Giving thanks every day!

November has been a whirlwind, as it seems to be every year.  Why is it that the older I get the faster time flies?  I blink on the night of Halloween, and suddenly it is Thanksgiving.  And then, Cyber Monday turns into Christmas Eve, in a snap! 

Of course, in between those holidays I spend plenty of evenings in my recliner, reading cookbooks and dog-earring pages with recipes I want to try.  So many recipes....so little time!  But this year, I did try a few new ones for Thanksgiving.  Like I say every year, I believe that we should all really stop and give thanks every single day, instead of just on that single 'third Thursday of November' each year.  Why do we save all of those luscious dishes like Sweet Potato Casserole, and Pumpkin Pie for a holiday, when they can be made any time of year?  Maybe when I start making those dishes year-round myself I'll be able to explain it to you.

Until then, I vow to start counting my blessings, and being mindful and thankful for what surrounds me in life.  Here goes:
1.  FAMILY:

My Daddy and my Big Sister Carol on her birthday.  They are both cancer survivors, and for that I give thanks EVERY day!

Me, my Dad and big Sister Sam on Thanksgiving.  I am thankful she could join us this year....all the way from Texas!  I am also thankful that she peeled 5 pounds of potatoes for me, haha! 

So thankful for my sweet hubby!  16 years of wedded bliss!

My friend (like a sister!) Foodie Judy!  So thankful for the fun times we share!

2.  It would take me an entire blog to show you all the people in my life for whom I am thankful, so I'm moving on to other blessings.  Flowers!  I love flowers, and I love to take pictures of them.  These were taken in Alaska on a sunny day in June.  I am thankful for the vacation that allows me to see these stunning flowers.  Simple.  Elegant.  Amazing.

Tiptoe...through the Tulips!

Love these daisies!  I am always thankful to see nature's beauty on display.

3.  This year I finally got the much-needed kitchen makeover.  New granite countertops, tumbled marble backsplash and accent lighting.  Love, love, love my new office, ha!  I spend most of my time here, and enjoy it more than ever.  I worked really hard for this, and I am thankful that I waited for the prices on granite to come down! 

Granite, tumbled marble backsplash, and new lighting...at last.  Thankful!

Another glorious Oklahoma sunrise!  What a way to start the day! 

I am thankful for a well-stocked pantry, and for the ability to give to others in need. 

I am thankful for this Butterball turkey, and for the 21 people who enjoyed it with me on Thanksgiving!   

I am thankful to live in this great country, where we have freedom of expression, liberty and justice for all!  I am thankful for those who serve our great country every day to protect us and to ensure that we continue to live our chosen lives.  I am thankful for my health, and for the health of my family and friends.  I am thankful for the opportunity to be self-employed, and to proudly represent great companies that I believe in and trust.  I am thankful to be the Spokesperson for both Southwest Dairy Farmers, and for the Made in Oklahoma Coalition.  I am thankful to wake up each day and be able to take care of my family, play with my food, and try to make others smile.  I am thankful to live in the friendly state of Oklahoma, where people greet each other as though they were neighbors. 

Oh, so many thanks, so little time.  I am thankful. 

Today I am thankful to you, for reading this blog, and I hope that you will also take a few minutes of your busy day to consider the people and things you count as blessings in your life.  Tell the people you love how thankful you are for them.  Make each day the best it can be, and be thankful.   

With great thanks,

Kitchen Kimberley

Cookbook Giveaway!

With only one week left before the biggest food holiday of the year, I decided to give away one of my cookbooks today!  Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year; I love gathering with my family and eating like there's no tomorrow, don't you?

With the right recipes, all of the food can be fabulous!  This year, as always, many of my Thanksgiving dishes will come from my latest cookbook, Fabulous Foodie Favorites: Cook, Eat, Smile, Repeat! 

On the menu at my house this Thanksgiving, will be the following 'Fabulous Foodie Favorites':

• Cappuccino Brunch Punch (ice cream and coffee...need I say more?)
• Cinnamon Roasted Almonds (can be made several days ahead)
• Apple Pecan Crunch Salad (crunchy, creamy, tart, sweet...heaven!)
• Sally's Pistachio Salad (also known as Watergate, and 'Fluffy Stuff' at my house)
• Country Cornbread Dressing (it wouldn't be Thanksgiving to me without it!)
• Gorgonzola Mashed Potatoes (creamy, buttery, delicious-ness)
• Roasted Turkey Breast with Herbed Butter (I will likely make 2 of these)
• Pecan Pie (made with Griffin's waffle syrup...oh my!)
• Sweet Potato Pie ('nuf said)

And those are just the dishes from my latest cookbook...there are other dishes to be made, as well!  With all of these foods, it is hard to pick just one favorite, but I have to go with...

Apple Pecan Crunch Salad!  

So...what is your favorite food on Thanksgiving?  

Tell me in the comments section for your chance to win your very own copy of 'Fabulous Foodie Favorites: Cook, Eat, Smile, Repeat!'

Entries must be received by 12:00 midnight CST on 11/16/11.  Winner will be selected at random, and notified via Facebook on 11/17/11.  Thanks for your entry!  Happy cooking!

You can take a closer look, and get your own copy of my book here on Amazon.com.   

Caramel Apple Pork Chops

Yesterday as I stood in my pantry looking for inspiration, the new gallon of Apple Cider jumped up and down on the shelf and started yelling "pick me! pick me!".....okay, not really.  But, it was the bit of creativity I needed to start my day rolling.  Doesn't everyone begin their day in the pantry?  I'm just strange that way, I suppose! 

At any rate, with the gallon - o - cider in hand, I strolled over to the freezer to see what might be just waiting for the big thaw.  Lo and behold, there were 4 bone-in pork chops eagerly awaiting their time in the microwave.  Minutes later, I had a pan full of perfectly thawed chops ready to be marinated and cooked up into a delectable dinner! 

So, I poured a bit of that fresh apple cider over the chops and added a splash of soy sauce.  Both liquids were used for both their flavor and tenderizing abilities.  After adding the soy, I also thought that a splash of apple cider vinegar would have done the trick, too.  But, afterthoughts in cooking are simply useless.  Maybe next time! 

After a nice long soak in the marinade all day, I drained and discarded the liquid and returned my chops to their baking dish.  See how pretty?  All sprinkled with salt and pepper!

Please note:  Serious foodies will find beauty in any food, including raw pork chops. 

If you're a serious foodie, then this one's for you!  Are you ready for your close up?

Yeah, baby!  I love to see some 'marinated, salted and peppered' pork chops!

Next, the good stuff:  BUTTER...REAL BUTTER!

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, to which we'll now add some chopped onion:

After a few minutes, it gets nicely golden brown, and the onions are tender.  Now, these onions are the savory element to our 'Caramel Apple Sauce' that will make these the best-dressed pork chops on the block.  Savory -- to balance the sweetness of the....wait for it...

1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 more tablespoons of real butter.  Because life is short, and real butter is one of life's many culinary pleasures. 

When it comes to brown sugar, for this recipe, I like to use Dark Brown Sugar!  Did you know that brown sugar is simply granulated sugar that has been coated (typically sprayed) with molasses?  The Dark Brown Sugar has more molasses coating than the Light Brown Sugar, thus having more flavor.  And, more flavor is always good.  So I often pull out the jar with the Dark Brown Sugar:

Labels...I love them!

Look at this little pool of brown-sugary, buttery, oniony goodness!  Oh, my, goodness!

Next, we're on to the apple portion!  Apples are so golly-gosh darn delicious right now, that I can't seem to eat enough of them.  And since 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away', I figured we'd use two.  One is better than two, right?!  I chose a Honeycrisp and a Granny Smith, just for flavor variation. 

Question: If someone crossed those two apple varieties, would the result be a HoneySmith or a CrispGranny?  I probably shouldn't wonder these things...

That's Granny on the left, and Honey on the right.  Hey Honey!

Chop 'em up and throw 'em in the pan.  I don't peel them, because I want the nutrients and added fiber from the apple peel...and they're pretty. 

Now is a good time to add some cinnamon and nutmeg.  I love, love, love this Cinnamon from Pampered Chef.  My friend 'Cooking Sherrie' told me about it, and it's fabulous!  It's from Indonesia, and has a very bold, yet clean cinnamon flavor.  Love, love, love it!

I also added a handful of golden raisins, because I knew that the apples would give off some natural juices, and that the raisins would plump up beautifully in the natural apple juices.  Nice texture!

Now, you simply pour this mixture over the pork chops in your pan, and place them into the preheated oven at 350 degrees.  Cover for the first 25 minutes of baking, either with foil, or the lid...if your dish has one, like this: 

After 25 minutes of baking, carefully remove the lid and sprinkle with a bit of brown sugar, and pecans.  Then bake, uncovered, for an additional 20 minutes. 

45 minutes is a long baking time, but necessary for the pork chops to be tender and juicy. 

Also necessary, is a snack before dinner.  Trick-or-Treat! 

We didn't have enough Trick-or-Treaters on Halloween, so now I'm forced to eat the remaining candy.  Can you hear me crying?  What?  You can't?  Hmmm...wonder why!  (wink, wink)

Dinner's ready!  Come and get it! 

Caramel Apple Pork Chops served over Orange-Scented Rice (that sounds all cheffy and fancy, but it's really just the zest of one orange grated into 2 cups of rice which has been cooked in chicken broth.  Yum!) with a side of buttered corn and fresh red grapes.  Yes, I know...rice + corn = double starch, but we were craving corn!  The sweet and tender apples from the pork are a side dish of their own, and they were delicious!  The whole thing got rave reviews from the hubby, and we'll definitely have this one again.  In a nutshell, it was a beautiful combination of fall flavors and textures.  Tender pork with a hint of apple flavor from the cider, with juicy and sweet apples, chewy raisins and crunchy pecans.  A delight for the tastebuds! 

Hope you enjoy it, too!

'Til we eat again...happy cooking!

Caramel Apple Pork Chops:

Ingredients:

4 bone-in pork chops

1/4 cup apple cider

1 tsp. soy sauce

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 cup butter, divided use

1 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg

2 apples, cored and chopped

2 tbsp. brown sugar, and 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

Place pork chops in baking dish; cover with apple cider and soy sauce.  Cover and marinate for at least 8 hours, or up to overnight.  Drain and discard marinade, and return chops to baking dish. 

In a medium skillet, melt 2 tbsp. of the butter over medium-high heat.  Add onion, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, and remaining 2 tbsp. of butter; cook until mixture is blended and smooth.  Add cinnamon, nutmeg and chopped apples; stir to coat well and evenly. 

Pour apple mixture over the pork chops in baking dish.  Bake, covered, for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.  Uncover, sprinkle with brown sugar and chopped pecans; bake for 20 additional minutes. 

Enjoy! 

 

Trick-or-Treat!

Happy Halloween!  Today is the official beginning to a very festive remainder of 2011.  As soon as the door closes after the last trick-or-treater, it is time to plan for Thanksgiving.  (I personally have already selected a few new recipes to try this year!) Then, after the last bite of turkey, dressing and pumpkin pie is devoured, we will decorate the tree and shop till we drop on December 24th!  It all passes at warp speed, so I hope that this season we will all slow down a bit and take time to enjoy every step along the way. 

Starting with tonight!  Trick-or-Treat!  I bought the really, really good stuff this year, just in case we have any leftovers.  Butterfingers are my favorite, but I do love those little York Peppermint Patties as well; those are great with a glass of milk.  Okay, anything is great with a glass of milk!   I love milk!

Tonight can't get here fast enough for me!  Since I don't have any children of my own, it's a special treat for me to see the neighborhood cutie-patooties all dressed up in their adorable costumes!  As soon as that doorbell rings, I will jump up to welcome all of the little ghosts and goblins!

Look!  I have already 'decked the halls' for fall, y'all!  Fall is my favorite time of year, and I am always eager to get out the decorations and sprinkle colorful touches of golds, reds, and pumpkin throughout the house.  Starting at the front entry, I decorate my antique buffet with candles, pumpkins, leaves, and fall fruits. 

This little pumpkin is a new treasure that I picked up in Silver Dollar City when I was working at the Culinary School there a few weeks ago.  It reminds me to be thankful, not just on Thanksgiving, but all throughout the season.  Not the I need the reminder.  I just couldn't pass it up -- it's too cute!

In the dining room, I tend to go 'overboard' with the fall decorating, but I believe that it's the most important area to 'dress up' since it's where I will welcome my guests this season.  My dining room buffet gets embellished with sprigs of berries, leaves, and other unique touches to make it feel more festive and warm.  This white pitcher is a great example of how you can adapt your traditional items for the seasons.  In the summer, this was filled with fresh cut daisies from the garden.  Simple, yet elegant and special. 

On another shelf, I added some colorful winter squash that is lovely as decor now, but in a few weeks...they will make a delectable side dish on a chilly evening.  Practical and pretty...love it!  Again, tucking in a few sprigs of berries and ears of Indian corn adds a festive touch. 

For overnight guests, there are some whimsical decorations in the guest room to add a warm welcome!

I hope that I've inspired you to add a few splashes of color and whimsy to your home! 

Have a fun and safe Halloween!

Southwest Dairy Farmers

Breaking 'Foodie' News!  I am excited to announce that I am now the Spokesperson for Southwest Dairy Farmers!  You know my love for all things dairy, so this job is the perfect fit for me!

For the last month I have been hard at work developing recipes that make the most of dairy products, including milk, cream, butter, cottage cheese, every kind of cheese I can get my hands on, and oh yeah...ice cream!  Lots of ice cream!  It's a tough job testing milkshakes, but I'll suffer through, haha! 

Aside from recipe creation, I have also been busy taping lots of cooking videos that will soon debut on the Southwest Dairy Farmers website.  I'll let you know as soon as they are available so you can try all of my new and 'dairy delicious' recipes.  I had a great time at the video shoot, as you can see...

For three days, I worked very hard, but my sous chef worked hard, too:

That's 'Sous Chef Sherrie' icing the Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Brownies before we started filming that segment.  Pardon the cameras and other equipment...it really was a video shoot!  It's not my kitchen, as you'll notice.  Notice that Sherrie and I have the same stance as we work...we are 2 peas in a pod!

And no...this is not my closet, but I did get a lovely wardrobe!

This is the other side of the huge closet.  I really wanted to move in here!

Here is Chef Tiffany Poe, our food stylist.  She was fun to work with, and she made the food look amazing!

There was also a fabulous makeup artist / hair stylist, an incredible production crew from Flying Colors TV, as well as an amazing still photographer and a whole slew of other experts that made it all happen smoothly.  It was an awesome experience, and I look forward to sharing the videos and still photos with you very soon!

Southwest Dairy Farmers represents over 500 hard-working dairy farming families across Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, New Mexico and Montana.  I'll be appearing at various events in these states to help promote the health benefits of dairy, and to encourage everyone to get their 3 daily servings of dairy.

Last week I shared several 'dairy delicious' recipes with the big crowds at GrapeFest in Grapevine, Texas.  It was the 25th anniversary of this event, the largest wine festival in the Southwest, and it was a huge success! 

This weekend I will be teaching two (1-hour) classes at the Silver Dollar City Culinary and Craft School in Branson.  My theme will be 'Branson Brunch', and on the menu will be my Cappuccino Brunch Punch, Tiny Cream Cheese Biscuits with Strawberry Butter, Farmer's Breakfast Pie, and two fluffy fruit dips -- Caramel Apple Fruit Dip, and Luscious Lemon Fruit dip.  In a word, yum!  It will be a fun class, and I hope to see you there!  Here's how you can attend: 
http://www.sdcculinarycraftschool.com/classes/detail.aspx?id=110

Next up is the State Fair of Texas, in Dallas on October 8th.  There's a big (OU-Texas) game that day, and kick-off just happens to be at the same time as my first cooking demonstration, 11:00 a.m.  I am planning to share some great football foods, made with lots of dairy, of course. 

I will update my website to include my upcoming appearances, and hope that everyone will enjoy my 'dairy delicious' recipes! 

Until we eat (cheese) again...happy cooking! 
Kimberley

Catching up!

Howdy!  Hope you're all staying cool as cucumbers! 

It has been a while since my last blog entry (where does time go?!) so I figured we should catch up on things.  Oh...where to begin?  With food, of course!

Food is always at the forefront of my mind, and if you'll pardon me for saying so, for the last 10 years it has also ended up on the forefront of my thighs and hips...well, until recently, that is.  You see, dear hubby and I started the "17-Day Diet" back in May, and we've changed our eating habits, and changed our lives!  To date, my sweet Terry has lost 26 pounds, and I have lost 12 pounds.  That's 38 pounds between the two of us, and we haven't even been 100% true to the diet at all times.  For us, minor changes have turned into major results!  We both feel so much better, lighter, and more energetic, that it has completely transformed our lives! 

Of course, the 17 Day Diet book is available on http://www.amazon.com/, as well as many stores, including WallyWorld.  You can also 'Google' it to find a variety of websites and blogs that will tell you more about the diet.  It truly doesn't feel like a diet, and we don't think of it that way.  We're simply making better choices based on the book, and watching the weight drop!  It's too much for me to explain here, so I thought I would show you instead.  Here goes:

Here is a simple breakfast parfait made with Weight Watchers Berries 'n Cream Yogurt, fresh strawberries and blueberries.  Simple...delicious...filling. 

If you don't want to go to the trouble of making a parfait, it's just as delicious when served in a bowl.  Or, simply top your morning cereal with fresh berries and enjoy!

We also enjoy many breakfasts of two eggs topped with chives and Parmesan cheese with and fresh fruit (think vine-ripe tomatoes) alongside.  Spectacular!

Yes, I like my eggs cooked over-medium....yum!

For lunch, we have beautiful and refreshing salads like this one:

Crunchy romaine lettuce, red onion, blueberries, red grapes, Feta cheese, and a light drizzle of fat-free Poppy Seed Dressing...yum!  Plus grilled chicken on top = divine!  It's also a great dinner!

As with any diet, we drink lots of fluids, including Iced Green Tea!  We haven't had a sip of soda for months and we attribute much of the weight loss to that fact alone.  My tummy hasn't been this flat since I was 21 years old!  Seriously.  It's working for us!  Finally...something easy that really works! 

Disclaimer:  This is not a paid endorsement or advertisment for the 17 Day Diet.  I am simply sharing my personal experience of what has worked for my hubby and me.  Contact your physician prior to starting any diet or exercise program.  Thank you for your attention. 

More later...for now I am off to enjoy a nice bowl of cool, refreshing cantaloupe!  Enjoy the fruits of summer!

Are you on the 17 Day Diet?  I would love to hear about your experience, as well!
Happy cooking!
-Kimberley

Brown Food is Good Food!

Mondays can be a challenge for a variety of reasons, but today was an especially challenging Monday for me.  (Stick around...I'll get to the food, I promise!)

Let me begin by saying that my sweet Terry is rather ill with that awful stuff that's going around.  And at 2:00 in the morning, when I got up to get him another dose of our 'coughing, aching, stuffy head, fever, so you-can-rest medicine', my blurry blue eyes came into focus on the expiration date, which was...well, let's just say 'prior to Feb 2011'.  Oops!  No wonder it wasn't helping him...poor thing! 

Tip of the Day:  Check the expiration dates on all medications, especially before you really need them!  

So, I began the day with major lack of sleep (I was up every two hours with my sick baby, I mean, my sick husband). Seriously, it was a two cup of caffeine kind of day for me...a coffee and then a cappuccino! 

I can handle the lack of sleep, but for me, there are few things in life worse than a sick husband.  It breaks my heart that my sugar-pumpkin-lumpkin doesn't feel well, and I can't make it all better!  Of course, first thing this morning I went to our local pharmacy and got the medication he needed; he is feeling a bit better now, but still deserves his fair share of pampering until he is 100% well.   

Pampering always includes what we call 'mood food' so tonight Terry got to select anything he wanted to eat for dinner.  While I waited for his 'special menu request', I was preparing myself for a time-consuming, labor-intensive, five-course meal, complete with never-ending dishes to boot.  Then, as I was going through the options with him, his eyes lit up -- and then he popped the question.  (No, not that question....that question was popped sixteen years ago!) 

This question:

"Do we have any frozen hush puppies?"  Hush puppies?  Seriously?  Yes, honey, we have hush puppies! 

"That sounds good to me."  Okay sugar...you got it!  How about the main course? 

"Do we have any fish or shrimp?  Any potatoes?"  Yes, yes, and yes!  And thus the meal was born! 

My kitchen is considered a 'no-fry zone' which means I will not fry anything at home.  I repeat -- I will NOT fry anything at home.  If we want to eat fried food, we have to go to a restaurant.  That's my way of helping us eat healthier.  We have to work for it!  So far, it has worked for us, and I have never fried anything.  

Kinda sorta.  Technically, when I buy frozen breaded shrimp or beer-battered tilapia, or hush puppies, or french fried potato crowns, they are fully-cooked (read: fried) by someone else, and all I have to do is heat them in the oven. 

That's baking.  That's baking fried food.  Not frying fried food. 

Please tell me I am correct in my belief that I am not frying food...please. 

Thank you for that...whew!  I feel so much better now.  Hubby will feel much better after his 'baked-fried' meal, too.  Here goes!

Look at that pan - o - brown, would ya'?!  That is a pan full of brown food!   Brown 'mood food'!  Mmm!

One of my favorite Food Network hosts, Chef Anne Burrell, always says that "brown food is good food" but I don't think this is what she means!  In fact, I know it's not what she means, but tonight...this brown food is good food.  The challenge will be how to make it look a little more...shall we say, presentable?  After all, we do eat with our eyes first.  Even when we're feeling under the weather, and have itchy, watery eyes!  So...here goes.  (Knowing that my husband won't care what the food looks like, I still make the effort, 'cause I love him that much!)

Special, fancy, white plate.  Good start.  'Cause when you're sick, you need to feel special!

Shingle the fish.  (Shingle is a fancy-shmancy-cheffy food term that means 'lay the food on the plate like shingles on a roof...to make 'em look real purdy') 

Pause to think about what to do with the potato crowns and the hush puppies, and then just get them on the plate.  He really doesn't care what the food looks like, but I still get an 'A' for absolutely trying my best! 

Enter my secret weapon for embellishing golden-brown food.  Heinz Ketchup.  Not just because my Father-In-Law retired from Heinz, but because of ... wait ... wait for it...

(Anticipation!)  No really, sing it!  Remember their jingle?  Sing it with me! 

Anticipation, Anticipa...yay...tion...is ma-kin' me wait! 

I love that jingle!  Good thing, because it's one of those jingles that sticks with me.  For days.  And weeks.  Until I find another jingle that sticks.  For days.

Schlotsky's is a good jingle for when you need a good jingle distraction.  Remember that one?  I'll sing it for you.

Another day!

But the Heinz really works to jazz up the presentation, don't you agree?  My Terry's a 'food drizzler', so his ketchup gets drizzled over his baked, not fried, fish.  But that still isn't enough, because the baked, not fried, potato crowns will be jealous if they don't get bathed in some tomato-y goodness of their own.  Tomatoes are good for the heart, you know? 

Ta-Daaa!  Brilliant!  A special heart-shaped pool of ketchup-y goodness for the potato crowns.  (I do play with my food for a living, remember? No one told me not to draw with ketchup on my plate when I was little.  I'm glad.  It sure is fun.  You should try it sometime.  Really.)

And awwww....that's sweet!  That makes it all better!

For me, just a regular old everyday plate, with a pool-o-ketchup for dunkin' and a pool-o-tartar sauce, 'cause I love me some tartar sauce!  My plate just gets a pool-o-sauces', because I'm not a sauce 'drizzler', I'm a sauce 'dunker'.

And if you look really close, you'll see the chip on my dinner plate on the right side.  Don't feel a bit sorry for me, I'm ordering new dishes next in a couple of days with my birthday money (from January!).  For a long time I've been looking for a set of white porcelain dinnerware, and I finally found a really nice one on sale at JCP.com.  I'm waiting to order them because my $10 coupon is not in effect until the 23rd.  Yep.  I'm waiting to save $10.00, because $10 saved is $10 earned. 

Plus, my Mama taught me to save whenever I possibly can.  She was a very wise woman.   I really, really miss my Mama. 

And I certainly do save whever I possible can.  I'm a frugal foodie. 

Hmmm...Frugal Foodie...that's catchy...I'll have to remember that one!  'I'm Kitchen Kimberley, the Frugal Foodie'! 

Am I thinking out loud?  It feels like it to me.  It must be getting late.  I should 'wrap'. 

"Okay, people, that's a wrap!"  By the way, no one really says that in TV...at least I've never heard it. 

To sum it up, tonight's dinner was indulgent, quick, easy, tasty, and satisfying to the congested taste buds of my illin' hubby.  He managed to eek out a couple of 'mmm's with his very deep, low, congested voice, which I hope will be back to normal tomorrow.  If not, Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup is on the menu, and we'll blog about it then! 

Until then, I'll be counting my blessings, and counting the minutes until I can cook another meal!
Remember...cook, eat, smile, repeat!
Kimberley

p.s.  See?  I am just a real person!  I'm really just...plain old me!  If I were trying to be anything other than the 'real me' that I am, I would have shown you this picture of my plate, without the chip.  That's just the kind of foodie I am.  A real one.  With chipped plates and all.  And new ones on the way soon!  

Pork on a Fork. My Blue Plate Special!

Two days without water in my kitchen gave me severe cooking withdrawals!  Thanks to a water main break, and then a kitchen faucet that broke after getting clogged with the junk from the water main break...well, let's just say I got a new kitchen faucet and a new appreciation for clean running water! 


Yay!  Running water!

Allow me to pause for a moment to say that it's times like these that make me realize how much I really do take our 'life luxuries' for granted.  Luxuries like running water.  And filtered running water.  And my personal favorite -- instantly hot filtered running water.  Yep -- we're pretty spoiled in the country we live in, and I promise not to take it for granted again!  It would take me all day to list all of our 'life luxuries', so I'll just stop for a moment to be thankful and then move on to the food.  

I am thankful.  I am so very thankful.  We live in an incredible, free country.  With many life luxuries, including food.  And many luxurious foods.  I love luxurious foods!  When I don't have them, I crave them.  And for the last two days, I have been craving them; specifically -- one of our favorites -- Chicken Lickin' Pork Chops!  (I am drooling at the mere thought of them...oh how I miss them already!)

The food transition was quicker than I thought it would be.  For that, you are thankful, right?   You're welcome! 

Say it with me, friends -- Chicken Lickin' Pork Chops!  This old-fashioned recipe is a family favorite that has been passed down through the generations.  It is truly comfort food.   It makes you feel better.    

Like a hug from a pork chop.  

It is simply bliss on a blue plate. 

Heaven on a fork! 

Especially when snuggled up close to the creamy, rich, chicken-y rice mixture that goes along with it. 

Heaven. 

On a fork.  Mmmmm....you gotta (bad English, sorry!) try this one very soon! 

In a skillet, melt a little (2 tbsp.) butter-flavored shortening over medium-high heat.  It MUST be butter flavored, or it won't be the same.  Trust me...you want the BUTTER flavored shortening.  Did I mention that the shortening really should be butter-flavored?

While it's melting, mix together 1/4 cup flour, 2 tsp. garlic salt and 1 tsp. ground mustard in a zip-top bag.  (Easy clean up -- yay!)  I grind in a little fresh black pepper, too, to taste.  I like black pepper.  On everything, not just on pork chops. 

Place the pork chops in the flour mixture and coat evenly.  As you can see, I used 2 boneless pork loin chops because I was just cooking for 2, but the recipe calls for 4, and you can use bone-in chops, too.

Shake off the excess flour mixture and (using tongs!) carefully place chops into the hot shortening.  Brown on each side to get a nice, crispy crust, about 4 mintues on each side. 

Next, reduce the heat to medium-low, and add one can of Campbell's Chicken with Rice condensed soup, and half of a soup can of water.  Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.  Nooooo peeking! 

Basking in the aroma is allowed, but no peeking!

At this point, the whole house will smell fabulous.  Kind of like...fabulous fried chicken, only better!  Feel free to open a window and tease the neighbors with the delicious aromas.  Just be ready for company, and don't say I didn't warn you! 

While the pork chops are simmering away and getting melt-in-your-mouth tender, it is a good time to either make 4 cups of your favorite rice and steam some veggies to go alongside.  I also made a scrumptious Pear Salad, which makes a nice pairing to the dinner.  Hmmm...a pear pairing...not sure what to do with that one. 

Since it was just hubby and me, I simply added a handful of instant brown rice to the simmering liquid about 10 minutes before it was all done.  Oh...my...goodness gracious!  Pork on a fork never tasted so good!  

Ta-daaaa!  

See how the instant rice absorbed most of the liquid?  The rest of the liquid is like a scrumptious chicken-y gravy! 

And for this dinner....


Pear Salad...up close and personal!

 I am thankful! 

Hubby was thankful, too.  So thankful that he did the dishes!  Then I was thankful, again!

Quote for the day:  Life is good when there's pork on your fork, especially when it's in the form of Chicken Lickin' Pork Chops. 

This fabulous recipe is from my new cookbook, Fabulous Foodie Favorites: Cook, Eat, Smile, Repeat!   

Now, also available in the Kindle Edition for only $2.99  

Until we eat again...happy cooking!
Kimberley

p.s.  Although they tried, the chocolate chip cookies did NOT get to me last week.  But the Dove Dark Chocolates I got for Valentine's Day...now that's a whole other story!