


  • In a large bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form. 
  • Fold the vanilla and sweetened condensed into the whipped cream. 
  • Pour the mixture into a 9x5-inch bread loaf pan (or similar size container).
  • Process the cherry pie filling in a food processor until smooth. 
  • Drizzle the cherry pie filling over the top of the whipped cream mixture. 
  • Rinse out and dry the food processor bowl and blade. 
  • Process the blueberry pie filling in the food processor until smooth. 
  • Drizzle the blueberry pie filling over the whipped cream mixture. 
  • Use a knife to cut through the pie filling and create swirls.
  • Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and freeze 8 hours or until firm.

Thursday, 28 June 2018

Wave The Flag Cupcakes

Perfect cupcakes for the Fourth of July or Memorial Day. Thank you The Blueberry Council


1 package (18- to 19-ounces) yellow cake mix
1⁄3 cup applesauce
3 egg whites
3 cups fresh blueberries, divided
1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
½ cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 roll red-colored rolled fruit snack (from a 4.5-ounce box)


  • Preheat oven to 350°F
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat cake mix with applesauce, egg whites and 1-¼ cups water for 30 seconds on low speed, then 2 minutes on medium speed
  • Spoon batter into 24 (2½-inch) aluminum or paper lined muffin cups
  • Evenly divide 1 cup of blueberries onto tops of batter
  • Do not stir
  • Bake cupcakes following package directions
  • Remove to a wire rack and cool completely
  • In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until smooth
  • Spoon onto cooled cupcakes
  • Spread to the edges
  • Unroll fruit snack and, with a sharp knife, cut into strips 1⁄8-inch wide by 2-inch long
  • On half of each cupcake, arrange strips, trimming each to fit
  • Arrange remaining 2 cups blueberries on the frosting on other halves of the cupcakes, about 10 blueberries per cupcake

Tuesday, 26 June 2018

American Flag Cheesecake Bars

 A great make-ahead dessert for summer entertaining. Thank you My Recipes


Crust:
1/2 cup whole almonds
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
3 8-oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
80 fresh ripe blueberries (about 1 cup
1 cup seedless raspberry jelly
  • Preheat oven to 325°F. 
  • Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides. 
  • Mist foil with cooking spray.
  • Make crust: Pulse almonds in a food processor until finely chopped. 
  • Add flour, brown sugar and salt, and process until well combined. 
  • Add butter and pulse just until mixture begins to come together; it should not form a ball. 
  • Press mixture evenly over bottom of prepared pan. 
  • Bake for 25 minutes, or until set. 
  • Let cool on a wire rack.
  • Make filling: With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. 
  • Scrape down sides of bowl. 
  • Reduce speed to medium-low and add eggs, one at a time, beating until just combined. 
  • Beat in lemon juice, vanilla and salt.
  • Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over crust. 
  • Tap pan on counter top 3 or 4 times to burst air bubbles in filling. 
  • Place pan on a large roasting pan and put in oven. 
  • Pour hot tap water into roasting pan until it comes up about an inch around baking pan. 
  • Bake for 40 minutes, or until filling is just set. 
  • Cool completely on a wire rack, then cover with foil 
  • Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
  • Use foil overhang to transfer bars to a serving platter. 
  • Decorate each bar with 5 blueberries in upper left corner to resemble stars on the American flag. 
  • Place jelly in a ziplock bag, seal bag and snip off about 1/6 inch at one bottom corner. 
  • Pipe jelly in thin lines on each bar to resemble stripes on flag.
  • Lift cheesecake out of pan and onto cutting board. 
  • Heat a large sharp knife under hot water; dry knife. 
  • Trim off edges of cheesecake. 
  • Carefully cut into 16 bars, rinsing knife under hot water and drying thoroughly between each cut.

Monday, 25 June 2018

Alfredo Baked Potatoes

The perfect side dish for any meal! Baked potatoes are even better when you add Alfredo sauce and two different kinds of cheese. Thank you Butter with a Side of Bread


2 large baking potatoes
1 cup Alfredo sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided

  • Scrub and dry the potatoes. 
  • Pierce them with a fork three or four times 
  • For crispy skins, brush them with olive oil and sprinkle them with a little bit of salt before baking. For soft skins to stay soft, wrap them in aluminum foil  
  • Bake at 375 for an hour, or until the centers are soft when poked with a fork.
  • Remove the potatoes from the oven and slice each one in half horizontally.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the Alfredo sauce, garlic powder, mozzarella cheese and half of the cheddar cheese. 
  • Once combined, scoop out the potato pulp and add to the sauce mixture. 
  • Mix until completely combined and then put the mixture back into the potato skins.
  • Sprinkle them with the remaining cheddar cheese 
  • Put them back in the oven for about 5-6 minutes, or until the cheese on top is completely melted. 
  • Serve immediately.

Tuesday, 19 June 2018

Chicken and Cabbage Enchiladas

These low-carb chicken enchiladas are so good, you won't even miss the tortilla. Thank you Delish


1 head green cabbage
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
Kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. chili powder
3 c. shredded, cooked chicken
1 1/3 c. red enchilada sauce, divided
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
1 c. shredded monterey jack
1/2 c. shredded cheddar
Sour cream, for drizzling

  • Preheat oven to 350º. 
  • In a large pot, boil 4 cups water. 
  • Using tongs, dip each cabbage leaf in water for 30 seconds and place on a paper towel-lined plate to dry.
  • In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. 
  • Add onion and bell pepper and season with salt. 
  • Cook until soft, 5 minutes, then stir in garlic, cumin and chili powder. 
  • Add shredded chicken and 1 cup enchilada sauce and stir until saucy. 
  • Turn off heat and stir in cilantro.
  • Place a heaping spoon of chicken mixture into the center of each cabbage leaf. 
  • Fold the short sides of the cabbage leaf in first, then roll into a cylinder — like a burrito! 
  • Repeat until all chicken mixture is used.
  • Spoon remaining 1/3 cup enchilada sauce over cabbage enchiladas and sprinkle with both cheeses. 
  • Bake until melted, about 20 minutes. 
  • Garnish with sour cream and more cilantro and serve.

Friday, 15 June 2018

Peanut Butter Dessert

How easy is this dessert? Its cold and creamy, and includes peanut butter and chocolate. Delicious!  Thank you Mari over at My Little Corner of the World



Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick melted margarine
Mix together and press into a 9x13 pan.

Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup milk
16 ounces Cool Whip



  • Beat cream cheese, then add powdered sugar. 
  • Add peanut better and mix well. 
  • Stir milk in slowly, than fold in Cool Whip.
  • Pour over crust and freeze.
  • Top with hot fudge sauce just before serving.