Italian Baked Pork Chops

These were so yummy! My entire family gobbled them up! They are a little similar to the Dijon pork chops, yet are so different. :)

1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
4 pork chops, not thick or too thin
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, oil, and Italian seasoning. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper, then brush both sides with mustard mixture. Press Parmesan into both sides of chops.

Flash freeze or wrap each pork chop individually in wax paper. Place in freezer bag.

To cook, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place pork chops on baking sheet and bake about 10-12 minutes (or until just cooked through) in 400 degree oven (no need to flip).

Beer BBQ Chicken

Either throw it right in the crock pot, or into a freezer bag to save for later!

2 lbs chicken breasts or thighs (bone-in or boneless)
salt and pepper
1 medium onion, cut into wedges or slices
1/2 cup dark beer or ale
3/4 cup barbecue sauce

Put chicken in freezer bag (or crock pot) and season with salt & pepper. Add onions. In a bowl, combine beer and barbecue sauce. Pour mixture over chicken and onions.

If frozen, thaw in refrigerator. Cook in crockpot on high for 3 hours or low 6 hours.

Breakfast Casserole

I love making breakfast casseroles, especially when family's in town. Quick, easy, and make-ahead! I found this one that incorporated hash browns and it was delicious!

30-oz bag frozen shredded hashbrowns
1 tbsp dried onion
16-oz container cottage cheese
1 small can diced green chilies
2 cups (1 lb) your fave breakfast meat (cubed ham, cooked & crumbled bacon, cooked sausage)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 dozen eggs

Coat casserole dish with cooking spray. Put hash browns in dish, then add dried onion, cottage cheese, and green chilies. Mix gently. Now add meat and 1.5 cups cheese and mix again. Beat the eggs and pour over the mixture. Put remaining 1/2 cup cheese on top.

If freezing, cover with saran wrap and foil. Bake at 350 for ~2 hours (one hour covered, second hour uncovered). It will be set and slightly brown on top. (If not frozen, it will cook in slightly over an hour.)

Oodles of Noodles Asian Soup

I told Roman he could choose anything he wanted from a kid's cookbook we have and we would make it together. To my surprise, he by-passed the desserts and snacks and choose this Asian soup with peas and noodles! Both boys loved this! I changed the recipe to fit our taste, and here it is:

Ingredients:
4 c. chicken stock
2 oz. dried vermicelli
Salt to taste (I used about a pinch)
3/4 c. frozen peas
2 boneless, skinless chicken tenders diced small
1 1/2 t. dried chives
1 1/2 t. sesame oil
Red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:
1. Bring chicken stock, salt, and raw chicken to a boil in a large pot. Reduce heat to medium and boil until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

2. Add vermicelli and peas. Cook until noodles are al dente.

3. Stir in chives and oil.

*Note: I served the soup to my kids and then stirred in some red pepper flakes for myself, which added really good flavor.*

Frozen Chocolate-Raspberry Pie

1 quart (4 cups) raspberry sherbet
1/2 cup hot fudge topping, slightly warmed
1 prepared Oreo cookie crumb crust (6 oz)
If desired, have fresh raspberries, whipped topping, and chocolate sauce on hand to garnish before serving.

Let container of sherbet stand at room temperature about 15 minutes to soften. Spoon and spread chocolate topping carefully in bottom of crumb crust; place in freezer for 15 minutes to set. Spoon and spread sherbet over fudge topping in crust. Cover with plastic wrap; freeze 3 hours. Garnish individual servings with dollop of whipped topping, drizzle of fudge topping and fresh raspberries.

Slow-Cooked Beer Braised Beef

If you don't have a crock pot, this can also be prepared on the stove top/in the oven.

3lb. beef chuck roast
12oz. bottle of beer
1 onion, sliced
1 t. soy sauce
1 t. black pepper
3 t. dried basil

Place all ingredients in a large freezer bag. Remove air, seal, and freeze.

Serving day:
Thaw overnight (at least) in fridge. Add contents of bag to crock pot. Cook on high for 1 hour, then low for up to 8 hours (I left it on low for about 7 hours). If the "beer-y" taste is too strong for you, it is easily masked with a little BBQ or steak sauce.

If you don't have a crock pot, heat a large pot over high heat with 1 T canola oil. Brown roast on all sides. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover & place in oven preheated to 275 for 7 to 9 hours (until meat is tender).

Pork Tenderloin w/ Spinach & Bleu Cheese

2 - 1lb. pork tenderloins
2 - 10oz. packages frozen spinach, thawed & drained
1/4 c. red wine
1 t. minced garlic
2 T. balsamic vinegar
2 t. dried oregano
salt & pepper to taste
6oz. bleu cheese, crumbled (for a milder flavor, cream cheese can be used)

Cut each tenderloin on the diagonal into 4 equal portions. Spread spinach in shallow casserole dish large enough to hold pork without crowding dish. Nestle pork into spinach. Sprinkle with wine, garlic, vinegar, and seasonings. Crumble bleu cheese on and around pork, leaving an area uncovered if bleu cheese is not popular in your family. Wrap dish in foil (from the bottom up); you can store it in the fridge for 24 hours or freeze for up to two weeks.

Serving Day:
If frozen, thaw in fridge for 48 hours prior to roasting. Preheat oven to 350. Bake (covered) for 25-30 minutes, or until internal meat temp registers 160 and only a hint of pink remains in the center.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

I found this recipe in an allrecipes.com cookbook, where it had 258 ratings and an average of 5 stars. I figured it had to be good, but was a little tentative when I saw the odd assortment of seasonings. I modified it a bit and I'm listing the recipe as I made it. It was delicious! My husband loved it and my son Roman gobbled it up. This is definitely going to be made again!

1 box farfalle (bow-tie) pasta
1 pkg. boneless, skinless chicken tenders sliced lengthwise into thin strips
2 T. Cajun seasoning
2 T. butter
1 green bell pepper, cut in quarters and then sliced
1 red bell pepper, cut in quarters and then sliced
1 small pkg. sliced mushrooms
5 green onions, sliced
3 c. heavy cream
1/2 t. dried basil
1/2 t. lemon pepper
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. ground black pepper
1/4 c. freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Boil pasta according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, coat chicken with Cajun seasoning in a bowl. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and saute the chicken in the butter for 5-7 min until juices run clear. Add peppers, mushrooms, and onions and cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in heavy cream. Season the sauce with the basil, lemon pepper, salt, and black pepper. Heat through, then let stand for 10 minutes covered.

3. In a large bowl, toss the pasta with the sauce and sprinkle with the shredded Parmesan cheese.