Water Lilies

A recent canoe ride on the lake took me to a secluded swampy area where I discovered some beautiful water lilies in full bloom. The sea of lily pads reminded me of the French Impressionist Claude Monet's ( 1840-1926) masterpieces: Water Lilies. They are a series of 250 oil paintings that depict Monet's flower garden at Giverny. This exhibit first opened in May 1927 after his death. I posted one of his paintings and a few photos I took that captured the beauty of these blooming flowers.

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Zucchini-Wrapped Pork

Ingredients:
1 large zucchini
12- 160z. pork tenderloin
olive oil
1/3 apricot preserves
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4-1/3 cup prepared purchased basil pesto

optional small fresh basil leaves
Directions:

• Line a square 8x8 baking pan with foil
• With a sharp knife or vegetable peeler cut zucchini lengthwise in thin slices-need 8 slices
• Cut pork tenderloin crosswise into 4 equal portions. Press meat down with palm of hand to flatten slightly
• Wrap each tenderloin portion with two zucchini slices-use toothpick to hold in place
  
• Place meat in pan and brush with oil-sprinkle salt and pepper
• Mix in saucepan on low heat apricot preserves, ginger, orange juice and drizzle this juice mixture over the meat portions
• Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes or till meat registers 160
• Make a foil packet with rest of cut up zucchini adding sweet onions and cook packet at same time as meat
• To serve place a small teaspoon of prepared basil pesto on center of meat portion