Pork Tenderloin Roast ~ Good Old Fashioned Cooking ~ " In the Kitchen with Sweet Magnolias Farm"

 

This Week in the Kitchen ..we've been cookin up some more "Good Old Fashioned Cooking" ..

 

just the way we like it here at the Farmhouse !

 

So here at the farmhouse we have always been pork chops kind of gals ..well I should say kind of been anyhow. It's just a staple we always grew up eating ..but I must admit pork chops were just never my favorite. It always seemed they were either dry or tough or what I call chewy ... no matter if we cooked em on high really fast or slow in the oven like the recipes said ..for me I just never cared for them...

 

So lately we've been adding some new fixins to our dinner menu and we decided to give the pork tenderloin roast a try ..I had heard how good and Juicy and tender it was and thought this had to be the answer for me to replace pork chops...and I'm happy to say it was just the thing .. this is without a doubt a new recipe that will be part of our dinner menu from now on..

 

I absolutely love the Pork Tenderloin and to boot it was very simple to prepare and very simple to cook which is pretty much what most of us farm gals are lookin for anyhow .. I must admit that Abbey does the cookin ..I help a bit here and there and of course I eat it and tell her yea or neigh ....Now some of you may have cooked pork tenderloin for years and already know about the wonderful ways to prepare it and the yummy goodness it is ...but for those of you who may have felt intimidated by this long piece of meat and thought it may get a strangle hold on you before you got a chance to cook it ..well no worries this was a breeze to cook.

 

We did a dry rub Style Pork Tenderloin ..

 

 

And for your ingredients you'll need:

 

pork tenderloin

Garlic Powder

Ground Black Pepper

Sea Salt

Olive Oil

 

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First off Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F

 

Then it's time to Prepare your Pork... Our tenderloin came in 2 halves so we used a couple toothpicks pushed into the ends to hold the pork together.

 

Then we added the garlic powder, pepper, and salt by sprinkling on the pork and Patting / rubbing in. on all sides of the pork. Simply prepare in a 9 x 13 glass or metal cake pan .. Makes for an easy way to turn the meat and rub in the seasoning and an easy way to clean up afterwards.

 

Then Heat a Large Sautee Pan or Cast Iron Skillet on high heat with 2-3 teaspoons of Olive Oil... When the oil is shimmering add Your Tenderloin.. this will begin the carmelization process to create a wonderful crust on the outside of the meat. Cook and Turn until browned on all sides this should take a total of about 3 minutes per side. During the browning process applying pressure to the meat with your tongs and tilting the pan to brown the pork in the oil is a big help.

 

 

 

Then ... Leaving the Pork in your Skillet .. (be sure your skillet is ovenproof and won't melt the handle, Cast Iron is great for this reason)  Place in your oven and bake for 5 to 15 minute or until the pork reaches approx. 145 degrees on your meat thermometer and remove from the oven and let rest 3 to 5 minutes before cutting. The resting period is one important step .. this allows the juices to evenly distribute through the meat ..rather than cutting it and having them all run out and losing that wonderful flavor.

 

And that's it .. Your Pork Tenderloin is ready to be cut and served !!!

 

 

 

 

 

Simply slice your tenderloin ..always slicing it at a slight angle with the grain of the meat is a good idea ... However I have cut it just straight through and it's tasted delicious to me ... but I do understand that the experts say that cutting it with the grain allows the meat to have a more tender chewing experience.

 

 

 

 

We served our tenderloin with Homemade Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans Boiled in water with a  few teaspoons of bacon drippings and Salt and Pepper to taste .. and some Beautiful Brown Pork Gravy .. which was simply delicious !

From our Farmhouse to yours we Wish you many Good Eats ...!

 

 

Have any questions about this weeks recipe just ask and we'll be glad to answer !

 

 

Music to my Ears ..Sunshine to my Soul.... The Quebe Sisters

 

This last Saturday Night I was delighted to find a new singing and instrumental group that mix several of they styles in music that I love .. While watching Larry's Country Diner on the Family Network ...

 

First off If you haven't seen Larry's Country Diner It's a great little 1 hour Talk show set up just like an Old Fashioned Country/ 50's Diner Inside and the Guests sit at tables and are served Good Eats while the show takes place. Each Week a great Country or Western or Instrumental Music group is featured and shares their music ..While Larry (the host) always opens the show with the Daily Word ..which I really love. And during the show side kick Nadine, a Sweet Granny that has some cute one liners and brings some fun and lightheartedness to the show is positively delightful ! 

 

Well that's my description of it anyhow and  I hope it does it some Justice . If you have the Family Network Channel check for when Larry's Country Diner airs In your neck of the woods and give it a whirl ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyhow ..the Quebe Sisters From Denton, TX were on Larry's Country Diner last week and they were positively stunning..

 

They started off as an instrumental bad with their Fiddles .. playing western swing and vintage country ..

 

And have now added their 3 part harmony and was it ever harmonious !

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beside how beautiful they are ..their music is really Sunshine to the Soul ..

 

I was raised on Country Music and Old time Western Swing .. I remember the Rug being pulled back from the wood floors in our house in my teen years and a little western swing turned on and my parents 2 stepping across the living room.

 

 

At an early age I found a love for the vintage 1940's Women's Harmony groups ... and

 

 

When you get the Quebe sisters you get wonderful combination of Western Swing a little 1940's Harmony and some Awesome Fiddle Playing !

 

I'll be grabbing me their New CD .... It'll be a joy to do a little toe tapping to their music during my days of work at the sewing machine...

 

You can visit their website and sample their music HERE

 

 

 

 

A Few SMF Originals I just Finished ...

 

Nowadays Work is so busy that it's a rarity that I can take some time out and work on a few original pieces. And I can tell you when I do get those moments it's a true pleasure.

 

Yesterday was one of those days that I laid aside the afternoon to work on a few Original designs and in between Abbey and I whipped up the yummy Rustic Chocolate Pie.

 

It really was such a Nice day and I thoroughly enjoyed it ...

 

So here's a couple of the Pieces I worked on and completed ...

 

 

 

 This so sweet and Charming Clothespin Bag .. Made from a Vintage White Matelassé Bedspread remnant ... With our Sparrow and Clothespins design just below the pocket. This one just Say's "Happy" all over it don't you think. I love the White with the contrast of the Red and Aqua Floral ruffle ..and the pops of Red tattered Flowers....

 

And For those of you that love The Rustic ..and the Romantic .. I designed this original .. again it is made from a vintage matelassé bedspread remnant ..and is Beautifully adorned with Rustic Burlap Fibers creating the outer border and the Birds Nest. The nest has been filled with 3 Mother of Pearl buttons and tendrils of aged ribbon spill over the vintage lace and natural muslin ruffles at the bottom.

 

This Bag I designed in a more if you will "Generic" style that way it could be used as a Lingerie bag, or in a bathroom with a few towels tucked inside ..or with some stationary kept inside hanging near a desk ..or for that special day a Wedding ..used as a Card Tuck ...

 

Well I just had to share these 2 new originals with you all ..and the joy it was to create them yesterday ..

 

And Yes they are now both available in the Sweet Magnolias Farm Etsy shop for your pleasure .. HERE  

 

Wishing you all a Beautiful Day ... Full of much Joy !

 

 

 

 

Rustic Chocolate Pie ...Down Home Goodness .."In The Kitchen with Sweet Magnolias Farm"

 

We've been bakin up some Down Home Goodness here at the Farmhouse and if you're a die hard Chocolate Fan ...Like we are ..well your Gonna love this "Rustic Chocolate Pie" NO Foolin !

 

Abbey and I are teaming up to begin bringing you "In the Kitchen with Sweet Magnolias Farm"...

 

We will have periodical posts sharing recipes taste tested and SMF approved here at the farmhouse kitchen .... Our Recipes are for the average woman .. with the average kitchen ingredients ..

 

And this week we are starting off with the most scrumptious "Rustic Chocolate Pie" Found on BHG.. and pinned to our "Watcha Got Cookin" Board on Pinterest ...

 

 

 

 

Rustic Chocolate Pie

 

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Ingredients You'll Need to have...

• 3/4
  cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4
  teaspoon salt
• 5
  tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 - 2
  tablespoons cold water
• 6
  ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (not to exceed 62 percent cacao), coarsely chopped
• 2
  egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/8
  teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2
  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4
  cup sugar
• 1/8
  teaspoon salt
• 3/4
  cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 3
  tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• Chocolate shavings (optional)

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First you start off with Unsalted Butter , Flour, Salt and Water to begin the creation of your homemade Pie Crust .... Now don't be scared away into thinking you can't make a pie crust ..this is so simple and easy that you just can mess it up ... so stick with us here ...

 

 

Directions

 

1. To make crust, in bowl thoroughly mix flour and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cut butter in chunks and add to bowl. With two knives or pastry blender, cut butter into flour, tossing to coat with flour until largest pieces are size of pine nuts and remaining resemble coarse bread crumbs. As you work, scrape flour up from bottom of bowl, and scrape butter from knives or pastry blender. Do not let butter melt or blend completely into flour. Drizzle 1-1/2 Tbsp. cold water over flour mixture while tossing and mixing, until just moist enough to hold together when pressed. Add remaining water if needed. Turn out on plastic wrap. Gather into flank disk, pressing in any loose pieces. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate 30 minutes or up to 3 days.

 

2. Position rack in lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Let dough stand 30 minutes at room temperature, or until pliable enough to roll without cracking. On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 14x9-inch oval, about 1/8 inch thick, rotating and dusting with flour to prevent sticking. Brush excess flour from dough; fold in half to transfer to a piece of parchment slightly larger than dough. Unfold dough. Loosely fold and roll edge, without pressing, to form rimmed crust. Place parchment with pastry on baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until light golden brown (crust edge will be a little raw inside).

 

 

(TIP: ..Our crust didn't come out quite as big as the directions say ..but here at the farmhouse were not much on perfection ..so we just made it to the size it rolled out to and it was just fine !)

 

 

 

Also this isn't a big Pie .. we would consider it a pie for 4 Adults....

 

(P.S. you could form the crust into a heart and roll the edges ..that would be cute for Valentines Day)

 

 

 

 

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3. Meanwhile for filling, melt chocolate in microwave on 50 percent power (medium) about 2 minutes. Stir frequently until chocolate is almost completely melted. Remove from microwave. Stir until melted; set aside.

 

 

 

( TIP: We used Ghiradelli semi -sweet chocolate chips.. they are more to the dark chocolate side and we love dark chocolate)

4. In bowl beat egg whites with cream of tartar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and 1/8 tsp. salt. Beat until whites are stiff but not dry. Pour pecans and melted chocolate over whites; fold with spatula until batter is uniform color.

(TIP: Here we improvised ..I (sara) am allergic to nuts ..and I'll admit I'm just a plain jane kinda gal when it comes to extras ..so we folded in the chocolate by itself to start with )

 

 

 

 

 

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In the Meantime Flossie stopped in at the Kitchen with a piece of cardboard she stole from my bedroom .. I had just opened a new blanket for my bed and left the cardboard laying on the floor and forgot to pick it up ..well my girl didn't disappoint me and found the cardboard ..and tried trading it off with us...." her crust for ours "...

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5. Remove crust from oven. Reduce oven to 350 degrees F. Dollop filling on crust. Spread to 1/2 inch thick. Bake 10 minutes, or until surface looks dry and slightly cracked (fudgy inside). Cool on baking sheet on rack. Serve warm or cool. Cover and refrigerate after 2 hours or up to 24 hours. To serve, sprinkle pine nuts and chocolate shavings. Makes 10 servings.

We removed the crust from the oven which came out beautifully golden brown and took 1/2 the filling and dolloped it on 1/2 the crust ...

Then ..Abbey ad Papa Fred .. like Coconut ..so we added coconut into the remaining 1/2 of the chocolate filling and dolloped that onto the second 1/2 of the crust ... ( you could add in any extras you like ..whatever you have as a favorite) 

 

 

 

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We then followed the directions and put the pie back in the oven for 10 minutes ..it ended up being more like 12 or 15 minutes for us I'm sure the time slighty varies with each individuals oven.. and removed as said when the pie looked dry and slighty cracked ...

 

 

And it came out Beautiful ... Abbey and I Love the Rustic Free Form Farmhouse Style of this pie .. it's a no perfection dessert and it's perfect for those of us who just aren't good at perfect ...

 

And here it is Right out of the oven ...

 

 

 

The first piece was cut away to reveal the gooey dark chocolate center and the amazingly flaky crust  ...

 

 

We served up a piece to each of us and dug in ...wondering was it going to be scrumptious goodness or  Not ?

 

 

Without a Doubt it was POSITIVELY  and ABSOLUTELY  the most delicious Down Home Goodness .. ! .. A deep dark rich chocolate ..so light and so smooth ..and the crust so buttery and so flaky ..it was like a light chocolate cloud that melted in your mouth ...  Needless to say we all cleaned our plates and this will become a New "Sweet Magnolias Farm" Staple we'll be servin up to Friends, Family and Guests for years to come ! ..

 

And for all Y'all that have a Sweetheart or a Sweet Friend you like to serve up somthin special to ..this would make a divine Valentine's Dessert ! ... and you can say it was ...

 

(Towel can be found  HERE)

 

 

If you have any questions regarding the baking of the Rustic Chocolate Pie just leave us a comment and we'll be glad to answer !

 

(Next time in the Kitchen ...we'll be cookin up a homemade Meal ..Pork Tenderloin ..Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans.. a good Down Home Meal )

 

 

 

 

 

 



The Flossie Chronicles " 1 yr and counting" ..Tails of an English Springer Spaniel

 

It's hard to believe that Tomorrow will mark the 1 yr Anniversary of Flossie Finding her new home with us....

 

Yes 1 yr has passed since we brought that sweet little 8 week old puppy home and it's been such a wonderful and delightful journey.

 

Flossie actually turned 1 yr on November 19th ..

 

 

 

 

 

 She is growing up to be such a beautiful Girl ...

 

She's full of feisty fun ..and just loves to run. Having always had Retrievers of Some sort all my years growing up .. I must admit that I am truly amazed at Flossies speed .. She's like a Bunny on Steroids .. Her run is more like a hop yet unbelievably fast ..and her favorite thing is to run circles in the yard and have us chase her without ever being able to catch her.

 



She brings an amazing amount of Joy to our home and I can honestly see why they say that having a dog can lower blood pressure and bring health to a home. I can say that there isn't a day that doesn't pass that we are not hysterically laughing at her ... for some antic she's up to.. Like becoming a scrapper .. Yes all those lovely scraps that I cut away as I work on projects have become Flossie's love. She searches my work room each day for anything she can possibly find scrap related even if that means nosing through my scrap box and making a choice find .. She then saunters into the room with it hanging out of her mouth staring at one of us with those eyes that ask is it o.k. if I have this piece ? ... We then examine how valuable the scrap is to us ..and give her the o.k. or ask her for it back .. and give her something in place of what she's found. She then just carries it around until the novelty of that scrap fades and begins a search for another .. It's a bit awkward to say your dog is a lot like you and loves fabric .. I guess all those months as a puppy observing me at work gave her the idea that working with fabric is what she's supposed to do to .. ? Who knows but she sure loves the stuff ..LOL !

 

 

And her favorite treat is "Carrots" ... she "Loves" a whole carrot to carry into the back yard and chew on .. what used to take her 30 minutes now takes her about 3 minutes to eat ..but that's o.k. they are good for her and she so enjoys them. What's funny is when we eat a carrot and she looks perplexed . 

 

Our Sweet Girls is as quiet and content throughout the day as she is bounding with energy when we pull the leash out each morning for our daily walk. She is full of love..hugs and many a snuggles and still thinks that what is ours is hers even as many times as we have tried to convince her they are not... She still has some of her puppiness that needs to be molded into better ways such as jumping on us when we are all talking and she wants in on the conversation ..and we are working on all of those little things to mold her into a well behaved Girl.

 

Flossie is an absolute blessing and we are so thankful she is ours to Love and be Loved by.

 

 

Give your pet a hug today and show them some love ..they need it like we do ..

 

P.S. don't forget to read the post prior to this one to enter the Free Giveaway at Sugarpie Farmhouse ...