Chicken or Pork Brine Recipe:
3/4 cup coarse kosher salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup boiling water 
1 gallon cold water 
1 tablespoon black pepper

I was out of Kosher Salt, so I used Iodized Sea Salt that I had on hand. A heavy-duty plastic tube, stainless-steel bowl, or re-sealable plastic bag can work as a brining container, as long as the pork is fully submerged, and it’s sealed well.  
Weight with a plate, if necessary, to keep the meat fully covered by the brine.

To determine how much brine you’ll need, place the meat to be brined in your chosen container. Add water to cover. Remove the meat and measure the water.
Dissolve salt and sugar in the boiling water. 
Add it to the cold water; add pepper and stir to combine. 
Chill brine completely in the refrigerator before adding pork. 
Place your pork in the water and place in the refrigerator for the time required.

Experiment with seasonings. 
Salt is essential, but everything else is optional. 
Consider garlic, ginger, fresh herbs, juniper berries, clove, cinnamon stick, vanilla bean, mustard seed, coriander seed, star anise, hot pepper flakes or peppercorns. 
To give pork a sweet edge and encourage browning, add 1/2 cup sugar to each 2 quarts of water.

Rinse pork twice after removing it from the brine solution; discard brine. If you are not ready to cook at the end of the brining time, remove and rinse the meat. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Do not salt brined meat before cooking. Cook pork according to your favorite recipe. Do not overcook your brined meat. 
Once brined, the meat cooks faster so be careful and use a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat.

I made a huge pot of chili, one meal I made Frito Pie for a Retro Dinner Night and with the leftovers the next night I made Chili Mac. I love making one big pot of something and using it for two different meals.

This is how I make the chili.

I use 4 lbs of ground chuck beef

2 pkgs, Williams Chili Seasoning

2 cans Diced Tomatoes with juice

2 cans Ranch Style Beans undrained

One Chopped Onion

Salt & Pepper.

Cook ground beef with chopped onion, drain fat. Add Williams Chili Seasoning and stir in well. Add tomatoes, and beans and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

Frito Pie: Place Fritos in a bowl, pour chili on top, then top with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheese.

Chili Mac: With the leftover homemade chili I added 16 oz. of cooked elbow macaroni, mixed well and topped with cheddar cheese.

 My Princess needs more potassium in her diet so this is what I came up with. Organic Vanilla Soymilk (on sale @ Kroger $2.50, I bought 3 flavors) Non fat Vanilla Yogurt, and a Banana. I took one banana, 2/3 C Soymilk, and 2/3 cup of yogurt and blended in my Magic Bullet until smooth. It taste like a Vanilla Banana Shake. Loaded with potassium! Kid tasted Kid approved!

 I used straight up EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) instead of butter to save some calories. I cooked sliced onions in EVOO in a cast iron skillet, fried a hamburger patty seasoned with S & P, then in a another cast iron skillet I grilled it all together in between two slices of bread allowing the cheese to melt. So much better than Jack in the Box. The plate isn’t that pretty considering this was ‘seconds’. But the Grilled Onion Patty Melt was delish!

I get the cast iron skillet heating up, and put a little EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) in the skillet. Then take a piece of bread and use a cookie cutter to take out the middle, place the bread in the skillet, then break one egg inside the hole, sprinkle S&P (salt & pepper) on the egg, then flip it over like a pancake. I take the inside of the bread that I cut out and toast it in the skillet too. When I take it all out I sprinkle shredded cheese on top (whatever I have on hand) and then shake a few drops of Cholula (optional) on top. * It is a all thumbs up Kid & Hubby Approved Breakfast! *

When I boil eggs I get a big pan put as many eggs in there as I need (for this I made a dozen) and fill the pan with water until it the water covers the eggs. Then I wait until the water is boiling then I turn off the heat, and wait 20 minutes with the lid on.

I then take a egg and hit it on both ends and roll the egg either on the counter or in my hands and start peeling the shell under slow running cold water having a large colander to catch the shells.

When I get all the eggs shelled, I chop up the eggs, 1/4 diced purple onion (today I used a Texas Sweet Onion) Pickles, 1/2 C each of mayo and miracle whip, a good squirt of mustard, 1 – 2 tsp dill weed, 1/2 – 1 tsp celery seed, and 1/4 tsp smoked paprika ( I could only find at Whole Foods). I go by taste, so any of this give more or take out. I use soft fresh bread and pile on the egg salad, and I have some very happy Little People in the house today.

If I was to add boiled salted potatoes to this, then it would be my signature very famous (here) Potato Salad.

Texans love heat, and here is a twist to Mac ‘n Cheese. I made the Little People Mac ‘n Cheese for lunch today and after I dipped their portions out I added a can of Rotel to the pot and gave it a good stir, and this is what it turned out to be. So yummy! You’ll need 16 oz Elbow Macaroni Pasta cook until done, drain then add 32 oz (2 lb.) Velveeta cheese cut into cubes, stir in cheese until melted. Add one can Rotel with juice and mix well. Don’t forget your sweet ice tea to chase down the heat.

CREAMY ITALIAN CHICKEN

4 Chicken Breast, Boneless, Skinless- 3 oz .ea.

1/4 Cup Water

1 package Italian Salad Dressing Mix Dry

1 Can Cream of Chicken OR Mushroom Soup

1 Cream Cheese, or  Light Sour Cream — 8 oz.

 Crock Pot Version:

Spray Crock Pot with Pam.

Place chicken in crock pot, then mix water & salad dressing mix together, and pour over chicken.

Cook for 4 hrs on high,  then mix soup & cream cheese together, and pour over chicken. Cook another 30 minutes. 

*Great over egg noodles and served with broccoli or over spaghetti noodles served with a mixed salad, and french bread. 

Stove Top Version

*Boil your choice of pasta. Cut up chicken and saute in olive oil or butter, add the soup, Italian dressing mix dry packet, cream cheese/or sour cream and water, mix all together well in the pan until the cream cheese melts, after pasta is done, drain and pour creamy chicken over the pasta and mix well. May also make without the chicken.

* Double the recipe if you are using 16 oz. or more of pasta.