Balsamic Grilled Pork Tenderloin

It's one of my favorite cuts of meat. There are so 

many variations that give it completely different 

flavors. It's easy, fast, and delicious. Here's one.

There are always two pork tenderloins in a package.

It will serve 6. Most of the time I grill both of them

  for the two of us. This way, I have another dinner

 for later in the week or sandwiches for lunch. 

Leftovers also make a great filling for burritos.

Combine the marinade ingredients. 

I had fresh rosemary and thyme on hand 

so I added those. You can use dried if you like.

Coat the tenderloins well, cover and marinate if 

you have the time. Several hours is good enough. 

You could do this in the morning.

Grill over hot grill for about 15 minutes, turning a

few times until glazed. Do not overcook.

 It will still be pink in the middle when you 

take it off the grill. Cover lightly with foil to 

keep warm and let rest for 10 minutes.

It will continue cooking as it rests.  

Slice diagonally and dip each slice into the

 juices to plate and serve.

Good served with mashed potatoes, green 

vegetable or salad.

If you don't have a grill, you can roast them in a

very hot 450 oven for about 18-20 minutes.

Balsamic Grilled Pork Tenderloin

2 pork tenderloins

4 cloves garlic, minced

2T balsamic vinegar

2T olive oil                      

2t coarse salt

1/2t pepper

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 sprigs fresh thyme

Combine ingredients and rub all over pork. Marinate in refrigerator for several hours.

Bring tenderloins to room temp before grilling. Grill over hot grill about 15 minutes, turning 3 sides every 5 minutes. Remove to cutting board and let rest, slightly covered with foil for at least 10 minutes to let the juices redistribute into the meat. Slice diagonally and serve with a drizzle of the juices. Good with mashed potatoes and a fresh green vegetable: broccoli, sugar snap peas, asparagus, etc. or salad.

Enjoy!

also see: Pork Tenderloin en Croute'
Pork Tenderloin in a Golden Herb Crust
Pork Tenderloin Stir Fry with Linguini 
in a Basil Cream Sauce

Spinach Artichoke Grilled Cheese

Two kinds of cheese melted and layered with

 a spinach and artichoke hearts mixture on 

buttery grilled Italian bread.....

Hello lunch!

 What you'll need; fresh spinach, canned 

artichoke hearts, 4 slices of cheese

(I used sharp cheddar and provolone),

4 slices of good bread from the bakery section,

Italian, rye, whatever is your favorite, plus

olive oil, butter, sour cream, garlic salt and pepper. 

 Saute the spinach in olive oil.

 Season well with garlic salt and pepper.

 Add the chopped artichoke hearts and sour cream. 

Heat through and remove from the pan. 

Rinse out and dry the pan for grilling the bread. 

Return the pan to the heat.

 Spread one side of the bread with 

soft butter or margarine. 

 Put 2 slices of bread in the pan buttered side

 down. Top each with a slice of cheese and 

the spinach artichoke mixture.

 Top with the remaining cheese slices.

 Top with the remaining bread buttered side up.

 Grill until the bottom is golden brown and flip 

carefully. Grill the other side until toasted and 

the cheese is melted.

 You know you want one!

Spinach Artichoke Grilled Cheese

Fresh spinach-about 3C

Canned artichoke hearts-about 3 hearts 

chopped for about 1/2 C

1T olive oil

garlic salt and pepper

2T sour cream

4 slices cheese-your choice

(Monterrey jack, provolone, cheddar)

4 slices of good bread

butter/margarine

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.

Saute the spinach until wilted. Season well 

with garlic salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped

artichoke hearts and heat through. Add a dollop

of sour cream and blend well. 

Remove this mixture to a small bowl.

Rinse and dry the skillet and return to the heat.

Buter one side of the bread. Add 2 slices of bread

 to the hot skillet, buttered side down. 

Top each with a slice of cheese, the spinach 

artichoke mixture, the remaining slice of cheese 

and the remaining slice of bread, 

buttered side up. Grill until golden brown,

 Flip and grill the other side until toasted 

and the cheese is melted.

Makes 2 sandwiches

Enjoy!

Links: Designs By Gollum

Small Cheesecake

Ya gotta love a cheesecake recipe that only uses

 1 package of cream cheese.

This recipe makes one small cheesecake.

Just the right size to make anytime.

 Beat softened cream cheese, sugar,
lemon juice, vanilla, and a pinch of salt
until fluffy.

 Beat in eggs, one at a time, until blended.
Don't overbeat.

Pour filling into graham cracker crust.
Bake @325 for 25 minutes, or
until set ~ edges will be slightly puffed.

 Combine the topping ingredients.

 Spoon over the hot cheesecake.

 Return to the oven and bake another
10 minutes.

 Cool on wire rack or trivet for at
 least an hour ~ then refrigerate.

It's easy, quick, and doesn't require a 

big cheesecake making commitment. 

If you don't have a lot of time, but want
something homemade, this is for you.
This is so simple and so delicious.
It only takes 10  minutes to prepare.

 Rich and creamy.

Cheesecake and coffee this afternoon.

Here's the condensed recipe for you
 to copy and paste

It's enough for 8 servings

Oh.....and it's very good!


Small Cheesecake
Crust
1 C graham cracker crumbs
1/2 stick butter, melted
2 T sugar
Combine and press into a buttered 9" pie plate.
Filling
8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 C sugar
1 T lemon juice
1/2 t vanilla extract
dash salt
2 eggs
Beat cream cheese and sugar on medium speed
until fluffy. Beat in lemon juice, vanilla and salt.
Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until just
combined after each addition.
Pour into crust. Bake @325 for 25 minutes
or  until set. Spread with topping.
Topping
1 C sour cream
2 T sugar
1/2 t vanilla 
Combine and spread over the top of the hot
cheesecake. Return to the oven and bake another
10 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour then chill
 for at least 2 hours. Store in refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Links: Facebook, Stone Gable
Designs By Gollum
Between Naps On The Porch

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

This is a quick and easy chicken recipe.

It's another one of my 'Chicken for Dummies'. 

When my grandson calls at the last minute and

 wants to know what he can do with a couple of

 chicken breasts and just a few other ingredients, 

I need to be ready!

Lay the chicken breasts in a shallow pan.

(Do not crowd the chicken like the above photo.)

 Give it some room and season as desired.
These were large breasts that I cut in half.

Combine the mayonnaise and grated parmesan
cheese in a small bowl.

 Spread on the mayo-parm mixture; then sprinkle
 a little breadcrumbs on top.

Now to make a complete dinner super easy 

you can roast some cut-up potatoes and fresh

vegetables along with the chicken. Just toss them

 in olive oil with a little seasonings. 

Dinner is in the oven!

 Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes; (or
(or at 375 for 25 minutes)
until cooked through and browned.

How easy is that?!

 You can adjust the recipe to make 1 or 12.
This works on fish too; just bake
for about 10 minutes @425.

 The chicken stays moist and juicy.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

4 boneless chicken breasts

1/2 C mayonnaise

1/4 C Parmesan cheese

4 t Italian breadcrumbs

seasonings of choice

Place the chicken breasts in a shallow pan.

Season the top with about (your choice here)

1 t seasoned salt, 1/2 t garlic powder,

and 1/4 t pepper or to taste

Combine the mayo and grated cheese in

a small bowl. Spread this on the chicken breasts.

Sprinkle a little breadcrumbs on the top;

about 1 t each. Bake for 30 minutes @375
or 20  minutes @425.

or until browned and cook through.

Enjoy!

Links: Designs By Gollum

Mustard-Parsley Sauce for Corned Beef & Cabbage

I wanted to get this posted in time for you to try.

This is a great little sauce to serve with your 

St. Patrick's Day corned beef and cabbage dinner.

You just need to scoop out a cup of broth

that the corned beef has been cooking in.

It gives it great flavor.

Mustard-Parsley Sauce

2T butter

2T flour

1 C milk

1 C reserved cooking broth

from the corned beef

1/2 t salt

1/2 t pepper

2 T Dijon mustard

1 T cider vinegar

1/4 C chopped fresh parsley

In a saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. 

Whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring until smooth and 

bubbly. Whisk in the milk and broth. 

Bring to a boil, stirring, reduce heat to low

and whisk until thickened (about 3 minutes). 

Remove from heat and whisk in the

 salt, pepper, mustard, vinegar and fresh parsley. 

Put into a gravy boat to pass.

Serve with the corned beef and cabbage

Enjoy!

Links: Facebook, 
Between Naps On The Porch,
Designs By Gollum

Spinach Balls

Sorting through my appetizer recipe file I came 

upon this old recipe I hadn't made in decades 

 many years. So, I decided to make it for our ladies 

card group last night.

It's March and I wanted something green !

Finger food, easy to nibble on, great with a glass of

 wine or tea, and can be made ahead.

That's all I needed to bring it out again.

 Ingredients include; Stove Top mix, 

frozen spinach, eggs, onion ,butter, 

Parmesan, and seasonings.

 Cook the spinach and drain.

 Chop an onion.

 Melt the butter in a large bowl in the microwave 

for 1 minute. Whisk the eggs in a smaller bowl.

 I used the empty egg bowl to press out all the 

extra moisture from the spinach. Works great.

 Combine everything.

 TIP: If you've emptied out the container of 

shredded cheese, toss the container in the 

recycle bin but keep the cap and 

toss it in the dishwasher. Why, later.

 Once the mixture is well combined,

 Put a lid on it!  Refrigerate 2 hours or longer. 

That makes it easier to handle.

 Measure out about 1-1/2" balls. 

Then roll in your hands to shape.

Freeze them on a cookie sheet, or you can bake

 them right away at 350 for about 25-30 minutes

 until slightly golden and it smells good in your kitchen.

This makes a lot of balls, so I always freeze some 

and then toss them into a  Ziploc bag. 

Thaw and bake for 30 minutes

 whenever you want a little snack. 

I've also baked them the last 30 minutes

 with a roast chicken to serve as a side,

 little spinach stuffing balls.

Now, for the caps; they fit on most mason jars.
These are Classico sauce jars filled with; cheese,
breadcrumbs and mini chocolate chips.
 Easy to store and shake out.

Spinach Balls

2 boxed frozen chopped spinach

1 box Stove Top stuffing mix-chicken flavor
 (stuffing and seasoning packet)

4 eggs

1 onion, finely chopped

 1-1/2 sticks butter, melted

1 C grated Parmesan cheese

1 t thyme

1 t garlic powder

1 t pepper

1 t salt

Microwave the spinach in a covered container

 for 8 minutes, stirring once.

 Drain well in mesh colander.

(Use the small bowl to press out extra moisture)

Microwave the butter in a large bowl for 1 minute.

Whisk the eggs in a small bowl. 

Combine all ingredients in the large bowl. 

Cover and refrigerate for two hours.

Shape into 1-/1/2" balls. Freeze some on a tray, 

then store in a plastic bag until ready to bake.

 Bake the remaining balls @375 for 20 min.

Bake frozen balls for 30 minutes. 

Enjoy!