Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin with Ginger Glaze

Aaah, summer – that long anticipated stretch of lazy, lingering days, free of responsibility and rife with possibility. It’s a time to hunt for insects, master handstands, practice swimming strokes, conquer trees, explore nooks and crannies, and make new friends.

Darell Hammond

I have a tendency of saying the same things my Mom did. Like, “what comes around goes around” or “get moving or you are going to have my foot up your butt!”

Yeah I suck. But the other day HBear said, “Move Mommy or you are go to have my foot up your butt.” I quickly and sharply said, “HBear don’t say that!” But you know… this made me think. I want to treat my Girls with respect. How can I tell them to do something and expect them NOT to talk to me the same way? I’m not sure how to handle this. It has been happening more and more. I tell her not to do something and then I do it later and she gets mad at me. What’s good for the goose…

There have been a few parenting issues lately that Ninja and I have been overwhelmed by. A few nights ago SBean wasn’t tired.

Of course she absolutely was tired but refused to get into bed. HBear was exhausted and it was 9:00pm. We had been in the sun all day, swimming and exploring, so I knew she was waaaaay over tired. She refused to get into bed. We tried cuddles, reasoning, and threats… she just balled up her little fists and screamed.

For like 30 minutes!

We left her. So, then she opened the door and began screaming in the hallway. I would get up and silently usher her back into bed and silently walk out. I was thinking if she didn’t get a response, she would stop.

HAHAHAHA

I put her back into bed 5 times before Ninja came out of the office and sat down beside me and said, “what are we going to do?” She was staring at us, in the hallway… screaming.

I closed our door.

She went mental. Like a little wildebeest that had been stabbed.

We decided on “grounding”. How do you ground a 3 year old? Ninja took her into bed and told her, “You are done. Tomorrow you will have no treats, no dessert, no special activities. Little girls that behave like this do NOT get nice things!”

I think she was just so tired and spent that she just whimpered herself to sleep… it was 10:45 when we finally let a big sigh out and laid down.

The next day… Ninja did not allow her to have waffles for breakfast. That is a special treat. She asked for a cookie while grocery shopping and I said, “I’m sorry but you do not get treats because of your behaviour last night. Do you understand?” She yelled at me but finally said that she understood.

After lunch she asked for dessert and I said, “I’m sorry but you do not get treats because of your behaviour last night. Do you understand?”

After nap she asked for a popsicle and I said, “I’m sorry but you do not get treats because of your behaviour last night. Do you understand?”

We went to SBesty’s & GBesty’s for a swim but I said to SBean, “I’m sorry but you do not get to go for a swim with the other kids because of your behaviour last night. Do you understand?” I know, harsh!

After dinner she asked for dessert and I said, “I’m sorry but you do not get treats because of your behaviour last night. Do you understand?”

She asked for a hot tub after dinner and Ninja said, “I’m sorry but you do not get treats because of your behaviour last night. Do you understand?”

She put up a little fuss at bedtime but Ninja said, “I’m sorry but you will not get treats tomorrow if this is your behaviour tonight. Do you understand?”

And just like that… she went to sleep, I have a feeling this won’t be the last of her “groundings”!

Now, if anyone has some advice on how to stop the INCESSANT interrupting, I am so open to suggestions!! 🙂

The other night we let the Girls set up the little DVD player in their bedroom to watch a movie. I love Disney movies and SBean hasn’t seen any of them. They picked Aladdin, one of my favorites. We made them a bit of popcorn and about halfway through I heard screaming! By the sounds of the screaming I had assumed that someone was choking or had seriously hurt themselves so I ran into the room. When I got in there I could clearly hear HBear yelling, “No Syd we are not flossing right now!”

And SBean screaming, loudly, firmly and aggressively, “Yes I am FLOSSING! Now!”

LOL The Bean was done her popcorn and NOBODY was stopping her from cleaning her teeth! Hilarious!

SBean walked up to me the other day and said “when I was a baby I used to suck your boobies!” I looked at her and said, “yes you did and when you have a baby they will suck your boobies too.” She made the funniest face and yelled, “ewwww gross!” LOL

It has been hot… finally! However, I find that crockpot meals are still needed in the summer, perhaps even more than in the winter! We are out and about all the time so I like meals that are pretty much ready to go when we get home from a hot day at the beach. This meal was delicious! Crazy easy and so full of flavour. It still felt light and like a summer dinner even though it was a crockpot meal! I served it with rice and coleslaw and TA DA, dinner is served!

Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin with Ginger Glaze
Adapted from The Food Charlatan

For the rub:
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds pork tenderloin

For the glaze:
½ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ cup rice vinegar
½ cup cold water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
fresh cilantro, to garnish

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, salt, powdered ginger, cinnamon, garlic, cloves, black pepper, and crushed red pepper.

Place the tenderloins in the slow cooker. Rub the seasonings over the pork, including the bottom.

Pour ½ cup water in the slow cooker, on the edge or in the middle so that you don’t wash off all the spices you just rubbed on.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

While the pork is finishing up, preheat your broiler. Combine brown sugar, cornstarch, rice vinegar, COLD water, and soy sauce in a small saucepan.

Set over medium heat and stir until mixture thickens, about 4 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in minced ginger.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray.

Remove the pork from the crock pot (discard the liquid) and place on the lined baking sheet. Brush a generous amount of the glaze on the pork.

Put your oven rack as high as it will go, and broil the pork for 1 or 2 minutes, until bubbly and caramelized. Don’t walk away! Repeat 2 more times.

Serve with remaining glaze on the side, and garnish with cilantro.

This past week summer arrived! +30 temperatures, blue skies and warm evenings! I put HBear in Hoodoo Adventure Camp for 3 days, just to keep her active and trying new things! The 1st day they went kayaking! SBean and I took a bike ride to the beach to check out how she was doing, she loved it!

While HBear was at camp, SBean and I met up with SIL and JQ for a little park play and some trike riding on the beach.

After camp on day 2 we met up with SBesty and GBesty for an afternoon viewing of Finding Dori.

The 2nd day of camp was rock climbing at Skaha Bluffs. I was a bit nervous but HBear had a great time! She came home happily tired and with a new found confidence! The 3rd day was kayaking in the morning, Hiking skills on the KVR in the afternoon and some indoor climbing to end the day 🙂

While HBear was at her last camp day we took the little kids to LocoLanding for some Monkey Jumping, Go-Karting and ice-cream!

We took in our 1st beach day of the summer this past week! I got there just before 10… before the tourists 😉 and LBesty was there with her 2 boys! My InLaws, SIL and JQ met us there too 🙂

Friday was catch up day. Even though it is summer and there are visitors… Mama still needs to get laundry, vacuuming and bathrooms done. It is so tough because the kids want to go go go and the house looks like we tracked half the beach into it… all the time LOL I try to maintain daily but in the summer I don’t do as much housework and stuff, once a week I dive in and do a good clean and hope for the best 🙂 While I clean the kids did crafts and picked blackberries next door.

One of my favourite things about Penticton is our amazing Farmer’s Market. It is fabulous! We try to get there often as I like in season vegetables and it keeps you in the community and meeting new people.

After the market we had everybody over for dinner! I always like having my SIL over while she is visiting and I always make Mexican?!?! I don’t know why but now it is just the thing lol. It is so fresh and delicious. I made my awesome Baked Chicken Chimichangas, Quinoa Salad and Tortillas with fresh Pico De Gallo. We finished with Strawberry Shortcake and a cozy campfire.

Sunday was CHANNEL DAY!!!!! Penticton has the most incredible channel that spans the entire length of our city. It is the most relaxing way to spend a morning… floating down the channel. Granted, it was WAY more relaxing BC (Before Children) and you were able to sip on a cooler or beer while you floated lol Now I’m constantly barking orders, “sit on your bum!”, “Don’t do that!”, “Get down!” “No interrupting!” LOL Very relaxing 😉 Despite my Mothering, it was a great morning! It was my In Law’s, JQ’s and SBean’s 1st time going down and they all loved it! We also got a new float that seriously rocked!