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Name: Cajun Spiced Pork Chops
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 13 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 tsp garlic powder; 2 tsp paprika; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 1/4 tsp oregano; 1 1/4 tsp thyme; 1/2 tsp table salt; 1/2 tsp crushed red peppers, optional; 6 pork chops, boneless

Cajun Spiced Pork Chops

by Ashley Mullen Leave a Comment

Pork chops are not usually something I make. I tend to leave it to my husband to make them but when he’s away, someone needs to feed the kids, right? These Cajun spiced pork chops were so easy, and so quick to make that I have to share them with you.

Cajun Spiced Pork Chops

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Not everyone wants to spend all afternoon cooking no matter how much time you might have for cooking, I know I don’t. We have probably been spending way too much time watching TV and movies, but we have been doing to together and watching some educational programs. It’s all about balance.

Ingredients you need:

salt and pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
paprika
oregano
thyme
crushed red pepper flakes – optional but amazing
olive oil
boneless pork chops

What you need to do:

Mix together the dry ingredients. Once mix together, pour them onto a plate so you can easily coat both sides of your pork chops in the seasoning.

On medium heat, heat your olive oil in a stainless steel pan. Once the oil is hot, add your pork chops. I only turned my pork chops once while cooking because I wanted that nice crisp coating.

(This is the stainless steel set of pots and pans that we have. I wish we had bought them years before because there is nothing like them. They come clean like a dream with Bar Keepers Friend.)

The length of time it takes to cook your pork chops will depend on how thick your pork chops are, but for me it took about 4 minutes per side. I took them off when they reached a temperature of 145.

I served our Cajun spiced pork chops with a side of potato salad because I am needing Spring, and salads, and BBQs. While most of us love potato salad here, but a certain wild child doesn’t like eggs and won’t eat potato salad, so she had a side of white rice.

Cajun Spiced Pork Chops

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 13 minutes

Quick and Easy Cajun Spiced Pork Chop Recipe

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 1/4 tsp oregano
1 1/4 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp crushed red peppers, optional
6 pork chops, boneless

Instructions

Mix together the dry ingredients.
Once mix together, pour them onto a plate so you can easily coat both sides of your pork chops in the seasoning.
On medium heat, heat your olive oil in a stainless steel pan.
Once the oil is hot, add your pork chops. Try to only flip the pork chops once while cooking to get the nice crisp coating.
The length of time it takes to cook your pork chops will depend on how thick your pork chops are, roughly 4 minutes per side.
Remove from heat when they reach a temperature of 145.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g

Bang Bang Chicken Pasta – 30 Minute Meal

by Ashley Mullen Leave a Comment

This has to be my favorite budget meal ever! This bang bang chicken pasta is delicious and so easy to customize to your taste. You can also customize it to your budget and whatever you have in your house. This recipe is fast and easy to make and one to keep around for busy days.

Bang Bang Chicken Pasta – 30 Minute Meal

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Pasta is a favorite around here, the kids love to eat it and it is very budget friendly, perfect for when you are running low on groceries or maybe your grocery budget is low this week.

What you need:

12 oz pasta
1 lbs chicken breast, boiled and cut up, optional

Sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp sriracha sauce
1 tbsp lime juice

How to make Bang Bang Chicken Pasta

When you are looking for something for supper and you’re digging around in the freezer to see what you have and you find one lonely chicken breast, you get creative. And cut it up quite small so it goes farther.

Cook your pasta according to the instructions on the package, or by tossing into a pot and forgetting about it for a bit while doing other things like me. You can use whatever pasta you have on hand, I used penne this time but have also use spaghetti and spirals.

Bang Bang Chicken Pasta - 30 Minute Meal

I also boiled the lonely chicken breast I found in my freezer and diced it up. This is optional, you don’t have to add chicken, it tastes amazing without it, and pasta is great at filing up without adding meat to it.

In a bowl or large measuring cup mix together the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, honey, sriracha sauce, and lime juice. I do add a splash of hot sauce because we like a little more heat to ours.

Once the pasta and chicken are cooked, I dice up the chicken breast, and mix everything – chicken, pasta, and sauce – together in a large bowl.

Bang Bang Chicken Pasta

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

12 oz pasta
1 lbs chicken breast, boiled and cut up, optional

Sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sweet chili sauce
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp sriracha sauce
1 tbsp lime juice

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package instructions.
Once pasta and chicken are ready, toss together in a large.
Mix together the sauce in a bowl or measuring cup and pour over and mix into the chicken and pasta.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g

Look at that recipe, super easy to make. And easy to customize to your taste. I like to add a splash of hot sauce as we like a little more heat in ours.

We top our bang bang chicken pasta with crispy fried onions that I get from Costco. We top a lot of our meals with these because they are that yummy, not healthy, but yummy.

Slow Cooker Tater Tot Sloppy Joe Casserole

by Ashley Mullen Leave a Comment

In keeping with not running my oven this summer I made this delicious sloppy joe casserole. Yes, I could have just made regular ol’ sloppy joes but I didn’t. I also didn’t have burger buns for regular ol’ joes. This is a great combination of sloppy joes and french fries.

Slow Cooker Tater Tot Sloppy Joe Casserole[/caption]

Slow Cooker Tater Tot Sloppy Joe Casserole

*This post contains affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.*

What you need:

ground beef
onions
BBQ sauce
1 package tater tots
shredded cheddar cheese

How to make slow cooker tater tot sloppy joe casserole:

Be sure to use non-stick spray to coat the inside of your slow cooker. The tater tots will stick otherwise, and may burn.

Brown your ground beef and onions together for that delicious flavor that only onions give. Drain grease, then stir in BBQ sauce.

Spread half the tater tots in a single layer on the bottom of your slow cooker. Spread all of your burger which is your sloppy joe mixture on top of the tater tots, all of it. The remaining tots on top. Easy peasy.

Cook on low for 3 hours, then spread shredded cheddar cheese on top and cook for another 30 minutes or at least until the cheese has melted.

Use a big spoon to scoop out servings. This is also amazing topped with some crispy fried onions, some Parmesan cheese, etc.

Slow Cooker Tater Tot Sloppy Joe Casserole

Yield: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1 pgk tater tots
1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup BBQ sauce
2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

Be sure to use non-stick spray to coat the inside of your slow cooker. The tater tots will stick otherwise.
Brown your ground beef and onions together for that delicious flavor that only onions give. Drain grease, then stir in BBQ sauce.
Spread half the tater tots in a single layer on the bottom of your slow cooker. Spread all of your burger a.k.a. sloppy joe on top of the tater tots, all of the burger. The remaining tots on top.
Cook on low for 3 hours, then spread shredded cheddar cheese on top and cook for another 30 minutes or at least until the cheese has melted.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g

10 Budget Friendly, Family Loving Recipes

by Ashley Mullen Leave a Comment

I am a woman with a budget. In order for us to be a homeschooling on one income, I have to have a budget for everything, especially our groceries. I have gotten good a creating meals that we love from scratch, and on a tight budget. These budget friendly, family loving recipes aren’t recipes for your slow cooker, but more likely to be those that you throw together in a pinch taking about 30 minutes.

10 Budget Friendly, Family Loving Recipes

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These are recipes that we eat again and again because I know that everyone is going to eat them. They are easy on the budget, and easy to make. I rarely use packaged ingredients such as cake mixes or gravy mixes because they cost more than they are worth, and aren’t as good for you are making the real thing. Plus they never taste as good as homemade. Budget friendly meals here we come!

Poor Man’s Stew – Do you have those days where you just don’t know what to make, what to do with the package of ground beef you took out of the freezer? Here’s an idea: Poor Man’s Stew.

Korean Beef – This is the simplest ground beef recipe I have, the simplest to make, and a family pleaser.

Stir Fry from Scratch – From scratch stir fry sauce. No more running out to the nearest store for one of those little packages or, in my case, asking Hubby to pick one up on his way home. Instead, grab these everyday ingredients that are most likely to already be in your cupboard and make your own.

Beef Burrito Skillet – A beef burrito skillet, no rolling them up, arranging them in a pan to bake. This is a one skillet meal, saving you time and clean up time.

Cheeseburger Casserole – Normally for me this where my simple chicken and veggies meal comes in handy, or where Hubby comes in handy and makes something like this: Cheeseburger Casserole.

Chicken Fajita Pasta Skillet – As moms of any kind – stay/work-at-home, working outside the home, homeschooling, etc, quick meals that are easy to clean are the best, this chicken fajita pasta skillet is the best. Not only is it quick and easy to clean up, but you’re getting all the food groups in there too.

Corn Chowder – This is our rainy day, warm our belly go to. It’s simple, in fact my daughter has taken over making it for us now, all of it. Nothing is quite like a large pot of soup of a rainy day.

Asian Ground Beef – I can create chicken meals in no time, I have no problem throwing something on it and making it great. Ground beef however tends to eludes me, but not my Hubby, enter his Asian ground beef recipe.

Spanish Rice Ready in 30 Minutes – I have become a huge fan of meals being ready in 30 minutes or less. This Spanish rice is another great one for the list! I’m adding it to our list of favorite 30 minute meals along with eggroll skillet and skillet mac and beef.

Honey Lemon Spaghetti & Chicken – In the mood something different, but simple for supper tonight? This honey lemon spaghetti is it. It’s not the normal tomato sauce spaghetti, but something sweeter, smoother, tastier.

Thai Stir-fried Noodles – Guest Post

by Ashley Mullen Leave a Comment

Thailand is famous for its food culture and the incorporation of salty, sweet, bitter, sour and spicy into all of its dishes. This unique combination of flavors makes Thai food so multi-dimensional and delicious, and is the perfect addition to your recipe box. Thai Stir Fried Noodles is one of the staple dishes from this region and it is extremely easy to make at home! This post comes from Victoria at How Daily.

Thai Stir-fried Noodles

*This post contains affiliate links, see my disclosure policy for more information.*

A Taste Of Thailand

Thai stir-fried noodles actually have roots in Chinese cuisine. It is thought that Chinese trader brought the dish to Thailand’s old capital Ayutthaya. Although Bangkok is the capital of Thailand today, you can still visit the old capital and get traditional stir-fried noodles while wandering around the ancient ruins.

If a plane ticket is not in your future, don’t worry! You can still make an authentic version at home from ingredients you can find right at your local supermarket.

The Ingredients You Will Need

The first thing you will need is a good wok. Frying pans will not work for making Thai stir-fried noodles. For the true taste, invest in wok. You will be able to use it for any number of additional delicious recipes so it is a great piece for your kitchen.
Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 30 mins | Serves: 2 – 3

Ingredients:

16 oz rice noodles
2 or 3 cloves of garlic depending on your taste
1 shallot or small onion
Meat of your choice- if you are vegetarian you can substitute tofu or just load up on additional veggies
2 eggs
4 tablespoons brown sugar (do not use white sugar)
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
3 tablespoons of fish sauce (available in the international aisle of your supermarket)
The juice of one lime
Vegetables of your choice
Bean sprouts

To make it really authentic, add the following:

1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
Fresh cilantro
Ground peanuts

Do not be put off by the smell of fish sauce. Your final dish won’t have that fishy flavor.

Instructions:

Cook the noodles according to the package and set aside.
Heat your oil and add garlic, onion, oyster sauce and your meat (if you’re using it). Cook your meat all the way through.
Throw in your eggs and mix everything together.
Add the noodles, all additional ingredients except for the cilantro and lime juice and cook together until the vegetables are done but still crispy.
Transfer your noodle mixture to a bowl and garnish liberally with cilantro and a generous squeeze of lime.

Thai Stir-fried Noodles

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

16 oz rice noodles
2 or 3 cloves of garlic depending on your taste
1 shallot or small onion
Meat of your choice- if you are vegetarian you can substitute tofu or just load up on additional veggies
2 eggs
4 tablespoons brown sugar, do not use white sugar
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
3 tablespoons of fish sauce, available in the international aisle of your supermarket
The juice of one lime
Vegetables of your choice
Bean sprouts
To make it really authentic, add the following:
1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
Fresh cilantro
Ground peanuts

Instructions

Cook the noodles according to the package and set aside.
Heat your oil and add garlic, onion, oyster sauce and your meat (if you're using it). Cook your meat all the way through.
Throw in your eggs and mix everything together.
Add the noodles, all additional ingredients except for the cilantro and lime juice and cook together until the vegetables are done but still crispy.
Transfer your noodle mixture to a bowl and garnish liberally with cilantro and a generous squeeze of lime.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g

Serving Suggestions And Accompaniments

Your stir-fried noodles will be delicious as is, but if you are looking for a traditional experience feel free to sprinkle on some dried or fresh chilis or even another dash of fish sauce. Add extra peanuts on top for a satisfying crunch and enjoy your taste of the far East!

Guest Post Bio

Victoria is a home cooking mom and food blogger behind How Daily. She loves to share her recipes and culinary tips from her diversified experience of multi-culture. She’s most interested in cooking and creating authentic and original taste from traditional recipe. Follow her on Pinterest.

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Cajun Spiced Pork Chops