Recipe of the week

Working long days and coming home to a messy house, two young kids, and a SAHD doesn't leave me with much energy for cooking.

When I found the below recipe I was skeptical because in my past pork loins always took too long for me to make on a week night, but I gave it a try and it quickly became my absolute favorite way to prepare pork!

I prep the pork and get it in the oven and then work on the sides during the cook time.  It all works out in the timing dept.

I found this on pinterest, which was linked to The Comfort of Cooking.

Roast Pork Loin with Bacon and Brown Sugar GlazeServes 3-4

Ingredients
1 boneless pork loin, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds
2 slices bacon (I tend to use 4 or 5!)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Glaze:
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Directions
Heat oven to 350° F. Place pork loin in a roasting pan or deep casserole dish lined with aluminum foil. Combine the rub ingredients in a small bowl and rub over the pork. Cut each strip of bacon in half and lay strips over the pork loin. Roast for about 40 minutes.

Combine the brown sugar, flour, cider vinegar, and dry mustard in a saucepan. Simmer for 1 minute. Spoon over the pork and return to the oven. Roast for about 15 minutes longer, or until pork registers 160°. Let sit for 2 minutes after removing from oven. Slice and serve.

Monday Crock Pot Recipe of the week

I am going to try something a little new here.  Thanks to Pinterest I have added several new recipes to my rotation. 

For me a recipe is a keeper if:

• It uses ingredients that are common to my cabinets
• Is little work to pull together
• Takes less than 40 mins beginning to end OR can be placed in the crock pot and left on it's own

Crock pot recipes for me are WINNERS.  I work a lot and pretty long days.  So when I can place something in the CP and come home at night to dinner ready - SCORE!

One of my absolute FAVORITE CP recipes over the past few months is Chicken Tortilla Soup.  I found it on Pinterest and it led me to Miller Musings.  She has several really good recipes, but this one has been my favorite so far.

I have modified it slightly but have linked to Miller Musings so that you can see her original recipe as well as a photo of her finished product (I am unable to upload a photo - Blogger You Suck)

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts - raw
2 10oz cans of diced tomatoes (you can use the ones with green chile's or plain)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1-2 Cups of frozen Green Beans and Peas (the orig recipe calls for corn)
1 onion, chopped
2 14.5oz cans low-sodium chicken broth
1-2 cups of water
1 Tbsp garlic powder*
1 Tbsp chili powder*
1 Tbsp ground cumin*
1 Tbsp dried cilantro* (I never use Cilantro- just because it isn't a spice I readily have)

tortilla chips
sour cream
shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

*Instead of these spices, you could include a packet of Taco seasoning if you prefer.*

Put chopped onion, cans of beans, tomatoes, veggies, chicken broth, water, and spices in Crock Pot and stir to mix. Put chicken breasts on top of mixture and make sure they're at least partly submerged in liquid. Cook on high 6-7 hours or low 8-9 hours. Before serving remove the chicken breasts from soup and shred, if needed, (sometimes they'll just fall apart on their own, but sometimes they need some help). Return chicken to Crock Pot, stir to combine.

To serve put a few tortilla chips in the bottom of a bowl, ladle soup over tortilla chips, top with shredded cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream, serve with more chips or corn bread. Enjoy!

(You can make this vegetarian by using vegetable broth and no chicken)

Very Random

I really try not to suck, honestly.  I just never have the time/energy/accessibility to update my blog.  For some odd reason (oh wait it's because blogger sucks but I am too cheap/lack of time to move...) I am unable to post from my phone or ipad.  I just never get on the house computers.  And I am way too busy at work to consider posting from there.

As things pop into my head that I desire to blog about I update a page in my note pad on my phone, it is a really long list at this time.  Seeing as though I have a bit of time today (while I am sitting with my sick girl watching ChipWrecked for the 15867973 time) I decided to log into the laptop and give it a shot.

So for some randoms. 

It is 2013.  Yeah that happened since the last time I updated I think.  I haven't had any occurrences of writing 2012, which I am rather impressed with myself about.

K will be 4 in less than a month.  FOUR how does it happen?  I decided to hold her party at an indoor play scape.  Because she wants to invite school friends this year (I am allowing 4 friends since she is turning 4) plus our normal friends and their kids, and our family members that come (just a couple) I was looking at like 30+ people in my house.  Not going to happen in the middle of the winter.  And honestly the last thing I need/want are her school friend's Mom's judging me based on my dust.  So off to the play scape we go.

I put invites out over a week ago.  Asked for RSVP by 1/19.  Not one school friend has RSVP'd yet.  WTF is up with that?  It is a major Pet Peeve of mine.  When I get an invite I try to RSVP within two days.  I mean really, do you not know if you have plans in 3 weeks on this date?  Just respond so I can plan.  Grrr.  I have to pay $18 a kid and have to have a 10 kid minimum, so if one of those kids can't come then I want to invite others and hate to wait until last minute. 

My new job is, well, odd.  I receive very little direction.  When I do it is all over the place.  I am busy, but basically because I have pretty much created my responsibilities as I see fit.  Not bad, but odd.

K developed a cough a couple days ago.  Yesterday it got worse.  To the point that coughing led to vomiting.  Fun.  S seems OK so far.  T woke up today with a scratchy throat, stuffy nose, etc...he is dieing of course ;)  I had to go to 3 different places to find myself some Airborn.  I hope it works, but I know I will get hit too.

I am going for an overnight to the Casino in 2 weeks.  It is the annual Wine Fest.  Can you give me a "Hell Yes" for Wine?  HELL YES!!

I don't think I could survive without my phone.

I registered for the "Color Me Rad" race.  Looks fun.  I hope I don't get paint in my eye.