Mission Possible Part 2

Today is a day to fight the good fight, don't you think?

{this picture has nothing to do with anything in this post really, I just liked the composition, 

so please excuse my stretch to make it somehow fit in here.  Thank you.}

To help you fight that fight, fuel up with this:

And wash it down with this:

Ya baby, now we're talking.

Pork Chops + Squash from Better Homes & Gardens 20 to Try (July 2010 issue):

Brush 4 pork loin chops and 4 small zucchini and or yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise, with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper and grill over medium heat.  Grill squash 6-8 minutes and pork chops 11-13 minutes, until squash is tender and pork chops are just slightly pink (about 160 degrees).  Meanwhile stir together 1 peeled and chopped orange and 1/2 cup bottled salsa together.  Spoon salsa over pork chops and cut sqash into bite size pieces.

The verdict: 4 out of 5 stars.  The chops were nice and simple, but definitely still good.  And the salsa/orange mixture was a nice added touch.  I think what I am enjoying most about these meal ideas, is that they are whole meal ideas as opposed to just individual dish recipes.  I don't have to think about the side dishes and such, they already did that work for me.

Perfect No-Cook Strawberry Ice Cream:

1 pound fresh strawberries, trimmed and halved

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 cups heavy cream

Coarsely mash strawberries with sugar, lemon juice and salt using a potato masher in a large bowl.  Let stand, stirring and mashing occasionally for 10 minutes.  Transfer half of strawberry mixture to a blender and puree with cream until smooth.  Return strawberry cream to bowl with remaining strawberries and either pour into ice cream mixer or freeze in a bowl overnight.  

The verdict: 4.5 out of 5 stars.  Creamy, intense strawberry flavor with no fuss at all.  The best part?  The little chunks of strawberries in every bite.