Pork Chops & Potatoes in Mushroom Sauce

PORK CHOPS & POTATOES 

in MUSHROOM SAUCE

1 can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
6 medium red potatoes, sliced
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
6 boneless pork loin chops

• In a 5-qt slow-cooker, combine the first 7 ingredients. 
• Stir in potatoes and onion. 
• Top with pork chops. 
• Cover and cook on low for 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 hours or until meat is tender.

Corn & Potato Chowder [Slow-Cooker]

CORN & POTATO CHOWDER

(low calorie, about 220 per serving)

3 medium red potatoes, finely diced
2 (14.75-oz) can cream-style corn
1 (1.5-oz) can chicken broth
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 (11-oz) can whole kernel corn with sweet peppers, drained
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Cracked black pepper
Soup or saltine crackers
Dollop of sour cream

• In a 3-1/2 to 4-qt crock-pot, combine potatoes, cream-style corn, broth, garlic powder, corn with peppers, and ground pepper.
• Cover and cook on low-heat for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. 
• Serve with crackers and dollop of sour cream on top.
• Makes 6 servings.

Crock-Pot Potato Medley

CROCK-POT POTATO MEDLEY

1 pound of mixed potatoes, (such as red potatoes, golden potatoes and purple potatoes, and the combination is usually called a "medley")
2 tblsp butter, plus 1 tblsp
2 tblsp olive oil
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary

• Wash and slice potatoes in half or into similar sized pieces. Toss in olive oil, thyme and rosemary.
• Melt butter and pour into bottom of crock-pot. Add potatoes on top. Dice the 1 tablespoon into small pieces and place over potatoes.
• Turn crock-pot on low and cook 4 to 4-1/2 hours or until fork tender. Turn to warm until ready to serve

The Ultimate Mashed Potatoes

So a few years ago, one of my amazing friends, Catherine, invited us for a Thanksgiving dinner. So, of course we went and had a ton of food and turkey and the whole sha-bang. With the whole sha-bang, were these incredible mashed potatoes. I mean INCREDIBLE. I just HAD to know how to make them. So she told me. And I've been making my mashed potatoes this way ever since.

This isn't exactly "low fat" or "low carb" either...but using "low fat" cream cheese instead helps...just a smiggen.

THE ULTIMATE MASHED POTATOES

6-8 red potatoes, diced
1 block cream cheese (8oz)
2 tablespoons Milk (maybe more/less)
1-1/2 tsp kosher salt

• Boil diced potatoes, skin on, in water until tender. Drain.
• Place potatoes and cream cheese in stand mixer (doing this by hand is extremely difficult, be warned, you might hurt in places you didn't dream about having after you do!) and beat on medium until mixed together.
• Carefully add milk (this is where it would be more/less. If its too thick, add more milk!) and add the salt.
• Make sure you taste them and add more salt if needed. NO PEPPER!
• Beat the potatoes in the stand mixer for a good 3 minutes. You want them whipped pretty good!
• Serve warm (of course!) and enjoy!

This is a great recipe to freeze as well. I usually make OVER the amount I need and freeze in little batches. I use the little batches when my hubby is out of town and I need a quicker dinner--just pop in microwave and heat for a few minutes, stirring in between.

Daring Kitchen Challenge: Potato Salad

Jami Sorrento was our June Daring Cooks hostess and she chose to challenge us to celebrate the humble spud by making a delicious and healthy potato salad. The Daring Cooks Potato Salad Challenge was sponsored by the nice people at the United States Potato Board, who awarded prizes to the top 3 most creative and healthy potato salads. A medium-size (5.3 ounce) potato has 110 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, no sodium and includes nearly half your daily value of vitamin C and has more potassium than a banana!

LOADED BAKED POTATO SALAD

7 to 8 whole medium sized red potatoes
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 cup real bacon bits
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (shred from a block for best results)

Clean and cut red potatoes into quarters, and boil for 15 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain. Place in large bowl and toss with melted butter and S&P. Place in the fridge, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix sour cream, mayonnaise and milk. Stir the sour cream mixture, bacon and cheese with the potatoes.

Serve immediately or cover a refrigerate until serving.

Sprinkle shredded cheese and bacon bits over top for garnish and even more flavoring! =)

Serves 6 to 8 (or 4 if you're my family)

Crock-pot: PORK CHOPS & RED POTATOES

Sorry my friends. I've been cooking in the crock-pot all week, but slacked on the photos of them. I will make it up to ya'll!

And for now...

Crock-Pot: PORK CHOPS & RED POTATOES

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper
6 medium red potatoes, sliced 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick (make sure they are consistently same size)
1 medium onion, chopped
4 boneless pork loin chops

In a 5-quart crock pot, combine first 7 ingredients.

Stir in potatoes and onion and top with pork chops.

Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.

~~ I didn't take a picture of the pork chops--they weren't as pretty as the potatoes! I would also quickly sear the chops quickly to brown the sides before placing in crock pot. Enjoy!

HONEY GLAZED SALMON with LEMON VEGGIES

Ohhh yes...so mouth-watering!

HONEY GLAZED SALMON WITH 

PARSLEY-LEMON VEGETABLES

3 tablespoons EVOO
1/2 pound small red potatoes, quartered
2 cups white mushrooms, halved
salt and pepper
1/2 bunch asparagus, cut into thirds
4 6-oz salmon fillets with skin
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 clove garlic
grated peel and juice of 1/2 lemon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large heavy duty [and oven proof] skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over med-high heat. Add potatoes and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned [about 5 minutes]. Transfer to the oven and roast for 10 minutes. Stir in asparagus and roast for another 2 to 3 minutes [until asparagus is crisp-tender].

Meanwhile, rub salmon with EVOO all over and season with s&p. Arrange salmon on baking sheet, skin side down, and roast for 10 minutes or until opaque in center.

In small bowl, mix honey and coriander. Drizzle honey mixture over salmon right before removing from the oven.

In small bowl, whisk together the parsley, garlic, lemon peel and lemon juice, and 1 1/2 teaspoons EVOO, and season with s&p. Toss with veggies and serve with salmon.