MOM’S COUNTRY SUPPER

Judy and I ate supper with my little momma this afternoon. It was her standard meal, one which I ate many times over the years I’ve been blessed with her. It was a great meal that always filled me up and yet left me wanting to push in just one more bite of everything.

Judy loves mom’s pinto beans, or as she says it “beantos!” Another thing Judy likes with her “beantos” is chocolate cake! Yes, it is good, I’ve been forced to try it, but it was not something I have to have, but to her it is the dessert taste she craves. So tonight, after waiting for the beans to cook all day, she gave in to the “chocolate force” and enjoyed herself.

There is nothing better than a good tender beef roast, with carrots, potatoes, and onions all cooked up in the same beef juices! Yes, there is something green, kind of, it’s in the slaw, and man does the juice from the slaw make cornbread taste even better.

I have been cutting back on my eating for the past two weeks, so tonight I splurged and loaded my plate. When it was all over, I had a hard time deciding between one more bite of the hominy, the beans, the slaw, or the cornbread…so, I ate a little more of each!

Thanks mom for the great meal and love and warmth I’m feeling inside right now.

PORK TENDERLOIN AND APPLES

RETRO POST!

Since retiring, I love to spend time in the kitchen, sipping on an Old Scratch beer (made by Flying Dog), cooking up what sounds good to me. My imagination usually ends up tasting pretty good. Here's one of the first I tried:

• Heat vegetable oil and add half a large onion (whole if you like)
  When onions are soft add a table spoon of sugar and saute to brown
• Add 7 to 8 1” thick slices of port tenderloin and brown each side for 2 minutes
• Add 2/3 cup of hard apple cider and 2/3 cup of chicken or vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper to taste and a table spoon of sage
• Bring mixture to full boil and then simmer for 20 minutes
• Then separate the meat slices with slices (about 1/2 to 1” thick) of apple (any kind or mix) I used Mutsu
• Cook apples for 3 minutes each side (you can turn meat if you like)

Serve with either a salad, long grain brown rice, or, as I did, a cold bean salad on the side (see photos)