Saturday, June 4, 2011

Dill Pickle Pork Chops (a.k.a. this + this = BOOYAH)

The Hungry Hubby and I are trying to do the whole super-economize/make your money work for you/"Total Money Makeover" thing recently. 

Well, we've been trying to do it for a while now, but we have really just started buckling down this week; especially since the Hungry Hubby's job is commission only (he looooves it, but we can't always assume that he's going to have an amazing month EVERY MONTH) and we need to suck it up and start making friends with the "B" word. 

BUDGET. 
(shudder)

So that means spending a lot of time with THIS:

Talking/writing about/planning around THIS:


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I wish this was my bed. Then I wouldn't have to deal with a stupid budget.

and not spending a lot of money HERE:


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can't you hear the angels singing? Isn't it beautiful?

Heavenly Father, thank you for Publix. I really appreciate having such good lighting, BOGO deals and differently-able bag boys who know the Hungry Baby's name and fight over who gets to push our cart. 

But I digress...

So because we're trying to change our ways and all that jazz, I've been having to be really creative when it comes to dinners around here. 


Like weird creative. 

For example, tonight I invented dill pickle pork chops. 
(Back off if you've heard of this before, I hadn't and now I'm basking in the glow of my brainpower.) 

So, when the pregnancy cravings began to hit this time around I totally went for the BIG JAR of Claussen dill pickles. 
(You know what I'm talking about, the good ones that you have to get from the section with the eggs and keep in the fridge. OHHH YEAH BABY.) 

The Hungry Baby and I finished off the last two spears this afternoon. (And, I guess the Itty Bitty Hungry Baby got some too? I guess I'll have to come up with a cutesy nickname for Hungry Baby #2. Hungry Baby #2 works. BOOM. I AM ALL KINDS OF CREATIVE TODAY.)

Now I have a gallon jar of pickle juice sitting in the 'fridge. 
With two defrosted pork chops sitting next to it. 
IDEA.

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My thought process totally went like this:


HEAD: Hey, Amy, you like pickles AND you like pork.
AMY: UMM, OK? 
HEAD: ...soooo...you have to marinate pork chops
AMY: I'm not following...
HEAD: MARINATE THE PORK CHOPS IN PICKLE JUICE.
AMY: ((light bulb))


So I marinated the pork chops in leftover dill pickle juice. 
I know, I'm a genius. 


I already ate mine, it was delicious. 

OM NOM NOM. This was taken about 3 seconds after I plated it. I even ate all my vegetables first.

I ate the Hungry Hubby's too. 
Yeah, I'm pregnant and I ate his dinner. 

 the plate is already dirty because this was supposed to be the Hungry Hubby's pork chop. That's right. I ate it. Whatchagonnado?Wannafightaboutit?

I'm not evil, SOMEONE'S boss is having him tag along to tonight's POISON concert.

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This POISON. 

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Not this poison. 

Yeah. 

Oh, did I happen to mention he's getting to go 
FOR FREE. 

That poopy head. (Insert pouty face here)

I'm totally jealous so I ate his dinner. 
(Again, I'm not evil, I'll make some just for him later.)


and you don't even have to measure anything.
You can thank me later. 


For Dill Pickle Pork Chops you will need: 


  • 2 (or more, depending on how many people you are feeding)pork chops or pork loins
  • Dill pickle juice
  • dash of salt
  • dash of pepper
  • dried dill weed (haha, yes, I said "weed". It's a spice, get your giggles out already.)
  • fennel seed
  • ketchup
1. Place the defrosted pork in a baking dish; preheat the oven to 350F.

2. sprinkle both sides of each chop with salt and pepper. (Don't go crazy with the salt, the pickle juice has some salt in it already.)
 
3. Pour some dill pickle juice over the pork chops (but don't cover the chops, this isn't a swimming pool and we're not making pickle pork soup...today...)
 
4. Sprinkle the tops of the pork chops with a pinch of fennel seeds (again, don't go crazy. Fennel seed is potent.)
 
5. Sprinkle the pork chops with dill weed (hehe, I said "weed" again. lol); just a light dusting. 

6. make a squiggle of ketchup on top of each pork chop. Be fancy. Dinner is more fun if it's decorated. 

7. Bake the chops for 45 minutes. 

8. EAT ALL OF THEM BECAUSE YOU ARE PREGZILLA AND NOT GETTING TO GO THE POISON CONCERT. RAWRR!


1 comment:

  1. OK, I'm saving my jar of pickle juice when all of our dill slices are gone - this sounds good:o) BTW, I LOVE Publix, too, and I love their BOGO's.

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