Cashew Pork

Lesli made this for us when we were visiting and oh my goodness was it good! The whole house smelled like a gourmet restaurant and we couldn't get enough. Serves four plus a bit.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs pork tenderloin
• 2 apples, peeled, cored, cut into chunks
• 1 tsp cinammon
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1/2 c + cashew butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper
• cooking twine

Directions:

1. Butterfly the pork to get a uniform piece(s).
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Pulse in a food processor (until chunky applesauce looking): apples to lemon zest.
4. Spread the mixture evenly over the tenderloin, and roll it into a jellyroll from the long side. Use twine to hold the roll together.
5. Bake 25 mins per pound, or until internal temperature is 150.
6. While resting, make the sauce. Mix cashew butter to pepper in a pan over low heat. Add water, about 1/4 c at a time, until the sauce is the consistency of a thick soup. Serve over top of tenderloin.

Great served with roasted brussel sprouts.

Credit Paleo Comfort Foods Cookbook.

Apricot Walnut Creams

I love these little treats -- check out these ingredients, how could you not love these? Another one from the Weeks family. Makes about 5 1/2 dozen and freezes well for keeping.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c dried apricots
• 1 lb confectioners sugar
• 2/3 c light cream or half and half
• 1/4 c light corn syrup
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 c marshmallow creme
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 c walnuts, chopped

Directions:

1. Place apricots in colander over boiling water in large saucepan. Cover and steam 10 minutes. Remove from colander and dice small.
2. Combine in heavy 2 qt sauce pan the sugar, cream, syrup and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Continue cooking until small amount forms soft ball in cold water (234 degrees in a candy thermometer), and then remove from heat.
3. Add but do not stir the marshmallow cream and butter. Let cool 15 minutes.
4. Add vanilla and beat until creamy.
5. Stir in the apricots and walnuts.
6. Drop teaspoon sized drops on wax paper or foil and let set until firm enough to move.

Pimento Cheese Spread

I have tasted the first pimento cheese that I like! Mrs. Weeks has adjusted this recipe many, many times and has found the jackpot. She happened to not have bell pepper on hand when she made this, but that may have been the trick since I don't like bell pepper flavor. Delicious spread on crackers.

Mix all ingredients together and keep refrigerated. Makes about 1 1/2 - 2 cups.

• 8 oz sharp cheddar, grated
• just less than 2/3 c mayo
• 2 oz pimentos
• 1 tbsp chipolte in adobo sauce
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp paprika
• 1/8 tsp dried red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp sliced jalepeno

Anise Cookies

This is a Christmas favorite at the Week's house. Joe loves the anise flavor and we have anise hyssop growing in our backyard - we'll have to try to make the oil ourselves at some point. Makes 80-90 cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 c sugar
• 4 eggs
• 15 drops anise oil
• 2 c flour

Directions:

1. Beat first three ingredients for 20 minutes and then add flour and beat until combined. 
2. Drop onto greased cookie sheet and let sit overnight. 
3. Preheat oven to 375. Put cookies in and immediately turn oven down to 300. Bake about 14 minutes. 

Haystacks

Another great holiday recipe from my mother-in-law.

• 1/2 c peanut butter (plain or crunchy)
• 1 1/2 c "Chinese noodles"
• 6 oz package butterscotch morsels (can also make a version using chocolate morsels)

Melt morsels and peanut butter. Add noodles and mix together. Spoon tablespoon sized drops onto wax paper and let set for about an hour, long enough to cool down so that moving them will not break them apart. Keep refrigerated.

Basil Hayden Holiday Drink

I made up this cocktail with a bit of holiday flavor. I love the nutty smell of sucanat and clementines are always a family  favorite during the holidays.

• 1/2 jigger Basil Hayden bourbon
• 1/4 jigger honey syrup (make this by simmering equal parts sucanat and water into a syrup. could probably substitute simple syrup.)
• squeezed juice of 1/4 clementine
• 3 dashes bitters
• splash of water

Combine over ice and stir until cold. Serves 1, so make 2 :). Enjoy!