Last night my mom had mercy on me and cooked hamburgers and hot dogs for everyone because I had a pounding headache. When I realized that she had bought some Granny Smith apples, not even knowing about my crafty little plan to whip this recipe up, I figured it was a sign, so I defrosted the giant pack of pork chops I had in the back of the freezer and went to work.
Pork Chops with Cinnamon Apples and Parsleyed Egg Noodles~Half Hour~
~4 Servings~
4 Boneless Pork Loin Chops
1 tsp Poultry Seasoning
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1 tBsp Extra Light Olive Oil
4 Medium Granny Smith Apples
1 tsp Packed Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
2 tBsp Promise Fat Free Margarine, divided into two equal portions
4 cups Cooked Egg Noodles
2 tBsp Dried Parsley
Combine salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning and sprinkle over chops. (Bring water to a boil for egg noodles and prepare according to the package while completing the following steps if you haven't already cooked them.)
Heat oil over medium heat in a large non-stick skillet. Add pork and cook for three to five minutes, or until cooked through. Remove chops from skillet when done and cover to keep warm. (We place ours in the toaster oven under the "Warm" setting to keep them heated.) Drain juices from skillet.
Melt 1 tBsp margarine in skillet, keeping heat at medium. Add the apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon and cook for five minutes or until apples are tender, stirring often. While cooking, take prepared egg noodles and toss with remaining margarine and parsley.
Serve apple mixture over chops, noodles on the side.>
Nutritional InfoServings Per Recipe: 4
~Amount Per Serving~
Calories: 459.1
Total Fat: 18.6 g
Cholesterol: 89.4 mg
Sodium: 383.8 mg
Total Carbs: 51.0 g
Dietary Fiber: 5.5 g
Protein: 24.7 g
This one is another modification from my absolute favorite cookbook! I found this book tucked in a Ross store for $5.99 and let me tell you, it. is. GORGEOUS. Every recipe has a full page, full color photo, and there are ideas in the sidebar for sides, as well as a grocery list and nutritional info. If you are a busy mom trying to feed your family nutritous meals on a tight budget, if you buy any cookbook, buy this one. You can find the original recipe on page 34 in
Southern Living: Busy Moms Weeknight Favorites: 130 Suppers Your Family Will Love
. Everyone in my family went *bonkers* for this meal!
I totally forgot to take anything out for dinner, so tonight's meal is the perfect example of what you can throw together last minute if you just keep a few key pieces in the freezer. I keep the Perfect Portions chicken breasts in the freezer because they thaw under cool running water in less then a half hour, and they cook ridiculously fast in a skillet, and the Green Giant Steamers are quick, easy, require no clean-up, and they are low cal and low fat. I don't really consider this a recipe, by any means, but since I am being realistic about what a real family eats, I am laying it all out there. Plus, it LOOKS like I worked a lot harder than I actually did! *chuckle*

Seasoned Chicken with Roasted Red Potatoes and Green Beans in a Rosemary Butter Sauce
~10 minutes~
~5 servings~
•2.5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
•2 12oz pkgs Green Giant Steamers: Roasted Red Potatoes, Green Beans & Rosemary Butter Sauce
•1 tBsp extra light Olive Oil
•Seasonings You Prefer
1.Cook Green Giant Steamers in microwave according to package directions. While they are cooking, saute chicken in olive oil in a large skillet until cooked through, adding whatever spices you like.
Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 5
~Amount Per Serving~
Calories: 209.8
Total Fat: 2.5 g
Cholesterol: 68.4 mg
Sodium: 406.7 mg
Total Carbs: 16 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.0 g
Protein: 29.2 g
Labels:
chicken,
easy clean up,
family,
half hour,
high protein,
kid approved,
last minute,
low calorie,
low fat,
simple,
skillet,
veggies
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We celebrated my son's return home Thursday night by going out for dinner, and we finished off the leftover wings last night. Tonight I went a little ethnic and made a Latin favorite, but I have to admit, though I am half Latina, this was my first time making Spanish Chicken and Rice.
Spanish Chicken and Rice
~35 minutes~
~8 servings~
•4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
•1 16oz pkg of Vigo Saffron Yellow Rice
•1 tBsp extra light Olive Oil
•4 cups water
1.Saute chicken in olive oil in a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid until cooked through, adding whatever spices you like; Set aside.
2.Pour water into skillet and bring to a boil.
3.Add rice and stir for one minute while boiling. Turn down heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Do NOT lift the lid.
Nutritional Info
Servings Per Recipe: 8
~Amount Per Serving~
Calories: 336.2
Total Fat: 3.2 g
Cholesterol: 68.4 mg
Sodium: 814.6 mg
Total Carbs: 43.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.0 g
Protein: 32.3 g
I used the directions on the rice package as a jumping point and kept it simple and fast. Everyone in the family approved, even fussy 5yo! Definitely a keeper, and seriously, you can't get much simpler than this! Serve with a salad and you have a well balanced meal in minutes!
Labels:
chicken,
easy clean up,
family,
half hour,
high protein,
kid approved,
low calorie,
low fat,
rice,
simple,
skillet,
Spanish
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