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West Virginia
When I started my retirement travels in 2009, I wanted a way to share it with family and friends as it was happening. Hence, "My Travel Journal". However I realized I wouldn't always be on a trip and wondered what to do with the blog in between times. My daughter pointed out, wisely, that travels can also include trips to the kitchen to try a new recipe, trips to visit family, trips to my neighborhood Starbucks, or a fun day trip with a friend. You're welcome to join me on any of these journeys! I've set up individual pages for each of my major trips (see tabs above).

Also, I have an Etsy shop where my current needlework resides. The last pieces I posted here were in 2013! So if you'd like to see what I have accomplished recently, go to (and I apologize for having to copy and paste):

www.etsy.com/shop/thedollhouseneedle

I recently added an "Italian Word a Day" thingie which shows up at the bottom of every page. You see the word and can click to hear it pronounced. I've been enjoying it and I think my accent is improving as time goes by.

October 03, 2013

A quick cooking post...

I don't know if I posted before about cooking a thick pork chop (instead of my standard piece of pork tenderloin) with apples and serving it with sweet potato but I did that a couple of weeks ago.  It turned out well enough that I bought a couple more and decided I'd better cook one of them tonight.  I didn't have a sweet potato and was too lazy to go get one but I did have a russet and decided I would try something new.  I peeled it and then cut it into wedges and cut the wedges in half.  Put a little olive oil in a skillet and heated it up, and laid in the wedges, turning them to coat them with the oil.  I let them brown for a while on the first side, giving them a little seasoning while waiting (and pouring myself a little glass of wine).  Here they are after their first turning.
 Not real dark, but doing nicely.  I was wondering what about the curved sides, but whatever...
 And after both sides had browned and they're laying on their curved sides.  I used seasoned salt - had a little sage, rosemary, garlic and pepper in it - a blend my sister gave me and I seem to use constantly.

I moved all the potatoes out around the edge of the pan and then put the pork chop in and didn't think to take a picture, but trust me, it was a pork chop.  Probably about 3/4" thick maybe?  After I had browned it really well (turned the heat up some) and seasoned it (with the potatoes continuing to brown also), I poured in about a tablespoon of water, slapped a piece of tinfoil on top, put the lid on and put it in the oven for 30 minutes.  And here it is along with a single serving can of green beans which I doctor up with a bit of bacon fat, a bit of butter, some paprika and garlic powder and boil gently for that same half hour.  Sort of a quick version of West Virginia style green beans.

I couldn't believe it when I took the lid off and saw those potatoes - they were beautiful.  I knew they wouldn't be crusty like roasted potatoes, but that was all right cause they were delicious!!!  And the meat was good also although I must say, just like I think they've fed chickens something that gives them huge breasts that are not as good as they used to be, I think they've done something with pork because the texture is kind of strange.  They were very tasty and not dry at all, just a different texture.  But, I'll do it again, that's for sure.  If you love roasted potatoes, go ahead and try these - you don't have to pay any attention to them and they are really good.

Finished eating and as I was taking the dishes to the kitchen heard music, went to look out my window and there was a parade!  Not in honor of my potatoes I imagine.  I think this is probably Marshall's homecoming weekend  cause the parade was basically their band and some boy scouts and such - no big crowds or anything either.  But Marshall's band always sounds really good and so, of course, I took a video.  The sound isn't very good quality though and since I zoomed in, the picture isn't either, but HERE it is anyway.

And that's it for this evening - have to see if there's anything good on TV and if not, get myself to Starbucks for a nice cup of tea...


2 comments:

Josje said...

Looks very good Mary Lynne! I must say a pork chop is my favourite meat. As you said, just like they do with chickens, they raise these animals at lightning speed in cages, which is rather sad for the animal, but also causes the meat to loose flavour. I only eat organic meat, but trying to find a good local source is difficult. Just this week I found an organic butcher not too far away from where I live, so Im going to give him a try today.
I'll try them with your potatoes!

Christopher said...

ooo, those are so yummy-looking!!

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