Thursday, March 5, 2009

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Carrots

I made this Everyday Food recipe last night with a few changes. I used two pork tenderloins instead of one loin roast, and I also replaced the wine with chicken stock. The original recipe can be found through the link below.

Roast Pork Loin with Carrots and Mustard Gravy

Ingredients

Serves 4

  • 2 pounds carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise if large
  • 1/2 pound shallots, peeled and halved if large
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 2 pork tenderloins
  • 3/4 cup chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons grainy mustard

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss carrots, shallots, and 1 tablespoon rosemary with 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, season pork with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium. Add pork; cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate, and reserve skillet.
  3. Remove baking sheet from oven; push vegetables to sides. Place pork in center; return sheet to oven. Roast, tossing vegetables occasionally, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of pork registers 145 degrees, 30 to 40 minutes. Loosely tent pork with foil. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
  4. While pork rests, pour off almost all of the fat from skillet. Add stock, and cook over medium-high, scraping up browned bits, until syrupy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add flour, and cook, whisking constantly, 30 seconds. Gradually add 1 cup water, whisking constantly. Add 1 tablespoon rosemary. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat. Whisk in mustard, and season gravy with salt and pepper. Serve pork with carrots and gravy.

Chicken with Artichokes

This was a yummy dinner I cooked this week. I found the recipe in Every Day Food, but made some changes. I added capers and artichokes, and then omitted the angel hair option because I am avoiding starch at night. The link below will take you to the original recipe. Easy, yummy, healthy and Mediterranean - my favorites!

Chicken with Artichokes and Angel Hair
Ingredients

Serves 4

  • Coarse salt and ground pepper
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 8 thin chicken cutlets (about 1 1/2 pounds total)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cans (14 ounces) artichoke hearts packed in water, rinsed, drained, and quartered
  • 4 tablespoons rinsed and drained capers

Directions

  1. Place flour in a shallow dish, and season with salt and pepper. Dredge cutlets, shaking off excess. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Cook chicken in batches, adding remaining oil as needed, until light golden, 1 to 3 minutes per side; transfer to a dish.
  2. Add broth to skillet, and bring to a boil; cook until reduced by half. Add artichokes, capers, and the chicken with any juices. Gently swirl to combine, and bring just to a boil. Remove skillet from heat. Swirl in butter, and cover to keep warm.
  3. Plate the chicken, and serve with artichokes over the top. Enjoy!

My Favorite Sugar Cookie recipe

This cookie dough is sinful, and better yet it is enough to make about 8 sheets of cookies. This easy to follow recipe is also easy to cut in half in order to show sympathy on your arteries, teeth and waistline!

Ingredients
I pound butter - room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract (pure is best)
1 teaspoon salt
5 cups all purpose flour

Process
  1. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle blade, combine the sugar and butter on high speed until fluffy.
  2. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt and mix on medium until combined.
  3. Turn mixer to low, and slowly add flour in batches mixing until combined (it will be a bit stiff).
  4. Remove dough from bowl, and divide into four balls.
  5. Place each ball on plastic wrap, flatten into discs, completely wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use (at least 30 minutes - but it lasts up to 2 weeks).
  6. When ready to use let the dough warm a bit on the counter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  7. On a well floured surface, roll out dough until about 1/8 of an inch thick.
  8. Cut out cookies with cutter of choice, place on an un-greased baking sheet, and decorate as desired.
  9. Bake until golden brown - about 10 to 15 minutes.