Pork Chops with Apples & Grits

So I decided to start my week off by making something COMPLETELY new. (You can read more about my current Pioneer Woman cookbook challenge here) I quickly regretted that decision. While I am normally not a picky eater this one really threw me for a loop. I tried to like it, I really did. I forced myself to eat it after all that hard work..but alas, I have to admit it was not worth the work. Moments during this dinner making process I felt like Julie in the movie when she has those ridiculous meltdowns. She seems so childish but in the heat of the moment when things go wrong I have to admit I relate more to those childish moments then the calm adult I'm supposed to be. Aj had to come help me because I couldn't get the meat to cook throughly. Turns out it was too big. I missed the part where she said to make sure it wasn't bigger than 1/2 thick...missed that detail. Thankful Aj knows what he is doing, this is pretending to be upset at my picture taking..psh he loves showing off his new hipster glasses ;) What a cool dude. Next time I need his help I should make him where a pretty apron so my femininity is not so challenged by his better cooking skills.

Well, I signed on for this challenge with the realization that five-year old moments would occur and I would need prayer to overcome my inability to calmly handle my anger towards food not obeying my commands. Did I mention I burned my hand, & bought the wrong kind of bacon for the grits (yes I screwed up buying bacon.who does that? I accidentally bought uncured unsmoked FRESH side of pork...very different and it smells TERRIBLE! Basically it feels like your eating pork flavored gum or something chewy gross strange......I'm going to leave it at that)  I thought these mistakes would occur a few months into the challenge ....HAHAAHAH.....that's a good one. But hey, it's not a total disaster I fed the Aj who loved it. If we are being completely honest my ruff night ended with a large helping of leftover valentine chocolate cake and raspberries...now that's my kind of meal. Sometimes you just need a little sugar in your life :)

I needed it for the sugar rush to help me clean all the dishes: eek I need to get better at minimizing the dish mess:

DISHES, ugh even the word makes me cringe..the only downside to this challenge. Maybe if I feed people I can hire them to clean up for me ;)

Even though this meal was not all I hoped it would be it was just one meal on my weekly menu. So: "onward cooking champion" (I pretend the cooking coach in my head is Gordon Ramsay...makes cooking both exciting and ridiculously scary...maybe I should pick another food network star...I'll look into that) This story does have a happy ending, another checkmark in my book!  :)

Don't be scared off by my dislike, you may love this recipe like Aj. Here's the recipe if you want to give it a try (but for heaven's sakes BUY THE RIGHT KIND OF BACON. That was the most disgusting grits I've ever had haha):
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/08/pork-chops-with-apples-and-creamy-bacon-cheese-grits/