Herbed Pork Roast

Jen made this one year for my birthday and it has become a favorite over here. We don't add the mushrooms to the pork loin. Instead I strain the drippings and make a gravy and add the sauted mushrooms to the gravy. It is unbelievably good! (No, I'm not making it tonight. We are have Berry Stuffed French Toast and sausages for supper.)

HERBED PORK ROAST

1 boneless pork loin roast (3 1/2-4 pds)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup ketchup
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon each dried marjoram, thyme and rosemary, crushed
2 large onions, sliced
1 bay leaf
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced and sauted

In Dutch oven coated with nonstick cooking spray, brown roast over medium heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine water, broth, ketchup, garlic and seasonings; pour over roast. Add onions and bay leaf. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 1 1/2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Add mushrooms; heat through. Discard bay leaf. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with onions and mushrooms. Thicken pan drippings for gravy if desired.

Yield 8-10 servings

Garage Sale Find

I was happy to find these two lounges at a garage sale for $5 each. We have several chairs with this wide heavy strapping. We were just commenting last week how tough these chairs are. The chairs we have are not loungers but we have had them close to 20 years. In fact Fred had just told me that if I ever find any chairs like them to buy them. I scrubbed them up today and we will enjoy them next summer.

Did you know our dog can read?

At least Kaitlin must think so. I ran up to make sure all the doors were shut before I take off and saw this note on Kaitlin's door, at Maggie's eye level.......She got in her room a couple of times and tore her garbage up. (She shut the door when she left for school but I think a certain little sister went in there to use hair stuff and forgot to shut it.)

Talking about the dog.......I think she has been really sneaky........I thought she was "trained" not to go on the furniture. Well twice now when I came home she was sleeping ON THE FOOT REST OF MY CHAIR!

Pools Still Open

The pools still open. Mainly because we haven't got around to closing it. Danny decided to swim last night after I gave him a haircut. He wanted a haircut like an "army guy". I buzzed him with a #2 on the bottom and a # 3 on top. He was pleased. "I look like a army dye. I'm going to be in the army when I grow up." (That's a new one!) The water was pretty chilly but he said, "The water feels great!" I felt it and said it was "freezing". He said, "so, I just nore it". I also told him that his goggles were upside down but he said he didn't "tare".

Need Parts?

If anyone ever needs parts for an appliance I'd recommend trying RepairClinic.com. That's where we ordered the timer for our washing machine.

Unfortunately, it was the wrong part. I was sick when Fred told me the machine still didn't work. I thought I had just thrown away $160.00. Then he looked on the receipt and it said you can return parts. THEN he noticed the address was in Canton. I called them and found out they in fact have a storefront and I could return the part I had ordered online at the store. Friday night Fred was not able to figure out what actually was wrong. He woke up for work Saturday morning and said the more he thinks about it, he THINKS it is the controller assembly. So I trucked the hour down to Canton in the pouring rain with my fingers crossed. I was hopeful when the guy at Repair Clinic said that he has seen a lot of controller assemblies going out the door and it must be a common problem......

Fred installed it and I now have a working washing machine!!! I was fine until Friday night when the part didn't work. Then the panic set in looking at the mounds and mounds of dirty laundry!! The washing machine is getting a work out today! We have ordered parts from RepairClinic.com before. They have a very user friendly website that pictures all the parts. I have a front loader Kenmore washing machine so I was happy to spend only $120.00 for a part instead of start looking for a new machine.

Washing Machine and Pasty

I've been without a washing machine since Monday. So I haven't washed clothes since Saturday. I'm actually quite amazed at the calmness of my family! A couple of them may be on their last pair of underwear but they all managed to find clean clothes, even today! Dad thinks it's the timer and it arrived today! I got a little worried when I pulled out the manual and realized the machine is 8.5 years old. That seems to be the average life expectancy of most appliances these days. Hopefully this is the right part and will keep the machine going a few more years.

Today was pasty day. I had orders for 83 so that left me with 8 left, just enough for dinner tonight. I'd like to start making them twice a month but in order to do that I need to expand my customer base. I spent so many years solicting business when I was with the Pampered Chef that I have a hard time doing so now. So all you local bloggers....if you know any single guys, elder people, busy mom's.....I guess anybody.......that might be interested in ordering pasties, send them my way. I charge $3.50 per pasty. I'll be making them again in 2-3 weeks. Sooner if I get enough orders before then.