Friday, December 18, 2015

Bowling, Christmas Lunches, Electricity Refund,

I bowled on Thursday, whooppee. I played one game and hurt a little bit but then eventually it faded and it was fine. I attribute my cure to Elizabeth Seckman, thanks Liz. From comments received from sinlaw in the UK, his daughter is a dancer, ballet dancers (and other forms of dance) get shin splints too. Sinlaw wondered if I had taken up ballet. He figured I couldn't do the Grand Jete with a shin splint. Er, I couldn't do the move without a shin splint. A jump in which a dancer springs from one foot to land on the other with one leg forward of their body and the other stretched backward while in the air. When I felt the pain at the bowling alley I just flexed the shin muscle which helped it disappear, of course I had a great game today - after all it's Thursday.

The league that are normally there on Thursday had their Christmas luncheon today and kindly
offered some to us. Matt never has anything, but I took some cheese and a few other bits plus a glass of wine. Very kind of them. Today was their last day before Christmas. We have our Christmas lunch next week. Normally, the Christmas shindig is sandwiches and desserts made by the wives of the owners. However, one wife is still recovering from major back surgery and the other wife is working so I gather they are going to Costco for the sandwiches. From the pictures they make all kinds of good stuff so I guess we will be OK.

I was pleased this week, to finally receive a cheque from the Electric company in North Carolina. They are a membership corporation and when you leave them, there are often monies in your account. We had $500 (this was about 15 years ago) but they won't give it to you in a lump sum, but have been paying it to us in dribs and drabs every year. I had forgotten about it until something reminded me so I phoned and made enquiries. Turned out that they had sent cheques but they were still floating in limbo uncashed. However, they said they would send them to me again. It turned out to be a decent sized cheque after being delayed a couple of years or so. Not only that, the exchange rate is very much in our favour. Mind you, if Matt shuffles off his mortal coil, they will then pay out the remainder.

Pork Chops can be so boring. This helps I think. Might try it Friday night.

Saucy Mushroom Marsala Pork Chop Casserole


Recipe4Living.

Upgrade to this tasty dish! These pork chops are simmered in a mushroom and wine sauce and then baked with a
coating of crispy Parmesan.

4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. pork loin chops
  • 1/3 C. flour
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. oregano
  • ½ stick butter
  • 2 T. olive oil
  • 2 C. mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 C. Marsala wine
  • ¼ C. Parmesan cheese, shredded

Directions


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and oregano. Coat pork chops with flour mixture and transfer to a skillet with butter and oil. Cook until brown, add in mushrooms, and sauté briefly. Pour in wine, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes as sauce thickens. Transfer contents to a greased baking dish, top with Parmesan, and bake for 15 minutes.
Have a great day
 

14 comments:

  1. Glad you bowled and had a faster recovery time.

    Woohoo!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Ivy. It was quite a relief.

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    2. I know that feeling. It's a great relief not to be in chronic pain.

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  2. Hi Jo - glad you had a happy time bowling .. doing splits is not for us. A good pork recipe is always delicious to make ... enjoy the run up to Christmas - cheers Hilary

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    1. That's a leap which includes the splits and yes, not for us Hilary. Where do you spend your Christmas?

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  3. So glad you're back to bowling!
    I haven't eaten pork chops since I got a bout of food poisoning after eating them in a Reno restaurant. Can't get past the memory.
    A week until Christmas, but the shopping's done, now on to the wrapping!

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    Replies
    1. Me too Yolanda. I hated sitting there watching.

      I think I would try and get over that memory. Love pork chops.

      The wrapping is the worst part. Did you see the British woman on TV who gives her three kids 100 presents for Christmas? Imagine all that wrapping.

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  4. Glad you are back to bowling and have some fun lunches and stuff coming up! And great news on the check!!! I will have to try that pork chops recipe. I have some in the crock pot right now but with ranch dressing and gravy. I have to go cut up the potatoes to boil to make mashed.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, thank goodness. I hated sitting out on Monday. Your pork chops sound good.

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  5. At the moment I wake up with stiff painful hands and my right knee is painful. I suspect it's some kind of arthritis brought on by all that scrubbing I did a couple of months ago. I wonder if there are any exercises I could do? Have fun at your bowling party! This time of year is lovely isn't it!

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    Replies
    1. I hope for your sake it's not arthritis Pinky. They do say a muscle/limb in motion stays in motion. Hard to follow when it's painful.

      Used to be a whizz when I was working, not so much going on now.

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  6. This recipe looks delicious, Jo. I have osteoarthritis and we have been getting a lot of rain here in Montreal, so...lots of rain, lots of pain. Merry Christmas to you. :)

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    Replies
    1. Sorry to hear that, very painful Linda. We have just had snow which means everywhere outside is white. Not sure how thick it is though, being dark.

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