Pineapple Pork Stir Fry

Ingredients:
4 Pork chops, center cut, boneless, thick; about 6oz each @ $3/lb = $4.50
1 can of pineapple chunks (Dole is best); 20oz @ $1
1 cup of rice, brown, dry; 1/5 of a 2lb bag @ $2.20/bag = $0.44
2 tbsp vegetable oil; should be @ <$0.05/tbsp = $0.10
1 lb bell peppers, sliced, frozen @ $1.69/lb
1/2 tsp thyme (avoid McCormick); should be @ <$0.10/tsp = $0.05
1/2 tsp ginger, fresh, shaved (store root in freezer); should be ~$0.05
1 tsp soy sauce; $?, I'm guessing ~$0.05
1 tbsp garlic, minced; 1/42 of a jar @ $3/jar = $0.07
2 paper towels @ ~$1.00/roll = ~$0.03

This recipe serves four at about $2 and 600 calories per person. Cooking time is about an hour.  The spice amounts are estimated, and salt and pepper can be added to the thyme at a negligible cost.

Prep: In the morning, sprinkle the thyme on the pork chops, and marinate them in a sealed nonreactive dish or plastic bag with the juice from the canned pineapple.  Let marinate in a refrigerator throughout the day.  Store the pineapple chunks in a nonreactive container in the fridge, also.

Cooking: Boil 2 cups of water in a small pot, add the rice, and reduce heat to a simmer.  The rice will take 45 minutes to cook.  Put the oil in a skillet or large pot that has a cover.  Put that pot on the stove top at a little less than medium heat.  Remove the pork from the marinade, and pat them dry with paper towels.  Discard the marinade.  Set your oven to preheat to 325.  When the oil in the skillet starts to smoke a little, put the pork in to brown 2-3 minutes on each side (may have to do two at a time), and be careful of oil splatter (use the cover).  Put the browned pork in a covered cassarole (or keep in the pot, if you used a pot), and put in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes (advised internal temperature is 160 F).  While the pork is baking, put the peppers, pineapple, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a skillet (the original skillet if you used one) at low heat (one quarter turn of the knob).  The peppers and pineapple can be set to simmer when they're hot, since they will probably get hot before the pork is done.  When the pork is done, there will be juices in the bottom of the pot.  Put the pork aside, then skim the fat off the top of the juices (or soak it off with a paper towel).

Serving: Each plate will have a pork chop, and some peppers and pineapple on a bed of rice.  Drizzle the degreased pork juice over the chop and rice for moisture and flavor.  I made this last night, and it was delicious.  I am looking forward to the leftovers tonight.