I need to lose 30-35 pounds by the end of august....?

<3Mariah<3

I ma going to highschool starting next September and i NEED to lose 30-35 pounds by then. I Am about that mch over weight. i weigh 160 pounds. I am 13 years old turning 14 in march.PLEEEEEZ help. I cannot always eat the healthiest foods either. please give me some excerises to do( Winter time here) pleeeez

Answer
Set small goals for yourself. Losing 30 lbs by September means losing about 5 lbs a month. That's a little over a pound a week. You can do that! Weigh yourself before you start to diet, and weigh yourself each week to track your progress.

Write down everything you eat. See if you can't replace the unhealthy foods with healthy ones. Or, instead of that bag of chips, try a piece of bread and a tall glass of water, just to take the edge off your hunger until dinner.

Anything that keeps you moving is good exercise. If you have stairs in your house, go up and down them a few extra times each day. Even if it's cold out, you can bundle up a bit and take a brisk walk around the block. Try doing 10 sit ups and 10 push ups three times a day. When you can do that easily, move on to sets of 25.

Good luck!

What are some healthy dinner recipes?

Katie

Answer
Quick and Healthy Dinners in 30 Minutes or Less
====================================
Catfish Amandine.Here, we use healthier extra-virgin olive oil with a bit of butter added for its flavor instead of the tablespoons of butter usually used to make classic âamandineâ sauce for pan-fried catfish fillets. The results are delicately flavored and have only a third of the calories, fat and sodium of a classic version.
Ingredients

1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup sliced almonds
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 cup low-fat milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound catfish, cut into 4 portions
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Preparation
Heat 1 tablespoon oil and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add almonds and garlic and cook until both are just beginning to brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Set aside. Combine milk and egg in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, combine flour, salt and cayenne. Dip fish in the milk mixture, then in the flour mixture; shake off any excess flour. (Discard any leftover mixtures.) Heat the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add fish and cook until lightly browned and opaque in the center, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Return the almond-garlic sauce to the stove over medium heat. Add lemon juice and heat through, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the fish and sprinkle with parsley.
**********************************************************************
Seared Chicken with Apricot Sauce.Fresh apricots, white wine, apricot preserves and tarragon combine in a quick sauce that's delicious on chicken. We pound the chicken thin so that it cooks in just a couple of minutes. Let this basic recipe inspire you to create your own variations. Try different combinations of wine (or even fruit juice with a touch of vinegar) and other fruits and preserves. Serve with: Quinoa or brown rice and sautéed spinach.
Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (about 1 1/4 pounds), trimmed and tenders removed
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon canola oil
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 medium shallot, minced
4 fresh apricots, pitted and chopped
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon , or 1/2 teaspoon dried

Preparation

Place chicken breasts between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with a rolling pin, meat mallet or heavy skillet until flattened to an even thickness, about 1/2 inch. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish. Dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off excess. (Discard any leftover flour.)
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and no longer pink in the center, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover and keep warm. (If necessary, cook the chicken in two batches with an additional 1 tablespoon oil.)
Off the heat, add wine and shallot to the pan. Return to medium heat and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Add apricots and cook until the fruit begins to break down, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in preserves, tarragon and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Return the chicken to the pan and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve the chicken with the sauce.

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What should i make for dinner for my boyfriend and i (skillet only)?

Recently i've been trying to get a little creative and trying to make new dinners and i'm looking for some inspiration..but here's the thing..i don't have an oven or stovetop in my apartment at this time. I have an electric skillet which is what i prepare most of my meals in, also a convection oven and microwave. I've mainly been making chicken dishes..stir frys, some italian dishes, sometimes a steak..i'm looking for some new recipe ideas, any and all ideas are greatly appreciated!

Answer
Dinner recipes for your Electric Skillet
Pork Chops with Carrots and Onions (30 minutes)

4- 5 pork chops
Half of an onion, sliced
Bag of baby carrots
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Preheat skillet to 350 degrees. Season pork chops with DG All Purpose Seasoning. Place pork chops in the skillet and brown on each side (about 3 minutes per side). Lower the temperature to 200 degrees and add can of soup, onions and carrots. Let simmer for at least 30 minutes. The longer you let them simmer, the more tender the chops will be. Lower heat as needed.
************************************************************************
Onion Pot Roast
3-4 pounds beef pot roast
1 packet instant onion soup mix
Darn Good Seasoning

Season roast with DG seasoning. Place pot roast in skillet, fat side down and brown thoroughly at 425 degrees for about 10 minutes. Flip the roast and sprinkle with onion soup mix. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 200 degrees and cook for 45 minutes or until meat is tender.
http://darngoodseasoning.com/Darn_Good_Seasoning/Electric_Skillet_Meals.html
********************************************************************************
Dinner in the Microwave
Microwaved Salmon With Yogurt Sauce
INGREDIENTS:

***SAUCE***
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
3 tablespoons chopped mint
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced onion, shallot or scallion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

***SALMON***
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 1/2 pound salmon fillet, skin on, cut into 4 pieces

DIRECTIONS:

SAUCE: In a bowl, combine yogurt, cucumber, mint, oil, onion, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
SALMON: In a bowl, mix together ginger, garlic, curry, juice, paprika, salt, cinnamon and cayenne. Place salmon in microwave baking dish. Spread ginger curry mixture over salmon.
Cover with plastic wrap, venting in one corner. Microwave on high 5 minutes.
Let rest for a few minutes. Slip thin spatula underneath skin and lift salmon off, serve salmon with yogurt sauce on the side.
***************************************************************************
Bacon Wrapped Mini Meatloaves
INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 thick slices bacon
1 pound lean ground beef
1 slice bread, moistened with
2 tablespoons milk, torn into pieces
1 egg
2 tablespoons ketchup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon kitchen bouquet
DIRECTIONS:

In small bowl, combine green pepper and onion. Cover loosly with plastic wrap. Microwave on HIGH 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or until tender crisp. Set aside.

Place bacon on double thickness of paper towels. Cover with paper towel. Microwave on HIGH 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly underdone.

In medium mixing bowl combine ground beef, green peppers, onion and remaining ingredients. Blend well.

Divide mixture into 2 equal parts, shaping each into a 6x3-1/2-in. loaf. Wrap 2 strips of bacon around each loaf and secure with wooden pick.

Place loaves on roasting rack, cover with wax paper. Microwave on HIGH 7 to 11 minutes, rotating every 2 minutes. Let stand covered 3 minutes or until firm. makes 2

I need some very low cost dinner ideas?

Princess V

Me and my husband are going through a rough patch and have hardly any money to buy food...I need some decent dinner idea's, we have a ton of Kraft mac and cheese. But don't base all your answers on that and we prefer to have meat for dinner.
I didn't say it had to be high end meat, just something, like a can of tuna or ground beef or chicken. doesn't have to be steak (haven't had one of those in forever) we eat Hot dogs alot and hamburgers, just wanted some more idea's.

Answer
I just got the perfect cookbook and will copy a couple recipes for you from that.

Ham and Yam Stove-Top
Casserole 15 minutes
I enjoyed the flavor of this so much that it was hard to limit myself to just one serving.
Ingredients
1 pound of lean honey ham sliced lunch meat
1 medium sweet onion
1 (40-ounce) can sweet potatoes
1/4 cup honey barbecue sauce
Instructions for entrée:
Cut the lunch meat into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
Chop the onion to make 1 cup.
Spray a 12-inch nonstick saucepan with butter-flavored cooking spray.
Over medium-high heat cook the ham and chopped onions. Stir well, cover, and let cook until the onions are tender.
Drain and discard the juice from the sweet potatoes. With a large knife cut the sweet potatoes into smaller pieces while still in the can.
Gently stir the sweet potatoes and honey barbecue sauce, being careful not to break up the sweet potatoes.
Cook uncovered on medium-high until heated through.


Instructions to prepare the suggested meal
Set the timer for 30 minutes.

30 minutes before the meal
Prepare the Ham and Yam Stove-Top Casserole according to the directions up to 5 minutes before the meal.
20 minutes before the meal
While the ham and onions are cooking, begin making the Hot Spiced Peaches up to the point at which you add the cornstarch paste to the peaches.
10 minutes before the meal
Make the Mixed Greens according to the directions.
5 minutes before the meal
Stir the sweet potatoes in gently with the honey barbecue sauce, and then turn off the burner, cover, and let sit on the warm burner to keep warm.
Add the cornstarch paste to the Hot Spiced Peaches and let sit according to the directions.


Grocery List for suggested meal

PRODUCE
1 Medium sweet onion

MEATS
1 Pound of lean honey ham lunch meat

PACKAGED
1 (40-ounce) can sweet potatoes
Favorite honey barbeque sauce (1/4 cup needed)
1 (14-ounce) can turnip greens
2 (14-ounce) can mustard greens
1 (29-ounce) can no-sugar added yellow cling sliced peaches
Cinnamon flavored candies (red hots) (1/3 cup needed)

PANTRY
Butter flavored cooking spray
Onion salt
Imitation butter flavored sprinkles (Butter Buds)
Liquid smoke
Splenda granular
Honey
Cornstarch


************************************

Beef Gravy over Biscuits 30 minutes
This is every bit as good as I remember my Momâs beef gravy, but with a lot fewer calories.
Ingredients
1 (7.5-ounce) can home-style biscuits
1 (16-ounce) package extra-lean ground beef
11/2 teaspoon steak seasoning* (McCormick Montreal)
1 (8.5-ounce) can peas and carrots
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 cups skim milk
Instructions for entrée:
Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place the biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet; set aside.
Spray a 12-inch or larger nonstick saucepan with cooking spray. Brown and crumble the ground beef with the steak seasoning over high heat.
Drain the liquid from the peas and carrots into a small bowl. Set the peas and carrots aside.
Add the cornstarch to the liquid from the peas and carrots, and mix until dissolved. Set aside.
Once the meat is fully browned, reduce the heat to medium.
Stir the milk and the dissolved cornstarch into the browned meat. Gently stir in the peas and carrots. Cook over medium heat, bringing to a slow boil, stirring occasionally.
Let the meat and vegetable mixture cook at a slow boil for 10 minutes.
Place the biscuits in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Turn off the heat. As the mixture sits, the gravy will thicken.
Serve the beef gravy over the biscuits.


Instructions to prepare the suggested meal
Set the timer for 30 minutes.
30 minutes before the meal
Place the rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Make the Beef Gravy over Biscuits recipe, but do not bake the biscuits at this time.
20 minutes before the meal
Make the Celery Salad according to the directions. Place in the refrigerator .until ready to serve.
Check the Beef Gravy. Do not let it come to a full boil.
10 minutes before the meal
Stir the gravy occasionally.
Place the biscuits in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
Make the Warm Maraschino and Mandarin Fruit Salad according to the directions.
3 minutes before the meal
Turn the heat off of the meat gravy, stir, and let the gravy thicken.
When the biscuits are done, remove from the oven.
Serve the meal.

Grocery List for suggested meal

PRODUCE
1 Large stalk of celery
Fresh parsley (1/4 cup needed)

MEATS
1 (16-ounce) package extra lean ground beef


DAIRY
Skim milk (3 cups needed)

PACKAGED
1 (7.5-ounce) can home-style biscuits
1 (8.5-ounce) can peas and carrots
Diced pimento (3 tablespoons needed)
Fat-free Italian salad dressing (1/3 cup needed)
2 (15-ounce) cans whole segment mandarin oranges in light syrup
1 (6-ounce) can whole segment mandarin oranges in light syrup
Maraschino cherries

PANTRY
McCo

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How do I prepare a chinese dinner?

dinner set 30 piece image

Q. Hi all,
I would like to cook a wonderful chinese dinner for my family, w/o any eggs b/c my youngest child is allergic. I would love to prepare fried rice, egg rolls, sesame chicken, beef and broccoli, cheese wontons,m and the sweet red sauce that goes over the sweet and sour chicken. Any recipes would be great!

Answer
You are talking a major outlay of time and effort here. When you see how complex the two entrees are, I think you'll agree that the menu needs to be simplified a bit.

For one thing, fried rice recipes all contain eggs. You can make it without the eggs, but it won't be the same. Substitute lo mein noodles, and prepare according to the package instructions.

I'd also buy the egg rolls and wontons already made, fry them up at home, and keep them warm in the oven while you fix the rest of the meal. Ditto with the plum sauce for dipping: purchase it already made, warm it in a saucepan, and serve in pretty little individual dishes.

Sesame Chicken

3 whole boneless chicken breasts

Marinade:
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon cooking wine or dry sherry
a few drops of sesame oil
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
Sauce for Sesame Chicken:
1/2 cup water
1 cup chicken broth
1/8 cup vinegar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup sugar
2 TB dark soy sauce
2 TB sesame oil
1 tsp chili paste, or more if desired
1 clove garlic (minced)
Other:
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
3 1/2 - 4 cups peanut oil for deep-frying

PREPARATION:

Toast the sesame seeds and set aside.

Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Mix the marinade ingredients and marinate the chicken for 20 minutes.

To prepare the sauce: mix together all of the sauce ingredients. Pour them into a small pot and bring to a boil, stirring continuously.

Turn the heat down to low and keep warm while you are deep-frying the chicken.

To deep-fry the chicken: add the marinated chicken pieces a few at a time, and deep-fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remainder of the chicken.

Just before you are finished deep-frying, bring the sauce back up to a boil.

Place the chicken on a large platter and pour the sauce over. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve the Sesame Chicken with rice.


Beef and Broccoli

3/4 pound lean beef
Marinade:
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (substitute rice wine if desired)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Sauce:
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
Thickener:
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
1 pound fresh broccoli
2 garlic cloves

To Cook Broccoli:
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar, or to taste

Other:
1 1/4 cups oil, or as needed

PREPARATION:

Cut the beef across the grain into thin slices. Add the marinade ingredients, adding the cornstarch last (use your fingers to rub it in). Marinate the beef for 30 minutes.
While the beef is marinating, prepare the sauce and vegetables: for the sauce, mix together the oyster sauce, light soy, dark soy, and water in a small bowl and set aside.

In another small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water thickener and set aside.

Wash and drain the broccoli. Cut the stalk diagonally into thin slices. Cut the flowerets into 3 or 4 pieces. Crush the garlic.

Heat the wok and add 1 cup oil. When the oil is medium-hot (between 300 and 325 degrees F.), add the beef. Blanch the beef by letting it lay flat for 30 - 40 seconds, and then stirring to separate the pieces. Remove the beef when it changes color and is nearly cooked (the entire process takes 1 - 2 minutes).

Remove the beef from the wok and drain on paper towels.

Clean out the wok with paper towels.

Add 2 tablespoons oil to the wok. When the oil is hot, add the crushed garlic and stir fry briefly until aromatic.

Add the broccoli, sprinkle the salt and sugar over, and stir fry briefly, turning down the heat if necessary to make sure it doesn't burn. Add the 1/2 cup water, and cook the broccoli, covered, for 4 - 5 minutes, until it turns a bright green and is tender but still crisp. Remove from the wok and drain.

Clean out the wok and add 2 more tablespoons oil. Add the broccoli and the beef. Add the sauce and cornstarch mixture in the middle of the wok and stir quickly to thicken. Mix everything together and serve hot over steamed rice.

***************************

See what I mean? Those two home cooked recipes will get you lots of oohs and ahhs, and they won't even notice that the other dishes weren't prepared by you! :-)

Any suggestions for what I can cook for a last minute 9 person dinner party!!?

primetime1

My boyfriends entire family is coming for dinner tomorrow night and I am stumped about what to make. I am a good cook, but do not want to be in the kitchen all night. Does anyone have any thoughts of something yummy but not overwhelming when the guests arrive???

Answer
The great thing with all of these is that you can just adjust the amounts of meat upwards a bit, and everything else as well to match, and make enormous mounds of mashed or roasted potatoes to go with - looks beautiful and feeds everyone. If you make enough, no one will want anything more than coffee and chocolates to follow.

Lamb Shanks With Olives & Preserved Lemon
*you could make this with regular lemon, not the same flavour but still good
Serves 8
Prep 30 mins
Cook 2 hrs

Ingredients
100ml olive oil
25g butter
8 small lamb shanks
2 large onions , coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves , finely chopped
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cumin
good pinch saffron
800ml lamb stock, chicken stock or water
2 small or 1 large preserved lemon
200g green olives , drained and rinsed
2 tbsp (approx) flat-leaf parsley and coriander

Method
Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large casserole or frying pan and brown the lamb on all sides. Remove and set aside. Add the onions to the pan and cook for a minute, then add the garlic, spices and season (go easy on the salt as the preserved lemons might make it salty later on) and cook for another minute.
Transfer the onions, garlic, spices and browned lamb shanks to a large roasting tin. Pour over the stock or water. Cover with foil and cook in the oven for 1 3/4 hours, stirring from time to time and turning the shanks over.
Cut the lemons in half, scoop out the flesh with a spoon and discard, cut the rind into shreds. Add the olives and the lemon to the dish. Remove the foil and cook for another 15 minutes. The lamb should be meltingly tender and coming away from the bone. If there is a lot of juice, remove the shanks from the roasting tin and put the tin over a high heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until the juices have reduced by half. Season. Add the herbs and serve.

Note:
Preserved lemons
Look for Belazu preserved lemons (in Waitrose, Sainsbury's and some delis), which are quite small. If you're using your own homemade preserved lemons or larger bought ones, you'll only need one.
______________________________
Slow-cooked pork ribs with a Maillard crust
Serves 6 - 8
Prep 30 mins
Cook 3 hrs 15 mins
30 minutes + marinating + 3¼ hours in the oven

Ingredients
8 bay leaves
2 thumb-sized pieces of root ginger
15 garlic cloves , or as much as you can handle
150ml olive oil
3kg pork belly (complete with skin and bones), ask your butcher to score it for you

Method
Combine all the ingredients (apart from the pork) in either a food processor or a pestle and mortar, then rub them well into the skin of the pork belly . Leave it somewhere cool to marinate for as long as you can bear (between 1 hour and 2 days).
Preheat your oven to 110C/fan 90C/gas 1/4 or as low as it will go. Roast the pork for 3 hours. Check to make sure it's not pink. If it is, give it a bit longer.
Lastly, for your Maillard reaction, whack the oven up to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9 or as high as it will go and roast for 10-15 minutes or until crisp.
Let the belly rest but not for more than 10 minutes, then serve with roasted potatoes

Notes
Know-how
This has the unctuousness that comes from slow cooking a quite fatty hunk of pork but also the heady deliciousness, courtesy of the Maillard reaction. As it's a relatively cheap cut of meat it's a legit opportunity to buy the biggest piece you can fit in your oven, from the most expensive rare breed you can find. Add star anise and cardamom if you have some knocking around.
_____________________________________
Pot-roasted brisket in beer with parsnips & mushrooms
Serves 6 - 8
Prep 25 35 mins
Cook 2 hrs 15 mins 3 hrs

Ingredients
1-1.25kg/2.25-2.75lb boned and rolled brisket
5 tbsp vegetable oil
large knob of butter
2 large onions , halved and sliced
2-3 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 carrots , sliced
200-250g/8-9oz large flat mushrooms , stalks chopped and heads thinly sliced
500-550ml bottle brown ale or stout
a few fresh thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
1-2 tsp light muscovado sugar
500g parsnips , cut into wedges
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
chopped fresh parsley or thyme , to serve

Method
Preheat the oven to 190C/Gas 5/fan oven 170C. Wash and dry brisket and season. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a deep casserole and brown beef all over. Remove from pan. Turn down heat, add butter and fry the onions, celery, carrots and mushroom stalks for 6-8 minutes.
Return beef to pan and add beer, thyme, bay leaves and sugar. Add water if necessary so the liquid comes about two-thirds up the beef. Season, bring to a simmer, cover tightly, and cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 160C/Gas 3/fan oven 140C and cook for 2 hours, turning twice, until tender.
An hour before the beef is done, toss the parsnips in oil, season and roast on a baking tray above the beef for 50 minutes-1 hour until tender, turning once.
Turn oven up to 190C/Gas 5/fan oven 170C. Lift out the beef, tent with foil and keep warm. Stir the parsnips and mushroom caps into the beef juices. Check seasoning; add water if needed. Cover and cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes until mushrooms are tender.
To serve, use a slotted spoon to remove vegetables and arrange round the beef. Spoon off the excess fat from the juices, then whisk in the mustard and pour into a jug. Moisten the beef with a little juice and scatter with parsley or thyme.

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Good recipes/meals/dishes to make ahead of time for my man to take to work that can be microwaved if needed?

dinner set 30 piece image

My boyfriend works nights and has to take his dinner and snacks and such. I want to make him some meals ahead of time that he can take and warm up so he isnt eating frozen meals. Any good ideas that are filling, healthy, and good? Thanks!

Answer
leftovers! just make a little more for dinner and then send the leftovers with him. my fiance isnt big on LOs but whenever i make baked ziti, he always takes leftovers to lunch the next day cause it doesnt get soggy. here is my recipe:


1 Jar Spaghetti Sauce
1 pound Ziti or Penne pasta (i use penne)
1 lb Hamburger
15-16 oz ricotta or lowfat cottage cheese (i use ricotta)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 TBS dried parsley (OR--- i use an itailan seasoning mix)
1 egg
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp salt
16 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook noodles, drain, set aside.
In a small bowl, mix the ricotta cheese or cottage cheese with the egg, 8 oz of the mozzarella, parsley, garlic powder, oregano, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Set aside.
In dutch oven brown hamburger, drain, add spaghetti sauce, add cooked pasta and mix well. Spoon half of the mixture in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Spread the entire amount of the ricotta mixture over that, then top with the remaining pasta mixture. Top with other 8 oz of mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

he also likes to take fried rice. i use rice a roni and precooked piece of grilled tyson chicken

Does anyone have a good recipe for pork chops?

Gangstalic

I want to cook a special dinner for my boyfriend because of his job promotion and he loves pork chops. So any good recipes out there?

Answer
This takes a little extra time because of the brining, but the recipe itself is really easy, and you get moist, wonderful results. I promise he'll love it.

Cider-Cured Pork Chops

--8 tablespoons kosher salt for the brine, plus more for seasoning
--2 tablespoons freshly ground pepper, plus more for seasoning
--4 cups apple cider (you can use hard or sweet cider--I usually use some of both)
--6 1 1/2-inch thick center-cut or loin-cut pork chops, bone-in (Is this for a group? If it's just the 2 of you, you could easily reduce the recipe, changing the proportions accordingly, but it sounds like a celebratory dinner party might be called for!)
--6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

To make brine, dissolve the salt in 1/2 gallon of warm water in a large bowl (or use a great big food-grade plastic bag inside a large bowl, which saves mess). Add the pepper and cider and mix. Drop in the chops; add enough additional cider (or water, if you're out) so that the chops lurk in the liquid like frogs in a pond.

Preheat oven to 400. Remove chops from brine and dry with paper towels. Rub them with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season well with more salt and pepper.

Heat remaining oil in 2 ovenproof skillets and sear the chops, 3 to a pan, for 4 minutes a side. Place skillets in oven for 6 to 8 minutes, then remove chops to a warm platter. Cover loosely with foil and let rest 10 minutes or so.

(If you can only find thinner chops, the recipe still works great, just be sure to reduce the cooking time accordingly. Which reminds me--I didn't tell you how long to brine them!! At least 8 hours, and up to 72, in the refrigerator of course. Thinner chops might not need that long.)

Serve the chops with the following, on a warmed platter, drizzled with the sauce below.

Caramelized Apples and Onions

--6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
--4 Granny Smith (or other tart) apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 8 wedges each
--2 stems fresh thyme
--2 bay leaves
--2 tablespoons butter
--3 large white or yellow onions, peeled, sliced
--salt and pepper to taste

Heat half the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples, then one stem of thyme and one bay leaf. Cook until apples are golden-brown but not mushy, 5-10 min. Remove from heat and throw away the thyme sprig and bay leaf. Dump the cooked apple into a bowl and set aside. Wipe out skillet. In same skillet, over medium-high heat, heat remaining oil with the butter. Add onions and the remaining thyme and bay leaf. Cook, stirring often, 20 to 30 min. until onions are softened and golden brown. Fish out the thyme and bay leaf and throw them away.

You can do all this early in the day if you want. When the chops are nearly done, just reheat the apples and onions together, stirring often, over medium-high heat until they're warm through. Arrange the chops on a warm platter and arrange the apple/onion mixture around them, drizzled with...

Cheater's Bordelaise Sauce

(It's not a classic Bordelaise, but trust me, no one's going to notice.)

--2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
--1 shallot, chopped
--1 clove garlic, chopped
--2 stems thyme
--1 bay leaf
--3 cups pinot noir or any decent red wine (don't waste a really good bottle on this!)
--pan drippings from chops (If you didn't end up with enough, you can use one of those pre-made demiglace sauces from the supermarket--about 2 tablespoons should do it)
--3 tablespoons cold butter, cut in smallish pieces
--salt and pepper to taste

Pour the oil into a large saucepan, place it over medium-high heat, add the shallot and garlic, then the thyme and bay leaf. Cook until shallots are light brown, then add the wine, lower the heat, and simmer until reduced to about 1/2 cup. You can do this much ahead if you prefer.

Add the pan drippings (or demiglace) and simmer an additional 5-10 minutes, maybe at the same time the chops are resting and you're reheating the apples and onions. Pour the sauce through a sieve into a clean saucepan. Make sure it's warmed through, then remove it from the heat and stir in the cold butter piece by piece. This gives body to the sauce. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle the sauce over the chops, and serve immediately.

I hope you try it. It's delicious and impressive, and it's actually pretty simple. And congratulations to your boyfriend on the promotion.

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