I'm Hoping Your Glass is "Half-Full" This Weekend

If you are a "glass-is-half-full" kind of person then you might view today as the last day of winter. I think that is a positive spin on tomorrow being the first day of spring. Here in the mid-south we've had an unusually cool and wet winter as predicted by the weather service experts and the Farmers Almanac. But, as I write this, the sun is shining, the skies are blue, and we even have the back door by the kitchen open to let in the spring-like breezes. Yesterday at lunch I went out to Shelby Farms for a mid-day run. It was wonderful seeing so many people out running, walking, sitting on blankets reading, and even a few young folks flying kites. People were variously dressed in shorts and tee shirts, sundresses, and sleeveless tank tops, with winter-pale limbs swinging and swaying in the purple weed dotted fields and up and down the running trails throughout the park. We were as lively as the daffodils and irises springing up from the moist dark ground swaying in the breezes, or the teal headed ducks bobbing along on the waves of the ponds and lakes along the trails.

It seemed an impromptu gathering to welcome back the life of spring and summer from the cold and listlessness of the passing winter. But alas, another cool front is due to come in tonight and leave us with a cloudy Sunday with a high of 50. This time of year teases us so cruelly with tastes of spring and then throws us back into the cooler of winter storage. But, trying so hard to be a glass-is-half-full person, I can remind myself that these bolts of cool weather are surely numbered for this season. Maybe a layer or two and a jacket will be needed for my long run on Sunday, but here's hoping afterward I'll be able to put them away until I'll happily be putting them on again in October. Another reminder that the seasons of life are truly a blessing: what we grow tired of one day, we can relish somewhere down the road. What a wonderful gift.

Here is one of Kristy's masterpiece recipes. If you are having a party to celebrate the arrival of spring, or the basketball tournament, or just to enjoy your friends and family this weekend, give this a try.

Pork Roll-ups serves 2 main servings or serve as appetizers

Ingredients:

Pork Tenderloin, sliced into 6 1/6" portions (see recipe for Dijon cutlets for tips on choosing tenderloin, and slicing)
Dijon mustard
1 stick of unsalted butter
2 cups of panko crumbs
3 slices of swiss cheese

Pound pork slices into scaloppini
Thinly spread Dijon mustard on each chop
Add 1/2 slice of Swiss cheese to each chop
Roll and secure with a toothpick
Roll in panko crumbs pressing crumbs into surface
(for extra breading dip in egg wash then roll in panko crumbs)
Melt butter in large non stick pan
Brown pork rolls on all sides and transfer to oiled, non stick baking dish
Bake at 450 for 8-10 minutes

If serving as an appetizer serve with extra Dijon mustard for dipping
If serving as a main dish, slice and place on a bed of pasta with Dijon sauce

Here's hoping that whether your glass is half full or half empty, it is filled with a good wine, and you are surrounded by good friends this weekend.

Free Pastry Day at Starbucks

Here's a deal from Starbucks!

Get a free pastry on the morning of March 23 with the purchase of a handcrafted beverage.

Come to participating Starbucks on Free Pastry Day, March 23. Choose a delicious pastry to pair with your beverage and that tasty item is free.

Better yet, it’s free in another sense – free of all this stuff we removed from our recipes:

No artificial flavors
No artificial dyes
No artificial trans fats
No high-fructose corn syrup
To get your free pastry, print out the coupon below and present it to your barista. Or simply show them the coupon on any mobile device. But Free Pastry Day ends at 10:30 a.m. – so don’t miss out!

Just click on the title of this post to get your coupon.

Dijon Pork Cutlets & Roasted Parmesan Cheese Broccoli

My husband has been in the meat business his entire career; specifically the pork industry. So, even though pork hasn't always been my favorite center-of-the-plate item, it is something that I have worked with over the years to keep him happy at the dinner table. He is a raging bacon fanatic, and loves to cook up massive breakfasts, with pounds and pounds of bacon on the weekends and holidays. But, for dinner, which is my domain, I have developed a few recipes that feature pork. This recipe is one of our favorites, and it calls for boneless pork chops.

Basically that's a boneless pork loin that I cut into 6 oz. portions. For an especially lean but tender cutlet, I recommend buying a "pork tenderloin." This is the smaller "loin" weighing about 2 lbs. or less. Just ask your butcher to point out the difference between the pork loin, and the pork tenderloin if you get confused at the meat counter.

So, with the pork tenderloin, you can cut the same 6 oz. portions. (Slicing hint: pop the fresh tenderloin in the freezer for about 30 minutes before you slice it. This "tempering" will create a firm outer rim to the loin, making it easy to cut nice clean even portions. -My husband did this work in a production line in a meat processing facility while putting himself through college. He was known as a 'Master-Stick' man at the plant; all the folks on the slicing crew requested him to "man the sticks" because of his deft touch and ability to get them 'just right.'- This works for any raw, solid muscle meat item: chicken breasts, steaks, loins, hamburger in a tube, etc.) Then, take your portions, place a plastic wrap over the pieces, and pound the filets with a meat mallet, a few times on each side to thin them out and break up the muscle fibers to make them even tenderer.



Dijon Pork-serves 4
Ingredients:
Pork cutlets (I like the Hatfield Simply Tender pork) 4/ 6 oz. boneless center cut chops
1 TBS of dry mustard
3 tbs. of unsalted butter
1/2 cup of chopped onions
1/2 cup of dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
2tbs. of Dijon mustard

-Season pork chops with salt pepper and dry mustard patting firmly into cutlet
-In a large fry pan over med high heat, melt 3 tbs. of butter, add more if desired
-Cook chops turning once until a golden brown appearance approximately 8 minutes
-Remove chops from pan- reduce to medium heat; add chopped onions-cook by stirring for 1 minute
-Add wine and broth, stirring to scrape brown bits from pan
-Add cream and Dijon mustard-cook stirring until smooth and bubbling -approximately 1 minute
-Return chops and all juices to pan-cook by simmering over low heat for 2-3 minutes
-Serve over wild rice with roasted broccoli (see below)

Roasted Parmesan Cheese Broccoli
Ingredients:
2 broccoli crowns
Olive oil
1 minced garlic clove
1 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese

-Chop 2 broccoli crowns
-Place in a shallow pan, place chopped broccoli
-Drizzle with olive oil
-Bake at 450 for 20-25 minutes or until browning

-While the broccoli is baking, place garlic and cheese in bowl
-When cooked add broccoli to bowl, toss with cheese and garlic
-Place back in pan and return to oven until cheese is melted- 2-3 minutes

Works just as well with Cauliflower or asparagus

So, there you have it: a few tricks to get the most tender pork cutlets possible, and dinner for Saturday night. With this wonderful combination, maybe your man will get up early Sunday and put on the bacon and eggs and let you enjoy a breakfast in bed.

-Hope you enjoy, Kristy