Sit down and grab you a bite!

Something to lick your chops about!

2008-01-26T20:52:00.000-06:00

Tonight was wonderful! We had pork chops, spaetzle, and mixed vegetables. For starters, these pork chops were thick cut (about 2") and a good brand, Tyson. Here is how I transformed these chops from mere chunks of meat to a true marvel:

I rubbed down each chop with olive oil
Created a spice rub to pat down the chops
Rub: 2 tbsp kosher salt, 1 tbsp paprika, 2 tbsp cracked peppercorns, 1/2 tbsp masala curry, 1 tbsp Mrs. Dash tomato, basil, garlic, 1 tbsp Mrs. Dash lemon pepper, 3 tbsp thyme.
Rub down chops and allow 40 min or so to develop a rich flavor.
Heat up a cast-iron skillet to a medium high heat and had 1 tbsp of real butter (no imitations here!)
Develop a crust on each side of chop and put into a 400 degree oven and flip every 3 minutes until they are firm and still have a little bounce in the flesh (it usually means they are done.)

The spaetzle was a very good brand, Maggi. Here is how Mom brought this German delight to life:

Bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil
Stir in the spaetzle and boil uncovered for about 22-23 min
drain water and stir in mushrooms and asparagus (fresh, steamed).
Season to taste!

We also made us a bag of frozen mixed vegetables. Whenever I have the time and the availability, I love to use fresh vegetables. Frozen can taste very good when steamed in a little bit of water or wine and seasonings. Again, Mom really outdid herself with these vegetables!

Ohhhh, I love you Sweet Leaf

2008-01-23T13:08:00.000-06:00

Roughly 3 weeks ago, during a long lunch break from school I went to HEB to find some refreshments. What I found that day would change my life forever. This lovely elixir has the perfect balance of flavor, sweetness and body. This tasty brew can cure a headache, lighten a mood, and even raise the dead! This drink is Sweet Leaf Tea. I have had the standard sweet brand but the flavor that really gets my juices flowing is the mint&honey green tea. The company that makes this wonderful drink is located out of Austin, Texas. Their website is http://www.sweetleaftea.com/

One chilly evening....

2008-01-21T20:57:00.000-06:00

Well hello everyone, my name is John and this is my first post. I figured tonight would be a great night to start blogging because I do have a dream, that dream is to spread my love of the finer things in life (food and drink). This dream is in no way as noble or as life changing as Dr. King's, but it is a dream nonetheless. This is also a great night to start spreading my love of food because it is my favorite time of year. For those of you that do not know me, I love cold weather, I was built for it. Cold weather forces people to slow down a little bit, stay inside and enjoy those finer things I was talking about. Tonight I enjoyed something that warms ones insides, clears heads and is easy on the wallet. Most people know it as Ramen noodles, I like the Nong Shim brand Shin Ramyun noodle soup. It is roughly 12-15 USD for a case of them and the noodles come with a spice pack and a dehydrated veggie pack. Another thing that you might not know about me is that I will alter or "doctor up" standard foods to fit my tastes. Here is a basic description of how I made tonights masterpiece:

In a pot, put enough water to submerge to noodles (do not use the microwave!!!).
Bring water to a low boil/high simmer.
While water is heating up create John's "custom sauce". This will consist of 6 Tbsp olive oil, 3 Tbsp of MDH Meat Curry Masala (Thank you Rita), 3 Tbsp Sriracha HOT Chili Sauce (look for the rooster!), 1 Tsp cracked black pepper, 3 crushed cloves of garlic, 2 eggs. Wisk all this together until it looks like a big jumbled mess.
Add noodles to heated water
When you are able to move the noodles apart from their disk shape add the spice pack
Once the spice pack is spread about among the water and noodles add the dehydrated veggie pack.
Add John's "custom sauce."
Once eggs seem to be cooked take the pot off the heat, never overcook your noodles, you will lose flavor and texture.
Pour your wonderful meal into a big, wide, deep bowl.
Grab a handful of cilantro and put on top of your noodles, top the cilantro with 1 Tbsp of sour cream.

Enjoy!

This meal would go great with a corona or a glass of milk (depending on how much you love spicy, hot food).