ON WEEKENDS
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“There are not enough days in the weekend.”
– Rod Schmidt
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As the work week gives way to the much desired weekend, there is just one thought on my mind – to stay at home and rest after a long and tiring week.
Last weekend’s escapade to Argentina’s countryside was rejuvenating – but somehow the thought that it is Friday again, and that the weekend is almost here – is enough to make me breathe a sigh of relief.
I love how Friday descends upon us like a soft, gentle blanket, as we snuggle into the precious weekend.
Friday is probably one of my favorite days (apart from Saturday), because knowing that you have the entire weekend to enjoy and lounge at home, at your own rhythm and beat, is just so damn liberating.
It’s the fresh burst of adrenaline a runner suddenly receives when he sees the finish line just meters away. It’s the excitement you get when you start a good book, ready to read through it from end to end in just one sitting.
It’s the knowledge that you have the luxury of being at home, delighting in a meal made with love.
It’s the sizzling of the pork chops on the stove-top grill, enticing you and awakening your hunger.
It’s the aroma of honey and mustard spilling like ribbons in the kitchen, preparing you for the hearty meal ahead, complete with soft mashed sweet potatoes.
Nothing quite beats knowing that the weekend is almost here. And this is one recipe that so incredibly easy to make, you’ll be laughing your way through it.
HONEY-MUSTARD PORK CHOPS & MASHED SWEET POTATOES
(Serves 3, two pork chops per person)
Ingredients:
1) 6 pork chops
2) 3 tablespoons of honey
3) 3 tablespoons of mustard
4) 3 large sweet potatoes (or 5 small ones)
5) ½ cup of milk
6) Salt & Pepper to Taste
7) 30g of butter
8) ½ cup of whipping cream
Steps:
1) Mix honey and mustard together till you achieve a homogenous marinade
2) Spread honey-mustard marinade on both sides of the pork chops and let them chill in the refrigerator until time for grilling
3) Wash, peel and cut sweet potatoes into small pieces
4) In a large pot, add the cut sweet potatoes and fill with water till water reaches just above the sweet potatoes
5) Add in milk and bring to a boil, leaving the pot half-way covered
6) Cook sweet potatoes until they are soft enough (around 30 minutes from heating the water)
7) Drain the sweet potatoes, and mash them, adding butter and whipping cream together
8) Add salt to taste
9) Heat the stove-top grill for at least 10 minutes on medium heat
10) Cook pork chops on grill, turning them over once the bottom is cooked
11) Serve grilled pork chops with mashed sweet potatoes
Mix honey and mustard together:
Until you achieve a homogenous marinade:
Spread honey-mustard marinade on both sides of the pork chops and let them chill in the refrigerator until time for grilling:
Fresh sweet potatoes:
Wash, peel and cut sweet potatoes into small pieces:
In a large pot, add the cut sweet potatoes and fill with water and milk:
Cook sweet potatoes until they are soft enough then drain them of water:
Mash the cooked sweet potatoes, adding butter and whipping cream together:
Place pork chops on grill:
Turn them over to the other side once the bottom is cooked:
Serve grilled pork chops with mashed sweet potatoes:
Jess @ On Sugar Mountain says
Naturally it’s already Monday when I’m commenting on this but Fridays are the BEST. What a relief and I love taking the time to cook a Friday-night meal for me and the bf 😀 These pork chops look mouthwatering Felicia! And I can never say no to mashed potatoes. 😉
Hope you have a lovely week! <3
rosewithoutthorns says
Happy Monday Jess!!
If you like mashed potatoes, try mashed SWEET potatoes. a twist to the typical side dish!
And yeah isn’t the feeling that it’s Friday just about the loveliest emotion?? like the feeling you get before u go on summer holidays, or just before you get on a place to some exotic destination!!
haha, counting down to Friday again! a few days to go!!
Min says
I, too, LOVE Friday! I’m sure you feel the same way too, but the weekends just fly by! But on Friday, I find myself more relaxed knowing that I have tomorrow to take care of anything that needs to get done. During the week, I’m all about efficiency and not procrastinating. I’m trying really hard not to get sad come Sunday. Tomorrow has enough worries of its own so today I live in the moment!
I wish I could share this meal with you while sipping on some wine in our pjs. I’m obsessed with anything honey mustard, but Tim doesn’t care for it. GASP! He’s weird…and you guys have the golden sweet potatoes too. They taste far superior to the orange fleshed ones, in my opinion. They taste like honey and chestnuts..mmm…
rosewithoutthorns says
Min! can’t believe the weekend has flown by again and its MONDAY. how come, how come?? that’s why we have to live in the moment like you said! life passes by too fast!
You’re right, anything honey mustard is really yummy. I made another pork recipe with honey mustard over this weekend..love it when the honey caramelizes – it makes the pork taste so much more delicious! Maybe one day Tim will learn to love it!!
Haha, I didn’t know that the sweet potatoes I used were called golden sweet potatoes! I like the orange-fleshed sweet potatoes too though – i think they have a stronger taste than the golden ones. but both are nice!!
Enjoy your week dear!! 🙂
gracelimsaifong says
Hello Felicia, I believe this recipe can also be adapted for chicken chop as well – what do you think? Instead of the thick mushroom sauce for the chicken chop, I can marinade the chicken chop with honey mustard instead. I will let you know the outcome.after I tried out the adaptation. Have a great weekend! Love you darling!
rosewithoutthorns says
Hello mummy! Sure I suppose they should work for chicken chops too. You can vary the taste of the marinade depending on ur preferences – for e.g. If you prefer less sweet u can use less honey, and if u prefer a sweeter taste u can use more honey.
Hope it turns out well!! Let me know how it goes!!
pauline says
yes it well be good on chicken because i try it was good better then the chops the taste of was really yummy on chicken
rosewithoutthorns says
Thanks for the recommendation Pauline! Will keep that in mind next time! 🙂
76sanfermo says
Hola,Felicia!
Una vez mas ,me diste una receta espectacular!
Gracias , y buenfinde!
rosewithoutthorns says
Gracias Anna!! me alegro que hayas gustado! Que tengas un finde divino! Beso grande!
{Main St. Cuisine} says
What a perfect weeknight meal. I love your stove top grill pan by the way. Do you use it to grill fish as well? I need to put something like that on my list.
rosewithoutthorns says
Hello Allison! Happy Friday to you & thanks for dropping by! The stove-top grill is made of iron and is great for meats although I’ve never actually used it for fish – since people eat so much more beef than seafood/fish in Argentina!
I’m pretty sure it would be good for cooking firmer fish such as salmon. Now that you’ve mentioned it, I should give it a try! Thanks for the inspiration!
Enjoy your weekend!
thebestbeersever says
this meal looks absolutely amazing, I see that you have a glass of wine to go with it, however, if you are looking for a great beer to go with this meal instead follow my blog for the best recommendations
rosewithoutthorns says
Thank you, I will follow your blog and check out beers, even though I don’t drink beers that much! thanks for following my blog too! Happy weekend!