April Meals

Idiot Pork Chops & Sweet Potato Biscuits - Cheryl

Breakfast Casserole - Debbie

Lemon Herb Chicken & Mexican Spoonbread - Julie

Mango Chicken Tacos - Kim

Beef Stroganoff - Michele

Biscuits and Gravy - Michelle W

Crock Pot Pesto Ranch Chicken - Stacey

Idiot Pork Chops

2 sticks butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
Italian bread crumbs, mixed with garlic salt & onion powder
6 pork chops

Mix the melted butter and the eggs being careful that the butter is not so hot it will cook the eggs. Dip your pork chops in the butter/egg mix, and then the Italian bread crumbs, and then dip it again in the butter/egg mix and again in the Italian bread crumbs. You have to dip it in each twice as it is not as good if you only do it one time. Bake the pork chops at 375 10-15 minutes.  Flip over and bake 10-15 more depending on the thickness of the pork chops.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

1 medium sweet potato

2 ½ C flour

½ C brown sugar

1 T baking powder

¾ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ginger

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp allspice

½ C shortening/butter

½ C cream or milk

Microwave sweet potato until tender.  Peel and add with a little water to the blender & puree.  Combine all dry ingredients.  Blend in shortening.  Stir in 1 C sweet potato puree.  Add cream, gently stirring just until it forms a soft dough.  Turn onto floured surface.  Roll out ½ - ¾ inch thick.  Cut with biscuit cutter (or you can drop spoonfuls onto sheet.  Bake on greased sheet 375 20-25 minutes.

Breakfast Casserole

1 pound breakfast sausage

4 cups shredded potatoes, drained and pressed

1/4 cup butter, melted

8-12 oz shredded cheese (mix of cheddar and colby jack)

1/4 cup Onion, shredded

1 cup (8 oz) small curd cottage cheese

8 Large eggs

1.       Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch square baking dish.

2.       Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside.

3.       In the prepared baking dish, stir together the shredded potatoes and butter. Line the bottom and sides of the baking dish with the mixture. In a bowl, mix the sausage, Cheddar cheese, onion, cottage cheese, and eggs. Pour over the potato mixture.

4.       Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the casserole comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Lemon Herb Chicken

½ C lemon juice

¼ C Vegetable oil (I used Canola)

¼ C minced fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon diced tarragon or ¼ teaspoon dried tarragon

¼ teaspoon pepper

Chicken tenders or breasts.

Combine all ingredients in a Ziploc bag and seal.  Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.  Drain and discard marinade. Grill for 10 to 15 minutes.

Mexican Spoon Bread

1 C cornmeal

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

¾ C milk

1/3 C oil

2 eggs, beaten

1 (17oz) can creamed corn

1 (4oz) can chopped green chilies

1 ½ C Monterey Jack Cheese (I used cheddar jack cheese)

Mix first 5 ingredients.  Add eggs and corn and spoon half into 9x9 greased baking dish.  Sprinkle with half of the chilies and cheese.  Repeat layer.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.  Toothpick should come out clean when it is done.

Biscuits and Gravy

Gravy -  Brown 1 pound sausage in a large skillet.  Add 1/3 cup flour 1/2 t garlic, 1/2 t salt and 1/4 t pepper and stir until dissolved. Allow this to cook and brown for 2-4 minutes over medium-high heat. Stir constantly to prevent burning.  Browning the flour keeps the gravy from tasting like you are eating raw flour.  Add 3 cups milk all at once.  Mix well to incorporate, then bring to a low simmer and allow it to thicken to the desired thickness (may add more milk if it gets too thick).

Serve over hot fresh baked biscuits.

Biscuits - **I doubled this for the group**

2 cups flour

4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

2 Tbls sugar

1/2 cup butter

1 cup milk  (you may add 1 Tblsp lemon juice and let sit for 5 minutes)

Mix dry ingredients. Cut in the butter.  Stir in milk only until dry ingredients are moistened.  Roll out and cut into biscuits.  Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

For Cinnamon Biscuits - 

Before rolling out, sprinkle with cinnamon and fold over repeat 5-6 times.  Bake as directed and frost when they come out.

Crock Pot Pesto Ranch Chicken

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
6 oz jar of pesto (3/4 cup)
1 pkg ranch dressing seasoning mix
1/2 cup chicken broth

Turn crock-pot to high setting. Place chicken thighs, pesto, ranch dressing and chicken broth into crock pot. Stir gently to combine all seasonings. Close with lid and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. Serve with a side of mashed potatoes and a simple salad.