Weekly Shopping List

Here's my shopping list for the week of April 28, based on the sales that week. This is assuming four people who eat all three meals a day at home, for one week. Twenty-one meals in total. It comes to a total of $105.92. Not bad, huh?

ALDI

6 dozen eggs at 79 cents per dozen (price when I was there on Monday)

1 pound butter at $2.19 (advertised price)

3-1/2 pounds of mushrooms at 89 cents for 8 ounces (advertised price)

3-pound bag of onions for $1.49 (they’re usually about that at Aldi’s)

3 heads of lettuce at 99 cents per head (I’ve seen that price there a lot but not sure it’s current)

4 1-pound bags baby carrots at 79 cents a bag (advertised price)

2 heads celery at 79 cents a head (price when I was there Monday)

8 cans of tuna at 68 cents per can (price when I was there Monday)

1 30-ounce jar of mayo (price the last time I checked there, about a month ago)

4 10-ounce packs of grape tomatoes (advertised price)

2 3-packs of cucumbers at 99 cents a pack (advertised price)

1 pint sour cream at $1.29 (I think that was the price)

1 quart half and half for $1.49 (they may have raised the price to $1.69 recently)

1 can diced tomatoes for 59 cents (price when I was there on Monday)

1 can green beans for 49 cents (price when I was there on Monday)

1 jar salad dressing at $1.39 (price the last time I bought some)

KROGER

4 pint (16 ounce each) cartons of cottage cheese at 3 for $4.00 (advertised price)

1 pound breakfast sausage for $2.79 (advertised price)

MARSH

19 pounds of chicken leg quarters at 79 cents a pound (advertised price – family pack)

12 ears of sweet corn at 10 for $3.00 (advertised price)

3 pounds ground chuck at $2.99 per pound (advertised price – family pack)

1 package (14 – 16 ounce) Johnsonville brats at 2 for $6.00 (advertised price)

IGA

1 head cauliflower at $1.99 per head (advertised special)

3 pounds ground chuck at $2.99 per pound (advertised special – same as Marsh)

8 ounce shredded cheese at 3 for $5.00 (advertised special)

2 bunches broccoli at $1.99 each (advertised special)

WALMART

1 pound sunflower seeds (price the last time I got them)

2-1/2 pounds cabbage at 59 cents a pound (I think that was the latest price I paid there)

1 head garlic estimated at 60 cents (it’s sold by the pound so it varies)

1 28-ounce bag frozen spinach at $1.97 (I think that was the latest price I paid there)

THINGS I ASSUME YOU HAVE SO NOT ON SHOPPING LIST

2 tablespoons mustard

2 tablespoons lemon juice (bottled is what I use)

4 teaspoons vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon oregano

Dash nutmeg

Salt and pepper

Menus for a Week for Four for under $110.00!

So here are the menus that I came up with. They're not exciting, but they are good and they are filling and they are nutritious and they are cheap! Three meals a day for a week for four people - for just $105.90. And that's assuming you have very little to start with other than things like salt and pepper, mustard, and a very few other condiments.

MONDAY

12 eggs scrambled in 4 tablespoons butter (3 eggs per person)

Salad of 1/2 head lettuce, 1 pound carrots, 1/2 head of celery, 4 cans tuna, 4 hard-boiled eggs, 3/4 cup mayo (1 can tuna and 1 egg per person, plus veggies and mayo)

4 pork chops (2 pounds), with a pound of mushrooms and 2 onions sautéed in 4 tablespoons of butter, and half a head of lettuce with half a cup of salad dressing (one 8-ounce pork chop with vegetables and salad with 2 tablespoons of dressing per person)

TUESDAY

1 quart cottage cheese and 8 ounces sunflower seeds (1 cup cottage cheese and 2 ounces sunflower seeds per person)

Salad of 1/2 head lettuce, 10 ounces grape tomatoes (that’s one box), 1 cucumber, 1/2 pound baby carrots, 4 cups chicken (meat from4 leg quarters, cooked and boned), and 3/4 c salad dressing (1 cup chicken and 3 tablespoons dressing per person, plus a bunch of vegetables)

1 pound brats, 4 ears sweet corn, 4 tablespoons butter, salad of one pound cabbage with 1/2 c mayo and 1/2 onion (1 brat and 1 ear of corn per person, with a tablespoon of butter per person for the corn, and some cabbage salad)

WEDNESDAY

12 eggs scrambled in 4 tablespoons butter (3 eggs per person)

Salad of 1/2 head cauliflower, 1/2 head celery, meat from 1-1/2 pounds pork chops, 1/2 c mayo, 1 T mustard, 1 T lemon juice (meat from 6 ounces of pork chops per person, plus the veggies and dressing)

4 chicken leg quarters (1 pound each), 1 bunch broccoli with 2 tablespoons butter, salad of 1/2 head lettuce with 10 ounces grape tomatoes and 1/2 c salad dressing

THURSDAY

1 quart cottage cheese and 8 ounces sunflower seeds (1 cup cottage cheese and 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds per person)

Soup of 1 quart homemade chicken broth (made with the bones from the chicken), 3 cups chicken (meat from 3 leg quarters at 1 pound each), 1/2 bunch chopped broccoli, 1/2 pound sliced baby carrots, 4 ounces sliced mushrooms, and 4 eggs (1 cup broth, 3/4 cup chicken and 1 egg per person, plus the vegetables)

Joe’s Special (scramble of 1 pound hamburger, 1 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 14 ounces (half of a 28 ounce bag) frozen spinach, 8 ounces mushrooms and 6 eggs), salad of 1 cucumber with 1/4 c sour cream and 1 t vinegar (4 ounces hamburger, 1 egg and lots of veggies per person)

FRIDAY

12 eggs scrambled in 4 tablespoons butter (3 eggs per person)

Salad of 1/2 head lettuce, 10 ounces grape tomatoes, 1 cucumber, 1/2 pound baby carrots, 4 cups chicken (meat from 4 leg quarters at one pound each), 3/4 cup salad dressing (1 cup chicken and 3 tablespoons dressing per person, plus the veggies)

4 pork chops (2 pounds), 4 ears sweet corn with 4 tablespoons butter, salad of 1 pound cabbage with 1/2 onion and 1/2 cup mayo (1 8-ounce pork chop and 1 ear of corn with 1 tablespoon butter per person, plus cabbage salad)

SATURDAY

12 eggs scrambled with 8 ounces of mushrooms and 1/2 onion sautéed in 4 tablespoons butter

Salad of 1/2 head lettuce, 1 pound carrots, 1/2 head of celery, 4 cans tuna, 4 hard-boiled eggs, 3/4 cup mayo (1 can tuna and 1 egg per person, plus veggies and mayo)

Soup of 1 pound ground beef, 1 onion, 8 ounces mushrooms, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can green beans, 8 ounces cabbage, 2 cloves garlic, 1 cup celery, 1 pound baby carrots (4 ounces ground beef plus lots of vegetables per person)

SUNDAY

Quiche of 6 eggs, 1 pound sausage, 8 ounces cheese, 2 cups half and half, 8 ounces mushrooms (1-1/2 eggs, 4 ounces sausage, 2 ounces cheese, 1/2 c half and half per person plus mushrooms)

Salad of 4 cups chicken (meat from 4 leg quarters at 1 pound each), 1/2 head cauliflower, 1/2 head celery (less the cup of celery that went into Saturday’s soup), 1/2 cup mayo, 1 T mustard, 1 T lemon juice (1 cup chicken and 2 tablespoons mayo per person, plus veggies)

4 pork chops (2 pounds), 4 ears sweet corn with 4 tablespoons butter, salad of 10 ounces grape tomatoes and one cucumber in 1/2 cup sour cream and 1 tablespoon vinegar (1 8-ounce pork chop and 1 ear of corn with 1 tablespoon of butter per person, plus the salad)

Hollandaise Sauce

(this recipe is from allrecipes.com, but it's a classic recipe and is available everywhere)

A long time ago you used to have to make your Hollandaise sauce in a double boiler, slowly adding the butter to the eggs and having a good chance of ending up with very buttery scrambled eggs instead. That’s why people are afraid of Hollandaise sauce. Today, with a blender, it’s a snap. Save the egg whites to make a meringue, or use two whites and one whole egg to equal two whole eggs when making scrambled eggs or in other recipes.

4 egg yolks 

1/4 t Dijon mustard

4 t lemon juice

1 dash Tabasco or similar hot pepper sauce (optional)

10 T (1/2 cup +2 T) butter, completely melted and still hot

Combine the egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice and hot sauce in the blender. Cover and blend for about 5 seconds. With the blender on high, slowly pour the butter through the hole in the lid in a thin stream. It should thicken immediately. Serve immediately, or keep warm by putting the blender container in a pan or bowl of hot tap water. Don’t use boiling or simmering water or the eggs will curdle.

Asparagus

Wash the stalks, cut off the scales (not the ones at the very top), and cut off the tough stalks at the bottom. Steam or nuke it until tender-crisp. It doesn’t take very long. You can cut it into 1” pieces, but I like the long stalks. They look more elegant on the plate. Drain the asparagus well and serve with butter or HOLLANDAISE SAUCE.

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Wash them, poke holes in them so they don’t burst in the oven, then bake them whole. Get small ones and give everyone either a whole potato or a half potato. Cut them open like baked potatoes and put lots of butter on them. 

Ham

Score the outside of the ham in a 1” diamond pattern (That means cut almost through the fat in a diamond pattern. It’s easiest if you cut a 1” strip of cardboard or foil or something, and use that to make your lines.) and put a whole clove at each point of the diamonds. Then bake according to the directions on the packet. You can make a glaze of brown sugar and either apple juice or orange juice if you want to, but it's not necessary. 

Figure you get about 12 ounces of meat from each pound of ham (because of the bone). The bones will be about the same size regardless of how big the ham is, so you might as well get a big one and have lots of leftovers. If you get a ten pound ham, you can serve eight ounces of meat (about a cup and a half, if it were cubed) per person and use just barely over half the ham. That's a bigger serving than you need, but it's Easter, after all, or a Spring celebration dinner.

Individual Strawberry Meringues

A meringue is just whipped egg whites and sugar that’s been baked at a low temperature. You can make individual meringues or one big one that you cut in wedges to serve.

Meringue

(adapted from (mostly translated from) bbcgoodfood.com)

4 egg whites (save the yolks and use them in Hollandaise sauce or custard, or give them to the dog)

1-1/4 c sugar

1 t white vinegar

1 t cornstarch

1 t vanilla extract

Heat oven to 300. Using a pencil, trace around the outside of a cup or bowl about 4" in diameter on parchment paper or foil, being careful not to tear the paper or foil. Beat the eggs until they form soft peaks, then beat in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the meringue looks glossy. Beat in the vinegar, cornstarch and vanilla. Pile the meringue onto the circles and use the back of spoon to make them bowl shaped. Bake at 275 for about 45 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the meringues cool completely inside the oven. Leave them in the cold oven as long as you can. The dry air in there will make it keep better than being out in the more humid kitchen. (Don’t forget it’s in there, though, and turn on the oven! I find that fastening a note to the on/off switch for the oven is a good idea.)

Filling

1 lb strawberries

1/4 c sugar

Wash the strawberries and pull out any stems and leaves. Let them dry completely. Slice them if they’re large, or leave them whole if they are small. Add the sugar and let them sit for at least a few minutes. The sugar will make them juicy. Fill the meringues with the strawberries. A dollop of whipped cream on top is a nice touch, as is a fresh mint leaf or two.

Strawberry Pavlova

 A Pavlova is just a big “bowl” made of meringue and filled with a fruit and whipped cream mixture. You can use any kind of fruit you want. Just be sure it's something you want whipped cream with.

Pavlovas are traditionally served in a big bowl and cut into wedges to serve. You can make individual ones instead, by just making smaller bowls.

Meringue

4 egg whites (save the yolks for Hollandaise sauce or custard)

1-1/4 c sugar

1 t white vinegar

1 t cornstarch

1 t vanilla extract

Heat oven to 300. Using a pencil, trace around the outside of a dinner plate on parchment paper or foil, being careful not to tear the paper or foil. Beat the eggs until they form soft peaks, then beat in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the meringue looks glossy. Beat in the vinegar, cornstarch and vanilla. Spread the meringue inside the circle, creating a crater by making the sides a little higher than the middle. Bake for 1 hour, then turn off the heat and let the Pavlova cool completely inside the oven. Leave the Pavlova in the cold oven as long as you can. The dry air in there will make it keep better than being out in the more humid kitchen. (Don’t forget it’s in there, though, and turn on the oven! I find that fastening a note to the on/off switch for the oven is a good idea.)

Filling

1 lb strawberries

1-1/2 c whipping cream

1/4 c sugar

Wash the strawberries and pull out any stems and leaves. Let them dry completely. Slice them if they’re large, or leave them whole if they are small. Whip the cream and the sugar until thickened. (Start with the mixer on low and gradually increase or you’ll end up with cream all over the kitchen.) Fill the crater in the cooled Pavlova with the whipped cream and put the strawberries on top. Cut into wedges to serve.

Green Beans Almondine

Pick green beans that are about the same size and not too fat. Top and tail them and wash them. You’ll probably need to cut them. If you can leave them in about 6” lengths, do so. Otherwise, go ahead and cut them in about 1-1/2” pieces. The longer ones look more elegant but aren’t as easy to eat. Cook them in boiling salted water until tender-crisp. I like all of the raw taste gone but I want them to still have a bit of bite. Mom likes hers cooked to death. Cook them however suits your family. As soon as they’re done, drain them and set them aside. Throw out the water. In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter. Add 1/2 cup of slivered or sliced almonds. Heat for a couple of seconds, add the green beans, toss everything together, and serve. You can cook the beans ahead of time, if you want, and then reheat them in the butter at the last minute. 

Red Bean and Celery Root Soup

• 1 cup small red beans
• 1 celery root, peeled and cut into quarter-inch dice
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 medium-sized onion, peeled and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 4 teaspoons white distilled vinegar or lemon juice, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Put the beans and four cups water in a pot and bring to boil. Turn off heat and let sit, covered, for one hour.
2. Bring the contents of the pot to boil again. Cover, turn heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes.
3. Add the vegetables and herbs.
4. Simmer for 20 minutes or until beans are tender, adding more water if needed.
5. Season to taste with salt, pepper, vinegar, and olive oil.
6. Simmer for another 15 minutes to let flavors blend.
Adapted from the December 26, 1982 New York Times version of a Madhur Jaffrey recipe.

Chickweed & Arugula Pesto

A variation on basic pesto, this sauce is perfect in late winter/early spring when chickweed is one of the few fresh greens available in the garden.

1 cup of packed arugula leaves, stems removed

1 cup packed chickweed leaves

1/2 cup of toasted sunflower seeds

1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 garlic clove peeled and minced (or a few garlic cloves un peeled, if you have time to roast them)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Brown garlic cloves with their peels on in a skillet over medium high heat until the garlic is lightly browned in places, about 10 minutes. Remove the garlic from the pan, cool, and remove the skins.

Toast the nuts in a pan over medium heat until lightly brown.

Food processor method (the fast way): Combine the arugula, chickweed, salt, sunflowers, roasted garlic into a food processor. Pulse while drizzling the olive oil into the processor. Add the Parmesan cheese and pulse. Remove the mixture from the processor and put it into a bowl.

Mortar and pestle method: Combine the nuts, salt and garlic in a mortar. With the pestle, grind until smooth. Add the cheese and olive oil, grind again until smooth. Finely chop the arugula and add it to the mortar. Grind up with the other ingredients until smooth.

Because the pesto is so dependent on the individual ingredients, and the strength of the ingredients depends on the season or variety, test it and add more of the ingredients to taste.

Serve with pasta, over freshly roasted potatoes, or as a sauce for pizza. 

Yield: Makes 1 heaping cup.

Magic Dust Seasoning Mix

(from a recipe at about.com)

1/2 cup paprika

1/4 cup kosher salt, finely ground (or regular table salt)

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons mustard powder

1/4 cup chili powder

1/4 cup ground cumin

2 tablespoons ground black pepper

1/4 cup granulated garlic

2 tablespoons cayenne

Mix all ingredients and store in a tightly covered container. Keep in a shaker next to the stove and use on meats. Keeps indefinitely.

Pork Seasoning Mix #1

(from a recipe at foodnetwork.com)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container in a cool dark cupboard.

Cream of Whatever Soup Mix

(this is Maxine Von Risen’s recipe, from the Stamford (Nebr.) Centennial Cookbook, via soar.berkeley.edu)

2 c non-fat dry milk

3/4 c cornstarch

1/4 c instant chicken bouillon (veggie bouillon?)

2 T dried onion flakes

1 t crushed dried thyme

1 t crushed dried basil

1/2 t pepper

Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.

To use: To substitute for one can of condensed cream of something soup, mix 1/3 cup of dry mix with 1-1/4 c water in a saucepan. Cook and stir until thickened. Add cheese, mushroom bits, or celery to duplicate the canned soup called for in the recipe. In my not-so-humble opinion, there’s really not much difference in taste between the different kinds of cream of whatever soups. Mostly it’s just something that holds the casserole together. So, while it won’t hurt to add some mushrooms or celery or whatever, it probably isn’t necessary.

Smokey Cacoa Nibs Encrusted Pork Chops

Cacoa nibs are bits of cacao seeds that have been processed almost to the point of being ground for cocoa powder or made into chocolate bars. They’ve been dried, fermented, roasted and crushed. You’ve heard of the health benefits of dark chocolate? Well, cacao nibs are even better for you because they’re just the chocolate part without any sugar or milk or other additions. They’re bitter because they have so many flavonoids, the antioxidant for which dark chocolate is known. Don’t worry – the recipe isn’t for chocolate coated pork chops! Cacao nibs smell like dark chocolate but have just a hint of chocolate flavor. You can buy cacao nibs at Bloomingfoods in the bulk foods section. One fourth cup should weigh about one ounce.

(based on a recipe at thisissogood.wordpress.com)

¼ cup Cacao Nibs

1 Tablespoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

4 pork chops (about 2 pounds total)

3 Tablespoons fat, preferably bacon grease or butter

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Using a spice grinder, crush the nibs to the size of tiny pebbles - only 1 or 2 pulses. (If you don’t have a spice mill, place the nibs on a cutting board and pulverize them with the bottom of a heavy pan. Just don’t pulverize them too small.) Combine with the paprika, salt, and cayenne. Rub the pork chops with half of the mixture, saving the other half for the second side of the chops when they are in the pan. Let the chops sit for about 15 minutes to come to room temperature. When you are ready to fry the chops, melt the fat in an oven-proof skillet. Let it get nice and hot and then place the pork chops, seasoned side down, in the pan. Fry for 2 minutes. While they are frying, coat the bare side of the chops with the remaining cacao nibs mixture. After 2 minutes, the chops should lift easily from the pan with some tongs. If they are sticking, give them 30 seconds to a minute more. Flip and fry the second side for 2 minutes. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven for 5 minutes, then check for doneness. If done, remove them to a heated (yes, that’s what the recipe says, but I don’t think I’ve ever heated a plate or platter my life!) platter and let them rest for a few minutes. If you leave them in the pan to rest they will continue to cook and will probably end up overdone, dry and tough.

Easy Mustard Pork Chops

(from a recipe at lowsopaleo.com)

4 thin cut, bone in pork chops (about 2 lbs total)

1 tablespoon prepared mustard (Dijon or other)

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp olive oil

Optional: 1/4 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

Pepper & salt to taste

Mix mustard, garlic powder & olive oil into a smooth paste. Add parsley if you’re using it.

Lay out the pork chops and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Slather mustard mix on pork chops, stack them on top of each other, and set aside for 10 minutes or so. Line a baking pan with foil, and lay the pork chops in it. Set the broiler on low and put the pork chops on a rack about 4” or 5” from the broiler. Broil for 3 minutes. Take them out and flip them over and broil for 3-4 minutes more, or until the tops have started to brown well. Check for doneness; different ovens broil differently, and the thickness of the chops will affect the cooking time.

Pork Chops (with Indian Seasonings)

(based on a recipe at janssushibar.com)

4 pork chops (about 2 pounds total)

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon turmeric

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground coriander

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

pinch ground cloves

pinch cayenne pepper

pinch allspice

2 tablespoons drippings or other cooking fat

Mix all of the ingredients except the pork chops and drippings in a small bowl. Rub the pork chops with the spice mixture and allow to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Melt the lard in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork chops until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Lower the temperature to medium-low; cover and continue to cook until the pork chops reach an internal temperature of 145 F, another 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the chops from the skillet; cover and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Pork and Sauces

Pork takes well to a number of sauces. BBQ sauce is a natural, as are the sweet Chinese sauces like hoisin sauce. Something that’s used a lot in casseroles is Cream of Mushroom Soup. The simplest version is simply a can of soup, possibly diluted with a bit of milk or cream, poured over the chops (browned if you have time, not browned if you don’t) and baked. Serve it with broccoli or other vegetables and use the soup as a gravy. Of course, it’s better if you use homemade Cream of Whatever Soup instead of the canned stuff. Curry sauces are good with pork, as are some salsas. Pan gravy is great with it. Sauces with peanuts and peanut butter are good, too.

Pork and Vegetables

Most vegetables go well with pork. Ones that are traditionally associated with pork include:

Cabbage
Sauerkraut
Mushrooms
Acorn and other winter squash
Green beans
Peas
Broccoli
Corn
Potatoes
Pumpkin
Greens
Sweet potatoes

Dried beans and other legumes go well with pork, too, specially split peas and white beans.

Pork and Fruit

Pork goes well with fruit.  Pork and apple sauce is a classic. Other possibilities include cherries, pineapple, peaches, plums, nectarines, cranberries, oranges, pears, and mangos. Try opening a can of something and either marinating the pork chops in the juice or using the fruit to make a sauce or glaze after the chops are cooked. Or heat the fruit up with a spice or two and serve it on the side, like you would applesauce with cinnamon.

Some people don’t like fruit with meat. The complaint I’ve usually heard is that it’s too sweet. If you feel this way, try something less sweet. Instead of pineapple in heavy syrup or cherries in syrup or sweetened applesauce, try a fruit salsa. The heat from the peppers may balance out the sweetness of the fruit enough to make it work for you. Or a relish made of cranberries and oranges without sugar. The tartness of the cranberries may offset the sweetness of the orange enough for you.

Pork Chops and Herbs

First, herbs and spices that go well with pork. Just about everything, actually! Think of all the different cuisines that use pork, and the different seasonings that each uses. Chinese. Mexican. German. Italian. Thai. French. English. And many more. They have each found a way to use their traditional seasonings with pork.

Here’s a partial list that I combined from half a dozen web sites. Basil, bay leaf, caraway seeds, chili peppers, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, curry powder, dill, fennel, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, jalapeno, lemon grass, lemon juice, lime juice, mint, mustard, onions, orange juice, oregano, paprika, parsley, pepper, pickle juice, rosemary, sage, savory, shallots, soy sauce, star anise, thyme, turmeric, and Worcestershire sauce. The ones that were mentioned most often were cinnamon, cloves, cumin, fennel, garlic (I think everyone mentioned garlic), ginger, rosemary, sage, shallots, soy sauce, and thyme. And salt and pepper, of course.

So what do you do with this list? Well, the next time you make plain old pork chops, try adding a different herb. Maybe marinate them first in a mixture of juice (lemon, lime or orange) and an herb or two. Some combinations you might not have thought of include:

Soy sauce, ginger, garlic, with or without some orange juice

Apple juice, cinnamon and cloves

Chipotle peppers, cumin and tomatoes

Mustard, caraway seeds and sauerkraut

Chili peppers, cilantro, garlic, lime and peanuts

Lemon and/or lime and/or orange juice with garlic

Apple juice, shallots, garlic, ginger and soy sauce

Lemongrass, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, shallots and lime juice