Pork Chops and Rice Casserole

This is a yummy basic pork chop casserole and it has great flavor. I combined a couple of recipes to make this one and I'm really happy with how it turned out. I tend not to cook pork as much as other meats, but my family really loves pork chops so I'm sure I'll make this one again. It's actually the rice that makes this casserole great - I love the toasted beefy flavor. Be sure to take the pork chops out 45 minutes into cooking time or they will dry out too much; they don't need as much baking time as the rice.

Pork Chops and Rice Casserole

4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup long-grain converted rice (like Uncle Ben's Original)
6 pork chops
2 tablespoons oil (olive, canola, veg, etc)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1, 14.5 oz can beef broth
1/2 cup water
1 onion sliced into rings
1 green pepper sliced into rings
ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onion and uncooked rice and cook until rice is toasted and onion is tender. Place rice/onion mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.

Combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Dredge pork chops in flour mixture and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the previously used skillet. Brown pork chops on both sides. Place browned pork chops on top of the rice mixture in the baking dish. Combine broth and water and pour over pork chops and rice. Place sliced onion rings and sliced pepper rings on top of pork chops. Sprinkle pepper to taste over all. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until pork chops are cooked through and tender.

Remove pork chops to a plate and cover tightly with foil. Return baking dish to oven and cook uncovered until rice is cooked - 15-25 minutes - you want all the liquids to be absorbed and rice to be tender. Serve pork chops with rice.

Crock Pot Cheeseburger Pasta

Life is busy so I make lots of crockpot meals. That's just the way it's been going, but at least I'm getting dinner on the table and because I'm making a lot of crock pot meals, I've been trying lots of new ones, which is fun. This one I got from Pinterest (can't remember the original site!) and it's great. My kids especially loved it and said I should make it again (which I will because I have another 2 cups of shell pasta). It's not fancy, but it's tasty and cooks incredibly fast for a crockpot meal - just 3 hours on high. Give it a try and I bet your family will love it too.

Crock Pot Cheeseburger Pasta

1 lb ground beef
1 can tomato soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1, 14.5 oz can beef broth plus enough water to equal 2 cups
2 cups uncooked shell pasta
pepper to taste

Brown the ground beef and drain off fat. Place cooked ground beef, tomato soup, cheddar cheese soup, and beef broth plus enough water to equal 2 cups in slow cooker. Stir together to combine. Add uncooked pasta, stir in. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours. Serve individual servings with a little shredded cheddar on top if desired.

The Best Crockpot Lasagna

This is my new favorite crockpot lasagna recipe. It is the best one I've ever tried! I love the flavor of the sauce, it's easy to make, and I ususally have these ingredients on hand. All huge pluses. It's also a great Sunday dinner and makes the house smell so yummy as it cooks. Thanks to Real Mom Kitchen for this fabulous recipe.

The Best Crockpot Lasagna

1 lb ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons prepared pesto, or 1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon salt
25 oz jar marinara sauce (I used Emeril's Homestyle Marinara)
8 oz can tomato sauce
9 uncooked regular lasagna noodles
4 cups shredded mozzarrella cheese
24 oz tub small curd 4% cottage cheese

Spray the inside of the crockpot with cooking spray.

In a skillet, brown the beef until fully cooked. Drain grease. Add garlic, parsley, pesto, salt, marinara sauce, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, turn down heat to low and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

In a bowl combine 2 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese with the cottage cheese, set aside.

Place 1/4 of the meat mixture in the bottom of your crockpot. Spread to cover the bottom. Place 1/3 of the uncooked noodles on top of the sauce, breaking them up as needed to fit. Spoon 1/3 of the cheese mixture over the noodles. Repeat layers 2 more times, finishing with the remaining sauce. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Top with remaining 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella. Cover with lid and let cook for 10 more minutes or until cheese is melted.