Spinach, Mushroom and Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

In my previous post, I mentioned I had my parents and grandmother over for dinner.  I posted the dessert from that dinner first but I also need to tell you about the main course.  M likes to experiment.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.  We decided to do a pork tenderloin and M just ran with it.  He decided that he wanted to stuff it with spinach, mushrooms, and cheese.  I thought this was a fantastic idea.

He sauted all the veggies up first and then stuffed it into the pork tenderloin.  But before that, he put grated cheese all over the pork first.  Then he added the spinach mixture and then he added more cheese on top of that.  I don't know about you but I think cheese makes everything better.  The pork was full of flavor and very moist.  It was definitely one of his dishes that worked.

Before it was cooked

After it was cooked

Spinach, Mushroom and Cheese Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

A recipe by M at A Homemade Kitchen

For this recipe, we used parmesean and romano cheese but please use whatever cheese you like or have on hand.

3 shallots, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

6-8 mushrooms, sliced

1 lb fresh baby spinach

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 2.5lb pork tenderloin - sometimes there are 2 tenderloins in a package

1/4 cup grated/shredded parmesean cheese

1/4 cup grated/shredded romano cheese

kitchen twine

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large saute pan, heat over medium high heat.  Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.  Once it gets hot, add the shallots, garlic, and mushrooms.  Season with salt and pepper.  Saute until the veggies are tender.  Add the spinach to the pan and let it wilt.  Once the spinach is wilted, remove from heat and let it cool down.

While the spinach mixture is cooling, slice the pork tenderloin down the whole length but do not cut all the way through.  Once slit, try to open it up a little.  Season the pork tenderloin however you like.  You can use salt and pepper or get a little creative.  M actually used Emeril's Essence (remember how I mentioned before he seasons most things with this)?  Anyway, season the pork however you like and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. 

In the slit that you made, add half of the grated cheese.  On top of that, add the spinach mixture.  Then add the remaining cheese on the top of that.  Tie the pork tenderloin with the kitchen twine at about every two inches or so to hold it together.

Place the pork in a roasting pan and put in the oven.  Cook for about 40-45 minutes until it's just cooked through.  When removed from the oven, let the meat rest for at least ten minutes under a foil tent.  Remove the foil, cut the twine to remove and place the pork tenderloin on a serving platter and serve.

French-Style Lemon Yogurt Cake

I love lemon desserts.  Our wedding cake was a lemon cake with a lemon mousse filling.  It was the most amazing cake ever.  At our wedding, we actually only had the bite we fed each other.  But the morning we left for our honeymoon, we dug into the top layer and ate that before we left for the airport.  The bakery we got our cake from gives a complimentary cake on your first anniversary so we didn't need to save the top.  We got another whole new fresh one on our anniversary.  It was so good.  It also made an excellent breakfast at 4am.

So when I came across a recipe for a lemon yogurt cake, I wanted to make it immediately.  I had almost all of the ingredients except for the plain yogurt.  So I held off making it until I got some plain yogurt.  The first time around I overbaked it slightly so it was a little dry.  But the flavor was amazing.  I brought a couple slices in for some girls at work and they all thought it was delicious.  I tried again recently and made sure not to overbake.  My friends, it was way better than the first time.  I made it for dessert when I had my parents and grandmother over for dinner.  They all agreed that it was excellent.  With the warm weather coming, a lemon dessert is so refreshing, light, and tasty.

French-Style Lemon Yogurt Cake
Adapted from A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg

Cake
1 1/2 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt, about 1/4 tsp
zest of two small lemons
1/2 cup well stirred plain yogurt - do not use low or non fat!
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Syrup
1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, about 1 and 1/2 small lemons

Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
juice of half a large lemon or juice of a whole small lemon

Preheat the oven to 350.  Grease a 9in round cake pan with butter or cooking spray.  Line the bottom of the pan with parchment or wax paper and grease that too.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add the lemon zest and whisk thoroughly to combine.

In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, sugar, and eggs.  Mix well.  Add about half of the flour mixture and stir to combine.  Add the rest of the flour and mix well.  Add the vegetable oil and stir well.  It will look like a complete mess when you add the oil.  But keep stirring and it will all come together.  Pour into the prepared pan.

Bake for about 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Decrease or increase time depending on your oven but do not overbake.

Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes.  Run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert the cake onto a flat plate.  Remove the parchment paper and invert the cake back onto the wire rack.  Set the rack over a baking sheet.

Pierce all over the top of the cake with a toothpick or skewer.  In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar and lemon juice to make the syrup.  Spoon the syrup all over the top of the cake.  The small holes you made while piercing will allow the syrup to get down into the cake.  Some of the syrup will run over the edges but that is okay.  That's why you put the rack over a baking sheet.  Cool the cake completely.

In another small bowl, combine the icing ingredients.  Stir or whisk well to dissolve the sugar.  Make this icing as thick or thin as you like by adjusting the amount of lemon juice.  Spoon the icing over the cooled cake.

You can serve immediately while the syrup is still soft and juicy.  In the photo above, you can see the icing is still all gooey after it was cut.  Or you can wait until the icing is firmer.  Just let it dry for about an hour or so.  The second time around I let the icing get firmer and it was just as delicious. 

Taco Night

Who out there has a taco night?  Do you have one weekly or spread it out a little bit?  If you have one, are they not one of your favorites?  I love taco night.  We actually don't have them too often so when we do, I get so excited.  M and I had a taco night this past Monday and it was awesome.

Now, I am not going to lie, I use a boxed taco kit.  But wait!  Why go through all the fuss when all the seasonings are nicely packaged for you?  Yes I know you can make your own by throwing in a little bit of this and a little bit of that but it is so much easier to rip open a packet.  And you don't need to go searching around for hard taco shells.  M and I prefer the hard shells - it's a texture thing.  While I agree that the "salsa" topping sauce leaves something to be desired, the taco kit is helpful.

I don't have a recipe for you but I urge you to have a taco night!  Cook some meat, season it up (taco kit or not), throw it in a taco shell and top with anything you like.  We use the standard lettuce, tomato, and cheese.  M likes to add chopped raw onion to his as well.  But add whatever you like!  There is a whole plethora of options.  Then you can top that with salsa, sour cream and/or guacamole.  What's not to love?

Spicy Pork Stir Fry

M and I really needed something different for dinner.  We eat a lot of chicken and seafood.  We actually don't eat too much red meat but that is really only because we aren't allowed to have a grill where we live.  And steak is at it's best when it's grilled.  Am I right?  We do also eat pork but it is always chops or a pork loin.  Both are very tasty but we were really looking for something different.  And lo and behold, M finds a recipe for a spicy pork stir fry.  Sold!

Now, this recipe again comes from Emeril's cookbook.  Let me explain something about M; he has a small crush on Emeril.  Emeril Live is about the only cooking show he will watch (besides the occasional Iron Chef America).  When Emeril was on Iron Chef this past holiday season in a special episode, he said for days after it was rigged because Emeril lost out to the White House chef who was teamed with Bobby Flay.  M also insists that we must always have Emeril's Essence in our spice cabinet and if M is cooking, you can bet that it is seasoned with the Essence.  It is actually endearing and really when it comes to great food, who cares where it came from.  I am pretty confident in saying that this will not be the last recipe from this cookbook.

Spicy Pork Stir Fry with Green Beans

Adapted from 20-40-60 Fresh Food Fast by Emeril Lagasse

This recipe calls for ground pork which we thought was awesome.  If you have trouble finding ground pork in your grocery store, ground chicken or turkey would be just as delicious.

3 tbsp soy sauce

freshly ground pepper

1lb ground pork

1/4 cup chicken stock

3 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce

1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1/2 tsp cornstarch

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 to 3/4 lb fresh green beans, trimmed

2 garlic cloves, sliced thin

1 tsp sesame oil

white or brown rice

green onions, chopped

In a medium bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce, freshly ground pepper, and the pork.  Mix well with your hands (your hands are your best tool) and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the chicken stock, hoisin sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, rice vinegar, cornstarch and the last tablespoon of soy sauce.  You are basically making the sauce for the stir fry.  It also works as a thickener since there is cornstarch in it (thus also making it sort of a slurry).

Heat a large saute pan (or wok if you have it - I do but chose not to use it) over high heat.  Add the vegetable oil and once the oil gets hot, add the green beans and stir around a lot.  Cook them until they are kind of wrinkly.  Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon. 

Add the garlic to the pan and cook for about 10 seconds.  Do not burn the garlic.  If you do, you will need to empty the pan, wash it, bring it back up to heat and add more garlic.  There is no saving a dish once the garlic is burned.  Add the ground pork and cook until it is no longer pink.  Add the sauce/slurry mixture to the pan and stir it to combine.  Bring it up to a boil and let it cook until it begins to thicken.

Add the green beans back to the pan and drizzle with the sesame oil.  Continue cooking until the green beans have warmed through.  Serve over white or brown rice and sprinkle with green onions.

Note: M also added chopped fresh tomato to the top of his but I thought that was a little weird.  But feel free.  M loves fresh tomato on most things.

Spring in a Bowl

We have had some beautiful weather in the Boston area lately and I love it.  I hate the winters.  By the beginning of December I am already done with the cold and eagerly anticipating the warm, sunny days that are coming.  I dream about the birds chirping, the trees budding, and the little flowers that just start to poke through the soil.  And then I'm slapped right in the face with an arctic wind and it throws me right back into the dark dreariness that is a New England winter. 

But when that first warm day comes, I am in bliss.  And then when we get several, I just want to run around outside with Maddux or sit on my deck with a book and soak up the sun.  This past Sunday was just one of those days.  M and I needed to do the food shopping and we always try to plan out our dinners for the week.  It just makes it so much easier when you get home from a long day at work to know what you will be cooking.   Since the weather was nice, we wanted something springy.  M found a recipe for a summer squash and carrot side dish.  Now carrots could be considered a winter vegetable but when paired with summer squash, it looks like spring in a bowl.  The colors of yellow and orange with a burst of green from the fresh herbs just looks so light and fresh.  And my friends, it did not disappoint.  It was a tasty dish (even though carrots aren't my favorite) and would go with virtually any meal.  We served this dish with cod cooked with lemon, butter, and dill along with some wild rice.  I also mentioned to M that it would also make a nice cold vegetable salad type dish as well if you wanted to bring it to a picnic or a cook out.

Summer Squash and Carrots with Dill and Parsley
Adapted from 20-40-60 Fresh Food Fast by Emeril Lagasse

The original recipe called for tarragon as the herb in this dish.  I am not particularly fond of tarragon so M and I decided on dill and parsley instead.  We were thinking of using thyme but the dill looked so lacey and frilly that we just had to get that.  It was an excellent choice.

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp butter
3 medium carrots, diced
3 summer squash, cut into half moons
2 shallots, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
3-4 sprigs of fresh dill, finely chopped
a handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Once the pan is heated, add the olive oil and butter.  Once the butter has melted, add the carrots.  Cook the carrots for about 5 minutes, just until they are starting to get tender.  Add the summer squash and shallots.  Season with salt and pepper.  Continue cooking for about another 3-5 minutes.  You do not want to overcook the summer squash.  You want it to still have a slight bite to it.

Once the summer squash is cooked to your liking, add the dill and parsley.  Stir it all to combine and cook for about another minute.  Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.

Something Light

The last two recipe posts I have done were desserts.  I was starting to feel like I all I have eaten has been sweets lately.  With Easter with my family and then co-workers bringing in their leftover desserts into work, I needed something light. 

I pulled out one of my Rachael Ray cookbooks.  I love Rachael Ray.  Her recipes are simple, quick, and always tasty.  I have several of her books and so far, I have not been disappointed in any I have made.  Actually, that is a lie.  I made this one macaroni and cheese type recipe but I think the problem was my fault.  I didn't buy the best quality cheese and I overcooked it a little and it was weird and grainy in texture.  M didn't like it either. 

Anyway, I found this chicken pita wrap recipe in the cookbook I pulled out and wanted it right then.  I didn't want to wait to go to the grocery and then have to wait until some weeknight to have it.  But I did and it was worth the wait.  I love adding olives to salads and since this was a Greek style pita, there were olives.  They just add such an awesome layer of flavor.  I added the green ones to my pita and M added the kalamata.  He was a big fan of this dinner as well.  It would be perfect on a hot summer night and would actually make a great picnic because that kind of weather is coming.  You would just need to keep everything separate and it would be a cold pita instead of a warm one which would be just as good.

Let me apologize for the quality of the picture. I couldn't get a good one.

Warm Grilled Chicken Pitas, Greek Style

Adapted from Rachael Ray 30 Minute Meals 2

6-8 chicken tenders

salt and pepper

4 whole wheat pita breads

zest and juice of one lemon

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 garlic clove, minced

1 heart of romaine, chopped

1/3 cup kalamata and/or green olives, whole or chopped

feta cheese, as much as you like

1 tomato, chopped

1/3 of a cucumber, chopped

1/4 red onion, chopped

fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 to warm the pita bread.

In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest and juice along with the vinegar.  Whisk in the olive oil.  Add the oregano and garlic and whisk to combine.  Put the chicken in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle about half the dressing over the chicken and turn them to coat.

While the chicken is marinating, preheat a grill pan or large saute pan over high heat.  If you are using a saute pan, add some olive oil.  If you are using a grill pan, it helps to spray with some cooking spray so the chicken doesn't stick.  Once the pan gets hot, add the chicken.  Cook about 5-6 minutes on either side until cooked through.

Meanwhile, combine all the veggies, olives, feta cheese, and parsley into a big bowl.  Toss around to get everything all combined nicely.  Wrap the pitas in foil and put in the oven for about 3 minutes.  You just want them to get warm.  Do not burn them.

When the chicken is done, transfer to a platter.  Remove the pitas from the oven and slice each one in half.  Put everything on the table and let everyone make their own pita however they like.  Chop up some of chicken and put in the pita.  Top with the salad and drizzle some of the remaining dressing over the whole thing.  You could also toss the salad with the dressing and chicken in the bowl but I wanted to have another one of these pitas for my lunch the following day so M and I just put the dressing on our individual pitas.

Note: You could also increase the measurements and make more pitas for a crowd.  I think this would be a great summer barbecue dish.  Feel free to also use your favorite dressing instead and mix and match the veggies to your liking.  There are so many possibilities when making a salad.

School Lunches

This blog is intended to be a place where I can keep notes of recipes that I have enjoyed.  I didn't intend to post anything other than little stories and recipes.  However, there is an issue out there that I do feel strongly about.  Kids today are not getting enough nutrition - at home or at school.  Sometimes their only meal of the day is their school lunch and I think it is extremely important that children are fed nutritious lunches at school.  Childhood obesity is running rampant in this country and I think it is up to the schools and our local government to aide in the efforts to make our children healthier.

I have recently discovered a new blog.  It is called Fed Up With Lunch: The School Lunch Project.  It is written by a school teacher who decided she would begin eating the school lunch every day and then blog about what is served.  I think it is a fantastic idea.

I truly don't know what is served day to day in a school's cafeteria but I do know that nutrition is lacking.  There is a huge undertaking (including by the Federal government) to get school lunches improved and I think any way that can promote awareness is a giant step in getting these meal offerings improved.  I do not have any children yet but when I do, I want them to be provided a healthy lunch at school.

Celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver has started a petition to get healthier foods into school lunches.  You can check this out at Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.  And I encourage you to sign the petition whether or not you have children.

Kids today are not provided with the nutrients they need and unfortunately, this occurs at home as well.  And that is not always the parents' fault.  Vegetables are expensive and I think that is completely wrong.  Organic foods are also outrageously priced.  Fast food is the food of convenience and this makes me sad.  It does not have to take long to make a family dinner nor does it have to be fancy.  Take the few extra minutes to have a family dinner at the kitchen table.  This is even more important if your child is not getting a healthy lunch.  And if it is difficult for a family to provide a well balanced meal at home, this makes it all the more important that kids get it at school.

I apologize that there is no recipe but I think this is an important topic and everyone needs to be educated especially when it comes to your children.  If you have any thoughts, leave a comment and let me know!

I'll Take Their Word for It

Easter has come and gone and it was a great day.  The weather in the area was perfect for Easter egg hunts.  The annual gathering typically takes place at my grandmother's house.  Everyone goes to church and then everyone meets up for Easter dinner.  The menu is always simple as my grandmother is the organist at her church and she has three services in the morning and simple is always best.  And simple tastes good.  We had the Imperial Baked Chicken, twice baked potatoes, asparagus wrapped in ham, corn pudding, pasta salad, and warm dinner rolls.  It was filling and it was great to get around the table with the extended family.

After we ate, we all went outside for an Easter egg hunt with my two nieces.  One is six and the other is only one.  She was so cute walking around the yard picking up the eggs.  She loved holding them in her hands and giving them a shake, listening to all the candy rattle around inside.  She had a big smile on her face and was having a ball.  She really enjoyed her first Easter egg hunt.

Once all the eggs were found, we went back inside and had dessert and I was charged with providing that portion of our meal.  I found a recipe for a Lemon White-Chocolate Cheesecake.  Most everyone in my family likes lemony desserts and I thought this sounded delicious.  I hear that it was.  I actually didn't even have a piece!  I was so full from the meal, I passed on it.  But everyone else said it was fabulous.  I'll take their word for it.

Lemon White Chocolate Cheesecake
Adapted from Taste of Home

I have never had to cut in butter before to make a pastry crust so I didn't have a pastry cutter thing.  It was extremely difficult to make this crust, I am not going to lie.  If you prefer to make a graham cracker crust, please do.  You could also use vanilla cookie wafers and add the lemon zest to that as well. 

Crust
1 1/4 cup flour
2 tbsp confectioners' sugar
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

Filling
4 8oz packages of cream cheese, softened (do not use low fat or fat free)
1 1/4 cup suger
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs, beaten
10 squares of white baking chocolate, melted and cooled

Securely double wrap a 9in springform pan with heavy duty foil.  Preheat oven to 325

Crust: In a small bowl, combine the flour, confectioners' sugar, and lemon zest.  Cut in the butter until it is crumbly.  I used two butter knives to do this and it was tricky and time consuming and I didn't get it quite as crumbly I think it needed to be.  But, the crust was good so I guess it was ok.  Put the mixture into the springform pan.  Press the crust into the bottom of the pan and about 1in up onto the sides.  Bake at 325 for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on wire rack.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate by heating for 30 seconds.  After 30 seconds, remove bowl and stir chocolate.  Put back in the microwave and heat for 15-20 seconds, stirring after each turn in the microwave until it is all melted.  Set aside and cool.

In a mixer, beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, flour, lemon juice, heavy cream, and vanilla until well blended.  Add the eggs and beat on low until just combined.  With a spatula, stir in the white chocolate and lemon peel.  The batter may have small lumps but that is fine.  Pour into the crust.

Place the pan in a large roasting pan and add 1in of hot water to the roasting pan to create a water bath.  Bake at 325 for about 75-90 minutes until center is set and top appears dull.  It could take less time in your oven so keep an eye on it.

Remove the pan from the water bath and place on wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes.  Slowly run a knife around the edge to loosen the cheesecake from the pan.  Cool on the wire rack for another hour.  Refrigerate overnight.

You can garnish and decorate the cheesecake as you wish.  I used lemon slices, lemon flavored fruit slice candy, and colored foil wrapped chocolate Easter egg candies.