Jen’s PC biz Independant Consultant with Pampered Chef

12/30/2024

THIS PORK TENDERLOIN IS COOKED SOUS VIDE, SO IT'S TENDER, JUICY, AND COOKED TO PERFECTION. THIS ONE-POT MEAL WILL GIVE YOU AN EASY DINNER WIN.

SOUS VIDE PORK TENDERLOIN WITH VEGETABLES
INGREDIENTS
1 pork tenderloin (about 1½ lbs.)
2 yellow squash (about 1 lb.), cut into ½" half moons
1½ cups fresh green beans (about 10 oz.), trimmed
⅓ cup, plus 1 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 lemon, juiced (about 3 tbsp)
1 tbsp Herbs de Provence Seasoning
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

DIRECTIONS
Fill the inner pot of the Deluxe Multi Cooker with water to just below the ½ fill line. Lock the lid and select SOUS VIDE . Set the temperature to 140°F for medium (see cook’s tip) and the timer for 2 hours; press and hold START. While preheating, place the pork tenderloin, squash, and green beans in a large resealable freezer bag.
In a small bowl, whisk together ⅓ cup of oil, lemon juice, seasoning, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Pour into the bag and gently massage to evenly distribute the liquid.
When you hear beeps and Add is displayed, open the lid and submerge the bag into the water. Lock the lid; press START. When the timer is up, press CANCEL and carefully remove the bag from the water.

Heat the remaining oil in a large skillet over high heat for 3–5 minutes. Transfer the pork and vegetables to the skillet, reserving the liquid. Sear the pork until browned, 1–2 minutes per side, and sauté the vegetables until they reach desired tenderness, 2–4 minutes.
Remove the pork and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Place the veggies on a platter and top with the sliced pork. Serve with the reserved juice, if you’d like.
Yield: 4 servings

Cook's Tips:
Cooking pork to medium keeps the inside moist and tender, like a steak. And, as it rests after cooking, the internal temperature will increase a bit.

12/30/2024

12/30/2024

December 30 - National Bacon Day
Though the holiday was created in 1997 as a way to take a break from celebrating the traditional winter holidays, the consumption of pork dates back thousands of years to 4900 B.C. where the Chinese domesticated pigs and preserved pork bellies with salt. This practice is believed to have made its way to the Romans and Greeks through conquests in the Middle East and by 1500 B.C. had largely impacted both production and preservation of pork in the Roman Empire. Ancient Roman’s early form of bacon, or “petaso,” was pig shoulder broiled with dried figs, browned and served with wine.

The word “bacon” can be traced back to various languages from before the 12th century. Most notably from the French word “bako,” the Germanic “bakkon” and the Old Teutonic word “backe,” all of which specifically refer to the rear of the pig. During the 16th Century, the word “bacoun” was used to refer to any kind of pork. And it wasn’t until the 17th Century that “bacon” was used solely to refer to the salted and smoked pork belly that we know today.

Considering how easy and cheap it was to own pigs, its no wonder during Medieval Times bacon was very common among Anglo-Saxon peasants. Each family and butcher had their own recipe for curing and smoking bacon. The sheer variety of bacon, sausage, and black pudding that you could buy in Victorian England created an almost golden age of pork.

The popular phrase “bring home the bacon” can be traced to the 12 century, in the English town of Dunmow. The church promised to reward a side of bacon to any married man who swore before God and the congregation that he would not quarrel with his wife for a year and a day.

Brussels Sprouts With Bacon & Apricots
Prep 12 min | Ready in 28 min

Who says Brussels sprouts have to be boring? Pair them with salty bacon and sweet dried apricots for a side dish that will have everyone saying, “Pass the sprouts!”

Ingredients
4 slices bacon, diced
2 lbs. (1 kg) Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut into quarters lengthwise
1 large shallot, finely chopped
3 tbsp (45 mL) packed brown sugar
2 tbsp (30 mL) Herbs de Provence Seasoning Mix
¼ tsp (1 mL) salt
½ cup (125 mL) dried apricots, coarsely chopped
Directions
Cook the bacon over medium heat in a 5-qt. (4.7-L) Brilliance Nonstick Saute Pan for 5–7 minutes, or until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the Brussels sprouts, shallot, brown sugar, seasoning mix, and salt; stir to coat. Saute for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the apricots and cook until they soften slightly, 1–2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with bacon before serving.

Yield:
12 servings
Nutrients per serving:
Calories 80, Total Fat 1.5 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Cholesterol 5 mg, Sodium 115 mg, Carbohydrate 16 g, Fiber 3 g, Sugars 9 g (includes 3 g added sugars), Protein 4 g

Cook's Tips:
Fa-la-la Fruit: Can’t find dried apricots? Dried cranberries can add festive color instead.

Fakin’ Bacon: Try pancetta or turkey bacon—or skip the bacon, if you’d like.

Swap the Sweet: Skip the brown sugar in step 2, and drizzle a balsamic glaze over the dish just before serving.

So Long Shallots: A small yellow onion is a good replacement if you can’t find a shallot. Shallots have a delicate, sweet flavor and are slightly sharp, while onions give a more intense heat

12/29/2024

Grab a partner and dance your stress away.

12/29/2024

December 29 - National Pepper Pot Day
It is meant to celebrate a soup that was nicknamed ‘The Soup That Won The War.’ The war here refers to the American Revolutionary War for independence from Britain. The Philadelphia Pepper Pot soup is a thick soup made up of beef tripe, whatever vegetables are available, and of course, peppercorns. This peppery soup has a long history and probably originates from the Caribbean. It was brought over to America by enslaved people, who later sold the soup out in the streets. The Philadelphia Pepper Pot soup was not unknown before the American Revolutionary War (also known as the American War for Independence). This thick soup made of tripe, vegetables and seasoned heavily with pepper could have been brought to the U.S. by people enslaved from the Caribbean Islands.

The soup was made popular by African-American Philadelphians who would sell it right out in the street. The traditional recipe is said to have had cassava as well as the soup thickener.

INGREDIENTS

2 lb beef honeycomb tripe or beef shanks
1 lb andouille, tasso ham, or smoked kielbasa
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large yellow onion, small-diced
1 each large red and green bell peppers, small-diced
1 habanero, minced
1 Scotch bonnet, minced
1 small celery heart, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 large bay leaves
½ tsp allspice, ground
¼ tsp cloves, ground
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp cayenne
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
Sprig of thyme or 1 tsp dry
Sprig of oregano or 1 tsp dry
3 qt meat stock
1 bunch collard greens, cut into small strips
2 lb carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed
2 lb pumpkin or squash (butternut or Hubbard), cubed
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
½ cup unsalted butter
1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place tripe in a large pot and fill with water until submerged; bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Cook for 16-20 minutes; let cool, drain, and set aside. Cut tripe into small strips

2. Heat a Dutch oven and render bacon until crisp, set aside. If using beef shanks, season with salt and pepper then brown on both sides on the pan; if using sausages or other smoked meats, sear until browned and render a little fat, set aside.

3. Sauté garlic and lightly brown. Add onions, peppers, and celery, cooking until soft for about 15-18 minutes. Add bay leaves with all the dried spices and cook until fragrant for about 3-5 minutes.

4. Return the shanks and cover with stock to braise on low heat for an hour before adding the rest of the ingredients; if not using meat, just bring stock to a boil; add collards, carrots, potatoes, and pumpkin. Braise for an hour under low heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Before serving, stir and melt butter in the stew and garnish with parsley.

12/28/2024

Are your Christmas lights always tangled? Wrap them around a spool to prevent them from getting tangled up in storage. A reel with a spin handle makes spooling and unspooling lights even easier.

12/28/2024

Which winter activity would you rather do?

12/28/2024

December 28 - National Chocolate Candy Day
National Chocolate Candy Day offers an opportunity for us to polish off the last of the specialty candies we received as gifts. Celebrated on December 28th, the day points us to the truffles and chocolate oranges tucked into stockings. Check those boxes of candy that may or may not have guides to help us choose cream-filled or ganache. The word "chocolate" comes from the word "xocoatl" or "chocolatl." Mayan "school" means hot or bitter, and the Aztec "atl" means water. Chocolate comes from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia and grows in Mexico, Central America, and Northern South America. The earliest known documentation of using cacao seeds is from around 1100 BC.

Marshmallow & Chocolate Dreidel

Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of … marshmallows? Assemble these edible holiday tops from chocolate dipped marshmallows with pretzel sticks and chocolate kiss candies.

Ingredients
1 bag (12 oz or 350 g) blue candy melts
12 mini pretzel sticks
12 regular-size marshmallows
12 chocolate candy kisses, unwrapped
1/4 cup (50 mL) white chocolate morsels
Directions
Microwave blue candy melts in the Small Micro-Cooker® at 50% power, uncovered. Stir every 30 seconds for 1 minute until melted. Insert a pretzel stick into each marshmallow about ¾ of the way through or until secure. Dip the bottom of each marshmallow in the melted blue candy and press the flat side of a chocolate kiss candy to it. Repeat with remaining marshmallows and candy kisses. This forms the point. Refrigerate for five minutes on a Medium Sheet Pan lined with wax paper.

Microwave candy melts on MEDIUM for another 10 seconds to loosen. Then fully dip each dreidel and let set at room temperature for 15 – 20 minutes. Microwave white chocolate morsels in an uncovered 1-cup Prep Bowl on HIGH for 1 minute, stirring every 30 seconds, until almost melted. Fill the Easy Accent® Decorator melted white chocolate and use the writing tip to pipe on Hebrew letters.

Yield:
12 servings

12/27/2024

Take advantage of post-holiday sales by doing your shopping for gifts and decor a few days after the holidays end. While most people do this for Christmas, it can work for any special occasion.

12/27/2024

Let’s have some fun!

12/27/2024

December 27 - National Fruit Cake Day
It’s a day for lovers of fruitcake to rejoice in the delights of the world’s most misunderstood fruit. A fruitcake is a boozy, chewy, rich amalgam of dried fruit, nuts, and sugar, saturated with your favorite alcohol, most commonly brandy or bourbon. That produces a dense, sweet, and textured treat generally served around the holidays. Fruitcakes have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs, so you know that the tradition is steeped in history as well as booze.

Applesauce Spice Fruit Cake
This Applesauce Spice Fruit Cake is a moist, dense, spicy cake filled with chopped nuts, coconut, raisins, dates, and orange candy slices. Perfect sprinkled with powdered sugar or drizzled with a little caramel sauce.
CourseDessert
CuisineAmerican
Prep Time20minutes minutes
Cook Time1hour hour 15minutes minutes
Total Time1hour hour 35minutes minutes
Servings20 servings
Calories264kcal
AuthorLinda Warren
Ingredients
½ cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 cups all-purpose flour + additional for dredging fruit
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup pecans or walnuts chopped
1 cup dates chopped
1 cup raisins
1 cup orange slice candy chopped
1 cup coconut
½ cup rum optional
¼ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a tube pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper to make it easier to release.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and beat until incorporated.
Add applesauce and beat until well mixed.
In another bowl, combine 2 cups flour, baking soda, salt and spices.
Gradually add dry ingredients into wet ingredients, beating until just mixed.
In a large bowl, combine all nuts and chopped fruit and candy. Dredge with flour. Make sure to mix with your hands and pull apart fruit and candy that it sticking together so each piece is coated with flour. This helps distribute it better throughout the cake.
Stir the flour-coated fruit and nuts into the cake batter.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for approximately 1 hour and 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean.
Let rest on a wire rack for 10 to 20 minutes until firm enough that it can be turned out onto a rack to cool the rest of the way.
If using the optional rum, pour ¼ to ⅓ cup rum over the cake and let it soak in. Once the top is dry, move on to the next step.
When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar. You can also serve the cake with caramel sauce on the side to drizzle over the top.
Notes
STORE/FREEZE
To Store: Once the cake has cooled to room temperature, wrap it tightly in several layers of plastic wrap. Store it on the counter for 1 week without rum and 1 month with rum.
To Freeze: Wrap the cake tightly with a layer of plastic wrap then aluminum foil. Freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw the cake on the counter at room temperature.
Nutrition
Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 134mg | Potassium: 171mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 170IU | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1.2mg
recipe source: https://2cookinmamas.com/applesauce-spice-fruit-cake/

12/27/2024

Get these before they are gone!!!

12/26/2024

Good morning! Day after Christmas and just in case you are ready to stock up on pantry products or get everything you need to cook healthy at home. My Mystery Host party is still open...

12/26/2024

👍 Remember it
❤️ Have it and still use it!
🤔 What is it?
🤞Wish we still had it to sell!

Bread tubes...a bakers delight! We had them in 3 shapes. Who remembers what they were?

12/26/2024

December 26 - National Candy Cane Day. This day gives candy lovers a day to celebrate the red and white striped candies found abundantly during the holidays.

In 1844, a recipe for a straight peppermint candy stick, which was white with colored stripes, was published. However, some stories tell of all-white candy sticks in much earlier times. Folklore tells of the origin of the candy cane, yet no documented proof of its real beginning. Literature begins mentioning the candy cane in 1866, and it was first known to be mentioned in connection with Christmas in 1874. As early as 1882, candy canes have been hung on Christmas trees.

Candy Cane Brownie Lollipops
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Prep 20 min

|

Ready in 90 min

These irresistible treats make adorable hostess gifts or take-home favors.

Ingredients
1 pkg (18-21 oz or 450 g) fudge brownie mix (plus ingredients to make brownies)
24 candy canes
10 oz (300 g) chocolate-flavored almond bark
Additional decorations such as red jimmies (optional)
Directions
Line Medium Sheet Pan with a 13-in. (33-cm) piece of parchment paper; lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions; pour batter into pan. Bake 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached. Remove from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack; cool 20 minutes or until still slightly warm.

Meanwhile, cut off straight ends of candy canes to form 4 1/2-in. (11-cm) sticks using Utility Knife. Place candy cane tops into resealable plastic bag and crush using flat side of Meat Tenderizer; set aside.

Using Medium Scoop, scoop brownie into 24 rounded scoops, packing brownie into scoop using hands. (Entire brownie will be used.) Roll brownie scoops into smooth balls. Insert candy cane sticks into centers of balls, mounding brownie around stick.

Place almond bark into Small Batter Bowl; microwave according to package directions until melted and smooth. Spoon melted bark evenly over each brownie ball, turning to coat completely. Allow excess bark to drip off. Dip into reserved crushed candy canes or additional decorations (see Cook 's Tip) and stand upright on a piece of parchment paper. Repeat with remaining almond bark, lollipops and crushed candy. Let stand until set. Place into miniature cupcake liners.

Yield:
24 servings of 1 lollipop
Nutrients per serving:
Calories 260, Total Fat 11 g, Saturated Fat 4 g, Cholesterol 20 mg, Carbohydrate 40 g, Protein 2 g, Sodium 75 mg, Fiber 1 g

U.S. Diabetic exchanges per serving:
1 starch, 1 1/2 fruit, 2 fat (2 1/2 carb)

Cook's Tips:
While still slightly warm, the fudgy brownie rolls easily into balls. Although the edges of the brownie are crusty, they do not need to be discarded. Simply scoop the edges along with the center, and they will soften as they stand.

Lollipops can also be decorated with colored sugars or nonpareils.

Wrap lollipops in cellophane, tie with ribbon and use as table décor, place settings or take-home party favors for a special holiday touch.

12/25/2024

MERRY CHRISTMAS! The first artificial Christmas Tree wasn’t a tree at all. It was created out of goose feathers that were dyed green. The first artificial Christmas trees were developed in Germany in the 19th century, due to a major continuous deforestation. The feather trees became increasingly popular during the early 20th century and finally made their way to the US.