Mediterranean Pork Chops Recipe

I haven’t made these in awhile, but they are so good! I just had to share the recipe. Recipe makes enough for two meals, make one right away, and freeze the other. Or, freeze them both!

Mediterranean Pork Chops

• 1/4c olive oil
• 2c chicken broth
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2T paprika
• 2T poultry seasoning
• 2t dried oregano
• 2t dried basil
• 6-8 thick cut pork chops

Label 2 gallon sized bags, and split the ingredients between them. Remove air, lay flat to freeze. Put upright to store.

Cook on low for 8hrs. Serve with salad and rice. The sauce is really good with rice!

To save money on the pork chops, what I had on hand for these were thick cut chops I cut myself – from a whole boneless loin.  I buy a few whole loins when they are on sale and do various things with them.  I always cut some roasts, chops, and I cube up some too. Then prep for meals and freeze.

Wordless Wednesday : At the range

Cafe Rio Chicken Recipe

This chicken is so good! You can use it for many different things.  We usually use it for tacos or taco salads – but really it’d be good any time you need shredded chicken!

The name indicates it is a recipe from a restaurant, but it’s floating all over on many blogs.  Though sometimes there’s variation to it.  I prep this as a freezer meal for us to have at least twice a month, but easy enough to throw together in the morning too of course.

Cafe Rio Chicken

• 2lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 a small bottle of zesty Italian dressing
• 1T minced garlic
• 1pkt ranch dressing mix
• 1/2T chili powder
• 1/2T ground cumin

If you’re doing this as a freezer meal, put all ingredients in a (labeled of course) gallon size freezer bag, lay flat to freeze.  This one doesn't stand upright as well because there’s not much liquid, but if you get it laid just right it’ll hold it all together.

If you used fresh chicken breasts, add 1/2c water when putting into slow cooker. If you used frozen, you don’t need to use the water – the ice from the chicken will be plenty.

Cook on high 5-6hrs or low for 8hrs. Remove the chicken from the juices.  Shred, using some of the liquid if needed but not all of it, just enough to shred and add extra moisture if you’d like, and serve.

Leftovers of this freeze really well if you’d like. More shredded chicken for whatever you’d like!

Tip: Use your mixer (hand or stand whatever you have) to shred the chicken.  So much easier than using forks!

I miss you!

Corey in "his" tree

I miss you today. I missed you yesterday. I’ll miss you tomorrow.  Fact is I haven’t stopped missing you in nearly 15 years since you died – and I never will stop.

You were the one I could go to with anything. You were always there for me. You kept me safe. You helped me through so many things. I wish you were here to help me through more. I wish my kids could know you. Not just what they’ve been told, but YOU.

You were more than just a cousin. You were my best friend. My big brother.  And then, you were gone. It didn’t seem fair then, and it still doesn’t seem fair now.  It isn’t fair. You were too young. You could have lived for so many more years. A tragedy took you too soon. You’d escaped death before; I wish you could have escaped it again. But I know there must have been a reason that you couldn’t stay with us.  

It doesn't change how much I miss you though…

He was a Marine before his death

Homemade Ranch and Italian Dressing mixes

Some of my recipes have “packet of ranch dressing seasoning” or “packet of Italian dressing mix” but I don’t use those store bought options!  I make my own. They taste better and are much better for you! And they are cheaper in the long run too!

Ranch Dressing seasoning packet mix

• 1/2c dry buttermilk (found in the baking isle near other dry powdered milk)
• 1T dried parsley, crushed
• 1t dried dill weed
• 1t onion powder
• 1t dried onion flakes
• 1t salt
• 1/2t garlic powder
• 1/4t ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor, blend/process at high speed until smooth.

Store in fridge (buttermilk powder must be refrigerated once opened).

To make as a salad dressing: combine 1T mix, 1c mayo, and 1c milk.

For any recipe calling for an envelope of ranch dressing mix, use 3T of your homemade mix.

Italian Dressing seasoning packet mix

• 1T garlic salt
• 1T onion powder
• 1T sugar
• 2T dried oregano
• 1t pepper
• 1/4t dried thyme
• 1t dried basil
• 1T dried parsley
• 1/4t celery salt

Combine everything and store in a tightly sealed container.

To make as a salad dressing: whisk together 1/4c white vinegar, 2/3c oil, 2T water, and 2T mix

To use in place of an envelope of store bought mix, use 3T of the homemade version

Chicken Spaghetti Recipe

This is a recipe I use in the slow cooker, but I prep (not cook) and freeze it first. This one is a huge hit around here!  I found the recipe over at http://www.crockingirls.com/recipes/chicken-spaghetti/

Chicken Spaghetti

• 1 ½ – 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken, cubed
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1lb American processed cheese
• 1 1/2c sour cream
• 2 cans cream soup (I usually just use 1 large can of cream of chicken – or you can use your favorite alternative)
• 1/2c milk
• 3 cloves of garlic (chopped or minced – I use ready minced from the produce dept)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Spaghetti noodles (though we prefer linguine here)

Dump everything but pasta into a LABELED gallon freezer bag. Mix it up and remove all air. Seal the bag.  I double bag this one because the bags are FULL. So, you can label either the inside or the outside bag, but make sure whatever you do, the label is visible.  Lay flat to freeze and stand upright to store.

Night before serving, put in fridge to thaw – lowest shelf you can.

To cook it, cook low 6-8hrs in slow cooker. Before dinner time prep the pasta and mix it into the sauce.

Serve with garlic bread/toast/sticks and salad.

Wordless Wednesday : Sunset over the Gulf of Mexico