Apple Picking Braised Pork Tenderloin

 

A combo of apples and apple cider makes this on0pot dish a go-to-dinner.  I ran across this a year or so ago on Food Network.  It's definitely a keeper!

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 pork tenderloin, trimmed (about 1/12 lbs)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large red onion, sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup barley

1 1/4 cup unsweetened apple cider

1 1/4 cup chicken broth

1 Tbsp grainy Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp regular Dijon mustard

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced in 1/4" thick wedges

2 stalks of celery chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Heat 1 Tbsp of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat.  Pat the pork dry with paper towels and season all over with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.  Add to the pot and sear until golden brown on all sides, about 6 minutes.  Remove to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil and the red onion to the pot.  Cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add the garlic, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the barley and toast for 1 minute.  Add the apple cider and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden, spoon.  Add the chicken broth, grainy and regular Dijon, celery and the thyme and bring to a strong simmer, about 2 minutes.  

Return the pork to the pot along with any residual juices.  Braise in the oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part reaches 145 degrees, 15 - 20 minutes.  Remove the pork to a cutting board, tent loosely with aluminum foil and allow to rest.  

Stir the apple into the barley mixture.  Bake until almost all of the liquid evaporates and the barley and apples are just tender, 15 - 20 minutes.  

Remove the thyme springs from the barley.  Slice the pork into 1/2" thick medallions.  Serve the sliced pork over the barley and apples.  Top with parsley.

This isn't a quick dish, but it hits the spot when you're in the mood for comfort food. 

Cod Tacos with Mango-Avocado Salsa & Lime Crema

In my lifetime, tacos have come a long way.  No longer is it strictly ground beef in a crunchy taco shell.  My current favorite is this cod taco.  Topped with Mango-Avocado salsa and lime crema, it's just so fresh and delicious.

Mango-Avocado Salsa

Mix gently:

1 cup of frozen mango chunks (defrosted)

1 avocado, diced

1 small tomato, diced

Juice of 1/2 lime

Salt to taste

Set aside and try not to eat it all with a spoon.

Lime Crema

Stir together:

1/2 cup sour cream

Zest plus juice of 1/2 lime

Pinch of salt

Thin with a splash of water or milk until it's a consistency that will drizzle over your tacos.

Cod

Pat cod dry and season both sides with:

Salt and pepper

Chili powder

Garlic powder

Heat a skillet over medium-high with a little oil.  

Cook cod 3 - 4 minutes per side until flaky and lightly golden.

Break into big, juicy chunks.

Tortillas

Warm flour tortillas in a dry pan on the stove top.

Assemble your tacos:

Warm tortilla

Cod chunks

Mango-avocado salsa

Lime crema drizzle

Extra squeeze of lime

This is bright, fresh, slightly indulgent, and absolutely a good dinner decision.  

I like to serve it with Mexican Corn Cake.  

 

Steakhouse Dinner

I've been asking Chat GPT for dinner ideas lately and it's pretty good at matching ideas with my pallet.   I've been very impressed with lots of the ideas sent.  I call my Chat bot Simmer and I told him to call me Grammy.  It makes it feel more personal.  LOL!  Here's what Simmer came up with for a steak night dinner for one.

1 (6 - 8 oz) sirloin steak
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 garlic clove, mashed

Heat your skillet over medium-high heat

Add the olive oil

When hot add your seasoned sirloin and cook 4 - 5 minutes on each side

Add the butter and smashed garlic clove at the end.  Spoon butter over steak and then remove from pan to rest.

Salad

Mixed greens or romaine

Cherry tomatoes

Avocado slices

Cucumber slices

Red onion, thinly sliced

Shaved parmesan cheese

Creamy Peppercorn Dressing

1/4 cup sour cream

2 Tbsp mayo

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar or lemon juice

1 tsp Dijon

Cracked black pepper (be generous)

Splash of milk to thin

Salt to taste

Absolutely perfect served with warm garlic bread.

 

Sheet-Pan Sweet Potatoes, Bacon & Chicken Thighs

The best thing about a sheet-pan dinner is easy clean up.  I simply line a sheet pan with foil and it's a one pan wonder.  Clean-up is a breeze.  This recipe is hands down my favorite sheet pan meal.  

3 - 4 sweet potatoes, cubed
4 skin-on chicken thighs
6 bacon slices, chopped

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Smoked paprika

3 garlic cloves, minced

Parsley, for garnish

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Line a sheet pan with foil

Toss sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic.  Spread them out - they need space to caramelize.

Nestle the chicken thighs among the potatoes.  Drizzle with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.  

Scatter bacon over everything.

Roast 30 - 35 minutes, flipping the sweet potatoes once.  

If the chicken isn't browned enough, pop under the broiler for 2 - 3 minutes at the end.  

Drizzle a little maple syrup or honey over the sweet potatoes

Enjoy!

Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce

Growing up Mom and Dad always had rhubarb and strawberries growing in the garden.  Both were favorites of my sister and myself.  This recipe combines the sweet from the strawberries with the tart of the rhubarb and it's fantastic!

2 1/2 cups rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1/2" pieces

3/4 cup sugar plus 2 Tbsp if needed

1/2 cup water

3 cups strawberries, sliced

In a medium saucepan, combine rhubarb, sugar and water.  Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook 8 - 10 minutes.  Add sliced strawberries and cook until the rhubarb is tender and translucent, about 5 - 6 more minutes.  

Remove from the heat and cool slightly.  Using an immersion blender or food processor, puree mixture.  Taste and adjust sugar.  

Serve over pound cake or frozen yogurt.  It's delicious as a stand-alone too.  

Harvest "Thyme" Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges

Looking for a great starchy side dish for your next dinner?  Give this a try.  This is super delicious!

3 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

4 lbs small sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 8 wedges

8 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped.  

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Mix sugar, oil, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a large bowl.  Add potatoes, toss to coat.  

Arrange potatoes in a single layer in large shallow baking pan.  

Sprinkle with thyme.  

Bake potatoes 1 hour or until the edges are dark brown and edges are crisp, turning after 30 minutes.  

Garlic Butter Herb Steak Bites with Potatoes

Everybody who knows me knows two of my favorite foods are steak and potatoes.  That makes this dish a guaranteed favorite for me.  

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp butter, divided

1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, sliced about 1/4" thick

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp thyme, chopped

1 tsp rosemary, chopped

1 tsp oregano, chopped

1 1/4 lb sirloin steaks, cut into 1" cubes

Salt and pepper

Turn the skillet to high heat.  Add 1 Tbsp butter and steak bites.  Let the steak sear for a minute and then continue to stir the steak until they are golden brown.  

Top the steak with fresh chopped herbs and then add back the potatoes.  

Plate and serve with salted sour cream for dipping.

 

Summertime Pasta Casserole

Just because the weather is warmer doesn't mean you have to avoid your oven.  Summertime Pasta Casserole highlights the very best veggies of the season.

2 cups of diced rotisserie chicken
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 zucchini, diced

1/2 cup corn kernels, canned or frozen

12 oz penne pasta

3 1/2 cups chicken broth

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided

1/2 cup spinach, chopped, divided

2 tsp garlic, minced

1/2 tsp kosher salt

black pepper, to taste

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  

Coat a 9 x 13" baking dish with cooking spray.  

In a large bowl, add the diced chicken, tomatoes, zucchini, corn, pasta, chicken broth, 1 1/2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, spinach, minced garlic, salt and pepper.  Stir to combine.  

Evenly pour the pasta mixture into the prepared baking dish and tightly cover with foil.  

Bake the pasta casserole until the penne is al dente, about 40 minutes.  

Uncover the baking dish and stir the pasta casserole.  Evenly sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over the pasts casserole and bake until the cheese has melted, about 5 - 10 minutes.  

Plate the pasta casserole and sprinkle with grated parmesan.  

 

Ultra-Buttery Cauliflower Mash

I really like cauliflower, but I tend to only eat it one way and that's steamed.  Well, I've discovered another way I like it . . . mashed and with lots of butter.  Give this one a try.

3 - 4 cups cooked cauliflower, very warm

3 Tbsp butter

1/3 - 1/2 cup half and half, warm

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Salt and black pepper

Tiny pinch garlic powder

Blend cauliflower until smooth.

Add butter, half and half, Parmesan, salt, pepper and garlic powder

Blend again until luxuriously creamy.

Taste.  Add more butter or salt if needed.  

Note:  I like to use my immersion blender for this.  It works really well.
 

Dr. Pepper Baked Chicken Thighs

As a lifelong lover of Dr. Pepper, this recipe caught my eye.  I absolutely had to give it a try.  It was super good and really easy to make.  It's a little sweet, a little savory, and a little sticky.  Perfect!

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk together:

1 cup Dr. Pepper

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp ketchup

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp garlic powder

Season six chicken thighs (I like skin-on)

Sear the thighs skin-side down until skin is brown and crispy.

Place in a baking dish skin side up.  Pour sauce over the thighs.  Bake for 40 - 45 minutes, uncovered.  Broil for 2 - 3 minutes to caramelize.

Serve with roasted potatoes or green beans.