Week Three: Monday (Day 9)

I have some pork chops. I wasn't really sure about what to do with them except fry them up. I wanted to do something different and came across THIS recipe. I chose it because it also had orange listed in its name. Why?

Because we received a late Christmas present from my MIL--a box of citrus!! I definitely wanted to incorporate those.

A word about "yams" as a word. I hate it. It's as annoying to say as "yak." It does nothing for me. I prefer "sweet potatoes." Technically, we don't have yams in the US. They are ALL sweet potatoes. So, why do the cans list them as yams? Shorter word, probably. Fits on the label better. End of lesson. Back to work.

The Recipe:

Spiced Orange Pork and Yams

2 (16 ounce) cans yams
2/3 (6 ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed (I'm subbing fresh OJ)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2/3 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 pork chops, trimmed of fat,1 inch thick
2 teaspoons oil
2/3 orange, thinly sliced,garnish (optional)
4 sprigs parsley, garnish (optional)

• Drain yams, saving canning liquid; set aside yams for now.
• Measure out about 2 cups liquid (add water if necessary) and add orange juice, sugar, lemon juice, and seasonings.
• Brown chops well on each side in oil in a heavy skillet; drain off fat- don't overcook, just brown them.
• Pour syrup mixture over chops, cover, and simmer on low heat for 45 minutes,turning chops over occasionally and adding a touch of water if needed.
• Add the yams during the last 15 minutes of cooking time, spooning the sauce over the yams and chops to coat. Leave cover off to reduce slightly.
• Serve chops with yams and sauce ladled on top of each serving, garnished with a parsley and orange slices.

I'm looking forward to eating this. I WON'T be eating it tonight as I have to go to the dentist this evening for a possible root canal (yay). Hubby and Son will be partaking. Perhaps I'll be able to try it for lunch tomorrow.

The Verdict:

Me: Eh. It was OK. Not something I'll be in a hurry to duplicate. I'm not a fan of SWEET sweet potatoes, so my opinion may not be useful.

Hubby: The pork chops taste kind of funny. (Freezer burn??) The rest was so-so.