Just Call Me Rachael Ray: Recipe #2

This week of following and imitating Rachael Ray's 30 minute meals was...
Drunken Pork Chops and Savory Green Rice with Fontina

Drunken Pork Chops and Savory Green Rice with Romano

I'm not sure if I was ever really a big fan of pork chops...until this weekend. When I've had them in the past, I guess I just never remembered or craved them because it never compared to the juicy steaks my Dad grills on the weekend. Maybe (and probably) it was because I made them myself, but I thoroughly enjoyed pork chops this time around! 

I should probably admit that I did not accurately follow this recipe to the T. Fontina cheese and anchovy paste are apparently not sold at Walmart, my go-to grocery store. So...with that said, the recipe turned into Drunken Pork Chops with Savory Green Rice with Romano, (and a tomato flavor in the marinade instead of anchovy.) No matter, it was still delicious.

Wait...you're looking at the picture, and the rice is green? My roommate, Erika, is a proud owner of the Magic Bullet, and to finish the rice you blend together spinach and parsley along with olive oil, lemon juice and garlic, and mix it in with the rice, chopped tomatoes and the cheese cubes. It was really tasty. Maybe if you're not in the mood to make the pork chops, you can just create the rice as a side dish, because it is a lot more interesting to serve than just plain rice or a salad!

Also, a huge note is that my kitchen successfully did not ignite a fire! The process of following this recipe was A LOT smoother than round 1 of Rachel vs The Kitchen. However, I still cannot get this "30 minute" part of the recipes down. I guess I'm just not a pro at chopping and preparing my food as quickly as my girl Rachael.


Ingredients and price:
** (already had from previous recipe)
1/2 cup dry red wine $2.18
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) ** $4.88
3 large cloves garlic, 2 thinly sliced and 1 finely chopped ** $.68
3 sprigs rosemary, coarsely chopped $2.28
2 teaspoons anchovy paste $.40 (SUBSTITUTE TOMATO PASTE)
4 bone-in pork chops, no more than 1 inch thick (I got 5) $8.88
Salt and Pepper ** $.93
1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice $3.12 (could definitely have gone with the smaller bag, I have PLENTY of leftover)
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock $1.34
Juice of 1 lemon $.48
1 cup baby spinach or arugula $2.50
1 cup flat-leaf parsley $.88
A few grates fresh nutmeg $2.14
1 plum or vine tomato, seeded and chopped $.74
1/3 pound italian fontina cheese, such as fontina val d'aosta, or gruère cheese, cut into small cubes $3.98


Grand Total: $29.64 (without ** items)

Get the full recipe here! The serving size was from 4-6 people, depending on how many pork chops you bought. I fed 4 people, and had plenty of leftovers. (Of rice at least...I made an extra pork chop to begin with.)

The entire meal

Now ya heard, spread the word.