Grilled Orange Thyme Pork Kabobs

Ready in: 30-60 minutes
Serves/Makes: 4

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest
orange wedges for garnish
5 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh thyme, plus sprigs for garnish
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 pound boneless pork loin, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

PREPARATION:

Whisk together orange juice and zest, garlic, thyme, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Whisking constantly, pour in oil in a slow, steady stream; whisk until emulsified. Add pork; toss to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and let pork marinate 20 minutes at room temperature

Heat a grill or grill pan until medium-hot. Thread 5 or 6 cubes of pork onto each skewer; season with salt and pepper. Discard marinade. Grill pork, turning occasionally, until cooked through and slightly charred, about 12 minutes. Garnish with thyme sprigs, and serve with orange wedges.

Sausage & Rice Casserole

4 c. water
2 grated carrots
2 celery stalks, diced
1 onion, chopped
1 lb. sausage, browned (we really like Jimmy Deans Sage sausage, we use it in everything!)
1 c. minute rice
1 pkg. Lipton noodle soup

Brown sausage with onion. Boil water and add rice, carrots, celery, and soup mix. Pour mixture & sausage in 9x12 pan. Bake at 350 for 45 min.

Apple Pie Crescents

I don't know what these are really called so I made the name up. Call them what you want, but go make some now! I usually don't like baked apple things, but I absolutely love these (must be the cube of butter :). And they're easy!

1 apple, peeled and sliced into 8 pieces (I used Fuji)
1 can refrigerated Pillsbury crescent rolls
1 cube butter
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 can Sprite

Roll 1 apple slice into one triangle crescent roll. Pinch sides together and place in a greased baking pan. In saucepan melt 1 cube butter, then add sugar and cinnamon. When it comes to a boil, remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour over rolls, then pour Sprite on rolls. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream!