Hello Cyber Space

Who knew 7 days without the Internet would be so challenging. I tried to find one word that described each day during my...mmm...vacation. The first day was almost surreal. I actually felt relieved. My typical morning routine is to check Facebook, email, write my blog, browse Craigslist and if there is time oogle Pinterest. My hiatus brought about feeling of freedom. However, the first day anti-internet I almost checked something online twice by 6:44am. I could tell it was going to be a rough week. By day two it felt like a nuisance. It's the end of the month and I have bills to pay. What the heck was this blonde bozo thinking? Day three: waste. I'm wasting away in this land void of facebook. I'm a vapor. My presence is slipping away from the absence of updates. Four...this feeling is getting repetitive. Five. I need it! Not having the Internet is really delaying my ability to live life. I want to make chicken pot pie, but my favorite pie crust recipe is online. I need! I need! I need! (not to be confused with I want..Internet is a need. right?) Six. Nada. Seven. I'm coming back around the bend. I'm reading again. I'm reclaiming my passion. My passion to learn....through books.

The difficult parts:
- Going online is a habit and it's hard to break
- Inability to pay bills online
- I had to learn how to cook WITHOUT allrecipes
- Uninformed (or at least I felt like it)
- No one knew what was going on in my life
- Had to use primal ways to contact people (aka the phonebook)

The benefits:
- I spent more time with Juliet
- I had to be creative (meals, projects, free time, etc)
- I went outside
- I read more
- I spent an afternoon at a used bookstore

Overall, I found the experiment to be successful. It helped me to analyze how I spent my time. It also scarily made me aware of how stinkin' much I use the Internet. I could see myself doing this again in the future. I like to make sure my life is balanced and what better way to check the balance than to go without for 7 days. It's really not that long, but after three I was really wondering if I was going to make it.

PESTO STUFFED PORK CHOPS

PESTO STUFFED PORK CHOPS

4 pork chops
5 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tsp Basil (I use the kind in the can because it last longer)
1 clove Garlic (chopped)
2 Tablespoon Pecorno Romano cheese (heaping)
3 Tablespoons of Feta cheese
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

1 Teaspoon of pepper
1/2 Pepper flakes
2 Tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar
1 Teaspoon dried Oregano

1/4 Teaspoon ground Thyme
1 Clove Garlic (chopped)

Preheat oven to 375F

Mix together oil, basil, garlic, cheese, pepper and salt until smooth (Some may want to use a food processor or blender) The first time I tried this recipe I added two slices of herb bread to the mixture, which caused them to be too dry. Leave the bread on the side.

 

 

Cut pork while half frozen (So much easier this way). Split mixture into 4 even portion and stuff into pork chops. The place in a shallow baking pan.

 

Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl and use as a rub on both sides of the pork chops.

 

 

Bake chops until the centers are hot. This took about 40 minutes. Remove from over and brush with 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and then return to oven for an additional 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

 

 

 

*I served mine with broccoli which was a nice complimenting flavor.

 

Fab reviews at allrecipes !