Crockpot Brown Sugar Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin

I'm happy to say that I'm back at my blog! It's been an adjustment period with the arrival of our new little girl, but I must say I wouldn't change things for the world!  She has only made life more enjoyable and each day is a memory I cherish!

However, that being said, having a new little one and getting back to work and my normal routine has been a challenge.  Thus, the great invention of the crockpot comes into play!  I couldn't survive without my crockpot!  I've found a great new addition to my recipe repertoire and my husband loves it (and he is sometimes hard to please).  I thought I'd share the addition of this easy recipe with all of my followers, so here goes nothing.

CROCKPOT BROWN SUGAR BALSAMIC GLAZED PORK TENDERLOIN
Note from Author:  This recipe is adapted from:  http://laurassweetspot.com/2013/06/12/crockpot-brown-sugar-balsamic-glazed-pork-tenderloin/

• 1teaspoon ground sage
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 1/4teaspoon pepper
• 2cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2cup water
• 2pounds pork loin roast
• 1/2cup brown sugar
• 1tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2cup water
• 2tablespoons soy sauce

1. Mix together the seasonings : sage, salt, pepper and garlic, and rub over the pork loin.
2. Place 1/2 cup water in slow cooker, followed by the pork loin, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours (depending on size).
3. "MY QUICK AND DIRTY METHOD FOR THE GLAZE":  Just before the roast is finished, mix together the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan : brown sugar, cornstarch, balsamic vinegar, water, and soy sauce.
4. Heat over medium and stir until mixture thickens, about 4 minutes.  Serve on top of roast.
5. "FOR THOSE WITH THE LUXURY OF TIME GLAZE":  The original recipe states to prepare glaze 1 hour before roast is done and then to brush roast with glaze 2-3 times during the last hour of cooking.  You can also caramelize the glaze on the roast by lining a pan with aluminum foil and placing the roast on the pan, and then placing under broiler for 1-2 minutes until bubbly, repeating until crust consistency is reached.  
6. Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

ENJOY!

DIY Painted Onesies

Start by printing a template that you like.  I simply used Microsoft Word and found a fun font.  If you don't have one that you like, download one for free from 1001 Free Fonts.  

After getting my text typed into the word processing program, I then found my clip-art that I wanted to pair the text with.  In Microsoft Word you can view a ruler, thus, allowing visual measurements of how big your onesie design will be when printed.  I measured my onesie across the chest and found a good height and width for it, then proceeded to print.  Every brand of onesie varies in size and also depends on style, so measuring is a must for best fit!

After printing out my onesie design, I cut it out with scissors and traced it onto my onesie.  It would have been easier to use my old trick of printing out on freezer paper (plastic/waxy side down) and then ironing on the letters and peeling them off after tracing, but I just held them in place because I was feeling lazy).

Completed template shown above.

After I started filling in the letters and outlining.  I let dry between each color to avoid smearing and mixing of colors.

COMPLETED ONESIE READY TO BE WASHED AND WORN BY MINI MONTROY!  I think it's super cute!

Daddy Survival Kit for Labor and Delivery

Since we have one day until Baby Montroy has made it until 40 weeks, both Mommy and Daddy have been going stir crazy.  Since I've had extra time to pass, and my birthday and Valentine's Day are around this time, I didn't want my husband to feel left out, so I undertook making him a Daddy Survival Kit for Labor and Delivery!

As you can see there are many of the essentials he may require during the waiting time for baby!  I've included many of his favorites and a few surprises I'm sure he will love, but the joy is that these kits can be customized for the particular labor coach it is being given to.  My husband's survival kit includes:

• Mountain Dew (his caffeinated drink of choice)
• A 5 Hour Energy (in case Mountain Dew just isn't cutting it)
• Great Value Penguin Cheddar Crackers 
• Life Savers Gummies and Hard Candies (because let's be realistic, he's my "lifesaver" and I couldn't do this without him!)
• Snickers Minis (Since we all need to remember to laugh at times)
• Trail Mix to snack on and something relatively healthy that I may also snack on since it's light and hopefully won't upset my tummy
• Kleenex with Lotion (because he may just need a soft tissue to wipe his own or my tears and the hospital ones you can pretty much see through)
• A shirt for him to wear that will make him smile (Proudly displaying the quote "I make adorable babies")
• A book for him to read to our new little peanut

Although this has been what seems like the longest pregnancy ever, I am grateful that our baby has made it this far and has been given the best chance for a healthy delivery.  In addition, being allowed the extra time to do some "fun" stuff for my husband and baby has been very rewarding, especially since I find crafting and using my creative side to be most relaxing!