In case there is a myth out there in the blogosphere that I am magical in the kitchen and all items produced are perfect culinary delights, allow me to debunk that here and now.

This week, I attempted to make Fried Pickles, with a recipe I found at the wonderful food blog Noble Pig. Deep frying is not a strength of mine, and that weakness was made perfectly clear. Not only did I set off the smoke alarm, but the resulting fried pickes were not good. I sliced them too thick, and the breading was heavy and greasy. Blech.

I will spare you from the image of my failure, and instead refer you to Noble Pig so you can see how they were supposed to turn out. If you are successful in making these, please don't tell me. I'd rather maintain my delusion that only Cathy at Noble Pig can make them.

What are some of your memorable kitchen disasters?

This is another one of those deceptively simple recipes...it looks unassuming and nothing special, but tastes soooo good! I was just trying to find a different way to prepare pork chops, and I stumbled upon this.  Forget bland, tough pork chops...these are tender, juicy and full of flavor. This has become one of JD's new favorites.

Honey Mustard Pork Chops
adapted from Can I Get The Recipe

Marinade:
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce

4 pork chops

In a shallow bowl or zip-top bag, combine the marinade ingredients. Add the pork chops and turn to coat well. Cover bowl or seal bag, and refrigerate overnight.

Take pork chops out of the fridge about 30 minutes before cooking. Get your grill (or grill pan) nice and hot. Remove pork chops from marinade; discard marinade.

Cook pork chops 4-5 minutes per side. Rest on warm plate 5 minutes, then serve. These are especially good when served with grilled pineapple.

Just thought I would throw out a list of those items that, without which, life for me would suck. Of course JD supersedes everything on this list, but as long as I have him, these are a bonus!

(in no particular order)

1.  philosophy purity made simple cleanser

Without fail, I must start my day with this. It's one of the best facial cleansers I have ever found...it's tingly and refreshing, and leaves your skin impeccably clean, but not stripped or dry.

2.  Justin cowboy boots

My favorite footwear. So comfortable...perfectly casual and fun. It's funny, because I never wore these when we lived in Texas, but now I am rarely without them. I love that I can wear them nearly everywhere, including when riding with JD on the Harley.

3.  Purple Uni-ball Vision Pen

These have been my favorite work pens for years. I hate ballpoints, so I'm a fan of the rollerball style, plus this has the best shade of purple. No one at work can steal my pens, because no one else uses purple!

4.  Dove Dark Chocolate Promises

Smooth, creamy, rich dark chocolate in a perfect bite-size. What's not to like? Plus I love the "Promises" message inside each one.

5.  Bosch Universal Mixer

Without this, I couldn't make all these goodies!  Heavy-duty, durable, and the best for making bread.

6.  HP Mini 311 Laptop

I'm always within arm's reach of email, my favorite food blogs, Facebook and YouTube. How did I live without this before?

7.  Chloe Narcisse

My favorite and only perfume. I've been wearing it for years, and I still get compliments on it...even from total strangers!

8.  Wusthof Chef Knife

No kitchen is complete without one.

9.  Crown Royal

I may occasionally stray into the lands of other drinks (margaritas, gin and tonic, wine), but I always come back to the classic Crown & 7.  Yum!

10.  NFL Football

There is no other sport.  Baseball is boring, plus it is way too linear.  Basketball is also boring, plus you only need to watch the last three minutes to get anything out of the game. Soccer is exhausting just to watch. Golf is only fun on the final day of the tournament, and then only if Tiger is winning. With football, you get strategy, brute strength, passion, and unpredictability. And guys in tight pants.

What are some of the things you can't live without?