I cannot believe it feels like fall in August!

Yesterday I received my first catalog with Halloween decorations. I was so excited I ran straight from the mailbox to get a glass of wine and plop on the couch to peruse items for one of my absolute favorite holidays ever. I mean who doesn’t like scaring the crap out of the neighborhood kids?

Last year we really outdid ourselves on the decorations and I must say our house was incredibly scary. Kids kept coming back again, and again, and again to see the lady in black with glowing red eyes who graced our front porch; to take pictures in front of the 8 ft. inflatable headless horseman driving a hearse, and to get gummy brains from our candy bucket. They were really infatuated with those. We went though over 600 pieces of candy. Yes, six hundred. We ran out in the first couple of hours and by the end of the night I was raiding my baking pantry, putting candy corn, chocolate chips, marshmallows and mini peanut butter cups into ziplock bags. I was handing out peanuts and pretzels like a true Delta stewardess. I cannot believe I actually gave away my prized Ferrero Rocher Italian chocolates to a second grader. And I promise you the four year old recipient of the Schoggi Imported Swiss Chocolate had NO IDEA what he scored. I couldn’t imagine someone eating that without wine. It was a real tragedy. Ugh.

Just when I thought we had finally made it home free, and given out every gummy brain, Starburst, M&M, and chocolate chip in the house, there came the sweetest little girl I had seen all night. She was just cute as a button dressed in her precious little angel wings and halo. I HAD to find something for her. I ran inside and frantically scrounged through every single cabinet, pantry and drawer I had. There had to be one of ANYTHING I could give this sweet little angel. I had nothing. Except….

I walked back to the porch, disheveled from the searching, and gave my husband a brief, foreboding glance. I looked at this little angel and handed her the only “gift” I could find; an oatmeal Fiber One Bar. At two, she was completely thrilled. Her mom, not so much.

Raspberry Chipotle Pork Chops with Grilled & Dilled Patty Pan Squash

• 6 assorted bone-in pork chops
• 1 jar Raspberry Chipotle sauce or homemade
• 1/4 cup salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Salt & pepper to taste

For homemade sauce:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tsp. adobo sauce
• 2 cups fresh raspberries
• 1/2 cup raspberry flavored or aged Balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar

For the Squash:

• 3 patty pan squash, cut into thin slices lengthwise
• 1/4 cup Dill flavored olive oil or a good olive oil
• 1 bunch fresh chopped Dill
• Salt & pepper to taste

         

Directions:

Place pork chops in a large container with lid. Cover pork chops with water. Add 1/4 cup salt and 1/4 cup sugar to the water. Replace lid and put in fridge. Allow them to sit at least an hour or overnight. This brine will keep your chops moist. Drain from brine and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Grill for about 15 minutes or until done. Brush with Raspberry Chipotle sauce during the last 5 minutes of grilling so the sauce doesn’t burn.

For the sauce:

Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and puree. I like to leave some raspberries in tact for small bursts of flavor in the sauce. Place in a sauce pot over medium heat and allow to cook 15 minutes.

For the Squash:

Brush each squash slice with oil and sprinkle with dill. Grill on the top rack for about 15 minutes or until squash is tender.

Yall, life is too short to eat ugly food.