Ham/Cheese Sliders and Ranch Red Potatoes

Not the best pic, but I had to remember this easy, yummy dinner idea. I have to remember everything that I make that my kids and Dr. Glenn love ( well Dr. Glenn loves everything I cook except Sweet potatoes). We loved this dinner!

Ham/Cheese Sliders:
Ingredients:
Hawaiian sweet rolls
Ham sliced thin
Monterey Jack cheese
Honey Dijon mustard ( for the grown ups)

Directions:
Pile everything on the sweet rolls and it makes a cute, yummy slider for lil mouths.

Ranch Potatoes:

Ingredients:
Red Potatoes cleaned and cut up. I cut up about 8 potatoes
Ranch packet
olive oil

Directions:
Clean your potatoes, cut em up and then throw them in a boiling pot of water until tender. Drain them and then pour them into a bowl. Drizzle olive oil all over the potatoes. Don't be shy with the olive oil. Sprinkle the Dry ranch packet on top and make sure to stir everything in really well. Lay the potatoes flat on a cookie sheet and place in the oven on  BROIL for a few minutes. Make sure to watch em. They just need to be golden brown.

YUMMY EASY DINNER!

Crock Pot Macoroni and Cheese

Ingredients

• 8 ounces medium shell macaroni
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese or a Cheddar blend
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

1. Cook the macaroni following package directions. Drain in a colander and rinse with hot water. Drain well.
2. Generously butter the sides and bottom of a 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker (I use about 2 tablespoons of butter).
3. Combine the macaroni with the remaining ingredients in the slow cooker and blend well. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, stirring a few times.
4. If desired, spoon the cooked macaroni and cheese mixture into a baking dish, sprinkle with a little more cheese, and put under the broiler for a minute or 2, just until cheese is melted.
5. When the macaroni and cheese is done, feel free to spoon into a baking dish, top with a little more cheese, and put under the broiler for a minute or two for that “fresh from the oven” look.

Asian BBQ Chicken

Asian BBQ Chicken
Adapted from Cooking Light

1/4 C packed brown sugar
1/4 C soy sauce
2 T lime juice (about 1 lime)
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t curry powder
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 t grated fresh ginger
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Combine everything but the chicken in a small bowl. Whisk to dissolve brown sugar. Place marinade and chicken in a zip-lock bag. Pop that bag in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, or longer if you have it (even overnight)

Preheat a grill (or an indoor grill pan or broiler). Spray cooking surface with cooking spray and place chicken on it to cook. Cook for 5-10 minutes on each side depending on the thickness. Optional: garnish with sliced green onions

* I wish I would have made more sauce to pour on top of the finished BBQ chicken. I also didn't have thighs and used breasts, but next time gonna try the thighs for sure.

Coconut Milk Rice Recipe:( from here).

2 c. white or Jasmine rice
1 can coconut milk
2 c. water
1 tsp. Kosher salt
Splash of white vinegar (optional, but it helps with the texture)
2-3 tsp. white sugar
Handful of chopped green onions, plus chopped green onion tops for garnish (we’re using the whole animal here…)
Black pepper to taste

Apple butter pork chops and Chive Mashed potatoes for V-day

So my guy loves a good pork chop so I decided to try the one I found off of ourbestbites.com and give it a shot! We loved it. I especially loved it. Here is the recipe.



4 boneless pork chops (about 1 lb. I just got a sirloin roast, partially froze it, and cut 4 chops about ½”-3/4” thick)
¼ c. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 c. high-quality apple cider
¼ c. apple butter
1 tablespoon water
1 ½ tablespoons Creole or coarsely ground mustard
1 tsp. pressed garlic
1/2 recipe of Caramelized Onions

Preheat oven to 375.

Combine the flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together in a small bowl. In a large, oven-safe skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Dredge the pork chops in the flour mixture and then brown the pork chops for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they’re brown and crispy.

While the pork chops are browning, combine the apple cider, apple butter, water, garlic, and mustard. When the pork chops are done browning, add the cider mixture to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes or until the sauce begins to evaporate and thicken. Remove from heat and evenly distribute the caramelized onions over the pork chops. Cover the pan with a lid and place in oven for 30 minutes. I served ours with creamy-chive mashed potatoes.

Simple potatoes. I hate boxed potatoes with a passion. Here is the quick recipe:

4-5 potatoes peeled and cubed.
1/4 C. f free milk
1/2 C. light s. cream
1/2 stick butter
Salt and pepper for taste
1/4 c. chives chopped

I boil my potatoes until they are soft, drain em. and then put them into the kitchen aid and start whipping em up. I add the milk and then let em whip a bit longer, then add the S. cream, butter, and chives. I usually taste it and then add my salt and pepper. Yummy!

Pulled Pork Sandwhiches

I have to make this again and again and again. With the summer coming up this is the perfect summer meal to share with anyone and everyone. I felt like I was down in the south. It was so scrumptious. I love easy crockpot stuff!

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

3 lb. boneless pork shoulder

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Smoked paprika or liquid smoke

1-1 1/2 bottles BBQ Sauce ( I just use the cheap dollar brand)

About 12 high-quality rolls ( Ciabatta rolls are the best for this)
Coleslaw

Thick-cut dill pickle slices

Directions:

Rinse pork roast well in cold water and trim of excess fat. This is important because sometimes, boneless pork shoulder (and bone-in pork shoulder, for that matter) can take on kind of an icky fishy odor and a lot of that smell is in the juices and the fat. Pat dry. Sprinkle roast with seasonings and place in your slow cooker. Add about 1/2 inch of water and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

When the roast has cooked, drain liquid and then return to the slow cooker and shred. Pour enough sauce over the meat so it's well-incorporated but not soupy. Return the lid to the crockpot and heat through.

When ready to serve, slice rolls and add meat. Top with coleslaw and a few slices of dill pickle.


Memphis-Style Coleslaw:

1 c. mayonnaise (side note: why, oh why does regular mayonnaise have to taste so much better than low-fat?)
2 Tbsp. Dijon or whole-grain mustard
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 heaping tsp. Kosher salt (or an even 1/2 tsp. of table salt)
1 Tbsp. grated onion
2-2 1/2 tsp. celery seed (absolutely essential for classic coleslaw flavor)
1 16-oz. bag shredded cabbage with carrots (stay away from the very fine shreds because they'll get too soggy)
1/2 minced green bell pepper
1 carrot, peeled and grated

You probably could just get a bag of coleslaw and top with a coleslaw dressing and it would be fine, but this was really yummy. Try it!

Ruth's Chris Steakhouse Sweet Potato Casserole

If you are in charge of the sweet potato's this year at Thanksgiving you have to make this yummy sweet potato casserole. It is a family favorite and we love it! Sorry no Picture. TRY THIS RECIPE!!
Ruth's Chris Steakhouse Sweet Potato Casserole:

Ingredients:
-Sweet Potato mixture
. 3 Cups cooked, mashed sweet potato, skins off
. 1 Cup sugar
. 1/2 tsp. salt
. 1 tsp. vanilla
. 2 eggs beaten
. 1 stick butter, melted

-Crust mixture
. 1 Cup brown sugar
. 1/3 Cup flour
. 1 Cup chopped pecans
. 1/3 stick butter, melted

Instructions:

Boil or steam sweet potatoes, drain, remove skins, set aside.

In a mixing bowl, thoroughly combine the ingredients for the sweet potato mixture. Pour into buttered 9-inch square baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until firm.

Combine crust mixture ingredients in a bowl. Sprinkle surface of baked sweet potato mixture with crust mixture. Broil briefly, just until crust is brown. Allow to set for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Pineapple Chedder Corn Bread

I love Cornbread and my Mom makes a mean killer cornbread, but I had to try this one that I found in Better Homes and Garden. I loved it! The recipe was so big so next time I will for sure cut everything in half. This recipe won a $200 prize!

Ingredients:
1 C. all purpose flour
1 C. Cornmeal
1/2 Sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 C. butter lightly beaten
1 14.75 oz. can cream style corn
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple ( drained)
4 oz. chedder cheese shredded ( 1 cup)

Directions:
1. preheat over to 375 degrees. Grease and flour 2 quart rectangular baking dish, set aside.
2. In a medium bowl combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt, set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Add eggs, one at a time, beal well after each addition. Beat in flour mixture on low speed just until combined. Stir in corn, drained pineapple, and cheese. Spoon batter into prepared dish.
4. Bake about 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cut in squares and serve warm. We ate ours with honey and also on the side we had Bush's baked beans! Enjoy!!

Funeral Potatoes

I made these for Easter Dinner and they were so yummy. I got the recipe from my girlfriend, Joanna. Whenever I'm pregnant I always want alot of cheese and potatoes. I think these would be perfect for any preggo girl out there. Filling, fattening, and so so Yum-O!
Ingredients:
30-32 ounce bag shredded hashbrowns
2 C. sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 C. shredded chedder cheese
1/2 C. melted butter
1/3 C. finely chopped onion
1 C. corn flakes

Directions:
Melt butter in large saucepan. Add cheese, onion, sour cream, and soup. Stir until smooth and cheese is melted. Pour over potatoes in 9 x 13 pan. Top with corn flakes. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Enjoy!!

Stuffed Bell Peppers

These are one of my favorite sides slash main courses! Simple and so tasty!

Ingredients:
Red, Orange, or Yellow Bell Peppers. I count on 1 per person!
Cous Cous
Ragu or your favorite spaghetti sauce
Olive Oil
S&P
Fetta Cheese

Directions:
You cut your bell pepper in half and clean out the meat inside. Rinse them off and set them to the side. Drizzle olive oil over the peppers while on a cookie sheet. I rub the olive oil all over the bell pepper. Sprinkle with S&P and place in the oven at 350 degrees until there dark brown spots and part of the skin is pealing. They should be soft. I do turn them over half way in between. I think it's about 20 minutes or so in the oven. I make the cous cous while the peppers are cooking and then add the spaghetti sauce to the Cous Cous ( not too much, but just enough to taste). Once the bell peppers are done cooking stuff them full of the cous cous and sprinkle with Fetta cheese ( opt.). So yummy and pretty healthy!