Day 1 Week 4 – Is this the beginning of the end?

I can't believe I have almost finished the first month of this challenge. Will I continue in February? Will I change the rules? Am I bored with this, Are you (blog world) bored with this? Hmmm. Yes I will continue because I have so many more recipes to try that I don't have the urge to repeat one yet. But I think I will change (or better define) the rules a bit. As far as the boredom... that is the tricky part. At times I am bored (or bothered) with the having to cook and the blogging about it. Maybe it is the blog that is boring and not the cooking challenge itself. I don't know... Not sure about that. Will need to look into ways to spice up my blogging. Any ideas?

Speaking of needing to spice things up.... I am a little embarrassed to show the picture of Monday night's meal. Pork Chops and Dirty Rice has always been one of our favorites, but I guess I have never really looked at through a lens before. I never realized how brown it was. Brown meat, brown rice, brown roll.... blah. I totally failed at creating a beautiful and appetizing color palette with this one. Maybe I should have waited to take the picture until after I squirted a gigantic blob of ketchup on my plate. At least that would have given it a little color!

Oh well... here is the pic... for documentary purposes only.

The recipe was given to me by my Mother in Law at a kitchen shower before Steve and I got married. She was, understandably, nervous about my abilities to keep some meat on her son's bones. You see, she took me grocery shopping once while I was in college and was horrified when I asked her how to cook canned green beans. Needless to say, I have come a long way. And if you are reading this Mrs Summy, I hope this makes you proud of the cook I have become. This meal was as yummy as ever, despite its ill use of color.

Pork Chops and Dirty Rice

2 - 4 Pork Chops

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can French Onion soup

1 1/2 cups raw rice

Season pork chops with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

Lightly brown the chops in a little bit of olive oil.

In a casserole dish, put the 2 soups and rice , stir together.

Lay the browned pork chops on top of mixture and cover.

Bake for 45 minutes in a 375º oven.