Cindy-Campbell.com

It’s tomato season! Half a dozen just came in from the garden yesterday.

And I know I’m not the only person who won’t just bite into a tomato like an apple. I like them peeled, with all of that seed-gooky-stuff taken out.

Last year I tried the age old tip to remove the peels. It’s so easy, it’s ridiculous.

Now. A lot of projects/tasks on the internet claim to be “easy” and turn in to something so difficult or time consuming you want to cry or beat your head against a wall.
This is not one of those hurtful claims.

Here is all you have to do:

1. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Fill a small mixing bowl with water and LOTS of ice.


2. Use a knife to cut an X in the bottom of each of the tomatoes.


3. Working 1 or 2 at a time, place the tomato into the boiling water.


4. After about 20 seconds, use a slotted spoon to transfer the tomato from the pot to the ice water. (This stops the tomato from cooking any further).


5. Once cool, take the tomato out of the water, and the skin should slide off practically on its own!

I was honestly shocked when I pulled my 1st tomato out of the ice water and 1/2 of the peel just shed right off. The rest of the peel comes off with minimal effort. Which is fabulous for a finicky eater like me

 

My response to the “stress” Pinterest is causing. 

Seriouly people. 

Calm down. 

It will be ok.

 

Meme by Cindy Campbell

‘Pinterest stress’ afflicts nearly half of moms, survey says

Making Peace with Pinterst

Truth: The key to getting an “A” on a paper in my 11th grade English class was to use a quote in your opening paragraph.  Not a quote from the book, necessarily, just one that contained a word that was a theme in the book. Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations came in quite handy.  It was the 90’s, we didn’t have Pinterest yet. Or Facebook. Or Smartphones. Seriously, the Internet and Email were just catching on. And now I feel old.

Outside of English class, I am not one who particularly “likes” quotes or mantras. And thanks to the Internet, words can be copied and manipulated so easily, it is hard to tell who originally said what.  Or if that is exactly what they said, or the context of what they were saying… Abraham Lincoln said never trust a quote you see on the Internet.

But.  Sometimes someone at some point is able to articulate a concept that I feel but cannot quite explain.  “Practice Random Acts of Kindness and Senseless Beauty.”  Putting beautiful things into the world for no real reason.  Just because.  And doing something nice for someone else, without expecting anything in return.  Just because.  With all the chaos any negativity in the world, practicing kindness and adding beauty to the everyday helps restore some balance.

Adding beauty to everyday life was the original intention behind the Etsy shop I opened 3 years ago.  It is also the reason I peruse the Manager’s Specials in the Floral Department at Kroger (grocery store).  This pretty bouquet of Pink Flowers:  99 cents.  Less than $1 to add some beauty and happiness to my home (re-using glass vases helps keep the flower buying/giving budget in check).  Just a little bit of care, these flowers will last a week, maybe more!

Add a bow, and for a couple bucks, you can give a “just because” gift to a friend or neighbor.

 

Don’t have a lot of empty vases lying around?  Any piece of glassware can do the job… like a mason jar, or that tasting glass from your favorite Craft Brewery! [Shameless plug for Saint Arnold, Texas’s Oldest Craft Brewery]

 

Now go do something beautiful and/or nice, for goodness sakes!  Literally.  For the sake of all thing good still left in the world.
Thanks

Crispy treats seem to be the name of the game this week. First I see Jeff make some goo-balls on Chopped All Stars ... then Bakerella posts her version hours later, which were inspired by these treats at Smitten Kitchen.

They have reminded me of the cereal treats I made for edible gifts last Christmas (especially since the Chopped basket had marshmallows and coconut for mystery ingredients).

Behold! Toasted Coconut Pecan Treats!
The 1st batch was shipped to my sister & her boyfriend.
The 2nd batch went to my co-worker… she said her family ate them for breakfast!

I was initially inspired by a Martha Stewart Recipe, wanting to make something unique as a Christmas gift for my sister’s Boyfriend. He loves coconut, but my sister does not. So a dessert with coconut is quite an occasion. I tweaks I made to the Martha version seemed very sensible.

The 1st batch was pretty good, but I knew it could be better. So, I adjust the proportions a bit, and DIPPED THEM IN CHOCOLATE. This new version went to my coworker, and her family was very pleased!

Here is the updated (dare I say BETTER) recipe for you to try. Your life will be a lot easier if you use a kitchen scale to weigh out your ingredients. You don’t have to weigh everything… it just that ingredients like pecans and cornflakes can be hard to measure with the scoop method.

Toasted Coconut Pecan Treats

7.5 oz. sweetened shredded coconut, Toasted (½ of a 15oz bag)
3 oz. pecans, toasted, then roughly chopped (3/4 of a cup, or ½ of a 6oz bag)
4 TBL Butter (½ a stick)
10 oz. Mini Marshmallows (1 standard size bag)
3.5 oz. Cornflakes (4 cups)
Non Stick Cooking Spray
8 oz. Chocolate/Chocolate Bark/Chocolate Candy Coating, melted

Spray a 8”x11” Baking Dish with cooking spray.
(The original recipe calls for 8×8, but that makes THICK squares, but 9×13 makes thin squares… any dish that seems bigger that a 8” square but smaller than a 9×13 should work out fine.)

Combine Toasted Coconut, Pecans, and Corn Flakes in a large heatproof bowl. Set aside.

Melt butter and marshmallow on the stove over medium heat. Stir constantly (to avoid burning) until marshmallow is a creamy consistency and the butter has been completely combined.

Using a wooden spoon or heat-proof spatula, transfer the marshmallow to the cereal mixture. Stir until all ingredients are equally combined.

Transfer entire contents of the bowl to the baking dish. Spray some cooking spray on 1 hand so you can press the treats into an even layer. Allow to cool.

Cut cooled treats into desired shapes. Hold treats at top edge and dip the bottom into melted chocolate, so the chocolate come ½ way u the treat. Let excess chocolate drip back into the bowl.

Place treats chocolate-side down on a wax-paper lined cookie sheets (any flat surface will work, really) and let the chocolate harden.

Enjoy!

Don’t know how to toast coconut? Here are some simple instructions!
It is not scary. Just don’t abandon the coconut during the toasting process and you will be fine.

I you can think of any more fun additions to the traditional Rice Crispie Treat, please let me know!

My neighbor invited me over for East lunch and served this Pork Tenderloin. It was delicious!

Ever since I tried the Alton Brown Pork Tenderloin, I’ve been hooked on the grilling method for this cut of meat. Another recipe to add to my arsenal!

Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Strawberries

1 (3-lb.) package pork tenderloins
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided 10 bacon slices
2 (8-oz.) packages haricots verts (thin green beans)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, divided
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup strawberry preserves
1/2 cup quartered fresh strawberries

Preheat grill to 400° to 500° (high) heat.

Sprinkle pork with pepper and 1 tsp. salt; wrap 5 bacon slices around each tenderloin, and secure with wooden picks.

Place green beans, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, and remaining 1 tsp. salt in center of a 24- x 18-inch piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil; toss to coat. Bring up sides of foil over beans; double fold top and side edges to seal, making a packet.  

Turn off one side of grill. Arrange pork and foil packet over unlit side, and grill, covered with grill lid, 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, mince remaining 2 garlic cloves; sauté in remaining 1 Tbsp. hot olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes or until golden. Add vinegar; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in preserves. Reserve half of mixture for basting. Stir fresh strawberries into remaining mixture.

Remove foil packet from grill; transfer pork to lit side. Baste pork with reserved strawberry mixture. Grill 5 more minutes over lit side, turning once. Remove pork from grill.  Rest, before slicing.  Serve with strawberry mixture and green beans.