Turkish Pork Loin Chops with Bacon

About a month and a half ago I gathered up a group of wonderful ladies and we've started a meal swap. For those of you that just said, "Huh?!", we are each making enough of two main dishes and then freezing so that each family has 12 frozen meals a month. Some of us made breakfast things like a quiche (which actually goes for any meal at my house) and breakfast burritos. Anyway, this recipe was on the menu last month and EVERYONE loved it. I wish I had a photo, but try it anyway!! I'll include the freezing instructions courtesy of Fix, Freeze, Feast, one of my current favorites!

Turkish Pork Loin Chops with Bacon
(makes 2 entrees, 5-6 servings each)

1 tray (~12 chops) boneless pork loin chops
1/4 c. Turkish seasoning (recipe to follow)
12 slices bacon
15-20 toothpicks
2 one-gallon freezer bags, labeled

Homemade Turkish Seasoning
1 T. salt
1 T. garlic granules
1 T. ground cumin
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried cilantro
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1. Rinse and trim chops as desired.
2. Mix up Turkish seasoning spices in a small bowl.
3. Rub 1 tsp of Turkish seasoning over the surfaces of each chop. Wrap one of more slices of bacon around the edge of each chop, securing with toothpicks.
4. Place chops on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the freezer for 1 hour. Divide frozen chops evenly among the freezer bags. To avoid puncturing the bags you may wish to double-bag the chops.
5. Seal and return to the freezer.

To Cook One Entree:

1. Place chops in an ungreased baking dish. Cover and completely thaw in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the oven to 350F.
3. Bake chops, uncovered, for 45-60 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of chop reads 160F.

These chops are super flavorful, tender, and moist! Serve with Baked Falafel , Easy Indian Style Okra, and maybe some Carrot Raisin Salad for a wonderful meal!

Shop 'Til I Drop and Other Thrilling Things

We had an action packed weekend-- the kind that makes Monday morning a bit difficult--but it was great too! As we close in on 30 weeks into this pregnancy, the old nesting clock is ticking pretty loudly. There are things that need to be done! And they must be done NOW! Here's a snapshot of our weekend--unfortunately without pics since our camera was busy charging.

Saturday...
7:30am Kids are up and so is Daddy! (I got to sleep in a bit after a "wild" night out with the girls.) Time to hit the ground running with a bit of garage sale-ing!
9:00am Mommy is up, dressed, has laundry purring along, and has decided that a freezer inventory is necessary NOW! When finished, I had a two page typed inventory and I was THRILLED! Just ask Jared. I also had a menu, shopping list, and schedule for next week done. Whew!
11:30am Time for the Easter Egg Hunt at the VFW! The kids came home with tons of candy--and it was the good stuff (Dove chocolate!! Guess who's eating that!?), three stuffed animals they had won, and tons of giveaways from the police department. Top it all of with the fact that we fed the whole family on less than $8 and I think we can call it a sucessful morning!
1:30pm Back home and Jared decided to hang the hammock and tackle the yard again. The afternoon was spent blowing, trimming, raking, and burning (and I am SO thankful!). Meanwhile, I made a trip to the grocery store and later that evening cooked some delicious steaks and baked taters on the grill.
8:30pm Mommy and the kids hit the sack. What happened in Daddy's neck of the woods is anyone's guess!

Sunday we woke up to rain, rain, and more rain. For whatever reason, I decided that I really ought to wear a dress to church. It wasn't the best idea I've ever had, but Sunday School and the service were wonderful anyway. We're starting an inductive study of Luke which I'm really stoked about since I'm also studying Acts in ladies Bible study. Should be a great companion study.

After church we buzzed up to Asheville. Jared and the kids bummed around at Fun Depot (a big indoor family fun place with batting cages, video games, mini golf, soft play, laser tag, bumper cars, a rock wall, and even bowling), while I hit the mall. After two hours of speed shopping we all had something new for Easter and the kids (and Daddy) were tuckered out.

We topped off the evening with our family tradition-- AFV and popcorn. What a weekend! I can't wait for the week ahead. After today we're sailing into the 70s-- hip hip hurray!

My Hair My Way

For a long time now Ruby's been all about dressing herself-- sometimes in the most outlandish and inappropriate outfits, but most of the time she does a great job. Over the last month, however, freedoms have been seized in new areas-- suddenly she's showering on her own instead of taking a bath with her brother, and putting on her "makeup" before she leaves the house. But, the icing on the cake has been her insistance at doing her own hair! Check out the hairdo she went to preschool in on Wednesday. Yes, I know.

The only thing that makes half a dozen barrettes on top of her head okay are the 12 she put in yesterday. We haven't quite figured out when enough is enough yet!

Oh, and can you tell Ruby and Daisy are getting along famously? Their favorite activities include Daisy getting perched on top of a tower of chairs, Daisy being carried around in a plastic basket, and apparently now they're climbing trees together. Fast friends. Something tells me it's going to be hard to get rid of this cat!

Goodbye... and Hello?

It's been an emotional week at our house. Our Australian Cattle dog, Hazel, had to go to a new home on Tuesday night. We have been talking about "what to do about Hazel" for months. It's not that Hazel is a bad dog-- she really isn't... really we just weren't the best owners for her.

The problem is a classic one-- family decides they'd like to have a dog for hiking trips and around the house, mom brings kids to the pound to look at puppies and they come home with one. Did Mom research the breed-- uh, no. Did Mom consider that Hubby wouldn't be able to do all the training since he's at work all day--uh, no. Did Mom think about how she'd feel about said puppy if she got pregnant with baby #3--uh, no. For the logical person that I am, I failed miserably where it came to Hazel.

So, after eight months of trying to keep Hazel from escaping and jumping up on everyone, along with having a living breathing Hoover in the kitchen, and a pal who's always up for a game of fetch, Hazel has moved on. Jared posted a listing on craigslist last Sunday and literally 30 minutes later, she had a home. She went to a 20-something lady living with her parents in a big house with a fenced yard in the mountains. They've had Australian Cattle dogs before and love them. They were thrilled to find her and we were thrilled they did. God didn't take long to answer our prayer once we took the first step. It's bittersweet not having Hazel-- there's definitely less stress around the house, but I missed being able to toss the carrots nubbins to her while fixing dinner. And she wasn't there to beg for ice when I filled my glass. I miss her.

The funny thing is, though, our nest isn't really empty (the pet nest that is!). A few days before Hazel left, we were adopted. It wasn't our plan, but it seems to be the cat's plan that she's sticking with us. So, meet our outdoor cat (for now)... Daisy. She loves the kids and doesn't care what they do to her. Now I just have to decide if we're going to fork out the money to take her to the vet... I certainly don't want to have to deal with kittens! It's always something isn't it?

Disney!

In my long absence from the blogosphere, we've done a few great things-- one of the greatest was a trip to Disney World in February! Here are just a few photos from our adventure. I'll apologize in advance that the photos are starting from the end of the trip--thank you, Blogger, for being difficult as usual!

The fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom was a great way to cap off our trip. Even though it was freezing outside, we really had a super time. It was fun seeing Tinkerbell whiz down from the castle like the frantic fairy she is and the fireworks were wonderful.

Okay, so maybe not everyone was thrilled to be there after the sun went down! Next time I'm going to bring winter parkas-- just in case!

Both Ruby and Maxwell had a great time playing at all the playgrounds. Jared wondered why we had to drive a zillion hours and pay oodles of money to play at the playground areas, but even I was glad to get some respite from the lines every now and again!

Phew! This buggy "ride" was quite a hoot! Max and Ruby weren't terribly thrilled with all the stuff that was sprayed at us over the course of the show, but Mom and Dad were impressed! There is so much variety in the quality of the rides throughout Disney--and this is one of the good ones. We also LOVED the Little Nemo show at Animal Kingdom. I wish we would have had time to see the Lion King show too because we heard it was wonderful. We'll have to save that for next time.

Ruby and Maxwell enjoyed the "zoo" aspect of Animal Kingdom, though Ruby's favorite part were the rides! She went on Everest with her Daddy and also the river rapids ride and thought both were great! Daddy's little daredevil...

Cheesy posin' in front of a waterfall with Susie while Daddy waits in line. Notice, Nana, that Ruby wore her zebra pants to Animal Kingdom--clever, huh?

It's a bird, it's a plane,... no it's my silly hubby posing at Hollywood Studios! We really got a kick out of this park and would have loved to see more if Ruby hadn't gotten sick. Instead we headed back to our condo mid-afternoon and had some much needed rest and Olympics watching. :)

Waiting in line for the Toy Story ride wasn't boring at all! We enjoyed seeing all the supersized toys, a talking Mr. Potato Head, and chatting with fellow line waiters. It's hard to get too grumpy at Disney World!

Our first day, we went to the Magic Kingdom. After arriving at 4am (due to an unforeseen snow storm) Jared and I were absolutely exhausted, but we still managed to spend a few hours at the park. Max's favorite rides were the Dumbo ride and the race cars! While Ruby and Daddy did Space Mountain we enjoyed the transit system in Tomorrowland. Max could have ridden that all day.

All in all, it was a great trip. The kids were great travelers and good sports... for the most part. Next time we hope Nana and Bobo or some of the kids' cousins will be able to enjoy the experience with us. And by next time I mean in five years or so!

Southern Pimento Cheese Burgers

Yummo! These burgers from last year's Family Circle magazine were a big hit at a recent dinner party! The combination is a big unlikely, but trust me-- it is delicious! Serve with Sweet Potato Potato Salad and tall glass of Sweet Tea for a southern treat straight from Western North Carolina.

Southern Pimento Cheese Burgers

Pimento Cheese:
1 c. shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1/3 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
3 T. mayonnaise
2 T. cream cheese, softened
2 oz. jarred diced pimento peppers, drained
1 T. bread and butter pickle juice
1/2 T. creamy horseradish sauce
1 tsp. yellow mustard

Honey Slaw:
2 T. mayonnaise
1 T. honey
1 1/4 c. shredded cabbage

Burgers:
1 1/4 lb. ground chunck
1/4 lb. ham, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

8 slices bacon, cooked
1/2 c. crushed kettle-cooked potato chips
4 potato hamburger buns, split

1. Heat oven to 375F.
2. Pimento Cheese: In a medium bowl, combine all cheese ingredients. Mix until well combined.
3. Honey Slaw: In a small bowl, combine all slaw ingredients. Mix until well combined.
4. Burgers: Combine beef through pepper in a large bowl. Divide mixture into four patties. Cook burgers over grill or on a grill pan until internal temperature is 145F.
5. Meanwhile, place buns on oven rack. Toast 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Assembly suggestions: Spread a generous amount of Pimento Cheese on the cut sides of buns. on each bun bottom, place a thin layer of Honey Slaw. Top the slaw with a burger, two slices of bacon and crushed potato chips. Add the bun tops and bake in the oven 1 minute. Serve burgers on a warm plate.

5 Reasons I'm Thankful

In the flurry of nesting, spring cleaning, and life in these crazy mountains, I decided that I needed to take a minute today to be thankful. I am blessed beyond measure... here are five wonderful reasons why.

I get to be married to this guy! I know, you're jealous ladies, but step back, this guy is mine! Jared makes me laugh every day. He's the best dad I've ever known. He's an amazing and considerate husband who puts my needs ahead of his on a daily basis. I love you, honey!


My baby girl, Ruby, isn't a baby anymore. She's a speed demon on her bicycle, a computer whiz, and a real sweetheart. We're so proud of how Ruby is growing up-- there has been a lot of letting go in little ways over the last few months and it's been good. Ruby has really been learning a lot over the last few months and is writing better every day. She'll be reading before we know it! Her favorite find of the spring has been the "Ramona" series by Beverly Cleary.


Talk about not a baby--Max is almost as tall as Ruby now and wearing a size 4T! He's still a sweet boy, but has learned how to stand up to his big sister now... before long Ruby better start watching out or he'll squash her! Max has loved riding his big wheel this spring and is always up for a hike. He's most anxious to start preschool in the fall though--looks like he may even get to be in the same class as one of his buddies from church!


When's that BABY due? Yes, I'm thankful for this new bean. He or she is an active little bugger at times and very quiet at others-- a mix of big brother and sister so far! With eleven weeks left to go, I'm feeling big (this photo was taken at my last dr's appointment last Wednesday by Ruby), but I have a good amount of energy and am thankful that once we got past the rocky 1st trimester, this pregnancy has been pretty easy.

Finally, I'm thankful that I don't look nearly so pregnant everywhere else as my belly does!

God is good all the time. I'm so thankful for Him in my life.