Slow Cooker Honey-Dijon Pork Tenderloin

Today, I made the best, most tender, flavorful, and moist Pork Tenderloin that I've ever tasted, if I do say so myself! ;-)

I had a lovely-looking 2 lb pork tenderloin, (see pic) and wanted to try something different - I searched online, saw an interesting recipe on About.com, Southern Cooking, and adapted it to fit my own taste.

Slow Cooker Honey-Dijon Pork Tenderloin


* 2 lb pork tenderloin, or 2 1 lb pork tenderloins
* salt and pepper, to taste
* 1 medium garlic clove, minced
* 5 tablespoons high quality honey-dijon mustard
* 1 tablespoon brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar
* 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf thyme, crumbled
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1 tablespoon cold water

Preparation:
Wash and trim the pork and pat dry; sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place pork in the slow cooker. Combine garlic, mustard, brown sugar, vinegar, and thyme; pour over the pork. Turn pork to coat thoroughly. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours, or on HIGH for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours. Test for doneness with meat thermometer, center of tenderloin should be at least 160F, for safe eating.

Remove pork to a plate, cover with foil, and keep warm. Pour the juices into a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until reduced by about one-third. I left the 'chunky bits' in my sauce for extra flavor, but you can easily strain the juices, for a smoother sauce. Combine the cornstarch and cold water; whisk into the reduced juices and cook for 1 minute longer. Serve pork sliced with the thickened juices.

I added some fresh Italian style green beans, and a simple salad, and had a meal fit for royalty!

Serves 6.

Thank You, Foodbuzz!

After a hard work day today, I arrived home to find a package from my friends at Foodbuzz, the Internet's most awesome foodie community.

I excitedly opened my package, to find that these wonderful folks had sent me yet more gifts to show their appreciation for my role as one of their Featured Publishers!

This time, I received a high-quality chef's apron, and a snazzy green spatula, both emblazoned with the Foodbuzz logo. You can see both in the picture above.

I'm especially impressed with the chef's apron - not only does it have an adjustable neck, (important to someone like me, who is 'vertically challenged', lol) but it also has 3 deep waist pockets, something that is only found in the best quality aprons.

I'm looking forward to using my new gifts at my public catering events, where I know the Foodbuzz logo will start a real 'buzz'! I intend to let any who ask know what a great community Foodbuzz is!

Be sure to check out the Foodbuzz site - you'll be glad you did!

Thanks again, Foodbuzz - you rock!

Blue Cheese Cream Toasts with Walnuts

Calabres Con Nuezes

Another tasty, yet super quick and easy, Tapas recipes!


Yield: 10-12 toasts

Ingredients

French baguette, cut in half inch slices
2 Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 oz Cabrales, or other bleu cheese (Cabrales really is the best!)
2 Tbl sour cream
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup English walnut halves, shelled

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F. Brush each slice of baguette with olive oil, and place on baking sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes, until golden brown.

In medium bowl, crumble Cabrales, add sour cream, and mix lightly with a fork. Do not overmix - mixture should not be smooth. Season with pepper to taste. Spread a tsp of cheese mixture on each slice of baguette, top with a walnut half.

That's all there is to it! Serve with cocktails, sparkling white wine, or as a finger food with other appetizers.

Tapas!

Lately, I've been having a great time discovering and creating 'Tapas', the wonderful snacks that magically appear beside your chosen drink at Spanish bars. Tapas are usually very simple, small morsels of food, often unique to local regions of Spain. Tapas are only one of the ways that the local gathering spots use to make everyone feel like 'family'.

Here is just one of the numerous Tapas you may find.
Try serving these at your next cocktail party, or game day - your guest will love them!

I will be posting more Tapa recipes soon!



Croquetas de Huevos (Egg Fritters)

Makes 36 fritters

Ingredients:

1/4 stick butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup of milk (very cold)
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 tsp grated nutmeg
6 TBL bread crumbs, finely ground
2 large eggs, beaten
Oil (preferably EVOO) for frying

Melt butter in medium saucepan, and add flour, stirring constantly. Continiue stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Add milk slowly, still stirring constantly, until it forms a thick sauce. Fold in hard boiled eggs, season to taste, and add nutmeg. Continue to cook 4-5 minutes, resulting in a thick sauce.
Let cool completely - this is very important! Cooling overnight is best.
Form a scan TBL of the mixture into a fritter, (1.5 to 2 inch cylinder). Roll fritter in bread crumbs, coat in beaten egg, and roll in bread crumbs again.
Heat oil in large, heavy-bottomed skillet until temp reaches 350F. Fry in batches (no more than 3-4 per batch) for about 5 minutes, until golden brown.
Remove with slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and serve immediately.

"Safe" Tomatoes

Will it be a tomato-less summer for some people?

I highly doubt that the current Salmonella scare will last all summer, although the FDA seems to be having an especially hard time locating the source of the contaminated tomatoes, compared with other recent outbreaks.

On a positive note, the FDA is clearing more states' growers every day, so if you can (reliably) find out the source of the tomatoes you wish to purchase, you can check to see if that state is on the "safe" list.

The most comprehensive information I've found for all aspects of this Salmonella outbreak, including a daily updating of states where the tomatoes have been deemed safe, is Salmonellosis Outbreak in Certain Types of Tomatoes

As for ourselves, we are blessed that this year's crop of container tomatoes is an abundant one, as evidenced by the pictures. With a little work to keep the squirrels at bay, we've been enjoying these homegrown delights every day!

I hope my readers are as lucky!

Easy Broccoli Salad

This sweet but tangy broccoli salad isn't just good for you, it's super easy to prepare as a light lunch, or cool side dish for your next cookout!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbl sugar
2 Tbl vinegar
6 cups fresh broccoli florets
6 slices crisply cooked bacon, crumbled
1 small red onion, chopped

Directions:

Mix mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar in large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix lightly. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

Serves 10-12.

Sausage-Stuffed Squash

Hearty enough for a main course, this is one of our favorite recipes for squash.

Ingredients:

2 medium acorn squash, about 1 and 1/2 lbs (I occasionally substitute butternut squash)
2 Italian sausage links, casing removed
1 medium onion (or more to taste), chopped
2/3 cup chopped green pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 and 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan or cheddar cheese (your choice)

Directions:
Cut each squash in half lengthwise, scoop out and discard seeds, forming a 'cup' in each of the four halves. Place squash cut side down, in a microwave-safe baking dish. Cover and microwave on high for 10-12 minutes or until tender.
While squash is cooking, crumble sausage into a large skillet and add the onion, green peppers, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink - drain. Stir in tomato, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Turn squash over, cut side up. Stuff with sausage mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan or cheddar. Cover and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes or untill heated through.

Serves 4