Recipes, Cleaning Schedule, Desk Update!

Good freezing cold morning! 

If I come off a bit grumpy it's because our heating system is absolute crap and our house is always freezing in the morning. Thank God for space heaters, though. On mornings like these, waking up is a slow process. Coffee in hand, curled up with Cammie on the couch, basking in the glory of the space heater... watching I Love Lucy and The Golden Girls. 

So, on to this post's recipe. 

My last post revolved mostly around chicken recipes. This is because I'm cheap, we like chicken, and my husband is an easy man to cook for, bless his heart. However, we do eat things other than chicken, I swear! 

I'd love to share those recipes with you. I'll be including a recipe or two over the next few posts! I may make it a regular part of my posts - we'll see! They aren't particularly hard recipes, and mostly on the level of comfort food. So if you're looking for meals that will help you lose weight, run away as fast as you can!

I like to do pork chops every now and then. I cook them a couple different ways. I'm still expanding on what I can do with them; however, this is my favorite way!

Ranch Pork Chops

You will need:

• 1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch "Dips" seasoning (found in the aisle with the bottled salad dressing; my local WalMart sells one packet for $1.48; a two pack is $2.46) - don't add sour cream.
• Pork chops of your choice - hubs and I prefer a thick, boneless cut 
• 1 sleeve crushed Ritz or seasoned bread crumbs
• some milk - depends on how many chops you're using. The seasoning and crushed Ritz is enough to coat four chops, lightly. These chops aren't completely encased, only lightly so.

Allow chops to thaw for a couple hours, then rinse gently. Pat them down lightly with a paper towel. Get your seasoning and Ritz together; crushed your crackers up in a large ziploc - I used a gallon-sized Ziploc. Add your seasoning in, and mix it together by shaking it all around a bit (don't forget to zip it up before you shake it up!) Dip your chops in milk, drop in the bag, and shake around to coat. 

I put my chops in my Pampered Chef Rectangular Baker. It is an amazing piece of stoneware that cooks evenly - I love mine! I cook my chops at 350 for about 30-45 minutes; I've always heard cook until a meat thermometer stuck inside the chop comes out at 160 degrees. However, according to this article, pork can now be pink (cooked to 145 degrees). Your preference! 

And they're awesome with... 

Mashed potatoes!

On my last big grocery haul, I bought a massive bag of gold potatoes. I had never tried them before, but heard over and over how amazing they are and what good mashed potatoes they make. I can honestly say, it's so true! They have such great flavor! I've used them in my Stuffed Baked Potato recipe, chopped potatoes with onions, home fries, mashed potatoes... nom nom! So good in every way.

When I made my mashed potatoes, I cubed up enough for hubs and I and boiled them. I came up with an idea and decided to try it out... so in the boiling water, I included a healthy amount of salt... and about two and a half tablespoons of minced garlic. I told y'all I use it in everything... and I meant it! 

I boiled them until they were very soft; drained, and poured into my KitchenAid mixer. My husband admitted to me he loved sour cream in his potatoes so I added what looked like half a cup of sour cream. I really don't measure anything, except when trying new recipes. I judge by the way they look; to us, the creamier, the better. I let them get nice and whipped up. 

They were to DIE for! So perfect with ranch pork chops and buttered corn. 

Another awesome way...

I don't remember where I found this marinade, but we've really enjoyed it!

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Mix together. I like to rub it into the chops. With whatever is left over, I pour on top and continue to rub in. Again, these go into a 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes. 

This makes for a very tangy, flavorful chop! Especially yummy with roasted broccoli, Mac N'Cheese (Stoffers. Always have a box on hand in the freezer for when you want a yummy side but don't have the time to make it yourself!), rice, a potato & onion stir fry... so many options!


Cleaning Schedule!

I have been meaning for so long to type out a weekly cleaning schedule. I love order and having a routine - it's one thing I miss terribly about college. I scoured Pinterest for a pre-made schedule. I found so many great ones, but finally decided just to make my own. So, here it is!

This schedule is obviously tailored to our specific home; however, it could be adapted to fit yours! 

If anyone has any tips about getting a California King-sized comforter clean, without putting it in the washing machine or taking it to the dry cleaner, let me know. Our washing machine is not capable of handling such a large load and I'd prefer not to trust the dry cleaners in this area with it. For now, I'll be sticking with Febreeze and disinfecting sprays. 

I have always been taught, you clean top to bottom. Meaning, you do things like clean ceiling fans, dust, wipe down counters, etc. before you vacuum. This way, you vacuum up all the icky dust, dirt, and other things that fall to the floor as you clean. 

Desk Update!

I am STILL not finished with this desk. It's driving me crazy. There have been moments I have wanted nothing more than to quit altogether. But, I have pressed on with it and it's beginning to come together. It's all these finishing details that are taking forever! But hopefully in the end, it will be worth all the work. Here are a couple sneak peeks!

Still have a long way to go, but I think it will turn out great when I'm done. Hopefully someone else will think it's great too, and want it in their home! 

Here's hoping!