Yes, we do eat more than dessert around here (and a meme)

I know it doesn't look like it lately, what with all the flour, butter and sugar seen on my blog in the last week.

People who've read my blog for awhile now know that I usually have a menu plan for the week. It's been a little off lately, but essentially the plan is still there, though it has been only 1-2 days ahead lately - for example I know what I'm going to make on Thursday for dinner (pre soccer game) but still don't know what I'm going to make tomorrow night.

Last week was a bit like that - I knew I was going to make some kind of "fajitas" using pork for Thursday's dinner, but that was it. If I'd have been thinking a bit further ahead, I'd have marinated my pork the day before. Instead I looked at my plan and remembered to take the tenderloins out of the freezer the day before.


Hey at least I remembered that!

I remembered to write down what I put into my marinate, and would strongly recommend that if you make this that you let the meat marinate for a good full day. I only ended up with 5 hours, and it was still good. But it would be sooooo much better if it had time to penetrate further.

I served this tasty pork on flour tortillas with Montery Jack cheese, fresh cilantro, a homemade guacamole, green onions and a bit of sour cream. The kids added salsa to theirs and skipped the guacamole.

Guacamole doesn't look pretty but sure tastes good. Especially homemade guacamole.

So bonus to everyone today - two recipes from me! But you have to read after the meme to get to them. (Is that cheating?)

My new friend Megan tagged me for this 5 Things about you meme, so here goes!

The rules: Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

What was I doing ten years ago?
Sick as could be with my firstborn child. Morning sickness is a myth - try all day sickness instead. For 9 1/2 months.

What are five (non-work) things on my to-do list for today:

1. Write up and publish TWD recipe.
2. Get Subway orders organized and delivered for the school lunch next week.

3. Laundry, laundry and more laundry.

4. Pick up something to make for early dinner since it is a soccer practice night. And for fyi, steak sandwiches with home made sweet potato "fries."

5. Clean downstairs bathroom.

5 Snacks I enjoy:

1. chips and dip

2. asian pears

3. chocolate

4. popcorn with extra butter

5. marble cheese

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
Culinary school and cooking vacations from around the world. After I’d done all the practical things first.

Places I have lived:
Calgary, Alberta; Germany (army bases); Brampton, Mississauga, Ottawa, North Bay, Pembroke, all in Ontario

Jobs I have had:
Burger King and McDonalds, as well Dairy Queen, as a teenager.

Cashier at a corner store, doing both opening and closing shifts in the same week.

Temp agencies, doing this and that, including one where I spend several days cleaning up someone’s files, and one for Canon where they paid me to load paper into printers over and over again.

Direct Mail facility. Yes, I sent out addressed and unaddressed junk mail. And learned a bit about how to deal with my children’s temper tantrums by having to deal with sales rep temper tantrums.

Stay-at-home-parent. Still mostly doing this, though with a part time job now, and a lot of volunteer work with the school. (Does laminating slave count as a job?)

Play-leader. Silly title for a preschool program. I do crafts with kids, and sing songs and do finger plays in circle with them. I get to color and play playdough as well, and I make a very good Lincoln Logs house.

Now I'm supposed to tag 5 people. Not sure if I can find people who haven't been tagged yet. So I'm going to go back to some of my first blogging friends and hope I didn't retag them.

Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict
Lis of La Mia Cucina
Mary of The Sour Dough
Helen of Tartelette
Brilynn of Jumbo Empanadas

Now for recipes!

Guacamole

3 ripe avacados, chunked
1/2 red onion, diced small
big handful of fresh cilantro, chopped fine
1 tsp minced garlic
big sprinkling of kosher salt
heaping tablespoon salsa (I used a fresh made kind, but use whatever you have)
juice of half a lime (zest too if you want.)

Place everything together in a bowl and mush it together with a spoon. How mushy depends on how you like your salsa. Leave it chunky if you like it chunky, or mush it fine if you like it smoother. Mine was somewhere in between.

Pork Fajitas

zest of 1 lime
1 tablespoon of honey
juice of 3 limes
2 tablespoons finally chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 pork tenderloins

Mix marinate ingredients together and place in a large ziploc bag. Add tenderloins and allow to marinate, turning occasionally, for at least 12 hours. The longer the better.

Preheat bbq to medium heat. Grill tenderloins, turning frequently, until desired doneness. I wanted a touch of pink left in mine for moisture.

Allow to rest for 10 minutes under a foil tent before slicing thinly on the diagonal. Serve with guacamole on flour tortillas with choice of toppings. Good toppings are more fresh cilantro, green onions, cheese, salsa, sour cream, sauted onions.