Spanish Garlic Shrimp

Spanish Garlic Shrimp, (Gambas al Ajillo), is a popular Spanish tapas because it is insanely delicious and an easy recipe to make too!

Turkish Carrot Yogurt Dip

This post is sponsored by Workman Publishing Company in conjunction with a social media campaign through Sunday Supper LLC. All opinions are my own.

Turkish Carrot Yogurt Dip is a better-for-you option when it comes to creamy, dreamy dips. This is an easy recipe that has the tang of Greek yogurt combined with the sweetness of carrot and garlic with hints of nuttiness. I like to add an extra layer of deliciousness by digging in with salty pita chips! Snacking made easy and better for you too! I like that!

Mashed Potato Soup Recipe

If the term 'Comfort Food' were in the dictionary, a picture of this Mashed Potato Soup Recipe would surely be the definition! Easy to make and loaded with garlicky mashed potatoes, this will certainly be a family fave!

Garlic Crusted Prime Rib Roast

A Prime Rib Roast with a buttery soft texture on the inside and a crisp garlicky outside melts in your mouth like a luscious piece of chocolate! I just want to savor the glorious flavor as long as possible. It tastes so good and is exactly why I always serve my Garlic Crusted Prime Rib Roast for our Christmas dinner.

Garlic Roast Beef Pinwheels

Garlic Roast Beef Pinwheels make a tasty appetizer that is quick and easy too. It only takes about 5-10 minutes to put these together, and they can be made up ahead of time! It doesn't get much better than that for quick and easy party food!

Bechamel Sauce Recipe

Bechamel Sauce is a basic white sauce that consists of butter, flour and milk. It is one of the 5 'mother sauces' used in cooking. It's a good idea to learn how to make this simple sauce, as it is the base for a number of other sauces and can be used in many different recipes.

Homemade Garlic Alfredo Sauce

Homemade Garlic Alfredo Sauce is a little bit dangerous, because once you make this at home you'll never be able to eat Alfredo any other way! NEVER! No jars! No restaurants! Just homemade!

Simple Guacamole Recipe

Simple Guacamole Recipe - I LOVE guacamole!! Just had to get that out! If I only had guacamole with dippers, I would not be unhappy. It's true.

Roasted Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower

Roasted Parmesan Garlic Cauliflower are tasty little bites chock full of good-for-you-stuff and delicious fresh out of the oven or even as a cold snack. They are very garlicky, so keep that in mind if you have a hot date...

Easy Caprese Personal Pizzas

Easy Caprese Personal Pizzas

Ingredients (makes 2 personal pizzas)

1 (8 oz) package Pillsbury crescent rolls

2 teaspoons fresh garlic, minced

1 tablespoon good quality Olive Oil (I like Lucini)

2-3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped

2-3 roma tomatoes, sliced thinly

1/2 cup shredded Sargento Mozzarella Cheese (more to your liking)

pinch of salt
balsamic vinegar (optional)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
• Using 1/2 of the crescent rolls, press 4 triangles into a rectangle shape and press seams together firmly. Do the same with the other 1/2 of the crescent rolls, so you have 2 rectangular pizzas.
• Mix the Olive Oil and Garlic together and brush evenly over both pizzas. Bake in oven for about 4-5 minutes until they just start to brown.
• Remove from oven and top with tomatoes, Sargento Mozzarella Cheeese, basil, and a pinch of salt. Divide toppings among both pizzas. Drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar if you like.
• Bake topped pizzas in oven for another 3-4 minutes until cheese melts. Enjoy!

Don, Madison, and I created this recipe years ago, when we were all young :),  we took a family vacation to a secluded mountain cabin in Murphy, North Carolina. It was perfect!

We did some hiking...

Found some interesting critters....

 

Relaxed on the porch overlooking a peaceful creek...

 

and made delicious treats in the fully stocked kitchen!



Some folks stopped by to welcome us with some fresh tomatoes and basil straight from their garden, and we decided that called for a pizza night! We went to the grocery (which was miles away!!) and picked up some garlic, olive oil, and our favorite shredded mozzarella. Sargento Cheese melts perfectly every time and tastes so fresh and delish!

Because we were on vacation, we decided to go with an easy crust and picked up some crescent rolls.  Then we headed back to our special retreat and got creative in the kitchen! We ended up with what we crowned as Easy Caprese Personal Pizzas! A wonderful little treat that we enjoy time and time again! I hope you  enjoy this recipe as well! It is fun to make with the family!

Sargento published my recipe in their cookbook! Check it out Sargento CookBook

You might also like this pizza recipe from my friend KC The Kitchen Chopper - Chicken Fennel Smoked Gouda Pizza, Chopped

I am an Allrecipes Allstar Brand Ambassador (a voluntary position) and I’m not compensated for my work withAllrecipes.com. Products received from advertisers are only used for experienced-based reviews on Life Tastes Good. The reviews, content, and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of this blog.

Grilled Pizza

I had never heard of grilled pizza before now, but I am hooked! Cooking it on the grill gives it a wonderful flavor - it will be difficult to eat regular old baked pizza again! A bonus to cooking it on the grill is it cooks so fast! The dough puffs up right away and gets a nice crunch on the outside while staying soft and delicious on the inside. It is basically perfect!

I have to apologize for the awful pictures. It was dark and Madison called just as I was getting these off the grill, plus my camera battery was still charging! I snapped a couple pics with my cell phone under the oven light - not a good combo! I'll be making this again, for sure, when Madison is back in town, and I'll definitely have her get some good pictures to swap these out.  In the picture above you can see the grill marks on the dough just a bit. yummmmmm

recipe inspired by: allrecipes.com Pizza on the Grill I

Ingredients
1 package yeast
1 cup warm water
1 pinch white sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Directions
Heat 1 cup water to 110-115 degrees F. It should feel warm and comfortable to you when you drip some on your wrist. If it is too hot for you - it is too hot for the yeast.  Place warm water in a bowl and stir in a pinch of sugar. Add 1 package yeast and stir to combine. Set your timer for 10 minutes and let the yeast mixture stand, undisturbed for the 10 minutes. When ready it will be frothy. If it doesn't get frothy either your yeast is too old or your water was not at the proper temp and you need to start over. Sorry.... :(

Mix in 1 cup flour until combined. Add 2 teaspoons salt, remaining 2 cups flour, and 1 tablespoon olive oil and mix until dough forms. It will be slightly sticky, so be sure to lightly flour your surface and your hands. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes. The dough will become smooth and elastic. If the dough is overly sticky add in small amounts of flour as you knead, but don't overdo it! The stickiness will work out the more you knead. Let dough rest while you grease the bowl. Put dough into a lightly greased bowl and turn over to grease all sides. Cover and set dough in your cool oven with the oven light on. Let rise for 1 hour.

Punch down dough and turn out onto your very lightly floured surface. Knead in minced garlic and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil until combined. Place dough back into bowl, cover, and let rise in cool oven again for 1 hour more. Remember to turn the oven light on.

Punch down dough again and knead out any air bubbles. Let dough rest about 15 minutes. Cut dough in 1/2 and roll each 1/2 into your desired shape. It should be about 1/2" thick when rolled and ready to use. Get all of your toppings ready before putting the dough onto the grill. I used homemade tomato sauce that I cooked down to a very thick sauce. It was delicious! I topped the sauce with fresh mozzarella cheese slices and chopped fresh basil. Yummmmmm

Preheat grill for high heat. You want to have a hot spot and a warm spot, so adjust your coals as needed. This also works well in a grill pan heated to about 375 degrees F. (I like this one Aroma Housewares Super Pot with Grill Plate, White/Black) Heat 1/4 cup olive oil with 1 teaspoon minced garlic and brush on grill. Carefully place one piece of rolled out dough onto the hot side of the grill. The dough will cook quickly and will begin to puff up a little. Allow the dough to get nicely browned on the bottom and then carefully turn it over onto the warm side of the grill. If using a grill pan, turn the temp down to about 325 degrees F. Top as desired and cook until cheese is melted. Cook 2nd piece of dough the same and enjoy!

Bruschetta Chicken

Bruschetta Chicken

Y'all...listen closely! run to the store and get the ingredients for this recipe - you are going to LOVE it! It is so easy and so delicious you will want to make it all the time, so buy extra chicken!! Be sure to use fresh ingredients - it makes this recipe what it is!

I got the idea for this recipe a few weeks ago when I was making Salsa Chicken. I love simple recipes that use fresh ingredients and deliver lots of wonderful flavors! THIS recipe does all of that!!

Ingredients

• 4 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup First Cold Pressed, Extra Virgin Olive Oil (use a fairly good quality. I like the Lucini Brand)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3-4 chicken breasts
• 3-4 slices mozzarella cheese or 1 cup shredded mozzarella

Directions

Prepare the topping early in the day or a day ahead: In a large bowl, combine the roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper, and mix well.  Refrigerate the topping until ready to use.

When ready to make the chicken, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Turn each chicken breast over and, using your hands, open up the breast where it comes together so it lays more flat. It will look like a heart shape sort of and be more even thickness all over. Place each breast in the baking dish in a single layer and top evenly with prepared buschetta topping.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes or until no longer pink throughout. The bake time will vary according to how thick your chicken breasts are. The temp should register 160 degrees F when an instant read thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the breast. Top with mozzarella and bake until cheese melts. Let rest about 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

A recipe for the Creamy Italian Salad Dressing coming soon! It is crazy good!

Cilantro-Lime Dressing

allrecipes.com Cilantro-Lime Dressing

I am a BIG fan of Cilantro, so when I saw this dressing I had to try it! I especially love cilantro paired with ginger and lime! It is one of those flavor combos that just works for me - like tomato and basil or chocolate and peanut butter - they just go together!

I just love making my own dressings and this is a winner!  It's sweet and tangy with a little kick from the jalapeno - yummmm. I see many more salads in my future! 

Ingredients

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1 clove garlic

3/4 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root

1/4 cup lime juice

1/3 cup honey

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves

1/2 cup first cold pressed extra virgin olive oil (I like the Lucini Brand)

Directions

Mix 1 jalapeno, 1 clove garlic, 3/4 teaspoon minced ginger, 1/4 cup lime juice, 1/3 cup honey, 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, and salt in a blender or a food processor until jalapeno, garlic, and ginger are finely chopped. Add cilantro leaves and pulse a few times to blend. Add olive oil and blend lightly until incorporated. Give it a taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. Refrigerate until ready to use. NOTE: Not only is this great as a salad dressing, but it makes a good marinade for chicken or pork and especially excellent on steak!

Cilantro and Pork Stir Fry

allrecipes.com Cilantro and Pork Stir Fry

Don, the hubs, loves rice! He would be happy if I served anything with rice every night. Sadly for him, rice is not MY favorite, but I have figured out how to make it where I can enjoy it. He is very happy to enjoy his rice meals more often now.

This month with the allrecipes Allstar Ambassador program we are tackling faceless recipes again! Newly published recipes on the site don't have reviews or pictures. They stay that way until some brave soul gives it a try.  I didn't used to enjoy trying an unproven recipe. Afterall, the reason why I love allrecipes.com so much is for the reviews! It is a handy tool for finding fantastic recipes!

Since being a brand ambassador for allrecipes.com, I have learned to enjoy the challenge of trying recipes that are not rated or photographed. I've found some real winners, too, and this Cilantro Pork Stir Fry is one of them! The first time I made this there were NO leftovers! There were only 2 of us!! I only had one small serving that I enjoyed very much, but Don just kept on going back for more haha  I couldn't believe it when I went to clean up and there was nothing left for me to photograph!! So I had to make it again so I could give it a face on allrecipes.com and for this blog post.

It's not really a surprise we enjoyed this dish - Pork is my favorite protein. I love it!! And Pork Tenderloin is my absolute favorite cut - it is the Prime Rib of Pork (imo)!  Tenderloin is an expensive cut, but I purchase it when it goes on sale for $4.99/lb or less, making it a very affordable treat. 

A couple important tips when cooking with Pork: 

• DO NOT overcook it!!  Pork should be a little pink in the center. It is okay. I promise! I know your meat thermometer might suggest otherwise, but many meat thermometers are incorrect since the USDA adjusted the safe cooking temperature for pork in 2011. Pork is safe to eat at 145 degrees internally. If you cook it to 140 degrees F. and let it rest for about 10 minutes, you'll be golden. 
• DO NOT freeze it. Buy your pork fresh and cook it up from fresh. Freezing pork changes the texture and the flavor...not in a good way.

Cilantro Pork Stir Fry

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 lb pork tenderloin, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro

Directions

• Whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup cilantro, 1 tbsp ginger, 1 tablespoon garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add sliced pork and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. 
• Remove pork from marinade and discard unused marinade. 
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a wok or skillet over mid-high heat. Add pork and let it sear for 2-3 minutes and then turn over and sear other side for 2-3 minutes. Pork will be slightly pink in middle. Remove from pan and cover with foil.  NOTE: You might have to sear the meat in 2 batches if you don't have enough room in the skillet to add it all in a single layer. Also, the cooking time will vary depending on how the pork was cut. Thicker cuts will take longer.
• Add 1 tablespoon lime juice to the pan to deglaze. Scrape up those yummy brown bits from the bottom of the skillet and then add the onions and peppers and cook until desired tenderness. Once the peppers and onions are to your liking, add the pork and cilantro and cook for about 1 minute - until the cilantro is wilted. Give it a taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed to your liking.

I serve this over white rice. To make the rice to my liking, I melt 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over mid-high heat. I add 1 cup of rice and brown it slightly. Then I add 2 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of chicken base. Bring it to a boil. Then cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 15 mins. The rice should be a little moist at this point, but not standing in water. Uncover and give it a stir. Remove from heat until ready to serve. NOTE: If it is still too watery after 15 mins - recover and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.

Pan Seared Turkey Patties Smothered in Sauteed Mushrooms

Let me start with an apology. I am so sorry for the poor quality of these pictures! My photographer is back at college in GA, so I was left to go this alone...

and at night with no natural lighting.  Not a good combo!

Rest assured - these patties taste amazing....the pictures don't do them justice

Now that is out of the way, let's talk TURKEY! I like ground turkey as an alternative to ground beef. It has a nice mild flavor that pairs well with your favorite herbs, it is low-carb and leaner than ground round. Just be sure to purchase the ground turkey that includes the dark meat. If you purchase ground turkey breast you will be making a leaner choice, but you will end up with a dry tasteless turkey patty - blech! and you'll pay more for that too :o(

I like to pan sear ground meat patties to seal in the juices with the delicious crust that forms from the high heat. The key to pan searing is using a hot pan. First you'll want to heat the pan over mid-high heat and then spray with cooking spray or add butter, olive oil, or whatever kind of fat you are using.  Don't let the fat burn in the pan, add your patties right away and leave them alone! This is key - you have to let them sit in the pan to get that nice sear on them. If you move them too soon that yummy crust will be left in the pan, and that would be sad :o(  In most cases the food is ready to be flipped when it releases easily from the pan 

I could go on and on about how good these were, but you really have to try them for yourself! It was love at first bite for me! I was originally going to serve these with a cauliflower mash (recipe here) and freshly steamed green beans, but my local grocer was out of cauliflower! WHAT??  That was a first! So I grabbed a bag of salad (actually 2 because they were on a BOGO Free sale!), and the salad worked well with this for a deliciously easy low carb (and low cost) meal that I would eat again tonight if I could!

Ingredients

8oz container of sliced fresh mushrooms

2 tablespoons butter, divided

1 to 1.5 lbs ground turkey

1-2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

1-2 teaspoons freshly minced garlic

1/4-1/2 cup shredded or shaved Parmesan cheese

4 slices of your favorite cheese

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions

Place your ground turkey, fresh basil, and minced garlic in a large bowl and combine well.  Add salt and pepper. Mix in enough Parmesan cheese to bind it together nicely, and form into patties.  Adjust your seasonings according to the amount of turkey you have and to suit your tastes. For example: I used 1 1/4 lbs ground turkey with about 1.5 tablespoons of fresh basil, 1 teaspoon of garlic, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese (I do not recommend using the grated Parmesan that comes in the can - it will not produce the same results as shredded or shaved). I used american cheese slices because I like how creamy it is. This made 4 patties.

In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat and add mushrooms. Saute until mushrooms start to release their juices (about 5 minutes) and then reduce heat to mid-low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until soft and tasty. Salt to your liking, and remove from pan and keep warm.

Reheat the same skillet over mid-high heat. When good and hot (water droplet should sizzle on it), melt 1 tablespoon of butter. The butter will melt very quickly, so be sure you have your turkey patties ready to go in the pan. Add the turkey patties, cover and let cook for a good 5 minutes. It is important not to move them around! Just let them sit there so they get a nice sear. If they start to burn (you'll smell it), then your pan is too hot. Adjust the temp and flip to other side. Once they have a nice sear and release somewhat easily from the pan, flip them over. Be careful not to let them stick to the pan - the parmesan cheese might want to stick, so be sure to get under the patty when flipping. Cover and let cook for 3-5 minutes until juices run clear.

Top with cheese slices and cover to melt.

Transfer to a plate and smother with reserved mushrooms. Enjoy!

TIP:  If you are using stainless steel cookware you'll want to have some Bar Keepers Friend® on hand for cleaning up the skillet. Bar keeper's Friend works like a champ and is cheap too! A little goes a long way! You won't use this on non-stick cookware though.

I use stainless steel cookware with a magnetic base, because I have an induction cooktop. I used to have an anodized aluminum set that I absolutely loved, but because it wasn't magnetic I had to retire that set after 20 plus years of good use! Madison now has that set at college, and she loves it too!  After much research on stainless steel, I settled on the Emeril set made by All Clad. I've been using this for more than a year now and I am crazy about it! It still looks brand new, too, thanks to BarKeepers Friend! If you are in the market for a high quality, affordable set I suggest Emeril by All-Clad E914SC PRO-CLAD Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Cookware Set, 12-Piece, Silver

Roasted Tomato Pizza Dip

This cheese dip is delicious! 

It is a LOT of cheese, so it couldn't be anything other than delicious! 

No, it is not good for you at all, but definitely worth indulging once a year :o)

Serve this hot out of the oven with your favorite bread or chips. We picked up some Sea Salt Pita Chips and they went great with this!

**WARNING**

If you make this for your next gathering, be prepared to break up the fights that are surely to ensue!

Ingredients
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1.5 blocks of cream cheese, softened (12 ounces)
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
8 ounces shredded Italian cheese blend
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon garlic cloves
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
bread and crackers for dipping

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place tomatoes on a foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper - toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer and roast for 20-25 minutes until bursting. Let cool.
While tomatoes are roasting, mix cream cheese with mozzarella and Italian cheese blend (reserve about 1 tablespoon each of mozzarella and cheese blend for topping). Stir in parmesan, fresh herbs and garlic and mix well. Transfer to an oven safe baking dish - I used an 8" square dish.  Top with reserved cheeses and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden an bubbly. Serve hot with bread and crackers for dipping.

recipe inspired by White Pizza Dip

Roasted Sundried Tomato Sausage & Vegetables over Parmesan Orzo

I have been volunteering with allrecipes.com for over a year now as an Allstar Brand Ambassador. As an Allstar I am tasked with activities each month. Sometimes the Allstars are asked to work with certain brands, as was the case this month, we were asked to work with al Fresco All Natural Chicken Sausage. I am not compensated for doing this, but I did receive a coupon for free sausage. With coupon in hand, I headed to the grocery to get inspired! We don't have a lot of choices around here for the al Fresco brand, but right away the Sundried Tomato Sausage caught my eye! It sounded delish, and you know what...it is delish! We really enjoyed it. I'm not a huge sausage eater, but this stuff was yummy and easy! A good combo!!

Because it is "all natural" chicken sausage, I wanted to keep my dish somewhat on the healthy side. I picked up some summer veges and some orzo pasta and got to work. The name of my original recipe is

Roasted Sundried Tomato Sausage & Vegetables over Parmesan Orzo

  

  It's a mouthful for sure, but I figure if I am going to create my own original recipe then I'm going to give it a NAME! A good strong and long name! HA! I think I accomplished that heehee  Don't let the name fool you though - it is much easier to make than it is to say <smile>

Ingredients

1 package fully cooked al Fresco Sundried Tomato Chicken Sausage, sliced

1 zucchini, sliced

• 1 summer squash, sliced
• 1 red onion, cut into chunks
• 1 pound portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pinch white sugar
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon chicken base
• 1/2 cup Sake or dry white wine (I really like the Sake flavor in this dish)
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 8 ounces orzo pasta
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. While the oven is pre-heating, slice all your veges and mince your garlic. Place zucchini, squash, onions, mushrooms and sausage on a foil lined baking sheet. Top with garlic, olive oil, and sugar and toss gently to coat sausage and veges. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and make sure contents are in a single layer on baking sheet. Roast until veges are tender - about 20-25 mins.

While the veges are roasting, melt butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Stir in orzo and saute until lightly browned. Mix the water, chicken base, and wine and slowly add to the orzo; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until orzo is tender and liquid is absorbed - about 15-20 mins.. Mix in roasted veges and Parmesan cheese.  Be sure to taste and adjust seasonings as needed. ENJOY!

If you love roasted vegetables you need to head on over to see Shelby at Grumpy's Honey Bunch for her Roasted Garlic Artichoke recipe!!

Boneless Pork Loin Chops with Raspberry Sauce

 allrecipes.com Pork Chops with Raspberry Sauce

I love pork - it is no secret!  Of course it has to be cooked properly. Many folks are afraid of pork and tend to overcook it. After all, most of the meat thermometers advise you to cook pork to 160 degrees. Please don't ever do that! Those are old standards and it overcooks the pork to a dry, tough, tasteless, nasty something you don't want to eat (which is probably why many don't care for pork)! Pork should be removed from the oven between 140-145 degrees and let rest for about 10 mins. I like to remove it closer to 140 degrees.

This is a quick and easy meal you can make any night of the week, yet it is so delicious and impressive it is good enough for company! It is one of my faves!

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 4 (4 ounce) boneless pork loin chops
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Directions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. In a small bowl, combine crushed thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Rub evenly over pork chops.

Melt butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook pork chops for 4 minutes on each side. Remove from skillet and keep warm in preheated oven.

In the skillet, combine raspberry jam, orange juice, and vinegar. Bring to a boil, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until sauce is reduced to desired consistency (sauce will thicken as it cools). Spoon sauce in a pool onto a serving plate, and top with pork chops.

This pairs perfectly with Garlic Spinach and Mashed Potatoes

NOTE:  If you aren't a fan of the tang vinegar offers, I advise to  add 1 tablespoon of the white wine vinegar and then reduce the sauce to desired consistency. Then give it a taste to see how that works for you. Add more as desired. Personally, I use the full 2 tablespoons - it is just right for my tastes.

TIP:  When I make this for company I always double the sauce. I double everything in the sauce except the vinegar. I do add more before serving if I feel it needs it.

An Italian Feast

The Myers' family gathered at my house over the weekend to celebrate the matriarch's birthday. We were originally going to eat out at an Italian restaurant, but decided to stay home. I stayed with the Italian theme and it turned out to be an easy feast to make for a group

I was too busy cooking to get pictures of the food, but it was delish! I promise!

First things first! This dinner party was a last minute decision we made the night before, so I didn't really have the time or the energy to make homemade bread. I went with the next best thing - Bridgford Frozen Ready Dough. I took 2 loaves out of the freezer very early in the day and let it thaw a bit. These are very easy to make in a loaf pan. Just spray the pan and plop the frozen loaf into it. It will thaw and rise and will be ready to go in the oven when you are! I didn't want the mess of slicing the bread (I'm lazy like that), so I decided to make these into rolls. I sprayed 2 pie plates and pulled the dough into 8 pieces each. I rolled the pieces into balls (sort of - they look kind of rough but that is okay) and placed them into the pie plates. 8 dough balls in each one. Then I left them alone to rise until I was ready to bake them

I started the Red Sauce early in the day. I chose to make it in a slow cooker to save room on the cook top. This ended up being a wonderful idea. It is the first time I made this sauce in a slow cooker - it turned out really delicious. This is a wonderful sauce that I normally cook low and slow, but for some reason the flavors were intensified making it in the slow cooker - I will only make it this way from now on!

After the red sauce was simmering nicely, I mixed up the Meatball ingredients. I love these meatballs - the fresh basil really adds a nice flavor! I could eat these all day long! I popped these in the oven about 45 minutes before dinner was to be ready. I let them rest and kept them warm until ready to serve. At this time, you could put them in with the sauce if you desire, but I was concerned they would make the sauce greasy, so I decided against that idea

After I took the meatballs out of the oven, I let it cool down a bit to about 375 degrees. Now I was ready to cook the bread. I wanted to leave one set of rolls plain and one I dressed with a delicious parsley herb butter. We had steaks the previous night, and I made this butter to go with the steaks - it was so good! I knew it would be great on the rolls...

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1 good sized garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon dry white wine

salt and pepper to taste

Mix everything together. Give it a taste and make any necessary adjustments and then chill until ready to use

I melted about 1 tablespoon of this and then brushed it all over the rolls. I put both pans of rolls in the oven and cooked at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. I let them cool a few minutes, pulled them apart and served. Delicious!

While the bread was baking, I started heating the water for the noodles, and while the water was coming to a boil I started the Alfredo sauce.

 I absolutely love this Alfredo sauce recipe from Kittencal on food.com  I found this several years ago and have been making it this way ever since. I found the flour measurement to make this too thick, so I recommend using only 1/2 the amount of flour called for in the recipe. Other than that, make it just as stated and go on the heavy side for the thyme (I use fresh thyme)- it is a nice addition! Don't skimp on the garlic either! and don't try making it low-fat. It is Alfredo sauce and has lots of fat and calories - that is just the way it is. Beware! You won't ever eat Alfredo out again!

By this time my water was boiling and I was ready to make the noodles. I purchased the refrigerated noodles because they cook in boiling water about 2-3 minutes and they taste so much better than the dried - in my opinion (and I don't have the KitchenAid pasta roller/cutter set yet to make my own - hint hint to the hubs). I also picked up some cheese ravioli for something different

Everyone had arrived by this time and helped me get everything into serving dishes and set out on the table. Served with a salad and Italian dressing - It was an easy and delicious meal to enjoy with the family!

My brother-in-law and his wife Amanda brought a yummy key lime pie for dessert to round out our meal - it was so nice to have everyone together...well almost everyone...Madison is in GA and was missed!