December 2025

Month: December 2025

18
Dec
2025

Artichoke Chicken Bake For Two

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Artichoke Chicken Bake For Two is easy and delicious! Chicken breasts are topped with artichoke hearts, red peppers, Parmesan and garlic!

If you’re looking for a wonderfully delicious main dish that is EASY to prepare, then I hope you will check out this recipe for Artichoke Chicken Bake for Two. We love it, and since it is only my husband and I at home nowadays, a meal just for two is perfect!

The prep time is about 10 minutes, and then this dish bakes in the oven until it is golden brown and done! You really can’t beat this simple recipe that not only looks good, but it also tastes good, too.

A simple artichoke topping is stirred together, placed on lightly seasoned chicken breasts and then they’re baked! It’s so simple, anyone can prepare this absolutely YUMMY main dish! Here’s how to make it.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Chicken Breasts

Before beginning, preheat your oven to 375°F. and spray an 8″ x 8″ (or 9″ x 9″) baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. This dish doesn’t take too long to prepare, so you will want to have your oven preheated and ready to go, in order to save time!

Pat the chicken breasts dry on both sides using paper towels and trim off any excess fat. Lightly season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and black pepper. Place the two chicken breasts into the prepared baking dish in a single layer.

Chop The Marinated Artichokes

Chop 6-7 ounces of drained, marinated artichoke halves into smaller pieces, using a sharp knife. I use marinated artichokes for extra flavor, but if you only have plain, water-packed artichoke hearts those are perfectly good to use, as well.

You can see in the photo below that the artichoke hearts have been cut much smaller. Now they are ready to go into the topping that’s used to season and garnish the chicken.

Create The Artichoke Topping

Place the chopped artichoke hearts, roasted red bell peppers (chopped), finely grated Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise and minced garlic in a medium bowl.

Gently stir these ingredients until they have been fully combined. This thick mixture will be used to cover the top of the chicken breasts while they bake.

Cover The Chicken

Evenly divide the artichoke mixture between the chicken breasts, carefully spreading it to the edge, to fully cover the top of each piece.

Now it’s time to bake the chicken… see how easy that was? Place the baking dish into a preheated 375°F. oven.

Cook The Artichoke Chicken Bake For Two

Bake the chicken at 375°F. (uncovered) for 30-35 minutes OR until you see the juices run clear out of the chicken. Check its internal temperature at the 30-minute mark, so you don’t overcook the chicken (which will dry it out).

It may take 2-3 more minutes more baking time to reach 165°F., depending on your oven’s temperature (oven temps can vary quite a bit). Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken breast to determine the internal temperature.

When the chicken is done, the artichoke topping should be lightly browned, and the chicken breasts should be cooked through and have reached an internal temperature of 165°F.

Remove the artichoke chicken bake for two from the oven and let it rest in the baking dish (on a wire rack) for 2-3 minutes. This resting time will allow the internal juices to redistribute inside the chicken, keeping it moist.

Once the chicken has rested, use a spatula to carefully transfer each piece to individual serving plates, then serve and enjoy with a favorite side dish!

The baked chicken is delicious, moist (if not overcooked!), and the artichoke Parmesan topping brings lots of added flavor to each bite!

I really hope you love this simple, yet absolutely delicious main dish as much as we do! We love to serve this beautiful chicken dish with fresh roasted veggies on the side… yum!

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day!

Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of delicious chicken recipes to choose from, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
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Recipe adapted from (and with thanks to) Kristy Denney at: Artichoke Chicken | The Girl Who Ate Everything

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Artichoke Chicken Bake For Two

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Artichoke Chicken Bake For Two is easy and delicious! Chicken breasts are topped with artichoke hearts, red peppers, Parmesan and garlic!

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: artichoke chicken bake for two

Servings: 2

Calories Per Serving: 584 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts* *Use two, 6 oz. breasts
salt and black pepper to lightly season chicken on both sides
6 ounces marinated artichoke hearts drained/chopped
5 Tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese fresh is best!
5 Tablespoons mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons roasted red peppers finely chopped
1½ teaspoons minced garlic

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. and spray an 8" x 8" (or 9" x 9") baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. This doesn't take too long to prepare, so you need to have your oven preheated and ready to go, to save time!
Pat chicken breasts dry on both sides using paper towels. Trim off any excess fat. Lightly season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Put the chicken breasts into the prepared baking dish in a single layer.
Place chopped artichoke hearts, roasted red bell peppers (chopped), Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise and minced garlic in a medium bowl. Gently stir until they're fully combined. Spread the mixture on top of the chicken breasts (dividing evenly between the 2 pieces). Cover the top of the chicken by spreading it to the edges.
Bake (uncovered) at 375℉. for 30-35 minutes OR until you see the juices running clear from the chicken. Check the internal temp. at 30-minutes, so you don't overcook the chicken. It may take 2-3 more minutes to reach 165°F., depending on oven temperature (oven temps can vary). Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken to check internal temp. When done, the topping should be lightly browned, chicken should be cooked through and have an internal temp. of 165°F.
Transfer pan from oven to a wire rack. Let chicken rest 2-3 minutes (to let internal juices redistribute), then serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Artichoke Chicken Bake For Two

Amount Per Serving (1 chicken breast)

Calories 584 Calories from Fat 378

% Daily Value*

Fat 42g65%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Trans Fat 0.1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 17g

Monounsaturated Fat 8g

Cholesterol 134mg45%

Sodium 1164mg51%

Potassium 690mg20%

Carbohydrates 7g2%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 41g82%

Vitamin A 1109IU22%

Vitamin C 27mg33%

Calcium 149mg15%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

13
Dec
2025

Air Fryer Zucchini Bites (For Two)

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Air Fryer Zucchini Bites For Two is a yummy veggie dish. Zucchini coated with seasoned panko breadcrumbs is air-fried until crispy and golden!

Today I want to share a yummy recipe for Air Fryer Zucchini Bites (for two). When it’s hot outside and our garden is producing lots of zucchini, I’m always looking for new ways to cook them for my husband and myself.

When I photographed this recipe, it was close to100°F. outside… and it was plain old HOT! That day was definitely time to use an alternate method of cooking to stay cool!

I tend to use my air fryer, crockpot or Instant Pot a lot during the overly hot days of summer. It’s wonderful, because it’s a simple way to not heat up our kitchen and still get meals on the table! This recipe is perfect for a quick side dish, and the best part is it can really be enjoyed any time!

I found the recipe online and made a few little tweaks to suit our needs (and tastebuds), and it’s a keeper! I’m sure you will enjoy this easy veggie dish. Here’s how to make air Fryer Zucchini Bites (for two):

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make A Crumb Topping For The Zucchini

Measure panko breadcrumbs, finely grated Parmesan cheese, all-purpose flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes into a small bowl.

Stir until these topping ingredients for the zucchini are combined. NOTE: The red pepper flakes are optional, so if you don’t want to use them, just leave them out!

Prepare The Zucchini

To make this recipe for two people (as written), you will need two small to medium zucchinis. I was fortunate to be able to grow these (shown below) in our little backyard raised bed garden, so I was thrilled to be able to use and photograph them for this blog post.

Slice each zucchini in half lengthwise, then slice each piece in half (lengthwise) again. You should end up with 4 long zucchini quarters for each zucchini (shown at the top of the photo below).

Lay the zucchini slices cut side down and slice each quarter long piece into ¾” pieces (shown at the bottom of the photo below).

Coat And Season The Zucchini

Drizzle olive oil over the zucchini pieces and then stir or toss the zucchini until all pieces have an olive oil coating on them. It’s important for the zucchini to be covered with the oil, so the panko breadcrumb topping will have something to adhere to.

Pour the seasoned panko breadcrumb topping over the oil-covered zucchini. Gently toss until all the zucchini bites have been lightly covered with the topping.

Cook The Air Fryer Zucchini Bites

Preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes at 400°F. Once preheated, place the coated zucchini bites in the basket in an even, single layer. There is no need to spray the basket, because all the zucchini pieces have an olive oil coating, so they shouldn’t stick!

Cooking the zucchini bites in a single layer allows the zucchini to cook more efficiently as the hot air can circulate better. NOTE: If you are doubling or tripling this recipe, you may need to cook the zucchini in batches (keeping previous batches warm in the oven).

Cook the zucchini bites at 400°F. for 7-9 minutes. Shake or rotate the zucchini a couple times during the cooking time for even cooking. Do this by removing the basket and gently flipping them over, using a spatula.

Keep An Eye On the Zucchini Bites

Keep an eye on the zucchini. Check them around the 6-minute mark for tenderness, so you don’t overcook them (there’s nothing delicious about mushy zucchini, is there?).

When I make this dish, the zucchini I use are typically done at right around 7 minutes. The cooking time can vary a bit depending on the air fryer used or the thickness and size of the zucchini pieces used.

When they’re done, the zucchini should be tender to the bite, slightly al dente and definitely NOT mushy! The panko crumb topping should also be a light golden brown in color.

Serve And Enjoy!

My husband and I enjoyed the air fryer zucchini bites served with creamy crockpot pork chops and mashed potatoes (with gravy from the pork chops!). It was a nice, “comfort food” style meal and we enjoyed every single bite!

The air fryer zucchini bites have a little bit of a crunch from the panko crumb topping, they’re seasoned well, and they are not “mushy” or overcooked, which is awesome.

I hope you have the chance to make these delicious air fryer zucchini bites and trust you’ll enjoy them as much as we do! This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to meet your needs, and it’s a yummy veggie side dish I’m sure you’ll enjoy!

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More AIR FRYER Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of air fryer recipes to check out, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
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Recipe adapted from and with thanks to Erin Clarke, at: Air Fryer Zucchini – WellPlated.com

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Air Fryer Zucchini Bites

Prep Time

8 mins

Cook Time

7 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Air Fryer Zucchini Bites For Two is a yummy veggie dish. Zucchini coated with seasoned panko breadcrumbs is air-fried until crispy and golden!

Category: Side Dish, Vegetable Dish

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: air fryer, zucchini bites

Servings: 2

Calories Per Serving: 111 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 small/med. zucchini about ¾ pound in total
¾ Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1½ Tablespoons Parmesan cheese (finely grated)
1 Tablespoon panko bread crumbs
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon onion powder
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
tiny pinch of red pepper flakes (if desired) OPTIONAL

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Measure panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes into a small bowl. Stir until combined.
Slice each zucchini in half lengthwise, then slice each piece in half (lengthwise) again. You should end up with 4 long zucchini quarters for each zucchini. Lay the zucchini slices cut side down; slice each piece into ¾" pieces.
Drizzle olive oil over zucchini pieces; gently toss until all pieces have olive oil on them. Pour the seasoned panko breadcrumbs over the oil-covered zucchini. Gently toss until all zucchini bites are lightly covered with the panko mixture.
Preheat air fryer for 5 minutes at 400°F. Once preheated, place zucchini bites in the basket in a single layer for best heat/air circulation. NOTE: If doubling or tripling recipe, cook zucchini in batches (keep previous batches warm in oven).
Cook zucchini at 400°F. for 7-9 minutes. Shake or flip zucchini a couple times during cooking time for even cooking. Keep an eye on the zucchini. Check it at the 6-minute mark for tenderness, to ensure they don't overcook. Cooking time can vary slightly, depending on the thickness/size of zucchini used.
When done, zucchini bites should be golden brown, tender, slightly al dente and NOT mushy! Remove from the air fryer basket and serve immediately while hot. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Air Fryer Zucchini Bites

Amount Per Serving (1 (1/2 of total))

Calories 111 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 3mg1%

Sodium 403mg18%

Potassium 332mg9%

Carbohydrates 10g3%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 269IU5%

Vitamin C 21mg25%

Calcium 63mg6%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

09
Dec
2025

Homemade Tartar Sauce

categories: Sauces and Dressings

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Make homemade tartar sauce for fried fish, shrimp, chicken or fish sandwiches, or a dip for French fries, onion rings, etc. Quick and easy!
I feel strongly that it’s important to know how to make certain food items from scratch. Making homemade tartar sauce is one of those items I am glad to be able to make easily.

We used to keep bottled tartar sauce (from the store) in our refrigerator but found it took up space and sat there for months on end because we don’t use tartar sauce that often.

Once I learned it was easy to make a delicious, homemade tartar sauce that my husband and I BOTH loved, it became my go-to! When we have fried fish or want to use tartar sauce on an “as-needed” basis, I whip up this recipe, which yields about half a cup and that’s enough to serve with the dish.

There are so many recipes for tartar sauce (and how to make it) out there in this big old world. This is my version, so here’s how simple it is to make homemade tartar sauce.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

How To Make Homemade Tartar Sauce

Measure half a cup of cold mayonnaise into a small bowl. Add fresh lemon juice, and crushed dill weed, then stir these ingredients in until combined.

Now add finely chopped dill pickles and finely diced onions to the mayonnaise mixture in the bowl.

Add a small amount of sweet pickle relish, then stir until it’s combined with the other ingredients. I use my homemade zucchini relish for this (shown below), because I keep jars of it year-round stored in our pantry.

Take a tiny little taste of the homemade tartar sauce, then season (to suit your taste) with salt and black pepper, stirring to combine.

Once the ingredients for the tartar sauce are combined, add them to a food processor (or blender). You can also use an immersion blender for this, if you have access to one.

Pulse and/or process the mixture several times to further break down the onions, pickles and relish into smaller pieces. I do this because there is nothing worse in a semi-creamy tartar sauce than biting into a big piece of raw onion!

To Chill Or Not to Chill?

Spoon the homemade tartar sauce into a small dish (the recipe makes half a cup in total). If desired, sprinkle a very small amount of dried dill weed on top.

This homemade tartar sauce can be used immediately after you make it (if necessary), but we think it has more time for the flavors to develop when it is refrigerated.

I recommend covering the tartar sauce and chilling it in the fridge for about an hour (or more) for the very BEST flavor! If necessary, mix it up in the morning and refrigerate it to use later that day.

The tartar sauce is thick, creamy, and has wonderful flavor, especially after it has chilled and the ingredients have “mingled” for a bit!

Serve The Homemade Tartar Sauce

There are many ways to use homemade tartar sauce. Many people use it as a condiment spread for fish or chicken sandwiches, where it adds an additional layer of flavor.

Other people also enjoy tartar sauce as a dipping sauce for onion rings, fried chicken strips or French fries.

Our absolute favorite way of enjoying tartar sauce is to use it on battered fried fish. It tastes great on the fish (along with some Malt vinegar) and really adds GREAT flavor!

However you enjoy using tartar sauce, I hope you will consider making it yourself from scratch. It’s really so very easy, and I like the fact that I can make a small amount to have for a meal when we need it.

I hope you have the opportunity to make homemade tartar sauce and trust you will really enjoy it like we do! The recipe is so delicious and easy to make I don’t think you’ll regret it!

Thank you for taking time out of your day to visit my blog. Please come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More SAVORY SAUCE Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of savory sauce recipes, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
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0 from 0 votes

Homemade Tartar Sauce

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Total Time

5 mins

Make homemade tartar sauce for fried fish, shrimp, chicken or fish sandwiches, or a dip for French fries, onion rings, etc. Quick and easy!

Category: Condiment

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: homemade tartar sauce

Servings: 8 Tbsp. =½ cup total sauce

Calories Per Serving: 101 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup dill pickle (finely chopped)
½ cup yellow onion (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon sweet pickle relish
¾ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
⅛ teaspoon dill weed (dried, crushed) + more for garnish, if desired
salt and black pepper, to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice, chopped pickles and onions, sweet pickle relish and dried dill weed in a small bowl. Stir to combine.
Add just enough salt and black pepper to season the tartar sauce to suit your taste; stir to combine.
Add sauce to a food processor (or blender). You can also use an immersion blender, if you have one. Pulse and/or process mixture several times to further break down the onions, pickles and relish into smaller pieces.
Transfer tartar sauce into a small dish (recipe makes ½ cup). If desired, sprinkle a tiny bit of dried dill weed on top (optional garnish). You can immediately use the tartar sauce after you make it, but it has more time for the flavors to develop when it is refrigerated. *I recommend covering the tartar sauce and refrigerate it for an hour (or more) for BEST flavor! Store any leftover sauce in an airtight container in refrigerator. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Homemade Tartar Sauce

Amount Per Serving (1 Tablespoontal))

Calories 101 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Trans Fat 0.03g

Polyunsaturated Fat 6g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 6mg2%

Sodium 167mg7%

Potassium 29mg1%

Carbohydrates 1g0%

Fiber 0.3g1%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 0.3g1%

Vitamin A 34IU1%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 9mg1%

Iron 0.1mg1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

06
Dec
2025

Creamy Crockpot Pork Chops

categories: Pork, Slow Cooker Recipes

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Creamy crockpot pork chops are a delicious, minimum prep dish! They’re pan-seared, then slow cooked in a mushroom onion gravy until tender!

Have a busy day ahead of you and want a delicious dinner that doesn’t take much prep? This recipe for creamy crockpot pork chops might be a great option for you!

Boneless pork chops are lightly browned in butter in a skillet, then they go into a slow cooker. After topping them with 3 simple ingredients, you turn on the crockpot and walk away!

How’s that for convenient? The pork chops turn out incredibly tender and are saturated with flavor. I’m not kidding – this is a yummy (and easy) “winner-winner crockpot dinner”! Here’s how to make creamy crockpot pork chops.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Season And Brown The Pork Chops

Pat four, 1″ thick boneless pork chops dry using paper towels. Lightly season both sides of each pork chop with salt and black pepper. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet on Medium-High heat until it is very hot (but not smoking). Add a Tablespoon of butter; heat it until it has melted, then spread it out to cover the skillet.

Pan-Sear The Pork Chops

Add the four seasoned pork chops to the melted butter in the skillet, keeping them in a single layer. You will only be PAN-SEARING the meat quickly to give it good color and caramelization on the outside.

Cook only until the pork chops are lightly browned on the bottom (1-2 minutes), then flip them over and lightly brown the other side for 1-2 minutes. Do not cook the pork chops all the way through!

The pork chops should only be lightly browned on both sides, and yes… there may still be pink showing. They will finish cooking in the crockpot, so no worries!

Into The Crockpot They Go!

Place the four browned pork chops in an ungreased crockpot, laying them (once again) in a single layer.

Pour ¼ cup of water around the edges of the pork chops, then spoon cream of mushroom soup (right out of the can) on top of the pork chops. Use a spoon or spatula to spread the soup mixture directly on top of each of the chops, covering them as much as possible.

Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon of Ranch dressing mix on top of the cream of mushroom soup, evenly distributing it as you add it. I was told a while ago to use this dry seasoning mix, because it has wonderful spices in it, like garlic powder, onion powder, chives (and many other herbs).

This seasoning mix really does add a lot of flavor to the pork chops (and the gravy that forms while they cook), so don’t leave this out!

The last step is to add thinly sliced raw onion “rings” on top of the pork chops (not the appetizer kind… ha ha!). Now you’re ready to cook some creamy crockpot pork chops!

Cover the crockpot and let the pork chops cook on Low Heat for 6 hours, undisturbed. As this dish gets more fully cooked, the onions on top slowly brown and will add wonderful flavor to the finished pork chops.

Serve The Creamy Crockpot Pork Chops

When the pork chops have cooked for 6 hours, remove the lid and transfer the pork chops out of the slow cooker and onto individual serving plates.

Pork should have an internal temperature of 145°F. for safety. That never seems to be an issue, especially if you use 1″ thick chops as the recipe indicates and cook them the full 6 hours in the crockpot.

Make sure to add a few of the onions to the top of each pork chops for great added flavor! We had the pork chops with mashed potatoes and Air Fryer Zucchini Bites.

Don’t Forget The GRAVY!

Give the “gravy” left in the crockpot a quick stir, then spoon it over the pork chops before serving, because it is absolutely DELICIOUS! Cover those pork chops with gravy!

The gravy in the crockpot also tastes amazing on mashed potatoes, so I HIGHLY recommend making some and adding the yummy gravy to them when you make this dish!

Mashed potatoes are a perfect side dish that really compliment the tender, “cut them with a fork” creamy crockpot pork chops! No kidding- the chops are so tender we cut them with a fork!

I hope you have the chance to make these delicious creamy crockpot pork chops, and trust you’ll love them as much as we do. The prep time is so minimal, and then you can walk away until they’re finished cooking! That’s a Win-Win in my book!

Thank you for stopping by, and I invite you to come back soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More PORK CHOP Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some wonderful pork chop recipes to check out, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc.
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Creamy Crockpot Pork Chops

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

6 hrs

Total Time

6 hrs 10 mins

Creamy crockpot pork chops are a delicious, minimum prep dish! They're pan-seared, then slow cooked in a mushroom onion gravy until tender!

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: creamy crockpot pork chops, slow cooker

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 264 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

4 1" thick boneless pork chops approx. 5 oz. per chop
salt and black pepper, to lightly season pork enough to season both sides of chops
1 Tablespoon butter
¼ cup water
10.5 ounces canned cream of mushroom soup right out of the can
1 Tablespoon ranch dressing mix
½ small brown onion peeled, sliced into thin ¼" rings

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pat pork chops dry with paper towels. Lightly season both sides of each pork chop with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat a large skillet on Medium-High heat until it hot. Add butter; heat until melted; spread it out to coat the skillet.
Add pork chops to the melted butter in a single layer. Cook only until pork chops are lightly browned on the bottom (1-2 minutes), then flip them over and lightly brown the other side 1-2 minutes. Don't cook pork chops all the way through!
Place pork chops in an ungreased crockpot in a single layer. Pour water around the edges of the pork chops. Add cream of mushroom soup (right out of the can) on top of the pork chops. Use a spoon or spatula to spread soup mixture on top of the chops, covering them as much as possible. Sprinkle Ranch dressing mix on top, evenly distributing it. Lay the onion slices on top of the pork chops.
Cover crockpot; cook on Low Heat for 6 hours, undisturbed. When done, remove the lid; transfer pork chops out of the slow cooker with a spatula and onto individual plates. Pork should have an internal temperature of 145°F.
Give the "gravy" left in the crockpot a quick stir, then spoon it over the pork chops before serving (gravy's also good on mashed potatoes)! Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Creamy Crockpot Pork Chops

Amount Per Serving (1 pork chop)

Calories 264 Calories from Fat 81

% Daily Value*

Fat 9g14%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Trans Fat 0.2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 4g

Cholesterol 105mg35%

Sodium 902mg39%

Potassium 656mg19%

Carbohydrates 7g2%

Fiber 0.3g1%

Sugar 0.4g0%

Protein 35g70%

Vitamin A 88IU2%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 13mg1%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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02
Dec
2025

Cranberry Pecan Tassies

categories: Cookies, Desserts, Holidays!

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Cranberry Pecan Tassies are delicious, buttery pastry cups full of sweet pecan filling and chopped tart cranberries! Recipe yields 2 dozen.

If you’re looking for a holiday treat, I’d like to share this wonderful recipe for cranberry pecan “tassies”. I found this recipe (torn out of a magazine almost 30 years ago) in my Mom’s recipe box. When my mom passed away last year, I was blessed to inherit her old recipe boxes and her cookbooks, so that’s how I found this recipe.

What in the world is a TASSIE, you might ask? A “tassie” is the word Scottish people use that means “small cup”. These tassies are baked in a mini muffin tin in a “small cup” made of a buttery, shortbread-style dough, shaped into a pastry shell.

The buttery pastry dough shells are filled with chopped pecans and fresh chopped cranberries in a sweet brown sugar, vanilla and egg filling and then baked.

They are wonderful little hand-held dessert treats (can we call them “cookies”?) and I’m sure you’re going to love them! Here’s how to make cranberry pecan tassies.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Dough

Place softened cream cheese and softened butter in a mixing bowl. Beat these two ingredients together with an electric mixer until they’re fully combined.

Stir in all-purpose flour until it has been fully incorporated into the butter and cream cheese mixture. The dough will be very thick and slightly crumbly. Cover the dough and refrigerate it for 30 minutes.

NOTE: Refrigerating the dough is optional, BUT I highly recommend it because it seems to help hold the dough balls together more when shaping them. It’s YOUR choice, however.

Shape The Pastry Dough Balls

TIP: Before continuing, be sure to preheat your oven to 325°F. in order to have it fully preheated once the tassies are filled and ready to bake!

Portion the dough out into 12 equal pieces and roll them into balls between your palms. Cut each dough ball in half, to yield 24 equal sized portions. Roll each of the 24 pieces back into balls.

NOTE: If you only have one mini muffin pan that holds 12 (like me!), keep the remaining half of the dough balls covered/refrigerated until your muffin pan is ready to be used again.

Prepare The Pastry Shells

Place one of the dough balls into each ungreased muffin cup. Use your thumb (or other fingers) to firmly press the dough ball down evenly into the bottom of the muffin cup and up the sides, as well.

Continue to carefully press and shape the dough (don’t rip the dough!) until the pastry shells are created and “almost” fill the muffin cups (as shown below).

Make The Pecan And Cranberry Filling

In a mixing bowl, beat a large egg, brown sugar, vanilla extract and salt until the mixture is smooth. Add chopped pecans and finely chopped fresh cranberries.

Stir well, until this mixture is fully combined. This sweet (and tart) mixture will be the filling for the pastry shells you created in the muffin tins.

Fill The Pastry Cups And Bake

Spoon the pecan and cranberry filling into each pastry shell, filling each one about 3/4 of the way up (shown below). Be careful to not overfill the pastry shells and make sure to leave a bit of dough showing around the edges.

Bake in a preheated oven at 325°F. for 20-22 minutes OR until the pastry dough is golden brown. The filling will puff up slightly during baking, so keep an eye on the pastry crust (that you can see) to check on the color.

After Baking Is Finished

When the tassies are finished baking, let them cool for at least 15 minutes (still in the muffin pans) on a wire rack. Once cooled, remove them from the muffin tins by running a butter knife (carefully) around the edges to separate them from the pan. The top “crust” will be a bit delicate, so take your time!

Carefully lift each one from the muffin tin by scooping each one out using the butter knife or a small spoon. If they’ve been allowed to cool long enough, the pastry cups should come out of the pan easily, and in one piece.

Let the cranberry pecan tassies finish cooling on a wire rack before serving. You can see in the first photo below how “bite-sized” they really are.

Usually, they can be eaten in only two bites! In the second photo below, you can see the pecan and cranberry filling inside!

Serve And Enjoy The Cranberry Pecan Tassies

Once the cranberry pecan tassies have cooled completely, they are ready to be served and enjoyed. They are a wonderful, sweet treat for your family or for gift-giving.

They also make a beautiful addition to any holiday dessert table! When you serve them, sift a small amount of powdered sugar over the top of the tassies. You might also want to garnish the serving platter with fresh cranberries and pecan halves (shown below).

The recipe as written will yield 24 bite-sized cranberry pecan tassies. Store any leftovers (if there are any!) in an airtight container, and they will keep at room temperature for several days. They also freeze well, if wrapped in plastic and then stored in a freezer container or freezer bag.

I hope you have the opportunity to make these little “bites of deliciousness” for yourself and for those you love. I’m sure you will enjoy them, especially the way the tart cranberries pair so well with the sweet pecan filling. It’s a great balance of flavors!

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.

Looking For More CHRISTMAS COOKIE Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some wonderful recipes for Christmas cookies (and other goodies) you may enjoy, including:

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Original recipe source: “Better Home and Gardens” magazine, published in November 1997

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Cranberry Pecan Tassies

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Refrigeration for dough (inactive prep time)

30 mins

Total Time

1 hr 5 mins

Cranberry Pecan Tassies are delicious, buttery pastry cups full of sweet pecan filling and chopped tart cranberries! Recipe yields 2 dozen.

Category: Christmas Goodies, Cookie, Dessert

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: cranberry pecan tassies

Servings: 24

Calories Per Serving: 99 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

½ cup butter = 1 stick or 8 Tbsp., softened
3 ounces cream cheese softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
¾ cup packed brown sugar dark or light (I use dark)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
⅓ cup finely chopped cranberries
3 Tablespoons finely chopped pecans

Garnishes (optional): sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar before serving; pecan halves, fresh whole cranberries

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Beat cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl until fully combined, using an electric mixer. Stir in flour until fully incorporated. Dough will be thick and slightly crumbly. Cover dough; refrigerate for 30 minutes. NOTE: Refrigerating dough is optional BUT highly recommend (helps hold dough balls together better.
TIP: Before continuing, preheat oven to 325°F. so it's ready once the tassies are filled and ready to bake!
Divide chilled dough into 12 equal-sized pieces; roll into balls between your palms. Cut each ball in half, yielding 24 portions. Roll each piece into a ball. NOTE: If you only have 1 mini muffin pan that holds 12, keep the remaining half of the dough balls covered/refrigerated until muffin pan is ready to be used again.
Place 1 ball into each ungreased muffin cup. Use your thumb to press each ball down into the bottom and up the sides of the muffin cups. Carefully press/shape the dough until pastry shells "almost" reach the top of the muffin cups.
Make Filling: In a small mixing bowl, beat egg, brown sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth. Add pecans and cranberries. Stir well, until fully combined. Spoon the filling into each pastry shell, filling each about ¾ of the way up. Don't overfill the pastry shells; leave a little dough showing around the edges.
Bake at 325°F. for 20-22 minutes OR until pastry dough is golden brown. The filling will puff up slightly during baking, so keep an eye on the pastry crust (that you can see) to check on the color.
When done, let cool 15 minutes (still in the pan) on a wire rack. Remove them from muffin tins by running a butter knife around the edges to loosen them. The filling surface is delicate- take your time! Carefully lift each one out using a butter knife. If they've cooled enough, they will come out easily.
To serve (room temp.): Place tassies on serving platter. Lightly sift powdered sugar on top. Garnish platter with fresh cranberries and pecan halves (optional). Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days. They also freeze well, if wrapped in plastic and stored in a freezer container.

Nutrition Facts

Cranberry Pecan Tassies

Amount Per Serving (1 tassie)

Calories 99 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Trans Fat 0.2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g

Monounsaturated Fat 2g

Cholesterol 20mg7%

Sodium 50mg2%

Potassium 34mg1%

Carbohydrates 11g4%

Fiber 0.3g1%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 151IU3%

Vitamin C 0.2mg0%

Calcium 15mg2%

Iron 0.4mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!