Easy and YUMMY Dinner Recipe

Hello all!

I read a recipe in my Parents magazine many many months ago, and for some reason, the ingredients stuck with me. It is originally a skillet or frying pan dinner, but I changed it up a little and made it into a crock-pot dinner. It also originally called for pork chops, which are not my favorite. I prefer pork tenderloin. So, I thought I would share it with you all. By the way, the above picture is NOT what it turns out like, as OUR tenderloin ends up MUCH more tender and shredded.....Yummmmm!!!!!!! (It was just the closest pic I could find on the web....sorry).

Ingredients:

Large Pork Tenderloin, plain

2 Cans WHOLE Cranberries

1 White or Yellow Onion (I prefer the sweet onions)

1/2 Cup Orange Juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

Crock Pot

And that is it!

I placed both cans of cranberries and the OJ in the bottom of my crock pot liner and mixed well. I cut my onion into 4 chunks or quarters and I placed them around the side of my pot liner. Last add your pork tenderloin on top of of all. Cover and turn on High. I started mine at 11am, and I turned it to Low around 4pm.....but you choose! It is done when the tenderloin easily shreds.

I served ours with brown rice, Sister Sheubert Wheat Rolls and steamed broccoli! Easy, EASY dinner and DELICIOUS!!!!! If you end up trying it or you have already in the past.....let me know what you think!!!

Stain Glass

Hello all!

This is Madelyn's new and favorite art to make lately! "Stained Glass".
She takes a colored pencil and scribbles and swirls in big loopy-loops to start.

Then she takes different colors and fills in each "space" or "shape". She occasionally lets me color some of those spaces, as you can see.

We name the colors, shapes, if the spaces are big or small, which is her favorite.....we have quite the discussion over our artwork!


We had a huge bowl of homemade Chili Mac for dinner. LOVE this! We make a pot of turkey chili, have it for dinner and use the rest to make Chili Mac. The noodles are Barilla PLUS spaghetti noodles, shredded cheese, chili sauce, Parmesan cheese, and chopped sweet Vidalia onions. Yummmm!

Also, we have been getting ready for the summer around here at the house, as you can see by the practice with the new swimsuit in mama's tub. Nana bought this suit on sale at Target 2 years ago and Madelyn is juuussst about big enough to fill it out. We hope to have many days at Nana's pool this summer wearing this........I don't know if I am swimsuit ready *cough*, um, thanks to the delicious Chili Mac! Well, it's not my fault. Uh huh.

In Celebration of Play-Dough

Making Play-Dough

There are two basic ways to make play-dough. Both are great activities to do with kids!


No-Cook Play-Dough:

1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup salt (4 tablespoons)
1/2 cup water
1-2 tablespoons flour (if needed)
Food coloring

In a bowl, add 1 1/4 cups flour and salt. Mix. Mix the water and some food coloring together. Place in the flour mixture. Mix together with a spoon (or your hands). If it is too sticky, add more flour. Store in a covered container or sealable plastic bag in the refrigerator.


Cooked Play-Dough:

1 cup flour
1 cup water
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup salt
1 tablespoon oil
Food coloring
Vanilla Extract (optional)

Combine in saucepan: 1 cup flour 1/4 cup salt 1 tsp. cream of tartar

Add and whisk until smooth: 1 cup water 1 Tbsp oil Food coloring (Cake decorators paste or liquid makes great colors)

Cook over medium heat until nearly playdough is nearly set. Add: 1 Tbsp. imitation vanilla extract

Stir until vanilla is blended, then remove and knead when cool. Store in Ziploc bag or air tight container.

Note: This is the best playdough recipe I have ever found. The vanilla extract seems improve the texture and adds a nice scent as well.

Mix and knead together. This play-dough is not sticky and does not dry out.

Tips When Making Play-Dough

Wash your hands and make sure child's hands are clean before beginning a clay or dough project.
If the dough is too sticky, knead in more flour, cornstarch, or baking soda.
If dough becomes too dry, add a few drops of water.
Keep extra dough covered or cover with a damp cloth while playing to keep it from drying out.



Additional Resources

To find more options for creating and using play-dough than you could ever wish for (including “coffee grounds” play-dough!), check out Recipe Goldmine.

For everything you might want to do with play-dough and activity ideas for children, visit the official Play-Doh® Web site.

Been Thinking About This....

Been on my mind. Like I need another thing to add to my list, but a good friend of mine said that I really need to do some Webisode's to showcase my jewelry. Hmmmmm....What is a Webisode you ask?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A webisode is a short episode which airs initially as an Internet download or stream as opposed to first airing on broadcast or cable television. The format can be used as a preview, a promotion, as part of a collection of shorts, or a commercial.[1][2] A webisode can be part of an already established drama or series or it may consist of entirely original material. Depending on its purpose, the webisode may or may not be considered a part of an established program's continuity.

The word itself is a portmanteau formed by the words 'web' and 'episode'.

A webisode is simply a web episode – collectively it is part of a web series, a form of new media that characteristically features a dramatic, serial storyline, where the primary method of viewership is streaming online over the Internet.[3] While there is no set standard for length, most webisodes are relatively short, ranging from 4–15 minutes in length.[4]

.............................................................................................................................

Did you learn something new? I know that you did. Ok, maybe not, but I certainly did! So, I am thinking on it, about it, pondering it. In the mean time, enjoy a little Etsy YouTube education, and let me know if this is something you might consider? Am I alone in my pondering? I mean, after all, who doesn't want to be a star? Uh, I meant, who doesn't want to share with others their beautiful artwork. *ahem*

Enjoy! Happy Friday!

BRAND New Items Listed In My New Etsy Shop!!!

Great new Art Pendants listed in my new Etsy Shop. All artwork and photos created by the very talented (ok, yeah, he IS my friend) Todd Tevlin, of Striking Solid. Here is a sneak peak! Enjoy!

I Don't Wanna Talk About It *snif*

I got two words for you in regards to Sleep Studies. NOT. FUN.

Slow Going......

Hello all! Not much going on here I am sad to say. I am slow going and slow moving. I am still working on learning to oxidize my silver and come up with a "finish" that I like. I will let you know when I get one I like and how I FINALLY got it there. I have been on the Etsy forums reading a lot under the Techniques and Materials trying to get some insight.

I have a sleep study tonight and I am a little nervous. I am not sure totally why, but I guess it is slightly due to leaving my husband and daughter in their own capable hands....

I also had an ultrasound last Thursday and have an approximately 9cm cyst on my right ovary, which would explain the pain and "full" feeling I have been having on that side for many, many weeks now. I pretty much figured as much, as I have PCOS, and ovarian cysts are old hat to me. So, I sit here waiting for the doctor to call with his "plan" for me.

Cora's mom and grammy opened their new Etsy shop, "Cora's", and sold out in under 24 hours!!!! Yay for them! Keep your eye out for new items coming soon, all to help the Cora's Playground Project.

Wish I could say I was more exciting around here, but alas, I can not! Hope you all have a great day and are being more creative than I am at the moment. I hope after this surgery and recovery that I will be back up on my feel and moving faster! In the mean time, take care, Go Forth and Create!