Smothered Pork Chops

I never ate pork chops a child.  Nothing against them, we just never ate them.  As I became older, I kept hearing people rave about pork chops.  I found it odd that people ate pork just like they would eat chicken or steak.  I only ate pork in bbq and on new years eve (my moms slow cooker pork and sauerkraut is amazing).  One day I was casually browsing various internet blogs when I found a posting for "low country smothered pork chops".  This casual finding is one that has changed my life.  This recipe is amazing....simply delicious.  I'd say it's one of my "last 5 meals of my life" recipes.  You need to make it soon...real soon.

1. Cut up one large green bell pepper and one sweet onion.  Put them to the side.

2.  Mix together flour, onion powder, garlic powder and salt.  Dredge pork chops in flour and put on a separate plate.

(This pork chop is HUGE compared to normal ones.  They were on sale so that's what I used.  I love leftovers so it works.)

3.  Place pork chops in a heated cast iron pan.  Brown on both sides.

4.  Put browned pork chops aside and place onions and peppers in the pan.

5.  Add garlic and let cook for 2 to 3 minutes.  I always buy chopped garlic.  It's fast and honestly I don't notice much of a difference.

6.  Push peppers and onions to the side and add pork chops back to the pan.  Place onions and peppers on top of the pork chops.

7.  Pour in half a box of chicken stock and 4-5 dashes of worcestershire sauce.  Cover with tin foil and cook on medium low for 45 minutes.

8.  Serve over rice or noodles.

9.  ENJOY!!!

~Ashley

A Love Hate Relationship

I have always wanted to become a runner.  You know...the cool people in the cute sports clothes happily jogging along the road.  I see them and secretly wish I was that cool person in the cute sports clothes happily jogging along the road.  The problem is...I am not a runner.  It's no secret.  I think it began in 7th grade.  I ate a huge pancake breakfast (chocolate chip pancakes) before the mile run and then tried to get my fastest time.  I won't go into details but lets just say it was not a pretty site.  To this day I will not eat anything before I exercise.  I've gotten over my embarrassment of puking on the track during my adolescent years and my desire to run has returned.  I started in the fall but stopped in the winter because I didn't want to break a limb slipping on ice (I'm clumsy).  I started back about two weeks ago.  The routine goes something like this.

I put Dexter's harness on.  He's usually waiting by the door.

(Notice the broken blinds?...........I love my dog..........)

I steal my husbands running shoes.

I take a deep breath and remind myself that I'm not in 7th grade anymore....

And then I head out.

I'm finally getting to the point where I look forward to my run after work.  By no means am I jumping for joy because I get to go running. It's more of an end of the work day routine.  Unfortunately getting used to running takes a while....I'm still out of breath.

~Ashley

Fridays

My coffee was delicious this morning and it didn't burn my mouth for the first time all week.  I graded and entered all of my students papers.  My favorite song came on the radio on my way home from work and I sang loud with the windows open.  I ran with my dog and didn't keel over after 30 seconds.  I came home to this....

........a clean kitchen.   Also.....it's FRIDAY!  I hope your day has been splendid!

~Ashley

Thunderstorms...

Two days ago, this popped up on the weather channel.

I am terrified of thunderstorms.  Not in a "oh they scare me so I'm just going to stay inside" kind of way.  I'm talking shaking in my boots boo hooing like a 3 year old.  In college, I was stuck inside of a mall during a HUGE thunderstorm and hid in the racks of clothes (I wish I was making this up).  On my flight back from Kenya, we landed in a lightning storm and I had my first hysterical melt down.  Yes...I was that crazy lady on the plan shaking and crying and screaming that I was never leaving the ground again...ever.  Needless to say, thunderstorms bother me.  Two days ago...the news got worse.

Now I may be terrified of thunder storms, but I am petrified of tornadoes.  They haunt my nightmares.  No joke.  Just last week I was sucked into oblivion by a tornado that hit my apartment complex (in my dreams of course).  In high school I saw a funnel cloud and nearly fainted while driving.

Is my fear rational?....No.  Is it annoying?.....yes.  During all of this, I was at school.  While at school I take the responsibility of watching over my 90 some students.  It is a bit difficult to act like a grown up when you feel sick to your stomach watching the clouds get darker...and darker...and darker.  One of my students asked me if I liked thunderstorms.  I quickly replied NO.  They then said their sister was scared of thunderstorms as well.  I said their sister and I had that in common.  They said their sister was 3.  I didn't feel any better.  Where does this fear come from?  I have no idea.  I can only hope that I will "grow" out of it.  Thankfully, 3 hours later it looked like this outside.

Stupid Thunderstorms.

~Ashley

Mondays

I had a case of the Mondays today.  My alarm clock went off and I ignored it 10 times until my husband made me shut it off.  Then I realized I still had to take a shower, make coffee, and compose myself  in 20 minutes (which is a task I must say because I look rough in the morning).  Even though it was off to a shaky start...it was a great day.  Not as good as yesterday though.  Yesterday was just awesome.  The kind of day I'll remember 10 years from now as the "awesome day".  It involved some of this...

and a lot of this

It's days like yesterday that make me ache for spring time.  Soon my friends....soon.

On a random note, I tried out a new recipe tonight and it was super tasty!  If you don't know, I happen to be Pioneer Woman's biggest fan.  I know people joke about this but I'm not joking....I'm her biggest fan.  She has a recipe for a pineapple stir fry here.  I used chicken instead of meatballs and chicken broth instead of beef broth.  I will most definitely keep this in my recipe stash.

To Pioneer Woman- thank you for all of your delicious recipes and fool proof pictures.  It's because of you and your pictures that I knew my chicken pot pie was horribly wrong.  Yours looked delicious.  Mine looked like...well....it just looked gross.  We happily ordered pizza instead.

~Ashley

Just So You Know....

Just so you know....the OSCARS are on tonight!!!!!!!!!!!  Only the best night of television.  I hope you're watching them!!!!!!!!!

Thoughts

I haven't posted since Monday.  When I started this blog I had a goal of posting at least every other day.  I know that when I read blogs, I get so impatient for new postings and find myself disappointed when I see the same title that was there 3 days ago.  Oddly enough, I'm actually glad that tonight is the first time since Monday that I've been able to post.  You see...I'm tired.  Now please don't think I'm venting or complaining because there's more to this story.  Some recent revelations and discussions have made me realize that I have not been seeking my full potential.  I've been lazy.  I've been putting a lot of "half efforts" into things that deserve every ounce of effort I have.  I would come home feeling exhausted without having a clue why.  After a lot of prayer and reflection, I knew something had to change.  For the first time in a long time, I feel tired for all of the right reasons.  As I was driving home feeling tired, I couldn't help but smile because I knew exactly why I was tired.  I write this not to boast or brag.  My "tiredness" is nothing compared to most.  It's simply a step in the right direction.  I hope those of you reading this are "tired" too and that the feeling is absolutely wonderful.
~Ashley