{crock pot recipe} Sweet Glazed Pork

This recipe reminds me of the sweet and sour meatballs my mom makes every year for our Christmas Eve party. They cook all day in the crock pot and are always a hit at the party.  When I came across the same ingredients with pork chops for dinner, I knew they would be good. The only change I made to the recipe was adding a few teaspoons of minced garlic.  I served the pork chops with jasmine rice and broccoli. I'll definitely make this recipe again, next time putting a twist on it using jellied cranberry sauce instead of grape jelly. 

Sweet Glazed Pork

Courtesy of Six Sisters' Stuff 

Ingredients:

4-6 boneless pork chops
1 (12 oz) bottle chili sauce
1 cup grape jelly

Directions:

Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place pork chops at the bottom. In a bowl, mix together the chili sauce and the jelly; pour on top of pork chops. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours (do 8 hours if your pork chops are frozen) or HIGH for 3-4 hours (I prefer the low and slow method for these).

Easy Baked Ravioli

I made this dinner last week and couldn't wait to share it with you.  The ingredients are inexpensive and it took me 10 minutes to prepare. That was it.  Ten minutes in the kitchen, a few items in the trash and dinner went into the oven. My kind of meal.  The fabulous thing was how delicious it was. Not only for dinner but leftover for lunch the next day. This would also be a perfect meal to freeze or make for friends who could use a home cooked meal. Save this recipe, you'll thank me later! 

Easy Baked Ravioli

Courtesy of Betty Crocker

          Ingredients

1 jar (26 to 28 ounces) pasta sauce (I used tomato basil)

1 package (25 to 27 1/2 ounces) frozen cheese-filled ravioli

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 tsp italian seasoning 

Directions

1.  Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of rectangular baking dish 13x9x2-inches, with cooking spray.

2. Spread 3/4 cup of the pasta sauce in baking dish. Arrange half of the frozen ravioli in single layer over sauce; top with half of the remaining pasta sauce and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers once, starting with ravioli. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and italian seasoning.

3. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 40 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered 15 to 20 minutes longer or until bubbly and hot in center

Sausage & Cheese Muffins

This year we decided to have a last minute get together for the Super Bowl.  Usually I spend a good amount of time planning our get togethers or parties.  In this case, I had about 48 hours. I immediately headed to Pinterest to look for some quick and easy recipes that wouldn't have me spending a fortune. 

I chose these sausage & cheese muffins because they would be a great compliment to the rest of the menu I had planned.  We were also having chicken wings, chips and queso, seven layer dip and buffalo chicken dip.  I also knew the boys would eat these up.  

Results: A hit of the party, not only with the men but with the ladies as well.  I loved that they were bite sized and full of flavor.  I had a few left over and enjoyed them for breakfast reheated the next morning.  Enjoy! 

Sausage & Cheese Muffins

Courtesy of Plain Chicken 

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb. hot ground pork sausage
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 3 cups all-purpose baking mix
• 1 (10.75 oz) can condensed fiesta nacho cheese soup
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup buttermilk (water or milk will work too)

Directions: 
Cook sausage and onion powder in a large skillet over medium to med-high heat, stirring until it crumbles and no longer pink. Drain and cool. 

Preheat oven to 375. Combine sausage, baking mix, and shredded cheese in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Stir together the soup and buttermilk; add to sausage mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon until lightly greased mini muffin tins, filling to tops of cups. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned. 

Turtle Cheeseball

I'm way behind on posting the recipes I've been making these past few months.  Life around here seems to get busier and busier…this blog always seems to fall on the back burner.  

Anyhow, we traveled home to FL for the holidays this past year.  Every year my parents host a Christmas Eve open house.  They've been doing it since we moved to FL over 20 years ago.  Neighbors and friends stop by throughout the night, enjoying food, friends and some delicious drinks.  It's a night I look forward to all year long.  

One of the recipes I added to the sweets menu for the party was a turtle cheese ball.  I found it while going through my appetizer board on Pinterest.  It looked easy enough to prepare ahead of time, wouldn't take up too much space in the already full fridge and how could you go wrong with caramel, chocolate and cream cheese? 

This sweet treat was a hit of the party.  Many guests asked for the recipe.  It was very rich, so you didn't need a lot to satisfy your sweet tooth.  And it was just as good the left over.  My mom has requested this be added to menu again for next year.  Will do, mom! Enjoy. 

Turtle Cheeseball

Courtesy of Shurgary Sweets 

Prep Time: 1 hour

Yield: serves 8-10

Ingredients

• 1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 Tbsp caramel sauce (found with ice cream toppings)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp light brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips, divided
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup Kraft caramel bits 


Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with butter until fully blended. Add caramel sauce and sugar and beat until combined. Add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips.
2. Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on counter. Drop cheeseball onto plastic wrap and cover cheeseball completely. Once covered, shape into a ball. Refrigerate for one hour.
3. In a bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips, pecans and caramel bits. Unwrap cheeseball and roll into bowl of chocolate chip mixture. Press toppings gently into the cheeseball. Rewrap in plastic wrap (a new piece) and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Once it's on the serving plate, drizzle some additional caramel syrup over it.
   
   
   ENJOY.