Monday, 4/18/2011

I purchased a pre-marinated pork tenderloin at the grocery store this morning.  As usual, the grilling instructions on the package left out an important detail.  The package said to grill the tenderloin on Medium heat.  It didn't say if it was supposed to be indirect or direct.  I turned to our Weber cookbook for general guidance.  I followed the instructions in the cookbook and went with indirect heat.  Well, it was still too much.  The pork was VERY charred on the outside.  Thankfully, once we were pasted the burned part, the inside was still tender.  

We had roasted broccoli with garlic as our side dish.  After spending many frustrating nights scrubbing the charred broccoli off of my cookie sheets, tonight I covered the sheet with foil first.  I don't think the broccoli charred as nicely as it would have directly on the sheets, but it was still pretty good for broccoli.  And, the smoke detector still went off, so it felt like I was doing something right:)

Sunday, 8/22/2010

For a brief moment this evening we considered ordering pizza. We got a late start on grilling our pork tenderloin and kind of hoped that it would be much faster to order a pizza. But, when we finished adding up the grill heat up, cooking, and resting time it would only take a few minutes longer than it would take for a pizza to arrive. So, we grilled our pork tenderloin. It was our first time trying a Farmland Extra Tender Boneless Southwest Peppercorn Dry Rub Seasoned Pork Tenderloin. All three of us really enjoyed it. We had corn on the cob as a side dish.

Katie couldn't wait for dinner, so she had a watermelon and cheese appetizer.  What a good corn eater:)

Wednesday, 5/19/2010

We had Caribbean Pork Bowls tonight. I don't have time to type up the recipe today, but will definitely be making it again. So, the recipe will come to those who continue to follow this blog:)

Basically, it is pork tenderloin, tossed in chili powder, brown sugar, salt and pepper, pan fried in olive oil. Kielbasa and minced garlic are added to the pan and eventually deglazed with fresh lime juice. It boils until syrupy. We served it with white rice and a delicious tomatillo salsa. I actually made up the salsa months ago and froze it in an ice cube tray. Now, each time we fix this dish, I just defrost one cube and I'm good to go!

Monday, 4/12/2010

Left over pork with red pepper bacon sauce tonight. Instead of a salad, we grilled up some asparagus. Katie loves the asparagus tips- begs for them in fact.

Katie's appetite has been a little strange the past couple of days. She hasn't eaten much for breakfast, but has snacked all morning long. Thankfully, today after lots of snacking, she took a four hour nap (yes...4 hours!!!) and then was a cheerful delight all afternoon and evening. And, all of the dishes are done from last night with the exception of the cookie sheets. Thanks for your help Ben!

It's been a good day for this momma:)

Sunday, 4/11/2010

Just realized, again, that today is Sunday. And, although I am sad that the weekend is ending, I am pleased to say that it concluded with a delicious meal. It even included a salad;) Here's what I made: Pan Fried Pork Tenderloin, Roasted Red Pepper Bacon Sauce, Caesar Salad, and Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies.


PAN FRIED PORK TENDERLOIN

1 pork tenderloin- cut and flattened
flour
kosher salt
black pepper
cayenne pepper
vegetable oil

Cut tenderloin into 1/2 in slices. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the counter, place a slice on it, and fold plastic over the pork. Using a meat mallet, flatten the slice of pork until it is approximately 1/4" thick.

Dredge each piece in a mixture of flour, salt, and peppers.

Heat oil in a medium pan (don't use non-stick). Put pieces of pork into the oil and leave alone until slight browning occurs. Turn and leave alone until slight browning occurs and pork is cooked through. You may need to do this step in batches. Move cooked pieces onto a paper towel covered plate until ready to serve and keep warm.

The pork was tender and moist, but lacked the crispy outside I hoped for. Next time I might try leaving more of the flour on or dunk the pieces in an egg bath before dredging in the flour.

ROASTED RED PEPPER & BACON SAUCE

1 1/2 cups jarred roasted red peppers, drained (10-ounce jar)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons red wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 slices bacon, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup heavy cream
salt & pepper

1. Puree red peppers, tomatoes, oregano, cayenne, wine, and oil in food processor or blender until smooth.

2. Cook bacon in large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 7 minutes (took me longer). Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to plate lined with paper towels. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from pan and return to medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add red pepper mixture to skillet and bring to simmer. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until flavors meld, 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cream and half the bacon. Season with salt and pepper.

I found this sauce recipe in a magazine- not sure which one. Credit goes to Patricia Lohrey of Port Ludlow, WA. It was intended to be a pasta sauce. We tried it with spaghetti a couple months ago and loved it! Seemed like it would go well with the pork tenderloin I had in the fridge. I ladled some of the sauce onto the plate, placed a couple pieces of pork on top, a little more sauce and then sprinkled with the remaining crisp bacon.

The caesar salad was one from the store...everything included. I just add more parmesan cheese and black pepper.

And, the Butterscotch Oatmeal cookie recipe came straight off the butterscotch chip bag. I started making them earlier this year when I realized it gave an option to use either vanilla extract or orange zest as flavoring. The orange zest gives them amazing flavor. Much more interesting than vanilla. They are now a household favorite!