Veterans Day Menu

What a wonderful day to thank all of those veterans around us and let them know how much we appreciate their part in protecting our freedoms and liberties. There are so many that surround us that quietly go about life living with nightmares about things that they saw and yet we don't take the time time to tell them thank you what they've done.

This last year my dad died. He rarely talked about his time in the service to anyone other than to tell us how much he hated cottage cheese because he said thats all they ever served them in the service. As we prepared for his funeral we came across his service record and for the first time, we found out that he had been awarded the bronze star. He had never even told my mother about it. This year, begin a tradition to invite someone around you to dinner and begin to find out just what they've done to give you the freedom that you enjoy today.

MENU

Cucumber Salad

Peach/Mango Salsa over Pork Loin

Roasted Potato/Onion Wedges

Roasted Vegetables

Wheat Rolls

Bing Cherry Crisp

Cucumber Salad

2−3 cucumbers, sliced

2 tsp salt

3 tbsp cider vinegar

1-1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp white pepper

1/2 clove garlic, minced

4 fresh green onions, diced

1 cup thick sour cream

1/4 tsp paprika

Slice cucumbers thinly into bowl; sprinkle with salt, mix. Set aside for 1 hour. Mix vinegar, water, sugar, paprika, white pepper and garlic, and set aside. Squeeze liquid from cucumber slices a few at a time, and place into bowl. Discard liquid. Add vinegar

mixture, green onions, and sour cream. Mix and sprinkle additional paprika over top. Chill for 1−2 hours.

Peach/mango salsa PorkLoin

5 - 6 lbs. Pork loin

2 cups peach/mango salsa

Season pork loin with a mixture of onion salt, Lawyer seasoned salt, and granulated garlic. Apply spray oil (Pam) to pan that pork loin will be cooked on.

Cook in oven or a smoker oven at 350º for 1-1/2 to 2 hours; the last half-hour, baste with peach/mango salsa every 15 minutes.

Peach/Mango Salsa

1 fresh peach chopped

1-1/2 peeled & finely diced Mango (or a tin )

1 - 2 tsp diced chilies (you can use less if you don't want it as spicy)

1 tomato, chopped

2 spring onions diced

2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1 - 2 cloves crushed garlic (to your taste)

2 tsp lemon juice

Combine all ingredients, chill and serve

Roasted potato/onion wedges

4 large potatoes cut into wedges

1 large onion peeled and sliced into rings

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tbsp chopped garlic

pepper to taste

¾ cup melted butter

Place all ingredients in a bowl and toss. Place on a baking pan and put into a 350º oven (I like to put them in the smoker) for 1-1/2 hours or until fork tender.

Roasted vegetables

1 red pepper, cord seeded and sliced

1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms

4 large peeled and sliced carrots

1 onion peeled and sliced

2 small zucchini sliced

1/2 cup melted butter

2 tbsp. Chopped garlic

salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and toss. Pour onto a baking pan. Cook in oven or smoker at 350º for 1 hour or until tender.

Whole Grain Buns

2 tbsp milk

2 tbsp honey

2-1/2 tbsp molasses

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup shortening

1 package dry yeast

1-3/4 cups stone ground wheat flour

2 to 2-1/4 cups flour

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1 egg, beaten

Heat milk, honey, molasses, water and shortening, stirring to melt the shortening. Cool to 110 degrees F and add yeast. Stir to dissolve. Add both flours, salt and egg and mix on low speed of electric mixer until ingredients are well combined. Let dough rest in mixing bowl for 30 minutes (or until doubled in bulk). Remove and form into rolls or buns.. Let rise for 45 min to 1 hour (or until doubled in size). Bake in oven at 400 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes. Yields about 1 dozen rolls or buns.

Bing Cherry Crisp

Topping

1 cup flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup nuts

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons melted butter

Pinch of salt

Mix topping ingredients together.

Fruit Filling

5 cups pitted Bing cherries

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

Mix filling ingredients together, and put into a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Spread topping over fruit. Bake in oven at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.