Dentists, genetics and pork...

You may be wondering at the title of this post, three things that don't really go together, but that I've been thinking about today. I had a dentist appointment this morning for a tooth that was bothering me (has been for five years, ever since I got my wisdom teeth removed and the other teeth shifted). I lucked out and left Laylah with her friend Rhea and Rhea's Mommy Alea for the morning. They had a great time playing and reading books, thanks again Alea, you are a life-saver! But, while they were having all the fun I was finding out that I have to have a root-canal that I had done fifteen years ago re-done because it apparently has gone bad. What does that mean? Well, in my case it means that it possibly cracked, creating a pocket that then got infected creating an abscess, a self draining one apparently (lucked out there or else my whole face would be swollen). So now I'm on anti-biotics to reduce the abscess (what an icky word right?) and I have to go the endodontist on Friday to get the thing re-done. UGH! Oh, and dentists charge an extraordinary amount of money for causing lots of pain, I'm encouraging all my children to go to dental school. Now on the genetics. My darling husband, I'm not at all bitter, has never had a single cavity, has perfect teeth in fact and never has to do anything to them, he hardly ever flosses and goes years without seeing a dentist for a cleaning. This is all do to genes, he has good teeth genes. My family has terrible teeth genes. No matter how many times a day I floss, brush, gargle, how diligently I keep up with cleanings, I always have something extremely annoying and expensive that HAS to be done. I fervently hope and pray that my daughter has her father's good teeth gene. As I also fervently hope and pray that she has my eyes, before his laser surgery my hubby was practically blind. I just want her to get the best of both of us instead of the bad parts. If I could also not pass on my propensity to get terrible migraines and endometriosis, I would also be grateful. This is the month to be thankful, right? Can I be preemptively thankful for that? Maybe if I am it will come to be, glass half full kind of thing.
And on to Pork. I have a great recipe that my mother just passed on to me that is super easy, super yummy, and toddler friendly. What you say? how is that possible? Here it is, Cranberry Apple Pork Roast with Sweet Potatoes:
Get one Pork Loin, they have the ready to cook marinate kind at most super markets, the garlic lemon one works well.
A package of craisins.
One apple, sliced
Olive Oil
Cooking Sherry
Sweet Potatoes

Put olive oil in the bottom of a roasting dish to coat. Place the pork loin in the dish and cover it with the apple slices and craisins, try to pile them mostly on top. Pour a little Sherry over the whole thing, maybe 1/4 cup, just enough to have a little liquid in the dish. Cover with tin foil, put in the oven at 350. Wash the sweet potatoes, put them on a pan and put them next to the loin. Cook about an hour and a half or until the loin reaches !65 degrees and the sweet potatoes are done. Usually everything comes out done at the same time. You can put a little more sherry in the dish if you check and there isn't any left, it makes a good sauce to cover the pork. When the pork loin is done cut it into cutlets and serve with the cranberries and apples and sauce with drippings from the dish. It turns out really juicy and flavorful with a nice touch of fall with the cranberries and apples. Put butter on the sweet potatoes, serve with a nice salad, and voila! Dinner done, preparation took less than fine minutes and it looks totally gourmet. My husband and daughter loved it! and I could play with her (and write this) while it cooks and forget about it. There is also enough left over for lunch the next day.
So that's what's for dinner, at least that part of the day went as planned. Although, we did also go to the Garden Hills wee, quickly becoming Laylah's favorite, and even found a new duck pond where we threw goldfish to the lucky ducks and geese. The geese were a little too aggressive though, they actually came out of the pond to try and get the fish from our fingers. I don't think they cared if they got some finger in there as well. We kind of retreated after that, but Laylah liked it. Weekend was busy but relaxing. Went to gymboree, the mall, got a new pair of Seven jeans for $5 (usually $150)at Goodwill, got my hair cut (like it a lot), and spent an enjoyable evening with Lee and his parents at their house for dinner. This has been super long so I'll sign off now. Have a good evening! May you have good teeth, good genes (and jeans), and try the pork, it's gooooood!