GRILLED PORK CHOPS, SPICY GARLIC ROASTED POTATOES, CUCUMBER SOUR CREAM BITES - dinner menu ideas


It's kind of a drag to think that I'll be planning thousands and thousands of meals in my lifetime...many served to ungrateful little munchkins and grumpy teenagers.  I'm trying to embrace this time when I'm still excited to cook every night after work, and also trying to make it healthy food so that I'm around to cook those thousands of meals for my future band of rowdy of munchkins.

Here's a crowd-pleaser that's fast, easy, and only dirties a knife, a cutting board, and a cookie sheet (and that has parchment on it, so cleaning's a breeze!) oh, and you'll dirty your serving dishes... unless you eat it with your hands. wierdo.

YOU WILL NEED:
(dinner for two, easily double or centupled)

2 pork chops
1 Cucumber, sliced
1 T. Sour cream
1/4 tsp. Ranch Dip Mix (recipe here)
2 medium sized russet potatoes, diced
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes
Seasoning Salt (Lawry's is the best!)
3 Cloves Garlic, chopped 
Olive oil
Lettuce for a salad and some trimmings (Avocado, carrots, cheese, tomato, etc.)


EASY RANCH DIP MIX - gluten free and no MSG


We eat ranch dressing at an alarming rate in out house.  Very alarming.  Like, a bottle every two weeks alarming.  So, in the name of our budget and our arteries' health, I decided it was time to do something about this little problem of ours.

So, I made our own ranch dip mix.

I know what you're thinking, it's still ranch, which is the Fatty McFatterson of the dressing world.

Well, it is still not that good for you, but at least now I know that there aren't any weird preservatives in the ranch and I can easily sprinkle it on something or mix it with some yogurt and milk or sour cream and milk for a quick ranch dressing.  It's kind of become my go-to spice for everything now...

YOU WILL NEED:

Parsley Flakes
Celery Salt
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Dill Weed
Buttermilk powder (optional)

In equal parts, mix these dry ingredients together and store in an airtight container. Voila!  Much less guilt involved and it's cheap to boot!

Free Printable - May Day Graphic for May Baskets

It's May Day!  Here is a little free printable graphic to bring some cheer today.  Print them, cut them out, then punch a hole in the top and tie them to a little basket of candies or popcorn and hand them out to friends and neighbors.