All things mom: December 2011

Several versions of this Christmas tree have stood proud in my home. In December of 2002 my mom vowed that she would have a red, white, and blue tree until they all came home. In the 9 years , so far, many variations of the tree have existed. Sometimes the tree was real but it evolved into an artificial tree so that we could enjoy it longer. Although it does have a personal meaning to our family, initially it was just for hope and support of our troops. In 2004 my brother started his first (and only so far) tour in Iraq. The longest 16 months that our family endured. In that time I gave birth to my first daughter in January of 2005. Our soldier made it home safe in April to meet his 3 month old niece. Another deployment hangs in the balance for him, this time he has 2 sons of his own, a beautiful wife, and another niece. So, in conclusion, this tree will stand proud for yet another year at least in 2012. Thank you to all of our troops. This is a small way of showing support to them and their families.

Special thanks to my brother

Chief Hines

1 packet (1 ounce) Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 pork loin rib chops about 1-inch thick
Dash of paprika (optional)
www.hiddenvalley.com

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450ºF.

In a small bowl, add the Seasoning mix, together with the salt, pepper, and paprika and mix well. Liberally sprinkle the porkchops on both sides with the seasoning mixture.

Arrange the chops on a baking sheet or try with a rack. Bake the pork chops for 20 minutes, turning once until browned or an internal temperature of 160ºF is reached. Serve immediately.

Recommended by Melissa d'Arabian

Made these for dinner last night! AWESOME!!! Kids loved them too!