Apricot-Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Crispy Potatoes and Lemon Asparagus
While I was home in Philadelphia, I had some wonderful meals – thanks mostly to my Aunt Patty, a fantastic hostess and cook. Since I was out and about for much of the weekend, I didn’t get to do much cooking myself, so it was nice to get back to my kitchen today.
I’ve been meaning to make pork and use some apricot jam for a while, so this recipe was perfect. The recipe is very simple – all you need is the pork, the jam and some mustard. The pork cooks quickly under the broiler, and I added some thinly sliced red potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper to cook along side the meat. The sauce is done on the stove-top, and the asparagus can be easily done in a pan alongside. Everything was done in under 30 minutes.
I’m looking forward to posting some great dinner ideas this week – lots of new recipes on the way. Please comment if there are any types of recipes you’d like to see – I’ve got plenty of time on my hands to experiment!
Home Again
My apologies for the delay- I was home in Philadelphia this weekend. As soon as I get settled, I’ll be back to regular posts- hopefully after dinner tonight!
Chile Lime Flank Steak with Toasted Coconut Rice and Sauteed Red Cabbage with Mandarin Oranges
Another great weeknight meal- this time, we have Robin Miller to thank. I recently took her book, Robin to the Rescue, out from the library and have been copying her recipes furiously before the book is due back. Nick always enjoys a good steak, and I wanted to treat him to some before I leave for Philadelphia tomorrow.
Robin’s book is a great resource- not only does it boast tons of great recipes, but she also provides tips for pairing sides with main courses, how to make “meal kits” to shorten your weeknight cooking time, freezing instructions for most recipes and notes on slow-cooking. She’s the queen of cooking ahead.
I didn’t prepare this meal ahead of time, but I really didn’t have to. The meat can be grilled or broiled, and both sides are done on the stove top in about 10 minutes.
This picture does not do the steak justice. The mix of serrano chile, lime and coriander really complimented the cut of meat. Simple and delicious.
I couldn’t stop eating this rice! It was moist and the coconut flavor was just right. I couldn’t find light unsweetened coconut milk, so I used half a can of unsweetened coconut milk and half a can of water instead.
The cabbage was quick and flavorful as well. The balsamic vinegar and mandarin oranges gave it flavor, without too many added calories or fat.
Recipes
Chili Lime Marinated Flank Steak
(total time: 45 minutes, including marinating, cooking and resting time)
Serves 4
3 tbs fresh lime juice
1 tbs reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic
1 fresh serrano chile pepper, seeded and diced
1 tsp ground coriander
one 1 1/4 lb skirt or flank steak
salt and pepper
1. in a blender or small food processor, combine the marinade ingredients and process until smooth. Transfer to a shallow dish or plastic bag. Season the steak all over with salt and pepper and add to the marinade. Turn to coat both sides. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes (and up to 24 hrs in the fridge).
2. Coat a stovetop grill pan or griddle with cooking spray and preheat over medium-high heat until hot, 3-5 minutes. Add the steak to the hot pan and cook for 3-4 minutes per side for medium doneness. Remove from the heat and let rest for 10 minutes before cutting crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices.
Toasted Coconut Rice
(total time: 13-15 minutes)
Serves 4
1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup instant white or jasmine rice
one 14oz can unsweetened light coconut milk
Place coconut in a dry medium saucepan and set the pan over medium heat. cook until the coconut is golden brown and toasted, 3-5 minutes, shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning. Add the rice and coconut milk. Increase the heat to high medium high, bring to a simmer, cover and let simmer 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Sauteed Red Cabbage with Mandarin Oranges
(total time: 14 minutes)
Serves 4
2 tsp olive oil
6 cups cored and shredded red cabbage
one 11oz can mandarin oranges, drained
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tbs sugar
salt and pepper
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cabbage and cook until it wilts, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the mandarins, vinegar, and sugar and cook for 1 minute, until liquid reduces and evaporates. Season with salt and pepper.
Rachael Ray’s Creamy Chicken Apple Chili
Nothing’s tastier on a fall day than soup or stew. During a lovely visit from my in-laws, I picked this recipe from the September issue of Rachael Ray’s magazine. It makes a pretty big batch, but it goes quickly! The guys both took plenty of seconds.
The unique thing about this chili is the addition of the apples, and the cheese that gets mixed in right before serving. It makes the chili so creamy and satisfying.
Rachael Ray’s Creamy Chicken Apple Chili
-serves 8
-15 minutes, prep time
-20 minutes, cook time
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 lbs chicken tenders, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
salt and pepper
2 apples, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 onion, chopped
4 tablespoons butter (i used margarine)
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup milk (skim is fine)
Two 15oz cans pinto or white beans, rinsed
2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese (about 8 oz)
Toasted tortillas or warm rolls for serving
Chopped scallions for garnish
1. In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, chili powder and cumin. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for five minutes; transfer to a bowl.
2. In the same pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the apples and onion and cook, stirring, until softened, six minutes; add to the chicken.
3. In the same pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour for one minute; whisk in the chicken broth and milk until thickened, three minutes. Stir in the chicken-apple mixture and beans, bring to a simmer, then stir in the cheese. Serve with the tortillas or rolls an the scallions.
Makes about 9 cups. (about 330 calories per cup)
The Perfect Pair
I couldn’t resist posting this: banana ice cream with a chocolate chunker! Perfect.
The Perfect Pair
I couldn’t resist posting this: banana ice cream with a chocolate chunker! Perfect.
Tuesdays With Dorie: Chocolate Chunkers
What’s Tuesdays with Dorie, you ask? Tuesdays with Dorie is an online baking group that tackles one recipe every Tuesday from Dorie Greenspan‘s Baking:From My Home to Yours. This week is my first week, and the recipe of choice is Dorie’s Chocolate Chunkers.
These little cookies are packed with four kinds of chocolate – unsweetened and bittersweet in the batter and semi-sweet and white in the cookie. There are also a ton of nuts – I used walnuts, pecans and almonds for variety – so you can call this your protein for today.
The cookies don’t change too much in size or shape after cooking – I was able to tell they were done when the cookies slid easily off the parchment paper. Dorie’s recipe says it makes 24 cookies, but I ended up with 49 by using roughly a tablespoon of dough per cookie. (My smaller cookies came out to 113 calories each).
If you enjoy chocolate, nuts and raisins, these are perfect. One’s enough to cure a sweet tooth, but it will be hard to stay away from the cookie jar..
(Recipe Follows)
Chocolate Chunkers
Ingredients:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons butter, unsalted, cut into 3 pieces
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 large eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped into chunks, or 1 cup store-bought chocolate chips or chunks
6 ounces premium quality milk or white chocolate, chopped into chunks, or 1 cup store-bought chocolate chips or chunks
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped nuts, preferably salted peanuts or toasted pecans [I used 1/2 cup each almonds, pecans and walnuts]
1 cup moist, plump raisins (dark or golden) or finely chopped moist, plump dried apricots [My raisins weren’t so moist, so I soaked them in water for about an hour to plump them up.]
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
2. Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder.
3. Set a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Add the butter, bittersweet chocolate and unsweetened chocolate and heat, stirring occasionally, just until melted- the chocolate and butter should be smooth and shiny but not so hot that the butter separates. Remove the bowl from the heat and set it on the counter to cool.
4. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until they are pale and foamy. Beat in the vanilla extract, then scrape down the bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the melted butter and chocolate, mixing only until incorporated. WIth a rubber spatula, scrape down the bowl, then, on low speed, add the dry ingredients. Mix just until the dry ingredients disappear into the dough, which will be thick, smooth and shiny. Scrape down the bowl and, using the rubber spatula, mix in the semi-sweet and milk (or white) chunks, nuts and raisins- you’ll have more crunchies than dough at this point. (The dough can be wrapped in plastic and kept refrigerated for up to 3 days).
5. Drop the dough by generously heaping tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving about an inch of space between mounds of dough.
6. Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes. The tops of the cookies will look dry but the interiors should still be soft. Remove the baking sheets and carefully, using a broad metal spatula, lift the cookies onto a cooling rack to cool room temperature.
7. Repeat with the remaining dough, baking only one sheet at a time and making sure to cool the baking sheets between batches.
8. If, when the cookies are cooled, the chocolate is still gooey and you’d like it to be a bit firmer, just pop the cookies into the fridge for about ten minutes.
Easy Banana Ice Cream
This is perhaps the easiest ice cream recipe known to man. I found this in a Donna Hay magazine (kid’s issue).
Easy Banana Ice Cream: Add 3 frozen chopped bananas and 1/2 cup yogurt to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth.
That’s it! In my version, I added some vanilla extract to sweeten it up. For regular banana ice cream, plain or vanilla yogurt is best to preserve the banana flavor. You can mix it up by adding other frozen fruit, like berries, peaches or pineapple. It would also be fun to experiment with other yogurt flavors.
I stored mine and froze immediately, but when I have the first scoop, you’ll be sure to know!
Bananas, Tomatoes, Zucchinis and a Brand New Mixer
It’s been a few days, so I have to catch you up on all of the treats that have been popping up around here with all of summer’s fun produce. In our house, we’ve had an abundance of bananas (thanks to the 1.00 banana bag at the commissary), tomatoes and zucchinis (thanks to farmer’s markets in Western PA). What to do with these lovely fruits and veggies?
1. Mini Banana Whoopie Pies with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Filling
These little beauties were delicious. The recipe came from Culinary in the Desert, a blog I found through Tastespotting. I tweaked the recipe a little bit, using some lower calorie ingredients that I had on hand and adding the cinnamon to the filling. I think it added something different, but didn’t overpower the banana flavor. (My mini-pies came out to about 100 calories a piece – the perfect little snack. Leave me a comment if you want my specifc recipe changes).
2. Bread Salad
Nick and I usually reserve bread salad for our picnics, but I just couldn’t resist using the final few tomatoes this way. My bread salad is always just a little different – I tend to just throw together what I’ve got hanging around the kitchen. In this case, I had a few tomatoes, a day-old wheat baguette, a cucumber and some provolone. I toasted the bread first, then spritzed it with some water to soften it up (so the bread doesn’t absorb all of the dressing and leave the tomatoes dry). I topped it all with a simple balsamic vinegrette, some garlic powder and some parmesan cheese. I was kicking myself for not having fresh basil, but the result was still as tasty as ever!
3. Whole-wheat Zucchini Bread
I got the zucchini bread recipe through Tastespotting as well – on a blog called Foodie with a Family. I changed this recipe, too, using whole wheat and all purpose flour (i didn’t have any bread flour). I doubled the recipe and used half for a large loaf and the other half for 8 mini-loaves. I also subbed cinnamon since I didn’t have nutmeg. The bread is moist and it tastes outstanding when spread with some of the left-over cinnamon cream cheese from the first recipe.
In other news, I went to my first AFIT Spouse’s Cooking Club this week, and took Vegetable Enchiladas (they were a hit, but I forgot to take pictures). I also brought home my new baby, a yellow KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer. I got it on sale at Williams Sonoma for $140! Amazing.
Glad to be up and running again. More ovenlove (and mixerlove) to come!
Camera Drama
I have tons to post from the last day or two – mini banana whoopie pies with cinnamon cream cheese filling, bread salad, vegetable enchiladas – but my camera is on the fritz. Promise to be up and running soon!
