Welcome to Another Episode of "What I Have Been Up To In My Kitchen!"

Toward the end of September, I was feeling a bit like Old Mother Hubbard; my cupboards were bare.  Embarrassingly bare!  I had a small bowl full of red baby new potatoes and a package of two bone-in pork chops available, along with three eggs and a partially consumed box of Cheez Its TM.  Since payday was the next day, and my cupboards and freezer would soon be full, I got a bit creative. I added some dried thyme leaves and the pinch of dried oregano I'd had left, a little salt and pepper and two cups of the Cheddar Cheez Its to my food processor and created a darn good coating for the pork chops, if I do not say so, myself!  Don't judge until you have had this....it really is good!  I was completely surprised!

I set up a dredging station, seasoned the chops lightly with salt and pepper, dipped it into the egg wash, coated it with the crusty mix, and fried the chops in vegetable oil over medium-hih heat. 

I fried one chop at a time until golden brown and finished them off low and slow in a 250-degree oven on a wire rack over a baking pan. 

 

In the meantime, I grated the baby new potatoes (tedious process when they are that small), added onion and garlic powder, half a teaspoon of each, to the fresh potato hash, and added one last egg to it.  I hand mixed the ingredients and formed little potato patties and fried them in a separate skillet also with about 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil.  I was able to make ten little (half dollar sized) potato crisps, or, patties, which I'd dried on paper towels on a rack to drain the excess oil. This helps to keep them crispy. 

 

By having the chops finish low and slow in a barely hot oven, they were fully cooked, moist on the inside and still crispy on the outside.  Best of all worlds!

 

I served two chops with fresh sage garnish and two potato crisps.  For an extreme budget pantry meal, this was good!  

 

 

 Thank You AGAIN for your visit, your consideration and time!  These are all extremely important things, and I appreciate your spending them with me for a bit! 

Now!  Go cook something for someone you love!