I must've done at least one thing right.

Well, we did our taxes last week.  We are getting a refund so the porch remodel is a go.  More importantly, THE KITCHEN REMODEL IS A GO!!!!  I've been downplaying it a lot here at home, because I'm afraid to get too excited about it. I'm afraid if I show too much emotion, it won't happen.  I'm very excited.  Not only are we cutting a hole in the one wall and making a "window" into the dining room. We are painting, adding new counters AND getting a hood for the stove!!!!!  What really made me happy is the painting.  We've decided to tear down the wainscotting and just start all over.  I'm even going to get to re-do the backsplash around the counters and the stove.  I could cry, I'm so happy about it.

I really thought this wouldn't happen because as I've said, it's not just us in this house.  It's Bear's mother who fears change.  Who has the TACKIEST taste in home accessories, furniture and overall style.  Not to say my style is all that great, but I like to think I know what looks good. I'm struggling. I  think I have to start all over agian with my living room, but that's another challenge.  But his mother would decorate with everything from the friggin dollar store if she could. I'm sure this statement will come back and bite me in the ass, but I don't care.  It's true.

Bear, to coddle Mommie dearest, drove over to a friend of his house to show his dear mother what his idea was like. He felt that if she saw it, she'd understand better what he was trying to say and be more agreeable.  We still have to get her to "let go" of somethings, but Bear is hopeful about that.  I'd like a new stove, but I'm not going to push it.  That'll be my present for next year.  More counter space and NEW countertops makes me very happy.  The workspace in the kitchen is horrible.  The counters are horrid and the only large surface area is the table.  Since I'm 5'9" the table is too low for me and when I'm rolling out dough my back always ends up hurting.  We're going to get an island that will fit for my height as well as Bear's.

We're going to get some paint.  I have an idea on how I would like it to look. I'm looking for a Tuscan style almost.  Earth tones, but bright, if that makes any sense.  We don't have stainless and that's fine, because I don't really like the look of stainless.  I know, blasphamey, but I don't like it.  I haven't even thought of counter tops yet, but I know I want granite and so does Bear, so it's all good.  Mommie dear thinks granite is pointless but her opinion on the counter tops doesn't count, since Bear and I do most of the cooking and we want to make the kitchen the way we like.  Also, granite countertops are ALWAYS a nice feature for selling your home.

I'm going to happy dance my way down to LOWES and Home Depot soon and start pricing out all these things.  I'm so excited, I can't wait for March to get here, because that is when we want my buddy to start doing the work on both the kitchen and the porch. I'll have a new kitchen by June!!!!  I can't wait!99

Pork Chops and Sweet potatoe fries

I love french fries.  There's just something about a good french fry well, it can bring tears to your eyes if done right.  When I was kid, my Mom worked a lot.  She had too. Single Mom raising bratty teenagers, she worked two jobs to keep a roof over our head and food on the table.  One of the first things I learned to make myself was to dump a bag of frozen fries on a sheet pan and shove it in the oven.  Viola!  French fries.  Ore Ida's are my favorite.  Bear is a big fan of the Ore Ida spicy curly fries.  They are good.  One thing I never tried to do, was make my own.  I can dice up a potato with some onions and make home fries, bake every which way, boil it and make it a salad.  I've never made my own fries.  But I made my own sweet potato fries.

Sweet potato is a new thing for me.  When I was kid, I would make a face, unless of course, it was covered in marshmallows.  Then I would eat it, but that was usually once a year and they always didn't have that sweet treat on top of them.  One thing you learn is that, yes potatoes are good, but the white ones, you shouldn't eat too much of. The starch and such.  The first time I ever ate a sweet potato french fry was at a local bar called O'Donoghue's.  (RIP Mr. O'D!  We'll miss you!).  They made them and I surprised myself when I realized I liked them.

This realization is what led me to try yet another Cooking Light magazine recipe.  Pork chops are usually on sale quite a bit and it's always nice to have something besides chicken at the dinner table.  Always a plus in my house, both Bear and The Boy liked it.  I love it when it all comes together like that.

SPICE-RUBBED PORK CHOPS WITH SWEET POTATO FRIES

**This is for 2 people, of course, adjust according to how many you're making dinner for that evening.**

2 - 4 oz bonless pork loin chops (about 1/4" thick) - I used bone in and it came out really nice.
1/4 tsp. garlic salt - I used garlic powder
1/4 tsp. paprika - the original calls for coriander but I took CL's substitute advice and used paprika instead
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil

Heat your non-stick skillet pan then add oil.  For WW folks, you may want to give the pan a spray too.  Doesn't add to the point value and if your non-stick is getting like mine, having the spray on the pan helps out. Add the spices to your mortar and pestle bowl and grind together.  If you don't have one, get one!  Nah, just kidding, if you don't have one, combine them in a bowl and combine together with a whisk.  Sprinkle just one side of the chop with the spice rub.  One the oil is heated up add the chops, spice side down.  Cook for 2 minutes then flip over and cook for another 4 minutes.  The brown sugar is going to caramelize a bit, but don't worry about that adds to the flavor I think.

Very quick and very easy to do.  However, I think this should be done AFTER you start the sweet potatoes.  To make the sweet potato fries is as follows:

1 very large sweet potato
brown sugar
paprika

black pepper

garlic powder

cinnamon (yes you read that right)

ginger

The highlighted spices are my own additions.  Came out tasty.

Peel and cut sweet potato into fries, either skinny fries or larger like steak fries. Whatever style you prefer.  Combine the spice mix in a bowl and then add the cut potatoes.  Mix them all up, get them covered.  OR you can do this, which I did, on a sheet pan, lay the potatoes out. Sprinkle the spice mix over them and then add olive oil and with CLEAN HANDS (to quote Ina Garten "Clean hands.  A cooks best tool") mix them all up.  Bake the fries at 500 degrees for about 20 minutes, turning once after 9 minutes.  I can't stress how important it is to flip the fries.  I didn't the first time and they weren't cooked even.  So make sure you do it.

This can also be served with Lemon green beans.  Just steam up some green beans.  I used the bagged kind, because they aren't really in season right now (Winter).  Steam them up and toss with some olive oil and lemon rind.  Very light and refreshing and goes well with the above dinner.

The whole meal, including the green beans for one serving, which is 1 chop, depending on the size of the potato wedges, 3-4 of them, and green beans, it's all 9 points!  That's pretty average for a dinner WW style, at least when I make them.

What to do when you don't feel like cooking.

There are several options when you just don't feel like being creative in the kitchen.  The most popular, of course, is takeout.  But you can't do that a lot, for many reasons.  Money is the main one in my house.  Our options are limited here.  The only 2 places close enough to deliver to our house is a pizza place and a Chinese takeout place.  These options get boring. REALLY fast.  There's also a quick meal option, one of those boxed or bagged where it's "just add water" or whatever and there you go. Dinner in a flash.  That's an option in my house sometimes.  I love to cook and use fresh foods, but there are times when Hamburger Helper is the best option to hell with the sodium counts.  Because really, this "convience" food may be quick and easy, but it takes it's toll on your health. Read the label sometime, you'll never want to buy those quick meals on the shelf again.

Then there's a third option, one I like best.  Shop your pantry.  It's that easy.  First you should have a well stocked pantry.  Everyone should have things like pasta, rice, canned veggies, beans, flour, sugar and a variety of spices.  I have basic baking needs, flour, sugar, bread flour, brown sugar, Hershey special dark cocoa, chocolate chips, various decorative sugars and canned icing.  I even have boxed cake, in case I need to make something super quick.  I have tons of spices, ketchup and a variety of canned tomatoes as well as a few different types of dried and canned beans.  This comes in handy for days like I had this past week.

I had originally took chicken out to make tacos.  As the day went on, I wasn't feeling so great.  Bear was going out for the night and I just didn't feel like putting in an effort to cook dinner. This of course, was not fair to The Boy and I needed to make him something decent for dinner, but something that didn't take a lot of my time.  So what I did, was go look in the pantry and see what nifty stuff I had in there. I knew I had rice and I knew I had beans.  I'm near the point where it's time to hit the local BJ's warehouse and stock up, so I wasn't sure in terms of veggies I had.  Turns out I had a can of diced tomatoes that had green chilies and onions mixed in.  AH HA!  Dinner was going to be super easy now. 

I don't have a name for it, I haven't thought of anything clever yet.  So it's Diced chicken with rice and beans.  That's my title and I'm sticking to it.  I"m sure this recipe can be adapted any way you want it, depending what you have going on in your house.  All I know, is I made this and there are no leftovers, much to my disappointment.  My son loved it and despite the black beans, I think The Bear would like it too.

Diced Chicken with Brown Rice and Black Beans

3 chicken breasts
Old Bay
Emeril's Bayou Blast seasoning
Olive oil
Cooking spray
Instant Brown rice
(1) can of diced tomatoes, any style, I used the ones with green chilie and onion in it.
(1) can of black beans, rinsed--again, depending what you have in the pantry, use whatever you have/like best
Chili powder
Garlic powder

Heat pan over med-high heat.  Once heated up, hit it with the cooking spray and 2 tsp. of olive oil.  I do it this way because of Weight Watchers.  The always use cooking spray and adding the 2 tsp. of oil adds flavor and gets that all important "good" fat worked into your diet.  Sprinkle one side of the chicken with the Old Bay and Bayou Blast.  Add to the pan, spiced side down.  Cook the chicken about 10 minutes each side (till internal temp reaches 165 deg.--can you tell I just got a nifty meat thermometer?)

While the chicken is working, add the rice to your rice cooker, along with the tomatoes and the drained and rinsed beans.  Mix it all up and then cook.  The beans and tomatoes will cook along with the rice.  Once it's cooked, add the chili powder and garlic powder. 

When the chicken is cooked, dice it up and add it to the rice mix and VIOLA  dinner is ready.  It's quick and easy, well, quick if you have a rice cooker like I do. Very tasty.  Weight Watchers point value for one serving - 5 points!