In other news, I've been reading lots of fashion blogs lately. Not the high-end Vogue kind of fashion, more the normal but nice, everyday kind. While I would not call myself a high maintenance kind of gal by any stretch of the imagination, I do like to look my best, as most of my friends do too. But sometimes it's hard to find the right balance of what's appropriate and cute versus what just, well, isn't. Is the length too short, the neckline too low, the fit too tight...? I want what I wear to honor the Lord first and foremost, and I believe that dressing more modestly also honors my husband. But I also want to be stylish and modern, not frumpy or hidden beneath a moo moo (is that even spelled correctly, because even the word looks unattractive).
Moving on. Not sure why I launched into the fashion dilemma for this post. Must be he Nyquil talking.
I don't know about you, but thinking about meal prep and shopping lists- much less actually making meals- when I'm sick seems somewhat torturous. I have to note that my husband is VERY helpful and completely competent in this area, but that's kind of my job. Although my boys are pretty great in the kitchen, too! Here Jonah is earning culinary arts credit, I mean, making yummy yeast rolls.
This guy, on the other hand, not so helpful. Please don't judge me. I am fully aware how gross that must look. In my defense, I was nearly done and he is just so cute and...okay, I don't really have any defense. I digress. Again. (Slow Cooker Hearty Beef Stew Recipe)
Here is one fabulous dinner that doesn't require measuring, tricky ingredients or prep, helping hands (or paws) or even any thinking. Win win.
Easy Prep Tangy Pork Loin with Baked Potatoes
1-2 lb pork loin
olive oil
rosemary, optional
salt and pepper
French's mustard
Dijon mustard
flour
potatoes ** / ***
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. After washing and pricking potatoes, place on top rack to bake.
Place pork loin in baking dish, make a few narrow cuts/slashes in top, and sprinkle salt, pepper & rosemary over top; drizzle with olive oil. Next, coat pork with a dusting of flour. Squirt mustards over top.
With a spoon or pastry brush, spread across top.
Pop in the oven and completely forget about it for the next hour or so.
**Instead of baking potatoes, you could quarter them and place them in the baking dish alongside the pork loin- be sure to drizzle them with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. (When I'm this sick, fooling around with knives and slippery potatoes isn't such a great idea...)
***You can also bake nutrient-rich sweet potatoes, though I wouldn't recommend quartering them and baking alongside the pork loin.
After an hour or so, I check on the potatoes and the pork. Sometimes they're ready within a few minutes, and other times, like last night, they require another twenty minutes. I made some deeper slices in the pork loin so the insides would cook evenly at this point- don't do this too early or the pork will dry out.
Voila
No, sorry, I don't have a pretty picture with the baked potatoes- or even a pretty plated picture of the entire meal- but I think we all know what a nice baked potato and steamed spinach look like. Pop some organic baby spinach in the microwave or into a steamer, and you've got a satisfying, nutritious meal with very little prep...no thinking required! =)
I have a few other good and easy dishes like this that have saved me on more than one occasion. And there's always take-out, because sometimes...a girl just needs some take-out.
I was writing this yesterday but never finished. Oops. I'm happy to report that I feel halfway decent this morning! Happy Wednesday! (HA, my kids just informed me that it's actually Thursday...baby steps...)
Oh, and one last thing: things are getting springy and summery in the shop...here's a little post about it.
Oh, and one last thing: things are getting springy and summery in the shop...here's a little post about it.
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