Braised boneless pork chops and peach salsa

 Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of this meal plated. We were rushing around and the Irishman needed to get going (a 2.5 hour trip to southern Illinois) and he dashed off with the plates before I could get the camera.  lol  So, this was the leftovers, which he took with him. With 2 slices of bread, saying he'd have a pork chop and salsa sandwich for his supper.  Gotta love that man.

Remember this ? I canned about 8 jars (I think) of peach salsa, not knowing if we'd really like it for much. O.M.G.  Was I mistaken !  It is incredible with meats, especially pork and chicken. It's almost like a chutney, but not really.  It's really good with tortilla chips, as a dip. I think it would be good with cream cheese and crackers too.  Our peaches were plentiful this past year and I have lots of them in the freezer still. I made a couple of dozen jars of jam and froze the rest. I will definitely can this salsa again. It's really tasty.

  I hadn't eaten any of the canned, although I saved some back and ate it fresh and really liked it. It's even better canned, after the flavors have had a chance to meld and mellow. It was easy to make and is a great thing to have on hand to take to other peoples houses--it wows 'em. 


  I served these chops with a rice dish made with leftover Thai Jasmine rice, sauteed crimini mushrooms, sliced almonds, onion and baby edamame. It was delicious. Took maybe half an hour tops to fix.  Definitely a meal I will make again.


 It's that time of year to start thinking about the gardens of 2013. We spent a couple of hours last weekend going through our old seeds and looking over the garden journal. We're pretty set as far as seeds go, need just a couple of things and seed potatoes. Oh, and sweet potato slips. Trying to decide what to plant again and what to forego. I really would like to plant cabbage this year, because I need to make kraut again.  We've planted it here a couple of times and not had much luck. Time to try again.

 Time to get seeds started too.  I know some people have been doing this already, but I don't. We have a nice long growing season here (last year, I didn't think it was EVER going to be over !!!!!) and I rarely put any garden in until the second week of May.  Too much of a gamble for me. I'm like the tortoise...slow and steady. It wasn't always like that. lol 

  The Irishman finally got out yesterday and planted his Valentine's Day blueberries. I got him 4 pots and a bag of organic sulfur.  :)   He came in and said, "I don't see how I can plant them anywhere but the front yard" and I said--"So ?? Plant 'em in the front yard. Grow food, not lawns!!"  He looked at me like I was crazy. I have always harbored a secret fantasy of having a whole front yard full of cabbages. We already have planted 5 fruit trees in our front yard. 1 garden bed in the side yard. And blackberries all around on the fence perimeters.  More garden, less yard, I say.

  It's beautiful out there right now, after a morning of rain. The sun came out and it's currently 59 degrees. I spent some time outside, and swept the front porch and cleaned the rocking chairs and the front door. Mud splatters and dog prints everywhere.  Such is my life.

  No real recipes for you today, just a lot of jibber-jabber about life on Honeysuckle Hill.  I am lucky to have this life, to be blessed with a man who loves me, loyal and faithful canine companions, and sunshine. Just for today.




Bon Apetit, Baby.