Author: QuiltLady

Orange Maple Pork Tenderloin
1 1/2-2 pound pork tenderloin
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup Panda Express Orange Sauce
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

• Put pork tenderloin in a ziploc bag. 
• In a separate bowl, mix all the remaining ingredients until well blended and pour into the ziploc bag. 
• Marinate for as long as you can – overnight, if possible.
• Remove pork from the plastic bag, reserving the marinade. 
• Place in baking dish.
• Bake in a 400 degree oven until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees.
• While the pork is cooking, boil the remaining marinade from the bag for at least 10 minutes.
• Remove pork from oven and cover with foil for 10 minutes.  The pork will continue to cook and reach 145 degrees.
• When the pork is finished, slice and serve with the marinade as a sauce.

Hope you had a very Merry Christmas if you celebrate that…and a happy Boxing day to those that celebrate that! And…here we go!

1. They’ve started advertising Valentine’s Day already?
2. Going going gone.
3. What is up with commercials using louder audio than the shows they sponsor?
4. Love old time tv shows.
5. Eyes forward.
6. OOPS, ut oh I gotta do it again.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to vegging after cleaning the whole house, tomorrow my plans include lots of vacuuming and sorting through garage boxes and Sunday, I want to watch football and finish the last Christmas present!

Egg Nog Cupcakes with Rum Caramel
Yield: about 18-20 cupcakes

For the Cupcakes:

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

¼ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground nutmeg

¼ cup dark rum or bourbon (optional)

1 cup eggnog

¼ cup vegetable or canola oil

1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup sugar
For Caramel:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
6 tablespoons butter cut into small pieces
3/8 cup heavy cream
1/8 cup rum
For Frosting:
2 sticks of butter
4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons egg nog
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of salt

Directions: 
To make the Cupcakes:
 preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg; whisk to combine.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the rum, eggnog, vegetable oil, vinegar, and sugar.  Beat on medium-low speed until well blended.  Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until incorporated.

Divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners, filling the cups 2/3 full.  Bake 22-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.


For Caramel:
Whisk together the sugar and water in a medium saucepan and whisk over high heat until sugar is dissolved. Don’t stir the mixture but gently swirl the pan until it has reached a dark brown amber color. At that point whisk in the butter. (Careful- it will bubble up- don’t burn yourself.) Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream and bourbon. Allow caramel to cool in the fridge before filling/drizzling. 


For Frosting:
Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter until it is creamy and pale. Gradually add the powdered sugar until thick and creamy. Add the egg nog one tablespoon at a time until the texture seems right. Add the nutmeg and salt and beat for another minute or so.


To assemble:
Once the cupcakes have cooled, scoop a tablespoon-size amount out of each one with a small spoon or paring knife. Fill with caramel, pipe on frosting and drizzle with remaining caramel. Sprinkle with a dash of nutmeg and enjoy!

Cupcake Recipe adapted from: Annie’s Eats

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly.  Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.

It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality
which the children could remember.

• The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
• Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
• Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
• The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
• The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
• The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
• Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit–Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
• The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
• Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit–Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
• The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.
• The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
• The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.

So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol…so pass it on if you wish.’

Merry (Twelve Days of) Christmas Everyone – and, remember, the Twelve Days of Christmas are the 12 days following December 25th.  The Christmas Season runs until Epiphany, January 6.

DON’T FORGET TO TRACK SANTA FOR THE KIDS!  

This year’s most unique gift – and the winner is the REDNECK WINEGLASSES.