Stuffed Butterfly Chops

 I have been holding onto this recipe for a long time.

I prepared these butterfly chops this last summer and never got around to

sharing it with you.

I know....

Shame on me!

This can be served any time of the year.

It's not just a summer dish.

 This one does not have a printable recipe because it's my own creation.

You will have to follow along to put these beauties together.

I had two butterfly pork chops that I marinated in balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing.

Any kind will work.

Choose your favorite.

I marinated them over night in the refrigerator.

I then stuffed them with spinach and Sargento Mozzarella/Provolone shredded cheese.

Just fill them to your liking.

I secured them shut with toothpicks and baked them in a 350 degree F. oven

for 45-60 minutes.

The last 5-8 minutes I topped them with a little more shredded cheese and

placed them under the broiler until the cheese was golden brown.

Super scrumptious!  

You can tell I created this in the summer.

Did you notice the yellow tomatoes and cottage cheese?

I am a sucker for yellow tomatoes.

And the farmers markets in my area are a blessing. 

I think I cleaned them out last summer.....

I don't like the way yellow tomatoes have such a short season.

I just can't get enough.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. It is sooooo GOOD!

2012 Was a GREAT Year: 6 Most Popular Recipes

2012 was a GREAT year,

and I'm here to review with you the top 6 recipes of the year.

I hope these recipes brought joy to your families,

and most of all to your palate.

Here we go.....

Crock Pot Beer Chicken

This recipe was viewed 3492 times in 2012.

I'm sure this recipe created many happy,

satisfied appetites.

 Crab Rangoon Dip

This is the perfect appetizer to serve to that seafood lover.

This recipe was viewed 2898 times in 2012. 

Sausage Gravy Biscuits

This recipe was an awesome challenge in 2012.

A reader challenged me to create a biscuit that has sausage

gravy right in it. An on-the-go biscuit.

And I never refuse a challenge.

This biscuit, I must say, was my most successful moment for 2012.

This recipe was viewed 2721 times.

Peanut Butter Nutella Cake

I remember this one just like it was made yesterday.

This cake made my whole entire house smell like peanut butter.

And everyone loves peanut butter, right?

This cake did not last long, and makes the perfect potluck cake.

This recipe was viewed 1142 times.

Spaghetti Salad

This will make your eaters happy, happy, happy....

It is also the perfect potluck dish.

This recipe came from a great friend of mine, Joelle.

If you have not taken the time to visit with her, you are

truly missing out. She is a wonderful cook and really knows

how to use her spices.

This recipe had 1061 views.

Pizza Pasta Bake

If you are looking for a family pleaser.....this recipe will hit the spot.

This recipe comes from a great blogging friend, The Country Cook.

Every recipe that I have made from Brandie's blog has been wonderful.

She usually has step-by-step instructions, along with pictures to

help you along.

Take some time to visit with Brandie. You will not regret it.

This recipe had 675 views in 2012.

What a great year! And I am looking forward to spending 2013

with all of you.

Don't be afraid to comment with suggestions, recipes you would like

to see, or new ideas that you would like me to apply.

Working together in 2013 is what I am most looking forward to.

Have a safe and happy New Year.

May all your dreams come true in 2013!

Love you all!! 

Recipe: Pasta w/Sausage & Arugula

 This is one of the best meals I've had in a long time.

Very low calorie with tons of flavor.

The exact reason I don't diet.....No flavor!

But this could be put on my plate every day and I would not complain.

And if you have never had cooked arugula.....

I suggest you run out and buy some right now.

Cooked arugula keeps a crunch, where spinach gets soggy.

Much more flavor than spinach also.

 These are the ingredients I used for a very satisfying light dinner.

And yes, that is a bottle of wine back there.

If you are a fat and calorie conscience person you will love this dish.

The influence for this recipe came from Girl Gone Gourmet.

Thank you for a great recipe Girl Gone Gourmet....

I made a few changes, but if you want to refer back to her recipe, you can.

Let me see if I can get this in recipe form for you:

Pasta w/Sausage & Arugula

4 TBS olive oil (divided)

1/2 c. Italian bread crumbs

salt and pepper

1 sliced small/medium onion

1 tube Jennie-O breakfast sausage

1 tsp. Rosemary leaves

1/2-1 c. white wine

6 c. arugula

2 c. uncooked pasta

Place a pan of water on the stove to boil for the pasta. Place 2 TBS of olive oil in a large skillet and heat slightly. Once the olive oil is heated place the bread crumbs, salt and pepper in the skillet. Toss bread crumbs till nice and browned. Pour the crumbs out of the skillet into a bowl and set aside. At this time the water for the pasta should be ready. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. In the same skillet the bread crumbs were in place 2 TBS olive oil. Over medium heat brown the sausage and onion, breaking the sausage into chunks with a spoon. Once the sausage is cooked add the wine and Rosemary leaves. Allow the wine to reduce a little, then add the arugula a handful at a time, allowing it to wilt. Drain your pasta when it is done cooking and add to the sausage and arugula mixture. Stir together, place in serving bowls and sprinkle lightly with bread crumbs.

This recipe is linked to:
Foodie Friends Friday

Scalloped Potato/Butternut Squash & Ham

Don't you just love scalloped potatoes and ham?

I sure do!

To me, it's a comfort food.

Growing up my mom used to make it all the time,

but she always used the cream of mushroom soup for

the sauce to cook it in.

I used to love pulling the leftovers out of the fridge and 

eating it cold.

Don't judge!

It was good!

At least I thought so when I was a kid..... 

 Speaking of my mom....

I was at her house the other day, and on my way out the door

I noticed this carton of soup setting on her garage table.

As soon as I picked it up,

"Do you want it?"

Came from my mom.

I thought it looked interesting.

Corn & Lemongrass?

Yup, I really wanted to try it.

But instead of just trying it out of the carton,

I used it as my sauce for scalloped potato/butternut squash & ham.

Why not?

Right?

Corn and potatoes are excellent together.

Now come on.....I know you mix your corn with your mashed potatoes. 

This was one fantastic meal.

And yes, I WILL make it again.

Scalloped Potato and Butternut Squash

1/2 butternut squash, peeled and sliced

2 ham slices, cut in cubes (or to your liking)

8 medium golden potatoes, peeled and sliced

1/2 of an onion, sliced

4 TBS butter

2 TBS flour

1/2 c. frozen corn

1 (8 oz.) container corn & lemongrass cream soup

salt and pepper to taste (I like lots of pepper)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare squash and potatoes in slices. Place half of the potatoes and squash in the bottom of a 13x9 pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Place half of the sliced onion on top, and sprinkle with half of the ham cubes. Repeat this process for another layer.

In a medium saucepan over med heat melt butter. Add flour and whisk. Add corn and whisk some more. Slowly pour in the cream soup until slightly thickened. Pour sauce over the layers of potatoes, squash, onion, and ham. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 1 hour, or until potatoes test done with a fork.

A Crock Pot Conversation: Crock Pot Pork Chop Dinner

 Before we get started with this amazing recipe,

let me tell you a little bit about me and my Crock Pot.

We have been trying very hard to bond.

And our last meeting consisted of a conversation that went like this:

Me: Why do you feel you have to fight me?

Crock Pot: What do you mean? You put the food in and I cook it.

Me: But why do you produce food that is dry and lifeless?

Crock Pot: That is easy to answer. You just don't know how to 

push my buttons......

Let me tell you, after that conversation, we have become

very good friends. We are working very well together now.

I have learned how to push the crock pot's buttons.

I have found that low heat works so much better than high heat.

It would have been nice if the crock pot would have given 

me that tip freely.....DANG!

 This is a wonderful crock pot meal. 

All I did was dredge my boneless pork chops in

a flour mixture of,

1 c. flour

2 TBS. McCormick Perfect Pinch Parmesan Herb

Crushed black pepper to taste

I browned them in a Skillet using olive oil.

When they were brown I placed them in the bottom of

the crock pot. I cut about 8 red potatoes into chunks,

placed them on top of the pork chops, and then

poured 1 can of soup over all of it. It doesn't

matter what kind of soup you use.

I used a Progresso Italian Style Vegetable soup.

Let it cook on LOW for about 6-8 hours.

Just look at how moist that crock pot meal is.

Now go back up and look at the dried out chicken.

Bonding, I'm telling you, BONDING....

This recipe is linked to:
Foodie Friends Friday

Zucchini Apocalypse! Zucchini Lasagna Boats

This is a recipe where you are going to have to carry me to your kitchen (and that comment just created an odd visual).

Yup, come on....grab your laptop, iPhone, iPad, or what have you, and let's share your kitchen.

I will be right here if you have any questions....Facebook is just a click away.

 Since we are experiencing the Zucchini Apocalypse, and they

are growing in the shape of footballs, I decided to do something

with this situation and create Lasagna Boats. 

Of course, footballs look like boats when they are cut in half,

right? Right! 

 I'm going to try and explain what I did to create these so

you can make them in your own home, and fight back

during the Zucchini season Apocalypse.

Cut the zucchini in half long ways, and scoop out the seedy part.

Once the seedy part is empty, they will look like boats.

I sliced a thin layer on the bottom of each boat just so

they would sit flat on the pan.

I drizzled them with a little olive oil and rubbed them down

with my hands. 

Have you ever given a zucchini a massage?

I sprinkled them with sea salt and flower pepper. 

That's FLOWER PEPPER, 

not FLOWER POWER (from Trader Joes).

You could also use crushed black peppercorns (same thing).

I placed the boats in a 400 degree F. oven to roast them for

15-20 minutes. Just until fork tender.

While the boats were roasting I browned 1 1/2 pounds of fresh

bulk sausage along with 3 cloves chopped garlic and a half

of a chopped sweet onion.

When the sausage was close to being done, I sprinkled in 

1 TBS of dried basil and 1 TBS oregano.

When the sausage was done I added a jar of spaghetti sauce.

Whatever kind you like, and heated everything through.

By now the boats should be done roasting.

For the fillings, or layers:

Place a little sauce in the bottom of each boat.

Add a handful of spinach leaves.

Note* - (I had to keep tucking the spinach leaves in

as I was adding the last layer of sauce)

On top of the spinach add about 2 TBS of ricotta lite.

Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan.

Add more sauce on top of the cheeses.

Note* - (make sure the spinach leaves are topped,

or covered with sauce. If not, they will dry out)

Top with more mozzarella and Parmesan.

Place them back in the oven for another 15-20 minutes,

or until tops are brown.

Note* - (you could also make this meatless if you want) 

Place them on a plate.

Grab a fork for everyone in the family 

and enjoy.

Try these at your house please....I don't want to be the only

one to survive the Zucchini season Apocalypse. 

I would be lonely!

This recipe is linked to:
Manic Monday
Tuesday Talent Show
Totally Tasty Tuesday
Foodie Friends Friday
Weekend Pot Luck
Fit and Fabulous Fridays

Sometimes It's Gotta Be Quick: Onion Bagel Pizza

Sometimes our busy schedules force us to eat, prepare, and think 'quick' when it comes to food.
Yes, even a die-hard food blogger has to think 'quick' sometimes.....
What do you get when you have a package of onion bagels, pizza sauce, mini pepperonis, and cheese?

A mini pizza of course!

That wasn't suppose to be a joke.....it's for real! Mini pizza in a quickness.

Onion bagel

Pizza sauce

Mini pepperonis

Cheese

A 400 degree F. oven for 8-10 minutes, and BANG! Instant pizza in a quickness....

Just like this blog post.

BANG!

Over with a quickness.....

Definitely Loaded! Loaded Red Potato Salad

Pinterest has been my second hobby lately. Next to spending time in the kitchen....but anyway, the loaded baked potato salad has been making its appearance pretty regular at Pinterest. And a friend of mine that I see quite often approached me last week with a recipe suggestion. She said, "Oh do I have a recipe for you.....it's called loaded baked potato salad. I will bring you the recipe so you can make it. I couldn't quit eating it, and it's best if you eat it warm."

Friend, friend, friend....I know what goes in a loaded baked potato. So, little'ole me headed home with my friend's description of the loaded baked potato salad. I "chicken scratched" the ingredients that I wanted to put in my salad on a piece of paper and then started the process of creating it.

My friend is very correct when she said that she couldn't quit eating it. I couldn't quit eating it either. And yes, it's best if eaten warm or room temp. My opinion, and we all have a right to our own opinions, mustard potato salads should be placed in the garbage. The loaded baked potato salad is taking over......

My version of loaded baked potato salad:

Loaded Red Potato Salad

11 medium red potatoes, washed and diced (leave skins on)

Cover with water, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes, or until fork tender.

Dressing:
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. ranch salad dressing
1/2 c. mayonnaise
Lots of crushed black pepper (I didn't add salt due to the ranch dressing and bacon)
Mix all together and set aside

Additions to the salad:
1/2 of a purple onion, diced
1 1/2 c. from a 2 c. bag of shredded cheese of your choice (I used the Mexican blend)
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (save some to sprinkle on top)

After potatoes are cooked, drain and return to pan. Using a hand-held potato masher, mash potatoes about 6 times. You don't want all the potatoes mashed. I left the potatoes cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. I added the onion, 1 1/2 c. cheese, and bacon to the potatoes and stirred to mix. The cheese melts into the potatoes. I then added the dressing and stirred till all was mixed well. I transferred the potato salad to a serving bowl and sprinkled with remaining 1/2 c. cheese and reserved bacon pieces.

This recipe is linked to:

Challenge Me Again! Sausage Gravy Biscuits

I was featured at Weekend Potluck.....Woop! Woop!

Okay, for starters.....Why did Google change things on Blogspot? Now I have to learn things all over again.....And I'm tired of learning! Can I get away with saying that in this day and age? Well, I said it!

To tell you a little bit about this recipe; I was given a challenge. And you know me and challenges, I love them. Bring it on baby! When it comes to food you can challenge me any day.

But anyway, the challenge was to see if I could create a sausage gravy biscuit. Yes, sausage gravy right in the biscuit. The requester said that she would like to have the good breakfast food portable. 

I did it! 

And they are amazing. Did you see what I did with mine? I topped a biscuit with a little of the gravy and an over-easy egg. One great breakfast right there on my plate. But that's not very portable, is it?

Alrighty then, you may have to follow along with this one. I will still post the recipe at the end of the post, but to give you an idea of what I did, following along might be a good idea.

I browned 1 pound of fresh bulk sausage. When it was all the way browned I added tons of fresh ground black pepper and a little lavender pepper. I threw in some Worcestershire sauce and Frank's Red Hot.

Whatever you do, do not drain your sausage. You need that fat, grease, lard, or whatever you want to call it for flavor, and will also help in the baking process.
I added some flour and stirred until it soaked up all the grease.

Then I added some milk. Don't forget this is going in the biscuit, not on top. So I didn't add as much milk as if I was making gravy.
After I added the milk, I simmered it for while just to let it thicken. I pulled it off the burner and left it cool to room temperature.

Once it was cool, I added some plain yogurt to some of the sausage gravy.

Dumped the mixture in my self-rising flour and pulled the four into the gravy. You don't want to over mix or they will turn out tough.

My dough has formed. They are ready to be patted and cut into biscuits.

 I used a two inch round biscuit cutter.

 Placed them on a baking sheet with sides touching. I ended up with 10 biscuits.

Aren't they gorgeous? And they taste awesome!
Challenge me again and see what I come up with. According to the person that challenged me, she said that she couldn't find any recipe for sausage gravy biscuits on the internet. So, does that mean I'm the first?

Here's another shot of that great breakfast I had.....And you can now wipe the drool from your chin....

And this is how good it was.....

This recipe is linked to:

Sausage Gravy Biscuits

For the sausage gravy:

1 lb. bulk fresh sausage

Lots of fresh ground pepper and a little lavender pepper

1 TBS Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. Frank's Red Hot sauce

1/4 c. flour

2 c. milk

Brown sausage until done. Add peppers, Worcestershire sauce, and Red Hot. Add the flour and stir until all the greases are absorbed. Add milk one cup at a time stirring after each addition. Let it simmer until it thickens. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.

1/4 c. plain yogurt

Add the yogurt to 1 c. of sausage gravy. Stir together.

For the biscuits:

1 1/2 c. self-rising flour

1 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Place the flour and salt into a large bowl. Whisk them together. Make a well in the flour mixture and add the gravy mixture. Using a fork pull the four into the gravy until all the flour is moistened. Don't over mix.

Once a dough has formed, sprinkle a clean surface with flour. Turn dough out on floured surface, sprinkle with a little flour and fold dough in half. Pat dough to 1/2 inch thick. Flour again and fold dough in half. Pat dough into a half inch thick round. Dip a 2-inch biscuit cutter into flour and cut out biscuits. Place biscuits close together on a baking sheet. Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.