Fancy Pork Tenderloin Made Easy

 

Do you ever have those moments when you're reading "Real Simple", or your walking through a gourmet shoppe, and you look at the food, and you're like, "*sigh*, wouldn't it be great to have the time to make that?" (Please tell me that I'm not alone in my foodsanity.)

 

If so, this is the fancy dinner for you.  It takes five-minutes of prep, 40-60 minutes in the oven, and then it's time for dinner!

 

Cara's Fancy Pork Tenderloin

 

 

You'll need:

• 1-2 lbs of pork tenderloin
• 1 foot of butcher's twine
• 4-5 slices of bacon/pancetta
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• Salt and pepper

 

Instructions:

• Preheat your oven to 425-degrees farenheit.
• Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the pork tenderloin.
• Wrap the bacon/pancetta slices around, or over the top of the tenderloin.
• Place the rosemary on top of the bacon/pancetta wrapped tenderloin.
• Hold the rosemary/pancetta-bacon in place with one hand.  Wrap the tenderloin in twine so that the bacon-pancetta/rosemary stays in place.
• Fill a baking pan with 1inch of water.
• Place in the oven in a medium rack (it will dry out on the top rack).
• Lower the heat to 375-degrees farenheit.
• Cook for 40-60 minutes depending on weight.
• **If you feel that your bacon/pancetta hasn't gotten crispy enough for your liking, heat a skillet to medium-high heat.  Place the tenderloin on the skillet, bacon/pancetta side down, and allow it to crisp up for 2 minutes.
• Feel free to add some mixed veggies (potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions) to the bottom of the pan to cook with the tenderloin.  Yum!
 

Enjoy!

Inside Out Burgers

 

 

Every now and then, my husband requests a "man meal", where the star of the show is a big slab of meat, preferable smothered in cheese, the only "vegetable" permitted is corn, and the french fries are made by well, alexia.  The reality is, while I make a mean french fry, I packed our mandolin and food processor, and the idea of slicing perfectly even potatoes and then soaking them to release the starches just wasn't doing it for me.  And the truth is, I haven't had a bad Alexia french fry, so I bought Kyle's favorite- the waffle fries.

 

Since we hadn't had burgers in a while, I thought a good old fashioned bacon and cheese inside out burgher was in order.  The picture is deceptive, right?

 

On the outside, it looks like this:



 

But on the inside:

 

"Helloooooo Nurse!"

 

These burgers look like they're difficult to make, but I promise you, they're super easy. 

 

 

Inside Out Burgers:

makes 4 regular sized burgers

 

You'll need:

• 1 lb 90/10 ground beef (I prefer grass-fed)
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 Egg
• 1Tb Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper
• Onion Powder
• Garlic Powder
• 8 slices of cooked bacon (I really like the applewood smoked bacon from Whole Foods butcher counter)
• 4 slices of colby jack cheese, or whatever cheese you have on hand that melts well

Instructions:

• Heat a large skillet to medium heat.
• Spray the pan evenly with cooking spray.  (You can use a few drizzles of olive oil if you prefer.  I experimented with cooking spray, and it turned out great!)
• In a large bowl, combine the meat, egg, breadcrumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, worcestershire sauce, and a few shakes of salt and pepper.  I mush it all together with my hands.
• After the mixture is well mixed/mushed together, form 4 patties.
• Flatten each patty until it is about 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick.
• Tear the bacon strips in half.  Place them in the middle of the flattened patty. 
• Fold each cheese slice in half or into 4 squares so that it fits in the middle of the flattened patty with the bacon.
• Make sure the bacon and cheese leave a ring of meat around them.
• Gently fold the burger around the bacon and cheese.  This should form a ball. 
• When it looks like a ball, and no cheese and bacon are showing, gently manipulate the meat into a patty shape.  (It doesn't have to be perfect.  Just try to make sure the cheese and bacon are covered.)
• Place in the hot pan.
• Depending on how well you want your burger done, cook it between 2 and 6 minutes per side.  I like my burger Pittsburgh rare, so I tend to raise the heat like a maniac, cook it for one minute per side, and then chow down on that tasty burger like it's my last day on Earth.  The more firm it feels, the more done it is.
• For the love of all things tasty, do NOT push down on this burger with your spatula.  Don't you like a juicy burger?  Leave it alone.  It's cooking.  Walk away.  Good grief does it drive me crazy when people push the juice out of burgers or slice into them the second they're done cooking.  Ugh.
• Serve with whatever toppings and buns you enjoy! 

A quick lesson on corn:

Whole sweet corn is one of the most delicious things on the planet.  There are bunches of ways of cooking it, but this is by far the easiest and fool-proof:

Peel all of the husk off.  Rinse off all the stringy stuff that freaks people out.  Toss it in a big soup pot of boiling water (I prefer my water salted) for 10 minutes.

Serve!

Thanksgiving Hors d' oeuvres Made Easy!

I can't believe it's already Thanksgiving.  I feel like Laela just got done galloping to each house in her pink pony costume for Halloween, and here I am, sitting in front of the computer, with an apartment that smells like turkey brine and pumpkin pies.  It's really beginning to seem as if the holidays are getting moved up each year.

I have to say, living in South Carolina, and preparing for the holidays is much, much different than back home in PA.  For one thing, it was 75 degrees today.  Seriously?  The idea of turkeys and Christmas trees doesn't feel entirely right without a solid crisp to the air.  Secondly, this is our first holiday without our families, so there's going to be considerably less food (although, if Kyle gets his way, not much less food.)

While it's really difficult to be away from our loved ones for the holidays, it has been nice to have some much-needed family time.  Kyle's had the week off, and it's been really nice leisurely doing things together, instead of having to cram a lot into a small amount of time.

Since Kyle works in the kind of job where you can't really eat heavy meals or have hearty snacks, he had some requests for this week.  I thought, instead of sharing Thanksgiving recipes like I did last year, I'd share some quick and easy favorites that most people seem to buy boxed or canned.  It is possible to make a deliciously simple hors d' oeuvre without going to the freezer section.  Try it!
Pigs in a Blanket

You'll need:

• 1 package mini hotdogs, or cocktail wieners (I prefer the turkey- they're less fat and you really can't tell the difference.)
• 1 sheet of puff pastry (you can also use pre-made croissant pastry if you don't have the puff pastry- the instructions are the same, except that the triangles are already cut for you.)
• Cooking Spray

Instructions:

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
• Most puff pastry is already sectioned into three strips.  Separate the three strips (or cut your pastry into three even strips.
• Take each strip of pastry and cut into three even squares.
• Cut each square into two triangles.
• Once you have triangled your puff pastry, take one triangle and one mini hot dog at a time, and roll the pastry triangle over the hot dog, starting with the larger end of the triangle.
• On a greased cookie sheet (just spray the sheet well with some cooking spray) place each pig in a blanket on the sheet, 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet.
• Bake for 15- 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Enjoy!!

*Sometimes, as a variation, I'll spread some mustard, brie, or place a small sprinkle of cheese inside the pastry before I roll it around the hot dog.  It makes for a really yummy treat!


Bacon and Cheese Stuffed Biscuits

You'll need:

• 6 oz cheddar and/or colby jack cheese
• 4 strips of cooked bacon, chopped
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 4Tb baking powder
• 1Tb sugar
• 1tsp salt
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 1/4 cups milk

Instructions:

• In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and cream of tartar.  Pour mixture into a food processor.
• Add butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Pour ingredients into a bowl.
• Add milk all at once.
• Stir just until moistened.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Knead dough by gently pressing and folding for four to six strokes, or just until dough holds together.
• Don't over work your dough.  It doesn't have to look perfect.
• Pat or lightly roll dough until 3/4 inch thick.
• Cut the dough into 2 1/2 inch pieces (if using a knife or roll cutter, it helps to flour your implement)
• Using your thumb, press a small indent into the center of the roll.
• Place your cheese and crumbled bacon in the indented spot.
• Gently fold the roll around the bacon and cheese.  (Use about a teaspoon of cheese and bacon- overstuffing the roll will cause it to bubble out cheese and burn on your pan.)
• Place biscuits one inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden.
• Remove from baking sheet and serve immediately.
• Enjoy!!

**These biscuits are also amazing without the cheese and bacon!!

I know that these are some pretty starchy appetizers, but trust me, they're awesome!  If you're looking for something a tad healthier, try my spinach dip recipe using low fat mayo and sour cream.  Laela and Kyle scarf it up!!

Have an amazing Thanksgiving!!  And remember, it's just one day.  If you have to choose between being Martha Stewart, and spending time with your family- choose your family.  Enjoy the day.

A Ridiculously Fast, Ridiculously Good Ragu!

It's cold.  It's gloomy.  It's time to make a rapid ragu!

I got this recipe from the fabulous Nigella Lawson's cookbook, Nigella Express.  It's nothing short of amazing.  Beef?  Check.  Bacon?  Check.  Cheese?  Oh just give me my heart attack and be done with it!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons garlic oil
• 1 cup cubed pancetta (or bacon if you don't have pancetta handy)
• 1 pound ground lamb (I used a meatloaf mix)
• 1/4 cup caramelized onions *available at gourmet and specialty stores as Onion Confit, or recipe follows
• 1/3 cup Marsala
• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1/3 cup green lentils
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup grated red Leicester or Cheddar, optional

Directions:

• Heat the oil in a wide, medium-sized saucepan, and fry the pancetta until beginning to crisp.
• Add the lamb breaking it up with a fork in the bacony pan as it browns.
• Tip in the caramelized onions, Marsala, tomatoes, lentils and water and bring the pan to the boil.
• Simmer the ragu for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Sprinkle over the cheese before serving, if using.

Caramelized Onions:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups sliced onions (about 2 medium size onions)

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, until the onions are a deep golden brown and soft, about 25 to 30 minutes. Make sure to use a gentle heat and cook the onions slowly so they don't burn. Onions will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week

 

I served this over angel hair, and Kyle ate the leftovers sans pasta for lunch the following day.  I hope you enjoy this as much as we did!

Hangover with a Splash of Flavor

Is this a fancy breakfast?  No.  Is it easy?  Yes.  Will it cure your hangover?  Probably. 

There's two things I made to "woo" my husband that got him hooked..one was hangover breakfast, and the other was the anniversary chicken recipe I shared with you guys a while back.  Hangover breakfast isn't rocket science people.  You make some French Toast (you can go fancy with this, but if you're feeling up for fancy breakfast after a night of boozing, then you're a better woman than me). 

How do you make French Toast, might you ask?  Beat two eggs with 2 Tbs milk.  You can add more milk if you want to, I do it by eye.  Add a capful of vanilla extract (or almond extract if you're out of vanilla), a few good shakes of cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice if you don't have any cinnamon), and a dash of sugar to the eggs and milk mixture.  Whisk the mixture really well (but not so well that it'll give you the spins!)  Heat your skillet to medium, spray it with cooking spray or grease it with some butter.  Dip bread slices one by one into the mixture, shake off any excess, and toss that sucker on the heated skillet.  Depending on how crispy you like your french toast, do one and a half minutes per side for soft French Toast, and two or two and a a half minutes per side for crispy French Toast.

Now let's talk eggs.  Here are some simple scrabled eggs that made Kyle able to function.

To make scrambled eggs for 2.5 people (and considering Kyle eats twice as many as me), I beat five eggs with about 5 Tbs of milk.  We only drink skim in our house (with the exception of the baby), but use whatever you have at hand.  Beat the eggs and milk together, add a sprinkle of salt and pepper and pour into a greased medium-hot pan.  The trick to these eggs is to keep moving them around as they cook.  That way they get really fluffy, instead of that weird fried egg texture that a lot of scrambled egg recipes have.  And be sure to remember, trying to cook them on higher heat will do nothing but make some awful rubber eggs!  Now, once your eggs are good and fluffy, and seem like they're about done, get a few slices of really good cheese- cheddar and American are my favorites, remove the pan from heat, and cover the eggs in cheese.  Once you've covered your eggs in cheese, put a lid on them for 2 minutes and leave them alone.  Don't open the lid to check on them, just keep a lid on it.  When you uncover the pan, you'll have deliciously gooey, yummy eggs that will line your belly in warm happy goodness.

Mmmm...potatoes.  You really can't go wrong with potatoes. Get your cast iron skillet piping hot, then turn it down to medium high heat.  Pour a 1/2 inch of olive oil, bacon grease, or whatever kind of oil blows your hair back into the pan.  Cut your potato into little cubes (or if you're too tired, just roughly chop it).  Throw in some Tony Chachera's Cajun seasoning, or some Mixed Up Salt, stir, and just leave the potatoes alone for 2 minutes with the lid on.  After 2 minutes are up, keep the potatoes moving in the pan.  If you feel they're getting to dry for you, add a splash of water, put the lid back on for 2 minutes.  Stir the potatoes.  Now this is where personal preference comes in.  Kyle likes his potatoes almost burnt, so I leave them on for a bit so that they get that yummy crunchy, almost overcooked texture.  If you like your potatoes soft, just keep an eye on them, and when you think they're done, give them a taste!  When your potatoes are done, sprinkle a little cheese on them, and whalah!  You've got cheesy hangover potatoes.

Okay, so for the most important part of any greasy hangover breakfast...BACON!!!  Sigh, I swear, I could be Homer and dip it in butter.  MMMMM..okay, maybe I don't want to dip it in butter, but I do love me some bacon, hungover or not.  Unfortunately, no one in my house likes bacon the same way (Kyle likes his barely cooked, Laela likes it kind of crispy, and I like mine almost burnt), so I had to come up with a solution that could save me some time, keep me from having to do a million dishes, and have the bacon come out in a way that we'd all be happy.  Where did I turn to do this you might ask?  My fabulous friend, the oven.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (parchment and wax paper are not a good fill in for this one guys, so please don't waste your time trying.)  When the oven is hot, place as much bacon that will fit on the sheet without touching (if bacon touches, it melds to itself, and that can make a greasy hot mess if you want to flip your bacon.)  Pop it in the oven, and just keep an eye on it to see how chewy looking you might want it, or how crispy you may desire it to be. If you like your bacon really crispy like I do, you may want to flip your bacon so that it gets evenly crispy on both sides.  Just keep an eye on it, and always remember, if you can smell whatever's in the oven, it's darn close to finished.

If you've finished reading this and you're finding yourself wondering how to get this all done at once, you should attempt it in this order:
Bacon, potatoes, eggs, French toast.

Yes, I know this blog is about Mommies and babies, but let's be real people, some days you go out on date night, or for a night out with your friends, and you wake up the next day wishing your Mommy was there to make you breakfast.  Unfortunately (and fortunately!) for you, you're a grown up with responsibilities, so get your butts in gear, fill up the sippy cups, give the kids some pots and pans and wooden spoons to play with while you cook and make your family some breakfast!  I promise, you'll feel at least 90% better.