Pork Tenderloin with Creamy Cider-Herb Sauce

The tenderloin recipe that I mentioned on the day that I gave you the yummy Brussels Sprouts recipe?.
 ... here it is....

I didn't have any cider around... and, if you are in the same boat.... don't let that hold you back.  I used some apple juice and added a splash of vinegar.



Pork Tenderloin with Creamy Cider-Herb Sauce
2 pork tenderloins  (about 2 lb/1kg total)
1/4  tsp each salt and pepper
1  TBSP vegetable oil
1  TBSP butter
1/2   cup finely diced onion
1  clove garlic, mince
1/2  cup each apple cider and sodium-reduced chicken broth
1/4  cup whipping cream  (you know I didn't use this! hahah... some whole milk will do, but add it near  
       the end after boiling the broth for a bit)
1  tsp Dijon mustard
1  tsp cornstarch
1  TBSP each minced fresh thyme and parsley (I didn't use that much and also added a bit of fresh            
       rosemary and sweet basil)

Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper.  In large oven proof skillet, heat oil over med-high heat;  sear pork all over, about 6 minutes.

Transfer to 400F / 200C oven; roast til juices run clear when pierced and just a hint of pink remains inside about 15 minutes.  Transfer to cutting board and tent with foil; let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, in same skillet, melt butter over medium heat; cook onion, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic; cook 1 minute.

Add cider and bring to boil, scraping up any brown bits.  Stir chicken broth, cream and mustard; boil until reduced to 1 cup, about 5 minutes.

Mix cornstarch with 2 tsp. water and stir into sauce along with thyme and parsley; cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.   Serve with pork

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NB:: I couldn't see the sense of putting the skillet into the oven and waiting to do the sauce.  I put the tenderloins in a heated baking dish which was already waiting for them in the oven instead..and then just began making the sauce in the pan in which I browned the meat.  Make sure you take the pork out of the oven almost a bit earlier than you think because remember it is still cooking a bit more while tented and you don't want to overcook it.

We sliced it and poured the sauce over to serve.... 

Orange Pumpkin Loaf

I did just stop for tea... and had a lovely slice of pumpkin loaf.  They call this a Tea Bread.... but, honestly?  a loaf describes it more accurately to me... as in my head I always think of bread as being of the yeasty variety.  But, that's just me.

It is from the Company's Coming Muffins and More book... by Jean Pare.  I've made lots of the muffins and loaves in her book.... all tasty...

File this under any name you like.... although I'll print it out here as what they call it in the book.  The orange goes so well with the pumpkin.

Pumpkin Tea Bread

1/2   cup butter
1 1/2   cups granulated sugar
2  eggs
1   cup canned pumpkin
1   tbsp. grated rind of orange
1/4   cup orange juice
2 1/4   cups all purpose flour
1/2   tsp. baking powder
2   tsp.  baking soda  (I never put as much as they say... your call)
1/2   tsp. salt  (I never put any, the butter already has plenty for me)
1/2   tsp. cinnamon  (use more.... it benefits from a bit more in the spice department)
1/2   tsp. cloves
1/2   cup chopped nuts  (I use toasted walnuts)
1/2   cup chopped dates  (or raisins) ....

optional:::  I like to also add some ground ginger, a sprinkle of all spice instead of the cloves and a tiny sprink of nutmeg...

Cream butter, sugar and 1 egg.  Beat in second egg unti smooth.  Mix in pumpkin, rind and juice.

In another bowl, measure and stir well all remaining ingredients.  Pour all at once into batter in mixing bowl.  Stir only enough to moisten.  Pour into greased loaf pan 9 x 5 x 3.

Bake at 350 F (180 C) for about 1 hour or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes.  Remove loaf from pan to rack.  Cool and wrap.

This loaf tastes even better the second and third day....

Spinach quesadillas

Safeway has the cutest little cards of recipes... in the produce section and also in the meat area.  I always look through them and sometimes there are several that I bring home.  This one definitely caught my eye.  I had lots of fun making them...and may I just say?...  simple, tasty and, oh, no.... even pretty healthy too... a winning combination!  Keep that card and file it!!  Change things up any way you like.

Spinach and Black Bean Quesadillas

1   TBSP olive oil
1   small onion diced
3 to 4 cups fresh pre-washed spinach
4   8 or 10 inch flour tortillas
2   cups shredded cheese (the recipe calls for Mexican blend whatever that is) (I used mozza and cheddar)
1  15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1   tsp. ground cumin (optional)

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion; cook and stir until soft.  Add spinach; cook and stir until wilted.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Drain well; set aside.

Coat large skillet with cooking spray and cook a tortilla til golden brown; turn over.  Top with one-fourth  of the cheese, beans and spinach; season with cumin if desired.  Fold tortilla in half pressing gently; cook 2 minutes per side or til lightly browned and cheese melts.  Remove from skillet; keep warm.

Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.  Cut each quesadilla into 3 wedges and serve.


((I added chicken and also did things a bit differently because it seemed easier.  I used only one pan for everything))

 Cooked some chicken thighs in a non stick pan. Then, I added cumin to the chicken thighs which I also seasoned with basil and some red pepper flakes (add any other spices you like).  Removed chicken from the pan, cooled and sliced it while softening the onions (I added a teensy bit of oil and about a tsp. of butter) and some yellow pepper slices in the same pan... added the spinach and a clove of minced garlic.  Wilted it slightly, quickly gave it a stir and removed it to a platter.  Then began browning a tortilla in the same pan ... and followed directions for filling and browning.

Next time I think I'll try them with refried beans with green chilis.... nice and spicy...

Brussels Sprouts

Yes....they originally were popular in Belgium...hence the name.  A lot of folks don't care for them...I love them.  If you overcook sprouts, they release a sulphurous odor ... which is one of the reasons some people don't care for them.

This recipe is for raw sprouts.  I prefer them at least slightly cooked myself because they are sometimes a bit strong or bitter to me if raw. But... still love 'em ... however, I do sometimes wish we could all taste fruit and veggies directly from the vine..(or tree or whatever) ... at the peak of freshness and perfectly sun ripened.  If wishes were horses, as they say.......

Okay, back to this particular recipe.

I watch a new cooking show called Best Recipes Ever ... they have a ton of great recipes available online... called "tested til perfect".  Find them at canadianliving.com


Shredded Brussels Sprout Salad

3  tbsp. light mayonnaise
2  tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
1  tbsp. lemon juice
1  tsp. each Dijon mustard and Anchovy paste ( I omitted the Anchovy paste)
1  large clove garlic, minced
1/2  tsp. Worcestershire sauce
pinch pepper
4 cups (1 L ) shredded Brussels sprouts (about 16 sprouts)  (she used food processor to shred them)
2  tbsp. each extra virgin olive oil and diced prosciutto or bacon (who needs oil when you have bacon fat? ..hmmm...)

In large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, cheese, lemon juice, mustard, anchovy paste, garlic, Worcestershire sauce and pepper.  Add brussels sprouts, tossing to coat. Set aside.

In skillet, heat oil over medium heat; cook prosciutto until crisp.  (I used bacon and no oil of course)  Add prosciutto with oil to sprouts mixture, tossing to combine.  Let stand for 10 minutes to wilt slightly.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Other option::::    I chose to cut my sprouts in halves and quarters, and toss them into my pan with some slices of almost cooked bacon. Once softened a bit...I turned off heat and added the mayo mixture ...folding into the sprouts.  Served it in the nice stainless pan in which I cooked the bacon.  Next time I think I will blanch or ever so slightly cook the sprouts first... ooooohhh.... it's a yummy dish.
Creamy mashed potatoes, carrots in broth with fresh parsley....tenderloin with Apple cider ...

Of course, not necessarily one to make every time you enjoy sprouts...but, for special occasions.  Or... even as what I call "Sunday on a Monday" as I decided we were having the other day.  I didn't do much for supper on the Sunday because the day just got away from me.  So, figured, what the heck... I'll do something nice on Monday.  I'm home all day.... and with tenderloin as the main dish..it sure doesn't take long to turn out something pretty special....stay tuned for the tenderloin recipe.

Art Smith's Peach Cobbler

Well, actually.... the only reason I call it that is because I watched Top Chef Masters a few weeks ago and he was on as a contestant.  One of the things he was doing was a tiny version of Peach Cobbler... rolling out some light dough with a miniature rolling pin.... and he used the teeniest little ramekins with a handle.... it was pretty cute because he has huge hands and it made everything look even more miniscule.  The judges were suitably impressed with the cuteness of it as well.

I don't have a clue what he put into it... they don't tell you and you don't get to see all of the preparation...

But, .. I had to give one a try even though it was a guessing game.  I tried to find his recipes on line... no luck at all.  Too much advertising to go through to get anywhere with that.  I gave up.

No fresh peaches around here at this time of year, so I used some canned in pear juice.  Butter the ramekins.   I added a bit of cornstarch to my juice and tossed in a few blueberries.  I thought it would add to the dish as I have seen recipes before that had peaches and blueberries, but, honestly, it makes the peaches a horrible deep purplish colour and ..well....it just didn't look that great to me.  Next time...just peaches.

I was already mixing up some sweet tea biscuit dough for an apple cobbler, so just swiped a little blob...added a bit of flour to it.. and floured the countertop and rolled out a piece.  I sprinkled a bit of sugar on top as well..to counter the adding of flour. Don't want dry tasteless tops on my cobbler!

Baked them til lovely and golden and voila... Peach Cobbler.  So cute.  The perfect snack for Mr. BV and me when he came home from work....

Then.... we had supper.  Hahahah.... yes, indeed,  always have dessert first.  That's my motto.