1. Spin class is not happening today. Nor is swimming or running. I ran 6.75 yesterday; I'm not beating myself up too much over a rest day today. Realizing that I have no clue how to train for much of anything, and am probably doing everything wrong. When I read advice columns about "what I should be doing" in preparation for various races, I am usually doing not what's suggested. Let's hope I can still walk when I'm 80.
2. Definitely a 2-cup-of-coffee morning.
3. Where's Chloe the cat? Can't find her.
4. Watched Real Housewives of Atlanta last night for the first time. I thoroughly enjoyed the fight between Sheree' and her party planner; was that staged or genuine? Also enjoyed the occasional glimpses of interstate and skyline that looked familiar, like, "oh! Look! It's Northside Drive, where I always get confused getting back on 75 North!" or "this was obviously not filmed M-F from 6:30-9:30 am or 3:00-6:30 p.m.; cars seem to be moving." Where exactly do they live? I heard Buford?
5. Started a new blog designed to help educators of and other people interested in mass communication and gender/communication, inspired by my friend Jennie and her relationships blog, and my friend Anna and her relationships blog. I'm not sharing the address yet. I'm in the test phases, and not sure I like what I'm posting. As soon as I get the hang of it, and some insightful postings, I'll share. It's going to take a lot more energy than this one, as I hope to include, like, citations and theory and such. But, it could be helpful for a lot of people, including myself as I wade through really tough media/pop culture issues. Kind of a way to get academic research "out there" and share with people who don't really know much about academic research.
6. Eventually, the networks are going to run out of metropolitan areas to film/stage shows like Real Housewives, CSI, and Grey's Anatomy. Watch out, friends who live in remote, rural areas: "Real Housewives of Cairo Holler." "CSI: Opelika," and "Decatur General ER" are coming to a television near you. I feel it.
7. Less than two months till I defend my dissertation. 34 days till football season. 23 days till the triathlon. 12 days till I start my new job as an assistant professor.
8. 34 days till football season. :)
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
The Coolest Thing I've Ever Seen at a Concert
I saw this on Feministing, and it inspired today's random story from last April.
Rose and I went to the Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood concert at Rupp, as you may recall from an earlier post in which I berated the people next to me for asking me to sit during Carrie's set. I'm not the biggest Keith Urban fan in the world, but I fell in love with him shortly after he opened his set.
He sang a couple opening songs. And he looked over to his right, and read out loud from a really bright orange sign, "Let Her Play Your Guitar." He stood there a second, and said, "ok. Come on up!" The crowd went wild.
A few seconds later, there appeared on stage a young girl who looked like she was maybe 14 or 15, who had braces and long, bushy dark hair that almost covered her face, wearing jeans and a Janis Joplin t-shirt. She walked on stage looking a little shy and uncomfortable, and in the back of my mind I was thinking, I hope she doesn't screw up and embarrass herself. She said her name was Leslie and she was from Hazard, Kentucky.
This is what happened next:
Keith Urban - Raise the Barn
Girl rocked it out!! The quality of this video doesn't do her playing justice. As soon as they got her plugged in, she started wailing on her guitar. I hope to God she makes it as a world-famous musician someday. Keith was obviously impressed, and his band members stood around looking stunned by her musical ability. I could've listened to her play all night.
And that's the coolest thing I've ever, ever seen at a concert.
Rose and I went to the Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood concert at Rupp, as you may recall from an earlier post in which I berated the people next to me for asking me to sit during Carrie's set. I'm not the biggest Keith Urban fan in the world, but I fell in love with him shortly after he opened his set.
He sang a couple opening songs. And he looked over to his right, and read out loud from a really bright orange sign, "Let Her Play Your Guitar." He stood there a second, and said, "ok. Come on up!" The crowd went wild.
A few seconds later, there appeared on stage a young girl who looked like she was maybe 14 or 15, who had braces and long, bushy dark hair that almost covered her face, wearing jeans and a Janis Joplin t-shirt. She walked on stage looking a little shy and uncomfortable, and in the back of my mind I was thinking, I hope she doesn't screw up and embarrass herself. She said her name was Leslie and she was from Hazard, Kentucky.
This is what happened next:
Keith Urban - Raise the Barn
Girl rocked it out!! The quality of this video doesn't do her playing justice. As soon as they got her plugged in, she started wailing on her guitar. I hope to God she makes it as a world-famous musician someday. Keith was obviously impressed, and his band members stood around looking stunned by her musical ability. I could've listened to her play all night.
And that's the coolest thing I've ever, ever seen at a concert.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Three Food Items I Don't Buy
1. Breadcrumbs. Exception: panko, or Japanese breadcrumbs. Rationale: I never use a whole container before they "expire." It's much more cost-effective in my kitchen, right now, to just make breadcrumbs as needed. Procedure: Toast up a slice or two from the whole wheat loaf you have in the pantry that you use for sandwiches, and throw it in the food processor. Season to taste: salt, pepper, Italian dried herbs, parmesan, you get the picture.
2. Salad Dressing. Exception: Ken's Blue Cheese, if Dean & Donna are coming for dinner, as it's Dean's favorite (D&D are Dave's parents/my parents-in-law) (and they're cool). Rationale: seriously, you still buy salad dressing? When you have tasty extra virgin olive oil and multiple vinegars, mustards, and seasoning agents in your pantry? Homemade salad dressings are so, so so so much tastier than store-bought, and they're more fun, too, because you can make them yourselves. And, they have no preservatives, which equals healthier. And, you are in complete control of the flavor, and amount of fat. Procedure: dressings usually involve a fat (think: oil, mayonnaise, bacon grease) and an acid (such as vinegar: balsamic, red wine, white wine, champagne, vanilla fig balsamic, rice wine; mustard: dijon, grainy dijon, plain ol' yeller mustard; or citrus: orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, grapefruit juice). Two additional must-have ingredients in ALL of my dressings: salt and pepper. Now, even within the pepper category, you have plenty of options: black pepper, cayenne, chili powder, Chinese five spice, paprika, wasabi, ginger, horseradish.... Next, because I have a sweet tooth, I generally prefer some sort of sweetener in my dressings. This takes the form of: plain sugar, honey, simple syrup, or a jam/jelly (raspberry, blackberry, plum, orange, strawberry). Top it off with any other fresh or dried herb to fit the meal or salad. Whisk together in small amounts, tasting as you go to get the flavor profile just right. And voila. Kitchen brilliance and creativity. Tell me people aren't impressed the next time you serve a salad with your "homemade wasabi vinaigrette" or dip that sandwich wrap in a "homemade Italian lemon and basil vinaigrette."
3. Soups. Exception: Campbell's cream of chicken/mushroom, ONLY for chicken, tuna, or hashbrown casseroles. Rationale: once you start making your own soups, you won't go back to canned soup again. Homemade soups are (a) easy, (b) cost-effective, and (c) simply divine. I hear there are tasty canned soup options these days, but I can't bring myself to try them. Just looking at them in the grocery store kind of makes me cringe a little, and feel bad for people who don't make their own soups. Procedure: think of your favorite soup. Look for a recipe for it, or just ask me; I probably have a recipe to share. Follow the recipe exactly, and enjoy the meal. Soups follow an easy procedure: sautee some sort of aromatic in oil/butter (like onion, celery, carrot, leeks), create some flavor with salt, pepper and dried herbs, add other proteins (chicken, beef, tofu) and vegetables as necessary (potatoes, tomatoes, zuccini, beans), create a soup in which to simmer the vegetables/meats (chicken broth, vegetable broth, beef broth, milk/cream, water, splash or two of wine or vinegar), top with something (tortillas, crackers, sour cream, avocado, grated onion, melty cheese) and eat.
2. Salad Dressing. Exception: Ken's Blue Cheese, if Dean & Donna are coming for dinner, as it's Dean's favorite (D&D are Dave's parents/my parents-in-law) (and they're cool). Rationale: seriously, you still buy salad dressing? When you have tasty extra virgin olive oil and multiple vinegars, mustards, and seasoning agents in your pantry? Homemade salad dressings are so, so so so much tastier than store-bought, and they're more fun, too, because you can make them yourselves. And, they have no preservatives, which equals healthier. And, you are in complete control of the flavor, and amount of fat. Procedure: dressings usually involve a fat (think: oil, mayonnaise, bacon grease) and an acid (such as vinegar: balsamic, red wine, white wine, champagne, vanilla fig balsamic, rice wine; mustard: dijon, grainy dijon, plain ol' yeller mustard; or citrus: orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, grapefruit juice). Two additional must-have ingredients in ALL of my dressings: salt and pepper. Now, even within the pepper category, you have plenty of options: black pepper, cayenne, chili powder, Chinese five spice, paprika, wasabi, ginger, horseradish.... Next, because I have a sweet tooth, I generally prefer some sort of sweetener in my dressings. This takes the form of: plain sugar, honey, simple syrup, or a jam/jelly (raspberry, blackberry, plum, orange, strawberry). Top it off with any other fresh or dried herb to fit the meal or salad. Whisk together in small amounts, tasting as you go to get the flavor profile just right. And voila. Kitchen brilliance and creativity. Tell me people aren't impressed the next time you serve a salad with your "homemade wasabi vinaigrette" or dip that sandwich wrap in a "homemade Italian lemon and basil vinaigrette."
3. Soups. Exception: Campbell's cream of chicken/mushroom, ONLY for chicken, tuna, or hashbrown casseroles. Rationale: once you start making your own soups, you won't go back to canned soup again. Homemade soups are (a) easy, (b) cost-effective, and (c) simply divine. I hear there are tasty canned soup options these days, but I can't bring myself to try them. Just looking at them in the grocery store kind of makes me cringe a little, and feel bad for people who don't make their own soups. Procedure: think of your favorite soup. Look for a recipe for it, or just ask me; I probably have a recipe to share. Follow the recipe exactly, and enjoy the meal. Soups follow an easy procedure: sautee some sort of aromatic in oil/butter (like onion, celery, carrot, leeks), create some flavor with salt, pepper and dried herbs, add other proteins (chicken, beef, tofu) and vegetables as necessary (potatoes, tomatoes, zuccini, beans), create a soup in which to simmer the vegetables/meats (chicken broth, vegetable broth, beef broth, milk/cream, water, splash or two of wine or vinegar), top with something (tortillas, crackers, sour cream, avocado, grated onion, melty cheese) and eat.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Tastes Like Hawaii
Of all the tasty dishes we ate out "on the island," my favorite one was an acai bowl.
Well, ok. My favorite non-artery-clogging one was the acai bowl. My real favorite was the pound of buttery peel & eat shrimp washed down with a pineapple coconut smoothie we had at Giovanni's Shrimp Truck. Josh Holloway wasn't lying: they were worth the drive to a remote area on the north shore.
I digress. Acai berry is like the new blueberry from what I've heard. We got addicted to the acai bowl at the little coffee shop next to our hotel in Oahu. It was so tasty and cold; basically frozen acai blended with apple juice, served with a sliced banana, honey, and granola in a cute little wooden bowl. It was a smoothie in a bowl. And it was so refreshing on those hot, humid mornings. It also reminds me of the little Italian couple who was always in the coffee shop when we were, drinking cappuccinos and eating pastries for breakfast. How Italian! I wanted to be their friend, but I was shy. I did end up taking their picture at the U.S.S. Arizona memorial, as, ironically, they were there at the same time we were.
Anyway. Acai berries. They have antioxidants or something. They're dark purple. They're tasty. And you can buy them in juice or frozen form in your local grocery store. I've found the juice at Kroger, the frozen stuff I have to get at Harry's, which has an extensive section of organic frozen fruit. I've found that these ingredients:
along with some honey (not pictured) thrown in a blender makes a substantial, absolutely delicious smoothie. I just slurped one down. Yummmmm.
Well, ok. My favorite non-artery-clogging one was the acai bowl. My real favorite was the pound of buttery peel & eat shrimp washed down with a pineapple coconut smoothie we had at Giovanni's Shrimp Truck. Josh Holloway wasn't lying: they were worth the drive to a remote area on the north shore.
I digress. Acai berry is like the new blueberry from what I've heard. We got addicted to the acai bowl at the little coffee shop next to our hotel in Oahu. It was so tasty and cold; basically frozen acai blended with apple juice, served with a sliced banana, honey, and granola in a cute little wooden bowl. It was a smoothie in a bowl. And it was so refreshing on those hot, humid mornings. It also reminds me of the little Italian couple who was always in the coffee shop when we were, drinking cappuccinos and eating pastries for breakfast. How Italian! I wanted to be their friend, but I was shy. I did end up taking their picture at the U.S.S. Arizona memorial, as, ironically, they were there at the same time we were.
Anyway. Acai berries. They have antioxidants or something. They're dark purple. They're tasty. And you can buy them in juice or frozen form in your local grocery store. I've found the juice at Kroger, the frozen stuff I have to get at Harry's, which has an extensive section of organic frozen fruit. I've found that these ingredients:
along with some honey (not pictured) thrown in a blender makes a substantial, absolutely delicious smoothie. I just slurped one down. Yummmmm.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Anniversary Dinner
So many signs led me to conclude that Chicken Tetrazzini should be our anniversary meal.
First, there was this clip that we saw on The Soup a while back. If you are a regular watcher, then you know that's not the only time "chicken tetrazzini" has come up this year.
Then, there was all this chatter this week on my Facebook wall, via sorority sister Critta, about her husband calling Giada DeLaurentiis "Godda Delaurious," and his claiming to have made her chicken tetrazzini recipe for dinner, when instead it was something store-bought. Hilarious. And ironic, since I make Giada's chicken tet recipe for special occasions, like anniversaries.
Then, there was an email I sent to Dave asking if he preferred steak or chicken tet for anniversary dinner. He immediately requested chicken tetrazzini. The first time I made it, I think he fell in love with me all over again. I'm not sure if it's the peas, the mushrooms, or the creamy sauce that did him in. Whatever it was, it worked, and I love the dish too.
Right before the wedding, I purchased a bottle of Moet & Chandon champagne. I fully intended for us to drink it on the Sunday afternoon/night following our wedding, as a little "yay we're married!" treat to ourselves, and a way to relax at home before flying off on our honeymoon. I splurged for the good stuff (as opposed to the $4 Brut I generally purchase when I need to get champagne) because it was what was served at the infamous Bubble-Q we attended in Miami two years ago, where I met all my favorite Food Network stars. We haven't had any since! I thought it would be special. I'd be hailed as a great wife, on day 2 of the marriage even! However, on the day after our wedding, I was (a) still really full from the impromptu brunch we had at Marlowe's Tavern with some of our favorite wedding guests (where I believe Loren made me eat scrambled eggs, something I just don't do, but was glad I did that time because they were quite tasty and Lord knows I needed some protein), (b) still slightly hungover from the night before, (c) enjoying spending time with Anne at our pool until she had to fly away, (d) busy packing for 10 days in Hawaii (e) busy washing clothes, including my wedding dress that got beer spilled all over it, which was awesome - both the funny story resulting from the beer spillage and the fact that I could just throw my wedding dress in the washing machine, and (f) more tired than I'd ever been in my life. I sent Dave out for Firehouse Subs for dinner. I had lost my voice from talking so much over the weekend. And I just laid on the couch for a few hours, staring at the tv. When I lay still on the couch for more than 2 hours, and I'm not watching a movie, it's a good indication that I'm either sick, or completely worn out. Given the circumstances, we figured the champagne would wait until we got back. I figured there was no better excuse to drink it than the four-year anniversary of our first date.
What was our first date, you ask? Dave picked me up at Christy's house (then in Peachtree City). We went to Fernbank's martini's and IMAX event, that still is held each Friday night during the summers. Dave learned that the best way to my heart was to give me a snack, a good drink, and a natural history museum. And a good dinner. We went to Dante's, a Buckhead landmark that I highly recommend to anyone who hasn't been there yet. If I had the chance to pick a last meal, it'd be eaten at Dante's. They're that good. Plan on at least 2 hours of gorging. I'd never had fondue before, but it was divine, especially at Dante's. Melting Pot what? I won't go anymore. It's not Dante's.
So, tonight, four years later, we ate chicken tet out on *our* back porch, watching Chloe chase leaves, drinking tasty champagne, and talking about what we thought life would be like in 4 years. Neither of us could really foresee much of anything different. Just more of Team Dawmilam being awesome.
First, there was this clip that we saw on The Soup a while back. If you are a regular watcher, then you know that's not the only time "chicken tetrazzini" has come up this year.
Then, there was all this chatter this week on my Facebook wall, via sorority sister Critta, about her husband calling Giada DeLaurentiis "Godda Delaurious," and his claiming to have made her chicken tetrazzini recipe for dinner, when instead it was something store-bought. Hilarious. And ironic, since I make Giada's chicken tet recipe for special occasions, like anniversaries.
Then, there was an email I sent to Dave asking if he preferred steak or chicken tet for anniversary dinner. He immediately requested chicken tetrazzini. The first time I made it, I think he fell in love with me all over again. I'm not sure if it's the peas, the mushrooms, or the creamy sauce that did him in. Whatever it was, it worked, and I love the dish too.
Right before the wedding, I purchased a bottle of Moet & Chandon champagne. I fully intended for us to drink it on the Sunday afternoon/night following our wedding, as a little "yay we're married!" treat to ourselves, and a way to relax at home before flying off on our honeymoon. I splurged for the good stuff (as opposed to the $4 Brut I generally purchase when I need to get champagne) because it was what was served at the infamous Bubble-Q we attended in Miami two years ago, where I met all my favorite Food Network stars. We haven't had any since! I thought it would be special. I'd be hailed as a great wife, on day 2 of the marriage even! However, on the day after our wedding, I was (a) still really full from the impromptu brunch we had at Marlowe's Tavern with some of our favorite wedding guests (where I believe Loren made me eat scrambled eggs, something I just don't do, but was glad I did that time because they were quite tasty and Lord knows I needed some protein), (b) still slightly hungover from the night before, (c) enjoying spending time with Anne at our pool until she had to fly away, (d) busy packing for 10 days in Hawaii (e) busy washing clothes, including my wedding dress that got beer spilled all over it, which was awesome - both the funny story resulting from the beer spillage and the fact that I could just throw my wedding dress in the washing machine, and (f) more tired than I'd ever been in my life. I sent Dave out for Firehouse Subs for dinner. I had lost my voice from talking so much over the weekend. And I just laid on the couch for a few hours, staring at the tv. When I lay still on the couch for more than 2 hours, and I'm not watching a movie, it's a good indication that I'm either sick, or completely worn out. Given the circumstances, we figured the champagne would wait until we got back. I figured there was no better excuse to drink it than the four-year anniversary of our first date.
What was our first date, you ask? Dave picked me up at Christy's house (then in Peachtree City). We went to Fernbank's martini's and IMAX event, that still is held each Friday night during the summers. Dave learned that the best way to my heart was to give me a snack, a good drink, and a natural history museum. And a good dinner. We went to Dante's, a Buckhead landmark that I highly recommend to anyone who hasn't been there yet. If I had the chance to pick a last meal, it'd be eaten at Dante's. They're that good. Plan on at least 2 hours of gorging. I'd never had fondue before, but it was divine, especially at Dante's. Melting Pot what? I won't go anymore. It's not Dante's.
So, tonight, four years later, we ate chicken tet out on *our* back porch, watching Chloe chase leaves, drinking tasty champagne, and talking about what we thought life would be like in 4 years. Neither of us could really foresee much of anything different. Just more of Team Dawmilam being awesome.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Loaded Potato Soup
I just did something sublimely soothing. I pulled out my Le Creuset dutch oven (I smile whenever I pull it down from the cabinet, and sometimes talk to it), and cooked with leeks for the first time. I've never had leeks, that I'm aware of; only seen them used on Food Network. I've heard tv chefs fawn over them, and have always wanted to try them out. Thank goodness I did, as they made my dinner, well, LBDelicious.
The soothing part of the night came from first rinsing them, cleaning them of any remaining sediment still in the layers of mellow, oniony goodness of the vegetable. Came second from using my super sharp chef's knife to slice them into thin half-moons. Came third from seeing a pat of butter and olive oil sizzling away in the aforementioned pot. And came fourth from eating big spoonfuls (right out of the simmering pot! I love cooking for this very reason) a potato soup that I finally got right.
It's the third time in my life I've tried to make potato soup. The first time was an epic fail. It was basically mashed potatoes (sorry, Rose; you lived through that one). The second time, it turned into gravy soup. Dave loved it; my arteries did not. This time, I didn't use bacon grease (although that's part of why Dave loved the gravy soup) and I didn't use any thickening agent. I Deee-lish. Here's the recipe.
about 1/2 tablespoon butter
about 1/2 tablespoon EVOO
4 leeks, sliced thinly up to the green part
about 2 -3 cups of leftover mashed potatoes
1/2 cup white wine
about 2 cups chicken broth
splash of 2% milk
salt & pepper, plenty of it
In a large stockpot/soup pot, heat butter and oil over medium high heat. Add leeks, salt & pepper. Sautee until cooked, about 7-8 minutes. Deglaze pan by pouring in wine, scraping up any browned bits that have collected on the bottom. Add chicken stock and leftover potatoes; salt & pepper again. Stir together. Add milk if you want a thinner consistency. Puree in food processor or blender to combine leeks with potatoes. Simmer about 15 minutes. Top with bacon, cheese, scallions, sour cream - whatever you want - to make it "loaded."
We ate this tonight with a piece of crusty French bread and some leftover ham, onion & asparagus frittata that I made earlier in the week. Yes, I usually have things like frittatas just laying around the house. Welcome to my life.
Next up: what to make for anniversary dinner? Our 4-year-dating anniversary is next week, and I always craft a special meal for the occasion. It will probably involve a really expensive cut of meat, and probably some sort of complicated cooking technique. And will definitely involve the bottle of Moet champagne I've been hanging on to for the occasion.
The soothing part of the night came from first rinsing them, cleaning them of any remaining sediment still in the layers of mellow, oniony goodness of the vegetable. Came second from using my super sharp chef's knife to slice them into thin half-moons. Came third from seeing a pat of butter and olive oil sizzling away in the aforementioned pot. And came fourth from eating big spoonfuls (right out of the simmering pot! I love cooking for this very reason) a potato soup that I finally got right.
It's the third time in my life I've tried to make potato soup. The first time was an epic fail. It was basically mashed potatoes (sorry, Rose; you lived through that one). The second time, it turned into gravy soup. Dave loved it; my arteries did not. This time, I didn't use bacon grease (although that's part of why Dave loved the gravy soup) and I didn't use any thickening agent. I Deee-lish. Here's the recipe.
about 1/2 tablespoon butter
about 1/2 tablespoon EVOO
4 leeks, sliced thinly up to the green part
about 2 -3 cups of leftover mashed potatoes
1/2 cup white wine
about 2 cups chicken broth
splash of 2% milk
salt & pepper, plenty of it
In a large stockpot/soup pot, heat butter and oil over medium high heat. Add leeks, salt & pepper. Sautee until cooked, about 7-8 minutes. Deglaze pan by pouring in wine, scraping up any browned bits that have collected on the bottom. Add chicken stock and leftover potatoes; salt & pepper again. Stir together. Add milk if you want a thinner consistency. Puree in food processor or blender to combine leeks with potatoes. Simmer about 15 minutes. Top with bacon, cheese, scallions, sour cream - whatever you want - to make it "loaded."
We ate this tonight with a piece of crusty French bread and some leftover ham, onion & asparagus frittata that I made earlier in the week. Yes, I usually have things like frittatas just laying around the house. Welcome to my life.
Next up: what to make for anniversary dinner? Our 4-year-dating anniversary is next week, and I always craft a special meal for the occasion. It will probably involve a really expensive cut of meat, and probably some sort of complicated cooking technique. And will definitely involve the bottle of Moet champagne I've been hanging on to for the occasion.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Grilled Pork Chops with Rosemary & Garlic
God bless my mother (who I know is reading this), but growing up, I hated pork chop night. She always pan-fried bone-in chops, and there's nothing wrong with that. I just didn't know pork could be thick, tender, and juicy until I decided to cook it one day myself. (Note: I should admit, in my mother's defense, that I refused to try anything that wasn't Kraft macaroni and cheese, or ground beef tacos in Old El Paso shells with Velveeta on top. Come to think of it, I rarely ate anything that didn't have some form of Velveeta cheese in it or on it, and I only drank SunDrop. My today self shudders at the thought. It's ok. I was quite a picky eater, and it's not necessarily her fault that I didn't like her pork chops. I didn't like anything back then. And I'm very grateful that she placated my horrible palate and always made me macaroni and cheese, no matter what we were having for dinner. When I have children, I'm not going to be that nice. The kids can eat what I make, make something themselves, or starve.) I think my first yummy pork adventure was when I attempted something out of a Rachael Ray cookbook, in which I simply seared the pork chops, threw them in the oven to finish cooking, and made a mustard sauce (similar to the one I made with caramelized onions) out of the pan drippings. It was simply divine. Pork chops are generally inexpensive, they freeze well so you can catch them on sale and stock up, and if you cut the fat off the side, it's a fairly lean cut of meat; a great carnivorous diversion from the usual chicken or beef.
I can't tell you how much Dave and I enjoy grilled pork chops. If done right, they are flavorful and juicy, just as the ones we made last night. What I invented last night sounded like something Giada would make.
Grilled Pork Chops with Rosemary & Garlic
4 pork chops (I used boneless; Kroger was out of bone-in, but whatever you've got will work)
couple sprigs of fresh rosemary (thank you, Christy, for that lovely rosemary plant that I by some miracle haven't killed yet)
one clove of garlic
salt & pepper
extra virgin olive oil
Preheat grill. Prepare a rub for the pork by chopping together the garlic, rosemary, and salt. Mince it into a paste with a sharp knife, or grind together with a mortar and pestle. Set aside. Rub pork chops with oil, pepper generously, then massage the rub into the meat. Grill until cooked through (use a meat thermometer: make sure it registers 170 degrees). Set aside and cover with tin foil, allow to rest for 5 minutes so the juices redistribute and the pork stays juicy.
We devoured these with homemade mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus.
And I know this is random, but if I had all the money in the world, the first thing I'd do is hire someone to go out and buy me all the clothes that Giada wears. I'm sure it helps to have a husband who works for Anthropologie. But still. I love her clothes. All of them.
I can't tell you how much Dave and I enjoy grilled pork chops. If done right, they are flavorful and juicy, just as the ones we made last night. What I invented last night sounded like something Giada would make.
Grilled Pork Chops with Rosemary & Garlic
4 pork chops (I used boneless; Kroger was out of bone-in, but whatever you've got will work)
couple sprigs of fresh rosemary (thank you, Christy, for that lovely rosemary plant that I by some miracle haven't killed yet)
one clove of garlic
salt & pepper
extra virgin olive oil
Preheat grill. Prepare a rub for the pork by chopping together the garlic, rosemary, and salt. Mince it into a paste with a sharp knife, or grind together with a mortar and pestle. Set aside. Rub pork chops with oil, pepper generously, then massage the rub into the meat. Grill until cooked through (use a meat thermometer: make sure it registers 170 degrees). Set aside and cover with tin foil, allow to rest for 5 minutes so the juices redistribute and the pork stays juicy.
We devoured these with homemade mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus.
And I know this is random, but if I had all the money in the world, the first thing I'd do is hire someone to go out and buy me all the clothes that Giada wears. I'm sure it helps to have a husband who works for Anthropologie. But still. I love her clothes. All of them.
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