Chili Rubbed Pork Roast with Spaghetti Squash

This might not be a big deal to some people, but I had to cry about it twice yesterday...and one of those times was in public, with Donna, after I surveyed the surrounding tables about needing alcohol in our coffee (maybe I need a "feel sorry for Donna tag"), but I digress...

I have had a box of books.  They were my most favorite books, mostly from teaching.  All my Chris Van Allsburg books, my Auntie Clause books, the book The Second Witch, my elementary librarian gave me because I read it so many times throughout grade school, and the Cranberry Thanksgiving books that were going to be heartlessly discarded because I was the only one in the school checking them out (and the librarian gave them to me because I was going to cry about it), they were all in this box in my office.  

Well, last summer we worked on the office.  Removed the wall paper, painted the walls, shampooed the carpet, replaced the window...then before the kids came home we cleaned out the closet, re-arranged and re-organized.  

Well, the Bboy was telling the Chick about one of our favorite books, The Z was Zapped and the wonderful illustrations in the book.  I told them about my favorite Chris Van Allsburg book, The Garden of Abdul Gasazi.  I bought that book before I was a teacher, I saw it in the window of a small bookstore in Deerlodge, Montana and it was calling to me.  I had to buy it, and it opened the world of exceptional picture books and Chris Van Allsburg to me.  I have cherished it ever since.  So, I skipped into the office to pull out my box of favorite books to share with the Bboy and the Chick, so happy the Bboy loved Chris as much as I did (he remembered the books from first grade!).  The box wasn't there on the floor, as it had been for the last 4 years since I moved out of my principal's office.  I searched the closets, the dish room, the bedrooms.  Mason began to help me with the search, we could not find the box.  I texted the Seattle Chick, hoping that I sent her the books, nope.  We looked again, nothing.  I couldn't understand what I could have done with them.  I had my Auntie Clause book from that box, I read it in December at a school, but I couldn't find the box or the rest of my treasure (I'm sitting here crying right now, how dumb is that?).  

The only thing I can think of is that we had it in a pile in the garage when we were working on that room and it accidentally got in the "go to donations" pile and now they are gone.  I am heartbroken.

I know they are just books, and they can be replaced, but my first Chris Van Allsburg and the Second Witch from elementary school were special...

So I did what I do when I'm upset, I cooked.  I hoped a big hunk of protein would help me remember what I did with those books.  If you are in a second hand store and find any of my missing books, there is a reward out for the safe return of my babies.

Chili Rubbed Pork Roast with Spaghetti Squash
recipe from Taking on Magazines and Family Circle

Squash

§  1 spaghetti squash (about 3¾ pounds)

§  1 tablespoon butter, melted

§  1½ teaspoons ground cumin

§  ½ teaspoon smoked paprika

§  ¼ teaspoon salt

§  2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Roast Pork

§  1 tablespoon chili powder

§  2 teaspoons ground cumin

§  1 teaspoon smoked paprika

§  ½ teaspoon salt

§  ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

§  1 center-cut boneless pork roast (2 lbs)

§  2 teaspoons canola oil

Instructions

1.     Heat oven to 350. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds. In a small bowl, combine butter, cumin, paprika and salt. Brush butter mixture onto cut sides and into cavities of squash. Place squash cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour ¼ cup water into pan. Roast at 350 for 1½ hours or until squash is fork tender.

2.     Meanwhile, make roast pork. In a small bowl, combine chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Place pork on a sheet of wax paper and apply dry rub to meat evenly, patting so rub adheres.

3.     Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook, browning on all sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer meat to a roasting pan. Place pork in oven with squash and roast until internal temperature reaches 135, about 40-45 minutes.

4.     Let pork rest on cutting board under tented foil for 10 minutes; let squash stand on baking pan for 10 minutes. 

5.     With a fork, scrape flesh of one squash half into a serving bowl and sprinkle with cilantro. 

 Slice and serve with spaghetti squash.

1 year ago:   So Long to a Good Friend

2 years ago:  Chicken Soup

January 8, 2014   Daylight 4 hrs, 31 min. 26 secs.   Temp. H 7/ L 1°F