SODA SAUCE PORK LOIN & CREAMY CARROT CASSEROLE ~ BLOG 365.49

Using soda, whether it’s cola, 7UP or Dr. Pepper in recipes is truly something I learned from my southern grandmother.

SODA SAUCE PORK LOIN ~ serves 6
MARINADE
1 cup Coca-Cola OR Dr. Pepper
1/4 cup Bragg’s liquid aminos
3 tablespoon avocado oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, optional
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dry mustard, optional
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon FRESH ground ginger
2 tablespoons QUALITY balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon FRESH chopped thyme
3-5 pound pork loin roast

  • Whisk marinade ingredients together in a baking dish.
  • Add pork loin and refrigerate overnight.

SODA SAUCE
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard, optional
2/3 cup Coca-Cola OR Dr. Pepper
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste

  • Whisk together sauce ingredients in a saucepan.
  • Bring to a SLOW boil then reduce to a simmer until thickened.
  • Preheat oven to 325°.
  • Remove pork from marinade.
  • Roast for 30-40 minutes per pound until meat registers 175°.
  • Pour sauce over pork and roast 30 minutes more.
  • Allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing to serve.

CREAMY CARROT CASSEROLE serves 8-10
8 cups sliced carrots
2 medium onions, sliced
5 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup Duke’s mayonnaise
1/4 cup homemade chicken broth
1 tablespoon prepared creamy horseradish
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
3/4 cup FINELY shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup crusty sourdough pieces, small chopped

  • Place carrots in a saucepan and cover with water; bring to a boil and cook until crisp-tender.
  • In a skillet melt butter over medium heat.
  • Add onions and sauté until tender.
  • Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Stir in the mayonnaise, chicken broth (or soup), cheddar cheese and horseradish if using.
  • Drain carrots; add to the onion mixture.
  • Transfer to a greased 13×9 baking dish.
  • Toss bread pieces with remaining melted butter.
  • Sprinkle with crusty bread pieces.
  • Bake 20-25 minutes, uncovered at 350°.

NOTE:

  • In a pinch you can substitute crushed Ritz crackers for the crusty bread pieces.
  • You can substitute the mayonnaise and chicken broth for an undiluted can of Cream of Celery soup.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY, MENU & RECIPES week 7 of 2025 ~ BLOG 365.48

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

LAST WEEK RECAPPED

WHEW! The last 2 weeks have been a constant blur!!! I finished the last “PLANNED” event on Friday night only to have a monkey wrench thrown into the rest of the month. Saturday was spent doing laundry and house chores as well as a lot of recipe sorting. I’m hoping to finish sorting through the tote I’ve been working on so I can make a “quarterly” menu plan and eliminate a bunch of scrap paper. Sunday was supposed to be a “slow” day at home watching racing and being lazy, but ended up being gone to lunch with friends and then several hours of Eagle’s chores. I’m looking forward to staying home today and getting caught up on what I didn’t get done yesterday.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

It’s going to be a super wet week and still quite cool with highs in the low 40’s. I’ll be doing layers upon layers with turtlenecks and flannels with Levis & UGGs.

ON MY MIND

So many people are anxious to “join” organizations, but I have noticed that so many are NOT willing to put the effort into sustaining them. We have had a HUGE influx of members because of our Tuesday line dancing night, but that’s the extent of their involvement.  There was a “VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION” night with Italian bakes and dessert last Friday, but when all was said and done I observed that the people that participated in the bakes and desserts, set-up, break down and clean-up were the same volunteers being “celebrated”. Volunteers ate for free, all others it was a $10 all you can eat night and we did raise almost $500 for charity, but it seemed quite a bit of work and so so lopsided. 🙁

I had been asked to take over Friday night dinner coordination in June when the current lady was not going to renew her membership because of commitments elsewhere, but was a bit surprised when she announced it at the last meeting and that it would begin March 1st. And then to top it off the woman doing February 28th and canceled on Saturday so I’m hitting the ground running scrambling from the git go. 🙂 I do have some hopefully fresh ideas to generate more participation and support, so we’ll see.

TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING ALL caught up fortunately!
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS Just a few things that I’ll pick up on Wednesday when we do the Eagle’s shopping.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING February is done and March is in the works. After that I’m trying to do “quarterly” plans to make life easier.

DVR/TV TIME

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • STREAMING We have just a few episodes of BONES left from our binge watch and will then switch over to finish CROSSING JORDAN.
  • CABLE Trying to catch up on the DVR and TOURNAMENT of CHAMPIONS started last night.

READING TIME

I should finish PICTURES OF YOU tonight. Book Club picked a new book because most people found it “BORING” and called it a DNF (do not finish and I have never NOT finished a book) book which only tells me I’m not well fitted with this group that prefer psychological thrillers.

Most of those that found it boring gave up by page 20, which I find alarming as the book has 350 pages so they really didn’t give it a chance. 

Two other friends are liking as much as I do and we have all vowed to finish it. One has finished it and declared it is definitely a book to finish.

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS

BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀
2/17 MONDAY
2/18 TUESDAY
2/19 WEDNESDAY
2/20 THURSDAY
2/21 FRIDAY
2/22 SATURDAY
2/23 SUNDAY
DINNER
 SALSA VERDE CHICKEN CASSEROLE
 FIREHOUSE SPECIAL
 CORNED BEEF HASH ~ DINNER STYLE
 PORK CHOPS, MASHED POTATOES and MILK GRAVY with COUNTRY DRESSING
 CREOLE HALIBUT
CORNED BEEF SAUERKRAUT BAKE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ HONEY ORANGE COTTAGE CHEESE PANCAKES (breakfast)
 LIME GLAZED PORK CHOPS with COUNTRY DRESSING
~~~~~~~~
OVERNIGHT HAM& EGG CASSEROLE (BREAKFAST)
DESSERT
 
WACKY CAKE
 

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

I borrowed some chafing dishes from a friend (she had owned our favorite deli – Nellie’s Deli but retired last July) and she brought me these sweet treats along with the chafing dishes! How sweet is that? And this was the sky over the pond after the event Friday night.

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPES COMING UP THIS WEEK

  • SODA SAUCE PORK LOIN & MASHED CARROTS
  • PORK CHOPS in CREAMY GARLIC SPINACH SAUCE

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS

CHICKEN CABBAGE STEW ~ BLOG 365.44

CHICKEN CABBAGE STEW serves 6-8
1 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 LARGE shallot, chopped
3 garlic cloves, FINELY minced
4 cups chopped cabbage (1/2 head)
2 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced
14 ounce can diced FIRE roasted tomatoes, undrained
3/4-1 1/4 cups homemade chicken broth
+/- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
Juice of 1 LARGE lime
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1/4 cup FRESH chopped Italian leaf parsley
2 teaspoons FRESH chopped lemon thyme
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper

  • Brown the chicken, onion and garlic 5-7 minutes in a large deep skillet over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and chicken is crumbled.
  • Drain well.
  • Add the remaining ingredients including the rotisserie chicken pieces if using.
  • Bring to a SLOW boil, cover and simmer 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

NOTE: You can also substitute rotisserie chicken pieces.

BAKED SWEET CORN DIP ~ BLOG 365.42

Dive into a delightful fusion of sweet corn and melted mozzarella with a hint of a spicy zing, rounded off with the subtle sweetness of sugar and a pinch of classic seasoning. SUPER easy and ready in just 12 minutes! A truly gourmet dish without all the fuss and preparation!

The original recipe was called Korean Cheese corn and inspired by the smells and tastes of a trip to Seoul by That Oven Feeling. This dish was evidently a staple of street cooking. I have since adapted it to my own family.

The recipe called for Kewpie mayo and the author claimed once you’ve tried it, you’ll never go back, but alas, I am just not a fan. 🙁 I do promise that even with the changes I’ve made there is still a perfect balance of sweet, creamy, cheesy and umami.

BAKED SWEET CORN DIP

15.25 ounce can QUALITY sweet corn, WELL drained
15.25 ounce can SMALL white beans, rinsed and WELL drained
3/4-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese plus 1/4 cup more for garnishing
3-4 tablespoons DUKE’S mayonnaise
2-3 tablespoons Frank’s Original hot sauce *SEE NOTES
1/2 teaspoon sugar
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Pinch of minced cilantro, for garnish
Scoopable corn chips or veggie sticks for dipping

  • Adjust the oven’s baking rack to the position second from the top.
  • Preheat the oven to a temperature of 450°.
  • Lightly grease a small (5-6 inch) cast iron skillet.
  • In a small mixing bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, hot sauce, salt and pepper.
  • In a medium mixing bowl toss together the corn and cheese.
  • Fold the mayonnaise mixture into the corn and cheese until well mixed.
  • Spread the mixture into your prepared cast iron.
  • Garnish with your additional cheese.
  • Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is beginning to get golden.
  • When you remove it from the oven garnish with the minced cilantro.
  • Cool for a few minutes before serving.

NOTES:

  • Recipes are just guidelines; the real flavor is in your unique creativity!
  • You can use FROZEN corn, but it MUST be thawed and thoroughly drained!!!
  • You can use Frank’s Chile Lime Hot Sauce or the Hot Honey sauce for a nice flavor change-up.
  • This recipe EASILY doubles into a 10 inch cast iron for a crowd.
  • When doubling I often add more white beans and white shoepeg corn to the sweet corn for a nice medley. These trade out ounce for ounce quite well.
  • This recipe EASILY adapts to other flavor combinations! Any meltable cheese (cheddar, Gouda, Guyere cheese is GREAT!
  • Hubby likes it when I change out the original Frank’s for BBQ sauce or even for a creamy homemade salsa for a flavor that work’s great too!
  • If you’re not a cilantro fan, try parsley, chives, thyme or even rosemary.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY, MENU & RECIPE LINKS week 6 of 2025 ~ BLOG 365.41

Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

LAST WEEK RECAPPED

Happy day after the Super Bowl! I understand they are trying to move the Super Bowl to the 3rd weekend of February in the future so that people will already have Monday off after celebrating their team (win or lose) too much on Sunday night. So sorry Jean that the Chiefs had a really rough day! My friend Lu won the silent bid for the Chief’s jersey we auctioned off at the Eagle’s (no pun intended) so she modeled it in your honor, despite the vibe and the score at the time we auctioned it 😀

It was a SUPER busy week! Sadly 🙁  it began with the passing of my favorite uncle, who was more like a brother. In the end, pancreatic cancer won. He passed quietly surrounded by his loving family. My cousins have been rock stars taking care of him and my aunt through this ordeal. 🙏 Prayers for them as they continue to adjust to this new world. My aunt and uncle have been raising two of their grandsons from another cousin who are both older teenagers now and this has been extremely difficult for them especially.

I worked Tuesday night during line dancing at the Eagle’s, did the shopping for 2 businesses on Wednesday and then did fundraising events Thursday through yesterday and have a meeting tonight before this week turns into a copy cat of last week. I hate these back to back weeks of non-stop events.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE

BRRRR it’s wet cold again! We didn’t get enough snow to do much though it’s quite pretty in the surrounding mountains still. Today through Wednesday we’re supposed to have highs in the 30’s and lows in the 20’s with Rain to Snow beginning Thursday. So, LOTS of layers are still on the foreseeable future with UGGs, sweaters and flannels.

TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING I had been so busy last week the laundry piled up, but I was able to get most of that done when I got home from Saturday’s event.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS My shopping is up to date, but I do have quite a bit to do for the Eagles this week. I also have a pedicure appointment early tomorrow morning.
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I have a pile of recipes I’ve chosen for the next 6 weeks, but now need to arrange them and make a final menu plan.

DVR/TV TIME

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • STREAMING We’re about 11 seasons through BONES. I’ll be sad for it to be over.
  • CABLE The DVR has plenty to choose from, but now for the time to play catch up 🙂
  • THEATRE We went and saw FLIGHT RISK one rainy day last week. Seriously low budget, but psychological thriller. Honestly I expected more from the movie.

READING TIME

I just started PICTURES OF YOU by Emma Grey. I really hated the last book, NONE OF THIS IS TRUE by Lisa Jewell for book club! I want this one to be better!

FUNNIES

MENU PLANS
2/10 MONDAY
2/11 TUESDAY
2/12 WEDNESDAY
2/13 THURSDAY
2/14 FRIDAY
2/15 SATURDAY
2/16 SUNDAY
DINNER
FROZEN PIZZA (meeting night)
 BAKED FISH & CHIPS
 BRAISED BALSAMIC CHICKEN & MASHED CARROTS
 SPICY CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS
 EAGLE’S VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION DINNER NIGHT
 CHICKEN & NOODLES
 ITALIAN PASTA & SAUSAGE IN GARLIC & WHITE WINE SAUCE
DESSERT
 
 
WACKY CAKE
 

FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA

One of the fundraiser events this past weekend was for a Create & Sip. It was a rather disjointed event (unlike our normal) and I spent a lot of time away from working on my picture. I’ll try and finish it later this week. It still needs a lot of fine tuning, but I think it will get there. 😀

INSPIRATIONS

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP

RECIPES COMING UP THIS WEEK

  • BAKED SWEET CORN DIP
  • CHICKEN CABBAGE STEW

RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS