Cheesy Pork Chops & Rice

This one-pan meal can be thrown together in minutes. Super easy for a busy work night!

1 1/2 c. long grain rice
3 cups cold water
1 pkg. Lipton onion soup mix
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese (+more for top)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
4-6 pork chops

In a 13x9 pan, mix the rice, water, soup mix and cheese. Place pork chops on top. Cover the top with mushroom soup. Cover the pan with tinfoil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove tinfoil, cover the top of the pork chops with more cheese and continue cooking for 30-40 more minutes. Allow to sit for a few minutes before serving.

Cinnamon Oat Pancakes

I'm trying to be more healthy in 2009 and these pancakes are the perfect place to start. The wheat flour and oats make the pancakes hearty and healthy. I cooked the batter plain for my kids, but added the oat & almond topping for the grown ups, which made them over-the-top good!

2 c. flour
1/3 c. whole wheat flour
1/3 c. quick cooking oats
1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
2 1/4 c. buttermilk
2 eggs, beaten
2 T. vegetable oil

Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl combine the buttermilk, eggs and oil. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just combined.
Drop batter on to hot skillet and fry pancakes on both sides.

***If desired, make topping mix (below) and sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of the topping mix onto the skillet, then pour batter on top of that and sprinkle 2-3 more tablespoons of the topping on each pancake. This bakes a sweet, nutty topping into both sides of the pancake. You can also sprinkle more topping mix on top after the pancakes have been cooked.

TOPPING:
1/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 c. rolled oats
1/4 c. chopped almonds or pecans

Savory Cheese Ball

I tried a new cheese ball recipe this year and really liked it. This whips together in minutes and goes well with any kind of cracker, veggie or chip.

2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 t. celery salt
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. garlic salt
1 c. chopped pecans

Mix the cream cheese until smooth. Stir in the grated cheddar cheese and the other spices. Divide mixture and shape into two balls. Roll in chopped pecans, then cover in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until serving. Keeps well in the fridge.

Swedish Rosettes

Shirlene made these and brought them over one morning. They look beautiful and taste delicious. My kids compared them to carnival funnel cakes.


Batter
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup unsifted flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, combine eggs and milk. With fork or wire whisk, mix well. Stir in flour, sugar and vanilla extract; blend until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate one hour or overnight.

In a 5-quart Dutch oven, heat 2 quarts vegetable oil to 365 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Attach selected iron to handle. Dip iron into hot oil for 15 seconds; drain slightly on paper towel. Dip lower part of hot iron into batter, letting excess drip back into bowl. (Do not get batter on top of iron.)

Dip iron into hot oil; as batter becomes cooked, it will loosen and drop into oil. Cook until golden on one side; turn and cook on other side. Repeat. As pastries turn golden, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Pastries may be sprinkled with confectioners' sugar or cinnamon-sugar. Tart shells may be filled with sweet or savory fillings.

Here is a picture of a Swedish Rosette Cooking Set. You can buy them on E-bay and Amazon.