Panko Pork Chops

Serves 2

Canola or olive oil
2 thick butterfly-cut pork chops
1/2 cup panko crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 heaping tablespoon minced Italian Parsley
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°. Season pork chops with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and set aside.

Mix together panko crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Have three shallow bowls (or cake pans) set aside. Add flour to one bowl, eggs to another, and the panko mixture to the last.

In a heavy skillet or braising pan, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over medium high to high heat. Dredge pork chops first in the flour, then the egg, and lastly in the panko mixture, making sure to coat the meat evenly. Add pork chops to the skillet and allow to cook until golden brown and crispy on each side, about 2 minutes per side.

Remove pork chops from the hot pan to a baking sheet. Cook the pork chops in the oven, uncovered, until they reach the internal temperature of 155°, approximately 20 minutes. Allow the chops to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving to allow juices to back into the meat. Please note, the chops temperature will rise about 5 degrees while resting.

Farfalle Alfredo with Italian Chicken Sausage

Husband approved!!!

3 cups Farfalle (bow tie) noodles, uncooked

1 jar of your fav Alfredo sauce (we like Bertoli)

1 pkg of aidells Italian style smoked chicken sausage, cut in slices

Yum!!!

Salsa Chicken

 From Erin:

• Chicken breasts or chicken strips
• Raspberry Chipotle salsa

Place ingredients in a casserole dish and bake in oven, covered, for 30 min - 1 hour (until chicken is done) at 375F.

Serve with crescent rolls and corn (or whatever else you think sounds good with it).

Erin's Swiss Chicken

Thank you Erin!!

6 chicken breasts
6 slices of Swiss cheese
5 Tbs butter, divided
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup lemon juice or white wine
salt + pepper
2 Tbs flour
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup stuffing mix

1. Melt 2 Tbs butter on stove.  Stir in flour and add milk and then broth.  It will thicken, stir constantly.
2. Add juice (or wine), salt and pepper.
3. Lay chicken in a 9 x 13 dish.
4. Lay one slice of cheese on each chicken breast.
5. Pour sauce over chicken.
6. Mix 3 Tbs butter with stuffing, then pour over chicken.
7. Bake at 350F for one hour.  Cover with foil or lid for the first 50 minutes.

I'm Engaged!! Planning a Wedding is SO MUCH FUN!! :-)

Paul got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife a little over one month ago, and I was extremely honored and excited to say YES!!  (oh, happy day!)  Here is all we have accomplished for wedding planning in just this past month.  I am astonished at how incredibly smooth everything is falling into place!  I must admit, though, that I am not really picky when it comes to a lot of the details and we also are getting married in a big city so there are just lots of options around- even for a six month engagement.

Church:  St. Agnes Catholic Church
        The choice to get married in St. Agnes Church, for us, was an obvious one. It's the church we go to every weekend with his dad when Paul is in town, and Paul has a lot of history at this church which also has a school he attended growing up.  Paul's parents met at St. Agnes and got married there 55 years ago! 

Wedding Date:  July 7th, 2012
       Woohoo!!  Right in the middle of the super fun summer!!  Thank goodness the wedding and reception will all be indoors.  ;-)

Photographer:  Rachelle Kuntz (Sugar Snaps Photography)
       She was chosen even before our date, but she is a friend of ours and we have seen her awesome work and we have heard her amazingly awesome reviews from other friends who have used her.  I knew what months Paul and I were looking at for the wedding date and I checked her availability right away. 

Florist:  Erica Smail Carlisle (The KC Flower Girl)
         Also an awesome friend of ours and I have worked with her on several parties and know her work is amazing.  I totally trust her creativity and am super excited to have her do all our flowers!

Reception:  The Clubhouse on Baltimore
         Beautiful downtown Kansas City venue with tons of Kansas City history.  This place just happened to fall right into our hands.  Perfect.

The most exciting part is I get to marry Paul and be his wife for the rest of my life.  I am so blessed!!  :-)

Mom's Ramen Salad

This was one of our favorite dinners growing up.

1/2 chopped cabbage (napa)
4  green onions, sliced
1/2 cup slivered almonds
3 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 pkg Ramen noodles and seasoning packet
3 Tbsp vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup oil
salt & pepper to taste
1lb baked chicken breast, sliced

Combine chopped cabbage and onions.  Toast almonds, sesame seeds and crumbled ramen noodles in oven (watch carefully).  Mix vinegar, oil, sugar, salt and pepper and seasoning packet.  Combine everything just before serving.

Sara's Chicken Tortilla Soup

This delish recipe is from my seriously fun friend Sara.  She totally rocks. 

Chicken Tortillia Soup

1 smallish onion, chop and sweat

5-6 cloves garlic, chop and sweat

3-5 chicken breasts, diced and cooked (or cooked and shredded)

2 cans hot pinto beans (Ranch Style, black can)

2 can chicken broth

1 can kidney beans

1 large can diced green chilies

1 can corn

2 cans Mexican stew tomatoes (or something like Rotel wworks if you don't like large chucks of tomatoes, like me :))

1 pkg. dry Hidden Valley ranch seasoning

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

Throw all can ingredients into a large stock pot.  Don't drain the cans.  Add the 2 dry pkg mixes.  Sweat the onion and garlic together and add to pot.  Cook chicken and then add to pot.  Cook until hot.  Add cilantro right before you serve.  Add any fun fixings you might want (a dollop of sour cream is my favorite!).

That's it, pretty simple. :) 

Diana's (5 can) Really Simple Chili

I named this one after my friend who gave me this delicious, easy recipe! :-)

1 can black beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can chopped tomatoes (with onions or jalapenos mixed in)
1 can tomato sauce

Add all ingredients to the pot.
Add a packet of McCormick chili seasoning or a few teaspoons of chili seasoning / powder.
Heat until hot and bubbling.
Serve with cheese/sour cream, tortilla chips, corn muffins, or soft flour tortillas.

Variations:  Add cooked ground beef, sausage, steak, pork or chicken to the pot for a delicious meaty dish!

Awesome Asparagus

Ok, here's the secret:
Take one bunch of asparagus and snap off the ends, throw away.  Fill a medium bowl (4 c measuring cup) with some water and place asparagus into water, snapped-end down. Cook in microwave for 3 minutes.  Remove and place asparagus in skillet on medium heat with evoo and salt and pepper sprinklings. Cover.  Cook to desired crispness/tenderness (~5-10 min).  When this has occurred, splash asparagus with soy sauce.  Remove from skillet and place on serving dish.  Serve immediately.  Yummy!!!  :-)