PORK TENDERLOIN AND SAUSAGE RICE

First, let me thank Gustad Mody who let me steal this general idea from his blog IRON STOMACH. I have been watching him cook and eat some very strange things over the past few months, and you should too!

About an hour before mealtime, I placed a pork tenderloin, split down the middle to open it up for cooking, in a brown’n serve bag (buy the combo bag and spice package), that was originally intended for pork chops. However, pork is pork – Porky!

The tenderloin I had on hand had BBQ sauce on it, but it is not necessary to have that specific one. Sprinkle the provided spices all over the pork, add about a ½ cup of water, and place on a cookie sheet for baking. I cooked the pork for about 40 minutes, turned the oven off, left it in the oven, and began preparing everything else.

- Prepare about 2 ½ cups of white rice by following the recipe on the box, except add about a tablespoon of butter and Velveeta cheese and salt in the water. When the rice comes to a boil, remove it from the heat and sit it aside.

- Mix you a drink of George Dickel (white label) and Diet Coke over ice and continue to follow directions – for as long as you can! You poor people outside the South will have to substitute, but no matter what you use, it ain’t go’na be good enough!

- Chop up about 3 bundles of green onions and place on a paper plate for later use.

- Chop up some broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots for later sautéing, place in a paper plate, and sit a side.

In a medium skillet, bring a small amount of olive oil and garlic to heat. Dump in the green onions and sauté. Once they are hot, sprinkle on about half a tablespoon of sugar and turn off the heat. Continue stirring the onions over the low heat as you prepare the next step.

In a large skillet, dump in a pound of hot breakfast sausage and cook up as you would in preparing hamburger meat for spaghetti. Leave the meat in medium to small chunks of cooked sausage. When the sausage is about done, dump in the onions and continue to mix thoroughly.

When the sausage is done, dump the rice into the large skillet and mix thoroughly again. Turn the heat off, mix another drink, and move on to preparing the next step.

In the medium skillet you used for the onions, dump in mixed vegetables on top of hot olive oil and garlic. Sprinkle the veggies with Mrs. Dash’s spicy seasoning, cook for about 10 minutes, and then turn off the heat – more if you like wimpy vegetables!

Now, remove the tenderloin from the oven, slice, and serve with a scoop of the vegetables on one side and the rice and sausage on the other.

Mix another drink and take small sip between bites…good taste combo! Mmmmmm!

LEFTOVER MEXICAN BREAKFAST

We had some terrific Old El Paso Hard and Soft Tacos for dinner last night. Some gooey cheese spread on the inside of a soft taco shell and some great hamburger meat, salsa, shredded cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes on the inside of a hard shell. Man, they were good!

This morning there was a lot of hamburger meat left over, so I proceeded to concoct a way of cleaning them up!

I first heated the leftover hamburger meat in a tablespoon of oil, added some jalapeño peppers, and a couple of spoonfuls of Harry & David’s Pepper and Onion Relish.

Then I pushed the heated meat to the side and added 2 eggs (actually 3 yokes since one was a double), salted and peppered the eggs as usual, and added a few sprinkles of Tennessee Sunshine Sauce and scrambled them.

When the eggs were just about finished, I mixed them into the meat mixture and turned off the heat.

I then spread out tortilla wraps, pasted the inside with sour cream, added a layer of the hamburger and egg mixture, sprinkled with shredded cheese and served. My wife added her favorite Salpica Tomato Jalapeño Salsa to hers, and we were off!

Coffee and jalapeños makes for a fantastic taste combination in your mouth. It’s wonderful!

FRIED RICE WITH SHRIMP

Let me say honestly, up front, that this did not turn out as I wanted it, nor like I have prepared it several times prior. It was probably because I only had brown rice and I do not think it has the right taste for this dish. Also, I only had canned peas and they are too mushy for the proper taste. Therefore, I will propose the proper ingredients to make yours turn out properly.

Get the following together:

- Two cups of white “5 minute” rice, cook with butter and a slice of Velveeta cheese in the water
- One package of pre-cooked, peeled, and deveined cocktail size shrimp (use fresh if you have time and don’t mind the work)
- One package of frozen peas, or peas and carrots, allow to sit out and thaw until the individual peas will separate
- One bunch of fresh green onions, diced into ¼” pieces
- One small jar of mushrooms, diced into small pieces
- About 1/3 of both a red and yellow bell pepper, sliced and diced
- About six halves of dried tomatoes, sliced and diced
- Four or five extra crispy fried bacon strips, crumble into pieces when cool
- Three or four large eggs
- One package of Kikkoman Fried Rice Seasoning Mix (or whatever brand you find)
- Soy and sweet and sour sauce

Begin by cooking the rice and allowing it to cool. Also cook the bacon and allow it to cool.

With all the onions, peppers, bacon, dried tomatoes, and mushrooms dumped into a bowl and sitting on the side ready for use, start some olive oil and garlic heating in the largest skillet you have.

When the oil is hot and the garlic begins to sizzle, dump in the bowl of vegetables and bacon, and stir-fry until they soften. Add some salt and pepper. Do not over cook, because they will be in the heat for a few more minutes as other ingredients are added.

When the vegetables are soft, dump in the rice, the cooked shrimp, the frozen peas, some soy sauce to taste, and fry until very hot and most of the oil is absorbed. If you use fresh shrimp, cook it first and sit it aside add it at this stage.

Now push the rice and vegetables to one side of the skillet and crack in the eggs. Salt and pepper the eggs and scramble them. When done, mix into the rice and vegetables along with Fried Rice Seasoning. Taste a bite at this point to determine if more salt and pepper is needed.

Some people’s taste is best fitted for just leaving it as is at this stage. Others may prefer a little hint of sweetness, so they can add some sweet and sour sauce after turning off the heat. Mix thoroughly and serve. I prefer a bowl and a large spoon to insure I have a little of everything in each bite.

TRASH CAN TURKEY!

Some great friends invited us to their lake home this week for “trash can turkey”! Wow, was it ever great.

It is so simple that anyone can get great results:

- Spread out some aluminum foil on the ground making a circle
- Drive a broom or hoe handle into the ground in the middle of the circle
- Rub a 15 pound turkey with your favorite seasoning or “rub” (use either smoked or un-smoked turkey)
- Place a the uncooked turkey down over the stake
- Place a 20-gallon non-galvanized trash can down over the turkey
- Place charcoal around the bottom of the trash can and over the top of the trash can
- Light the charcoal and once the coals turn white the turkey will be done in 90 minutes!

If you have more than 12 people, then cook two turkeys.

For desert, you might like some good ol’ Tennessee shine with cherries in the bottom!

Islamrada Fish Company Restaurant & Bar

Who'd a thunk it! Great food at a Bass Pro Store!

While visiting the shop today in Sevierville, Tennessee, a group of four of us decided to try out the new restaurant. The Samuel Adams and Killian as appetizer hit the spot, although it was only in the 80's today, instead of 97 like yesterday!

My brother-in-law had the Mahi Chardonnay, my sister-in-law and wife had the Lobster Tail, and I had the Shrimp and Grits. All were surprisingly delicious with the long grain brown rice and fresh butter and sugar coated bread.

Later we split chocolate cake and ice cream at Bailey's Sports Grille in Knoxville!

PORK TENDERLOIN AND APPLE RICE

I had to come up with something simple and quick to entertain my mom this evening, so I found a pork tenderloin that was about to go out of date, some packaged rice, a can of green peas, an apple, and jar of mushrooms. Sounds like plenty to me!

I first cut the tenderloin splitting it in half but leaving it connected on one side. I dropped it into a large Ziploc bag, poured in about 4 tablespoons of olive oil, dumped in about 2 heaping tablespoons of minced garlic, some cayenne pepper, some regular pepper, salt, and a squirt of Heinz 57 and honey mixture, and then closed the bag and rolled the meat over and over to get the mixture evenly distributed over the meat. I then set it aside in the refrigerator.

I peeled the apple and cut it up into ¼-inch pieces, diced up the mushrooms, and minced up about ¼ of an onion, and dumped it all into a bowl and set it aside.

I then poured me a mixed drink of Diet Coke and Jefferson’s Straight Kentucky Bourbon and went out to light the grill!

After the grill was very hot I laid the tenderloin out on the grill and then turn it down to the low setting, closed the lid and went back to the living room to visit.

In about 15 minutes I check the meat, turned it, observing the nice black grill markings.

I then returned to the kitchen, and started 2 ½ cups of water boiling. I put 2 tablespoons of butter and about the same about of Velveeta Cheese into the water.

Once again, after about 15 minutes, I checked the meat on the grill and turned it.

By now the water was boiling, so I dumped in the package of rice, the apple, and the mushrooms. When the mixture was boiling good, I turned the heat down to simmer and placed a lid on the pot. I turned the timer to 7 minutes and walked away.

In a microwavable bowl, I poured a can of peas, a tablespoon of butter, and added salted and peppered. I cooked the peas for about 3 minutes in the microwave and set them on the stove to wait on the rest.

It was now time to check the meat for the last time. I turned all but the center burner off and moved the meat to the side, and left it for 10 more minutes.

By now my drink was empty and the timer was sounding for the rice.

As you can see, the meal was delicious looking and tasting and well received. My efforts were applauded again!

GREAT SUMMER – SCALLOPS?

Man, was it hot today or what? Came home from a hard day at jury duty and needed something quick, easy, and good! I found a package of Alfredo mix in the cupboard, a package of frozen bay scallops in the freezer, half a green pepper, and onion in the vegetable bin in the refrigerator and half a box of bow-tie pasta in the cabinet – what luck!

So, with my first Flying Dog – Old Scratch pale ale foaming in a frozen mug I began…

First, I started water boiling in a large pot, salted it, and put a drop or two of cooking on oil on top to keep the pasta from sticking.

I chopped up the onion and green pepper into dice-size pieces and sat them aside. By now the water was boiling and I dropped in the pasta and set the timer for 12 minutes.

I put the frozen scallops in the sink with the wrapper still on it and began warm water slowing pouring over it.

After the 12-minute boiling time I poured the pasta into a strainer and let the hot water pour over the scallop package. I shook out all the water, poured the pasta back into the pot, and sat it aside.

On a small eye, I began simmering ½ cup of milk, 2 tablespoons of butter, and a chunk of Laughing Cow Swiss cheese. When the mixture was about to slowly boil, I poured in ½ a package of the Alfredo sauce powder and stirred it until blended, and then reduced the heat to 1.

In a medium skillet, I poured in about a pancake size spot of olive oil and dumped in about ½ a large wooden spoon of minced garlic.

I took the wrapper off the scallops and cut them into 4 pieces each and when the oil was hot and the garlic began to sizzle, I dumped them into the skillet.

Salt and pepper the scallops and sprinkle them with Cayenne pepper.

When the scallops have tossed in the oil for about 5 to 8 minutes, dump in the onion and green peppers, which have been salted and peppered too. Leave the onions and peppers laying on top of the scallops for about 3 minutes to steam and then mix them up together and cook for another 5 minutes. The onions should begin to caramelize which is a single everything is ready – dump the skillet mixture on top of the pasta and mix it all up.

Stir the Alfredo sauce to ensure it is completely dissolved and very hot. Then pour it over the contents of the pot – stir it all up, finish off the last of the Old Scratch and ring the dinner bell!

I served it just in a bowl with nothing else, but some garlic bread or bread and olive oil/salt/pepper mixture would be good too.

Yummy!

FRIED GREEN TOMATO BLT

I feel like it’s my job to keep you well informed on the quickest meals around, and an occasional splurge at a great restaurant. So, here’s a quick plug for Puleo’s Grille, at Cedar Bluff in Knoxville – great food!

After browsing in several furniture stores yesterday with my wife and mother, we stopped in for a quick bite at Puleo’s. I have never gotten anything bad there and love the fact that they serve grits with their seafood and as a side item. Just like Charleston, SC!

Their slogan is Southern Roots - Italian Heritage and they have Killian on tap! My kind of place!

I ordered:

FRIED GREEN TOMATO BLT
Applewood smoked bacon, leaf lettuce, and our famous fried green tomatoes topped with Fontina cheese and honey mustard served on multigrain bread · $8.49

…with a side of GRITS! Wonderful my friends.

QUICK AND EASY CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES

In an effort to keep myself feed while my wife diets and eat healthy myself, I quickly prepared this tonight.

Chop up some fresh vegetables like, different colored bell peppers, a red onion, anything you find in the vegetable drawer in the fridge and set them aside.

As usual, heat up some olive oil, garlic, and some hot pepper sauce in a skillet. Throw in some frozen chicken strips; you do not even have to wait until the thaw! As the meat heats up turn them over, salt, and pepper them. Do the other side in about 5 minutes, and turn them often, letting them blacken on each side. Remove the meat from the skillet when cooked well and sit them aside.

Dump in the couple of Roma tomatoes sliced in half and cook them about 3 minutes on each side. They soak up the oil and garlic flavor left in the skillet. Then remove the tomatoes and dump in the chopped vegetables - salt and pepper to taste. Cook the vegetables about 8 to 10 minutes.

Arrange the chicken strips in a flower pattern on a plate, and put the tomato halves in between the chicken strips and finally dump on the cooked vegetables.

Hot, spicy, crunchy, and delicious and you did it all yourself – quick and easy.

Let her eat her bland stuff – you are eating well my friend!

SUMMER SALAD

Now come on, even you can make a salad, surprise someone tonight! It’s this easy.

Just purchase and layout these items:

- Precut and packaged salad fixings
- One red, green, and yellow bell pepper (you only need half of each, so plenty left for the next one)
- Precut and packaged carrots
- Tomatoes (your choice of the kind – and they don’t have to be red)
- Onions (I like the little green onions – but Vidalia or red onions will work)
- Some cottage cheese
- Some shredded cheese (use your favorite kind)
- Your favorite dressing (I used a fat free variety and this raspberry brand really has a great taste combo with the peppers going for it!)
- A handful of sunflower or even peanuts for flavor

If you want a little meat, either then use grilled wieners (all beef), left over hamburger – as I did, or diced cooked ham.

Always use the largest salad bowl you have, because once you get started with the ingredients, it will always over flow! Simply layer the ingredients in the bowl beginning with the lettuce.

Come on – you can do!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY – EARLY

We got a little head start on the Fourth last evening and it included birthday cake and homemade strawberry ice cream for my 7 year old niece.

The host boiled brats in beer (Miller Lite since it isn’t fit for drinking) and then brown them on the grill with the hotdogs, while I sautéed onions, portabella mushrooms, green/yellow/red peppers in garlic, a little butter, and seasoned with salt and pepper.

The available sides were chili, coleslaw, and crunchy Cheetos and plain chips! It was a wonderful taste sensation.

Following the food was a large display of re-loadable motor tube fireworks for us kids!

Happy Birthday Juliana Bug Bug and America!

OUTBACK'S TOOWOOMBA PASTA

Okay, so I've been slipping lately, but I have been eating out a lot. I felt the need to encourage you to try Toowoomba Pasta from Outback Steakhouse! As their menu says "She's a beaut! Flavorful fettuccine Alfredo mixed with seasoned shrimp, crayfish, and mushrooms!

Yum! And the Foster's draft at 2 for 1 hits the spot dead on!

I'll get back in the kitchen soon, but for now there is so much out there to enjoy!

My next mission is try to duplicate the taste in my kitchen.

PEPPERS & SAUSAGE PASTA

A personal endorsement from the chef is probably not worth too much, but this surprised me! I was standing in Food City this afternoon looking for “vine ripe” or Granger County tomatoes when I happen to peruse the assortment of peppers (bell, banana, and some unknowns). A light, or rather a multi-color pepper light came on! Wow! What if I cut up some peppers, some smoked sausage, and dumped them into some pasta…hmmmm? Well, it was wonderful!

In a large pot, begin by cooking your favorite pasta in salted water with a drop of cooking oil, drain and then set it aside by leaving it in the strainer.

Chop up -

- your favorite bell pepper (any color)

- a cubanelle pepper

- a Hungarian hot wax pepper (banana)

- half a large onion

- And any others you want; include some with a bit of hot taste to it if you like! It can only enhance the final result.

- a whole tomato into large bite size pieces and set aside.

Place all these pieces in a bowl and mix with light olive oil, salt and pepper.

Chop up fresh shiitake mushrooms (washed before hand of course) and then place on a paper plate.

Cut up your favorite smoked sausage into bite size pieces. I used Carolina Pride Smoked Sausage, but while the taste was excellent, the skin was often un-chewable. I suggest a nice “turkey” smoked sausage or even brats.

Now that you have everything ready, and by using the same pot you boiled the pasta in, bring some olive oil to a high temperature. Dump in a large wooden spoon of garlic, cayenne pepper, and crushed red pepper, followed by the sausage. Heat the sausage to a golden brown and remove from the pot – a paper plate works nicely.

Dump the shiitake mushrooms, which you have sliced into long thick slices into the remaining hot olive oil – salt and pepper them. Cook for about 3 minutes on high heat and then dump in the chopped peppers and onions. Continue to stir the vegetable mixture until they are limp but still crunchy!

Re-add the sausage and stir mixing thoroughly. Squeeze in a large amount of fresh parsley paste and mix again.

NOW, it’s time to pour in a jar of mushroom and garlic Alfredo sauce. Continue mixing until thoroughly mixed and heated throughout.

Turn off the heat, and stir in the fresh tomatoes and remove from heat.

Serve in a bowl or on a plate – garlic bread is optional, but you really need nothing but a fork!

Again tonight, I enjoyed a highball of The Glenlivet – a birthday gift from my posse! Thanks guys and gals!

MEMORIAL WEEKEND RIBS!

Hope everyone is having a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day Weekend. My celebration began Saturday with a day at the lake with my sisters and brothers-in-law. Our captain introduced us to his special southern ribs and boy howdy were they ever good. They were so tender there was no meat left on the bone and they simply fell off into your mouth!

His secret, well, don’t tell him I shared it with you:

Begin by salting and peppering the ribs. Then sprinkle generously with garlic powder. Cover all that with McCormick’s Grill Mates® Pork Rub.

Lay those babies on a very hot grill and sear them on each side. Don’t leave them on any longer than it takes to blacken each side. Remove them and place in an aluminum turkey roasting pan. Pour in water up to about half way on the stack of ribs and turn the heat on your grill down to a simmering temperature. Leave them on the grill for about 2 to 2.5 hours. There is no need to turn them because the steam will cook them through.

Continue to party all the time the ribs are simmering and then remove the pan of ribs, cover with foil and let them sit for another hour or so. Continue partying…

When everyone is ready to eat, take the ribs out of the pan and put them back on a hot grill and baste them generously with your favorite BBQ sauce! You may want to place extra on the table.

Place enough fresh corn-on-the-cob in a plastic bag with a little water into the microwave and cook for about 10 minutes or until done to taste.

Open a fresh can of good ol’ pork 'n' beans, butter and salt the corn, place on a table and stand back. If you stay in the way you may get trampled or stabbed with a fork!

Happy Memorial Day!

T-BONE STEAK & SWEET POTATO

My wife and I celebrated my 60th birthday tonight with steak, pork chops, and sweet potatoes. We spent the evening on the screened porch watching the baby geese trains (daddy, babies, and momma playing follow the leader) slowly making their way around the lake. Very peaceful evening and I would not have wanted to be anywhere else in the world.

My wife turns 60 Sunday, so the party will continue on the houseboat with our family all weekend. Tomorrow we will treat ourselves to seafood at Bonefish!

The T-Bone was smothered in Cajun blackened seasoning and the sweet potato was covered in butter and brown sugar. My wife baked her chops in the oven very slowly, but my steak was the best!

I enjoyed a couple of Bass Ale's while toking an Ashton. What more could a guy ask for on his birthday?

Thank ye Lord!

ROASTED GARLIC SHRIMP PASTA

In a large pot, cook your favorite pasta in well salted water with a drop of olive oil, drain and set aside. This pot will be used to mix the following ingredients.

Remove the tails from a bag of either frozen or fresh medium sized shrimp or rinse thoroughly. Set aside.

PREPARE THE VEGETABLES
- Chop up half a large onion (small pieces)
- Chop up half a yellow and half an orange bell pepper (medium strips)
- Chop up several dried tomatoes and dried red peppers (small strips)

In a large skillet bring olive oil and minced garlic to a sizzle over high heat. Dump in the dried tomatoes and peppers. Sprinkle the mixture with hot sauce, crushed red pepper, salt, and crushed black pepper. Cook until the dried ingredients soften.


Dump in the shrimp and cook until they are either cooked or heated through. Then dump the raw vegetables on top of the shrimp and cook until tender enough to eat – do not over cook.

When cooked dump back into the pot with the pasta, salt once again to taste and either squeeze in fresh parsley.

Pour a jar of Cheesy Ragu’ Roasted Garlic Parmesan sauce.

Mix over low heat until all the ingredients are hot.

Tonight’s libation was Glenlivet over ice! It was a birthday present to myself – Happy 60th!

IT’S STRAWBERRY TIME IN TENNESSEE

Made a road trip to Dayton, Tennessee last week and brought back fresh strawberries that were straight out of the field. As a matter of fact, you could see the illegal…I mean migrant workers working in the field across the highway. Can’t get much fresher!

The Crust

- Crush 3 dozen Vanilla wafers
- Add ½ cup chopped pecans
- Blend with ½ stick margarine or butter
- Form in a glass pie plate (suitable for the oven) with spoon
- Bake 30 minutes @ 300F

The Filling

- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons strawberry gelatin

Combine first 3 ingredients and boil until clear and thick, then add gelatin.

Cool the mixture then add 4 cups of fresh strawberries (sample a few while you work).

Finally, pour everything into the crust/shell and chill in the refrigerator. Serve with a heaping spoon of Cool Whip!

Ummmmy!

CHICKEN FAJITAS

Begin by cutting up the vegetables:
- Two of either a orange, yellow, or red bell pepper
- Two to three medium sweet onions and place them in a bowl.

Sprinkle olive oil over the mixture, add a package of McCormick’s Fajitas Seasoning Mix over the vegetables and set aside.

Rinse off about 10 or 12 frozen Tyson chicken tenderloins and place in a hot skillet of olive oil, garlic, and your favorite hot sauce (I used Ring of Fire http://www.gourmetmikes.com/rinoffirorha.html). Lightly salt and pepper the tenderloins – flipping them as one side browns to lightly season the other. Remember the fajita seasoning is salty so don’t over do it.

When both sides are blackened, remove from the skillet and cut into ¼” strips. Dump the cooked chicken back into the hot skillet and dump the vegetable mixture on top of the chicken. On medium hot heat cook the mixture until the vegetables are limp and hot.

Serve on flour or corn fajita wraps prepared with sour cream and shredded Mexican cheese. For added flavor, add a spoon of Harry & David’s Pepper and Onion Sauce (http://www.harryanddavid.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?category_sel=275&superitem=13707). This sauce is wonderfully sweet!

Oh yeah, I forgot, embellish yourself with a Flying Dog “Old Scratch” and a Bass Ale while enjoying the opportunity to cook something great. Enjoy!

SCALLOPS IN VODKA SAUCE

- Boil your favorite pasta, drain, and set aside (salt liberally)
- Cut up one Vidalia onion
- Cut dried red peppers and dried tomatoes into thin strips
- If you like you can grill a rib-eye steak on the grill or substitute shrimp, but if you use the steak, rub it in your favorite steak rub and let it sit for about 30 minutes – when it’s cooked cut into small strips and cut away the fat and set aside

In the same large boiler that you cooked the pasta in, heat olive oil and garlic pieces. When hot, drop in the
- onions
- dried peppers and tomatoes and
- mushrooms

Add
- salt
- crushed black peppers
- crushed red peppers
- cayenne pepper, and
- dried parsley

When this mixture is very hot, add in 1 lb. of bay scallops and the grilled rib-eye steak. When the scallops and steak are hot enough to eat, jump in the cooked pasta and mix thoroughly. (Stir in about half a block of a small block of Velvetta cheese for added texture and flavor.) When the pasta is heated again enough to eat, dump in a jar of vodka sauce and mix.

Slap butter and garlic powder on your favorite bread and brown in a 550 degree oven set to broil.

Serve (salad optional).

Tonight’s libation was Jefferson’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey “Small Batch” (I only had a small batch) and Diet Coke (you have to cut somewhere)!

SWEET PORK TENDERLOIN

- Cut a port tenderloin into ½ inch slices
- Cut up a large onion into 1/8 inch slices
- Cut up a large apple into 1/8 inch slices
- Start about 4 cups of brown rice boiling according to directions.

In a large skillet bring a large pat of butter to a sizzle and add the onion and apple slices. Sprinkle the mixture with about 2 tablespoons of sugar and heat on high until soft.

In a bowl large enough to hold the tenderloin, mix the meat slices with
- olive oil
- minced garlic
- salt
- pepper

Mix in the bowl until all slices are thoroughly coated.

Add the meat to the onion and apple slices and spread out over the skillet. Pour about ½ cup of apple cider over the meat and onion/apples slices. Boil the mixture on high and turn the slices every 5 minutes. Soon the cider will cook off and the slices will begin to blacken. When both sides are browned or blackened sufficiently for your personal taste, turn off the heat under the skillet.

Serve with about 4 to 6 slices of tenderloin, mixed with the onion/apple mixture, with brown rice and cranberry sauce. Yummy!

Oh yeah, tonight’s beverage of choice was Wild Turkey and Diet Coke. One caution, don’t make the mistake of taking a gulp of the drink before adding the Diet Coke – strong!

Until next time!