Ja! Ja! Ja!

I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers. It really is the very best month of the year. Novembers too. A stunning array of Fall foliage. A nip in the air officially inviting a new season. A break for the air conditioning and our pocket books. Pumpkins, scarecrows, dried corn, mums, copious bags of Halloween candy and the promise of turkeys basting in ovens around the country. And for me, a birthday. Oh to be 36! 

Corpulent, deliciously fat ladies around the world did their thing and sang with joy this past October. On Monday five weeks ago, I survived my first day of work, we picked up my new car and upon arrival home (in the rain no doubt), Partner-in-crime plucked a small box from the glove compartment and with a hopeful grin, asked me to be his wife. In the most surprising, thoughtful, genuine, spectacular, romantic, quintessential Matthew and wholly loveliest of ways, we are engaged. I think I must have blacked out at some stage but came to with the most marvelous of grins on my face. The both of us are tickled pink, thrilled to bits and over the moon and back. All is grand, exciting, wonderful and more than a pinch surreal. I want to capture this exciting joy and plug it in a bottle to revisit later. The above is our first "unofficial" engagement photograph. 

And so, with our marvelously outstanding news, I would like to share a recipe for our second love (underscore our as in Matthew's and mine) and that is pork chops slathered in mustard and roasted until the fat crisps. We're getting married! 

Mustard Pork Chops

2 organic bone in pork chops
2 TBS mustard
2 TBS cumin
1 TBS fresh thyme - if you don't have this, leave it out
A hearty pinch of kosher salt 
Pepper
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil

1. If you are using salt, salt and pepper your chops. Then rub generous with mustard followed by cumin. Sprinkle with thyme.

2. Bring your Dutch oven to high heat and add the olive oil. When glistening, add your chops. You want to brown them on each side for approximately 3 minutes. You are in business when there is a nice brown crust.

3. Transfer to the oven (450 degrees) and roast uncovered for an addition 15 minutes.

I served ours alongside a big salad with leftover Cumin and Lemon salad dressing and some canned organic black beans that I heat up with a sprinkle of coriander seeds.