Pork Chop Cassserole

I came into my marriage with one cookbook -old faithful - Betty Crocker. But I didn't have a clue how to cook on our meager budget in 1977 so mom brought me a little green paperback that became my "newlywed's food bible", How I Feed My Family on $16 a Week by Jo Ann York. It had shopping tips, how to make a menu, and recipes - I was in high cotton now! Thirty- nine years and six kids later I still use the recipes in that fallen apart old treasure and the menus that I made from it even if it does cost more than $16 a week. This Pork Chop Casserole recipe to this day is my hubby's favorite.

Pork Chop Casserole

4 pork chops
3-4 potatoes,  peeled and sliced
2 apples, peeled and sliced
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 13"x9" baking pan. Place pork chops in the bottom of the 13"x9" baking pan. ( I always added 1 cup water in the bottom of the pan - it makes some nice pan juices to use on the potatoes. Sometimes use apple juice.) Place the sliced potatoes and apples on top of the pork chops. (Occasionally I line the bottom of the pan with sliced onions.) Sprinkle with the brown sugar, salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

Cacao Cinnamon Banana Pancakes

When I make pancake I usually go for Pamela's Gluten Free Baking & Pancake Mix.  I fell in love with this gluten free product five years ago when I found out I had Celiac  after a ten year life of torture but that's another story. Back to Pamela - I have used this not only for pancakes but as a base for,  to die for waffles, chocolate chip cookies and muffins of various types. If you need to follow a gluten free life style then you really need to give this stuff a try. (Okay stepping off the soapbox now) I'm not usually one for eating chocolate even as a child I didn't care for it much - weird kid, huh. Didn't and still don' t care for ice cream either. However,  today I woke up thinking about something chocolaty and creamy for breakfast. I have usually tea, toast and fruit.  Today I was ambitious and went to the kitchen with this flavor and texture in my mind and on my taste-buds. After prowling the pantry, frig and spice cabinet. I cane up with Cacao Cinnamon Banana Pancakes.

1 basic recipe of Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix for pancakes the added the following:

1/4 cup cacao powder

1/4 cup wildflower honey

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Mixed all ingredients until well blended. Then pour 1/4 cup of the batter onto a preheated skillet in avocado oil spray, flip once and cook until done. You will need to cook these on a lower temperature than regular pancakes as the honey causes them to burn at a higher temperature without cooking them through.  Once done just layer them with sliced bananas & whipped cream then topping them with banana slices whipped cream and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.

Just a note here the Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix does contain milk and almonds if you have allergies. If not then your golden.