Cooking Up Cottage

Tag: dinner

  • Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops

    Today I am featuring the last recipe in my series of back to school meals. Previous school night delights were Baked Ziti with Meatballs and BBQ Meat Loaf. Now let’s try my recipe for Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops. Everyone in your house is going to love this pork chop meal! With a wonderful garlic, parmesan cheese coating, that is baked in butter, these pork chops are going to make the members of your family ask for more. The coating is one of the reasons this meal is so good, the pork stays juicy with an incredible amount of flavor. And, it get’s better!  Since they bake for 35-40 minutes it gives you time to do your evening chores. Then once you are ready to eat, voila! The perfect meal is ready to enjoy. So say goodbye to your old dry and bland tasting pork chops and try this amazing recipe today.  

    The ingredients you will need are 6 pork chops, 1 cup plain bread crumbs, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese,1/2 cup of butter, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder.

    ingredients-for-pork-chops

    In a bowl combine 1 cup of plain bread crumbs, 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder.

    parmbread-crumbsgarlic-saltNow in a separate shallow dish melt 1/2 cup of butter.

    butter Dip the pork chops in the butter and then into the bread crumbs mixture coating each side.

    dipping-pork-chops

    breadingPlace pork chops in a single layer in a 9″x13″ baking dish then drizzle remaining melted butter.pork-chops-in-panBake uncovered for 35-40 minutes in a 350 degree oven or until the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 145-160 degrees. And then let the pork chops rest in the pan for 3 minutes before serving.

    pork-chops-on-a-platter

    [yumprint-recipe id=’65’] 

     

  • BBQ Meatloaf

    meatloaf-2

    Today I am featuring the second recipe in my series of back to school meals. The first delicious and hearty meal I featured was Baked Ziti with Meatballs. This week I have a great recipe for you that was created by my mother-in-law Nancy. It’s her famous BBQ Meatloaf. She loves to serve it with baked potatoes and a vegetable and it is delightful! Nancy has made this meatloaf many times and it pleases all of the picky eaters in my family! This comforting meatloaf is highlighted with savory onions and a delicious bbq topping. You can conveniently whip all of the ingredients together in one bowl and then shape it in a 9″x 13″ pan. So you won’t have to dig out your loaf pan from the dark depths of your cupboards. And don’t forget that the leftovers make the best meatloaf sandwiches. So let’s get to mixing.

    meatloaf-1

    Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.  Then put 20 saltines crackers (about 1/2 of a sleeve) in a plastic bag and crush them with a rolling-pin.

    cracker

    Now chop 1/2 cup of onions into fine pieces.

    onionsNow in a bowl mix the 2 pounds of ground beef with the 20 saltine crackers that you crushed, the 1/2 cup chopped onion, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 eggs that you have beaten in a bowl, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

    meatloaf-ingredients-2

    Mix this together and form in into a loaf in your 9″x13′ pan.

    mixed-up-meatloaf

    loafBake the meatloaf for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Then add 1/2 cup of your favorite bbq sauce to the top of the meatloaf and then bake it for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until the meatloaf reaches a temperature of 165 degrees on a meat thermometer. 

    adding-bbq-sauce

    Now you are ready to enjoy this weeknight favorite with your family.

    [yumprint-recipe id=’64’]bbq-meatloaf-long-pin

     

     

     

  • Baked Ziti with Meatballs

    Baked-Ziti-with-MeatballsIt’s that season again, it may not be here officially…but fall is in the air…I hear it, I smell it, I feel it!  We’re trying to get back in the swing of things, back into the school routine, and we again, need to find meals to make on those busy weeknights. This month I’m focusing on back to school meals and today I am featuring my first recipe in this series. This recipe features homemade meatballs, a delightful amount of gooey cheeses all mixed together with a hearty ziti pasta that will fill up even the hungriest kids on a school night. So let’s get started.
    Baked-Ziti-2We will start by mixing up the homemade meatballs.  Mix together 1 pound of ground beef, 2 slices of white bread that have been chopped into small pieces, 1/4 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of finely chopped onion, 1 egg, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a bowl.

    meatballsNext shape into around 25 meatballs about 1 inch in diameter. Place the meatballs on baking sheets lined with foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until the meatballs reach 160 degrees on a meat thermometer. 

    uncooked meatballs

    While the meatballs are cooking, you can boil 2 1/2 cups of ziti pasta (about 1/2 of a 16 oz. package) according to the package directions.  

    pasta

    When your meatballs and pasta are finished cooking you can combine them with the large jar of Prego Traditional sauce and a 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder in a bowl.

    cooked meatballs

    pasta mixed with sauceAfter you have that mixed together, you can start layering the casserole in a 9″x13″ baking dish.  Layer half of the sauce mixture in the baking dish.

    1st layerNow in a bowl mix together a 15 oz. package of ricotta cheese with 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and then spread this layer on the sauce layer in your baking dish.

    cheese mixed with mozarella 

    2nd layerNow top this layer with the remaining sauce layer.

    top layerThen cover the top with 2 cups of mozzarella cheese.

    top cheese layerCover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. And then uncover the pan and bake them for an additional 15 minutes.

    covering zitiNow you are ready to serve this dish with your favorite garlic bread.  Your family will cheer for this new weeknight favorite. 

    incovering ziti after baking

    Baled ziti 4

    [yumprint-recipe id=’63’] 

    Baked-Ziti-Long-Pin

  • Taco Pizza

    Taco-Pizza-2

    What’s your favorite kind of pizza?  Well mine is without a doubt taco pizza.  I love pizzas that have loads and loads of toppings and taco fits that bill.  When I came across this recipe from Sweetie Petitti for Happy Joe’s Taco Pizza I knew I had to give it a try.  When I was young my family went to Happy Joe’s most Friday nights and I always ate their taco pizza, so even the thought of it gives me warm fuzzies.  When I actually tried this recipe it didn’t disappoint, with its delectable double cheese, smooth refried beans, flavorful meat, and wonderful fresh toppings…I was transported to my childhood! To save a little time, I used refrigerator pizza crust, but you can use any crust recipe you like.  So let’s get started making this yummy treat, it will be a new weeknight favorite for your family.  Here are the ingredients that you will need:

    ingredients for taco pizza

    Start by browning the one pound of hamburger and 1/4 cup of chopped onion, 1/2 teaspoon of oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of chili powder in a pan until it is no longer pink.

    meat for taco pizza

    Then while the meat is browning remove the Pillsbury refrigerator crust from the package and spreading it out on a greased cookie sheet.

    pizza crust

    Now prebake the crust for 8 minutes in a 400 degree oven if you are using a greased dark or nonstick cookie sheet or 425 degrees if it is a different pan type.

    cooked crust

    Now that your crust is prebaked you can mix up the sauce, mix 1/2 cup of refried beans, 1/4 of a cup of taco sauce and 1/2 of a cup of pizza sauce. Then spread this mixture over the pizza crust.

    adding sauce Top with 2 cups of mozzarella cheese.

    adding cheese

    Then add ground beef.

    meat on the pizza

    Now top with 2 cups of Colby Jack Cheese.

    cheese on top of the pizza

    Now bake the pizza for 8-10 minutes.

    cooked pizza

    Now you can top the pizza with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and crushed Taco Doritos.

    toppings Now you can serve the pizza with extra taco sauce and sour cream.

    pizza with topping

     

    Taco Pizza
     
    Ingredients
    • 1 pound of hamburger
    • 1/4 cup of chopped onion
    • 1/2 teaspoon of oregano
    • 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons of chili powder
    • 1 package of Pillsbury Refrigerator Pizza Crust
    • 1/2 cup of refried beans
    • 1/4 cup of taco sauce
    • 1/2 cup of pizza sauce
    • 2 cups of mozzarella cheese
    • 2 cups of Colby Jack cheese
    • Shredded lettuce
    • 1 chopped tomato
    • Crushed Taco Doritos
    Instructions
    1. Start by browning the one pound of hamburger and 1/4 cup of chopped onion, 1/2 teaspoon of oregano, 1/2 teaspoon of cumin, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of chili powder in a pan until it is no longer pink.
    2. Then while the meat is browning remove the Pillsbury refrigerator crust from the package and spreading it out on a greased cookie sheet.
    3. Now prebake the crust for 8 minutes in a 400 degree oven if you are using a greased dark or nonstick cookie sheet or 425 degrees if it is a different pan type.
    4. Now that your crust is prebaked you can mix up the sauce, mix 1/2 cup of refried beans, 1/4 of a cup of taco sauce and 1/2 of a cup of pizza sauce. Then spread this mixture over the pizza crust.
    5. Top with 2 cups of mozzarella cheese.
    6. Then add ground beef.
    7. Now top with 2 cups of Colby Jack Cheese.
    8. Now bake the pizza for 8-10 minutes.
    9. Now you can top the pizza with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, and crushed Taco Doritos.
    10. Now you can serve the pizza with extra taco sauce and sour cream.
     

    Notes

    Adapted from Sweetie Petitti

    Taco-Pizza-Long-pin