Ranch House Crock Pot Pork Chops with Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

I don't remember where I found this recipe but it is super yummy! The mashed potatoes are some of the best we ever had and the pork chops fall apart and are delicious. It is super easy. Enjoy!

6 pork chops, 1/2 inch thick
1 packet dry Ranch Dressing Seasoning
10 oz can Cream of Chicken Soup

4 lbs peeled, cubed potatoes
5 Tablespoons real butter
1 Cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
6 cloves roasted garlic (click for directions how to roast garlic)
1- 1 1/2 Cups warm skim milk (any milk will do, I just happened to use skim)
1 Tablespoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, or to taste

1. Place pork chops, Ranch seasoning and soup into a medium sized crock pot over high heat for 4 hours or low heat for 6 hours.

2. Place potatoes into a large pot of cold water. Place onto stovetop over high heat and bring to a boil. Once water is boiling, cook for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and transfer to the work bowl of a stand or electric mixer. Mix on low until potatoes are mashed then add butter, parmesan, garlic, milk, salt and pepper. Season to taste if needed. For thinner mashed potatoes add more milk, slowly until your desired consitency.

3. Scoop mashed potatoes onto serving plates and top with pork chops and soup gravy from crock pot. Enjoy!

Easy Tomato Soup

2 cans stewed tomatoes (any variety--Italian, Mexican, Plain)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 T minced fresh basil OR 1-2 tsp. dry
(you can add other spices like garlic or oregano or dried onion depending on what kind of tomatoes you used)
1/2 C light sour cream OPTIONAL

1. Place first three ingredients in blender, and process until smooth. our into saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls; spoon 2 T sour cream into soup in each bowl, and stir gently to swirl. Sprinkle evenly with basil.

Source: Weight Watchers Five Ingredient 15 minute Recipes

Spinach Calazones with Blue Cheese

1 (13.8 ounce) can refrigerated pizza dough OR your favorite pizza crust recipe
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup (3 oz) crumbled blue cheese
1 1/3 cups sliced mushrooms
4 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves
Cooking Spray

1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Unroll dough (or roll out homemade dough) onto a smooth surface. Pat out dough to a 12 X 10-inch rectangle. Cut into 4 (6 X 5-inch) rectangles. Sprinkle garlic evenly over dough. Top each rectangle with 3 T cheese, 1/3 C mushrooms, and 1 C spinach. Bring 2 opposite corners to center, tucking in spinach (pockets will be very full) and pinching all points together to seal. Place on a large baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 425 for 11 minutes or until golden brown.

(Note: I liked this best with a whole wheat crust. You could substitute a milder cheese like Gorgonzola. I have also substituted frozen spinach--cook it in the microwave for a bit to defrost and then squeeze out liquid. Otherwise there will be took much water inside the calazones).

Source: Weight Watchers Five Ingredient 15 minute Recipes

Cranberry-Glazed Salmon

1 orange
1/2 cup cranberry chutney
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
Cooking spray
1/4 salt
1/4 pepper

1. Preheat broiler (I like the low setting)
2. Grate rind and squeeze orange, reserving 1 teaspoon grated rind and 2 Tablespoons juice; reserve remaining juice for another use.
3. Combine 1 tsp. rind, 2 T. juice, chutney, soy sauce, and mustard in a small bowl.
4. Place salmon fillets, (if they have skin, skin side down) on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Spread about 2 tablespoons chutney mixture evenly over each fillet. Broil 9 to 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with fork. Yields: 4 servings. WW Points value: 7

(Note: You can buy cranberry chutney in many grocery stores. I like to make a big batch of cranberry chutney--found at any good recipe website--and freeze portions of it for future use. You can use canned whole berry sauce or you in the late Fall you can use fresh berries.)

Source: Weight Watchers Five Ingredient 15 minute Recipes

More cooks...

If you know of somebody who you think would like to contribute to our recipe blog, let me know and I will send them an email invitation to join us. We can always use more cooks in the kitchen, right?

World Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am not a great baker but when I make these cookies, the compliments I get make me feel like I'm pretty good! Try them out and let me know what you think!

• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1/3 cup butter (not margarine)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1 cup chocolate chip chips

In a large bowl, mix together the shortening, butter, sugar and brown sugar, using an electric mixer. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until creamy. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and mix thoroughly. Add the chocolate chips and nuts and mix well. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease to baking sheets. Drop dough with a large tablespoon (should be the size of a golf ball). Allow plenty of space for the cookies to spread out as they bake. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes at 375 degrees.

Italian Baked Chicken and Pasta

from Giada De Laurentiis - (with a few changes I made for my family)

1/2 box Pasta
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Chicken Breast, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 c Onion, diced
1 tsp Garlic, minced
1 (14.5 oz.) can Tomatoes, diced with juice
1 c Mozzarella
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/4 c Bread crumbs, Italian for best flavor
1/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated
1 Tbsp butter

Cook pasta according to directions on box and drain. While pasta is boiling, cook chicken in olive oil - add onion and garlic, saute until tender. Put chicken, onions, and garlic mixture into a large bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a prepared 8x8 baking dish. Sprinkle bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

We loved this new pasta recipe and will definitely be making it again!