Bacon-wrapped Pork Tenderloin...YUM!

I found a great new recipe I wanted to share with you all!
And it's got BACON in it!

I am a firm believer that bacon makes everything better...well, almost anything...
But that aroma!  It just makes me happy...and hungry!  It does the same for my husband, so it works well for us to add it whenever we can to whatever we are making!  I just recently found a new cracker that has a great bacon flavor as well - It's Ritz crips & thins. They have several flavors - plus bacon, which is my very favorite.  I love it for lunch with hummus or an avocado - or just plain.

You know, when you are married for awhile you can tend to get in a rut...well, we've been married for over 43 years and we have gotten into LOTS of ruts!  One of them is that we always - always have bacon and eggs for lunch on Sundays after church.  But I must say - for us this is not a "bad" rut.  We look forward to it and it never gets old!  Sometimes we even change up how we cook our eggs! Imagine that!!!  We scramble or fry them or make omelets.  Pretty imaginative, don't you think?

Anyway...back to the pork tenderloin...

You've got your basic piece of pork loin...probably a little over a pound or so. 

Personally, I don't think that piece of meat looks very appetizing, but it gets better...I promise.. :)

 First, you need to preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Then place heavy duty aluminum foil on a large cookie sheet & spray it with cooking spray.

 Next you place bacon between 2 microwave safe paper towels on a plate and cook for about 2 minutes.  You'll need about 6 strips or so.

Salt & pepper your pork, then wrap the bacon around it, tucking ends underneath.

Mix together your favorite bbq sauce, mixed with chipotle and cumin in a small bowl.  Brush it all over the pork and try to put some under the pork loin as well.


Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 30-40 minutes, checking after about 25 minutes because oven temps can vary and you don't want it to overcook and become dry.  Cook to a temp of 145-150.  Let sit for 5 minutes or so after you take it out to set the juices.

Serve with additional bbq sauce, if desired.
Enjoy!
Recipe to follow...

Bacon-wrapped Pork Loin

1 pork tenderloin 1 -2 lbs
6-8 strips of bacon
salt & pepper
1/3 cup bbq sauce
1 1/2 tsp chipotle seasoning
1/4 tsp cumin

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare large cookie sheet by covering with heavy duty aluminum foil. Spray with cooking spray like Pam.
Lightly salt & pepper the pork loin.  Place bacon strips between paper towels on plate in microwave. Cook bacon for 2 minutes in microwave.  When cooled a little, wrap around the pork & tuck it under.
Spread the bbq sauce mixture all over & put some underneath the pork as well.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until it gets to 145-150 degrees internal temp with meat thermometer.
Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.  Slice & serve with additional bbq sauce, if desired.

Quote of the day:
"Bacon: It's like a high five for your mouth" :)

and a quote by Francis Bacon: "Money is a good servant and a bad master"

Just a Typical Day

Today I didn't sew or cook really, but wanted to touch base...what did you fix for dinner?  I warmed up leftover potato soup for my hubby and made a grilled cheese sandwich and a salad for myself.  Not fancy - but just right for a chilly day.  The trees around our neighborhood are gorgeous this year and our local weatherman admitted today that he has no idea why because the weather this summer & fall has not been conducive to causing colorful trees & shrubs.  I guess God just knew we needed something pretty to look at. :)

Some days you just have to do those routine chores that can't be put off any longer and you can't "play" or be very creative.  I needed to get our quilts washed so I headed off to the laundromat with one and put the smaller one in our washer here at home.  In and out of the car running more errands, up and down the stairs multiple times...I'm exhausted!!  And even though I didn't get to make anything fun I still feel as though I accomplished much.  I do enjoy clean bedding!  And Oh yeah - I got to buy a new heated
blanket for our bed! Yay!  Our old one didn't fit the new bed and I have just been chilly at night...and this is only November! Yikes! 

I'm still searching for something fun to make for friends and family for Christmas and when I do I will share it here...along with instructions.  I'm thinking wall hangings would be fun - or some new hot pads for everyone.  They do wear out and can be dangerous if the batting is not thick enough...so this gift could also help protect my loved ones! 

Life is interesting...having a home is a LOT of work!  I guess you've probably figured that out by now as well.  It's funny how when we're young and living with our parents all we can think about is having our very own place....but we have no clue - absolutely NO clue as to what is involved in that very noble dream!  But home is home - and it is a true blessing to be able to have the freedom to decorate any way we like and have the comforts we enjoy.  I am thankful - and this is the month when we are reminded of that very thing - to be thankful. 

I love to read a good book - don't you?  Lately I've read a lot of books centered around WWII.  So many things I did not know before - how people in France and England suffered as the Germans invaded and took over their homes.  So much fear with all the bombings and tanks and enemy soldiers.  Scarcity of food....I read that in France they could not get coffee so they made it out of acorns and other things - and it was simply gross!  Families torn apart - children separated from parents who were sent to camps in Germany...death, destruction everywhere.

Yes, we have much to be thankful for.  And may we all pray for peace on earth and do our best to help bring that about!

Quilt Pics Day!

Good afternoon!

Today is errands day, so I don't have a recipe or tutorial for you, but thought I'd just post some pics of quilts and things I've made...to hopefully inspire you. :)

Christmas is just around the corner, so it's definitely time to be considering any of those hand-made items for gifts.  I've made coasters, mug rugs, tablerunners, place mats and wall-hangings for most of my family by now, so I'm trying to find something new and different this year.  I'll keep you posted if I find something fun!

Wall-hanging

Advent Calendar wall-hanging

Baby quilt

Baby quilt

Wall hanging

Wall hanging

                        

American Girl doll quilt

Lap quilt

Lap quilt

Pot holder

Wall hanging

Quote of the day: When life gets too hard to stand...try kneeling. :)

Potato Soup for a chilly day meal

Potato soup has always been a favorite at our house.  Raising 4 hungry boys on a budget was never easy - but a challenge that I embraced!  Soup fit the bill perfectly, and I often baked corn bread to go along with it.  As you can see there are bacon bits in this soup, but that's not necessary.  If you are on a vegetarian diet you can easily change this recipe to suit you.










Let the creating begin!


I start out by peeling and chopping into cubes about 5-6 medium potatoes. Then I add a carrot or several baby carrots and chop them into 1/2" pieces.  I also add 1 rib of celery usually, but it's not necessary.  I pour water over them in the saucepan - just enough to cover - and bring it to a boil.  I usually add 2-3 chicken bouilon cubes to the water for extra flavor.  You can also use vegetable broth instead of water for flavor and to eliminate meat.

It takes about 15 minutes.  If you like chunky soup you don't have to boil them as long. We like ours to have some chunks, but I also mash them to make it thicker.

 When they are finished boiling I just get out my trusty potato masher and mash the whole thing together.  The carrots mash a little - but not too much.  You can still have nice-sized pieces....Meanwhile in a large saucepan I melt 3-4 Tablespoons butter (real) and saute 1 large onion.

  If you want bacon, skip the butter, then chop 3-4 slices of bacon first and cook it in the pan. Remove bacon and keep 3-4 tablespoons of the bacon grease to saute your onions in....yum!  Now sprinkle 3 Tablespoons flour over the bacon grease (or butter with the onions, depending on what you used) and stir well. Let it cook for a minute on medium heat.  If it's too dry, it's ok to add a little more butter or grease. 

Slowly add 2 cups of milk (I use 2 % but you can use whole milk, too) to the roux you've made with the flour mixture and stir until it begins to thicken and bubble just a little.  Keep stirring!  And now you can add the potato mixture and stir some more.  After this all heats together well and is thickened nicely I usually add my favorite cheese.  We like American or Cheddar...mostly cheddar.  But you can also make this soup without any cheese and it's more like a chowder.  You can also add ham chunks.  It's very flexible - you really can't hardly mess it up...add more cheese to thicken it more or add more milk to thin it out.  Add salt & pepper to taste.  I think you're really gonna love this soup!

Potato Soup recipe:

4-6 medium potatoes (I like Yukon Gold)

1 large carrot, sliced or 1/2 cup baby carrots, sliced

water to cover or vegetable broth

3-4 slices bacon, chopped, or 3-4 tablespoons real butter

1 large onion

1 rib celery

2 cups milk

3 Tablespoons flour

American or Cheddar cheese (1/2 - 1 cup)

1/2-3/4 cup chopped ham, optional

salt & pepper to taste

Peel and chop potatoes. Chop carrots & celery. Place all in medium saucepan and cover with water or vegetable broth. (can add 2-3 chicken bouillon cubes when water boils). Bring to boil, then turn down and simmer for about 15 minutes or till veg are tender.  Mash with potato masher till consistency you like....less for more chunks.

Meanwhile, brown bacon in large saucepan.  Remove bacon to be added at end and leave bacon grease in pan. (If using butter, then put it in the saucepan to melt on medium heat.) Chop onion and add to hot butter or grease & saute till tender (5-7 minutes) on medium heat... Do NOT let butter burn....you will not like the flavor, trust me! :)  Sprinkle flour over onion mixture and stir well. Let cook for only a minute, then slowly - very slowly! pour the milk into the pan and keep on a-stirring! Cook till thickens, then once again - very slowly pour the potato mixture into this pan and stir some more!  Heat well & add cheese till melted.  Add bacon bits and ham just till heated.  Serve!  Sprinkle more cheese & bacon over the top of each bowl.  Enjoy!

Quote of the day: “After a good dinner one can forgive anybody, even one's own relations.” 

― Oscar Wilde, in the book "A Woman of No Importance"

Cranberry/Orange/Nut Bread!

Autumn is definitely in the air in Missouri!  Didn't get out of the 40's today...cloudy, misty.  Perfect weather for baking, in my opinion, and I just happened to have some fresh cranberries on hand.

I've been baking this bread since our oldest was in Kindergarden because his teacher baked it and brought it to school and he loved it!  So she gave me the recipe and it's been a Bowler tradition every Fall since.  And that was in 1980! Thank you, Mrs. Napper!  She was a wonderful teacher and so great with the kids.  Teachers are very, very special people and deserve to be thanked and appreciated.

  

It's a very easy recipe and quick to make

real butter, orange juice, fresh cranberries, toasted pecans, eggs

This is what the finished product looks like....oh, man, I just love that aroma of just baked bread-cranberry-goodness!  I couldn't resist cutting a slice while still warm - it's the way I always enjoy my fresh baked goods....right out of the oven!  (Baker privilege, you know...!)  It's so moist it doesn't even need butter!

By the way...I obviously doubled this recipe...I usually do that so I can share with family or friends or just freeze some for later.  It freezes very well. I wrap it in foil or put it in a freezer bag.

A few of the fresh ingredients! I chop my cranberries in half only - I like larger pieces in my breads & muffins - and by the way, you can make this recipe as muffins as well!

Here's the original recipe...looks its age, doesn't it?

Here's the recipe:

Cranberry/Orange Nut Bread

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp melted butter (real!)
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup orange juice (not concentrate)
1 cup cranberries, sliced
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Sift (or just stir together) flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in large bowl.
In smaller bowl, combine butter, egg and orange juice.  Add all at once to dry ingredients and stir. (I do it by hand, you don't want to over-beat it. I just stir it until evenly moist.) Fold in cranberries and nuts. Pour into greased 9x5 loaf pan.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. (I always check at about 45-50 minutes since ovens can vary).  Cool 5-10 min then remove from pan & place on wire rack.
Enjoy!

Quote of the day:
"The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for 30 years she served the family nothing but leftovers.  The original meal has never been found." ~Calvin Trillin

The Disappearing 4-Patch Block!

Hello!  Are you ready for some sewing fun? Here we go....!

Here's what we'll be making...  Isn't that just plain fun??  I used Lily & Loom fabrics - the Daisy Collection - from Craftsy.  Loving the bold colors and thinking it will go for either baby boy or girl.  I haven't added borders yet, but will show the finished quilt after I do that.

I used the charm pack size - 5" squares and made 4-patch units using 2 white squares and 2 of each print.  I found out the hard way that it's much better to use squares that when sewn together are divisible by 3 because you'll be cutting the 4-Patch into Thirds.  The 5" squares sewn together came out to 9 1/2" blocks which was not exactly the most fun I've ever had as I tried to cut them evenly into thirds... Here's a sample block:

So...

I tried 4 3/4" squares when I made this blue sample block and it comes out to 9" which of course easily divides into 3's! Yay!  Much, much easier!

                                                     

And this final picture shows how you can rearrange the pieces to make the design I used on the baby quilt above.
I hope you'll try this and have fun being creative as you experiment!



Here's your inspirational quote of the day:

"Beautiful things come together...one stitch at a time."  ;)
                                                   

The Smokies!

Howdy from Tennessee!

I decided to take a little break from cooking and sewing, so here we are seeing the Smoky Mountains for the first time.  It's breathtakingly beautiful, as you can see.  So take a minute to enjoy what we are blessed to be experiencing.  The first pic is sunrise from our cabin.  Boy, let me tell you...getting to this cabin was no joyride!  Talk about steep, curvy and narrow....my husband was ready to turn around (if there was room to do so) and go back the way we came!  But we persevered and made it just fine.  Coming and going is always tricky because you cannot see around the hairpin turns, but fortunately there's not much traffic.

from our cabin's deck

This is our first trip to a National Park and it's a fabulous experience. Must see to be believed! The visitor's centers are wonderful and informative with Nature Centers and movies of how the Park came to be, etc.  We set out to walk a trail and somehow ended up on the Newfound Gap road that crosses the entire park, north to south! 50+ miles of rather slow-moving traffic, but wow! What a ride!  So glad we did it.  There are lots of places to park for pic opportunities...which is where these pics were taken.

Finding a trail that would suit 2 "older" people that aren't used to hiking very much was not an easy task, so now we had to just follow this very long road (50 miles of slow, slow driving with lots of turn-offs to park and take pics) and see if we could find another trail suitable for us.

Turns out that near the end of that a road was a perfect trail for us...we even saw a bear run across our trail up ahead (no pic, though...but trust me - you don't want to get that close anyway!) It ran up another hill which was fine with us.  We met some really nice families that we ended up walking most of the way with.  They had several children with them which we were glad for after seeing that bear.  Families have kids. Kids make noise.  Bears don't like noise...noise is good!

So there you have it..just a small bit of our trip to the Smokies.  Go and see it for yourself someday...you'll be glad you did!

Quote of the day: 

 Everyday is a second chance. ;)