It’s been raining since Saturday. Normally, I would be suicidal by now but the ground needed the rain.

and I will always play second fiddle to my garden.

We spent the weekend at the farm getting the vegetable garden and flower beds ready for planting. While I was weeding the perennials, I noticed that the earth was barely clinging to the pulled roots. It fell like dust when I shook it out of the root system. Although it made my task easier, I knew that starting the season with thirsty soil would not be ideal for the gardens.

So long story short – April showers and a lot of manure will bring May, June, July and August flowers and veggies… I hope!

The pantry is not fully stocked at the farm so using what we had on hand I prepared a mushroom stuffed pork tenderloin and served it with baked spicy maple buttercup squash.

Spicy Maple Butternut Squash

serves 2

preheat oven 375*F

allow 1/4 of a medium-sized butternut squash per person

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes

Using a spoon, clean away pulp and seeds from the centre of the squash pieces

Divide the maple syrup, butter and chillies between the 2 pieces of squash

Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour or fork tender

Portobello mushroom stuffed Pork Tenderloin

serves 4 unless you are me and Ralph then it feeds 2

2 pork tenderloins, butterflied

1 1/2 cups Portobello mushrooms, finely chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons EVOO extra virgin olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

In a large skillet, heat EVOO then add onion and red bell pepper

After 10 minutes, add chopped mushrooms, sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Saute gently 15 minutes, then add Dijon mustard and fresh bread crumbs

Mix well and divide between tenderloins

Roll up and tie with butcher’s twine – I used wooden skewers because I did not have any twine at the farm.

Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes along side the squash

Honey and Maple Glaze

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Mix all ingredients

Spoon over tenderloins and continue roasting an additional 20 minutes – This is where my mother has a melt down because I am serving medium done pork – you decide…

The squash will be finished at the same time as the pork

Ignore the wooden spears – picture twine… Regardless it was lovely!

Thanks for reading.