Tasty Tuesday: Slow Cooker Saucy Pork Chops

Last summer we raised a couple pigs for meat, so we have been enjoying all the pork in our freezer.  Prior to this, though, I haven't cooked much with pork, so I have been on the look out for good recipes.  I recently found this one for Saucy Pork Chops and it turned out so good!  It is done in the crock pot so the chops are so tender they just fall apart.  And using the crock pot is always nice so I don't have to worry about getting dinner together later in the afternoon when it seems like everyone gets a tad bit cranky.  I will be making this one often!

Ingredients
4 bone-in pork loin chops (8 ounces each)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke, optional

Directions
Sprinkle pork chops with garlic powder, salt and pepper. In a large skillet, brown chops in oil on both sides; drain. In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, brown sugar and Liquid Smoke if desired. Pour half of the sauce into a 3-qt. slow cooker. Top with pork chops and remaining sauce. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until meat is tender.

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The Sanctity of Human Life

(Peanut at about 20 weeks)

Last Sunday was National Sanctity of Human Life Day and this week marked the anniversary of Roe Vs. Wade, which made abortion legal.  It is so very sad that our nation has gone so far from the morals our founding father's built this country on that is it now legal to kill our unborn babies.  54 million innocent babies have lost their lives just so their moms can have rights and freedom.  What about the baby's rights?  Please continue to pray about and fight this slaughter of our nation's babies.
I want to share something with you that I read recently in a book called Raising Kids Who Hunger For God by Benny and Sheree Phillips.  It is about how our kids hold a unique part in God's agenda.  The authors ask us to consider two crucial times in Jewish history-the story of baby Moses and baby Jesus.  In Moses' time, he was spared from the slaughter of the Israelite baby boys to become the leader of the Israelites.  2000 years later, Jesus was spared from the slaughter of the boys under two years old to become our Savior.  And 2000 years later, in January 1973 our nation's highest court ruled that it is legal to slaughter innocent children.  "Could it be that, just as with Moses and Jesus, Satan has become aware of the deliverance God intends to bring to our society, not through one man, but through a generation of children who will be "mighty in the land" (Psalm 112:2)-ones who will stand to see the nations reached for the Gospel, and thus hasten Jesus' return (2 Peter 3:11-12)?"  This gives us as parents a challenge to raise our kids so that God can use them to be a counterculture to this fallen world rather than be used by Satan for evil.  A hard challenge, but one with so many good rewards!

Tasty Tuesday: Baked Spaghetti

(Photo courtesy Allrecipes.com)

When I made this tasty casserole a while back, my kids gobbled it up!  It is very cheesy and yummy! It makes quite a bit, so I actually divided it up between 2 8-inch square pans and popped one in the freezer to save for a quick easy meal another day.  There was still plenty because most of us had seconds and there were still some leftovers!

Ingredients


1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (26 ounce) jar meatless spaghetti sauce
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
5 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups small curd cottage cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1.Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce and seasoned salt; set aside.
2.In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, Parmesan cheese and butter. Drain spaghetti; add to egg mixture and toss to coat.
3.Place half of the spaghetti mixture in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Top with half of the cottage cheese, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 20-25 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

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I Will Rise

This is one of my favorite songs.  I am so thankful to my Savior for the victory he gives us over the grave.

When the Soul Mends {Review}

A while back I reviewed Cindy Woodsmall's book When the Heart Cries, which is the first book in the Sisters of the Quilt series.  After reading the second book on my own, I was given the chance to read and review the third book, When the Soul Mends.  This was such a great series!  I couldn't wait for the next book when I was finished with the previous one.  When the Soul Mends brings Hannah Lapp back to her Amish family after an emergency call from her sister, Sarah.  Hannah had found a good life as an Englisher and is torn between returning home to help her sister battle mental health issues.  After leaving her Amish home and fiance Paul, Hannah began a career in the medical field, which was a long time dream of hers.  She also met and fell in love with Martin and his niece and nephew that he is raising.  When Hannah returns home after two years, she begins working with Paul to help her sister and discovers that she is feeling a call to return back to the Plain life.  She must make a decision between the Englisher and Plain worlds as well as which man she loves.

I think the third book was as good as the first and highly recommend the Sisters of the Quilt series or any of Cindy Woodsmall's other books.  I'm not sure this series could be read as stand alone books, but after reading one, you will want to read the rest!

I received this book for free for review from Waterbrook Multnomah.