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~~Spiced Pork Chops~~

This is one of our most favorite recipes. I can’t remember where I found the original recipe at (somewhere online), but it’s delicious!

FYI: Some of the spices, if you have never bought them, are a little pricy, but last a long time.

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Spiced Pork Chops
4 pork chops
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fennel seeds – crushed
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ tablespoon butter
½ cup chicken broth

Mix all spices together and evenly sprinkle half over the top of the pork chops. In a skillet, over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Placed spiced side or pork chops down in the hot skillet. Cook about 3-5 minutes on one side till browned, but no blackened (turn down the heat if they are cooking too fast). While chops are cooking on the first side, sprinkle remaining spice mixture on the uncooked side. Flip them over once, finish cooking.

Remove chops from skillet and keep warm. Add butter to skillet and whisk browned bits with a wire whisk. Turn the heat up a little, add chicken broth and keep whisking till the sauce reduces to about half. Serve the chops with the sauce on top.

I saved a large spice container that had either onion or garlic powder in it (I think) to put my spice mixture in. I also mix up enough spice mixture at a time to fill my container. This way I always have it on hand.

I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as mine does!

This post is linked to:

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap

Vanderbilt Wife (Family Recipe Friday)

Designs By Gollum (Foodie Friday)

Momtrends: Friday Feasts

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Menu Plan: 08/09 – 08/15

 

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It’s the first week of school for us!  I’m still having a hard time believe that our summer break is officially over.  But, it is so here we go into a new chapter of menu planning.  We’re still basically eating out of the pantry, but I did a big stock up on some items last week.  Making as much as I can from scratch for my family, I tend to run low of baking items quite often and I did not want to start the school year out by not having what I need on hand, but that stock up is another post.   Here’s our menu for the week:

Breakfast:

Lunch:

  • PB&J sandwiches
  • pizza roll ups
  • ham & cheese crescent roll ups
  • pizza “mom-able”
  • leftovers

All lunches have 2 sides and a dessert that can consist of fresh fruits/veggies, pretzels, cookies, inside-out cupcakes, and homemade pudding. 

Dinner:

  • Sunday – small group cookout
  • Pork chops
  • Poor Man’s Soup in the Crock Pot (did not make last week)
  • Italian breaded chicken
  • Salmon patties
  • Dinner with my parents (?)
  • leftovers

Don’t forget to check out Organizing Junkie for more great menu plans from everyone else this week!!

 

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Tips For Making School Mornings & Lunch Preps Easier

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It’s hard to believe that it’s time for school to start back once again. It feels like we never really had a summer break since time flew by so quickly. But, ready or not, it’s here.

Besides what seems like endless shopping for school supplies, there’s the never-ending school lunches to prepare x 3 (well x 4 counting Brian, LOL). It takes a lot to make sure that everyone gets a well-balanced meal plus something they like. My children take lunch every day instead of buying lunch. This way, I know that they have something that they like AND they’ll eat it instead of throwing it away. And most of the meals that I send with them cost me considerably less than school lunches anyway.

So, how do I get everyone’s lunches packed and out the door with them every day? I keep a bunch of plastic containers of different sizes on hand to use as portion control. They also pull double duty because I can use them to prep some things ahead of time. I can portion out fruits and veggies into these containers at the first of the week, and then they are placed in a designated area in the fridge to that I can just “grab-n-go” in the mornings. I also reuse containers as much as possible. If they are taking sandwiches, the containers will be wiped out and reused instead of washing it each and every day. If they took grapes one day and I still have some to divide out, then that container will be refilled and placed back in the fridge at the bottom of the stack. Now, if the containers are all sticky and yucky, yes, they will be washed before being used again.

I also keep paper napkins on hand, as well as plastic utensils for the days with soups, pasta, etc. where a utensil(s) is necessary. But, my children (and husband) know to bring them back home to be rewashed. But, mom doesn’t have to worry if they get thrown away, misplaced, or broken because it’s not my silverware, and they don’t have to wait in line to grab utensils in the cafeteria.

This year, I bought them stainless steel thermoses to instead of the generic plastic ones AND I don’t have to worry about grabbing juice pouches either. It’ll save a lot of money all around.

Another thing that I do for my family, especially during the school year, is to prep a bunch of items and place them in the freezer for a quick breakfast/lunch/snack. These items are usually muffins, sweet quick breads, cupcakes (for desserts in lunches), waffles, pancakes, breakfast burritos, burritos, crepes, etc.

These are just some of the things that I do during the school year to make my mornings go much quicker and easier.

Don’t forget to check out We Are That Family for more Works For Me Wednesday tips!