Pork Chops with Rice & Beans

This is another Food Network recipe they I tried the other nite.  It's very easy and yummy, although I did have to do some modifications.  First I cut the recipe in half and I didn't have any tomato sauce, so I made my own by taking 1 part tomato paste to 1 part water.  Also, my chops were a little thicker than the recipe called so I broiled them until the internal temp reached 145 degrees F.  Also, my chops didn't have any juices left in the pain, it burned off.  I used leftover brown rice too.  The beans and rice were really good and I will definitely make them again.  I added a few drops of Louisiana Habanero Hot Sauce to the beans and that added a nice kick. The chops were good, but nothing special.  I really don't think the addition of the cider vinegar or the tomato sauce added anything to the chops.  Anyway, give the dish a try or at least the beans and rice.  It's healthy and Good Eats.

Country Fixins

Last night we grilled some corn on the cob and some thick pork loin chops.  We also had some half runner green beans and red skin potatoes.  We grilled the corn and chops on the charcoal grill.  The chops were about 1.5 inches thick and I seasoned them S&P.  I grilled them until they reached an internal temp of 145.  They took about 20 minutes.  I've tried grilling corn several ways, removing husks and laying on grill , soaking the corn in cold water for several hours and not soaking the corn.  I think my favorite way is to soak the corn with the husks left on in cold water for up to 8 hours and laying the corn on the upper grates of the grill, where they will steam.  I usually keep them on the grill up to 30 minutes. While my chops and corn were grilling I prepared the half runner beans and potatoes for the pressure cooker.  If you're not familiar with half runner green beans, they are thicker and larger than the green beans you usually find in your market.  They are firmer, and have a large beans inside the pods.  You also need to remove the string from the pods before cooking.  They also are more yellow green in color.  I've never seen them in my local market.  Farmers markets usually have them in the summer.  When I was a child my grand parents always grew a large garden with lots of half runner beans.  When the beans would come in I would help my mamaw pick them and string them.  She would usually can 20-30 qts of the beans.   I remember that she would slow cook the fresh beans with bacon and bacon fat.  They were so yummy with mashed potatoes, corn bread and fresh home grown tomatoes.  This was a wonderful summertime meal.  For this meal I took the beans and some red skin potatoes quartered and cook them in my MDF pressure cooker for 6 minutes.  I let the pressure cooker get to max pressure, reduced the heat to low and cooked them for 6 minutes.  After 6 minutes I removed the cooker from heat and let it release pressure naturally.   When they cooled we placed in bowl with S&P and butter.  Yummy!  We served the corn with lots of butter and S&P along with our beans, tators and chops.  Now that's some country fixins.  Enjoy!