Love Shack Larder

Better than Rotisserie Chicken

This week after watching a new favorite cooking show, The Chew,we were inspired to try viewer Donna Giblin's recipe for Artichoke Chicken.  Except that we didn't use artichocks or mushrooms so we are officially dubbing this the Philbrick's "Better than Rotisserie Chicken" because the sauce that is used reminds us of the chickens that you get at the grocery store...only so much better! 

So off we went to the farmer's market that sets up every Wednesday here at our development's Community Center to find some fresh veggies to add to our one-pot chicken dinner.  Since I'm not a fan of artichokes...I really wanted some fresh green beans to add to the dish since I love lemon juice on my beans and the zing in this sauce would have worked just as well.  But there were no green beans so we grabbed some sweet vi-dalia onions and some sugar snap peas instead.

Spicy Marinated Balsamic & Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Chops

Last week after vacationing in Charleston we came home to pretty much...empty cupboards.  At first, I thought that this was NOT such a good thing since our taste buds had been spoiled with all of the fantastic food that we had during our stay.  So since I just wasn't in the mood to leave the house again...especially to go grocery shopping...I was forced to get real resourcefulwith what I had on hand ;}  OMG...we ended up liking this recipe so much that I had to make a double batch of chops just to get our fix!

Spicy Marinated Balsamic & Brown Sugar Glazed Pork Chops

 

Gather your ingredients: 

• 1-2 lbs. pork boneless pork chops
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon chopped, roasted garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 gallon-size ziploc bag or glass bowl w/lid
•  Dash of grapeseed oil (or any oil that takes high tempertures like canola oil)

Yummy in my Tummy: Stew Beef w'Mushroom Gravy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michael Lee is stretching our the last of summer with another wonderful picnic this week for Foodie Friday.  AND there is still time to participate in two of her giveaways so be sure to hop on over and check it all out!  Be sure to mention that Roberta sent you ;)

Stew Beef with Mushroom Gravy

Dr. Pepper...Good for more than cleaning your toilets!

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Be sure to check out Michael Lee's Grilled Salmon w'Fresh Strawberry Salsa, along with all the other wonderful posts for this Foodie Friday!

Dr. Pepper Pulled-Pork

The cola and the sweet-chili sauce make this a very sweet n’tangy dish.

Everything is GREEN around here...

This whole week we have been staying in the house because everything outside is covered with GREEN pollen...I do not remember the last time it was this bad...

...SEE what I mean...look at my car...it looks like a snow/dust storm :D

 
We have to spray down our vehicles every time we want to go anywhere...but minutes later they are covered in green pollen!

Check out the table top on our back patio...

eeewwww...now those spots in the front that look like "finger-prints"...well that's where we touched the table to move it over the other day...

...you can see my hand-print here on the chair cushion.  I have a tablecloth to go onto my table, but I'm not going to even think about bringing it out now because I'll have to wash it everyday.  It was bad enough the other day when we put up our patio umbrella and then when we cranked it down at the end of the day...this huge cloud of pollen flew out of the umbrella fabric!  I sneezed and coughed all night long after that...so hence...the staying in the house until it rains and clears the air a little...lol

So what to do when stuck in the house...well, I tend to cook...Pulled Taco Pork...alot lately :D

AND I was so impressed when I read Cathy Zielske's  blog post about her son Coleman (affectionately called "Cole" or "Colie" by his mom):

Just had to snag a few of Cathy's photos from her blog post...because I know that no matter how much I beg and plead with my family to go over and read her post...they probably won't! 

 

Just look at HIM here opening up a Pork Loin...and that crock pot looks awful familiar (see sis :}

 

Okay...so for those of you wondering about my GREEN connection...it's not Cole's shirt (but it's a nice quinky-dink)...it's the Trader Joe's SALSA VERDE that he is adding to the crock pot...yeah!

After school Cole rushed into the kitchen to see if it was time to "shred the pork"...kid or not...this is the best part of cooking pulled pork!

 
Ta Da!  Salsa Verde Pulled Pork in wraps with cheese...yum! 

Now let me tell you why I like Cathy's post so much...there are a few reasons!

1.)  The fact that I have just started to appreciate Pulled Pork myself...I blogged about it here...and DH and I are so excited to have another quick and easy recipe for this "other white meat".

2.)  The fact that Cole was influenced by Jamie Oliver's newest show: Food Revolution and wanted to start making better choices when it came to eating.  We also love this new series and I'm so glad that it is making an impression on some kids here in the good ole USA, because it sure as heck doesn't seem to be helping the school district in Virginia...as yet!

3.) AND finally, because...if a child can make pulled pork in a crock pot then...there is still hope for my family ;}

For now...I'm hoping for some rain real soon so that we can venture outside and enjoy the weather before it gets too dang hot!

Back to Basics: chillin' chili

Well it's Friday and I was catch-in' up on my Food Network shows, that I taped this week, and as always, was very inspired to get off the couch when I watch Paula's Home Cooking, "Cajun Cooking" to be exact. On this episode she makes Jambalaya and Cajun Seafood Balls and I'm putting these two on the back burner (for when I have all the necessary ingredients).  My love of "cajun" is deep and when I lived in Louisiana (some years ago), I loved everything about the state and became a fan of Justin Wilson's "Homegrown Louisiana Cooking".  Then later, when I met my DH, I turned him onto watching Justin...long before there even was a "Food Network" channel... "I guuaaaarrrraaaannntteee"...as Justin use to say.  God Bless Justin, sure do miss his style of cooking and his wit on TV :}

So all these spicy, hot cravings had to be satisfied...so out to the kitchen I went and I grabbed the ingredients for preparing my ole standby...Chili!  There is no recipe for this...what can I tell you...I follow the package directions on the back of the McCormick Chili, Original mix...only I buy the "hot" package (but not 24 at a time)...cause I like it HOT!