*Spiced Pork Chops w/Sweet & Sour Glaze*

Occasionally, I like to make a "man's meal" for Jay O.  This is about as close as I get!  It was really tasty.  I will say, if you don't have a ventahood, you might want to have someone handy to open the doors & fan out the smoke ;)  However, it was worth the trouble!

 

I halved this recipe for Jay O. & me and used less honey than it called for.  I served the pork with sweet potatoes & my roasted broccoli recipe you can find here.

 

Original recipe found here.

 

Ingredients:

Pork:

• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra as needed
• 4 (8-ounce) boneless pork chops, about 1 1/2 inches thick
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Glaze:

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 scallions, pale green and white parts only, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, at room temperature
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Directions:

Pork: In a large, heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper, to taste, and sprinkle with the red pepper flakes. Add the pork to the pan and cook until cooked through. for about 5 to 6 minutes on each side, or Remove the pork from the pan, cover loosely with foil, and set aside.

Glaze: In a small saucepan, bring the vinegar, honey, garlic, scallions, and rosemary to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the honey has dissolved. Simmer for 9 minutes, or until slightly reduced. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Arrange the pork chops on a platter and drizzle with the glaze.

*Redneck Caviar, y'all!*

I made this recipe for my Grandmother Gin-gin's 80th surprise birthday party.  It was such a fun celebration and great to be with my family!!!  I think I only got teary eyed, like, 10 times ... Love my Gin-gin!

This recipe would be great just as a salad, or served with tortilla chips.

Original South Georgia Caviar recipe found here.

Ingredients:

2 (15-ounce) cans black eyed peas, drained

1 (15-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles (recommended: Ro-Tel)

2 cups chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped fresh jalapeno peppers

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 (8-ounce) bottle Italian Dressing

1 (4-ounce) jar chopped pimentos, drained

Season to taste with sea salt & fresh ground pepper

 

I doubled this recipe & didn't use the entire 16 oz. bottle of Italian Dressing

 

 

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir gently to combine. Refrigerate mixture overnight. Serve with corn chips.

 

The Mitchell clan!!! Missed the Bradley girls!

*Cajun Cheesedip*

I think an appropriate name for this dip would be "Cajun Heart attack dip."  Definitely not healthy, but definitely yum.  I made this for supper club last night.  Our friend William made an amazing family red beans  & rice recipe & I made this for an app.  I will say, I made this up as I went, but I will get as close as I can!

Ingredients:
1 large block Velveeta Queso Blanco
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1/2 cup salsa
1 yellow onion, diced
1 lb. spicy sausage
1 bag crawfish (find this in the freezer section)
Creole Seasoning, Fresh Ground Pepper, Paprika, & Cumin to Taste

Directions:
Cook sausage & onion in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Once cooked through, add in Velveeta, Cream of Mushroom Soup, Salsa & stir to combine.  Add in Crawfish & season to taste. 

You can either make this the night before, pour into a casserole dish & bake it at 300 until heated through the next day. Or, if you make this the night of, you can simply pour the dip into a casserole dish & serve.  Sprinkle Paprika on top before serving.

Serve with toasty baguette slices or tortilla chips.

ENJOY!

*Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup*

I read a few different recipes for chicken noodle soup on pinterest today, and this is what I came up with :-)  It makes quite a bit, so you can definitely plan for it to be leftover for your next days lunch or dinner.  And, best of all, this recipe is very easy to prepare!  I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp Butter
2 cups chopped carrots (I used 4 whole carrots, shaved & sliced)
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup onion (I quartered mine)
8 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups skim milk
2 cans cream of chicken soup
16 oz. package egg noodles
1 rotisserie chicken (skin removed & shredded - or you can boil your own)
salt & pepper to taste

Directions: 
Prepare egg noodles according to package directions.
While your water is coming to a boil for the noodles, this will allow time to cut your veggies.
Melt butter in large soup pan on medium high.  Sauté  vegetables until soft, about 8 minutes.  Add chicken broth & bring to a boil for 10 minutes so that the vegetables are fully cooked.
Bring heat back down to medium.  Add in milk, cream of chicken soup and stir until smooth.
Gently add in cooked shredded chicken and egg noodles. 
Lastly, season with salt & pepper & bring to a simmer until ready to serve.