The Family that Brays Together

  

 

 

Today's post is a companion piece to a blog post I wrote earlier this month. Actually not so much a companion piece but an opportunity to defend myself, clear the air and temper the damage a bit. 

 

The original post was a Secret Subject Swap writing challenge in which I was asked to talk about the strangest pet I've ever owned. I called it Meet, Bray, Love, and if you didn't read it, you should. 

 

My prompt was a simple question, but it was also posed in the context of, as I said, a writing challenge. The point of these challenges is to serve as an opportunity for those of us involved to push ourselves out of our comfort zone as writers. 

 

The piece I wrote may have pushed the comfort zone, but not necessarily mine. More like my friends and readers. Truth is, I've not led an interesting life in the pet realm. No snakes or alligators or piranhas for me. So I decided to use the opportunity to make up a funny story. It was meant to push the box a bit, but it seems that what it accomplished was pushing my readers off the ledge. 

 

Oops.

 

 

 

It actually could have been worse. Given the story I told, I'd considered for the title something along the lines of Picking my Ass. Fortunately, after I wrote it out I looked at it and realized how that would sound.

 

As is, I got . . . let's say more than a few . . . messages. They ran the gamut: disapproval, shock, concern. And, fortunately for me, some actually got it, that it was just a writing exercise, and a joke. For the rest of my readers, who I hope I haven't lost permanently, let me just (try to) explain:

 

1) It's not like I'm talking behind his back, there are occasions when I feel compelled to call Hubs a stubborn jackass right to his face. 

2) If I happen to mention something I'm writing about that interests him, Hubs has me read him the draft, but he doesn't read my blog (his loss). Since I . . . ahem . . . neglected to mention the donkey post, he doesn't know I called him a stubborn ass in (semi) public.

3) It was a joke.

4) There are worse things people have called their spouses. Way worse. Just sayin' (or mitigating, as the case may be). And who hasn't referred to their significant other as a stubborn jackass now and then? Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Too dramatic?

5) Point of fact: donkeys are strong, intelligent, and gentle. They have a great work ethic and a good memory. So actually, I was paying Hubs a complement.

 

And for those of you who expressed concern for me, let me just say that you have nothing to worry about, he won't leave me. He can't boil water, doesn't know how to use the washing machine and these days wouldn't be able to find his way to the lawyer's office unless I drove him (and there are days when I just might).

 

 

Apple Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

But OK, fine. Full disclosure, although I kinda sorta inferred that Hubs was a stubborn jackass, truth is that when it comes to stubborn, I am, and always have been (ask my mom) the undisputed queen. So in all fairness, I'm willing to compromise and take the stubborn part back. 

We good?

Apple Stuffed Pork Tenderloin        

                                                                                                 ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:  

about 1 1/2# pork tenderloin

salt and pepper

1 TBSP butter

1 large apple, chopped

1/4 red onion, sliced

1 sleeve Ritz crackers (about 35 crackers), crushed

1/4 tsp dried thyme 

up to 2 TBSP chicken broth

1/4 cup barbecue sauce

Directions:

*Trim the fat from the pork tenderloin and butterfly it so it lays flat. Place it between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound to about 1/2 inch thick. Remove the top piece of plastic wrap and sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper.

*Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cover a sheet pan (with sides) with tin foil.

*Melt the butter in a saute pan. Add the apple and onion. Cook and stir until soft, about 3 minutes. Mix in the crackers and thyme. Add the chicken broth, one TBSP at a time as needed, to get the stuffing to stick together when pressed. It should be moist but not wet.

*Spread the stuffing onto the pork to about an inch from all sides. Roll the pork into a log, starting with the long side. Discard the bottom plastic wrap.

*Secure either with cooking twine or you can use toothpicks at the seam inserted at 45 degree angles going both ways to form "X"s at the seam.

*Place the tenderloin, seam side down, onto the prepared pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the barbecue sauce over the tenderloin and use a pastry brush to be sure the top and sides are covered.

*Bake for about 45 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.