Oink Oink Mmmmmm

So, we got our processed pigs back today.  Shaun went and picked them up and thawed us two packs of pork chops to eat tonight.  Unfortunately, two packs were needed as these chops were not near as big as the last hogs we raised and had about three fourths of an inch of fat around them which I trimmed.  Fortunately, they tasted fantastic... even the small ring of fat that I left on that I don't normally eat.  I soaked them in Moore's which is a marinade kinda like Dale's but less salty.  Small size, big taste, "what's the problem" I asked!  We have three more small hogs, well two hogs one sow, that will be sausage in the morning and if they taste anything like these chops I absolutely can't wait.  I can't wait anyway. 

Our supper tonight was a "totally summer" supper.  We had hog that we raised all summer, tomatoes and okra that I canned from our garden this summer and sweet potatoes from our garden this summer.  We also had biscuits that I technically bought during the summer seeing as how I heard the first day of Fall isn't until this Thursday, I think. 

Let's talk about that honker of a sweet potato.  (gee whiz, Shaun is complaining about the size of the hogs again on the phone)  This is the first year we tried to raise sweet potatoes.  I really bought them as a sort of after thought from Wal-Mart after we planted the garden.  We always leave room for stragglers.  Our plants produced the biggest sweet potatoes I have ever seen.  I kid you not, I was coming down the driveway two weeks ago and Shaun was holding one up... let's just say they're huge.  I cooked one... one... for supper tonight for the both of us and we couldn't finish the dish by any means.

Sweet Potatoes: wash and peel 2 potatoes and cut into chunks.  Place in a saucepan, cover with water and boil for 25 minutes or until a for or knife goes right in.  Drain, mash with a potato masher.  Add 1/2 milk, one egg and 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.  Pour mixture into a small casserole.  Combine 1/2 brown sugar, 1/2 stick butter, 1/4 cup flour and 1/2 cup chopped pecans with a fork and crumble on top of potato mixture.  Bake for 25 minutes. 

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/10/soul-sweet-taters-step-by-step-recipe/  which by the way if you don't know how to cook or don't like to cook The Pioneer Woman WILL change your mind.  Her step by step instruction of dishes makes it easy.

This isn't even the biggest one!  Dang I should have weighed it.

Chops marinating in Moore's... aaaaahhhhhh.

Sweet Potato Chunks.

Beauty, Goodness, Truth... even though they are small.

Hey Jenn.. what do you think about this one?

P.S. The Antiques Roadshow and Dancing with the Stars was a wonderful whirlwind of channel changing that my husband got a tad dizzy from but it was fantastic.  Luckily the garden has played out because after months of no T.V. watching for me, I am front and center on Monday night.  You should see my dance moves!  Ciao!