Macaroni Crackaroni Salad

This recipe came from Tasty Kitchen, submitted by agreatday. I had to try it just based on the name, I mean come on, anything described as "Crackaroni" because of it's addictive quality has to be good right?! Yuppers! This was my first attempt making any type of macaroni salad and truth be told, I am usually not a huge fan of it. However, I have been craving deviled eggs lately...(no not preggo) and this was a mighty fine twist on that. Kinda a deviled egg-y macaroni salad. It is a simple recipe that can be eaten as is or embellished as much as you want. It makes a LOT so it is good to make for a crowd or to munch on the leftovers.

Ingredients

• 1 box  macaroni pasta. 
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 TBSP prepared yellow mustard
• 1 tsp salt (original called for 1 1/2 tsp but I found it a tad too much)
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• A dash garlic powder
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 10-12 hard boiled eggs, diced (you know since you are going to have a TON left over after a certain furry, puff-tailed critter visits your house)

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Once cooked, rinse under cold water and shake off as much excess water as possible. In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, mustard, and garlic. Stir until smooth. Combine dressing, macaroni, diced eggs, and diced celery. ENJOY!
This recipe has been linked over at Mommy's Kitchen Sunday Potluck!

Bunny Bark

Here is a quick and fun Easter themed treat to make with the kiddos, you know just in case you had some time to spare this week! This recipe is totally flexible to make for all the holidays but since Easter kinda snuck up on me this year, I thought this would serve as my kids craft and special fun treat all in one! This recipe is a spin off of Recipe Girl's Halloween inspired Candy Corn Bark. But, you all know me..I tweaked, I blinged, and I came up with this! We made one batch using mini Robin Eggs and one batch using jelly beans and no one has yet picked a favorite.
So, perk up those ears and fluff that tail and whip up some of these quick yummies...just remember, bunny mask is entirely optional when munching!

Ingredients:

• 14 Golden Oreo Cookies, broken into small-ish pieces. You could use regular or the spring one's too.
• 1 1/2 cups broken pretzel pieces
• 1 pound white chocolate, almond bark, or white candy disk melts found in the bulk section of some grocery stores
• 1 cup your choice of candy. As I said, I used Robin Eggs in one batch and Jelly Beans in another. Other options would be Easter Candy Corn, Pastel M&M's, etc.
• pastel sprinkles

Cover a large cookie sheet with wax paper. Spread broken cookies, pretzels, and about 3/4 cup of candy of choice onto the waxed paper. Place the white chocolate in a container and microwave for 1 minute - 1 1/2 minutes. Stir and then microwave for another 30 seconds until melted and smooth. White chocolate melts faster and burns easier than regular chocolate. It also does that funky seize up thing if you microwave for too long too.
Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookie mixture, spreading with a spatula if needed to coat evenly. Sprinkle remaining candy and colored sprinkles over the chocolate while it is still wet. Place cookie tray into refrigerator until set and firm. Remove and gently break bark into small pieces. Store in air tight container.
In case you were so blinded by the cuteness of the above bunny picture, here is how my bark turned out minus the bunny! Special loves to my sweet kiddo for being my model, I will pay for your therapy if it scars you too much - xoxo



This recipe has been linked up at:
Mommy's Kitchen
Tidy Mom
Simply Sweet Home

Aprikosenkuchen - Can you say that 10 times fast?!

AKA - Apricot Kuchen, AKA - Apricot Cake, or for April Fool's Day, you could call it Sunny Side-Up Cake!

Yes, I have been MIA for a bit and while I was gone, picked up an obvious affection for Acronyms, LOL!

Truth be told, my Mom flew in on Wednesday for her maiden voyage to the big NC. She lives in a certain state that had one of those insane spring snowstorms that dumped like 16 inches of snow the day she was supposed to leave. LSS, (that is my own, made-up one for long story short) her plane was delayed, delayed, delayed and we didn't get home from the airport until 3:00 am! So, I have been recovering.

So, in honor of my VERY German Mama, I made this German goodie. My Aunt Ingrid passed along this recipe and it is very authentic. German cakes are not as sweet as American cakes and should be enjoyed with a cup of coffee or tea. So, go enjoy this simply delicious cake!

Ingredients:

• 10 TBSP butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• zest from 1/2 lemon
• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) Light Apricot Halves, drained. You could use 1 1/2 pounds of fresh if you desire.
• powdered sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray an 11" spring form pan with non-stick spray.

Cream the butter with sugar and vanilla. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in lemon zest.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat into the egg mixture until combined. Add in buttermilk and continue mixing until incorporated.

Spread the batter into baking pan. Place the apricots on top, cut side down in a circular pattern until entire top is covered. You may not use all apricots, depending on size.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, careful not to over bake. Let cool completely and sprinkle top with powdered sugar. Served with sweetened whipped cream.

I am linking this recipe over at Mommy's Kitchen Sunday Potluck

Easy Basil Cheese Baked Pasta

Forget a 30 minute meal, this yummy little baby goes together in about 20...if you include the time it takes to get your water boiling. While I normally prepare this as a meat-free dish, it would be spectacular with some chicken or shrimp thrown in. ENJOY!!!


Ingredients:

• 1 box (1 pound) penne pasta
• 1 jar (26 ounces) favorite marinara sauce. I use Trader Joe's Tomato Basil Marinara , but when I lived near Sunflower Market (sniff, sniff) the Sunflower Market Garlic Basil was awesome too!
• 1 cup store bought pesto sauce at room temperature. Both the Trader Joe's and Costco's Kirkland Signature brand of refrigerated pesto get my vote!
• 1 cup Ricotta cheese at room temperature.
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for sass factor*
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, or fresh would be divine, but since sometimes convenience wins, go ahead and take that help from the store.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, cook to al dente.

Gently warm marinara sauce in a pot on the stove.

Preheat your broiler and place rack in center of oven.

Drain pasta, then add back to warm pot. Gently stir in Ricotta cheese and Pesto sauce until pasta is coated. *If you are feeling sassy, throw a handful of grated Parmesan in as well. Pour into a casserole dish or 13x9 baking pan. Pour the hot marinara sauce over top of the pasta. Top with mozzarella cheese and add a final sprinkle of 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Place the casserole dish under the broiler, about 10-12 inches from the heat. Let cheese melt and bubble on top, 3-5 minutes.

Seriously, didn't I say it was fast?! While the pasta is boiling, make it an entire meal by baking some garlic bread and assembling a salad! This recipe is a Siggy Spice time saver tweaked version of a similar Rachael Ray recipe.

I am linking this recipe at Taste and Tell's Saturday's with Rachael Ray and Mommy's Kitchen Sunday Potluck

Beer Battered Onion Rings

Tonight for dinner, my Hubby Love grilled his signature burgers and famous BBQ beans. They are a story for another day because, well, I still have some bribing, begging, and nagging to do before he will divulge his secret recipe. (((sigh)))

ANYWAY, in an attempt to get in the kitchen so I could do some super spy work, I had to come up with a side that wasn't throwing french fries on a cookie sheet and baking in the oven. Oh no, I needed something different. Enter Beer Battered Onion Rings! Unfortunately for me, I think he was onto me because he mixed together his good eats while my eyes were burning and tearing from slicing onions. He is a clever one I tell you!

Now, I don't know why I thought onion rings would be a huge hassle to make, but they weren't! They were super simple to prepare and tasted better than anything I have tried in restaurants. The batter was light and crispy and it actually stayed on the onion ring instead of falling off like thicker batters tend to do.

Do yourself a favor and whip up a batch of these bad boys!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups canola oil
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 medium to large sweet yellow onions
• 2 cups flour, divided
• 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp granulated garlic
• 12 ounces medium bodied beer
• couple dashes hot sauce, optional
• 3 TBSP grated Parmesan cheese

Peel onions and slice 1/4-1/2 inch thick and separate into rings and soak in buttermilk for 1 hour.

In a dutch oven or electric skillet, heat oil to 350 degrees.

In a shallow baking dish, whisk together 1 cup of flour, salt, pepper, and garlic. In a separate bowl, combine remaining cup of flour, beer, and optional hot sauce, whisking until no lumps are present.

Remove onion rings from buttermilk, shake off excess then dredge in dry flour mixture. Shake off excess dry mixture, then dip in beer batter. Add a few onion rings to oil, being careful to not overcrowd them or they will stick together. When they are golden brown remove to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat process until all onion rings are battered and fried. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

ENJOY!

Recipe adapted from Guy Fieri

This recipe was brought to Sunday Potluck at Mommy's Kitchen

Fluffy French Toast

We are a house divided. Half of us like pancakes, half of us like french toast. ALL of us like this happy hybrid of the two. How about this weekend, you whip up a batch of these yummies. Don't worry, they go together faster than making pancakes from a mix. While you are at it, set up a little topping bar and watch the kiddos enjoy not only the taste, but the look of their works of art. If you need some inspiration, here are our favorites:

Hubby Love - Butter and Maple Syrup (he is a traditional one)

Kiddo A - Peaches and bites of breakfast sausage

Kiddo B - Peanut Butter and Bananas

Kiddo C - Bananas and Chocolate Chips, aka - Funky Monkey, as pictures above

Kiddo D - Blueberry Syrup and LOTS of butter

Siggy Mama - Strawberries, Whipped Cream

Moving on to the recipe!

Ingredients:

• 1 -2 TBSP vegetable oil
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp Maple flavoring, optional. If you do not use this, add an extra 1/2 tsp of Vanilla extract.
• 10-12 pieces of bread, your choice

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and brush on just enough vegetable oil to coat entire skillet. Whisk together all dry ingredients, in a separate bowl mix together all wet ingredients. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, stir until just combined. Pour batter into an 8x8 square baking dish and dip single pieces of bread into batter, flipping to coat both sides. Place immediately on hot skillet. Flip when browned and brown other side. Serve immediately...ENJOY!
So, I shared our favorite toppings, how do you like to top your pancakes/french toast? Leave a comment and let's give each other some inspiration!

This recipe waslinked at:
 Sunday's Potluck at Mommy's Kitchen!
Simply Sweet Home's Friday Favorites

Leprechaun Affogato

This recipe is for the wee one's this St. Patrick's Day. As you may or may not know, Affogato is a a simple Italian dessert that drowns ice cream in espresso. I don't know about you, but giving my kiddos espresso would surely turn them into something like Jack-Jack from the Incredibles...and I just really don't want to go there.

SOOO, where you may ask am I going with this? I am swapping the espresso for HOT CHOCOLATE and in the spirit of the green, am using Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream. If you would like to use espresso or hot coffee for the adults, you can...OR to really get your Irish on, add a dash of Baily's Irish Cream, which I did and it is WONDERFUL!

Ingredients:

• Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
• Hot Chocolate (your choice how it is made)
• Whipped Cream

In a bowl or coffee mug, add 1-2 scoops of ice cream. Pour 1/4 -1/2 cup hot chocolate over top of ice cream and top with whipped cream. ENJOY!

As a side note, I used this same idea for a Kindergarten Christmas party using Peppermint Ice Cream and it was a HUGE hit! Super versatile and fun to do at any time, go forth and make it your own!

This recipe was posted at Sunday's Potluck on Mommy's Kitchen!

Chicken Ranch Stuffing Bake

I have been in a cake coma. Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes and White Chocolate Irish Cream Pound Cake, OH MY! I seriously need to make some friends in my new area to help me taste test then take some of these goodies out of my house! But as far as coma's go, I'll take a cake one any day! To reverse the aforementioned coma, it was time for some real food. Enter the Chicken Ranch Stuffing Bake. When I first made this recipe, it was so scrumptious that we had it four times in 2 weeks and it continues to make the menu rotation. This dish is total comfort food. Unlike a typical potpie, the creamy filling is topped with flavor packed stuffing instead of a pie crust or puff pastry. As a happy bonus, it is super simple to prepare and is pleasing to the entire family!

Ingredients:

• 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• 5 boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into bite sized pieces
• 1 can condensed Cream of Chicken soup, 10.75 oz
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp powdered ranch dressing mix
• 2 cups plus 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 bag frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, green beans, carrots), 16 oz, defrosted
• 1 canister chicken stuffing mix, 8 oz. Recommended, StoveTop
• 4 TBSP margarine or margarine spread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9"x13" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of chicken stock and 4 TBSP margarine to a boil. Add entire canister of stuffing, quickly mixing into liquid. Cover and remove from heat.
Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-high heat and add chicken in batches. Cook until browned. Make sure you don't over crowd the pan or you will end up steaming the chicken instead of searing it. Once all chicken pieces have been cooked, place chicken back into skillet. Turn heat to medium low and add 1/4 cup chicken stock, cream of chicken soup, 1/3 cup sour cream, and powdered ranch dressing mix, and vegetables, stirring to combine cooking until heated through. Spread chicken vegetable mixture on bottom of baking dish.
Fluff stuffing with fork then scatter on top of the chicken vegetable mixture, making sure it is even over entire top. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes until bubbly.
ENJOY!
This recipe was featured on Mommy's Kitchen Sunday Potluck!

White Chocolate Irish Cream Pound Cake

Let me just say that again..... White Chocolate. Irish Cream. Pound Cake. Seriously, do I need to say more? I didn't think so!

Ingredients:

• 1 box yellow cake mix (18.25 oz)
• 1 box white chocolate instant pudding mix (3.4 oz)
• 1/2 cup Irish Cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla

For Glaze

• 1/4 cup Irish Cream
• 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 TBSP milk, heated to boiling point. You may want to boil a bit more as you may need it.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 8x4" loaf pans with non-stick spray.

Mix together the cake mix, pudding mix, Irish Cream, milk, sour cream, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla on medium speed for 2 minutes. Batter will be thick. Divide batter evenly between 2 loaf pans and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until toothpick test comes back clean. Set on wire rack to cool for 20-30 minutes.

To make glaze, put Irish Cream in a small sauce pan and bring to simmer for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, add white chocolate chips and stir to get chips completely melted into Irish Cream. In a medium bowl, put 1 cup powdered sugar, pour white chocolate/Irish Cream mixture into powdered sugar. Expect it all to seize up. Use hot milk, starting with 2 TBSP, to loosen as you whisk it until smooth. If need be, you can add more hot milk or powdered sugar to get desired consistency. Bakers choice, you can pour glaze over loaves or slice loaf and drizzle it on top, either way...good stuff!

I will leave you with an old Irish blessing, while I go have another piece of cake...

Like the warmth of the sun and the light of the day, May the luck of the Irish shine bright on your way!

Bangers and Mash - Siggy Spice Style

For the last several years, on St. Patrick's Day, we would have Corned Beef and Cabbage. Every evening as I would scrape all the uneaten food off of the kiddos plates, I wondered why I bothered....they didn't like corned beef and they certainly did not like cabbage. So this year, I thought I would try a different meal for the Irish celebration...enter Bangers and Mash. Bangers and Mash is a fun way to say sausage and mashed potatoes, both of which would be a hit with the kiddos. To take it up another notch, I made the Bangers in an Onion Guinness Sauce and added some Kale to the mashed potatoes to give it that festive flair. So, if you are looking for a tasty and quick meal for St. Patrick's Day, go get some Bangers and Mash away!

You know what would be a great dessert with this? Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes....drool...

Ingredients:

• 2 TBSP vegetable oil
• 2 TBSP butter
• 6 Irish Bangers. I found mine at Trader Joe's!
• 1 cup diced onion. About 1/2 large onion.
• 1/4 cup Guinness beer
• 1 TBSP flour
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1/2 TBSP Dijon Mustard
• salt and pepper to taste
• 5-6 servings of your favorite mashed potatoes. Your choice, make them from scratch or instant.
• 1/2 cup Kale, rinsed and chopped in manageable bites

In a skillet over medium-high heat, add oil and butter and heat until butter is melted. Brown your Irish Bangers until crispy on both sides. Add chopped onion and allow to cook with sausage until soft and slightly browned. Add Guinness beer to de-glaze pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Sprinkle flour over the onions in pan and stir to coat, cook just until lightly browned. Add beef broth, stir to combine. Add Dijon mustard, whisk to combine and lower heat to medium-low. Cover pan and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. If you need to thicken your sauce a little more, simply add a TBSP of cornstarch to 1/4 cup cold water and whisk into sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.

Please know that I am totally not going to tell you how to make your mashed potatoes, nor will I judge you either way. YOU know how you and your family likes them. If you are making from scratch, add the chopped Kale to the water the last 5 minutes you are boiling your potatoes, then continue making as your normally would. If you are making instant, simply add the Kale to the water as you are bringing it to boil.

ENJOY!

Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes

I hope you are ready to get your Irish on! You simply must, must try them. The depth that the stout beer gives the chocolate combined with the light, creamy frosting is simply amazing! I personally do not like beer, especially one you could chew like Guinness, but these cupcakes are AWESOME! My husband being quite the beer connoisseur, thinks these are like drinking a Guinness....you get through the creamy foam to the rich, malty, chocolaty underneath.

Hold onto your hats guys, this SIGG-nature recipe will have you dancing the River Dance to the Emerald Isle in no time!


Ingredients for cake:

• 1 box devils food cake mix
• 1 box (3.9 oz) chocolate instant pudding mix
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup Guinness beer, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)

Ingredients for frosting:

• 1/2 brick (4 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 pound powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a regular sized muffin tin with paper liners. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, sour cream, beer, and melted butter. You will want to make sure your ingredients are at room temperature so the melted butter will not cease up on you. Mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until thoroughly combined. Batter will be thick. Spoon batter into cupcake liners to about 3/4 way full. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make frosting by beating the cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the cream and vanilla, beat an until smooth. Turning your mixer to low, slowly combine powdered sugar until smooth. Frost cupcakes and enjoy! Makes about 24 cupcakes. Store leftovers in fridge.
Have your drink and eat it too!
MMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!

Recipe featured at:
Tasty Kitchen
She's Becoming DoughMesstic



Linked Up at:
Simply Sweet Home
Eat at Home

Friday's Fabulous Finds - Pub Battered Cod

My Friday seems to have slipped away from me! On Friday's I do my meal plan and shopping for the week. I make a run to Costco, Trader Joes, and Super Target. Whew! So, sorry about the post being late today. Moving on...

I found these little babies at Costco. Pub Battered Cod....YUM! Perfect for a fish and chips night. Heck, that can even be your St. Patrick's Day dinner if you don't feel like going all corned beef and cabbage. You could also use them for a fish taco. I was always scared of the words FISH and TACO used together, but really, it is quite yummy. Simply put some fish in soft taco (corn or flour) and top with cole slaw and maybe even a little mango salsa if you are feeling sassy! It is nothing like a "regular" taco, it has it's own mojo going on. But don't try to tell that to my husband, just mention "Fish Taco" and watch him gag and claim a random killer allergy.

Anyway you use it, these are yummy and a great option for those days you want something fast and easy!

Food Fact Wednesday - Peanut Butter

Did you know that Monday was National Peanut Butter Lover's Day? Yeah, I had no clue either. I totally missed the day. Next year, I will have to mark it on the calendar. Do you think it is on March 1st every year or is it one of those holidays that follows the moon schedule? HAHA! So, it is only fitting that Round 2 of Food Fact Wednesday is about our sticky friend, peanut butter.

Here are some things to remember when you are noshing on a PB&J with the kiddos:

1. It has relatively high amounts of fiber and protein
2. Peanut butter also has very important micro nutrients such as Vitamin E, Vitamin B3, and large amounts of beneficial minerals such as iron, magnesium, potassium, copper, and calcium. Vitamin E is one of the most powerful liposoluble antioxidants, shown to significantly reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Vitamin B3, also known as Niacin, is a vitamin that helps in the recovery of cell DNA damage, more cancer protections as well as helps in the prevention of Alzheimer's.
3. One surprising and unique property of peanut butter is its high content of Resveratrol. Yes, the same thing in wines and grape juice. Resveratrol is a powerful anti-cancer agent as well as providing anti-microbial properties that help the body effectively deal with bacteria and various fungi.
4. Another interesting substance contained in peanut butter is p-coumaric acid, a polyphenol that is a powerful antioxidant. In fact, when peanuts are roasted, it leads to a higher content in p-coumaric as much as 22%
5. A study showed that females who ate at least 1 ounce of nuts, peanuts or peanut butter each week have a 25% lower risk of developing gallstones!
6. Peanut butter contains much higher quantities of antioxidants than apples or carrots.

And some non-eating things to do with peanut butter:

1. Use it to help give your pet's medication. Most cats and dogs love the taste of it, so just hide their pill in a glob.
2. Smooth peanut butter will help unstick bubblegum from hair and clothing.
3. Bait mouse traps with it instead of cheese. Mice tend to prefer it.
4. Remove sticky residue left behind when you remove price tags by rubbing with peanut butter.
5. Put a glob at the bottom of an ice cream cone before you put ice cream on it to plug it and prevent leaking at the bottom.
6. Make a simple bird feeder by spreading peanut butter on a pine cone and roll in bird seed.
7. To de-stink your house after frying fish, add a dollop of peanut butter to the frying pan once you take the the fish out and turn off the heat. It will absorb the smell.

Do you have a non-recipe use for peanut butter? If so, share it in the comments below.
Also because I love ya, how about a recipe for the SIMPLEST peanut butter cookies ever....and they are gluten free!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
• 1 cup sugar (white, brown, or 1/2 and 1/2)  I like all white sugar best
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• optional, chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients until incorporated. Drop by tablespoonful or cookie scoop onto a cookie sheet. These cookies don't spread much so use a fork to flatten a bit. Bake for 8-10 minutes. They may not seem done, but they are. Let cool about 5 minutes before taking them off cookie sheet and placing on cooling rack.
Enjoy!

Quick Disclaimer: I am not giving medical advice. Please do not use this information as a replacement for seeking medical advice. I simply want to pass along some extra health benefits you may or may not know about in the food you eat!This post has been linked up at:
Eat at Home

Drunken Pork Chops - absolutely scrumptious!

I had an epiphany the other day. I am like the ying to Pioneer Woman's yang. She grew up on a golf course and was a total foodie. She then got married and moved to a ranch in the middle of nowhere. She had to learn to make hearty, down-home food and incorporate some of her former foodie style now and then. I grew up on a ranch in the middle of nowhere, eating and cooking down home, hearty food. Since "escaping" to the big city, I have been broadening my foodie horizons....oh yeah, and I now live on a golf course!

This meal from my friend Melissa is a total nod to the down home, hearty food of my youth. Yet when I first read the recipe, my "foodie sense" (kinda like spidey-sense), was sent screaming. Yet another of those recipes that the ingredients seem to be too sparse and simple to do much of anything, but those darn flavor fairies do that dance again, and it is wonderful! It is a definite staple in my menu planning.

Super easy and super flavorful....don't wait to try this gem!

Seriously Scrumptious Drunken Pork Chops

• 5-6 pork chops- bone-in or boneless, your choice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 bottle of beer (The darker beer the better.  I use New Belguim 1554. I would not recommend going as dark as a Guinness though.)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup ketchup (I know, I know....but TRUST ME!)

Put a little bit of extra virgin olive oil in the bottom of a skillet. Season the chops with salt and pepper and brown both sides. While pork chops are browning, combine beer, ketchup, and brown sugar in a bowl. Pour sauce mixture over the pork chops and simmer for 40-45 minutes. Remove pork chops and thicken the sauce a bit. In a small cup, combine 1 TBSP of cornstarch in 1/4 cup of water. Stir to combine and add to boiling sauce, whisk so no lumps form. Put pork chops back in the thickened sauce, flip to coat. Serve over mashed potatoes or rice.
Have your drink and eat it too!

This recipe was linked up at:
 Mommy's Kitchen Sunday Potluck!
Make Ahead Meals for Busy Mom's
This Chick Cooks