Pork Chop Stuffing Bake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

I know a lot of people think boneless chops are tough. And they are correct, if cooked wrong they can definitely be tough! The secret to tender boneless pork chops is not to overcook them. Especially in this recipe.  ALL you need is a quick sear on each side for browning the chops. Don’t go for a long hot fry or you’ll dry them out. Once they’re lightly browned you’ll cover them tightly and bake them slowly in a deep skillet. The long slow cook will keep them as tender as possible. If you’re using bone-in chops they’re going to be more tender because it’s a different cut of meat.

Pork Chop Stuffing Bake

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

4-6 rib cut pork chops (boneless or bone-in)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

 

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon poultry seasoning

1 6 oz. box Stove Top stuffing Mix (pork or chicken)

 

 

Pat the chops dry (both sides) with paper towels.  Sprinkle all over with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Add 1 tablespoon of oil and a tablespoon of butter to a large deep skillet and set to medium high heat.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quickly sear the chops for 1-2 minutes until golden brown on both sides. Remove chops from skillet on to a plate and set aside. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add 4 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet and sauté the chopped celery and onion for 3-4 minutes or until tender and transparent. Add the chicken broth and Stove Top stuffing mix, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bring the broth to a quick boil, then remove from the heat.  Stir in the stuffing mix and cover for 3-4 minutes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuck the pork chops in the stuffing and cover tightly.  Set the heat on low to medium and bake on top of the stove for about 45-60 minutes until chops are fork tender. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serve and Enjoy! 

 

 

 

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Traditional Easter Bread

I can remember my Mom making her traditional Easter bread each year when I was growing up.  She would serve it on a long platter surrounded by the brightly colored Easter eggs we dyed the night before.  It was so pretty and such a favorite at our house.  Sweet bread filled with plump raisins warm right out of the oven.  The next morning she was toast it and butter it and sprinkle cinnamon on top! YUM!

Traditional Easter Bread

3/4 cup warm milk (110 degrees)
4 teaspoons of active dry yeast
4 teaspoon sugar
1 large lightly beaten egg
zest of one lemon
juice of one lemon
9 cups all purpose flour                                 
1 teaspoon salt

1/2 stick butter, melted

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract                            
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup golden raisins

Mix together the yeast, 4 teaspoons of sugar, 1 egg, and the warm milk. Set aside in a warm place for about 25 minutes until it starts to bubble .

In a small sauce pan, heat up 1 cup of milk and a 1 cup of sugar, until the milk is warm and the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and set aside. In another small bowl, combine the melted butter and oil. Using a fork, lightly beat the five eggs and add vanilla and set aside. 

Next, in a large bowl, add the warm milk mixture, the butter and oil mixture, eggs, raisins, salt, and grated lemon zest and juice of a lemon and mix until well combined. Then start adding the flour a little at a time until the dough is smooth and sticky. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and rub the oil all over the dough so that it doesn't dry out. Place it in a warm place to rise.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl, turning to coat, and cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap. Place in a draft-free area and allow to rise until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Once the dough is ready, turn it out onto a clean surface and divide in half. Then divide those two in half and once again so that you have 4 pieces Next roll the 4 pieces of dough into 12-18 inch long ropes and place on pan lined with parchment paper. Now you can braid these braids however you want. 

Brush the top of the braid with melted butter, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until nearly doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Finally brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with colorful Easter candies and bake until golden brown on top, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

My mother woke up in heaven today. She has lived there for 14 years now, and I wonder what she's doing and if she is watching me live a life without her down here on earth. Does she know how lost I am without her sometimes? Does she know how sad it can be? So many memories and so many traditions make it hard not to realize just how empty I am without her. Today is her birthday and this is the day I miss her most. This day is hard for me because it brings back memories of good times past and traditions that are no longer.

I was sent to the arms of an angel.  

When I was a teenager I can remember making a decision one day to take my allowance and spend it on my mother for MY birthday. I loved her so much that I wanted to make sure she knew how happy I was that God gave me to her on that day 14 years earlier. i wanted her to know that I wouldn't have wanted any other mother but her. I wanted to thank her for giving me life and for being the best mom ever. I wanted her to know beyond a shadow of a doubt how much I loved her and that it wasn't about me that day...it was all about her.

So I went out and bought her flowers....not just any flowers. I bought her pink roses...her favorite. And that day when there was cake and ice cream and presents for me to open.... I felt sheer delight when I handed her that bouquet of pink roses. And she cried. And she hugged me for the longest time and told me how good it made her feel. And I remember her taking one of the dried roses when they died and putting in the family album and writing under, "from my baby girl."

And so started a tradition. For the rest of her days with me here on earth, I bought her pink roses on my birthday to thank her for being my Mom. And each year she was just as surprised and cried just as hard as she had the year before.

Later, when she moved to heaven, and I had the heart breaking, gut wrenching miserable task of sorting out her things and going through it all...I found each and every pink rose that she had saved for all those years....all 37 of them...each taped carefully to those pages in that old torn album with the same message underneath and the year it was given. And I cried so hard because that tradition that meant so much to both of us had come to an end. 

My Mom the year before she Moved to Heaven

Oh, I still take her pink roses on my birthday and I sit by her grave and tell her how lucky I was that God chose her as my Mother. But the hug is not there and I can no longer dry her tears of joy as I hand them to her. And the sadness is so profound that it takes me a while to put on my happy face carry on for the rest of the day.

I know it's selfish of me to wish she was here because I know she is in a far better place than what this world could ever offer. I know that she is celebrating eternal life with no sorrow or tears or pain. I'm not sure what my mother is doing today in Heaven. I guess I won't know until I go there and find out myself. But here’s what I do know, whatever she’s doing, she’s home. That’s what Heaven is... Home.

~Marty

Hamburger Stroganoff

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We all search for that recipe that is quick and easy but also filling and delicious.  It can’t get much easier than this my friends.  Perfect for a cold winter day and so comforting.  And no need for that can of mushroom soup…. With this recipe, you make your own sauce and stir in your own mushrooms.  So much better!  Enjoy!

Hamburger Stroganoff

1 pound ground chuck

1 (8-ounce) package sliced fresh Bella mushrooms

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 (14.5-ounce) can beef broth

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup sour cream

1 (12-ounce) package wide egg noodles, cooked according to package directions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cook ground beef in a large skillet, breaking it up as you stir. Cook until no longer pink; drain and return skillet to medium heat.  In same skillet, saute mushrooms, onion, and garlic over medium-high heat until tender.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stir in flour, and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stir in beef broth and the Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil. Add in the uncooked pasta and simmer for the next 20 minutes or until pasta is tender.  Stir well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reduce heat, and stir sour cream into beef mixture and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste. If it’s not the consistency you want or too thick, add more broth.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serve with a nice side salad and some hot crusty bread.

 

 

 

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Baked Spaghetti with Meatballs

 

My favorite pasta recipe….by far!  I love this rich cheesy spaghetti casserole because it gives you the best of both worlds.  A pasta Alfredo blended with lots of creamy cheese together with a classic spaghetti and meatballs. What more could you ask for!   And to change it up even more, I like to make individual servings in my special loaf pan I got from Amazon.  This is a keeper my friends. Make it once and you’ll find it will be one of your go to casseroles for years to come!

Baked Spaghetti With Meatballs

6 cups cooked thin spaghetti noodles

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Italian Meatballs (small bag)

1 (25 ounce jar) Ragu Chunky Garlic and Onion Pasta Sauce

1 pint heavy cream

2 teaspoons minced garlic

½ teaspoon pepper

½ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons butter

4 oz cream cheese

3 cups freshly shredded Parmesan

Boil pasta until al dente. Drain well and return to warm pot off the heat.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 baking dish or some mini loaf pans like I used.

Pour cream into a large skillet and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Add garlic, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and add in butter and cream cheese. Stir until cheese has melted. Then add in the shredded Parmesan one cup at a time and whisk until sauce is smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

  

Next mix the cooked spaghetti with the sauce in the same sauce pan or skillet. Pour mixture into prepared dish or in each loaf pan.  Press down with a wooden smooth, packing it as tightly as you can. 

Continue to fill and pack until full.  Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top of dish or each loaf pan.  Bake for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

While the spaghetti is baking, heat Italian meatballs and spaghetti sauce until hot and bubbly.

When pasta has finished baking, put some sauce in each bowl and top with a serving (or a loaf) of baked spaghetti and some meatballs.  Top with more spaghetti sauce if desired.

If you would like to purchase the same loaf pan that I used, you can find them at a great price at Amazon.com.  Click on this link....

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000DIX7P/ref=as_li_ss_sm_fb_us_asin_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=399837&creativeASIN=B0000DIX7P&linkCode=shr&tag=welchome08-20&linkId=WORXQ4SKIAJ5IUWA&=kitchen&qid=1450823585&sr=1-1&keywords=wilton+four+loaf+pan



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