Grilled Pork Chops with Basil Garlic Rub

Ingredients:

4 pork chops
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions:

In food processor, chop garlic, basil, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Press mixture onto pork chops to make a wet rub. Spread both sides of the chops with the mixture. Let stand 15 to 30 minutes.

Prepare medium-hot fire in grill. Brush grate clean and oil the grate. Gill chops over direct heat, turning once to medium-rare doneness, 5 to 6 minutes on each side, until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.

Allow meat to rest for 3 to 5 minutes.

Maple-Glazed French Toast

Ingredients:

1/4 cup reduced-fat milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Cooking spray
12 (1-ounce) slices day-old white bread

Directions:

Combine first 5 ingredients in a shallow dish.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Working with 4 bread slices at a time, place bread slices into milk mixture, quickly turning to coat both sides. Remove bread slices from liquid. Add bread to heated pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove toast from pan. Repeat procedure with cooking spray, remaining slices. Serve with additional syrup or powdered sugar.

EASY Chicken Courdon Bleu

For the Cordon Bleu:

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts; butterflied
8 slices good quality deli ham
1 cup bread crumbs
8 slices Swiss cheese
2 tbsp. butter; melted

For the Parmesan-Dijon Cream Sauce:

2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 packet of chicken flavoring
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray (or even better, use stoneware!)

In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs and melted butter; set aside.

Lay the cut chicken breasts in a single layer in the pan. Layer each chicken breast with two slices of ham and a slice of cheese (or two), layering across to ensure the entire chicken breast is covered. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top of chicken.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through completely, the cheese is bubbling and the bread crumbs are golden.

When the chicken is almost done, in a medium saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour, whisking constantly. Cook the flour/butter mixture for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour the milk in while whisking quickly.  Stir in the chicken flavoring and salt. Whisk mixture constantly over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer and thicken, about 3-5 minutes.

Once the sauce has bubbled and thickened, remove from heat and stir in the mustard, Worchestershire sauce and Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Keep the sauce warm until the chicken is finished baking. If you sauce becomes to thick, whisk in some more milk. If it's too thin, simmer longer.

Serve each chicken breast with warm sauce.

Corn on the Cob with Lemon-Basil Parmesan Butter

Ingredients:

4 hot cooked ears of corn on the cob
2 tbsp. butter, melted
4 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Combine butter, basil, and zest. Brush over corn. Sprinkle with cheese.

{Easy peasy}

(from Kraft Food and Family, Summer 2012)

Chocolate-Caramel Cookie Bars

I found this recipe in the latest edition of Kraft Food & Family, and oooo my is it ever a keeper! Super fast, super easy, and super short grocery list... Everyone loved them and they were gone by the next day.

 

Ingredients:

 

35 LORNA DOONE Shortbread Cookies

1 pkg.  (11 oz.) KRAFT Caramel Bits

1 Tbsp.  milk

3 squares  BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

3 squares  BAKER'S White Chocolate

Directions:

LINE 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides; spray with cooking spray. Arrange cookies in single layer on bottom of prepared pan.
MICROWAVE caramel bits and milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until bits are completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after each minute. Pour over cookies; spread to completely cover cookies.
MICROWAVE chocolates in microwaveable bowl 2 min. or until almost melted, stirring every 30 sec.; stir until chocolates are completely melted. Pour over caramel layer; spread to completely cover caramel layer.
LET stand 2 hours before cutting into bars. 

Recipe can be found here on KRAFT website. 

Chicken Pillows

I pinned this recipe on Pinterest weeks ago and Derek's mom and I were both anxious to try it. Derek's dad has an unfounded fear of cream cheese [but he eats cheesecake... it's a strangle little scenario] so he never wanted to try them. For Derek's mom's birthday we decided to make them anyway and I'm so glad that we did. They were really tasty and Derek's dad even went back for more!! They were much smaller than I was anticipating - expect each person to eat 2 - 3 pillows if you don't have a lot of sides to go with it. I ended up using 1 and 1/2 cans of crescent rolls and a little extra chicken and I think it make 12 pillows... and there was only one leftover. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 (8 oz) can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2-3 cups cooked and shredded chicken
• 1 egg
• 1 sleeve Saltine Crackers crushed
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 spoonfuls sour cream
• 3/4 cup shredded cheese (or more to your liking)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F
2. Soften 1/4 cup butter and 8oz. block of cream cheese. Then stir to a smooth consistency. Add cooked shredded chicken to the bowl.
3. Lay out the 8 crescents on a cookie sheet. Stretch the crescent out.
4. Place a couple spoon fulls of the creamy chicken mixture into the center of the crescent to fill it. Then fold the crescent around the mixture so that none of it is showing. I'll call this the "pillow".
5. In a separate smaller bowl, put the egg and a little bit of water, maybe a couple Tablespoons worth and beat together.Dip the "pillow" into the blended egg. After dipping into the blended egg, proceed to dip it into the crushed saltine crackers and place on cookie sheet. Repeat for the remaining 7 crescents.
6. Cook the pillows at 400 F for 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them your oven might cook them quicker.
7. For the sauce topping: Put can of cream of chicken and milk into a sauce pan. Add as much milk as you want to get it to the consistency you want i.e. thicker or runnier. When hot enough add 2 spoon fulls of sour cream and cheese to your liking.

Original recipe can be found at Chef in Training

Fruit Dip

Easy & Delicious Fruit Dip Recipe:

1 (8 oz) container WHIPPED cream cheese (must be whipped)
1 (7 oz) container Marshmallow Creme

Put both ingredients in a bowl. Now whip it (whip it good) . . . and keep whipping . . . and keep whipping (I usually use a whisk and just beat the heck out of it. Not only is it a delicious dish, but it is quite the workout too!). It will be smooth and fluffy when it's ready.
Serve with strawberries, bananas, pineapple . . . basically any kind of fruit.

*For something different, try a splash of vanilla or almond extract

[Original recipe can be found here]