Sour Cream Pork Chops with Onions and Potatoes, Thai-Style Shrimp Salad

Sour Cream Pork Chops with Onions and Potatoes
Adapted from a recipe my Aunt gave me

4-6 pork chops
1 small carton of low-fat sour cream (you can use sour cream and chive flavor)
1 can low-fat/low-sodium cream of mushroom soup
4-6 red potatoes, sliced to same thickness
1 tablespoon garlic powder or granulated garlic
1 large vidalia onion, sliced to even thickness

1. Mix the sour cream and mushroom soup together.

2. Season pork chops with salt and pepper and sear on both sides on medium-high heat.

3. In a greased 9x13 pan, layer potatoes first, then sprinkle the garlic powder over the potatoes, then onions on top of potatoes and then the sour cream mixture. Add the pork chops last. Bake on 350 for 1 hour

Thai-Style Shrimp Salad
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated, 2011

Ingredients
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon brown rice
3 tablespoons lime juice (2 limes)
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
4 servings of raw shrimp
1/4 teaspoon white peppar
4 shallots, sliced thin
1 1/2 cups fresh mint leaves , torn
1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
1 1/2 cups mixed lettuce
1 seedless English cucumber , sliced 1/4 inch thick on bias

Instructions
1. Heat paprika and cayenne in 8-inch skillet over medium heat; cook, shaking pan, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to small bowl. Return now-empty skillet to medium-high heat, add rice, and toast, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to second small bowl and cool for 5 minutes. Grind rice with spice grinder, mini food processor, or mortar and pestle until it resembles fine meal, 10 to 30 seconds (you should have about 1 tablespoon rice powder).

2. Whisk lime juice, fish sauce, water, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon toasted paprika mixture in large bowl and set aside.

3. Heat oil on a medium skillet and season shrimp with salt and white pepper. Place shrimp in skillet and cook, two minutes on each side, until done. Transfer to plate and let cool.

4. Transfer shrimp to bowl with fish sauce mixture. Add shallots, mint, cilantro, chile, and half of rice powder; toss to combine. Transfer to platter with cucumber slices lined on a bed of lettuce. Sprinkle remaining rice powder and toasted paprika mixture on top.