That's like a mouthful of a recipe title all on its own! Coming you from a wonderful little cookbook I picked up at Kroger titled "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes: For Two". And despite the lengthy title--it's not that hard! I had the pork in to cook before work and made the salsa before dinner...easy as keylime pie :-) And oh yeah, it's quite good! Has a bit of a kick to it, so be in the mood for spicy!
Keep in mind you can nearly always substitute a turkey tenderloin for a pork tenderloin if you prefer.
Honey-Chipotle Pork Tenderloin
1 1/4 lb boneless plain pork tenderloin (the ones at Kroger come in 2 packs, so just be sure to freeze the other one)
2-3 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/3 c honey (I used 1/2 cup to make up for what would inevitably stick to the mixing bowl!)
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced, OR 1 tbs chipotle paste
3 tbs lime juice
1 1/2 tbs adobo sauce
Spray the inside of your slow cooker with PAM or use a liner and then spray with PAM. Rub the tenderloin with the chili powder and salt. I didn't so much measure out the powder and salt, as sprinkle, rub, rotate...kind of like salt and peppering corn on the cob, if you will. If you want to be cautious of the chili powder, then measure out. Place the tenderloin in the center of your slow cooker. Place the honey and lime juice in a Pyrex/glass measuring cup or microwavable mixing bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute to melt down the honey (will make it easier to stir). Stir in the minced chipotle pepper or the paste and the adobo sauce (Note: I got a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced one, and then scooped out extra sauce). Pour the blended sauce over the meat. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours (keep the size of your tenderloin in mind). I would recommend rotating it in the sauce every so often if you're home. It should end up very tender and come apart like pulled pork.
Watermelon Salsa
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1-1 1/2 c chopped watermelon
1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 c diced purple onion (freeze the rest)
1/4 c chopped fresh Italian Parsley (you know, that thing everyone always accidentally buys when they mean to buy Cilantro..well who knew recipes used it!)
1 small fresh jalepeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 tbs champagne or white wine vinegar
2 tbs olive oil (don't overdo!)
Salt to taste
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and either serve immediately over or side-by-side with the tenderloin, or put in the fridge.
While this dish is great as is (maybe with some corn on the cob as a side...), but about halfway through the meal I thought wow, a tortilla would really keep this together better. And Bobby said, "Yeah, with some cheese" because in our kitchen EVERYTHING is better with a tortilla and cheese!! So sure enough I scooped the remaining contents of our plates into some leftover tortillas and added slices of pepper jack cheese and absolutely delicious picadillo soft tacos!!!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Easy KeyLime Pie
Ok so my mother's version of this has a whole crust recipe--which is really good, but also overly ambitious if I'm making it on a weeknight (which I am this evening). So I'm just going to pass along the deliciously creamy filling and that if you also are less interested in making your own crust that you invest in a reduced fat graham cracker crust that's already pre-made (baking aisle). And then it just takes 10 minutes! Bobby was like "is that it??" He'd barely just gotten the mixer out before it was time to put it away again. But should anyone want the crust part, post a comment, I'll add an adendum.
Anyway, the trick with this keylime pie is that it needs to be made ahead of time, so we're not eating it tonight. Instead, tomorrow I'll be posting a new recipe for Honey Chipotle Pork Tenderloin with Watermelon Salsa--and we'll be having keylime pie with that! So check back, that's coming soon :-)
Easy KeyLime Pie
1 graham cracker pie crust
1 container of fat free cool whip
8oz cream cheese (1/3 less fat)
3/4c KeyLime Juice (note the original calls for 1/2 but Bobby insists on extra keylime-y-ness)
4 egg yolks (and we recommend saving the whites for breakfast the next day or something)
14oz Eagle Brand Milk (Reduced or Fat Free)
In a mixer or food processor (I don't recommend ever trying to hand-mix anything with cream cheese), beat together the cream cheese, Eagle Brand Milk, and egg yolks. Slowly pour in the KeyLime juice while your mixing. Once you are lump-free, pour into the graham cracker crust, put the top back on it, and put it in the fridge overnight. Add with a hefty "dallop" of Cool Whip when serving. Don't forget to defrost the Cool Whip.
On a side note I did make an actual dinner tonight--beef and broccoli stir fry, and it was absolutely delicious. I've started making my own stir-fry sauces out of whatever happens to be in the fridge and looks Asian (sesame oil, soy sauce, always Hoison sauce, oyster sauce, ground ginger if I've been to Whole Foods that week, etc.) so those will be more difficult to type out, and since T&C are probably the only people reading and Taylor doesn't eat broccoli, this particular one won't be worth it! But it was really good :-) I'll type out my sweet n sour pork sauce next time I make that.
Anyway, the trick with this keylime pie is that it needs to be made ahead of time, so we're not eating it tonight. Instead, tomorrow I'll be posting a new recipe for Honey Chipotle Pork Tenderloin with Watermelon Salsa--and we'll be having keylime pie with that! So check back, that's coming soon :-)
Easy KeyLime Pie
1 graham cracker pie crust
1 container of fat free cool whip
8oz cream cheese (1/3 less fat)
3/4c KeyLime Juice (note the original calls for 1/2 but Bobby insists on extra keylime-y-ness)
4 egg yolks (and we recommend saving the whites for breakfast the next day or something)
14oz Eagle Brand Milk (Reduced or Fat Free)
In a mixer or food processor (I don't recommend ever trying to hand-mix anything with cream cheese), beat together the cream cheese, Eagle Brand Milk, and egg yolks. Slowly pour in the KeyLime juice while your mixing. Once you are lump-free, pour into the graham cracker crust, put the top back on it, and put it in the fridge overnight. Add with a hefty "dallop" of Cool Whip when serving. Don't forget to defrost the Cool Whip.
On a side note I did make an actual dinner tonight--beef and broccoli stir fry, and it was absolutely delicious. I've started making my own stir-fry sauces out of whatever happens to be in the fridge and looks Asian (sesame oil, soy sauce, always Hoison sauce, oyster sauce, ground ginger if I've been to Whole Foods that week, etc.) so those will be more difficult to type out, and since T&C are probably the only people reading and Taylor doesn't eat broccoli, this particular one won't be worth it! But it was really good :-) I'll type out my sweet n sour pork sauce next time I make that.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Breakfast Spaghetti
This is more or less a version of spaghetti carbonera, but whatever! My mom used to make this for me all the time growing up and it's a favorite--I'm just so glad it quickly became one of Bobby's favorites too. Super easy and great if you've got a few extra eggs or leftover bacon.
Breakfast Spaghetti
Spaghetti noodles (enough for 2)
4 eggs
5-6 strips of bacon (we use turkey bacon)
handful of diced onion
2-3 tbs. olive oil
Pepper
Garlic salt
In a large skillet, thoroughly cook the bacon strips. Once they're cooked all the way through, set them aside on paper towels to absorb the grease. Add diced onion to the skillet, along with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Boil spaghetti in a large pot while the onion cooks. In a separate bowl, beat the 4 eggs and stir in a few dashes of pepper and garlic salt. When the pasta is ready and the onions are cooked, drain the pasta--do not rinse--and add to the skillet with the onions. Pour the beaten eggs over the pasta and stir thoroughly (the heat from the skillet will scramble the eggs around the pasta). Hold bacon strips over the skillet and crumble them--stir the bacon into the pasta, and serve immediately.
Breakfast Spaghetti
Spaghetti noodles (enough for 2)
4 eggs
5-6 strips of bacon (we use turkey bacon)
handful of diced onion
2-3 tbs. olive oil
Pepper
Garlic salt
In a large skillet, thoroughly cook the bacon strips. Once they're cooked all the way through, set them aside on paper towels to absorb the grease. Add diced onion to the skillet, along with a few tablespoons of olive oil. Boil spaghetti in a large pot while the onion cooks. In a separate bowl, beat the 4 eggs and stir in a few dashes of pepper and garlic salt. When the pasta is ready and the onions are cooked, drain the pasta--do not rinse--and add to the skillet with the onions. Pour the beaten eggs over the pasta and stir thoroughly (the heat from the skillet will scramble the eggs around the pasta). Hold bacon strips over the skillet and crumble them--stir the bacon into the pasta, and serve immediately.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Redneck Dip
I don't know what this dip is actually called...but I took it to a White Trash Bash BBQ this evening and it was a big hit...so we'll just call it Redneck Dip for easy reference! I'm pretty sure it's posted on the back of a package of Philly Cream Cheese...but oh well.
Redneck Dip
3 8oz boxes of cream cheese (get the 1/3 fat kind)
1 can of turkey chili
1-1.5c shredded cheddar cheese
dried parsley flakes
Bag of Fritos Scoops
Layer the bottom of a 9x9 Pyrex dish with cream cheese blocks (I recommend slicing each block of cream cheese in half long-ways before lining the pan with them--using the full block makes it really thick.) You will only use about 2 and a half boxes if you do it this way. Top with a can of turkey chili (or chili of your choice). Spread shredded cheddar cheese over the chili and sprinkle with parsley flakes for color. Heat in the oven at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until completely warmed. If taking to another location, bring it over cold, and heat it upon arrival. Serve with Fritos Scoops...always a crowd pleaser!!
Redneck Dip
3 8oz boxes of cream cheese (get the 1/3 fat kind)
1 can of turkey chili
1-1.5c shredded cheddar cheese
dried parsley flakes
Bag of Fritos Scoops
Layer the bottom of a 9x9 Pyrex dish with cream cheese blocks (I recommend slicing each block of cream cheese in half long-ways before lining the pan with them--using the full block makes it really thick.) You will only use about 2 and a half boxes if you do it this way. Top with a can of turkey chili (or chili of your choice). Spread shredded cheddar cheese over the chili and sprinkle with parsley flakes for color. Heat in the oven at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until completely warmed. If taking to another location, bring it over cold, and heat it upon arrival. Serve with Fritos Scoops...always a crowd pleaser!!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Italian Pasta Toss
This. Is. Delicious. I even screwed it up and it's still delicious! Basically as long as you kind of follow along and use some of the primary ingredients...This. Is. Delicious. And it makes enough to feed an army--Bobby and I both are getting a dinner and two lunches from this, and believe me, you're going to want those leftovers!
Italian Pasta Toss
1lb hot Italian sausage (remove casings if you get links, otherwise get ground)
1 package (about 14-16oz) tri-color rotini pasta (corkscrew)
6.5 oz of tomato pesto
1 can quartered artichoke hearts
1 3/4 c chicken broth (low sodium)
1/2 c dry white wine
3 tbs. dried basil
3 tbs. Italian seasoning
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
Shredded Parmesan
Using a large skillet, cook Italian sausage over medium-high heat (cut into bite-sized pieces if using links)--should be about 8 minutes. Remove cooked sausage from the skillet and set aside in a bowl. Add crushed garlic and artichokes to the skillet and saute (may need to add some EVOO) until garlic is soft--about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, boil the pasta in a separate pot until almost-but-not-quite-cooked or aldente. When finished, drain the pasta, but don't rinse. Add pesto, chicken broth, and wine to the skillet.
Heat the skillet on med-high to burn off excess (about 5-8 minutes). Add the aldente pasta to the skillet, keep on med-high heat (the pasta will absorb some of the sauce and finish cooking). After some sauce has been absorbed, add the sausage, basil, and Italian seasonings to the skillet and blend. Top generously with shredded Parmesan.
Can't wait for more leftovers tomorrow!
Italian Pasta Toss
1lb hot Italian sausage (remove casings if you get links, otherwise get ground)
1 package (about 14-16oz) tri-color rotini pasta (corkscrew)
6.5 oz of tomato pesto
1 can quartered artichoke hearts
1 3/4 c chicken broth (low sodium)
1/2 c dry white wine
3 tbs. dried basil
3 tbs. Italian seasoning
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
Shredded Parmesan
Using a large skillet, cook Italian sausage over medium-high heat (cut into bite-sized pieces if using links)--should be about 8 minutes. Remove cooked sausage from the skillet and set aside in a bowl. Add crushed garlic and artichokes to the skillet and saute (may need to add some EVOO) until garlic is soft--about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, boil the pasta in a separate pot until almost-but-not-quite-cooked or aldente. When finished, drain the pasta, but don't rinse. Add pesto, chicken broth, and wine to the skillet.
Heat the skillet on med-high to burn off excess (about 5-8 minutes). Add the aldente pasta to the skillet, keep on med-high heat (the pasta will absorb some of the sauce and finish cooking). After some sauce has been absorbed, add the sausage, basil, and Italian seasonings to the skillet and blend. Top generously with shredded Parmesan.
Can't wait for more leftovers tomorrow!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Caramel Fruit Dip
I've been craving this for weeks and just whipped it up for dessert tonight (after steak, see below). Super easy, great for parties!
Caramel Fruit Dip
8oz Cream Cheese, softened (I use 1/3 less fat Philadelphia...can't do fat free, it tastes too weird!)
1/4c sugar (half if using Splenda)
3/4c brown sugar (half if using Splenda)
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix together in blender, food processor, if you have a good whisk (my choice). Serve chilled with apple slices, assorted berries, melon, grapes, pineapple, kiwi...etc etc etc.!
Caramel Fruit Dip
8oz Cream Cheese, softened (I use 1/3 less fat Philadelphia...can't do fat free, it tastes too weird!)
1/4c sugar (half if using Splenda)
3/4c brown sugar (half if using Splenda)
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix together in blender, food processor, if you have a good whisk (my choice). Serve chilled with apple slices, assorted berries, melon, grapes, pineapple, kiwi...etc etc etc.!
Steak Marinade
OK so yippee I finally have my computer back from my super studious spouse! And along with it came with an agreement that we would investigate a joint laptop venture--which (for anyone out there that actually checks this, and I don't think there's many!) would mean I posted more recipes and maybe, I dunno, write about other things too. Sometimes I have opinions haha!
But I'll try to add in a few recipes that I've made in the missed weeks, but I haven't been cooking as much due to travel etc. so not too many were missed!
But tonight, since our salmon went bad, we're going to grill some steaks and I just put them in my favorite marinade, courtesy of my mom.
Steak (or Kebob) marinade
1/2 c Sesame Oil
1/2c Soy Sauce (Light is always preferable)
1/4c Lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
Simply mix all of the ingredients together, then add to steak in a ziploc bag for up to 36 hours before grilling.
We're serving with corn on the cob, and steamed squash and zucchini.
But I'll try to add in a few recipes that I've made in the missed weeks, but I haven't been cooking as much due to travel etc. so not too many were missed!
But tonight, since our salmon went bad, we're going to grill some steaks and I just put them in my favorite marinade, courtesy of my mom.
Steak (or Kebob) marinade
1/2 c Sesame Oil
1/2c Soy Sauce (Light is always preferable)
1/4c Lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
Simply mix all of the ingredients together, then add to steak in a ziploc bag for up to 36 hours before grilling.
We're serving with corn on the cob, and steamed squash and zucchini.
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