Sunday Dinner

I think, if I can think back far enough, this is the first “Sunday Dinner” I learned how to make.  I specifically remember standing on a chair in our kitchen browning pork chops in melted shortening….It had to have been for this meal, although I wont lie and say mom & I didn’t enjoy a thin & crispy fried pork chop or two when I was a kid.

Super simple, it does employ mostly pantry items – I dont make my cream of mushroom soup from scratch, but you certainly could if you wanted to.  I’m busy – and I think sometimes the time investment isnt worth the trade off – this is one of those meals.  Also – it wouldnt taste like it did when I was a kid if I traded the canned store-brand cream of mushroom soup for homemade cream of mushroom.

I’ll let you in on a little secret, I like store brand canned soups much better than name brand – especially cream soups and chicken noodle – dont spend extra on a brand name – not worth it.  Also, I don’t use center cut shops, waste of money and they get really dry – just buy the cheaper “Assorted Chops.”

So this recipe is pretty simple – brown off 4 to 6 pork chops in shortening, salt and pepper really well before you brown them.  When you lay them in the pan, don’t fuss with them.  Leave them set for about 6 or 7 minutes.  If you try to turn them and they stick, leave for a few more minutes.  Protein will let go of the pan when it’s ready for a flip.

While your chops are browning – open 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup (or one family size can) and dump it in the crock pot.  Add 2 cans of lowfat milk (1% or 2%) and stir up well.

When the chops are done, move them to a paper towel and use another paper towel to soak up the leftover shortening in the pan – leaving the bits on the bottom.  Add 3/4 cup of water to the hot pan and get to scraping with your spatula or wooden spoon.  Once the bottom of the pan is clean and the water looks golden brown, dump the water and scrapings into the crock pot with the mushroom gravy & stir well.  Nestle the pork chops down in the gravy in the crock pot and put the lid on.  Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6 to 8 until the pork chops are tall apart tender.  If you’re short on time, you can also simmer this on the stove top for an hour to an hour and a half like I describe in the recipe I posted at Food.com, or bake in the oven at 375 for the same amount of time.

Serve over mashed potatoes with a steamed green vegetable like broccoli or green beans and a biscuit or two – heaven on a plate, easy, and very economical.

If you try it – let me know what you think!

Oh Chicken Enchiladas how I love you – especially with extra extra cheese!

I’m coining a new phrase, Norwegi-Mex.  I’m not a “Tex” and my cooking certainly isn’t “Mex” but take any “tex-mex” dish – eliminate cotija or asadero fancy cheese, add potatoes and copious amounts of Wisconsin Cheddar, and you’ve got a truly stunning Norwegi-Mex concoction.

I made a really simple Enchilada recipe from Everyday Food this weekend, and as I write I’m enjoying the leftovers for Lunch.  This recipe calls for tomatillos – which I admit have intimidated me in the past.  Such odd little berries (berries, not veggies) with your weird paper wrapper and completely disgusting texture…..when blended and cooked with green chile and onions, you make my enchiladas wonderful.

What’s your favorite spin on traditional Tex-Mex?

Hey all,

Every maven needs a day off – today I baked cookies and dipped pretzels – with a horribly sore back.  SO for Sunday dinner we’re waiting for that amazing invention, the frozen lasagna, to finish baking in the oven.  I love homemade lasagna, but its time intensive -and expensive to put together – so the Frozen One serves several purposes, including dinner, leftovers for dinner the next night – and a night off for mom.

Pair it w/ some great frozen garlic bread and a quickie green salad and you’re set.