Meanwhile, dinner still needs to be cooked. Every day.
But no worries! These sheet pan dinners are all the rage around here. Simple. Easy. Quick. Delicious.
What more could you ask for???
Before I get to the recipe, I have to show you my admiring audience. They're almost always on hand when I'm in the kitchen.
First, there's Maggie-Cat. Queen of the house.
She's twelve years old this spring and settling into dowager status.
Then there's #JackoftheBlackHills - puppy delightfulicious. Aka J.J. Wigglebottoms III. Aka Jack.
He is just past his adolescent testing-all-the-boundaries stage and is growing into a wonderful, calm, easy to live with dog.
These two are always around to taste-test anything, or to volunteer for floor clean-up when necessary.
Anyway, back to the sheet pan dinner!
For this one, I chose to use a rosemary/herb flavoring.
Rosemary Herb Pork Chops Sheet Pan Dinner
Easy peasy - In a medium bowl, mix about 4 Tablespoons of olive oil with a couple teaspoons rosemary (fresh is best, but I used dried,) 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon basil, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste.
First, use about a teaspoon of the herb/oil mixture and spread it on both sides of your pork chops. I used thin-sliced, which cook quickly.
Then quarter a few potatoes, and add whatever other veggies you have on hand. For this meal I used some frozen petite Brussels sprouts - the size was perfect for my cooking time. Toss them in the bowl with the remaining herb/oil mixture until all the veggies are coated.
Lay them all on a sheet pan lined with foil or parchment paper.
These quantities were just right for two of us. Increase or decrease the amounts of everything as you need to.
Roast your dinner in a 400° oven for 25 to 30 minutes, turning the meat and veggies once in the middle of the cooking time. Test the meat and veggies for doneness - pork should be at least 145° (my hubby disagrees and says 155°), and the potatoes should be fork-tender.
Take the pan out of the oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes, and then serve.
We had cole slaw for our salad, and enjoyed a wonderful easy dinner!
In other news, like I said last week, Jack's and Maggie's peaceful lives are about to get disrupted. We pick up our new pup at the end of the week!
But I don't want you to think Jack doesn't have friends. This little guy comes by to eat the spilled bird seed almost every afternoon:
While most of the deer ignore Jack, this one usually walks over to the door to stare at him through the window. He's about 2/3 the size of the other deer, and is often with them, but sometimes alone.
The other deer spend plenty of time in our yard, too.
When I looked for information on how to deer-proof our garden, one piece of advice said, "Plant your shrubs and flowers close to the house to keep the deer from bothering them."
Um, yeah. Just how close would that be?
Are you looking forward to spring in your part of the world?
Jan Drexler lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband and growing family. When she isn't writing, she loves hiking in the Hills or satisfying her cross stitch addiction.
You can find Jan on Facebook, Jan Drexler, author, or her website, Jan Drexler.com
Before I get to the recipe, I have to show you my admiring audience. They're almost always on hand when I'm in the kitchen.
First, there's Maggie-Cat. Queen of the house.
She's twelve years old this spring and settling into dowager status.
Then there's #JackoftheBlackHills - puppy delightfulicious. Aka J.J. Wigglebottoms III. Aka Jack.
He is just past his adolescent testing-all-the-boundaries stage and is growing into a wonderful, calm, easy to live with dog.
These two are always around to taste-test anything, or to volunteer for floor clean-up when necessary.
Anyway, back to the sheet pan dinner!
For this one, I chose to use a rosemary/herb flavoring.
Rosemary Herb Pork Chops Sheet Pan Dinner
Easy peasy - In a medium bowl, mix about 4 Tablespoons of olive oil with a couple teaspoons rosemary (fresh is best, but I used dried,) 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon basil, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste.
First, use about a teaspoon of the herb/oil mixture and spread it on both sides of your pork chops. I used thin-sliced, which cook quickly.
Then quarter a few potatoes, and add whatever other veggies you have on hand. For this meal I used some frozen petite Brussels sprouts - the size was perfect for my cooking time. Toss them in the bowl with the remaining herb/oil mixture until all the veggies are coated.
Lay them all on a sheet pan lined with foil or parchment paper.
These quantities were just right for two of us. Increase or decrease the amounts of everything as you need to.
Roast your dinner in a 400° oven for 25 to 30 minutes, turning the meat and veggies once in the middle of the cooking time. Test the meat and veggies for doneness - pork should be at least 145° (my hubby disagrees and says 155°), and the potatoes should be fork-tender.
Take the pan out of the oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes, and then serve.
We had cole slaw for our salad, and enjoyed a wonderful easy dinner!
In other news, like I said last week, Jack's and Maggie's peaceful lives are about to get disrupted. We pick up our new pup at the end of the week!
But I don't want you to think Jack doesn't have friends. This little guy comes by to eat the spilled bird seed almost every afternoon:
While most of the deer ignore Jack, this one usually walks over to the door to stare at him through the window. He's about 2/3 the size of the other deer, and is often with them, but sometimes alone.
The other deer spend plenty of time in our yard, too.
When I looked for information on how to deer-proof our garden, one piece of advice said, "Plant your shrubs and flowers close to the house to keep the deer from bothering them."
Um, yeah. Just how close would that be?
 |
| This picture was from last fall - they often walk between that bush and the house! |
Are you looking forward to spring in your part of the world?
Jan Drexler lives in the Black Hills of South Dakota with her husband and growing family. When she isn't writing, she loves hiking in the Hills or satisfying her cross stitch addiction.
You can find Jan on Facebook, Jan Drexler, author, or her website, Jan Drexler.com
