This morning we awoke to our Little Angel Face laughing. It was a wonderful sound. I went up and got her and she visited with me and Grampy while Mom slept a little longer. Just like the old days!! Ting went to work and we got to keep our Little Miss here with us. It was a good day. Melody was my little sous chef as I prepared dinner for Frank's family.
Frank's Mom, sister and brother in law arrived and we had a lovely dinner but also a little disturbing. It seems Mom has fallen 4 times in the last couple of weeks, two of them taking place last night and again today. This has resulted in Mom being scared to walk. Roz has gotten her a walker but Mom is not yet confident with it. Mom is 91 years old so it is not surprising that she is getting weaker but she has always been so vibrant that we weren't ready for this. Nor was she...and it is sad to see her scared and frustrated.
I think they enjoyed dinner though. I served a new dish that I found on Food. com, Savory Swiss Chard with Pork Chops and Potatoes. I adapted this recipe slightly. I doubled the recipe as the original was for 4 servings. I included the stems of the Swiss Chard. I substituted Gruyere cheese for the Fontina. I seared and browned the pork chops before baking and I deleted the potatoes and served Mashed Potatoes instead. This dish was delicious. Frank's family had never eaten Swiss Chard before and his sister had 3 servings. She really loved it.
Braised Swiss Chard with Pork Chops
adapted from Food.com
8 Pork Chops
3 lbs. Swiss Chard, stems cut to 1/2" pieces, leaves coarsely chopped
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. Parmesan Cheese, shredded
1 c. Gruyere Cheese, shredded
Olive Oil
salt and pepper to taste
Bring pork chops to room temperature and pat with a paper towel to dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 1 T. of olive oil over med high heat in a large skillet. Sear the pork chops, in batches, until golden brown. Remove to a plate and set aside. Pour the chicken broth into the hot pan and stir to release any brown bits stuck to the bottom.
Spray a large roasting pan or casserole with cooking spray. Place chard and onion in casserole and drizzle with 2 T. olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the cheeses. Place the pork chops on top of the chard and pour chicken broth over all. Cover and bake in a preheated 400* oven for 20-30 minutes. Until pork reaches an internal temp of 165*. Print Recipe
So sorry to hear about Frank's mom. That is kind of how things started with Richard's mom. But they have lived good long lives. That dish sounds amazing. I have never eaten Swiss chard either. I just might have to make this dish. Oh those pork chops look wonderful!!
ReplyDeleteYes it is very hard watching her confidence shatter. It took us about 10 minutes to help her down 2 steps when she was leaving because she was frozen with fear of falling. I think you would like this dish as well especially if you like spinach or other greens.
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