Sickness has invaded our house. It came in with a slight wheeze that turned into a cough. A slight sniffle, a small sneeze. The weather is going to turn again, maybe for real this time? We want to be outside absorbing the last little bits of vitamin D, finishing up the yard work that we wanted to get done before it got too cold. Instead we are just doing small bits of things in between dealing with assorted viruses. We could all use some comfort food. 
I pulled this recipe out from the archives. I originally made it in the summer when my tomatoes and peppers were fresh from the garden. There is nothing quite like summer tomatoes. The woodchuck that lives under our garage agrees. Tiko has an entrance to his den in the garden. We put a fence around the garden hoping to keep rabbits and assorted other animals out, but there is no stopping a woodchuck. The garden had been a dog kennel. Apparently even though I can still smell dog in the area, it doesn’t bother Tiko.
Tiko also likes apples and will sit up and eat an apple just like a human.
At some point this summer, we realized that Tiko also has a girlfriend. We named her Tika. I have these images of Tiko and Tika hanging out and Tika saying things like “I don’t like that wall there. I want more of an open concept.” and Tiko obligingly digs another hole. “You know, our living space is just not big enough, we need a bonus room.” Tiko sighs and gets back to work. 
We need to relocate Tiko and Tika before we have a bunch of little Tikis running around our yard digging up holes that I will probably break my ankle in.
When you make these pork chops, make sure the pan is covered tightly when you put it in the oven. The steam from all the juice and liquid will cook the rice. If for some reason, you are nervous about the rice not cooking all the way, just put it on the bottom of the pan to absorb all the yumminess from the pork and veggies.
This dish is so basic and easy that you’ll be able to think of a thousand ways to change it up to fit whatever you are craving. If summer veggies are no longer available, think about using fall fruits with the onion. In the dead of winter, you can use some mushrooms and greens. Hate pork? Use chicken breast. Have 6 people coming for dinner? Slice another onion and another tomato. Serving just you? You can still make this. It beats anything from the cookbook “Microwave Cooking For One”.
Share this recipe with your kids. Have them make it. This is the sort of food that you want them to be able to cook so that you don’t have to worry when they are on their own.
I, stupidly, didn’t start the recipe until much later than I should’ve because I was baking something else that I had started too late. The oven was set at 375 for that and I forgot to turn it up to 400 which I didn’t realize until the end of the cooking time. It might’ve cost me a bit on the browning of the meatballs, but they were still cooked through. I ended up getting supper on the table and had just enough time to eat before I sent John off to a Euchre tournament at the coffeehouse. You know, like everyone does. I figured it might be a good way to start meeting people in town. John likes Euchre.
