Deep Dish Mexican Pie aka Taco Pie

A family favorite!
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This recipe makes two pies which usually means leftovers. I assure you that this pie is even better reheated than it is fresh!
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Deep dish pie crusts (2 come in a pack), thawed
1 lb hamburger meat'
taco seasoning (I'm partial to Taco Bell brand)
1 can refried beans (I use fat free)
Rice (I use Litpon Sides Taco Rice); buy two if you want to serve some on the side
tortilla chips (I'm partial to Tostitos Multigrain. If you haven't tried them, you're missing it!)
shredded colby-jack cheese (I use 2% milk)
I also use a handful of chopped cilantro
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Preheat oven to 350.
Cook the rice; set aside.
Cook the hamburger meat and season the meat per instructions on the taco seasoning packet.
Mix the refried beans and the chopped cilantro (if you're using it) into the taco meat.
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Layer in the pie crusts as follows:
meat/bean mixture
tiny bit of cheese
rice
tiny bit of cheese
tortilla chips (crumbled or whole will work)
meat/bean mixture
crumbled tortilla chips
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Bake in the oven approximately 30 minutes or until edges of crust are browned. Sprinkle cheese on top and put back in oven just a few minutes until cheese is melted.
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Remove from oven and let sit at least five minutes before slicing.

Easy Yet Yummy Pasta Salad

1 box Betty Crocker Suddenly Pasta Salad (original)

handful of matchstick carrots

handful of chopped broccoli

handful of diced red onion

Ranch dressing

Prepare pasta salad according to box.

Mix in carrots, broccoli, onion and as much Ranch dressing as you like.

Every time I make this for someone they think I spent all morning working on it, mixing and adding ingredients. They're always shocked when I tell them my secret. Serve some to your friends and keep the secret to yourself!

Pork Chops Fit For My Father

I, like my father, am a pork chop lover. However, I have never mastered the art of cooking a perfect chop...until now. This is a pork chop I would proudly serve my father!

Buttermilk-Brined Pork Chops

2 cups fat-free buttermilk (I couldn't find fat-free so I just used reduced fat)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary (I did not have fresh rosemary, so I used 1/2 tsp dried)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
4 (6-ounce) bone-in center-cut pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large Ziploc bag; shake well to dissolve salt and sugar.
Add pork; seal and refrigerate overnight or up to two days (mine sat for two days), turning bag occasionally.

Remove pork from bag; discard brine.
Pat pork dry with a paper towel.
Sprinkle pork with pepper.
*Heat a large nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Add pork; cook 3 1/2 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.
This is a delicious way to add buttermilk to your lucky New Year's dinner. As you can see, we enjoyed our buttermilk-brined pork chops with cabbage, blackeyed peas and mashed potatoes. It may have been the second day of the new year, but it was much enjoyed!

*This is what the recipe suggests, I just had my wonderful husband cook them on the grill!