South Cove County Park, Seneca, South Carolina
Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep His commands. ~ Deuteronomy 7:9
Good morning, squirrels!
And neighbors!
In case you’re wondering about that blue thing, it’s called a Blue Boy. It collects toilet waste, and then they have to unhook it and drive or pull it to the dump station and empty it.
We’re so glad to be self-contained!
The morning view from the front of the coach is much more scenic!
It was no surprise that Blaine’s younger brother, Bruce and his wife, Donna showed up to visit today. We were expecting them after all. It’s the way they showed up that was so surprising! Although considering who it was, we really shouldn’t have been all that surprised. 😊
Oh my goodness!
Look at that!
And they brought our recent Amazon order with them. Two pairs of shoes/boots for me and a surge protector for Blaine. It seemed a bit extravagant to order two pairs of footwear, but I’ve discovered a consistent need for a pair of black casual shoes, and my hiking boots’ soles have started pulling away from the leather. Fortunately, I was able to find the exact same pair of boots to replace them! Buying shoes is always an ordeal for me because my feet are wide, but not long enough for the ‘traditional’ wide shoe sizes. Sigh . . . . Without going into a very long explanation, let’s just say I was dreading trying to find boots to fit that I wouldn’t have to return. Thank the good Lord, Timberland still makes the ones I needed!
Amazon delivery, right to your door, even out here!
We had a great day under the sun, out on the sapphire water.
And away we go!
Mulling over the map, but who’s driving?
No one!
There are some big beautiful homes on this lake!
That’s a nuclear power plant!
Before we even knew where we were, there was a noticeable difference in the temperature.
It’s because the water’s warmer here!
Turned out that Bruce and Donna had been on this gigantic lake before, and he captained us to a cove with a waterfall for lunch. Very nice!
Great lunch spot!
Blaine’s turn at captain
While Bruce relaxes.
Back home again!
Wonderful day on the water!
Blaine and I prepared some Cuban dishes for dinner – a marinated pork tenderloin that Blaine roasted over an open fire, smashed potatoes and salsa. Everything turned out well, but the pork was without a doubt the star of the show!
What else, but s’mores for dessert? 😊
We said good-bye, but we’ll be spending Thanksgiving Day with them.
Cuban Mojo Marinated Pork Tenderloin:
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons McCormick Gourmet™ Cuban Seasoning (Or make your own. See below.)
1 pork tenderloin, about 1 pound
Grill pork over medium heat 15 to 20 minutes or until desired doneness, turning occasionally.
CUBAN SEASONING:
4 tablespoons of kosher salt
6 tablespoons of granulated garlic
2 tablespoons oregano
4 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons black pepper
3 tablespoons dried lime zest
2 tablespoons dried parsley
Throw all the ingredients into a spice grinder (a.k.a. Coffee grinder), give it a few whirls to blend thoroughly. Store in a lidded container for up to six months.
HINT: If you don’t want that much seasoning, and you can’t find the McCormick, just make ¼ recipe for the pork, and no need to grind.
Cuban Crushed Potatoes:
12-16 new potatoes, unpeeled (or substitute canned ones)
4 strips bacon, chopped and crisped
1 C. green pepper, chopped
2 T. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ t. black pepper (to taste)
1 ½ t. cumin
¾ C. green onion, chopped
½ C. sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
½ C. Monterrey Jack cheese (shredded)
If using raw potatoes, boil 15-20 minutes or until they’re fork tender. Drain. Meanwhile, crisp the bacon and remove the bacon, but not the oil. Add the green pepper and sauté until tender. Add the garlic and sauté an additional minute.
Lightly grease a baking sheet (a flat pan with raised edges). Arrange the cooked potatoes on the pan. Spray the bottom of a coffee cup or glass with Pam, and use it to smash the potatoes until they’re crushed and flattened in a thin layer. Crush – don’t mash. “They should look like you dropped them on the floor, NOT like you ran over them with your SUV!”
Drizzle liberally with olive oil and sprinkle with seasonings to taste. Top with green pepper, onion and bacon. Evenly spread the cheese over the top.
Place under the broiler at the low setting. Heat until potatoes are re-heated and the cheese melts.
HINT: If you want, you can also bake these until they’re heated through. If I’m using canned potatoes, I bake.