Pork Loin with Roasted Raspberry Chipoltle Sauce

Don't get intimidated by the name! It's not as complicated as it sounds. I got the sauce when I was down at my Gramas. She had an extra bottle and I loved it so she sent it home with me. It has a smokey, sweet and spicy kind of taste to it. My 2 yr old LOVED it!! I made it for 3 ppl (well 2 1/2 because we have a toddler) but can easily be doubled for more.

1 Pork Loin

Salt and Pepper

Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce (I use a bottled sauce) *thanks Grama*

1 bag steam fresh rice with veggies

Place pork loin in a baking dish, just find one that fits. Sprinkle with S&P. Cover and bake at 325-350 for 45 mins, turn over and spread a thin layer of sauce over and return to oven covered, for 30-45 mins or until done. Remove from oven and let stand in pan for 10-15 min. Cook steam fresh rice according to pkg directions. (Mine is 4 mins in the microwave). When rice is done, dump on plate, slice pork loin into 1/4 -1/2 in. slices, line on plate and pour extra sauce over top!

*I'm not sure how to make this a meat free meal, sorry

Traveling Cookies

We recently made a trip down to California (a 7.5 hr drive) so I made these cookies and my family LOVES them! Not as much as the Chocolate chip ones (recipe coming) but they were really good and held up the jostling of traveling really well.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup sweetened coconut

½ cup butter

1 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons honey

½ tablespoon baking soda

2 tablespoons water

Combine flour, oats and coconut. In a medium saucepan melt butter then add sugar, and honey to saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil 2 mins. In a small bowl (I used a 1/4 c. measuring cup.) dissolve baking soda in water. After sugar, honey and butter have boiled 2 mins pour Baking soda/water mixture in to saucepan. Do this away from your face and OFF the heat!! It will bubble up and turn a caramel color. Stir until the bubbles subside and then add to flour, oats and coconut. Mix until combined. Roll into 1-1/4 inch balls and place on a LINED cookie sheet. Your cookie sheet MUST be lined with either greased tin foil or parchment paper (if using paper you don't need to grease it). Bake at 325 for 12 mins. Let cookies stand for a min or two to set before removing onto a cooling rack.

I would suggest rolling all the balls on to 2 sheets of foil or parchment, that way when the cookies come out of the oven you can pull the lining with the cooked cookies off and slide the new one on to put right into the oven.

These cookies have a sort of caramel taste to them. They are very good and even my 2 yr old loved them!

From Isaac

I had to post it not as a serious recipe but more as my life a as a mom! This is recipe comes straight from my little bud, Isaac!
Cumin PB toast and Milk
2 pieces of toast topped with Peanut Butter (creamy or chunky)
1 Sippy cup of milk
1 Container Cumin
2 Shelves

Take toast, Put peanut butter sides together to make a peanut butter toast sandwich. Sprinkle Cumin onto shelves until you get caught and it's taken away. Place peanut butter toast sandwich on 1st shelf and your milk on the other. Enjoy!

No Spoons Allowed Taco Soup

1 can (16oz) Refried Beans
" Black Beans (Drained and rinsed)
" Mexican Stewed Tomatoes
1 3/4 C. Chicken Broth (14 oz Can)
1 1/2 C. Frozen Corn (1 can)
1/2 C. Salsa
1/2 C. Water
1 Tbl. Cumin
1 lb. Hamburger (4 Chicken Tenders Cubed)
2 C. Shredded cheese (8 oz. pkg. Mexi blend)
Toppings (optional):
Frito Chips
Sour Cream

In a Soup Pot (mine is 4 qt.) Brown Hamburger (or cook chicken). Add chicken broth, tomatoes and Refried beans. Break up tomatoes and stir in beans with a wooden spoon. Add black beans, corn, salsa,water and cumin. Bring to a boil. Turn down and simmer for 10 mins. Stir in cheese to melt. Serve with chips, sour cream.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

30-45 Mins

*These are approximate measurements. I don't measure anything*

1/2 box Whole Grain Pasta

1 can Tuna

1 can Cream of Chicken soup

2 c. Frozen peas

1 Tbl Lemon pepper

1 c. Bread crumbs

1-2 Tbl Parm Cheese

1 Tbl Butter, melted

Cook pasta and drain. Add Cream of chicken soup and thin with milk till desired consistency. Add Lemon pepper, drained tuna and peas. stir. Pour into 8x8 casserole dish. Combine bread crumbs, cheese, and melted. Sprinkle over pasta and bake for 15-20 mins, or until hot all the way through.