Baked Pineapple Pork-chops

Boy was this yummy!!! A nice blend of savory and sweet!

INGRIDIENTS:

8 oz can of sliced pineapple

2 tbs soy sauce

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp garlic powder

4 pork chops

Italian flavored bread crumbs

2 tbs paprika

PREP:

Combine 4 tbs pineapple juice, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in small bowl.

Dip chops, coating both sides; lay in baking dish and pour leftover marinade all over chops.

Cover and refridgerate for 4 hours

Gently toss bread crumbs and paprika together.

Coat chops on both sides, and lay back in baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes; Turn over, place 1-2 pineapple slices on top and bake for an additional 25.

Serve with scalloped potatoes and biscuits!!

Peanut Butter Blossoms

These are one of my absolute favorite cookies! So yummy and takes care of the "sweet tooth" craving EVERY time!

INGRIDIENTS:

- 1/2 cup butter shortning

- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 1 large egg

- 2 tbs milk

- 1 tsp vanilla (immitation vanilla is a cheaper alternative!)

- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

- 1 tsp baking soda

- 1/2 tsp salt

- extra sugar

- Bag of Hershey's Kisses

PREP:

Pre-hear oven to 375 degrees

Cream together shortning, peanut butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup sugar

Add egg, milks, and vanilla. Beat well

in seperate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to mixture. Beat until stiff dough forms.

Shape into 1 inch balls, roll in extra sugar. place apprx. 2 inches apart pn ungreased cookie sheet

Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown

Removie and IMMEDIATLEY top with kisses, pressing down firmly so cookie cracks around edges. Let cool!

You will absolutely LOVE these little KISSES from heaven!!

Jalapeno Chili

INGRIDIENTS:

- 1 crock-pot (You can make on stove, just make sure it's on a low heat to simmer all day)

- 2 cans pinto beans

- 2 cans of chili beans

- 1 large cans of diced tomatoes

- 3 lbs ground beef

- 1 large green pepper, chopped

- 2 onions, chopped

- 4 garlic cloves, minced...Or you can sub in garlic powder

- 4-5 tbs. chili powder (or to taste)

- 2 tsp cumin

- 2 tsp salt

- 5 jalapenos, chopped

- some jalapeno juice (to taste)

- Velveeta

PREP:

In large skillet, brown up ground beef and drain grease.

Add your beans, tomatoes, onion, pepper, jalapeno and spices to crock pot.

Add in ground beef and add in juice.

For a cheesy chili, add in about 1/3 of a block of velveeta

If on low, cover and let cook for 10-12 hours. High, 6-8.

Top with a dollop of sour cream, and cheddar cheese. Serve with bread, or crackers!

Cheesy Baked Ziti

Mmmmmm! A hearty, itialian dish. It's a great meal for when you just don't feel like cooking again for the rest of the week, and you can resort to eating the leftovers! Also great for big parties, and receptions!

INGRIDIENTS:

- 1 lb Ziti pasta (use whole wheat ziti for a healthier version)

- 1 lb. Sweet Italian sausage

- 1 lb ground beef. (you can also cook up some chicken and use that)

-2 28 oz cans of crushed tomatoes

- 1 cup beef broth

- Italian seasoning and garlic (to taste....The more spices, the better!!!)

- Shredded chedder cheese (as much or as little as you like! I personally LOVE cheese)

PREP:

Brown up sausage and ground beed in a large sauce pot.....Drain leftover grease.

Add in crushed tomatoes and beef broth; Stir in seasoning

Heat until boiling; reduce heat and let simmer

In another pot, boil salted water (Make sure to add a good bit of salt...it's the only change you actually have the season the pasta itself!); Add pasta and cook until done.

Spoon some of your meat sauce into bottom of roasting pan

Add enough pasta to cover bottom of pan; Add another layer of meat sauce, top with cheese. Repeat with however many layers neccessary.

Bake at 325 degrees for about 40 minutes or until cheese is browned and bubbly!

Voila! There you have a delicious classic italian dish! Serve with garlic bread and a side salad!

What's cookin?

Well, I did it. I finally decided to start a cooking blog!

I never thought I would be the type of person who loved to cook. Or be any good at it. I HATED helping my mom make dinner when I was a kid. And anytime she tried to teach me something, I would get bored and go back to watching tv.

Fast forward to when I was living with my (ex)boyfriend in Florida. I cooked every once in a while, but we were living with his monster of a mother, and I worked late hours. So she usually cooked and everything was always done by the time I got home.

Then, my whole life changed on September 26th 2009. After a nasty break-up, moving into my own house, and meeting my now boyfriend (going on 1 year together! See my other blog to learn more about us!) I really started to get into the domestic role. I had my OWN kitchen that I could cook in anytime I wanted to. I really wanted to impress J, so I decided to cook him dinner one night. I made Riagtoni with homemade cheese sauce. He, my roomate Amanda, and our other friend Chris, all dug in and couldn't get enough! It was actually good!

11 months later, and I've gone from making a simple pasta dish, to cooking meals almost every night for J and I!

I'm also addicted to Facebook. So I update it....A lot. Probably more then the average person. So whenever I make a meal, I usually update about it. Well, a lot of people started commenting, asking for recipies, and how I do certain things. So, I decided, why not start a blog??? I can archive all my recipies and pictures of the meals I make. Sort of like a modern day recipie box, or cookbook.

So from time to time, I'll update this little thing with new meals, and exactly how to prepare it! Hope you enjoy!