Grilled Tropical Pork Tenderloin Salad

Here's a little somethin'-somethin' to celebrate the unofficial start of Summer.  Grilled pork tenderloin, diagonally sliced with oranges, avocados and colorful red peppers is delicious even on a rainy night.  Go ahead, enjoy a little taste of paradise.  Things will be steaming up soon!

Grilled Tropical Pork Tenderloin Salad  For pork 2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 2 pork tenderloins (2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds total) 2 tablespoons olive oil For glaze 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic 1 tablespoon Tabasco For vinaigrette 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon curry powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 cup olive oil For salad 3 navel oranges 5 ounces baby spinach, trimmed (6 cups leaves) 4 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage (from 1 medium head) 1 red bell pepper, cut lengthwise into thin strips 1/2 cup raisins 2 firm-ripe avocados Prepare pork: Preheat grill.  Stir together salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, and cinnamon, then coat pork with spice rub. Make glaze and grill pork: Stir together brown sugar, garlic, and Tabasco. Grill tenderloin about 10-15 minutes on each side, brushing with sauce in the last 5 minutes.  My guy likes to set our gas grill temperature to low.  Watch it carefully, using an instant read thermometer, remove from the grill when the tenderloin registers 140°F.  Cover the grilled pork and let it rest while you toss and compose the salad.  Make vinaigrette: Early in the day, whisk together juices, mustard, curry powder, salt, and pepper, then add oil in a stream, whisking until emulsified.  Let flavors combine and chill for at least 2 hours. Prepare salad ingredients: Cut peel, including white pith, from oranges with a sharp knife, then cut oranges crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Toss spinach, cabbage, bell pepper, and raisins in a large bowl with about 1/4 cup vinaigrette. Halve, pit, and peel avocados, then cut diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Assemble salad: Cut pork at a 45-degree angle into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Line a large platter with dressed salad and arrange sliced pork, oranges, and avocados in rows on top. Drizzle some vinaigrette over avocados and oranges, and glaze over the pork.  Serves 6-8. We give thanks for all of those that have sacrificed for our great country and for those serving today.  May they and their families feel blessed and know of our gratitude.  God bless the USA! Happy Memorial Day All.

Biscoff Bars

How was your Mother's Day?  Happy and happ-nin' I hope!  Our guys planned a barbeque for an amazing Spring afternoon.  Grilled chicken, fresh salads, yummy desserts, family and flowers all combined, making an extra sweet day for me.

     

My grand-kiddos love anything with Peanut Butter and Chocolate.  While my guy craves peanut butter and jam sandwiches, he won't touch anything else with peanut butter.  

Since I found Biscoff Spread, I have been exchanging it for peanut butter in all of my favorite recipes.  Peanut butter bars, a quick fix, now made with Biscoff.  A fun new treat, they turned out picnic perfect, rich and crunchy!

Biscoff Bars

• 1 cup butter, melted
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs, (finely crushed)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup + 4 tablespoons Biscoff Spread
• 1-1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

Directions
In a medium bowl, mix together the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, and 1 cup Biscoff Spread until well blended. Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9x9 inch pan.  In the microwave, melt the chocolate chips with the remaining 4 tablespoons Biscoff Spread, stirring every 30 seconds until melted, creamy, and smooth. Spread over the first layer. Refrigerate for at least one hour before cutting into squares.

Anyway you stack 'em  up, they won't disappoint...oh, and be sure to serve with lots of love!

Thanks for flying by!

Teacher Appreciation Week

Looking for a way to show some teacher love this week?

This morning on a news show a woman shared teacher appreciation gifts.  She said the average cost of a gift from a child to a teacher was $30.00....oh my.  For my 5 kids that would have been  a whopping $150.00 "thank you" bill.  No way!!!!

Show them you love them with a little treat you can afford to make for all the teachers, principal and staff.  "Anything but an apple is appreciated,"...taken from a teacher's survey.

I made these for our church young women for a girl's camp treat.  Here's the DIY scoop:

Split 2 cupcakes per cup, (fill and frost, I made cream cheese frosting), layer in a clear cup.  Top with sprinkles and enclose in a clear bag.  Insert a clear fork handle in the cupcake and tie with curling ribbon.  Insert a little tag in the fork-tines and you are good to go! 

Adapted from Sinful Southern Treats and to download printable.

Sending love to all of you!