This Unfamiliar Road

November 22, 2010

Pork Chop Recipe

I have never really been a huge fan of pork chops. I eat them every now and then, but it seems like they always taste the same to me- no real variation in flavor. I discovered this new recipe from my go-to recipe website, although I modified quite a bit. I have prepared meats before with a cracker-type coating, but it always ends up being a bit mushy. While the flavor of these pork chops is delish, I think the real trick is in the cooking time. I ended up with this:

Ingredients (serves 4)

4 pork chops

1 sleeve Ritz crackers

Lawry's (or other seasoning)

Garlic salt

Fresh ground pepper

2 eggs

1/2 stick butter

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 375

2) Crush Ritz crackers and add: Lawry's, Garlic Salt, and pepper, to taste. Place mixture in a shallow dish

3) Beat eggs in a shallow dish and set aside.

4) Dip pork chops in egg, then in cracker mixture. Place pork chops in casserole dish. (9X13 or smaller. I think they turn out best if the chops are touching)

5) Cut the butter in chunks and place around the chops

6) This is the important part: Cover casserole dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and flip the chops. Bake for additional 20 minutes, uncovered. Place oven on broil for 5 more minutes. (Total baking time= 45 minutes)

And now, if you are a visual person:

Dip chops in egg (looks gross, I know)

Cracker Mixture

Add chunks of butter to casserole dish

YUM! I served with roasted veggies and brown rice.

# Food

Oops

Andrea 12:03 PM 1 Comments

Once again, it has been far too long since I have posted. I have good reason though.

1) I have been working a lot lately. So basically, I haven't had time to write. I go to work, come home and sleep, then go back to work. This is what 12+ hour shifts do for you.

2) I have been working a lot lately. Wait...wasn't that reason #1? Yes, it was. But the rationale is different. My life has been pretty boooring lately. Work. Sleep. Repeat. So, I haven't done anything interesting or worth writing about. I haven't even seen the new HP movie, which is such a crime for me!

Meanwhile, I am still desperately trying to adjust to night shift. There are some people that go on nights, and stay there for 20+ years. They just belong there. Then there are others (like me) who put in their time and just 'deal'. I don't think I will ever truly adjust. I will just deal. I am tired all the time-even on my days off. The only thing I can really compare it to is severe jet lag. When I have traveled to different time zones (I mean really different- think Europe), it takes a few days to get back on track with real life. For me, that is what working night shift is like. As soon as I get back on track, it's time to go back to work.
Complain, complain, complain...at least I have a job, right? Yes, I know. And I'm not saying I don't enjoy my job. The work itself is so rewarding. But the shifts are looong and exhausting. I often think about what it would be like to work a M-F job. You think I'm crazy? I know, I would probably miss my days off. But I would really enjoy being home every evening to spend time with my hubby, consistently having every weekend off, and never work a holiday. That sounds fabulous!
One thing I do love about being off sometimes during the day is catching my fave-Ellen. I think she may have helped me with my severe sleep problem- a new product that allows me to take naps whenever I want! Finally, all my problems are solved. Thanks Ellen : )

November 10, 2010

Do You Need a Good Laugh?

Andrea 1:00 AM 0 Comments

While reading one of my fellow blogger's recent posts, I was reminded of a website that I used to visit often, but have forgotten about. Awkward Family Photos will (I promise!) give you a good laugh. Maybe it's because I am deliriously tired (still trying to adjust to working night shift...) but I just looked through some of the more recent pics on the website and was laughing so hard I was crying. Ben was concerned.

Anyway, a little sampling of some beauties you will find on the site:

LEGIT!

That is all! Have fun!

November 03, 2010

Pumpkin Seeds!

Andrea 9:43 PM 0 Comments

I wanted to roast some pumpkin seeds for our Halloween Party, but due to our unexpected trip to Michigan, we Ben didn't even carve our pumpkin until Saturday! I roasted these on Tuesday (I let them dry for about 2 days!) using a recipe from my favorite website. I modified a little bit, but ended up with this:

Recipe

~ 1 cup Pumpkin seeds (dried)

~2 tbsp butter, melted

~ Pinch salt

~Pinch garlic powder

Toss the pumpkin seeds with the melted butter and add salt and garlic powder to taste. Spread on a cookie sheet in a single layer and bake @ 300 degrees for 45 minutes.

Mine turned out perfectly crunchy and very flavorful! YUM!

# Food

Cheap Date Night

Andrea 9:43 PM 2 Comments

As newlyweds, Ben and I are always trying to come up with fun & interesting date nights that won't completely blow our savings. Most of these nights turn out to be a Netflix rental and some chinese food, or Monday night football with homemade pizza. I do miss actually going out to a movie sometimes, but those dates are SO expensive. After movie tickets and popcorn & candy (because, please...the best part of the movie experience is the popcorn and candy), we end up spending around $50! And that's without dinner.
So...last night, Ben had the opportunity to watch a film on campus as extra credit for one of his classes. He asked me to meet him there, and I was really dreading it at first (I mean, he is a history major). But, I decided to make the best of it. I picked up Panera (yum!) on my way to campus and we had dinner together in the University Center (so romantic, I know) then settled in (classroom stadium seating!) to watch The Battle of Algiers. The film was actually very enjoyable (although I could have done without the lecture before and after...) and we didn't leave campus until 11pm (it was like a real date night!)
Grand Total............................$17.00
I know- I can definitely do better than that. I am going to continue to challenge myself to find fun, cheap date nights. I love what one of my fellow bloggers did for her cheap date night.
I would love some ideas : )

# Date Night

Mustang's Hair Cut

Andrea 9:43 PM 1 Comments

Yes, I know exactly what you are thinking. WHY in the world does a cat need a hair cut? I didn't realize that this was even normal until Mustang's first haircut. Because she is long-haired, Mustang needs regular (about every 4 months) cuts and bathing. If not, her fur gets pretty matted, and she looks like this:

Big ball of fur

She gets pretty scraggly

So, we decided several years ago that getting her hair cut was the best thing to do. Again, little did I know, the "lion cut" is the most popular for Persians. Basically, she is shaved except for her head, her feet (it looks like she has on Uggs) and a pouf at the end of her tail. She loves it and is so much more energetic after her day at the beauty salon!

Please note her "Election Day" bandana

And if you are wondering-yes, she is sedated for this process!

# Pets

Costume Party {First Annual}

Andrea 9:42 PM 1 Comments

Captain Jack Sparrow!

Ben and I love Halloween. I'm pretty sure this began around our freshman year of college when we dressed up as characters from The Pirates of the Caribbean. We won a costume contest that year (gift certificates to dinner & a movie!), which sparked a little competition and our interest to have "the best" costumes every year. Over the years, we have had our share of bad wigs, smeared face paint, bad homemade costumes, and one year, we had to actually cut Ben out of his costume! We were fortunate that my sorority had lots of themed date parties-where we got to dress up in character more than just once a year! One of my favorite Halloween date parties was in 2006- Our Tennessee VOLS had just slaughtered the GA Bulldogs (51-33) IN Athens. We have always been the victims of ridicule only because we grew up in Georgia, but went to school at UT. Basically, we are surrounded by Bulldog fans. So, what better way to celebrate our win over Georgia (and also the beginning of a horrible season for them) than by dressing up as "beat-up" Georgia players. The hardest part of this was having to buy Georgia gear. Blah!

Ben was a football player and I was a cheerleader

Best costumes ever!

So, of course, this year (around mid-September), Ben and I began discussing our Halloween costumes and when our party would be!
I think the party was a great success, and next year will be even better.

Menu:

Magic Wands:

Witch's Brew:

Vampire Punch:

Witch Fingers:

We had lots of great costumes. I didn't get nearly enough pictures, and have decided that my November resolution (why wait until January 1?) is to take more pictures. I'm pretty sure I make this resolution every year. Oh well!