Brown Sugar Italian Pork Chops

It's been awhile since I added some more recipes. I've made these recently and they were a hit, so I will try to add more of my newest favorites!

I made this recipe for four people:

4 boneless pork chops

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 (0.7-oz) package Italian dressing mix

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray.


Combine the brown sugar and Italian dressing mix. Coat both sides of the pork chops with the brown sugar mixture. Place in prepared pan. Top pork chops with any remaining brown sugar mixture.


Bake 25-30 mins. Turn broiler on HIGH. Broil pork chops until brown sugar caramelizes, about 1 to 2 minutes. Watch it carefully so it doesn't burn!

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Recipe: No-Bake Nutella Cheesecake

Not to be confused with the No-Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake. This one is my favorite, to be honest. Super easy and SO YUMMY. 

Ingredients: 

Crust: 

- 24 Oreos

- 1/3 c. butter

Filling:

- 13 oz. Nutella

- 8 oz. cream cheese (softened)

- 8 oz. Cool Whip

Topping:

- Cool Whip or Whipped Cream

- Chocolate sprinkles or crumbled Oreos

Directions:
-Scrape the filling out of 24 Oreos and set the filling aside.
-Take the 48 Oreo cookie halves and break them into crumbs.
-Take 1/3 c. melted butter and mix with the cookie crumbs, then place them on the bottom of a pie dish and pat down to make the crust.
- Combine nutella, cream cheese, and 8 oz. cool whip and mix with a hand mixer until smooth and all chunks are creamy. Pour onto crust and smooth it down.
- Top with cool whip or whipped cream, then sprinkle chocolate sprinkles (or more Oreo crumbs) on top.

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Recipe: No-Bake Cream Cheese Peanut Butter Pie

This is SO YUMMY. I've been in a pie-making mood lately and since we've had a few occasions to bring desserts to family functions, I made this recently and we couldn't get enough!!

Ingredients:

Crust: 

1 1/4 cups salted pretzels
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar

Filling:
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

Chocolate Whipped Cream:
3/4 cup roughly chopped dark chocolate
2 cups heavy whipping cream
Chocolate shavings or chocolate sprinkles

Directions:

For the crust: Pulse the pretzels in a food processor until finely ground (I used my nutria-ninja blender).  In a large bowl, combine the pretzel crumbs, butter and brown sugar. Mix and press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Cover and refrigerate.

For the filling: Combine the cream cheese, peanut butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl and beat with a mixer until smooth. Add the whipped cream. Spoon the filling into the pie shell, cover and return to the refrigerator.

For the chocolate whipped cream: Put the chocolate and whipping cream in the top of a double boiler over medium heat. Whisk until melted. Cover and refrigerate. Once cooled, beat the chocolate cream with a mixer until thick and spreadable.

Cover the pie with the chocolate whipped cream. Garnish with chocolate shavings or sprinkles. 

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Recipe: Spaghetti Squash Carbonara

This is a total win for me!! Brian (the meat and potatoes man) is actually happy with me making him eat healthier! As long as it's filling. I'm getting much better with making something that fits my healthy standards while still being heavy enough to fill up the black hole that is his stomach. This was super yummy and a definite repeat recipe, so I thought I would share it!

This recipe comes from SimpleHealthyKitchen.com

Ingredients

• 1 large spaghetti squash (about 2 lbs.)
• 6 slices bacon (or ⅓ cup cooked pancetta)
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp chopped fresh parsley
• extra Parmesan cheese for garnish if desired

Instructions

1. Slice spaghetti squash in half, lengthwise, from stem to tail. Remove seeds and stringy flesh. Place squash flesh side down in a microwave safe glass baking pan. Cook 10-12 min. until flesh is soft . Let squash cool to touch, turn over and "rake" a fork through the flesh to create the "noodles".
2. While the squash is cooking, use kitchen shears to cut bacon into small pieces. Cook bacon in a large skillet.. Place on a paper towel lined plate when cooked. Reserve a small amount of bacon drippings in frying pan.
3. Combine eggs, cheese , salt and pepper in a small bowl.set aside.
4. Just prior to serving, add garlic to frying pan and cook until fragrant (about 1 min.) Add the spaghetti squash and bacon and heat thoroughly. Turn off heat, and add egg/cheese mixture. Toss to combine. (The egg will cook when combined with the hot squash).
5. Garnish with parsley and additional Parmesan cheese.

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Recipe: The Best Chili

This is hands down the best chili recipe I've come across. I've made it for two different work parties now (the second as a result of bringing it for the first and demands for me to make it again). I'm definitely keeping this in my recipe books because it's the best! I usually add a lot more chili powder and get the cans of diced tomatoes with hot chilis to spice it up a bit. Enjoy!

From CookingClassy.com, spiced up a bit.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• 2 (14.5) oz cans diced tomatoes with hot green chilies
• 3 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup water or beef broth
• 3 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz) can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Directions

• Heat olive oil in a large and deep non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add onion and saute 3 minutes, then add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer. Pour onions into a 6 or 7 quart slow cooker. 
• Return skillet to medium-high eat, add beef and cook stirring occasionally until beef has browned. Drain most of fat from beef & add to crockpot.
• Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, 1/2 cup water or beef broth, chili powder, cumin, paprika, sugar, coriander and season mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Stir mixture, cover with lid and cook on low heat for 5 - 6 hours. (I usually cook it overnight, especially if I'm taking it to a work event. I will then add the beans in the morning and continue to let it simmer until lunch time).
• Stir in dark and light red kidney beans and allow to heat through.

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Recipe: Loaded Baked Potato Soup in Bread Bowls

Eventually I hope to make myself a personal recipe book where I write down and decorate all my favorite recipes, but I have a new idea for now. As I'm about to be a newlywed, I think it's important that I start keeping track of recipes that Brian particularly loves. He always tells me that everything I make is amazing, but I know he likes to lie to make me feel better. So we've started a new program: what should go on the recipe blog.

I told him maybe I would start adding his very favorite recipes to my blog so I can keep track of what really turns out as successes and possibly share with others. I don't think I'm an expert by any means, but if there happens to be a recipe you'd like to try that you don't already have a go-to formula for, maybe you'd like to try mine! So, this weekend's success story was Loaded Baked Potato Soup! Per Brian's request, this is one I need to add to the books, so here it is:

Recipe:
1/4 c Diced bacon (or more if you have die hard bacon lovers)
5 Tbsp of butter
1/4 c flour
4 cups of milk
3-4 medium sized potatoes cut into cubes
1 c shredded cheddar
1/2 c sour cream
salt & pepper for taste

*about 4 servings*

Directions:
1. Cook the bacon separately and set aside on paper towels to drain all the grease off
2. In a medium pot, melt the butter and slowly add the flour, mixing it and letting it brown slightly (without getting dry and clumpy).
3. Slowly whisk in the milk, being careful not to heat it too quickly. (It sticks to the bottom super easy). Once all the milk is added, keep whisking as it thickens.
4. Add the potatoes and let the milk come to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and let simmer until the potatoes are soft.
5. Stir in the cheese and sour cream and add preference of salt and pepper. (I also had an idea to add a little cayenne pepper to add some spice).
6. Sprinkle with more cheese and the diced bacon. I served mine in bread bowls from the local bakery (because I was too lazy to make them myself) and it was DEEEEELICIOUS. If I do say so myself. (:

Also, the recipe I sort of followed mentioned adding some green scallions which also sounded yummy... But I forgot them at the store, so what can you do? 

If anyone happens to try this recipe, I would be interested in getting your feedback and letting me know how you liked it! No pressure, of course (:

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