Skillet Pork Chops

This is a delicious and easy way to prepare pork chops.

Skillet Pork Chops
About 30 minutes before you are ready to cook, sprinkle salt on both sides of the chops and leave out.  This prepares and tenderizes the meat.  When ready to cook, mix together some flour, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, smoked paprika- really any spices you like to make a rub.  You can also use a commercial rub, but add it to flour. The flour is important as it thickens the gravy later.   Pat the chops dry with a paper towel, then dredge them in the flour rub on both sides.  Put them in the skillet in which you have heated some oil on medium high heat.  Sear on one side until brown, then sear the edges of the chops.  Put the seared side up in the skillet and put the lid on.  Cook until the meat is done (145 degrees) or about 5 - 6 minutes.  Put the meat on a plate.  On medium high heat, add about 2 cups of chicken stock to the pan, Cook and scrape for a minute, then add about 1-2 teaspoons of honey and 1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.  Reduce by 1/2.  Add a pat of butter and stir until the butter is melted and gravy is silky.  You can slice the chops or leave them whole.  Serve covered with the delicious, silky gravy.

Daliya Porridge (Indian Style Cracked Wheat)

This is Shonna's post and recipe.  For some reason, she is having trouble posting, so I'm posting it for her.  She made this for our family reunion.  It is delicious!
Shonna:
We love this recipe! We found it as we’ve been quarantined during this COVID-19 time and have been using our food storage. My 5 year old begs me to make this, so now it’s part of our weekly breakfast menu. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Ingredients:
2 cups cracked wheat
5 cups liquid (I use 3 cups water and 2 cups milk (1 cup nut milk and 1 cup dairy milk))
2-3 TBSP brown sugar
1/4 tsp Real Salt
1 tsp Cardamom (The original recipe called for Green Cardamom but my grocery store only had one option)
Pistachio nuts, shelled or other nuts you like
Yellow or Black Raisins (We only have black raisins right now but the original called for yellow.)
2 TBSP coconut oil

Instructions:
1.Turn your instant pot or electric pressure cooker on SAUTÉ and heat up the pot.
2. Add the coconut oil and let it melt. Add the cracked wheat and stir for a couple of minutes until it turns more golden.
3. Add the milk and stir.
4. Add the cardamom, salt, and sugar and stir.
5. Then add your water, stirring very slightly so your pot can attain pressure.
6. Turn off  SAUTÉ setting and cook on High pressure for 10 minutes. Let it release naturally.
7. Add more milk to get it to your preferred consistency and add the toppings—nuts and raisins. Enjoy!

Ice Cream Bread

This is such a fun recipe and is really good.  It basically has just two ingredients, though we thought it tasted better to add some sugar, too. My grandchildren made it and felt such success.

Ice Cream Bread

2 1/2 cups ice cream, any flavor, softened
1 1/4 cup self-rising flour*

1/4 cup sugar

Add ins and toppings of choice:
chocolate chips
nuts
sprinkles
Nutella
Fruit or berries

Soften the ice cream so it is like soft serve ice cream.  Add the self-rise flour and sugar and mix well.
Add any mix-ins of your choice. Line a loaf pan with parchment.  Spray the parchment.  Spoon the batter into the pan.  Add any toppings of your choice.  Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.

 Shown is vanilla ice cream with chocolate chips on top.

*You can substitute the self- rising flour for 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour +1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder +1/2 teaspoon salt.

Favorite flavor combinations from online reviews:
Cookies and cream ice cream with chocolate chips
Vanilla with sprinkles
Butter pecan
Praline
Cherry Garcia

Zucchini Supper

Have a lot of zucchini to use?  This is a delicious, low-carb dinner.  It is very easy to make and makes delicious leftovers, too.  This is a new favorite recipe for us.  I watched a lady make it in a live video that I happened onto on Facebook.  I don't think she ever said the name of it, so we will just call it Zucchini Supper.

Zucchini Supper
2 med. zucchini
2 med. yellow squash (opt.- I added this)
1 onion, chopped 

Heat some oil in a skillet.  Add the above veggies.  Sprinkle with seasonings of choice.  We used Montreal Steak seasoning and garlic salt.  I also added some minced garlic.  Sauté together until softened.

Add:
1 box of mushrooms, cleaned and halved
Pepperoni, chopped  

Continue to cook, then add:
1 can petite diced tomatoes with the juice
1 can black olive, drained.
2 teaspoons sugar

Continue to cook until reduced a bit and well blended.  Adjust seasonings.  Then sprinkle cheese of choice on top.  Put the lid on until cheese is melted.  (You could eliminate the cheese if desired)

Can You Freeze Mushrooms?

The answer is yes and they turn out great. Just wipe them clean with a paper towel, slice them, put them on parchment on a cookie sheet in a single layer and put them in the freezer.  When frozen, put them in ziplock bags and put them back in the freezer.  They're ready to use whenever you need them.

Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sauce

Admit it.  The best part of Chick-Fil-A is that sauce.  Who knew it was this easy to make at home?

Chick-Fil-A Sauce
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 T. honey
2 T. yellow mustard
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup barbecue sauce

Mix together and serve as a dipping sauce.

Egg Rolls

The picture is supposed to tempt you.  This one doesn't  This was the first time I made them. The recipe makes three rolls.  The first two were underdone, making it impossible to roll them.  They were just too soft. This one, though it tasted great, was a bit overdone.  I have made this recipe twice since and got them just right.  They really are delicious.

 I was so excited to see that Nadiya Hussein has her own cooking show.  Nadiya was a contestant on The Great British Baking Show.  I really liked her on that, so was so glad she got her own cooking show.  She is of East Indian descent.  She now has her own show with Netflix.  Her emphasis is on easy to prepare meals for families. I have watched a couple of episodes.  This recipe most enticed me, so I gave it a try.   I've changed it a little- making the instructions more American (she is British) and to my liking.

Egg Rolls   This recipe makes 3 rolls
6 eggs
1 T. dried parsley
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
oil
6 small tortillas
12 or so sliced black olives
 6-8 mushrooms, sliced
Other ingredients as desired: grated cheese, green onion, tomato, ham, etc.
6 tsp. or so of sundried tomato paste

Crack the eggs in a bowl , add the parsley, garlic, salt and pepper.  Whip together.  Spread some of the tomato paste on each of the three tortillas.
Heat a small frying pan and then add oil.  Put about 1/3 of the egg mixture in the pan.  Scatter some of the olives and mushrooms and any other vegetables of choice (and cheese) over the eggs.  
Quickly put a tortilla, tomato side down on top of the egg.  Press down with a spatula while it cooks.  Cook for about 30 seconds, then flip it all over and cook on the other side for 30 seconds.
Take the pan off the heat and put the tortilla/ egg on a plate.  When cool enough to touch, roll it all up.  Cut in half. 

These can be eaten for breakfast, served hot or as a sandwich for lunch, served cold.  I found that each tortilla took a bit longer than the 30 seconds.  They have to get browned and crispy to roll and slice properly.