to eat.

do you pin?  of course you do.  why am i even asking?  who doesn't pin?  my only problem with pinterest is that i find all these photos of scrumptious looking food that just doesn't taste as divine as it looks.  i wish these recipes came with ratings.  just because the food appeals to my eyes doesn't mean that it will appeal to my taste buds.  so for those of you who are looking for pinterest recipes that taste as good as they look then you are in the right place.  here are my fav food pins, thus far.

1. smashed potatoes
2. fried rice
3. homemade snickers
4. lasagna rolls
5. s'mores bars**
6. frozen hot chocolate**
7. bacon avocado grilled cheese**
8. sugar cookies
9. easy lunch burritos
10. baked shrimp in tomato feta sauce
11. apple pie caramel apples (i used homemade caramel)
12. chicken enchiladas 
13.  oven baked broccoli
12. apple nachos
13. bacon gucamole grilled cheese
14. brownie fruit pizza

(**my absolute most favorites)

j.c.a.

i am now a part of a cooking blog.  (i know, me, the same girl who couldn't fry an egg 2 years ago.)  now, i'm not claiming to be the most amazing cheif, but i'm not too shabby either.  i've made an intentional effort to better my skills in the kitchen & it has really paid off.

the blog is just cook already.  they have a delicious assortment of practical recipes (i've been a fan of this site for 18 months now).  so check it out & follow j.c.a. to expand your recipe box & keep up on my cooking endeavors. 

p.s. my first post was our family's fav pork chops & mashed taters.  we made this meal for the missionaries last night.  we served it with a side of sourdough bread & peach cobbler for dessert.

carne asada

our fabulous friends, the gradkowski's, came to visit this weekend.  my lovely hubby decided to treat us all to some rather delish carne asada tacos.  honestly, they were so tasty.  everyone loved them & went back for seconds (in bruce's case fourths).  and did i mention that it was super easy?  it was.  it is a perfect meal for large groups.  (and is it just me or does food look so much tastier on white plates?  hence, my white plate collection). 

• ingredients:
• 3 pounds flank steak
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
•  
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 lime, juiced
•  
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
• 1 white onion, quartered
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 4 dried New Mexico chile pods
• 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
•  
• 1 (32 ounce) package corn tortillas
• 2 cups grated cotija cheese (optional)
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

directions

1. Lay the flank steak in a large glass baking dish. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, 4 cloves of garlic, juice of two limes, and olive oil. Season with salt, black pepper, white pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, oregano, cumin and paprika. Whisk until well blended, then pour over the steak in the dish. Turn over once to coat both sides. Cover with plastic wrap, and marinate for 1 to 8 hours.
2. In a small bowl, stir together 1 chopped white onion, cilantro, and the juice of 1 lime. Set aside to use as a relish for the tacos.
3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Toast chile pods in the skillet for a few minutes, then remove to a bowl of water to soak for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
4. Place the tomatoes, 1 onion, jalapenos, and 4 cloves of garlic onto a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, until toasted but not burnt. Place the roasted vegetables, and soaked chile pods into a blender or food processor, along with salt and pepper. Puree until smooth.
5. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cut the marinated flank steak into cubes or strips. Cook, stirring constantly, until the meat is cooked through and most of the liquid has evaporated.
6. Warm the tortillas in a skillet for about a minute on each side to make them pliable. Tortillas may also be warmed in a microwave oven. Arrange two or three tortillas on a plate, and lay a generous amount of beef over them. Top with a sprinkle of the onion relish and a large spoonful of the pureed salsa. Add as much cheese as you like. Garnish with lime wedges, and serve.

pork chops & taters

this is one of our family's favorite meals.  it's one of the few dinners that picky cooper, super picky todd & i all enjoy.  correct that; we don't just enjoy it, we crave it.  it is rather simple & absolutely delish (a bit of a mess, though).  if you are looking for a new yummy recipe then i suggest this.  dig in!

baked pork chops

ingredients

• 6 pork chops
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 2 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 
  
• directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Rinse pork chops, pat dry, and season with garlic powder and seasoning salt to taste. Place the beaten eggs in a small bowl. Dredge the pork chops lightly in flour, dip in the egg, and coat liberally with bread crumbs.
3. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the pork chops 5 minutes per side, or until the breading appears well browned. Transfer the chops to a 9x13 inch baking dish, and cover with foil.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. While baking, combine the cream of mushroom soup, milk and white wine in a medium bowl. After the pork chops have baked for an hour, cover them with the soup mixture. Replace foil, and bake for another 30 minutes.

and of course you need some of these on the side.

mashed taters

ingredients

• 6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• dash pepper
• 
  
• directions

1. Place potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Cover and bring to a boil; cook for 20-25 minutes or until very tender. Drain well. Add milk, butter, salt and pepper; mash until light and fluffy.