Today we are featuring one of Peggy's recipes. And if you know anything from reading this blog, you know that if it's one of Peggy's recipes, you are going to need to make. You are going to love it. You are going to make it for everyone that comes to your house because its so delicious. 

 

This is Peggy's Pork with Prunes. The meat is fall apart tender, sweet and juice, with a memorable sauce with such deep flavor you are going to want to drink it. 

Ingredients: 

1 Loin Pork Roast, pulled and tied (2.5 lbs)

Salt and Pepper

2 Tbs Vegetable Oil

1 Tbs Butter

2 Medium Onions finely chopped

1 Cinnamon stick 2 inches long

1.5 cups chicken stock (about 1 can)

1 cup dried pitted prunes

2 Tbs mild honey

2 Tbs fresh lemon juice

Directions: 

Heat butter in a heavy le creuset type dish

Cover your loin with oil

Season all sides with salt and pepper

Brown on all sides in pan until crust forms

Remove from pan

Add onions to pan and sauté (season onions with salt and pepper as well)

Return pork back to pan

Add water and cinnamon. 

Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer for 90 minutes (turning meat from time to time)

Add prunes to liquid, cover, and continue to simmer for 30 minutes

Stir honey into liquid, basting pork as you go for about 5 minutes

Transfer meat to plate, remove prunes to a bowl

Cook sauce until thickened

Add lemon juice, add prunes back to sauce and season to taste

Arrange pork slices and spoon sauce over pork

This is seriously such an amazing meal. The flavors are just unique and incredible. 

Enjoy!

Januaries can be tough. The fun of the holidays are over, the bright new winter snow can become grey and muddy. You may or may not be dealing with broken resolutions. Lets just say, Januaries are not my favorite. But I know my mood can dictate my family's mood. One way we keep our house feeling cozy and fresh during winter months, is by brewing stove top potpourri. When your family walks in that door, they will be engulfed by a happy and welcoming winter aroma that will set the tone and mood for your house. Instant coziness will ensue, trust me. 

Ingredients: 

3 sticks cinnamon sticks

2 oranges, quartered

5 sprigs fresh rosmary

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 tablespoon cloves

6 cups water

Bring to a boil, then simmer on low. If liquid runs low, feel free to add additional water. 

Another way to keep your house smelling and feeling fresh is our all natural carpet fresher. Sprinkle over your carpet and vaccum up and your house will instantly smell clean and inviting. Get yours here: www.lavenderapple.com Let us know how these quick winter pick me ups work for you!

Growing up, my mother made Sweet Rolls. Somewhere along the line I started calling them Cinnamon Rolls. I realized a good chunk of the world calls them Sticky Buns. Whatever you call them, you will certainly call them delicious. Behold! 

These magical rolls are made of light and fluffy dough. They have the perfect amount of sweet and spice. The oozy gooey frosting makes the melt in your mouth. They are literally finger licking good. 

Ingredients for the dough: 

1 small package of yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 egg

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon lavender salt

3 1/2 cups flour

Ingredients for the center: 

1/4 cup melted butter

1/3 cup lavender sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

Ingredients for the frosting: 

4 tablespoons room temperature butter

1 teaspoon lavender vanilla extract 

2 cups powdered sugar

3 tablespoons hot water

Directions: 

In a small bowl disolve your yeast packet in warm water. In a separate bowl heat your milk in the microwave to almost boiling. In your kitchen mixer, use your dough attachment and mix together your milk, sugar, melted butter, egg, and lavender salt. Slowly add your flour and then add your yeast water. Mix on medium speed for about 4 or 5 minutes. The dough should form a sticky ball. Grease the sides of your mixing bowl and cover it with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Keep it in a warm spot on your counter until the dough doubles in size, about 60-90 minutes. 

Then knead your dough back into its original size. Using the backside of a greased cookie tray,  roll out your dough until it matches the tray in size. Cover your sheet of dough with your melted butter. Then mix together your cinnamon and lavender sugar and sprinkle your mixture all over the melted butter. Roll it up from the long side so it makes a long skinny roll of dough. Cut it into 12 equal pieces. Place those pieces in a greased casserole dish, spaced into 3 rows of 4. Let rise again, until the dough fills the pan and about doubles in size again. This should take 30-45 minutes. 

Heat your oven to 350 degrees and back for 25 minutes or until just slightly golden on top. As soon as you pull your rolls from the oven, mix together your butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, and water until its a smooth consistency. Pour your glaze over your rolls once they have cooled slightly. Serve immediately. 

This is the best desert I have made in a long time. We made it for lds general conference weekend, which is always a special time for our family. This is the perfect desert for a morning family gather. But if you know my family, you better make a double batch. Enjoy!