Pork Loin Chops with Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce

When I originally picked this recipe to try out I was leery about whether Daniel would like it or not. Mr. Picky Pants is so hard to read sometimes and when asking him about what he would like for me to make his comment is usually always "I don't care". It's like pulling teeth with that man sometimes!

Anyway, I love pork chops and I love gravy especially with a nice heaping spoonful of mashed potatoes so I knew whether Daniel enjoyed it or not I would, so it didn't really matter what Daniel thought. I know, I know, I am such a loving wife.

I doubled the recipe for the cream sauce because I knew I just had to have enough to spoon over my mashed potatoes and I will be honest, at first bite, you know when you stick your finger in the sauce to give it a taste test, it came across very cream cheesy and I didn't know yet if it would be worth spooning over my goodies. However after spooning the sauce over my goodies...I'm brave like that...and trying again I realized it was absolutely WONDERFUL! And what is even more wonderful is the fact that Daniel actually liked this meal, with the exception of the mashed potatoes...he's weird like that.

I would suggest serving with the potatoes and a side of corn. My corn is absent from the picture because right about the time I was ready to start plating my meal somebody was in dire need of a diaper change which actually resulted in needing a bath. That's something you always want to deal with right before you eat dinner let me tell you!

By the way...this is another Cassie Craves recipe and so far it has been my favorite. I actually made two of her shared recipes the week before I had Addison but I didn't take pictures therefore I never blogged about them. If I get a chance this weekend I will blog about them and direct you to her blog for a great picture!

Pork Loin Chops with Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce~
adapted recipe from Cassie Craves which she adapted ;from Betty Crocker's Dinner Made Easy cookbook (2009 edition)

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless pork loin chops
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves roasted garlic, finely chopped
4 ounces (half a brick) cream cheese
1/3 cup milk

Directions:
1. Season pork liberally with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook chops in olive oil until juices run clear.

2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped garlic cloves and saute for about 2 minutes.

3. Add cream cheese and milk to the garlic and stir until cream cheese is melted and sauce is hot, 1-2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste (I went heavy on the pepper).

4. Serve sauce over pork chops.

Like I mentioned above I doubled the ingredients for the cream sauce which made just enough for the four chops I had plus two healthy servings of mashed potatoes. I also browned the chops on each side using my cast iron skillet and then shoved them in the oven to finish cooking. Because of the diaper fiasco mine were a little over done but suprisingly enough Daniel said he preferred them that way...go figure...won't eat mashed potatoes but he likes dry pork chops...LOL. None of these steps were listed in the above recipe since I gave you the exact recipe Cassie posted on her blog but I thought I would throw them out there for you.

White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce

After months of not blogging like I would like to I decided this week would be different so off to blog land I went in search of some new recipes to try out and blog about. One of my favorite blogs is Cassie Craves. If you have never stumbled upon Cassie's blog you really need to do so because she posts some wonderful looking items. This is one of four recipes I am trying out this week from her blog and I can not stress enough that you must try these as soon as possible. Daniel hasn't tried them yet but I am confident that he will enjoy them.


Ingredients:
8-10 soft taco size flour tortillas

2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese, divided

2 cups shredded cooked chicken
3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 can chicken broth
1 cup sour cream

1 7-ounce can diced green chiles
Cilantro for garnish, if desired

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix together 1 cup of the cheese and the chicken. Place an equal amount of the mixture into each tortilla, roll up and place seam side down into a 9 x 13-inch pan.

2. In a skillet or saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, whisking until smooth. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Stir in sour cream and green chiles. Pour over the top of the enchiladas; sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.

3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.

I could find just plain monterey jack cheese so I used a colby/monterey blend. I also add about three tablespoons of diced onion to my chicken and cheese mixture. These are definitely going on the rotation.

Two years ago...

Two years ago today I kissed you good-bye for the final time and with that lost the most amazing woman in my life for forever.

I cannot tell you how badly I wish you were here with me today celebrating the joy known as motherhood. I know you would be so proud of your newest great grandchild and I know she would love you just as much as I did and still do. If I can show my children half the love and encouragement that you showed your children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren I know that I will make a wonderful mother and grandmother to my own.

Even though you are not here physically I know you are here spiritually. It's an almost daily occurrence that we find Addison gazing upon your picture that's hanging upon our wall. While she may never know what it is to be held by you I know from the smile on her face when gazing upon yours that she already knows what it is to have her heart touched by you.

You have three girls that need you oh so desperately right now all for much different reasons but we know that after gracing this earth for eighty eight years it was finally time for you to say good-bye.

You told us all not to cry for you or be sad that you needed to leave. I told you that it was just a sign of our love for you and it couldn't be controlled. Two years later we are still crying for you as our love for you has yet to diminish.

Thank you for being my Grandma and instilling in me so many of your greatest qualities and most of all, thank you for loving me unconditionally...faults and all.

Two Months

Addison,
Today you are two months old and I just can't believe how much you have changed in just these past four weeks. You are an amazing little girl and Mommy and Daddy are so blessed to have you in our lives. You eat like a champ...sleep like a champ and very seldom do you cry. We are spoiled by your wonderful behavior and good nature. Thank you for making our transition into parenthood so easy!

Love you Baby Buttercup,
Mommy and Daddy

Already?

Yesterday was a busy day for Addison and me and with it we marked a big milestone.


The big milestone being that Addison isn't so little anymore! I can't believe it but I actually had to put away all of her newborn clothes as they are now way too small for her little body. I will admit to a tear or two mainly because I can't believe she is already seven weeks old. I remember just prior to her birth laying in bed with Daniel saying that it wouldn't be much longer before she was here and laying in bed with us and now BOOM, she's here and already to big for the newborn clothes that I used to spend countless amounts of time gazing upon in her closest dreaming of the moment I would finally get to use them. Not only is she to big to wear them but I realize there may not be another opportunity to use them again. For all we know, as I told her last night, we may get nothing but stinky ol' boys from here on out. She thought that was kind of funny as she gave Mommy a big ol' grin when I told her. Just so I am clear...we are 100% OK with having boys next. In fact Addison's sitter, my friend Amber, has two little boys of her own. The littlest one being Brayden...I ask him everyday if he's ready to go home with me yet because he's that stinkin' cute. Anyway, it's just a bummer that I may not get the opportunity to use all of these pink clothes again and its sad for me when I wanted a girl so bad before knowing Addison's gender. Time flew by way to quick but on a positive note that just means I get to buy new clothes for this period in her growth.

Yesterday was somewhat of a big day for Mommy as well. I got my six week checkup and the Doctor said all appeared to be healthy and normal so I am able to resume my normal activities. Sex, exercises, heavy lifting, pretty much all the stuff I was told not to do. I had to chuckle when she told me all of this since we may have been pregnant again so obviously we didn't listen to the sex part and then exercises...I haven't exercised a day in my life so that was just funny. I have only lost ten pounds though since giving birth so between the pregnancy weight and the weight I gained the previous year due to my steroids...I have about sixty pounds to lose in order to be back to normal. I guess the word exercises needs to be added to the vocabulary.

On another note, anyone else just loving the new warmer weather? Today was a bit of a shocker thanks to the cold front that moved in last night but the previous days were so wonderful. I can't wait for it to get warm and stay warm so that we can begin doing more outdoor activities!

Hoppy Easter!

Addison would like to wish all of her followers a very Hoppy Easter and yes her Mommy purposely misspelled Hoppy!

Back to work and not happy!!

Today is my first day back to work. I kept telling myself I would be fine since Addison would be spending most of the day with her Daddy before heading to the sitters house but guess what...I was only kidding myself. Leaving her at home this morning cradled in Daniel's arms getting her bottle about tore my heart right out of my chest...morning bottles were my job and I am resentful that that job has been taken away from me.

I have only cried once at work but I find myself looking at her pictures quite often. I should never have downloaded her pictures to my work computer, it's too much of a distraction and while I gaze upon them I feel the dreaded pain in the back of my throat from trying to hold back my emotions. Those chubby cheeks just call to me to squeeze them but sadly I am not able to do so.

I never imagined loving someone so much or being so dependent on having that person in my presence at all times. Who cares that I haven't had a decent nights sleep in six weeks, well months considering those last few weeks prior to her birth I couldn't roll over in bed or get comfortable to save myself, but if we are talking about getting up every two and a half hours then it's six weeks. Who cares that my mind and sanity are shot. I mean really, who needs to talk in complete, understandable sentences anyway. And do I really need the invitation to my cousins wedding that I lost within an hour of opening it? I still can't find that stupid thing and I wouldn't be surprised if I go to grab something out of the freezer and I stumble upon it. I can't stand this not being able to pick her up whenever I want and I would be more than happy to continue living my life like I have above if only I got to stay with my little baby buttercup all day long!

I hate to tell this little girl but she is not going away for college, moving out, or getting married...I just don't think my heart could take anymore!