Is there such a thing as "too much pizza"?

I suspect we're like many households in America. We eat a lot of pizza. We eat a lot of pizza-like dishes. And each-and-every one of them have been great! That's probably why I don't hesitate to try any recipe with the word "pizza" in it or if pizza sauce, along with mozzarella cheese, is on the ingredient list.

I've been in a bit of a rut with my menus lately and I decided to go to my collection of little theme-inspired cooking magazines for inspiration. I confess, I can't pass up the magazines while I wait in the checkout lanes of the grocery stores. I found this recipe in a September, 2000 edition of the Betty Crocker New Slow Cooker Recipes magazine, but this is the first time I 've tried it. It reminds me of the classic pork chop/cream of mushroom soup/dry onion soup mix slow cooker recipe that I'm sure many of us have tried (and love). The pork chops were so tender they fell apart as I was lifting them out of the slow cooker. And they were delicious! You can sprinkle as much or as little mozzarella cheese as you like (we like a lot of cheese!) and they're great with almost any kind of potato you can imagine. We had ours with a baked potato and some green beans.

Pizza Pork Chops

6 pork loin chops, 1 inch thick (about 2 1/4 pounds)

salt & pepper

olive or vegetable oil

1 medium onion, sliced

2 cups tomato pizza or pasta sauce

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese


Remove excess fat from pork chops. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook pork in oil about 5 minutes, turning once, until brown. You may have to work in batches, if necessary. Place browned pork chops in a 3 1/2 - 6 quart slow cooker.

Sprinkle sliced onion over pork chops. You may also add slices of green pepper, if you like. Add the pizza or pasta sauce. Cover and cook on low heat setting 4 - 6 hours or until pork is very tender.

To serve, place pork chops on a platter, spoon excess sauce over chops, and sprinkle with cheese.

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And here's a recipe that's definitely not pizza! I love those cooking magazines you find in the checkout lanes at the grocery stores. I have a beautiful collection of them and they're full of menu ideas! This recipe comes from a May, 2000 edition of Betty Crocker Easy Skillet Meals. It's unbelievably easy to make and it tastes delicious - even if you classify yourself more as a non-fish eater!

Lemony Fish over Vegetables and Rice

1 pkg. (6.2 oz.) fried rice (rice and vermicelli mix with almonds and Oriental seasonings)

2 tbsp. butter

2 cups water

1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel

1 bag (1 lb.) frozen corn, broccoli, and red pepper (I made my own blend of frozen corn and
          broccoli and red pepper)

1 lb. mild-flavored fish fillets (about 1/2" thick) (I used cod)

1/2 tsp. lemon pepper

1 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley


Cook rice and butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat 2 - 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is golden brown. Sitr in water, seasoning packet from rice mix and lemon peel. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Stir in vegetables. Heat to boiling again, stirring occasionally. Cut fish into 4 serving pieces; arrange on rice mixture. Sprinkle fish with lemon pepper; drizzle with lemon juice. Turn heat to medium. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until fish becomes opaque and flakes easily with a fork and vegetables are tender.

To serve, spoon vegetables and rice onto serving plate and lay fish fillets on top. Sprinkle with parsley.


These recipes are linked with love to the following: