Farewell Supper and 4th decor

This morning, ok well 2:45 a.m., I sent my Oilfield Man off to the Patch again.  We have been really lucky to have had him home as long as we did this time.  It looks like it will be at least two weeks before his boots are by our door again.  So, I wanted to fix him a delicious Sunday supper before he headed out.  On the menu was pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon, braised green beans and butter pasta.  Don't worry....I was thinking of y'all when I was preparing the farewell meal.  The first is the pork tenderloin.  My daddy has been making this for as long as I can remember.  It is really good with a side of spaetzle and red cabbage if you are feeling a little international and want to take a trip to Germany. 

Take a casserole dish and rack and spray liberally with nonstick spray.  These tenderloins usually come two in a pack.  I used just the one since it's only the three of us.  Sprinkle with as much pepper as you like.

Now smother the hell out of it with Dijon mustard.

 

Ok, this will take probably 4 slices of bacon.  You want to wrap it around the whole tenderloin. It should look like this...

 





Put it in a 375 degree oven and bake for 45 minutes or so depending on your oven.  Below you will see my oven was cooking a little warm last night.  SO, I got it a little over done, but it was still yummy!

PORK TENDERLOIN

 

1 pork tenderloin (approx. 1.5lbs)

Dijon mustard

black pepper to taste

4 slices bacon

 

Liberally season the pork tenderloin.

Smother with mustard

Wrap with 4 slices of bacon

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until cooked to desired temperature. 

 

To accompany our yummy tenderloin, we needed a green.  Green beans are one of our faves around here.  This recipe came from my daddy as well.  Super easy and super delish.  The only part that sucks is having to snap all the beans...unless you have your own little minion that you can put to work.  Mine seemed to think he was not eligible for this line of work.  Wrong indeed!!!

 

I picked up 2 lbs of fresh green beans at the store the other day.  Snap the ends and rinse really well.

 

 

Slice an onion in half and then slice thin half moon slices.  Also, you will need 2 gloves of garlic minced.  Set these aside.

 

Now that your prep is done, heat a dutch over medium heat and dice up your 6 slices of bacon.  I use scissors to snip the pork goodness straight into the pot.  Once the bacon is browned, add the onions and garlic and cook until onions are transparent.  Make sure to stay right there and stir often to keep your garlic from browning and burning!!!  NO GOOD if that happens!!!!

Add 1/2 chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Once it starts bubbling, add your rinsed beans and lower heat to low. 

 

Let these guys simmer until limp...which usually takes about 30-45 minutes. 

 

 

BRAISED GREEN BEANS

 

2 lbs green beans, snapped ends and then rinsed

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

6 slices bacon, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

black pepper to taste

1/2 can chicken broth

 

 

Snap the ends and rinse green beans.

Snip bacon into dutch oven over medium heat and cook until browned.

Add onion and garlic and sauté until onions are transparent.

Add black pepper and chicken broth.  When it comes to a boil, add beans.

Turn stove down to low and simmer until green beans are limp.

 

Serve this up to your lucky little family tonight.  They will thank you!! Those kiddos will love these green beans.  I mean they are cooked in bacon!!!!

 



 

 

On to my latest Crafty project.  I have been snagging up pallets from our local corner store the past couple weeks and decided to finally do something with the stack on the side of the house.  Honestly, it is starting to look like our house is the warehouse on the corner.  Not so appealing...

 

See that one on the right?  That one will be transformed into a patriotic decoration by the end of this post!!!

 

Along with my little guy, we ran down to Hobby Lobby and picked up some acrylic paint in Red, White, and Blue.  How did I not have any in my stash?  I seemed to have "every other color under the moon. " - a direct quote from the hubs as he is so fond of my growing supply collection. 

 

I determined which boards would be what color and instructed my handy helper to get started painting the blue, not to cross the lines.  I failed to pay attention to my own instructions and got carried away with the red (as you can see).  No fear, the little guy was quick to point out I was painting red on a white board.  Good thing he is so much like his daddy...

 

A few months back, we rode down to the National Seashore here in Corpus Christi.  There were tons of starfish that were scattered all over.  We collected tons of them for future projects.  Friday was the day!!! I took 9 out of our stash and painted them white as well.  The acrylic paint dries really quick.  So, you won't have to wait to long to do your final assembly.

I was outside chatting it up with the girl across the street about how I was going to adhere these bad boys to the pallet.  We weren't sure if the hot glue gun would do the trick.  She suggested some super duty sticky stuff 3M makes that she thought might work...and it did for a few minutes.  South Texas is H.O.T and HUMID!!!!  It didn't hold up.  These little guys slowly started making their way down.  So, I had to pull the glue gun out and pray for the best.  IT WORKED!!!!!  Those beautiful stars have not budged since I glued them to their new home.  Drum roll.......

 

What do you think?  I love it!  It takes two of my favorite things (American pride and the beach) and displays them perfectly on our porch!!! 

Now I needed something for the door.  Spring is officially over so I needed to take the cute door hanger filled with hydrangea down and put up something a little more patriotic! I saw on Pinterest a link (https://www.etsy.com/listing/176354885/patriotic-monogram-door-hanger-with?utm_source=Pinterest&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_campaign=Share) to an Etsy shop where a lady had a patriotic monogram.  I was like "I can do that!!!"  So I did!

 

 Now, don't look to close.  I didn't tape off my lines.  It is more rustic!  ;)  I free handed those stripes!  As for the stars, they are from a stencil I made by cutting a star into some card stock and sponged the white paint.  I like burlap with it, so I made a hanger out of some burlap ribbon I had.

 

Our porch is on it's way to Americana décor heaven!  I hope you love this as much as I do!!!!

 

Guess I better get going!  My helper said he has worked up a terrible hunger!  Until next time....

 





Bring on the New Year!

So, we survived Christmas 2012!  This was the first Christmas I didn't spend with my family and it was different, but just as fun.  I have found now that I have a little one of my own, it doesn't matter where you are, Santa always finds you! 

With the holidays comes tons of baking and cooking loads of comfort foods!  Instead of me attempting to be a good blogger, I am going to put a few recipes all on this post.  Shoot me...I never said I would be great at this whole blogging thing.  ;)

SOOO, let's talk chocolate pound cake!!!  Bet I got your attention with that, now didn't I?  I got this recipe from a Paula Deen cookbook a few years ago.  It is worth every calorie....seriously!

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

4 eggs
1-1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package butter recipe cake mix
1  3.4 oz. pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
1 3.4 oz. pkg. instant chocolate pudding mix
1 stick melted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6-ounces chocolate chips
Powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a tube pan or bundt pan. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, water, and vanilla on low. Stir in the cake mix and pudding mixes. Slowly add the butter and oil, and mix well.

 

 

 

Stir in the chocolate chips. Pour into the prepared pan.

 

 

 Bake for 50-60 mins. Cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a cake plate. Sift powdered sugar over the cake, or drizzle with chocolate sauce, if desired.

 



Ahhh, chicken and dumplin's how I love thee!  Nothing says comfort food like a big ol' bowl of steamy chicken and dumplin's.  Fluffy dumplin's and a ever slightly salty and peppery broth makes this one of our family's favorite winter meals.  The hubs won't eat chicken and dumplins if the temp rises above 70 degrees.  Now, since he is gone the majority of the time little man and I will whip up a batch every now and then in the spring and fall.  The secret to this recipe is NOT to stir the pot a bunch.  It breaks down the starch and can make the dumplings kinda gummy.



Chicken and Dumplin's

1 1/2 cup cooked chicken, chopped or shredded

butter

1 small onion, chopped

celery, chopped

carrot, chopped

1 32 oz. carton low-sodium chicken broth or (24oz. chicken broth and 1 1/2 cups water)

1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning

black pepper to taste

1 5-biscuit can

1/4-1/2 cup chicken gravy

 

In a dutch oven, melt butter and saute onions, carrots, and celery (approx. 10 mins). 

Add broth, poultry seasoning, pepper and chicken.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 30 mins.

 

On a flat surface, dust with flour and press biscuits approximately 1/4" thick.  Cut into even strips about 1" wide with a pizza cutter.

 

Skim off any fat from from your broth mixture.  Stir in chicken gravy.  Drop dumplings into pot a few at a time.  Slowly stir them all in and cover with a tight lid.  Simmer for 10 more minutes.  If not thick enough, mix 1 Tbs. cornstarch with cold water and slowly pour into pot.  Stir.  It will thicken. 

Sorry I was so hungry I forgot to take a pic of the final product.  :)  Guess you will just have to make it to see!!!

 



We always have the same menu for Christmas supper... a spiral sliced Ham (except for this year it is always a Honeybaked Ham), broccoli cheese rice casserole, pea salad, and Parker house rolls.  Now, we usually rotate mac & cheese, scalloped potatoes, mashed potatoes or sweet potato casserole for our starch to round out our feast!  This year I made broccoli cheese casserole and I have to say it was as good as Mama's (and that is saying a lot!).  I forgot to take pics of the broccoli casserole, so I will post the recipe next time I make it unless one of you posts that you would like for me to share it sooner!  But....I did take pics of the pea salad.  It's one of the hubs favorite things to eat.  The best thing is, it is SUPER easy to make!

Mama's Pea Salad

 

1 16 oz. bag frozen baby/petite peas

4 green onions, sliced thin

¾ to 1 cup diced celery

2-3 hard boiled eggs, chopped

¾ to 1 cup mayonnaise

1 jar diced pimentos, drained well

1 8 oz. bag shredded cheese (we use Co-Jack)

 

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and let it set for at least 8 hours (overnight is even better).  Serve.

 

 



As we wrap up 2012, I wish all y'all the very best in 2013.  May the new year be better than you ever wished for!

I'm Back!!!!

Soooo it has been forever since my last post.  I have been running around like a crazy person down here!  I have been studying like a mad woman, had a birthday, had family portraits taken (good Lord I need to invest in airbrush makeup), enrolled Little Man into karate and got ACCEPTED into nursing school!  WHOOP!  WHOOP!  So, as you see, no rest for the weary!  Ooh, I forgot to mention it has FINALLY started to cool off here in South Texas.  Although, we hit a record of 90 degrees on my birthday, which is November 11th.  Crazy, right?  As I celebrated breaking out a couple of long sleeve tops, I decided we had waited long enough to start making "cold weather" food.  So, what better dish to kick off the cooler weather than Creamy Potato Soup. Thank you baby Jesus for potato soup!  I probably could eat this at least once a week.  Along with cooler weather comes the beginning of holiday events. Being that it is close to Thanksgiving, Little Man's pre-K class had their Thanksgiving feast last Thursday.  Since I obviously have plenty of time on my hands, I signed us up for dessert.  I didn't want to do a pie, so I decided to do something a little more creative.  I got the idea to create sugar cone cornucopias from Pinterest.  So, I will show that below as well!  So, I guess I should correct myself and say "Thank you baby Jesus for potato soup and Pinterest!!!  Let's talk potato soup first.  I have worked this recipe over and tweaked it to my taste.  I hope you find it as comforting as I do!

Creamy Potato Soup

4 cups cubed potatoes (red)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup celery (I use the frawns/leaves at the top of the stalk too)
64 oz. chicken stock (I use 32 oz. low sodium & 32 oz. regular)
Pepper to taste
1 Tbs. seasoned salt
1 Tbs. dry parsley
1 stick of butter
1 cup flour
2 cups half & half
shredded cheese (4-6 oz)

In a dutch oven, combine first 7 ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer 15 mins or until veggies are tender.

In a small saucepan, melt butter and add flout to make a roux.

Once at a boil, add cream. Add mixture to dutch oven. Add cheese and simmer for 20 more mins. I let mine simmer for the first 20 mins then put it on low and let it simmer for a few more hours.

Tada!!!

For the cornucopias, I got the idea from the blog Makelifedelicious.  These are super simple and create a really cute presentation.  When we took them in last week, the Principal stopped us and took a pic of our little creations.  Needless to say, they were a huge hit!

Sugar Cone Cornucopias:

 

To start, in a deep saucepan, bring 2" of water to a boil.  Place a steamer on top.  Drop a few cones in at a time (otherwise they will steam faster than you can reform them).  Cover and let it sit for a minute or until the cones become pliable.

 

 

Take one cone out a time.  With a wooden spoon, curl the tip of the cone around the spoon and let cool for a few seconds until it holds its form.  You also may have to reshape the top of the cone back into a circle.  Place on a cookie sheet to cool.

 

 

Once you have made all your cornucopias and they have cooled, fill them with chocolate candies (like M&M's) or a candy mix.  To wrap them up, cut a piece of plastic wrap and then secure with ribbon of your choice.  Told you it was easy!

Comfort in a Casserole

Even though it is still in the 90's outside here in Corpus Christi, I have been craving fall foods.  Nothing is better than a bubbling casserole in the oven and the aroma filling the house.  I love to buy rotisserie chickens from the grocery store.  When my husband is gone, Little Man and I usually eat a quarter of it and then I bone the rest and freeze it for later.  It usually yields about 3 cups.  Yesterday I decided come hell or high water we are acting as if it is cooler weather.  So, I pulled out a bag of frozen rotisserie chicken and went to work.  At the end of last year, I was flipping through my Southern Living Magazine (January 2012) that had come in the mail (a mail highlight!).  There was a recipe for King Ranch Chicken Macaroni and Cheese....WHAT?!?!?!?  Hello, jackpot!!!!  Living 45 minutes from the King Ranch, you find King Ranch Chicken everywhere!  Now let's talk mac and cheese.  Is there a better comfort food out there besides mac & cheese.  No.  So, when I saw that they had combined the two, I knew it would be heaven on a plate.  The first time I made it I went by the book.  It was good.  I decided the second time around I would make a few changes....and make it mine. ;)  So, here is my version:

3 Tbs. butter
8 oz. pkg of cavatappi or your favorite short pasta
1 medium onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 (8oz.) package Mexican Velveeta
3 cups rotisserie chicken chopped
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2-3/4 c sour cream
1 tsp. Chili Powder
1/2 tsp. Cumin
1 - 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare pasta according to package
Meanwhile, melt butter in a large dutch oven over medium- medium high heat. Add onions and bell peppers and saute 5 minutes or until tender.
Stir in Mexican Velveeta, stirring constantly until cheese is melted.
Stir in soup, sour cream, chili powder, and cumin.

Add chicken and hot cooked pasta and mix together.
Spoon mixture into a greased casserole dish.
Sprinkle with shredded cheese

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until golden bubbly!

This is yummy and comforting.  You will love every bite that crosses your lips.  Don't worry about the extra calories.  It's fall after all!