I love cooking.
Usually I throw something together from what we have in the house, but this weekend inspiration struck and I actually went out to buy specific ingredients for the following pork chop recipe:

Butterflied, boneless porkchops, seasoned with salt, pepper, cinnamon. (next time I'll use a little brown sugar, too)

Sear in canola oil until browned on both sides -- use a regular pan (not nonstick) so that you get lots of little brown bits sticking around.

Remove porkchops and place in baking dish with the bottom lined with cut, peeled Granny Smith apples. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes to finish off.

In the meantime, deglaze the skillet with balsamic vinegar until reduced by 1/2. Pour off reduction and add a small amount of pumpkin-infused oil (for aromaics)

When the chops are done baking, remove from the oven, top with balsamic/pumpkin reduction, baked apples, and crumbled Roquefort cheese.

Serve with roasted potatoes and veggie of your choice.

It was good!

That sounds delicious.

Check your local kitchen supply stores. A couple of them in Calgary hold cooking classes, on topics ranging from basic knife skills to French cuisine. I'm sure you can find similar classes in your area. They're fun and will help you create some amazing food!

Yeah.
When I have some time and money, I plan on taking some classes like that.

I really learned everything I know when I lived with the guy who is now Chef de Cuisine at this restaurant. He's pretty damn talented. But I do want to learn more.

I used to love cooking.

Back before I had kids who hate everything and a wife whose diet is really boring.

<---------Currently considering entering the Cordon Bleau Culinary program at Cooking & Hospitality Institute of Chicago.

there's a cookbook that I'd recommend....Nigella Lawson's "How to Eat"....you should really pick it up. I don't cook, but my other half swears by it.

Sounds interesting, but I've never had much use for cookbooks of any kind. I'm more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kinda cook. Still, I'll check it out.

After reading what you wrote Todd, my turkey and cheese sandwich isn't quite fulfilling my needs.

Mmmmmmm...now I want porkchops.

Yeah, Spence, I've been contemplating taking some courses myself. I'm just finally starting to like cooking. Josh used to be a cook at a restaurant so he does most of it around here, and he's damn good. But I'm becoming a bit more inventive in how I do things. And I'd really like to learn more.

Just thumb through it in the bookstore....I can't believe how original some of the recipes are.

I cook a lot. When I graduated from high school, my mom gave me a handwritten book of her recipes, that were all written in a way that an 18 year old boy could understand (i.e. in the BIG pot, put "x", in the SMALL pot, put "y"). I use it often to this day, but, I have to say that I'm best with my own concoctions at the grill (steak and fish), or the pot (crawfish, gumbo, red beans and rice, jambalya).

My fiance and I just bought a "super suppers" franchise (www.supersuppers.com). She's a school teacher, so, once we get it open, she is going to "retire" from teaching and do Super Suppers full time. It is a very cool concept where someone can go in once a month, spend an hour or two prepping 12 entrees for their family (with recipes designed by the founder of the Fort Worth Culinary Institute) and feed their family some good quality meals at a good price for the whole month.

So, I guess now, in addition to be a music freak, I'm a "foodie" too. . .

Alton Brown's cookbooks are also great. Plus I love his show on the Food Network.

I keep getting invitations and e-mails from the Western Culinary Institute here in Portland. It's Le Courdon Blue...so it's a reknowned place. Anyway, I am considering it an option, as I don't like Portland State University.

I signed up to do that a couple years ago, and i couldn't swing a loan.

It's mad expensive.

-Phil

Hey look, Phil's awake! :p

The one in Portland is reasonably priced, but like going up 10% after Dec. 1.

I kinda thought owning my own fine dining restuarant in the city would be cool, but it's a bit of a pipe dream.

philkestra is an awesome cook - or, at the very least, provides some kick-ass recipes for my enjoyment.

np: Art Tatum - Someone to watch over me.

<===Big fan too. Although my Weds. nights have been full of nothing but baseball lately.

I'm gonna have to chime in for some Alton-love too...it was great when his show was on Monday-Friday, in addition to his normal Wednesday slot...now I don't see it much because I have tendency to forget that it's on

You can download Good Eats episodes on bittorrent.