Jazzin' Up Dinner

Not to brag, but last night I made a really tasty and easy dinner! That second adjective (easy) is key for me. I am by no means a master cook. I frequently text my mom asking how to do something or search online. I like recipes without too many ingredients and steps. I enjoy cooking, but I don't have all night to prepare multiple ingredients and create this elaborate meal. Give me quick, simple, and delicious! However, I do from time to time like to jazz things up and make my simple meal seem more intricate and fancy. Tricky? Maybe. Worth it? Definitely!

That being said, I LOVE the Betty Crocker Cooking Basics cookbook that my mom gave me for Christmas a few years ago. It gives so many helpful tips on how to buy various food items and how to prepare them. It provides step by step instructions from prep to finish. This past weekend, I went through it and slapped sticky-notes on probably a couple dozen pages of recipes I want to try in the near future, although every single one sounds delicious. Last night's meal: Pork Chops with Apples.

Here's how to make it:

Ingredients:
1 medium Granny Smith (I used 2 smaller-than-medium and I think it was the perfect amount)
2 T packed brown sugar
1/4 t cinnamon
2 pork chops

(see what I mean...short list of ingredients! I like it!)

Preheat oven to 350.

 I used an apple cutter to cut each apple into 8 pieces and then I sliced each piece in half. Line the bottom of your casserole dish with the apples. Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon over the apples. I did more cinnamon than it calls for. I didn't even measure but just sprinkled it all over.

P.S. Part of jazzin' up dinner in my opinion means to use cute dishes/serveware. I just got married a couple months and got all the dishes and serveware I wanted for presents (yay! thank you guests). I am still at the point where some items are being used for the first time. Such as this casserole dish from Crate & Barrel. It came in a set with 2 smaller ones in different colors. Mmmm, I love it.

Set the casserole dish aside while you prepare the pork. I bought a 6 pack because it was slightly cheaper than a 3 pack. Plus, now I have 2 sets of pork chops in the freezer for a future meal rather than 1 extra that won't make a meal for my husband and I. BTW, these are bone-in, but I don't think it matters. Trim most of the fat off of your chops.

Put some cooking spray (I use EVOO) in a skillet on medium heat and let the pan get hot. Put your chops in the pan and cook for 5 minutes, turning once. Here are mine after the turn. They will not get fully cooked in the skillet, don't worry, they are going in the oven!

 After the 5 minutes, place the chops on top of the apples. Cover with foil and pop in the oven for 45 minutes.

Another part of jazzin' up dinner for me is to have a couple side dishes. Now remember I said I'm not a master cook. So, yes, I still make mashed potatoes from a box and I used frozen peas. :S But come on, it's not the worst I could do. I'll get there, give me time. To make these just follow the directions on the box/bag...super simple!

 BUT....I did decide to jazz the potatoes up by adding some basil and garlic! Yuuum!

When the timer beeps at 45 min, check your apples with a fork to see if they are tender. Cut into the center of your chops to see that they are barely pink. If done, let rest for a few minutes. (Tip I learned from Rachel Ray to always let meat rest after cooking so that all the juices settle and you don't cut the meat and drain all the good flavor out right away). While my meat was setting, I made the mashed potatoes (peas had already been cooking).

 My workspace. I love having ingredients prepped and ready to go at my side.

Now for the presentation! Typically, I plate the meal in the kitchen. But tonight, (part of jazzin' it up) I put everything into serveware and set it on the table. Again, notice the pretty dishes! My Parker bowls from Crate & Barrel. I have the mixing set (blue bowl with mashed potatoes) and the Minis (yellow bowl with peas). S&P shakers are Fiestaware.

Doesn't it look nice?

 Yuuum! So pretty on my Eva Mendes plate (from Macy's). Husband gave this meal a thumbs-up and said he could eat it every other week! Score!!!

Let me know if you try this recipe. What do you do to jazz up a meal? What dishes/serveware that you own do you just love?




 

Beauty Through Smoke

Okay, I'm gonna get all mushy and metaphor-y.

When I came outside of the school board meeting tonight, I saw this gorgeous sunset!

The picture (which I took out my car window while at a stop light) does not even do it justice! It was blood red orange and the sky around it was infused with the same intense hues!

I said to my colleague "Wow, look at that sunset!"
She replied "ya, it's because of all the smoke and junk in the air today."
"Oh, right. Well, it's still beautiful!"

And then on the drive home, I got to thinking. Sunsets are beautiful, they really are, and no two are alike. But this was exceptionally colorful and vibrant because of negative substance. Beauty from filth.

So then my mind jumped to some analogies about my life at this point in time and my faith.

Life at this point in time:
I applied to over 20 positions in 4 districts in 2 states for a teaching job. I had 2 interviews for 1st grade about 2 weeks apart. I REALLY wanted both positions. Unfortunately, both principals called me to say "you had really great answers, you'd be a great asset to the district, but....we hired someone else." I cried, a lot, both times. I was crushed. The school year was getting closer and I had no job. I thought either of those positions would have been perfect. A step up from my student-teaching experience in Kindergarten, a school really close to my house, a few weeks to plan before school started...great! But, notice I said "I" thought they would have been perfect. In spite of the major disappointment, I knew God had a different idea of perfect. That idea was a half-day Kindergarten position. Going into the interview, I was not as stoked because I wanted full time and I wanted a higher grade. But I went and I interviewed. When I left that interview I thought, there is NO way, I am getting that job. That was my worst interview of all 3. I rambled, didn't answer the questions right, was clueless about some answers. OH VEY! And yet...the call a few hours later said they wanted to hire me! WHAT?!?!?! Shocked and so happy, I accepted and started the next morning at 8:15. I have been going full steam ever since and now I am SO blessed to have 1/2 day. I don't know HOW I could handle full-time teaching with all the extra work that goes on. God knew I would be overwhelmed as it is with me job and wife roles. God knew I needed a nice transition into both of my  new roles. God had the perfect plan. He knew. So as I sit here each night, organizing, reading, filing, planning, etc. I am so thankful for my current sunset in spite of the smoke I went through to get here.

Faith:
A smoky sunset could not be a better analogy of Christ's love, sacrifice, and grace for us. I believe that His goodness and mercy becomes even more profound and amazing in light of our selfish and sinful ways. Through our pain and suffering, we can rejoice in His peace and hope for the future. Through His pain and suffering, He freely offers us that hope. Beauty through smoke.

Here I am on the First Day of School, smiling, and so happy to be an official teacher! Praise Jesus!

Leave me a comment to let me know you stopped by and/or if you want to share your own Beauty Through Smoke story.

By the way, I have linked up with a couple other blogs that have many similar topics as my blog. Check them out here:

Happy Labor Day!

In honor of this day, I woke up and started my Laboring RIGHT away. :)

What was I doing you may ask? Making Homemade Tortilla Chips!

Super easy, super cheap, and healthier than chips you buy because they are baked and only 2 ingredients: corn tortillas and salt!

Bag of 30 corn tortillas: $1.24

I cut the first stack into 18 pieces but decided those were too small so the next 3 stacks I cut into 8 pieces.

 Lay them on a baking tray.

 Sprinkle/spray with a bit of water then sprinkle salt onto them.

Bake at 450 degrees for 7 minutes or until crispy. I turn my pan around at 5 minutes. If you think they need to go longer than 7 minutes, you gotta watch them because from that point they crisp up really fast.

 Voila! Homemade tasty tortilla chips! My husband took a few and said he really liked them. Success!

This should last us through a couple meals (hopefully...my husband LOVES to eat chips)

Now off to enjoy the day NOT-Laboring with my family :)

Super Mom to the Rescue!

Now, I think I have been working hard and getting things done the past month with registry stuff, cleaning, cooking, organizing, etc. But...it didn't seem to be getting very done. Enter Super Mom!

My mom is wonderful, she's great, she's not only a Super Mom but she taught me (practically everything) I know! It was time for  her magic to make my house become a home and not a clutter cove.

She came over yesterday and we totally dominated! My kitchen, dining room, and living room are completely cleaned, tidied, organized, livable and even cute! When we were almost done, we realized we hadn't taken a BEFORE picture, but then we quickly said, "that's okay, we prefer not to remember what it looked like before." So, here are all the AFTER pictures.

Shiny new silverware, awesome Cutco knives, and colorful measuring utensils.

Candles, serveware, pretty glassware

Dining "Room"

Centerpiece: Table Runner gift from Crate and Barrel, vase and candle wedding gift, rocks found in cupboard.

Our Living Room

Got this table from Re-Store and have plans to re-finish it soon.

All the colors in my kitchen make me happy!

Tupperware and cooking prep bowls/measuring cups

Cookbooks and Vitamins

Probably my favorite picture because it contains so many great things! Fiestware dishes and canisters, spice rack and fruit bowl from C&B and Pistachio KitchenAid!

Love our new toaster and espresso maker

I am so glad we have an island

Gotta love organization in the kitchen

My wonderful non-stick pots and pans from Costco

So pretty, right?

Parker Mixing bowls from C&B, pretty serveware: Eva Mendes and Fiesta

All my bakeware including casserole dishes from C&B

Appliances

Great cupboards for storing big and extra food items

Cleaning supplies and my aprons

My "office" nook for now