Pork Chops and Wild Rice

There should be a picture of this meal, but there isn't--we ate ourselves into a food coma and I couldn't operate the camera in such a bloated state. This is one of my favorite winter meals. My mom got the original recipe from a friend twenty years ago and I've adapted it over the years to satisfy my own craving...

In a 9x13 baking dish, mix:

1 cup wild rice blend

1 cup brown rice

1 Tablespoon each--Garlic Powder and Italian Herb Blend (dried)

A bit of salt and pepper

1 can Cream of Mushroom soup (we use Amy's), plus enough chicken stock to make a total of 3 cups of liquid.

On top of the rice/soup/stock, scatter a sparse layer of sliced crimini mushrooms.

On top of the mushrooms, nestle as many pork chops as you can fit without overlapping.

Top the chops with a hearty layer of sliced mushrooms, cover with foil and bake at 350 until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and the pork chops are done. I want to say about an hour, maybe? It's going to depend a great deal on the cooking time for the rice you choose. Let it sit, covered, for about 10 minutes and then eat up!

A few other notes:

1. A good Cream of Mushroom (read: not Campbell's) will make a big difference in the flavor.

2. I used about twelve good-sized crimini mushrooms last time I made it, but I have no idea what that translated to in pounds.

3. You can use button mushrooms, if you prefer, or mix crimini and button...whatever you like.

4. If you use a clear baking dish, it's easy to see if the rice has finished absorbing all the liquid without having to pull the pan out of the oven and lift the foil and all that...

5. This dish is made even more heavenly when it's served with steamed asparagus or sauteed spinach and a crusty bread of some sort.

6. The leftovers are deeeelicious.

7. Oh, yeah! You can use either bone-in or boneless pork chops. We've had tremendous success with both.

8. In place of the chicken stock, you can use beef stock or veggie stock. Water will work in a pinch, as well.

I think that's it.

Enjoy!

BHG-Thanksgiving contest

Happy November! Already! Jeepers!

Better Homes & Gardens is still giving away the kitchen. This time, the focus appears to be on Thanksgiving-related items (roasting pans, baking dishes, carving sets, and the like). As always, they're offering the chance to win 5,000 smackaroos. Click here to enter: click

I should say, too, that their newsletters are actually pretty useful. Tons of home improvement and decoration slideshows and great recipe ideas. At the very least, there are lots of pretty pictures.

Gonna wash that carcinogen right outta my hair...

Sometimes I wish we lived in Europe. They have much smaller houses, great accents, and, as legend tells it, the women don't worry so much about shaving their legs (what a relief!). They also label their genetically-modified foods and refuse to stock personal care products that contain toxic chemicals.

Check out the The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to find out about formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane that is present in many mainstream baby shampoos, body washes, and disposable diaper wipes. The links in their articles are well worth the time it takes to explore--there's a ton of information that's presented in a layman's terms. If your curious where the products you use--either for yourself or your baby--fall in terms of tested toxicity, check out the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. You can sort the lists there either by tested score or alphabetically. I found alphabetically to be be easiest, simply because of the vast number of products tested. There's also a great article here: click.

It's bothersome to me, this whole "Toxic Tub" issue. And it's easy to say that we were raised using the same products and we turned out fine, but did we? Our children are being diagnosed with autism at a frighteningly high and medically unexplained rate. Infertility is rampant...

...oh, and there is more to say, but there's squeaking and giggling coming from the next room, so it's on with my day I go...check out the websites. It's troubling, but eye-opening. And just in time, too, since I'm running out of moisturizer. Time to try something new!

End of Season=Beginning of Yard

'Tis the season for the awesome "End of Season" sales at the local nurseries. We wandered through Garland Nursery last night and, while we spent $80, we saved $65. When we moved in, I had visions of English Garden or Victorian-esque landscaping, but we are on the opposite end of the spectrum now, leaning more toward tropical plants and grasses, and I couldn't be more thrilled.

Our loot:

It looked far more impressive when it was all piled in the back of the car, but it was dark when we got home, so there are no pictures of our jungle on wheels.

This crazy bulb will turn into a gorgeous Fritillaria 'Rubra Maxima'.

(aka Emperor of the Garden. We're calling it The Emperor's New Groove))

The bulb has to be planted six inches deep and on its side, so the hole on the top can drain. So bizarre. So exciting!

The Biggest Girl was pretty sure this hole was dug for the new volleyball tree. I have to admit, it was a pretty good fit.

Rather than the volleyball, the hole was for the Kniphofia 'Early Hybrids'.

(aka Red Hot Poker)(or Tritoma)(or Torch Lily)

Root-bound much?

We saw these in full bloom while we were running errands one day this past summer and both of us were so excited to find them at the sale. They're so unique and bold.

The two plants will eventually grow together to create one giant mass of gorgeous uniquey boldness.

Our greatest find, though, was this:

Ophiopogon p. Nigrescens

(aka Black Mondo)(or Black Monkey Grass)

It's the creepiest looking plant I've ever seen and I love it! The leaves are a super dark purplish-black and it will sprout pink flowers next fall. I can't wait!

We also grabbed two Heuchera (aka Dolce Peache Melba). They actually looked like lettuce from a distance. Their curly leaves are a great contrast to the sharp grasses that seemed to have dominated our selections. They'll also have tiny flowers that hover above the perennial leafy base (which is what we have here).

The least expensive of our treasures was the $1.50 Carex Flagellifera.

(aka Toffee Twist)

Not only does it have a wild, tangled look to it, but it also dances in the slightest of breezes. There's a very strong possibility we might head out tomorrow to see if they have any left. It's an easy filler that provides so much movement and looks great in the sun.

Imperata cylindrica

(aka Japanese Blood Grass)

It's looking a bit puny right now, but I have complete faith in this little guy. I saw it when I was flipping through the Western Garden Book and knew we needed one. Funny how plants just start to speak to you...

Miscanthus sinensis

(aka Gold Bar)

We saw this one and jumped on it. Another grass...who knew we'd come home with so many grasses? It's pretty tiny now--about a foot tall--but it will be 3'-5' tall once it settles in.

aaahh...the Euphorbia wulfenii...

One of the homes around the corner has this and, again, we were pretty excited to find a healthy one to bring home to our yard.

Though we bought it several weeks ago, this poor Rosmarinus officinalis Gorizia (aka Rosemary, as you might have guessed) has been languishing away in a pot, just waiting to sink its roots into the ground. Finally! We planted it!

We also stashed some Allium sphaerocephalon bulbs and were careful to mark their locations so we don't accidentally pull them when they start coming in next Spring.

All the plants we chose are, in theory, deer resistant, which is so important here, given the number of deer that galavant about after nightfall. Hopefully, they'll just admire our handiwork and find a snack elsewhere.

...and that's all for now. We've got one more nursery to visit, but the chances of us leaving the house today are dwindling rapidly as the moments go by. Something about kickin' ass early in the day makes it easier to lounge about in sweatpants and watch football all afternoon without feeling like a slacker...

Oh, and I'm adding a link to the Sunset Garden site in the link list. Be warned--it will take hours of your life and leave you feeling inspired.

Day 10!

It grew while I wasn't sleeping!

We had some thunderstorms last night--very rare for this area--and my mathematical equations for the night goes like this:

If x=Toddler and y=Thunderstorm

And a=Mommy and b=Sleep

Then x+y=a-b

But, the delirium is taking a backseat to the thrill of new grass! Germination time is listed as 10-14 days and, sure enough, here we are on the morning of Day 10 and we've got tiny grass in patches all over the lawn. I was really starting to get concerned that something had gone awry in the topsoil spreading, fertilizing, seed spreading, watering series of events, but apparently all I needed to do was quit watching to proverbial pot so it could boil. The number of rocks in the lawn is a little bothersome--those puppies were buried under 4-6" of topsoil before it started raining. We're going to have to go on a serious Rock Patrol as soon as we can walk on the lawn. Nevertheless, this is a major victory and today is officially a success!

I wonder if all that thunder was the Grass Fairy...

Seven Things...

Gayla at You Grow Girl challenged all her readers, of which I am one, to a "Seven Random Things" MeMe. One reader (of those who participate) will win a copy of Gayla's first book, the aptly-titled You Grow Girl. While my initial temptation is to simply read the submissions of others and lurk about anonymously, I started thinking about it and realized I not only have a list of seven things but, in the spirit of the challenge, they also just happen to be garden/yard-related.

So, here you go: Seven Things I Want To Accomplish in Our Yard!

1. I'd like to build something cool to both protect and hide the air-conditioner. It's just sitting there right now, all exposed to the elements. I know it doesn't have feelings, but I feel like I should put a sweater on it or something. Instead, I'm thinking maybe gravel around the base of it and some 4-foot fencing of some sort, set about a foot away from the unit. With some low maintenance plants on the outside of the structure...it could be the prettiest air-conditioner in the West.

2. Fences are going to be a big deal. The one in the front is going to both keep deer out and keep the Biggest Girl in, but it absolutely will not be made of pre-fab pickets. In fact, I saw a fence made of corrugated roofing and it looked so fabulous that I'm beginning to entertain the idea. The back yard is going to have the tall, privacy fence, but, again, I'm really loving the corrugated look. It's going to take some more research, but I'm hoping to have both planned (at least) by the Spring.

3. I'd like the entire backyard to be a garden that allows us to be as self-reliant as possible when it comes to fruits and veggies. I know there will be things we will still have to buy (citrus and bananas, at the very least), but I reeeally want to be able to step out back and pick our dinner, rather than having to get ready, get Buns ready, get in the car, drive, get out of the car, get Buns out of the car, go into the store...it just seems like so much work and it would be nice to just wander into the yard to do my "shopping".

4. If I'm going to become a fabulous gardner, I'm also going to have to learn to preserve. I'm talking canning, dehydrating, and the like. This won't really take place in the yard, but it's a necessary step in the process and that's why it's on the list. I have a dishwasher that can sanitize (see...I was thinking ahead!), but, past that, I'm a total amateur. I can freeze things pretty well, but the thought of canning my own salsa=woohoo!

5. Grass. I would really like it if my grass would grow. It's been 9 days since I scattered the seed and, with a germination time of 10-14 days, I'm fully expecting to wake up in the morning (day 10!) and see a soft, neon green blanket of fuzzy grass. This is one of the most nerve-wracking projects I've ever tackled! There are greasy forehead prints on the living room window and I'm pretty sure my neighbors must think I'm wacky, what with all the staring at the lawn at all hours of the day. I can't help it. I want grass. Just grow already!

6. I want a funky, beautiful yard. The neighborhood we live in is sadly lacking in landscaping character and I am so determined to change that. Part of the problem is that it's a relatively new development and, therefore, the landscaping is relatively new, as well. Past that, though, it's all so...safe. So expected. Not here. Nope. I'm going for it. The Bauer's Dracaena is our jumping off point and I am so excited to see where we land. I want the plants we choose to be unexpected, but fabulous. It's a little scary leaping out of the lavender/hydrangea/boxwood box and into the world of more exotic landscaping, but nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

7. I want to make sure this is a family thing. I'm definitely the one with the vision, but it's not just my yard. It's our yard and I hope the Biggest Girl and Mr. Mallard get as much out of it as I do. Working on the yard together is a great chance for us to have some family time that doesn't require an admission ticket or an overpriced snack of some sort. It's just us and the plants and the dirt and I can't imagine a better time or, once we get the garden going, a better opportunity to teach our awesome baby girl how to live a simple, beautiful, healthy life.

And there you have it! Seven things I want to accomplish in our yard. My To-Do list for the next six months, essentially. While it all seems like a lot of work, I'm truly thrilled to have the chance to make this list. Having this yard, that just happens to be attached to our first house, represents so much more to me than just a list of chores. It's the greatest blank canvas ever and we are so lucky, especially in these times, to be in a position to get our hands dirty as we build and grow something of our own.

So...do you have seven things? hmmm?

A Woman's Nation

Working with the Center for American Progress, Maria Shriver has compiled a report on the status of women in America today, namely as our position contrasts to that of women in generations past. I can't say with any certainty that the report or the accompanying Special Report series ("A Woman's Nation") on NBC Nightly News will be worth the time it takes to read and/or watch, but I'm tuning in--6:30pm on NBC here.

Here are some links of interest related to the The Shriver Report:

www.awomansnation.com Along with the report are additional essays that look interesting. There's a lot of information on the site, so if you don't have time to sit in front of the computer and read, you can download the full report from the Center for American Progress site. It's 454 pages long, though, so I'm guessing (hoping!) there will be a book version released. The Kindle version will be available tomorrow...

NBC's "A Woman's Nation" site is here: click

The Huffington Post has the mother load of reviews by both men and women. Use the site search to find even more. The comments are worth peeking at, as well. People are pretty worked up. The pros and cons of the feminist movement are rearing their beautiful and alarming heads every day across the nation and this report is bringing both sides into the ring swinging.