No-No Pork Chops

It has been a while since I have tried a new recipe that I found on Pinterest. Tonight I went with a simple recipe that looked like it had the potential to be tasty, Mushroom Pork Chops. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to its potential.

The good thing about the recipe is that it was easy to make, and I even made a couple of small alterations along the way to add a bit more flavor. (I've included my altered recipe below if you want to try it anyway.)

Sauteing the onion and mushrooms

I started off by browning the pork chops, that I had seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder (I was out of salt so I subbed powder instead), in olive oil. Once they were browned on both sides, I put the chops on a plate. Then I added the chopped onion and mushrooms, sauteing them until the onions were nicely transparent and the mushrooms had a bit of color to them. I then added the chop back to the pan and added cream of mushroom soup plus 1/4 cup of white wine (for additional flavor). I let the pork chops simmer in the sauce for 20 minutes or so until the pork was done cooking.

While the pork was simmering, I cooked some rice to serve with the pork, figuring the sauce would make a nice gravy.

My husband and I always approach new recipes with great anticipation and hope that we have found something fantastic. That is not what happened tonight. The pork chops were, at best, okay. There was nothing wrong with them, but there was nothing great about them either. In fact, I enjoyed the rice more than I did the pork chop. So much so that I didn't finish eating the chop but did eat all of my rice.

The rice (yummy) and the pork chop (not so yummy)

When analyzing the recipe, DH and I decided there was no point in keeping it or finding a way to redeem it. The only thing we thought could have made it better was browning the meat in a different type of pan instead of a teflon-coated one, which probably prevented it from giving it a really good sear. I doubt that would have changed the recipe enough, though, for me to want to eat it again.

Oh well, you win some, and you lose some. Hopefully, my next recipe will turn out better. Be ready for it, because tomorrow I'm trying a carnita recipe. I hope that one is much more successful.


As promised, my version of the recipe:

Mushroom Pork Chops

4 pork chops

2 Tbsp olive oil

salt & pepper

garlic salt

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 pound sliced mushrooms

1/4 cup white wine

1-2 cans cream of mushroom soup

Heat olive oil in a skillet. While heating up, season pork chops with salt, pepper, and garlic salt. Once warm, add pork chops and brown on both sides. Remove pork chops. Add onion and mushrooms to the skillet and saute until onions are translucent. Place the chops back in the pan. In small bowl, mix wine with soup, then pour over the chops. Let the chops simmer for 20-25 minutes until done.

Mommy Time

"Shopping!"

"Shoppppiiiiiinnnnggggg!"

Ginny grocery shopping with Mommy
when she was around 5 months old.

I hear Ginny, my toddler, in her car seat practically singing the word! For the last five minutes since we drove out of the driveway, it has been the only word I've heard come out of her mouth. It doesn't stop until we are very nearly at the store.

My fabulous daughter loves to go to stores and loves to shop. She has been this way since she was a baby. Once I recovered from my c-section from giving birth to her, she would go grocery shopping with me or to any other store I needed to shop at. She never once complained. Very often, you would see her in my cart with a huge smile on her face.

Ever since giving birth to her sister, Grace, we don't go grocery shopping together any more. It is quite rare that she shops with me in general. It is just too difficult to manage the baby and her on a shopping trip. I usually wait until my DH has a day off or he gets home before I do any shopping.

Ginny at the Children's Museum of South Dakota shopping!

Yesterday, though, Ginny went grocery shopping with me. As I was about to leave the house, my husband staying behind to parent the girls, Ginny followed me to the door and looked sad. She didn't want me to leave without her. For some reason, I had a hard time closing the door on that sweet face as I entered the garage. I had a bit of a revelation and made the decision to take her with me. Letting my husband know that I had Ginny with me, we left.

So, for several minutes I heard her joy at the impending event, shopping! As she chanted and sang the word, "shopping" over and over again, I had a huge grin on my face. I knew I did the right thing. Once at the store, she held my hand as we walked in and found a cart. Walking through the store, Ginny smiled and danced to the music playing through the store speakers. She had a great time helping Mommy put groceries in the cart. Granted, throwing them is not always the best way to do it, but Mommy was smart enough to give her items that wouldn't break or dent on their way down.  Ginny also enjoyed seeing people, talking to them, and waving.

She loved pushing the cart!! My little shopper!

After we left the store and headed home, it dawned on me that it had been a while since I spent any one-on-one time with just Ginny and me. Grace's presence has meant no time for just Ginny. I decided that I need to rectify that and occasionally take her with me to the store, without Grace or her dad. Not all the time, because I require time on my own, but I think one-on-one time in some form at least once a month.

Driving home, I no longer heard Ginny chanting the word "shopping." Instead, I heard her singing her favorite songs, like the ABCs and Row Row. I heard a happy two-year-old who thought that she had the best time ever. Well worth taking that moment to grab her and take her with me. A moment I will cherish.

Joy and Laughter

Despite my recent grumblings on what a challenge Ginny, my two-year-old, can be, she really is quite sweet, entertaining, and funny. Ginny lights up any room when she has a smile on her face. Her giggles are quite contagious. She brings more smiles into my life than frustration. It is understandable for a two-year-old to have melt downs and tantrums. They are so little, not quite able to fully communicate, and crave independence. That combination can lead to fireworks, but it can also lead to smiles and joy as they reach new milestones and gain in their vocabulary.

My Little Helper

One way Ginny likes to assert her independence, of late, is by being a little helper around the house. Recently, she has discovered great joy in putting things in the trash. She is so proud of herself and how she can help out. The other day, she was playing with some bowls in the kitchen and decided to "set" the table, putting bowls where each of us sit at meal times. She has even tried helping us unload the dishwasher, and is learning to put away her toys every day.

Ginny bringing me my Boppy

The one job Ginny takes the most pride in is being the Boppy gate keeper. I use a Boppy when I nurse Grace. Every morning, once Ginny is awake and dressed, she comes in my room, gets the Boppy, and brings it to my chair in the living room. She started doing this job not long after Grace was born, when she was around 20 months old. Not only will she bring it to my chair in the morning, she has to bring it to me when I need it to nurse Grace. If I don't ask Ginny to get me the Boppy, even if it is right next to me, she will have a mini-meltdown. There have been times where I have taken the Boppy off of me, put it back on the floor only to have Ginny hand it to me. My only issue with Ginny's job is that she really does see the Boppy as hers and that I need to ask permission to use it. In the past week, when I have asked her for the Boppy, the following exchange often happens:

Me: "Ginny, can you give me the Boppy, please?"

Ginny (comes over and grabs the Boppy): "No, Boppy." 

She then runs off with Boppy and refuses to give it to me.

Eventually, I do get the Boppy with no ensuing tears, but Ginny now sees herself as the gate keeper of the Boppy.

The Hugging Game

While we were on vacation, Ginny created a new game. It started simply enough. She was across the room from me, threw her arms open wide, then said, "Mommy." At that moment, she ran to me, hugged me, and gave me a kiss. I loved it! I loved the unsolicited hug and kiss! My heart soared. Once we were done with the hug and kiss, Ginny turned around and went back across the room. Then, she turned and looked at me, threw her arms open wide, said, "Mommy!" and ran into my arms again. She did this over and over again. I lost count, but I didn't care. I loved this game.

After we got back home, I figured the game was forgotten, and it would be just a pleasant memory. Then, yesterday after a day of ups and downs with Ginny, she started the game again. This time, after giving me a hug and a kiss, she went into the office and did the same for her daddy, then went back to me. Over and over again. I must say that the hugging game must be one of the best games in the world!

So, despite all the struggles and tantrums of my toddler, Ginny brings me so much joy! She loves so purely and unconditionally. I am one lucky and happy mommy!