Submitted by: Vicky Reardon, Bellingham

Cook’s comments: “This is my favorite recipe because it melts in your mouth and can be served as a breakfast or as a side at a potluck.”

Ingredients
10 eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
16 ounces small-curd cottage cheese
½ cup melted butter
1 pound (16 ounces) shredded Monterey jack cheese
½ cup flour
8 ounces diced green chilies

Directions

Mix eggs until light and “lemony.” Add the rest of the ingredients, saving the chilies for last. Pour into greased 9-by-13-inch Pyrex dish. Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees or until edges are brown and the center is firm.

PROFESSIONAL RECIPE

Basil-balsamic chops

Submitted by: Lindsay Tkacsik, Bellingham

About the pro: Tkacsik, who lives in Bellingham with her husband and three daughters, has dabbled in it all — working full-time, working part-time, having the kids in “brick and mortar” school and homeschooling, and every combination of these. She developed the recipes in her new cookbook “Fix, Freeze, Feast,” from the trenches of real life so people can trust that they are tried-and-true. She started experimenting with make-ahead meals 10 years ago and along the way developed a meal ministry at a mothers of preschoolers group at her church, and ran a meal prep business for several years before focusing on the cookbook. For more information about the cookbook, and the philosophy behind buying bulk, make-ahead prep and freezing, visit www.fixfreezefeast.com.

Event info: Tkacsik and co-author Kati Neville will talk about their book “Fix, Freeze, Feast” at 7 p.m. Thursday at Village Books. Pro’s comments: “The marinade in this recipe is also our best-loved salad dressing. Make an extra batch to serve over salad greens; you may never buy commercial dressing again. The marinade is also good on chicken or portabella mushrooms.”

Ingredients
1 tray (6-8 pounds or 12 chops) pork loin chops, boneless or bone-in
1 cup olive oil
½ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons honey
3 teaspoons minced garlic (about 9 cloves)
3 teaspoons dried basil
2¼ teaspoons black pepper
3 1-gallon freezer bags, labeled

Directions

Rinse and divide chops evenly among the freezer bags.

Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, soy sauce, lemon juice, and honey in a medium bowl. Divide marinade evenly over the pork.

Into each bag measure 1 teaspoon garlic, 1 teaspoon basil and ¾ teaspoon pepper.

Seal and freeze.

To cook one entrée: Completely thaw one entrée in the refrigerator.

For outdoor cooking: Prepare a medium fire in a gas or charcoal grill.

Cook chops, turning occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a chop reads 160 degrees. Discard remaining marinade.

For indoor cooking: Arrange chops on an ungreased broiler pan. Broil chops under high heat, 5-inches from the heat source, turning frequently for 15 to 18 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a chop reads 160 degrees. Discard remaining marinade.

Chicken alternative: Substitute 1 tray pack (about 6 pounds) boneless, skinless chicken half-breasts for the pork chops and grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken reads 170 degrees.

Creative leftovers: These leftovers are perfect for wraps, stir fries or omelets, or on a pizza. For basil-balsamic wraps: stir fry leftover rice and bite-size pieces of pork in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until heated through. Wrap in a flour tortilla and add shredded cheddar cheese, black beans, chopped scallion and sour cream.