Grilled Pork Loin and Memories of Home Ec

Ooops, I thought Foodie Friday was weekly, but evidently it is not this week. So, I removed the icon for it so you wouldn't all be searching for the other entries this week. I guess I just have to come back next time with a food entry that is intended for this wonderful party.

In the meantime, please take a look at my Thursday night impromptu meal.

Tonight on the Printersdevil's menu is grilled pork loin. Mr. PD received an early gas grill for Father's Day. We gave him the grill early so that he could practice before we host a family cookout on Father's Day. He has been getting plenty of practice this week and we have all told him that he needs to keep practicing every night.

I bought a boneless pork loin earlier in the week and planned to cook it in an electric slow roasting pan. However, I had to take my niece to the doctor today and was gone all afternoon. On my way home, I called and Mr. PD told me that he had just put the pork on the grill. Hmmm...taste buds did an about face turn. No brown gravy and mashed potatoes with this one.

My first thought was that we would be eating very late since it was already late afternoon. I had about a 90 minute drive home, but when I got home, I was greeted by a marvelous aroma coming from the backyard. Next, I was informed that I needed to pull something else together to go with the pork loin because it was almost done. So much for planning.



I had some fresh yellow squash that Mr. PD wanted me to fry. He likes it sliced thin and fried crispy. I sorted through the freezer and located some frozen okra and decided to steam it. It isn't hot enough for okra to be fresh here yet. After dumping the okra into the steamer pan, I realized that most of it was really too big to cook this way, but I was committed and I didn't want to have another fried food. So, I decided to just wing it.

I know that this probably gave the food pyramid thingy fits, but a girl has to do what she has to do. I was satisfied that this would do, when my niece came through the kitchen and told me that she only liked fried okra and didn't like squash.I couldn't feed her only the pork loin. It does look good enough to eat without anything else, but she is only 11 and needs other things.




So, I went digging around the fridge and pulled out a container of parmason pasta salad that we had on Sunday. Miss Audree gave that a thumbs up. I also found a small bowl of some broccoli and rice from earlier in the week. Now, I know this combination is way wrong on the pyramid and old---I mean dear Miss Nesmith is probably remarking, "I knew that girl would never amount to anything in the kitchen. She was my ninth grade home economics teacher and almost flunked me during the first cooking lab.

We cooked cinnamon toast of all things. Pleeeeeeeeease, I had been doing that for years. I don't remember what else we were to prepare, but it had to be planned out and we had to measure everything, even the cinnamon and sugar for each piece of bread. I can still smell the burned bread odor that filled the lab. We had to do everything by the book including setting a timer for the appropriate amount of time to cook. The only thing was----our stove's timer was broken. I wanted to remove the toast at a decent time, but my partner and best friend was one of those "by the book" people, too. So, we waited on the timer, at least until the smoke started filling the room. I probably sat there with my legs crossed at the knees instead of the correct ankle position, much to her disgust. I guess she would have said "chagrin" instead of "disgust".

Poor Miss Nesmith was beside herself with us---me. To her horror, I had to point out that we were just doing what she told us to do. She lived through that and so did I.

I even enjoyed detention hall.

So, you see, it really doesn't bother me to throw things together. I really know how to plan a balanced menu and do so often, but on occasion, it is fun to just be me and be spontaneous especially in the kitchen.

Here is a look at Mr. PD's plate since he decided to eat the squash, okra and the rice with his pork. He evidently didn't have Miss Nesmith for a teacher.



One last thing, we ate off of plastic trays in front of the television. Sometimes you just have to go for comfort in the summer.

For dessert, I went back to the freezer and scavenged up an assortment of ice cream. Everyone had their Blue Bell choice including vanilla, butter pecan, vanilla with chocolate syrup, and strawberry. Everyone was semi-happy, except Miss Audree who would have rather had Rocky Road. I draw the line there! (Read that as I don't like it, so I don't buy it!)

Pork loin, broccoli and rice, squash, okra, pasta salad, iced tea and ice cream. Priceless.

I haven't smoked up the kitchen in years, Miss Nesmith. But, there was that incident right after I got married when I used added baking powder in a cup measurement instead of the required teaspoon or tablespoon that was needed. That was my dear MIL's fault since she read it that way to me over the phone...

It's a wonder Mr. PD hasn't starved to death or divorced me over my cooking. Maybe that is why he grills so often.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing a Foodie Friday moment with me. Be sure to jump over to Gollum's place at the link at the top to view her wonderful food and photos and then to the links to all the other participant's posts. I bet they followed the food pyramid.