New Recipe Challenge: Sliced Pork and Cole Slaw Sandwiches

 The Challenge

     It took a while for both of the kids to warm up to pork.  Other than bacon and breakfast sausage that is.  A couple of years ago we started making them eat pork chops along with us for dinner.  It took a few meals, but they will both eat.  He needs BBQ sauce for dipping and she prefers ranch dressing, but they don't fight us on it anymore.  
     Last summer they had pork BBQ sandwiches for the first time.  Tim loved it because he already likes BBQ sauce.  Bekah took a little longer to warm up to them, but now she likes it.  
     Now it's time to try something new.  This recipe is simple, but delicious.  The pork is rubbed with spices and cooked.  It is sliced thinly and served on rolls with cole slaw and spicy mayo.

The Recipe

1 pound pork tenderloin or thick cut boneless chops
2 t. olive oil
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. onion powder
1 t. paprika
1 t. ground black pepper
1 cup mayonaise
1 T. of your favorite hot sauce
6 toasted sandwich rolls
2 cups prepared cole slaw

• rub the pork with the olive oil and spices and let rest
• roast or grill the pork until the internal temperature is about 160 degrees.
• let the meat rest for 5 minutes for chops or 10 minutes for a tenderloin, then slice thinly
• While the meat is resting, mix the mayo and hot sauce in a small bowl.
• Spread rolls with mayo and fill with pork slices and cole slaw.

 

The Results

     Success!!  Timothy ate his sandwich and even asked for another one.  Although he preferred his second sandwich without the slaw.
     Bekah ate her sandwich with little complaint.  I'm pretty sure she would eat it again.  She did, however, eat a pile of cole slaw after her sandwich was gone.

Have a Happy Family Dinner, Y'all!!

Family Favorite: Hamburger Pie and Cornbread

 Family Favorite

     This post will be about one of our favorite meals.  I know when this goes on the table only empty plates come back.  This recipe is one that I grew up with and remember eating with my family.  
     Hamburger Pie is a simple version of shepherd's pie.  It's made with ground meat and canned veggies and soup.  Sometimes I make real mashed potatoes, but other times I use instant.  You can change this recipe up however you want.  You can change the ground beef into turkey, pork or chicken.  You can use any combination of cream soup and canned veggies.  I have used the following alternate combinations with good results:

• beef, golden mushroom soup, corn
• turkey, cream of mushroom soup, mixed veggies
• chicken, cream of celery soup, peas and carrots

     Use whatever combinations that sound tasty. If you find another good combination, leave me a comment.  I would love to try it.
 
     My biggest issue with cornbread is that it is usually dry and crumbly.  This recipe is so moist that you almost won't believe it's cornbread.  The kids love it and always ask if they can have the leftovers for breakfast the next morning. 

The Recipes

 Hamburger Pie

1 lb. ground beef
1 can tomato soup
1 can cut green beans
3 cups mashed potatoes

• Brown meat and drain.
• Mix in veggies and soup and pour into a 2 quart casserole dish.
• Cover with potatoes.
• Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cornbread

1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 box Jiffy yellow cake mix
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup milk
2 eggs
1/3 cup mayonaise
1 can corn (optional)

• Mix all ingredients and pour into a greased 8x8 inch pan.
• Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

Another thing that makes this meal easy to put together is that they bake at the same temperature for the same amount of time.  Can't beat that!  I can smell the cornbread baking as I am writing this post and can't wait until the timer goes off.

Have a happy family dinner, y'all!  :)

New Recipe Challenge: Pizza Rolls

The Challenge

 Since the kids both love pizza, I'm pretty sure that this recipe will be a big hit.  It's also quick and easy, so it will be an easy weeknight dinner during the school year.

The Recipe

1 pkg of crescent rolls
8 Mozzarella slices or 4 string cheese sticks
1 pkg sliced pepperoni
1 jar of your favorite pizza or pasta sauce for dipping

• Unroll crescent rolls and cover with pepperoni.
• Fold a slice of cheese in half and place at the wide end and roll. (or place 1/2 of a cheese stick at the wide end and roll.)
• Bake according to crescent roll directions.
• Serve with sauce for dipping.

 

The Results

A picture is worth a 1000 words:

Everybody loved dinner.  Great served with a salad or veggies and ranch dressing.   

 

New Recipe Challenge: Chicken Enchiladas

The Challenge

After last night's success, I thought I'd try another new recipe out on the kids.  This is a recipe that Dave and I have been eating for a while.  I would make it on a night when the kids were someplace else for dinner.  I thought it was time for them to give it a try.

The Recipe

2-3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1/2 cup sauteed onions and peppers
10 flour or corn tortillas (whichever you like)
2 cups shredded cheese (we like colby/jack, but cheddar would be fine)
1 batch of sour cream sauce (recipe below)

• mix 1 cup of the sauce with the chicken and veggies.  Put a spoonful of the chicken mixture into each tortilla and roll.  Place into a pan and pour the remainder of the sauce over the enchiladas.
• Sprinkle cheese over the enchiladas and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
• Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Sour cream sauce:
 4 T. butter
4 T. flour
3 cups chicken broth
1 can diced green chilis
1/2 cup sour cream

•  Melt butter in a medium sauce pan.  Add flour and stir cook for 2 minutes while stirring.
• Add chicken broth and cook until sauce thickens and bubbles.  Add green chilis and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.

 The Results

Well, Tim ate his dinner but I wouldn't say he actually enjoyed it.  He did say he would eat it again, so maybe it will grow on him.
Bekah enthusiastically ate hers after we gave in and added a side of ranch dressing for her to dip it in.  She won't eat chicken without a side of ranch.  

New Recipe Challenge: Pot Roast Sliders

 The Challenge

 Today was a brand new recipe on the dinner table.  As always, I worry whether my kids will eat or make excuses not to.  The idea came from Pinterest and I modified it to suit my family's tastes.  

Timmy comes to the table and is willing to give it a try.  He wants it "his way" but I tell him he has to try it the recipe's way first.  Bekah, on the other hand, takes one look at the shredded pot roast and gravy and says, "I don't want any of that stuff on mine."  Again I say she has to try it first before she can make special requests.

The Recipe:

1 3-4 pound beef roast
1 cup picante sauce
1 cup water
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 envelope brown gravy mix
1 large onion, sliced (optional)
1 package King's Hawaiian dinner rolls
1 package smoked provolone slices

• Place roast into slow cooker.  Mix the next 4 ingredients together and pour over the roast.  Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.  

• When the roast is cooked and tender remove the meat and thicken the gravy (optional).  Shred the meat with 2 forks and return to the gravy. 

• Saute the onions until tender.
• Slice the rolls open and place on a cookie sheet.  Place sliced provolone on the bottom of each roll and put them under the broiler until the cheese is melted and the rolls toasted.  Keep an eye on them so that they don't burn.
• Add meat and onion to each roll. Replace the tops and serve.

I'm sure it would work just as well with your favorite pot roast recipe.  The original recipe used swiss cheese and a horseradish sauce on top.  

The Results:

 Mom and Dad both loved the sliders.

Timmy loved them and had three.  He did request no cheese after finishing the first slider, but says that he would eat them again.

After some coaxing, Bekah ate her slider and then ate another half.  I think she would be willing to eat them again.

Success!!

Will they eat it?

I am the mother of 2 energetic kids that love to eat.  The problem is that they are also some of the pickiest eaters out there.  It seems like they live on childhood staples like chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and mac & cheese.  Trying something new is a long shot.  Dad and I like it but they don't, he likes it but she doesn't, or the other way around.  Putting something new on the table that everyone agrees on is almost impossible.

 This is picky.  He has decided that he doesn't like onions or tomatoes and will pick them out of anything that we eat.  He finishes dinner with a pile on the side of his plate that he labels "yucky stuff".  It's also a fight to get him to eat most fruits and vegetables.

This is picky jr.  Although she will eat most vegetables, she avoids fruit except applesauce.  It's easier to get her to try new things, but if big brother says "yuck" then she won't eat it either.  

I was brought up in a home where everyone ate the same dinner, so I don't like to make them something special.  Sometimes, though, I wonder if it wouldn't be easier on everyone.  This blog will chronicle the culinary adventure of our family.