Quinoa with Pork, Bell Peppers & Parsley

I was looking for something to do with the left over pork chop and made a few adjustments to a recipe I found online:

Quinoa with Pork, Bell Peppers & Parsley

1 cup quinoa
1/2 1 cup wild  white rice
1 Tbsp olive oil
8 oz. mushrooms, diced
tablespoon cup diced garlic green onions
1 large green bell pepper, diced small red bell pepper, diced
1 small yellow bell pepper, diced
1 tsp Gourmet Garden T. fresh Parsley
1 tsp salt
1 tsp Gourmet Garden Chili powder Pepper
2 cups diced, leftover pork chops
Soy sauce, to tase

Directions:
Rinse quinoa.  In a large skillet, bring 2 cups of water to a boil.  Add the quinoa, stir, reduce heat to low and cover.  Continue to  simmer, about 15 min.    Cook according to package directions.

In a  medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to boil.  Add the rice and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until done, about 40 min.  Drain, if necessary. Cook rice according to package directions.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, green onions, garlic, bell peppers, parsley, and chili powder chili. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add quinoa and rice. Add soy sauce. Stir.  Serve warm.



SOURCE
http://blog.al.com/sugar-and-spice/2013/04/quinoa_with_pork_bell_peppers.html


Going by the above recipe, I substituted garlic for the green onions, chili powder for the Gourmet Garden Chili Pepper, fresh parsley for the Gourmet Garden Parsley and added some soy sauce at the end.  Also, I didn't have any fried rice, so I used white rice.  It was a great way to revive the pork chops that I made yesterday that ended up being too dry.

Squash Casserole Recipe

I combined the two recipes below and made some adjustments to come up with a yummy squash casserole using fresh yellow crookneck squash from my mother's garden.

http://www.myrecipes.com/m/recipe/squash-casserole-10000000630066/


http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/cheesy-squash-casserole-recipe/index.html

4 medium yellow crookneck squash, thinly sliced

olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons sugar

1 sleeve crackers, crushed medium to fine (recommended: Ritz)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Sauté the squash, onion, in olive oil until soft.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cheddar cheese, eggs, mayo, sour cream, & sugar.

Place in the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the cracker crumbs evenly over the top. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly.

What to do with cucumbers???

I'm looking for something to do with cucumbers.  I solicited some help on Facebook.  Someone suggested white gazpacho.  She said, "I love white gazpacho!  I forgot which recipe I used, but it had bread, stock, white grapes, almonds, garlic and....cucumber!  It sounds weird, but was very good.  Other than that...tzatiki sauce?"

This looks like what she is talking about:

White Gazpacho Recipe

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/white_gazpacho/

Tzatziki Sauce Recipe 

http://m.allrecipes.com/recipe/20242/tzatziki-sauce



Other responses I got were:

"Slice them and put in a bowl and pour Italian dressing over them and put in fridge they are good like that or a cucumbers sandwich."  

"I make cucumber salad with Italian dressing plus feta cheese and cubed chicken!"

"Cucumber sandwiches with Duke's mayo and baby Swiss! Or sliced in flavored vinegar with salt and pepper. Nomnom."

"Put some in a glass of water. It is very refreshing!"

"I have a cucumber salsa recipe I'll dig up for you."

"Softened cream cheese mixed with dill spread on two pieces of bread of your choice with sliced cucumber is how I enjoy cucumber sammiches." 

 

I read these recipes to my husband, who said, "Sounds like something you eat when you are starving."  He said "Hogs won't even eat 'um."  That boy doesn't want anything that isn't fried, lathered in fat back or chocolate, or isn't to be garnished with ketchup!

Pork Chops and Scalloped Potatoes

NOTE:  This turned out really dry.  Why??  Solutions?  UPDATE:  I cut up and used the dry, leftover pork chops in another recipe that turned out really good. 

3 tablespoons butter, divided 
1 1/2 teaspoons salt 
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth 
6 pork chops 
6 cups thinly sliced potatoes
1 dash paprika



Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  

In sauce pan melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add salt, pepper and flour. Pour in the chicken broth, cook and stir until mixture boils. Remove from heat and set aside. 

In skillet brown pork chops in 1 tablespoon butter. Grease a cooking dish with the remaining tablespoon butter and layer potatoes. Pour mixture over potatoes and place browned chops on top. Sprinkle paprika on top.  

Cover and bake for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

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  SOURCE:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pork-chops-and-scalloped-potatoes/detail.aspx
  

Blackberry Cobbler (or is it pie?)

My friends and I have had an ongoing debate about the difference between pie and cobbler.  This recipe is from the "A Taste of Georgia" recipe book published in 1977 by the Newnan Junior Service League.  It is called Blackberry Cobbler, but according to this website, I've been making it into Blackberry Pie because I put a pastry crust on the bottom!  All I know for sure is, this is THE BEST DESSERT ON THE PLANET!

Butternut Squash Pie

Green & Yellow Beans with Wild Mushrooms Recipe - Delish

http://www.delish.com/_mobile/recipefinder/green-yellow-beans-wild-mushrooms-recipe-9008


Sent from Rebecca Parrott Tatum, CPA's iPhone

Green Beans and String Beans Recipes

http://www.delish.com/recipes/cooking-recipes/green-beans


Sent from Rebecca Parrott Tatum, CPA's iPhone

Fried Green Tomatoes Recipe

http://www.myrecipes.com/m/recipe/fried-green-tomatoes-10000000461220/

Dry Onion Soup Mix

Dry Onion Soup Mix

"Replacement for 1 packet of purchased onion soup mix." - by faye522



1/4 cup dried onion flakes

2 tablespoons low-sodium beef bouillon granules

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon parsley flakes

1/8 teaspoon celery seed

1/8 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper