Wednesday and wandering about, returning to work and pork chops

I have been home without employment since July 12th of this year. I needed to take this time to reflect on this life, my life, including how do I want to support myself until retirement, and part time after. I decided in late June to give myself a  "promotion" and move on! So I did. It has been frightening at times, but it was the best decision I could have made. Don't you just love hindsight?

I have been working down, by choice for a few years now. I know, our country has been in a recession, what was I thinking? I have also found age discrimination, illegal by law, but in full play out in the world. I found employers wanting a BA degree and willing to pay $12.00 an hour "to the right candidate". I did not qualify for those great opportunities, I am not sad to say!

I did want to work in an environment where, at the very least, I would not be held accountable to the ebb and flow of business that affects the bottom line (and those salaries at the top) for which I have no say or control over. Yes I did want it, I wanted a little respect.

R E S P E C T, sing it for me now, Miss Aretha.Franklin. Lets give that lady a big round of applause.

As I look back now, I have been headed this way since March 31, 2007 when I resigned as Administrator of an Assisted Living Facility. Of course in readying the building, my residents and the staff for my departure, I had not obtained another position - anywhere. And found myself unemployed on April Fools Day, doesn't that just beat all!

I have always loved a simple life, and home is where I live. I don't live my job, never have, it only pays for where I get to live. I grew up simply, raised my own children simply and wanted to return, to that life. I started this blog to chronicle the love I have for this kind of life, and the celebrations in and of daily living. Getting to know other bloggers has been a wonderful bonus. I offer a big thank you to everyone I have had the pleasure to get to know, just a little bit more.

Well that's it, not my usual post, but one that I wanted to write. I plan to keep up here, after my start date there on November 1st. Of course there will be some changes at first, I have a whole new job to learn. But I have found that this old dog, is still pretty good at still learning a few new tricks! 

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming........

I cannot get pork chops and scalloped potatoes out of my mind. I love pork chops cooked in, with those milky creamy potatoes. Add some onion and crushed thyme, dinner does not get any better.

Let wander, shall we....

No milk in this good looking dish, but those potatoes should be tasty!
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/pork-chops-and-scalloped-potatoes/Detail.aspx

Ahhh, this dish has cheese, lots of cheese.
http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/scalloped-potatoes-and-pork-chops/Detail.aspx

This one has sour cream.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/SCALLOPED-POTATOES-WITH-PORK-CHOPS-50101035

This one from Hillbilly Housewife, and uses a crock pot.
http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/crockpotscallopedpotatoes.htm

This is a little dressier! A little wine, a little dijon....
http://technically.us/eat/x/mom-cooks-pork-chops/

Grandmas Porkchops? I don't know, my grandma did not cook this way. But this looks good!
http://www.grouprecipes.com/79078/grandmas-porkchop-scalloped-potatoes.html

I am not finding "it", that creamy milk based recipe. Here is a rundown on what I do, the no recipe way. It's really simple.

Brown your chops, seasoning with garlic salt and pepper, 4-6 what ever fits in your 9X13 baking pan.

Peel 5 - 6 potatoes and 1 large onion, slice about 1/4 inch thick.

Layer 1/2 potatoes, then onion, sprinkle with S&P, some crushed thyme and paprika  and 2 T flour.

Add your browned chops.

Layer remaining potatoes, onions. Sprinkle with S&P, crushed thyme and paprika. Oh and another 2 T flour.

Pour a can of evaporated milk over, cover with a lid or foil, bake 350 for one hour. Remove foil, if potatoes are dry (sometimes they absorb the liquid, sometimes they give it off) add 1 c of broth and cover with 2 cups of grated cheese. Return to oven for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender and the cheese is beginning to brown. If desire, broil for a minute or two for crunchy crusty cheese (my favorite part). Serves 4-6.

As always thanks for taking a moment to stop and say hello,
I do appreciate your time.