Menu Planning Week of October 5, 2015

Monday: World's Best Frito Chili Pie
World's Best Frito Chili Pie, serve over rice, Fritos, top with sharp cheddar and coconut flakes. Yes, coconut flakes. They're an amazing finish to chili. Trust me.

Tuesday: Balsamic Pork, Jasmine Rice, Broccoli (didn't get to this recipe last week)

Wednesday: Grilled bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin, mashed potatoes, fresh cranberry sauce, fancy Brussels sprouts
Celebratory Coach is our Hero meal (Ava's fall break snuck up on us and Coach is coming to town to save the days!) 

Thursday: Black-eyed peas, cornbread
These really aren't too spicy. My kids loooove this recipe.  Cornbread, in a cast-iron skillet or nothing at all.

Friday: Twice-baked pork carnitas nachos, fire-roasted salsa, and all the fixins
One of our favorite fun Friday meals, the carnitas are great in breakfast tacos on Saturday morning too!

Bonus: the Best-Ever Sausage Balls
DO NOT make these the size of golf balls, DO NOT cook very long - just until you cut into one in the center of the pan and see no pink. The cream cheese helps these stay delicate, but if you're lazy with your size or linger the timer you will still accomplish the leather boot texture you remember about these appetizers at every horrible church potluck. Just say no.

and Mamaw's Wassail 
Magical fall and winter beverage that will warm you from your toes up. Feel free to add a little vodka (or Rumchata) to finish if you're in the mood!

Here we come a wassailing

In a recent phone conversation with my sister we talked about spiced cider/wassail. Don't worry, we also talked about fun, juicy stuff too. But we spent a significant amount of time pitying the throngs of people who spend this crisp season drinking sub par fall drinks. Apple juice with melted Red Hot candy? Seriously? Prepackaged spice mix dumped into microwaved juice? Don't even get me started. Sarah and I grew up with heavenly nectar-ish Wassail. Our grandmother passed the recipe to Mom and she passed it to both of us. It's great for cold nights, dreary mornings, and is an excellent source of vitamin C for the sniffles that often accompany this season. So put down that mug of sad-slightly-spiced-blandness and warm up your percolator!

Mamaw's Wassail

4 cups apple juice (I use Simply Apple)
2 cups cranberry juice (cocktail is okay)
1 cup orange juice (Simply Orange plus calcium for us)
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (allow some of the pulp into the mixture)
1/2 cup sugar (raw is yummiest)
1 teaspoon WHOLE cloves
1 teaspoon WHOLE allspice
5 sticks cinnamon

Pour all juices and sugar together into percolator. Place the spices in the basket. Allow mixture to percolate for at least an hour for best taste.

If you don't have a percolator you can use a stock pot and simmer the wassail over the stove. Put the spices in a tea infuser and allow mixture to simmer and slightly boil for an hour. Enjoy in your favorite mug, preferably with a special someone.