Lemon Pepper Pork Chops with Basmati Rice and Asparagus

Simple Spices

 Protein and Veggies:  fresh & easy

Cooking Time:  20 minutes
Clean-Up: Pot and tongs (you just have to love grilling)
Tim's Additions: nothing but spice

So it has been a while since I blogged.  Between travel, volunteer, and work events; I have not been home to cook a lot. If ever there was a night where I wanted to bomb through a drive thru - this was it. In spite of the overly emotional end to the day, I came home ready to spark up the grill and get cracking on cooking.

So Easy Tim Can Cook It

One of the best things about grilling is the total ease of clean-up. Except for the plate and utensils I used to eat with, there is virtually no clean-up with this meal (something that I think is a factor when considering cooking for yourself versus the burger doodle). The thick cut chops were pulled from the freezer and defrosted during the day in the fridge. The rice I had on hand and the asparagus was in the easy, "micro-zap" kit - that will just take 2:30 in the microwave.

While warming up the grill, I started my prep for the rice and the chops.  The chops don't take a lot, just sprinkle the lemon pepper (and since it is from fresh & easy - it doesn't have any elongated chemical names that belong in a laboratory) on both sides of the chops. As with most dry rubs, be sure to use tongs and flip by grabbing the sides rather than the top or bottom of the meat.  The rice should be prepared as per the instructions on the package (again, for the love of God, don't use "minute rice").  I like to add some additional seasoning, in this case a salt free herb blend, to the water as it boils. In my opinion, this flavors the rice much better than trying to sprinkle it on after the fact.

Be sure to cook the chops to chops to the right internal temperature - to me that is 150 degrees (med/well) but, no more than 160 degrees (well). After pulling the meat off the grill let it rest and zap the asparagus.  Thanks for helping me dodge an emotional eating bullet.

Yummy!