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Baked Pork Tenderloin

1/31/2020

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Ingredients

1 pkg. pork tenderloins, trimmed (comes with 2 pieces, 2 – 2 1/2 lbs. total)
1/4 cup kosher salt
4 cups warm water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup ice cubes
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons butter sliced into 6 pads

Spice Mix

1 TBS EACH chili powder, garlic powder
1 tsp EACH salt, onion powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Herbs to add later

1/2 tsp EACH dried parsley, dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lay two long pieces of foil on a baking sheet – these will be used to fold up each tenderloin separately.
In a gallon-size freezer bag, mix salt with warm water until dissolved. Whisk in apple cider vinegar, brown sugar and ice, followed by pork. Brine for exactly 20 minutes then remove pork from brine, RINSE and and pat very dry. The pork becomes mealy if left in the brine any longer.
Whisk together all of the Spice Mix ingredients (not the "Add Later Herbs") in a small bowl. Evenly rub pork all over with spice mix.
Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When oil is very hot and just smoking, add pork tenderloins, you may need to work in batches. Sear each side of pork until golden, then transfer to foil.
Evenly sprinkle tops of pork tenderloins with remaining herbs (parsley, basil, oregano, thyme) then rub into pork. Evenly drizzle each pork tenderloin with one tablespoon of lemon juice (2 tablespoons total), then top each tenderloin with 3 pads of butter. Bring up the sides of the foil to completely enclose each tenderloin.
Bake at 400 degrees F until pork registers between 145- and 150-degrees F (63 and 65 degrees C) at the thickest part of the tenderloin, 15-25 minutes depending on thickness. This means the pork will be juicy and slightly pink in the middle. To check the temperature, carefully unwrap the foil, then wrap it back up if it need to continue baking.
When pork is done, loosen foil (so steam can escape) and let stand 5-10 minutes before slicing. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste (I like additional salt) and serve with accumulated butter sauce in the bottom of the foil.

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Beef & Broccoli

1/22/2020

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Ingredients

1 pound flank steak sliced into 1/4 inch thick strips
3 cups small broccoli florets
1/2 cup beef stock
5 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 tablespoon canola oil

For the sauce:

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons corn starch

Directions

Toss sliced beef in a large bowl with corn starch.
Heat canola oil in a pan over medium heat for a few minutes. Add sliced beef and cook until it browns, a few minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add broccoli and garlic to the pan, and stir. Add beef broth. Let simmer until the broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
While waiting for the broccoli to cook, combine all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Add the reserved beef and sauce to the pan, and stir. Let simmer for 5 minutes so the sauce thickens a bit.
Serve beef and broccoli over cooked white rice.

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Chicken Taco Soup

1/15/2020

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Ingredients

1 tsp onion powder
1 can chili beans 16oz
1 can black beans 15oz
1 can whole kernel corn, drained 15oz
1 can tomato sauce 8oz
1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies 10oz
1 pkg taco seasoning
2 cups shredded chicken
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 8oz cheddar cheese shredded
sour cream optional

Directions

Mix onion powder, beans, corn, tomato sauce, broth, diced tomatoes, taco seasoning,and shredded chicken in a slow cooker on low heat. Cover, and cook for 4 hours (or high for 1-2 hours).
Serve warm. Additional toppings may included Cheddar cheese, sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

*Can also be cooked over the stove in a stock pot. Heat for 30 minutes until all ingredients are hot and well blended.

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All Purpose Crockpot Shredded Chicken

1/8/2020

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Ingredients

3 Pounds Chicken Breasts
1 Cup Chicken Broth
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Pepper
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Teaspoon Onion Powder

Directions

Place chicken breasts in bottom of crockpot. Pour chicken broth and seasonings over chicken.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Remove chicken from crockpot and shred with two forks.
Use the chicken right away in your favorite recipes. Or, allow chicken to cool and portion into zip-top bags and freeze for up to two months.

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Spinach Artichoke Dip

1/3/2020

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Ingredients

2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz. bag of fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped (yields 4 cups)
6 oz. frozen artichoke hearts, thawed or partially thawed, chopped
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp. diced sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. smoked paprika (optional)
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

Prepare your ingredients. Remove tough or long stems from the 6 ounces of fresh spinach, then roughly chop, place in a bowl, and set aside.
Chop the 6 ounces of thawed or partially thawed artichoke hearts and set aside.
Dice a few slices of sun-dried tomatoes, until you have 2 tablespoons of diced sun-dried tomatoes. Set aside.
In a large saucepan or Dutch Oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute.
Add chopped fresh spinach and cook until wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
Stir in chopped artichoke hearts and continue cooking over medium heat.
Stir in softened cream cheese and stir with spatula.
After cream cheese has melted, add seasonings (pepper, salt, paprika) and stir just until mixed.
Stir in Parmesan cheese and sun-dried tomatoes.
Continue to cook over medium heat until hot. Turn to very low heat to keep warm while you finish preparing the dippers.

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