Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloin (Gluten Free)

One of my neighbors recently had a baby so I helped coordinate some meals to take to the family. They are eating Gluten Free for health reasons so I scoured the internet looking for a gluten free main dish and decided on this herb marinated pork from Ina Garten. Not only is it simple, the ingredients are easy to find. I ate a teeny slice of this just so I could try it and it was very juicy. The marinade, made up of lemon zest, garlic, rosemary, and mustard shines through. It also showed me that Gluten Free really isn't that difficult and doesn't mean you have to sacrifice on flavor!

Gluten Free Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloin
Modified From Ina Garten
Printable Version
Ingredients
Zest of half a lemon
Juice of one lemon
Olive oil
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lb pork tenderloin

Directions
Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, garlic, rosemary, mustard, and a sprinkle of salt in a one gallon resealable bag. Add the pork and turn to coat with the marinade. 

Squeeze out the air and seal the bag. Marinate the pork in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the pork from the marinade and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a couple of tablespoon of olive oil in a large oven proof saute pan over medium-high heat. Sear the pork on all sides until golden brown. 

Place the pan in the oven and roast for 10 - 15 minutes or until the meat registers 137 degrees at the thickest part. Transfer the pork to a platter and cover tightly with foil. Allow to rest for ten minutes. Carve in 1/2 inch diagonal slices. Season with salt and pepper (if desired) and serve warm at room temperature. 

Pea, Almond, and Blue Cheese Salad

This scrumptious pea salad recipe is from my wonderful sister-in-law (who is truly like a REAL sister to me). The flavors in this pea salad might sound interesting but they work together beautifully especially with the vinaigrette of mustard, olive oil, garlic, mint, green onions and lemon juice. It's savory, tangy, and has excellent textures from the pop of the peas to the crunch of the toasted almonds. I've made this salad twice since Marg gave me the recipe, once with goat cheese crumbles and once with blue cheese and I must say the blue cheese is much better. But if you aren't a blue cheese or goat cheese fan it would also be delicious with chunks of fresh mozzarella or even grated fresh Parmesan cheese. It only takes as long to make as it does to boil the peas and goes great with just about anything you're making for dinner! 


Pea, Almond, and Blue Cheese Salad
From my lovely sister Margaret
Printable Version
Ingredients
1 package of frozen peas
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh mint, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted in a pan for about 5 minutes over medium low


Directions
Boil peas in salted water according to directions on package. Drain and cool, the pat to remove excess water. In a large bowl whisk all of the remaining ingredients except for the blue cheese and almonds. Add the peas to the vinaigrette and combine. Top with blue cheese and sprinkle with almonds. 

Short Ribs with Wine and Cream

Sometimes I see a recipe and know immediately that my hubby will love it. This was the case when I came across Pioneer Woman's Short Ribs with Wine and Cream. I took one look at the ribs simmered in wine and cream sauce, served over a bed of mushrooms and knew hubby would be a very happy man if I made them for him. Of course, I was right. He loved the tender short ribs with the earthy flavor from the mushrooms. This way to prepare short ribs is definitely a winner.

Short Ribs with Wine and Cream
From Pioneer Woman (Modified for 4 servings instead of 6)
**This recipe takes 3 hours so plan accordingly!!** 
Printable Version
Ingredients 
8 whole Short Ribs
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup red wine 
24 ounces Beef Broth or Beef Stock
2 tablespoons minced fresh Rosemary
1 1/2 tablespoons grainy mustard
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons capers
14 ounces assorted mushrooms: Cremini, Oyster, Baby Bellas
2 cloves garlic, minced
Olive oil for drizzling


Directions

Heat olive oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Sprinkle short ribs on both sides with salt and pepper. Quickly sear the short ribs, about 1 1/2 minutes per side, and flip them halfway through. Remove to a plate. Pour wine and beef stock into the pot. Add rosemary and stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze. Return the short ribs to the pot and reduce heat to low. 

Cover the pot and simmer for 2 1/2 - 3 hours. After they have cooked carefully remove the short ribs from the pot again. Stir in mustard, cream, and capers, then raise the heat and allow it gently boil or a couple a minutes or until sauce has thickened. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Return the short ribs to the sauce, put on the lid, and turn off the heat. 

To roast the mushrooms preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Arrange the mushrooms in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and salt an pepper, then add in garlic and toss with your hands to gently coat. Roast mushrooms until golden brown, about 15 - 20 minutes. Serve the short ribs on top of the mushrooms then an extra scoop of cream and wine sauce. 

Meatless Mondays: Mayo-less Egg Salad with Pinenuts and Avocado

I had a HUGE craving for deviled eggs Easter weekend but didn't have the time or energy to put into making them, so opted for egg salad instead. When I got ready to make my egg salad I realized I was out of mayonnaise so whipped up a mayo-less egg salad with sour cream instead. It was creamier and definitely healthier - sour cream has about half the fat and calories of mayo. 

I decided to get a little crazy and mix pine nuts in my egg salad since I love them and had them in my cupboard. It added a nice crunch! Then I got even crazier and topped my egg salad english muffin with mashed avocado. It was awesome! Egg salad + pinenuts + avocado = Meatless Monday Magnificence! 

Mayo-less Egg Salad

An Ashley's Cooking Adventures Original

Printable Version

Ingredients

Makes about 4 servings

10 eggs, boiled and peeled

1 cup sour cream

1 cup celery, diced

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced

Several green onions, chopped with white and green parts

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 avocado, mashed (if you want to go a little crazy!)

Directions

Place peeled eggs in a large bowl and chop finely with serrated food chopper. 

Scoop in sour cream and mustard and mix until smooth. Add in celery, dill, green onions, and pine nuts. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Refrigerate until ready to serve. Top with mashed avocado and enjoy!

Cashew Curry Chicken

This was the most tasty dinner I've cooked in a while. Baked chicken covered in honey, butter, curry, mustard and cashews. Sweet with a little tang from the mustard and heat from the curry. The crunch from the cashews was the best part. I served it over quinoa because I am officially obsessed with it. 

Cashew Curry Chicken
Serves Two
Printable Version


Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
Olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon curry
1/4 cup cashews, chopped
Kosher salt
Pepper


Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken in a baking dish and season both sides with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile in a small saucepan melt butter over low-medium heat. Stir in honey, curry, mustard and stir frequently until thickens into sauce. Stir in cashews. Take chicken out of the oven and pour the sauce over the chicken. 

Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve over rice or quinoa. 

Crunchy Almond Honey Dijon Chicken Tenders

About a month ago I joined Tasty Kitchen a website where lots of cooking bloggers (and non bloggers too!) share recipes. It's become one of my most visited sights. There are hundreds of recipes on there and I want to try just about all of them! One that I have already tried are these yummy Crunchy Almond Honey Dijon Chicken Tenders from Ashley. I took one look at the photo and recipe and made these without delay. I love honey mustard so that in itself sold me on this recipe, but the crunch of the almonds and the fact that these little guys are coated in parmesan cheese and Panko bread crumbs made them irresistible. So irresistible in fact, that I doubled the recipe and it's a good thing because my husband could not stop eating them!! 

Ingredients


4 whole skinless chicken breasts
2 cups Panko bread crumbs
1 cup roasted almonds, chopped (I used slivered almonds)
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup Dijon Mustard
2 tablespoons of honey
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive oil, to coat pan and drizzle on chicken

Directions

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and place a large sheet pan in to heat up. Meanwhile mix the bread crumbs, almonds, cheese, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish mix the mustard and honey. Cut the chicken breasts into strips. Dredge the chicken strips in the honey-mustard and then generously coat them in the almond mixture.

Place them on a separate plate until they are all done. 

When they're ready for the oven, grab your now hot pan and drizzle it with olive oil. Put all the chicken on the pan and drizzle the chicken with a little more oil. Cook until done, about 20 minutes, flipping them once half way through. 

30 Things to Make Before I Turn 30: Parmesan Garlic Soft Pretzels with Homemade Honey Mustard Dip

Watch out Auntie Annie's! This homemade soft pretzel recipe rivals any plain old boring mall pretzel! These pretzels are soooo good I found them worthy to be a main course! I served them for dinner (alongside some coleslaw because of course a true dinner must incorporate some type of veggies). 

I had never used active yeast before and was a little intimidated by it, but this recipe is a cinch! The most difficult part is shaping the dough to somewhat resemble pretzels. I was so horrible at it that I enlisted my hubby...and found that he is a terrific pretzel shaper! I would never have never guessed he had hidden pretzel shaping skills! Hubby shaped all the pretzels for me because I couldn't quite master the technique. 

On Beantown Baker's website where I found this recipe, she shows two different types of pretzels you can make with the master recipe, so I decided to go with the Parmesan Garlic variation. Next time I might try the sun dried tomato...oh wait... maybe I will make the plain version so I can top them with cinnamon and sugar. Yummmm, I'm ready to make another batch ASAP because ours is already gone! Oh and did I mention the hidden bonus is that these little guys are only 1 Weight Watchers point??

Parmesan Garlic Soft Pretzels 

From Beantown Baker

Ingredients

1/8 cup hot water

1 package active dry yeast

1 1/3 cup warm water

1/3 cup brown sugar

4 cloves of garlic

2/3 cups parmesan cheese

4 + cups of flour

Coarse Kosher salt

Baking soda

Butter or shortening (to grease cookie sheets)

Directions

In a large bowl mix together hot water and yeast until the yeast dissolves. Stir in the warm water and brown sugar and keep stirring until the brown sugar dissolves. Press the cloves of garlic and add them, along with the Parmesan cheese into the liquid mixture.

 Slowly add in the 4  cups of flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Continue stirring until the mixture is smooth and does not stick to the sides of the bowl.

Lightly flour the counter. Dip your hands into extra flour and knead the dough until it is stretchy and smooth. (Push it down and away from you with the palms of your hands, turning the dough as you work)

Grease cookie sheets generously with butter or shortening. Sprinkle greased cookie sheets with Kosher salt.

Preheat the oven to 475.

Fill a large saucepan at least halfway full of water. For each cup of water, add 1 tablespoon of baking soda. 

Divide the dough into equal sized pieces. Using the following 4 steps shape each dough ball into a pretzel shape:

1. Roll the dough into a rope that is 14 inches long and as thick as your thumb. Bend the dough into a "U" shape. **If you have trouble rolling the dough into a rope, wet your hands slightly and try again.)

2. Cross one end of the rope over the other one. The rope should cross about three inches from the tips.

3. Twist the crossed ends, making a full turn. Fold the ends backwards, towards the middle of the "U".

4. Open the ends slightly to form a pretzel shape. Press the ends firmly into the dough.

Bring the water in the saucepan to gentle boil (be sure there are not too many bubbles). Using a large pancake turner lower each pretzel into the saucepan. Count slowly to 30. Lift the pretzel and shake off excess water. Place the pretzel onto the greased, salted cookie sheet. Repeat until all the pretzels are done.

Sprinkle some kosher salt and Parmesan cheese on top of the pretzels and bake for 8 minutes or until they are golden brown. 

**If you want to make your pretzels plain, and not Garlic Parmesan, just omit the garlic and Parmesan cheese from the recipe!

Honey Mustard Dip

Modified from The Cottage Home

Ingredients

5 ounces creme fraiche or sour cream

3 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons dijon or German mustard

Salt & sugar to taste

Directions

Mix sour cream, honey, and mustard together. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.