Monday Moanin'

It was cold on Monday, but I went grocery shopping at lunchtime, anyway. I need to make up for my wasted Sunday. My back is still hurting, BTW, so I am moving very carefully. I can't afford to have it spasm!

I got all the shopping done and then headed home. I managed to unpack it, put it all away and still eat a sandwich before heading back to work. I replaced about half of the spices and herbs that I threw away (it was all I could afford, this time).

Once home after work, I stripped the bed and started the wash machine. I had picked up two types of protein this shopping trip. One was a nice salmon steak, with the skin on and the other were two beautiful, bone-in, center cut pork chops (each about I 1/2 inches thick).

So, while the laundry was in the dryer, I started to make a brine. This is a Chef Anne Burrell (one of my favorite chefs) recipe, by the way and nothing for a quick weeknight meal. The chops have to be in the brine for at least three days!

So, to 1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) of cold water, I added 1/2 cup of salt, 1/3 cup of sugar, two tablespoons of fennel seeds, two tablespoons of coriander seeds, one teaspoon of red pepper flakes and three bay leaves. I whisked that all together until the salt and sugar had dissolved.

Then I got out my trusty Wusthof and fine-diced one medium onion, two ribs of celery and two peeled carrots. I smashed and peeled four cloves of garlic. Then I stirred it altogether one more time and set in the two pork chops. Note: this recipe is for four pork chops, BTW, but since my two big, bad boys weighed over four pounds, I made the whole thing.

I put this in my only remaining Tupperware dish (an ugly orange thing with a nice, tight sealing lid). I popped it in the fridge and made a mental note to shake it up any time I open the fridge. Then, I took the clothes out of the dryer and made up the bed.

Since tomorrow is garbage day, its typically leftover's for dinner. Use it or lose it, I always say. I didn't find anything on TV that sounded interesting, so I went back to reading until about 9:00, then I went to bed.