Roasted Cauliflower With Welsh Rarebit

I like roasted cauliflower and it is hard not to like cauliflower with cheese sauce.  I decided to change things up by making a Welsh Rarebit.  That is basically a cheese sauce made with wine or beer.

 

Roasted Cauliflower With Welsh Rarebit

1 head of cauliflower
olive oil

2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
salt and pepper
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup beer or white wine
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400.

Tear off the leaves and cut off the stems until you have a nice pile of flowerettes.  Place them in  an oven proof dish.  Drizzle it with olive oil, stir and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring half way through.  They should just start to brown. 

 

While they are roasting, start the cheese sauce.

Cut up the butter and melt it in a medium sauce pan.  Add the flour and cook over low heat until it thickens and starts to brown.  Pour in the milk and stir until it thickens   I like wine in this better than beer, but use what you've got.
 


When you add the alcohol, (and remember that the alcohol part will cook away and just the flavor will remain so you CAN feed this to your kids) it will separate a bit.  Use a whisk to smooth everything out.

Add the cheese and stir until smooth.  You can make this part a bit ahead.  It will thicken when it stands, but you can warm it up and add a bit more milk or wine to thin it to pouring consistency.

 

Place the finished cauliflower in a bowl and pour the rarebit on top.  Don't let it cool.  Cold cheese sauce is icky.

I served this with a salad of Italian greens with chopped up apples and some raspberry vinaigrette.

Striped Table Runner

The Trinity Schoolhouse Quilt Shop had a Christmas in July open house.  I want to take a class this fall or winter, so I went by to see if they were going to schedule one I wanted to take.  I met my friend Doris there.  We both no longer work for the library, so it was fun to catch up.  We both agreed that we were NOT there to BUY anything.  Just to see what was new.  Best laid plans and all that...

There was a demonstration on making an " Easy" Striped Table Runner.  They had some new fabric that was bright and beautiful and looked like stained glass.  There was also a new and very cool triangle ruler that I also HAD to have.  There was even a cool way to use the scraps to make place mats to go with the runner.  I HAVE to have them too!  Then I found a gorgeous fabric for the back.  Cool!  I made myself put back the other fabric and backing I found so that I could make several different sets.  I can always come back if this works out and I like them well enough to make a lot of them.

                          

So I walked away very much poorer, but with a project that will only take and hour.  And it will make great Christmas presents!  I may be naive and an easy touch, but even I knew THAT was not going to happen.

As it turns out, I was right.  It took an hour just to figure out what part of the fabric to cut and then get up the courage to slice into the fabric with out an instructor reassuring me.  THIS is why I take classes.  Then I spent another half hour deciding which stripe was on the inside and which was on the outside!


 
I cut two 8 1/2 inch strips the length of the fabric..  The instructions called for 1 1/2 yards, but I wanted to make a bunch of place mats, so I got 3 yards.  This meant there was some folding, unfolding, deciding and shifting going on.

After you get the two strips lay them out to see if there is a pattern repeat you need to worry about.  Place the strips right sides together.  Then use the triangle ruler to cut two full triangles on each end.  You will cut two full triangles with one half triangle as scrap (two thickness) on each end.  You save the one with the outside stripe ( which you ALREADY agonized over, so don't change your mind now!) on the base of the triangle.  The half triangle and the two pieces you don't need for this project, set aside for the place mats, etc.

  

Now lay out the six pieces and make sure the lines are going to line up and that you like the way each end works.  I switched one set of triangles for the other set because I liked the way the flowers matched up better.

Place the triangles on the long pieces, right sides togethe, line up the stripes and pin.  Sew them together.  Press the seams on one side of the runner towards the triangles and the other towards the center.  Then sew the two halves together.  And doesn't it look great?  But no celebrating.  You have to cut the piece for the back and the batting which you will cut a bit larger than you need..

 

Make a sandwich with the batting first and then the backing, face up.  Place the completed top face down. Smooth them out and pin.  At this point I had to switch to the walking foot.  Sew a 1/4 seam all the way around leaving about 6 inches open to use to turn it right side out.  Cut off any excess fabric and clip the corners.

When I turned it, the corners weren't as sharp as I wanted, so I used the eraser end of a pencil to push it to a sharper corner.  Iron, being careful to reach in through the hole you left and push the seam so that the fabric can lay flat without a lip around the edge.  Hand sew the hole closed. 

I just did a moderate amount of quilting.  I came in a bit more than 1/4 inch all around the perimeter to avoid catching the excess fabric now on the inside.  Then I did some "stitch in the ditch" on all the seams.  More pressing and voila!  I like it. 

  

I wish I could feel a sense of completion, but now I have a bunch of place mats to make.  That's OK.  It will only take an hour!!!

Stuffed Zucchini Boats with Risotto

I hate spraying things I am going to eat with chemicals.  In the 5 summers we have been here I have only had a success with the zucchini for 2 years.  Since then they have never lasted the whole season.  I tried spraying and kept them going one year, but the other years they always got ahead of me.  Then, Paige at the library told me that if you plant them after June 15th it is after the life cycle of the nasty little bug that kills them and I would be fine.  I did this and everything was great until today.  They are dying and that is the end of my zucchinis for this year.  Sure I can buy them in the store, but it isn't the same

  

Tomorrow I will pull them out and burn them.  I hope they don't get to my butternut squash.  Perhaps I need to spray them.  Well, Pooh.  Or whatever stuffed animal term you choose to use under these circumstances.
  


My cousin Karlyn tells me that they love the large zucchinis for making zucchini boats.  I looked around on the Internet and came up with this recipe.  I used up all the last of the zucchini and they were delicious.  A fitting end to the last of my home grown zucchini for 2012.

  
  
Stuffed Zucchini Boats

1 cup diced onions, divided
1/2 pound sausage
1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1/4 cup ketchup
or 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
or 1/4 cup marinara sauce  Use what you have on hand.  I used the ketchup.

1 tomato, seeded and diced
5 or 6 basil leaves shredded
Italian seasoning
s & p
1 handful bread crumbs, about 1/4 cup
2 handsful of Parmesan Cheese, about 1/2 cup
1 egg
enough Mozzarella cheese or Jack cheese slices to cover the tops of the boats.

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a large oven proof dish with Pam, just in case.


  

Put 3/4 cup of the diced onions and the sausage in a large fry pan.  Cook until the sausage is browned and there is no more pink.  Add the garlic and cook for two minutes more.

    

While the meat is cooking.  Cut the stems off the zucchini.  Slice them lengthwise.  Use a melon baller to carefully scoop out the insides leaving about 1/4 inch of zucchini.  I went through in a few places and it still came out OK, so don't stress too much.  Toss half of  the insides and chop the rest and add them to the meat mixture.


   

Add the tomatoes and whichever tomato based sauce you like or have on hand.  I had ketchup so I used that rather than opening a tomato paste can.  Add the herbs to taste.  Also the salt and pepper.

  

Remove from heat and stir in the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese.  When it has cooled a bit , add in the egg and mix it all up. 


  

Spoon the meat into the hollowed out zucchini "boats".  Top with the cheese slices and place in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes.  Serve warm.

If you want a vegetarian version, do not discard 1/2 half of the zucchini.  Use it all.  Then use a marinara sauce and add about 1 cup.  Do the rest as the recipe suggests.  This is for YOU Tara!

While I was preparing the zucchini, I started the risotto.  Then I got distracted and burned the risotto, so I had to enlist Lee to do the stirring.  Make sure you have a stirrer at hand.

Risotto

1/2 cup Arborio rice
at least 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
Olive Oil
Butter
1/4 cup diced onions reserved from above
s & p
Parmesan Cheese

 

Put the oil and the butter in a heavy fry pan.  I used a cast iron number 6.  When the butter is melted add the onions and cook until translucent.  Add the rice and stir.  Keep the heat low.  Add about 1/3 of the broth and stir frequently. 

    

When the liquid has absorbed and another 1/3.  This is not a fast process and if you rush it you will get crunchy rice.  Make sure you have at least 30 to 40 minutes until dinner. 
After a whole can of vegetable broth was absorbed ( about 2 cups), it still needed a bit more cooking.  So we added a bit of wine.  We had some white zinfandel and it turned out great.  I imagine a bit of water would work also. It only needed a few Tablespoons.  Then add the s & p, the cheese and a bit more butter.  Stir it until the cheese gets all gooey.

Serve with some fruit.

This made enough for four people.  Or for two people on two different nights.  Guess this means left overs.

Dueling Books

I am currently reading two books.  I don't usually do that because how hard is it to finish one and then read the other?  I guess it makes sense if you are doing research and looking at a bit of information here and there.  But for a novel just read it and go on.

I am a wee bit ashamed to acknowledge that I read romance books.  I actually prefer books with intrigue and a bit of romance over strictly romance.  I used to read only mysteries and then I migrated over to romance.  Now I go back and forth with a few biographies and other non-fiction thrown in.  If I had to analyze it I would say that I like the completed circle of a mystery.  Real life is much more messy and more likely to end badly.  I can get that in the news.  So a good mystery or romance finds the bad guy caught or the good guy with the girl and that is satisfying, somehow.

                                   

Don't ask me why I am reading Darkly Dreaming Dexter.  He is not as good guy.  He is a sociopath who enjoys killing people.  And yet he is the protagonist that you find yourself, in some weird way, hoping will prevail.  I don't even enjoy "caper" books or movies because I DON"T want them to get away with it.

We recently went on a long car trip with our two daughters.  Tara brought along two seasons of Dexter from Showtime to use in the DVD player behind my head.   It was rather strange to drive along listening to people being murdered or the planning of a murder.  And strangely compelling.  I wouldn't say that I am hooked and I don't have Showtime, but I did check out the book from the library to see how it differed from the series.

If you are unfamiliar with the book or the series, it is basically about a pleasant young man who has a need to kill people.  He was adopted as a small child by a policeman father who had rescued him from some unknown childhood trauma.  His father recognized early on that Dexter had some emotional issues after finding pet graveyards of the neighborhood animals that annoyed him.  He went about giving Dexter rules for who he could kill and how to get away with it.  I imagine that there are some cops that wish they could go after criminals that they know are guilty, but can't legally prove it. Dexter grows up to be a blood splatter expert for a police department which hones his skills in escaping detection.

This doesn't sound like a nice guy, but, like I said, he is strangely compelling.  Granted, the Showtime version has a slightly more likable Dexter than the book. 

                                   

I have Dog On It by Spencer Quinn loaded on my Nook.  I bought it some time ago, but have put off reading it.  I like to keep purchased books for an emergency, like a trip where I run out of library books.  I also use it to read at night when I can't sleep.  My Nook has a light so that I don't have to wake Lee to read.  So I have been reading Dexter during the day and Dog On It at night.  I need a break from the darkness that is Dexter and I am really enjoying the Quinn book.

Dog On It is the first in a series about a private detective, Bernie and his dog, Chet.  The story is told from the dogs' perspective.  Chet was almost a police dog, until a CAT ruined his final exam.  He hates cats.  He will start to narrate some part of the ongoing investigation and then get sidetracked by a Cheeto under a chair.  Dust and dirt don't interfere with his enjoyment of a wee snack.  Once he discovered a long lost portion of a burned hot dog.  After consuming it he felt kind of funny so he deposited it on the patio.  He felt MUCH better after that. 

Chet sometimes barks like Lassie to alert Bernie and then he barks like every dog to enjoy the bark.  I am enjoying Chet and will have to order the rest of the series.  I'm not so sure I will read more of Dexter.  It is a little too dark for me.

Video Nightmare

Well, nightmare is a bit dramatic.  I have both of our horses for sale and listed on Dreamhorse.com.  There are pictures of them, but I have been asked to get some video for Claire.  This will help to determine if it will be worth the potential buyer driving to see her.  There are a few people waiting to see Libby when the trainer gets back from vacation.

I am not a technology wizard.  I know how to use the computer for email and this blog.  I can do searches and keep an Excel file.    Then I can....Nope.  That's about it.  I just got a"smart phone"  and it is obviously smarter than I am.  I even took a class, but I am not prepared for anything beyond the basics.

 I have spent most of an entire day taking the video and then sending the video.  Granted the taking of the video was only about an hour. 

I tried to send it from the phone and it "told" me that the file was too large.  I tried to email it from the phone and was told the same thing.  Then I tried to plug the phone in to the computer and send it by email.  The computer wanted to download software.  After quite some time I was told to load the disc with the software. Huh?  I don't got no stinkin' disc!

We went online to the Samsung site.  The phone is too new to have the software available.

Then I tried to download to YouTube.  The 4 second piece loaded.  The longer one did not.  So now Claire has 4 seconds on Youtube. 


So now I am going to try to load it here on my blog. Here goes nothing.

And nothing it is.  I tried my camera and my "smarty pants" phone.  Neither will load.  I am not an idiot.  I can follow prompts.  But I can't get this freaking piece of...I can't get it to load.  Don't bother clicking on any arrows.  There is  nothing there.  Sorry. 

I am officially too tired to deal with this any more.  I am going to channel Annie and think that the sun will come out tomorrow and THEN I will be able to figure this out.  If not I will channel Dexter and then look out world.

Maybe We Could Share

According to the news, the Midwest is just as hot as we are here in Virginia.  We at least get a break almost every day where is is not only hot, but with thunderstorms and rain.  I bet the farmers in the Midwest would like some of this rain.  This is my excuse for STILL not going out and getting anything done.

                                  

Lee is installing the last garage door opener on our "new" garage.  It is an extra long door and needed extensions and I don't know what all.  I bought the opener as a birthday gift for him and now I feel bad that is is out there in this heat waaaay at the top of the garage where it is even hotter.  I would help him, but ladders and I do not get along...

                                 

Step stools and I are fine, however.  So I have been cleaning and organizing our pantry.  When we bought the house there was a room for a pantry, but no paint and no shelves.  In fact most of the upstairs had no paint!  In California drywall is installed and then a spray coat of blobs of plaster is blown on the wall.  The drywall guy then knocks it down so the it is all about the same thickness and it is painted.

In Virginia they plaster the whole thing and it is finished with a swirl pattern.  In our ignorance, we assumed that all the raw walls were really just painted with " contractor's white".  After we moved in and before the movers got here, we figured this out and we had to paint seven rooms in six days.  This included primer and paint AND ceilings!  When I say we I mean ME.  Lee hates to paint.  I hate it too, but I am good at it and cheap, so I do it.  I am not looking forward to painting the new basement.  It will be about 2600 square feet.  The whole too cheap issue may spring up and then I'll end up doing it AGAIN.

                                     

After the painting marathon, we had to build shelves in the pantry.  I LOVE a pantry and grew up with one.  We didn't have any idea how to do it, so I designed it and we built it and it is great.  The problem is that the more room you have the more junk you accumulate.

I have had "clean/organize pantry" on my list since November.  I finally ran out of excuses and got started.  How does dust get on shelves in a windowless room where the door is mostly closed?  I finished the long wall and now I am having to force myself the finish the last bit.  Maybe if I keep the step stool in the middle of the room I won't be able to "forget" to finish.

                                      

Jam Tartlets

All the sun did was shine.
It was too hot to play
So I sat in the house
On that hot, humid day.

And THAT is my homage to Dr. Seuss and The Cat In The Hat. 

On the other hand, I can't just sit all day, and I had already vacuumed, so instead I decided to bake something.   I have been baking large things and then I HAVE to eat them, because if I didn't that would be wasteful and just wrong.   I decided to bake something little.  I have lots of jam!  Let's make jam tartlets.  They are bite sized and you can just have one....SURE you can!

If you want a quick version, buy premade pie crust and cut it in circles and place them in a mini muffin pan.  As a special treat, you can cut small hunks of premade sugar cookie dough and put them in the muffin pans.  I didn't have any of that so I made some from scratch.  If you have a pie crust recipe you like use that.  I found some recipes with egg yolks, but I didn't have any eggs and I wasn't going shopping until today, so I used a yolk free version.  The crust is just a vehicle to pop some jam in your mouth anyway.  Unless you go the sugar cookie route and then it is cookie and some jam, and how can that be bad?

Most of the recipes I found were from the UK, so I had to use a conversion chart.  This is what I did, but, like I said, feel free to substitute on the crust part.

                               

Jam Tartlets

1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar  You may make this sweeter if you wish, just don't overdo it!
6 Tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons milk

Place the flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl.  Add the butter and use your favorite method to cut it in.

                             

 I use a pastry blender, but table knives or fingers work, too.

                               

Put the milk and the vanilla in a small bowl and mix a bit.  The pour it in with the flour and stir.  If it is still too dry a a bit of milk.  Don't add more that 1 teaspoon at a time or it will be too moist and then you'll have to add more flour!

                              

Put a bit of cling wrap on the counter and sprinkle a Tablespoon or so of flour on it.  Dump the dough out and give it a knead or two until it starts to hold together. 

                             

Roll the whole thing up tightly and place it in the freezer for about 20 minutes.  If you won't be able to get back to it for longer than that, put it in the refrigerator, instead.

Spray a mini muffin pan with Pam.  Using a small spoon, cut off hunks of dough and roll them into a ball.  Place each ball in the muffin pan.  I tried to make tiny ones and slightly larger ones to see which worked best.  Don't go too small.  The jam oozes out during cooking and it is hard to get them out in one piece.

                                 

I have a Pampered Chef mini tart maker.  This is great for making them just the right size and with a perfect depression.  It is also perfect for muddling mint for a mojito, but that is for another time. 

                                  

Remember to dip it into a small bowl of flour between each tartlet.  If you don't have one just form a small bowl with your fingers.

                                   

Drop small amounts of jam in each depression.  Don't overfill as it will bubble up in the oven and make a mess.  If you do it right...and I didn't on every one...they will pop right out and the pan will be mostly clean.  Baked on jam is hard to get off!

I used homemade blackberry jam in some and purchased lemon curd in some. I mixed them in a few tartlets.   Feel free to use any jam you like.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 400. They should be slightly browned on the edges.

They made a bite-sized dessert or snack and with any luck Lee will get to them before I am hungry again.

Lemon Zucchini Bread

                           

One thing about having a garden with zucchinis is that you need to come up with a lot of recipes.  You CAN'T throw them away and you get a lot of them.  You also can't eat them the same way every time.

The Chocolate Zucchini Bread I made earlier was wonderful, but I also love the recipe for zucchini bread I have had since we lived in Hawaii in the 80's.  I changed it a bit and it was so good.  It is better the first day because the top is crusty and wonderful.  The next day I had a slice for breakfast...OK, I had TWO slices... and the top was moist and delicious.  I prefer the crusty top, but both are good.  I made this for a dessert to go with the Chicken Chili Cobbler, so I served it with Cool Whip and sliced strawberries.  I had it plain for breakfast, but it is also good lightly toasted with a bit of butter.  Now that I think about it almost EVERYTHING is good when slathered with butter.

Lemon Zucchini Bread

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 to 1 cup chopped walnuts. (optional)  I like a lot so I used a lot!
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups grated zucchini
at least 2 teaspoons lemon zest, I used 1 large lemon and didn't measure it

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a bread pan with Pam.

In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, walnuts, baking powder and salt.

                             

In a medium bowl mix the eggs and oil with a fork. 

                              

Grate the zucchini and measure it into a 2 cup measure.  Dump it back out and let it drain for a bit over the measuring cup.  At least that's how I did it.  As long as you drain it, find your own way!

                                

I have a micro plane and they do a great job of zesting a lemon.  Try not to go too deep and get the bitter white part of the peel.

Add the zucchini and the lemon zest to the egg mixture and stir.
                                 

Add the liquid to the flour mixture and stir just until moistened.  Spread in the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour.  Let cool for about 10 minutes and then remove from the pan to a wire rack to finish cooling.

                                     

Chicken Chili Cobbler

                                    

I had a Bisquick recipe book that had some main dish cobbler ideas.  I had never thought of that.  I have made some dumpling recipes when the bread topping was basically steamed on top of the meal, but this was new.  I don't really love the texture of a dumpling.  It's kind of doughy.  So baking it on top seemed like a winner.

One again I am making this on the fly, so there are things I would do differently and things I loved about this dish.  I'll write what I did and at the end I'll tell you what I would do differently.  You can decide how to proceed!

Chicken Chili Cobbler

1 box Jiffy corn bread mix
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup diced onions, divided use
1 small can green chilis
3 cups cut up cooked chicken.  I used a big slice of chicken breast from the deli at the market.
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, divided use
1 can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
pepper
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 lime
2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro, divided use
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided use
1 cup sour cream

Pre-heat oven to 400.

Heat a large cast iron pan with the oil.  Add the diced onions and cook until softened, stirring occasionally.  Add the can of chilis and stir.  Cook for a minute or two, then take about 1/4 cup of the mixture and place it in a medium mixing bowl.

                             

While the onions are heating, dice up the chicken and drain the black beans.  Add the chicken, corn, beans and the undrained can of tomatoes to the pan.  Add the cumin, chili powder, garlic salt, pepper, garlic, and oregano.  Squeeze the lime over everything, making sure you don't drop in a seed!Gently stir.

                               

While the chili is cooking it is time to start the topping.  You already have the onion mixture in a bowl.  Add the Jiffy mix and the egg and milk.  Divide up the chopped cilantro, putting half in the chili mixture, which might need a stir by now.  The other half goes in the corn bread mix, along with 1/2 of the grated cheese.  Mix the corn bread just until moist and then let it set for a bit.  It will start to rise if you let it rest, making for a lighter corn bread.

                                 

When the chili is heated through and the oven has reached 400, place drops of the corn bread all over the top.  Place everything in the oven for about 20 minutes.  The top should be nicely browned.

                                  

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of Cheddar cheese.

OK.  Here is where I critique the dish.  It was really good.  I don't like super spicy chili and this was just enough spice to be flavorful and not so much to be hot. It was a bit dry, however.  If I made this again, I would add a can of tomato sauce for a bit more moisture.  There was even room to add another can of black beans if you wanted to serve more than four people. 

Maybe the corn bread absorbed some of the liquid, but as a topping/cobbler it was wonderful.  I served it with a slice of watermelon and it was a great meal.  It helped that we had some wonderful company and Jackie was nice enough to say she liked it just the way it was.

Pork Fresca Tacos

                                  

Now that I no longer work at the library, I find myself indulging in slug-like behaviors.  Yes, I watch TV while eating my lunch.  Then I knit for a bit before resuming some sort of actual work.  I like to watch The Talk for lunch and we usually watch The Five during dinner.  The Talk is NOT the sort of show Lee would watch!

Guy Fieri hosts another of our favorite shows, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.  He was on The Talk and made some low cab pork tacos that sounded good.  I checked the web site for the recipe, but they didn't have it, so I came up with MY version and it was great.  It used a lot of fresh produce and seemed like a light version, so I used Fresca in the name.   It is worth a try even if you aren't trying to lower your carbohydrates.  Before you start, know that this is a bit messy and you may not want to serve this dish when you have invited royalty over to dine.

Pork Fresca Tacos

1 small pork tenderloin
2 cups diced watermelon
1 cup diced English cucumber
1 diced avocado
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
1 lime
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided use
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar or Splenda
Romaine lettuce leaves

Pre-heat oven to 425.

                                    

It is hard to find small pork tenderloins in the market without additional flavoring.  Just buy whatever one you think will go with this meal.  Heat one of the Tablespoons of Olive Oil in a cast iron pan.  Brown the tenderloin on all sides , then place in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes.  (Then wipe up the grease all around the stove top...Sheesh!)

                                    

Slice and chop up the watermelon.  I used about half of one of the small round watermelons.  I cut the cuke in half and then peeled it.  I cut each piece in half length-wise and cut the majority of the seeds out in a wedge.  Dice the rest and add to the watermelon.

                                  

Cut and dice an avocado.  Chop the cilantro and put everything in a big bowl.  Squeeze a lime over the top and stir to coat.  Set aside.

                                 

In a medium bowl add all the rest of the ingredients, except for the lettuce leaves.  Mix and set aside.

                                 

Rinse and dry at least two lettuce leaves per person.  This should make about 6 to 10 depending on how full you fill them!  Try to use medium to small leaves as the largest ones will be hard to handle and a lot of the filling will fall out.  Use the ones the size of a real taco shell.

After the tenderloin is done, let it rest for at least five minutes.  Thinly slice.  I think the sauce was intended for the watermelon mixture, but I used it differently.  Place the pork slices in the sauce and turn them around to coat.  Use tongs to do this and then line a few pieces up on each lettuce leaf.  Top them with the watermelon mixture and enjoy. 

You can place everything on the table and let each diner fix their own taco.  It was delicious and light and I didn't miss the tortilla.