What's Cooking At The Hawthornes'?

Oh goodness me. I looked in the mirror when I was brushing my teeth the other day, and day-um, my front tooth is cracked. A few days later, I looked and the tooth had crumbled some more. This is my front tooth I'm talking about. So I am not happy.
When I was 8 or 10, I was swimming at the local Golf Club's cement pond and went swimming underwater. Tooth? Meet pool bottom.
My dentist way back then ground both front teeth down and they were kind of matched.
There was always that hairline crack that worried me.

Anyways, this disintegrating tooth is bothering me big time.
So, this morning, I called my dentist's office, and Liz,
the most uber office manager ever, got me in today.

Whenever I call for whatever problem,
this woman gets me in.
She is amazing.

This doctor's office is wonderful.
Whenever I have an appointment, I always go in early, because I NEVER have to WAIT.
I go in early so I can read the CURRENT issues of magazines.
Of course, I pick up this week's issue of People and barely get through the Letters to the Editor when they call me back. They have EVERY magazine. And the current issue is in a heavy plastic binder. It's awesome.

And the thing is - they accept no more patients.
Somebody would have to freakin' DIE before anybody else could get in.

When I called around 8:30 this morning about my chipped tooth, Liz checked out the schedule and told me to come in at 3:15.

So, I go out to cut my newly laid centipede sod.
Natch, I can't get the lawn mower to start since it's semi-broken, so I bitch about how NOTHING works around here except ME.
Then call Mr. H. at work to bitch at him, because somehow this is his fault that the lawn mower won't start. I'm fairly strong but I can't pull the damn thingie out to get it started and I'm getting madder and madder and freakin' FRUSTRATED.

I finally call Good Neighbor Bob, who comes over and after about 20 tries gets the damn thing to work. So I start cutting grass. The smoke from the wildfires is heavy. It's 90+ degrees. I can't push the lawnmower over the heavy grass.
I have to PULL it, walking BACKWARDS.
SLOWLY.
VERY SLOWLY.

Else the motor would seize up and conk out.
I finally get one-fourth of the yard done.
I go inside to get some ice water.
It's 1 o' clock.
The phone rings.
It's Liz.
Can I come in now and switch my July 23 cleaning appointment since they have a no-show?
"Sure, Liz. Just let me take a quick shower."
Liz: "Hmmmm, no. Because Nancey (my dental hygienist) has another cleaning in 45 minutes."
Me: "But I stink. I've been out cutting the grass and I'm soaking wet. Plus, I stink."
Liz: "Not a problem. Nancey won't mind."
Me: "OK."

So I reluctantly leave for the dentist's office, sweat-drenched T-shirt, grass clippings on my sweaty legs, dirt underneath my fingernails.
I come in apologizing.

Nancey, who reads my blog, just says, "You know, I really wouldn't mind it if you came in smelling like, oh, I don't know, maybe PARMESAN or something."

But, my teeth are expertly cleaned now and wonderfully de-stained and yes, Nancey,
I DO look like a movie star,
thankyouverymuch.

Anyways, I'll get my tooth fixed Friday.

Maybe I'll take before and after pics.

NOW, on to tonight's dinner.

First off, I'm making squash/cornbread with tomato/onion/jalapeno/basil/cheese topping.

Here, I have a jalapeno, tomato, squash, onion, 2 cups corn meal, 1 + cup milk, salt, baking powder, cayenne powder, cumin, fresh basil, and 2 eggs.

I put 2 TB Crisco in a baking dish, and set it in a 350-degree oven to melt.

Mix 2 cups corn meal, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. baking powder.

Here's fresh squash from my garden.
I picked this a little too late.
I like them smaller with no seeds.
Scrape out the seeds.

Pour in 1 + cup of milk.

This batter needs more milk.
So, I added about 1/2 - 3/4 cup more.

Pour in the melted Crisco.

Then add in the eggs.

Add in a can of corn.

Next, toss in the diced squash.

Pour cornbread batter into the pan.

Now for my toppings.
On the left, I have tomatoes and onions, with jalapenos.
Then I sprinkled basil, cayenne and cumin over top.

Top with cheddar and Monteray Jack cheeses.

I baked in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 45 minutes.
Next up, sage taters.

I thinly sliced 2 potatoes.

Then, sauteed in olive oil and buttah.

Until nicely browned.

I found 3 pork loins in the freezer.
Seasoned with salt and pepper and ... cinnamon.

Sauteed the chops in olive oil and butter with onion and apple slices.

The thing about pork is that most people overcook it.
I like mine a tad pink in the middle.

Add a bit of sugar over the apples and onions.

Then deglaze the pan with some white wine, scraping up the goodie bits.

And here's my plate.
Cornbread, sage/potatoes, pork, apples/onions.

Now I liked the cinnamon on the pork chops. I thought it went well with the apples.

Mr. Hawthorne takes one bite of the pork, grimaces, and says, "What's this spice? It's in Indian cooking and I don't like it. This pork sucks."

Rosie: "Why, dear, it's cinnamon. I thought you liked it.

Mr. H.: "I hate it."

Now, please don't let Mr. Hawthorne turn you against experimenting with spices.
Try the cinnamon on your pork chop, with apples and onions.