Recipe #120: Pork Tenderloin w/Balsamic Reduction, Grilled Peaches and Wild Rice Salad

So many great flavors in this dish.... it seems like it would be a bit to put together, but it's pretty easy!  I love putting fruit in my meals now... dried cherries in rice?  Yes please!  This is from the July issue of Cooking Light.  I've marked my changes.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Cooking spray
• 1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, cut into 12 slices  (I used two thick boneless chops cut through the center to make 4 thinner chops.  I couldn't find a 1lb tenderloin)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

• 1. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add vinegar and next 3 ingredients; cook until reduced to 1/2 cup.
• 2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Place pork in pan; cook 2 minutes on each side. Add balsamic reduction; cook 1 minute, turning pork to coat.

Serve with Grilled Peaches: Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 4 peach halves to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side. Cut each half into 3 wedges.  (I didn't bother cutting them into thirds.)


Serve with Wild Rice Salad: Cook 1 cup fast-cooking white and wild rice per directions, omitting seasoning. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped green onions, 2 tablespoons chopped dried cherries, and 2 tablespoons chopped ­pecans.  (I used an Uncle Ben's 90 second microwaveable rice pack, Wild and Long rice mix, and mixed in the other ingredients after I cooked the rice.)

Recipe #119: Salmon with Potato-Artichoke Hash

Fresh!  Hearty!  Simple!

INGREDIENTS:

8 new red potatoes, scrubbed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts in water, drained and halved (I used 12oz marinated in a jar)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 lbs skinless salmon fillet, cut crosswise into 4 pieces
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (I used double)
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar (I used double)
1/2 cup packed coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (I used double)
1 tablespoon water (I used double)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 475F.  In a large roasting pan, toss together potatoes, artichokes, thyme, 1/2 tsp oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Push vegetables to sides of pan.

Arrange salmon pieces in center of pan, and gently press them together to form one long piece.  Coat with remaining oil (I used olive oil spray) and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper.  Roast, turning the vegetables once, until lightly browned and tender and salmon is opaque throughout, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make sauce:  Stir together mustard, vinegar, parsley, and the water; season with salt and pepper.

Gently separate salmon pieces.  Serve immediately, on top of hash, spooning parsley sauce over fish.

Recipe #118: Garden Pasta

I made this dish a long time ago, before I had this blog, and I'm wondering why I waited so long to make it again.  It's a really light, fresh tasting summery pasta.  I found this recipe in one of my Rachael Ray cookbooks.

 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium zucchini, finely diced
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
• 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock (a couple of splashes)
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (28 ounces)
• Coarse salt and black pepper, to taste
• A handful of flat leaf parsely, chopped
• 1 pound penne rigate, cooked until al dente  (I think I used 12oz instead- it was plenty)
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat a deep skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and garlic and sauté, until the garlic sizzles. Add the zucchini, onion, carrot, and bay leaves. Cover and cook, 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the zucchini is tender and onions are translucent. Remove the cover and add the stock. Stur up any good gunk from the bottom of the pot. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper, and parsley and bring to a bubble. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until ready to serve. Combine the sauce with the pasta and garnish with chopped scallions.

Recipe #117: Wendy's Pecan Chicken Salad Imposter

I was always kind of skeptical about mixing chicken and fruit together... especially after combining it with bleu cheese...  but awhile back, I had to try Wendy's pecan chicken salad and got totally HOOKED.  The combination of flavors is so awesome, salty, sweet, and even a little sour from the cranberries.  Today I was craving one of those salads, but Wendy's was a bit far from my house for my liking.  Instead, I went to Rego's up the road from me and grabbed as many of the ingredients as I could remember to make my own.  It was very close to the original, although I used strawberry vinaigrette instead of the pomegranate one they use.  Here's a link to Wendy's version for comparison.

Here's the ingredients- simply adjust according do your tastes!
Leafy greens (baby spinach, baby mixed, whatever you like)
Craisins
Pecans
Apple, sliced into chunks
Bleu cheese crumbles
A few croutons
White meat chicken, about one breast size per person, cooked and cut into chunks
A fruit vinaigrette dressing, such as pomegranate, strawberry, raspberry, etc.

Recipe #116: Quick Shrimp Chowder

It took me forever to get around posting this... we've been so busy!  This one's great- quick, simple, hearty, and healthy.  I added corn and didn't cook the broth first.  This is from Cooking Light magazine.

Ingredients

• 2 cups organic vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup prechopped carrot
• 1/2 cup prechopped onion
• 1/4 cup prechopped celery
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 pound medium peeled and deveined shrimp
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Preparation

• 1. Pour broth into a 2-cup glass measure. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH 1 minute.
• 2. Combine broth, thyme, and black pepper in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, and simmer.
• 3. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add carrot, onion, and celery; sauté for 3 minutes or until tender. Add flour, stirring with a whisk. Stir carrot mixture and shrimp into broth mixture; cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in cream; cover and simmer 4 minutes.

Recipe #115: Brazillian-Style Chicken Over Quinoa

This isn't a very photogenic recipe, but it's DELICIOUS!  My first time using coconut milk, and also my first time using quinoa... Definitely a different set of flavors.  Don't skip the peanuts- they add a lot to the dish.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 chicken breast halves, bone in, wings and skin removed
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 cup sliced onion
1 clove garlic, crushed (I used minced garlic)
1/2 cup fat-free low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 pound okra, trimmed and sliced (I used 10oz frozen okra)
1/2 cup light coconut milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dry roasted peanuts
1/2 cup quinoa

Directions:

Mix ginger, cumin, and cayenne pepper together and rub over chicken (I just sprinkled the chicken with each individual shaker).  Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and brown chicken on all sides, about 5 minutes.  Add onion and garlic, and continue to cook 1 minute.  Add chicken broth and okra.  Bring to a simmer.  Lower heat to medium, cover, and simmer 15 minnutes, until chicken is no longer pink.  While the chicken cooks, prepare the quinoa according to package directions.  When the chicken is done, add coconut milk and stir into the sauce.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Scatter peanuts on top.  Serve over quinoa.

Recipe #111-114: Kebobs!

Nick wasn't overly thrilled when he was tasked with grilling 51 kebobs, of 4 different kinds, for dinner yesterday... but I think he forgot about being stuck outside in hot weather over a 600-700 degree grill once he was able to sit down and eat these.  Between four adults and one kid, we polished off 46 of these with no problem.  SUMMER IS HERE!!  These recipes all came from a book called Simple 1-2-3 Entertaining.

It looks like a lot of food, but we ate nearly all of it...

Recipe #111:  Skewered Beef Strips with Spicy Honey Glaze

Ingredients:

1 beef top sirloin steak (about 1lb)... I used very thin sliced "beef for braising"
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/3 cup honey
Skewers

Directions:

Slice beef across the grain into 1/4 inch thick strips.  Thread strips onto wooden skewers and place into large glass baking dish.

Prepare grill for direct cooking.  Combine soy sauce, vinegar, ginger and red pepper; pour over skewers and marinate 10 minutes, turning once.  (I prepped these hours earlier instead).  Drain marinade into a small sauce pan; stir in honey and bring to a boil.  Boil 2 minutes to reduce and use as baste while grilling the beef, 3-4 minutes.

Recipe #112:  Sizzling Shrimp

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup mushrooms, cut into halves
1 red bell pepper cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2-1 onion cut into 1 inch pieces
1 jar lemon pepper marinade
Skewers

Directions:

Arrange shrimp, bell pepper, mushrooms, and onion on skewers.  Place into a glass dish and pour marinade over, reserving a little for basting later.  Let marinate for an hour or more.  Grill shrimp for about 3-4 minutes or as needed on each side, basting with reserved sauce.

Recipe #113:  Herbed Beef Kabobs

Ingredients:

0.5-1 bottle Garlic and Herb marinade
1-1.5 pounds boneless beef top sirloin, cut into chunks (I used a london broil)
Mushrooms
2 bell peppers, cut into squares
1-2 onions, cut into chunks
Skewers

Directions:

Marinate beef chunks in the marinade for at least an hour.  Arrange beef chunks with peppers, mushrooms and onion on skewers.  Grill to desired degree of doneness, about 10-14 minutes.

Recipe #114:  BBQ Corn Wheels

Ingredients:

3-4 ears corn on the cob, husked, cleaned, and cut into 1 inch slices
3 bell peppers
3/4 cup bbq sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
Vegetable cooking spray

Directions:

Arrange corn and peppers on skewers.  Combine bbq sauce, honey, and Worcestershire sauce.  Coat kabobs with vegetable cooking spray.  Grill on greased rack over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Baste with bbq mixture.  Turn and cook 5 more minutes, baste again, until corn is tender.

Recipe #110: Shrimp Cobb Salad

This is so easy to make, and full on flavor but not heavy!  And anything with shrimp and bacon and avocado has GOT to be awesome...  This is from my May issue of Cooking Light.  I varied the amounts quite a bit- more shrimp, more bacon, and I doubled the dressing for better coverage.  I'll post the recipe here as-is though- it's easy to vary the amounts according to your tastes.

Ingredients

• 4 slices center-cut bacon
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
• 1 (10-ounce) package romaine salad
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 cup shredded carrots (about 2 carrots)
• 1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
• 1 ripe peeled avocado, cut into 8 wedges

Directions

• 1. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; cut in half crosswise. Wipe pan clean with paper towels. Increase heat to medium-high. Sprinkle shrimp with paprika and pepper. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shrimp to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until done. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon salt; toss to coat.
• 2. While the shrimp cooks, combine remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, juice, oil, and mustard in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add lettuce; toss to coat.
• 3. Arrange about 1 1/2 cups lettuce mixture on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with about 6 shrimp, 1/2 cup tomatoes, 1/4 cup carrot, 1/4 cup corn, 2 avocado wedges, and 2 bacon pieces.

Recipe #109: Portobello Burgers with Roasted Red Pepper Spread

This is from Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals: Veggie Meals.  The flavor was fantastic, but we made the mistake of using thin buns that soaked up too much of the spread- next time I'll use a heartier bun.  But these are fantastic and quick to make!  We halved the recipe for the two of us.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons (2 turns of the bottle in a slow stream) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/8 cup (3 splashes) balsamic vinegar
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped, about 2 tablespoons
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 4 large portobello mushroom caps
• 2 teaspoons grill seasoning blend (preferred brand: McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning) or 1 teaspoon combined coarse salt and pepper
• 1/2 pound fresh smoked mozzarella, sliced, or slices of provolone

Roasted Pepper Paste:

• 1 (14-ounce) jar roasted peppers, drained
• A drizzle extra-virgin olive oil
• A handful flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1 large clove garlic, cracked away from skin
• Salt and pepper
• 4 large crusty rolls, split

Suggested toppings:

• Whole baby spinach leaves or romaine lettuce
• Thinly sliced red onions

Directions

Combine first 4 ingredients in the bottom of a large food storage bag. Add mushroom caps, seal bag and shake bag to coat caps, then let the mushrooms marinate for 15 minutes.

Grill mushrooms on indoor electric grill, starting with caps down, turning to caps up, about 6 minutes on each side. Pan-fry in large nonstick skillet for same amount of time. Season caps while they cook on each side with grill seasoning or a little salt and pepper. Melt the cheese over mushroom caps in the last minute of grill time.
To make the red pepper paste, combine the roasted red peppers, oil, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper in food processor and pulse grind into thick sauce.
To serve, place the grilled mushroom caps topped with melted cheese on the bun bottoms. Top with spinach and onion. Spread bun tops with roasted pepper paste.

 The red pepper spread- mmmmm!

Recipe #108: Rosemary and Lemon Leg of Lamb

A recent issue of Cooking Light featured various cuts of lamb and how to cook them, which is what inspired my previous post about lamb chops (see Lamb Chops with a Balsamic Reduction)  I knew I had to try a leg of lamb roast at some point, but considering the cost (about $40 for one), I knew I had to save it for a special occasion.  I knew it was the right choice when I invited Nick's parents over for a Mother's Day dinner, and with a couple modifications, this recipe was PERFECT.  Two hours after eating dinner, I'm STILL so excited about this and can't wait to make it again!

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com (do you see a pattern?) and tweaked it a little based on other recipes (in red).  My times here were dead on for a perfectly tender, slightly pink-at-the-bone roast.  If you like prime rib, you will LOVE this, I promise!

Ingredients

• 1 (6 pound) leg of lamb, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 6 cloves garlic, halved
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (6 ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed  (I used 12 ounces!!)
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion and mushroom soup mix

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Spread butter generously over the lamb, and distribute garlic clove halves over the meat. Sprinkle with rosemary and pepper. Place the lamb on a rack inside a roasting pan. (Instead, I sprinkled garlic powder over the lamb, along with the pepper and fresh rosemary, sprayed it with olive oil, and put pats of butter on top.)
3. Roast the lamb in the preheated oven for 1 hour.  Flip the roast over and cook another 45 minutes.
4. Mix the lemonade concentrate and dry soup mix together in a bowl, pour over the lamb, and roast an additional 30 minutes. A meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the lamb should read 120 degrees F/58 degrees C for medium-rare or 145 degrees F/68 degrees C for medium-well. Allow the roast to stand for about 20 minutes before slicing. 

 

Prepped for roasting

 

All done!

 

Nick cutting the bone out

 

Victory!

 

With two of my favorite sides:  Sweet potatoes and asparagus