Tag: sexy

Dinner for Two or The Beauty of an Empty Nest

pork loin recipe
Shannon Jones
by Shannon Jones
pork and rice
Photo from Wikipedia

Pork loin is easy peasy.

It’s way too big for two people.  It’s enough to share if your wayward child stops by, or if your nephew needs to chat. If not, the leftovers make a freaky good noodle dish next night. Hopefully not since it’s dinner for two.

Three words. Foil, foil, foil.

Salt and pepper

3 LB. pork loin

1 can of sliced pineapple

1 can of sliced carrots

1 thinly sliced onion

Salt and pepper all over rubbed in well. Place in a foil lined baking dish. Throw everything else in around it and pinch it all shut. Put in an oven at 325° for one hour.

Then go have a drink with your significant other and catch up on all the days events. For instance, now that its just the two of us we can discuss big booties, legalization of marijuana, and prostitute rights in other countries without the fear of being  judged.  Turns out she overheard what nerds we really are. Remind me to lock the door.

Anyway, after an hour check the roasts internal temperature. It should be around 140° or so. Open up the packet and turn the pork over and give things a stir.Close the packet again. Increase the oven temp to 425° for about fifteen minutes. I always splash a little of whatever wine I happen to be drinking that night in for flavor or by accident. In fifteen minutes I can gather all the beer cans in the garage up to take to the recycling plant tomorrow. Done.  Turn the oven down to 300°.  you can leave it for a little bit while you chat or make out without fear of some one yelling ,”Get a room!”

If you’ve not achieved your desired buzz level and are not ready to devour the succulent meat in the kitchen, then turn the oven off. Easy dinner. You can eat it when your damn good and ready. That’s the beauty of an empty nest. You could put the roast on, have the make out , then the cocktail and check the roast. Then have the conversation if you wanted to. The point is cooking can be easy so you have time to spend doing the things you may have missed out on before the kids moved on. Like, dinner for two.

Pork Loin with pineapple is always a winning combination. If you fell particularly enthused, serve over a bed of rice. It only take a minute.

empty house

A Cabbage Soup

soup recipe

To Feed Your Heart

Cabbage Soup
Cabbage Soup

A heart healthy warm soup for fall that cost almost nothing.  Fall is here, it’s time for soups and stews, chilli and baking. The most heart healthy, vegan friendly, cost effective thing we could think of was cabbage soup. No grease means it’s vein cleaning. Unclog your arteries and get back to life.

Luckily it’s really simple. You need to be able to boil water. After that get ready to chop.

Ingredients 

  • One Three pound Cabbage
  • One Onion
  • Three Garlic Cloves
  • Three Carrots
  • Three Small Potatoes
  • Three Stalks of Celery
  • Coarse smoky Sea Salt
  • Pepper

Recipe by Shannon Jones

Clean and wash all the vegetables. Cut and prepare all the vegetables to the same 1/4 inch dice.

In a large Skillet or Dutch oven heat three tablespoons of olive or coconut oil.

First add onions celery and carrots roast until soft. Stir in cabbage and potatoes only to brown and coat them. I simply add water. You may want to use chicken stock or beef, but this soup will be versatile if you only add water. Leftovers can be re used.

Corbus/Photography by 145/Elisa Cicinelli
add Sweet Valida Onions

Cook soup over medium heat  until all is tender. Add herbs such as rosemary and thyme  in the last 15 minutes of cooking for an aromatic dish.Top with a dollop of non fat Greek Yogurt and serve With a crusty loaf sliced on top for an extra treat.

The next day, you may add a drumstick or chicken  thigh, for a little meat.

garlic in soup
add garlic

Soup  is amazing, the more root vegetables you add in, the more flavorful the soup will become. But to do it seven days takes an amazing amount of chopping and prep work. I recommend adding ingredients every day to the soup from previous nights. Add a little broth, maybe a fresh tomato,Some chopped jicama or a turnip can be exciting and new. Whatever you have handy.

Just be mindful of salt and fat added in broth and meat products, and this soup is awesome! Easy, versatile and healthy. You cant go wrong with the ingredients. The key is simmer, simmer down.

You can always add drained low sodium carrots, peas, or greens as well.

I hope you try this recipe and enjoy the healthy benefits soup in the fall can offer you.