Spicy Pork Tenderloin with Ginger Maple Sauce

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• Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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• 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed
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• Cooking spray
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• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons bottled ground fresh ginger
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup maple syrup

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl; rub pork with spice mixture. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat; add pork. Cook 6 minutes; brown on all sides. Place on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until thermometer registers 155°. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.
• While pork bakes, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, and cook 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Add ginger, and cook 4 minutes. Stir in broth and syrup, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Bring broth mixture to a boil; cook until reduced to 3/4 cup (about 10 minutes). Cut pork into 1/4-inch-thick slices; serve with sauce.
• I often make twice the sauce because I don't want to be short.  It will go in the freezer for next time also.  You can make the sauce ahead of time, mix up the spices and set aside in a sandwich bag, then the day you cook it is a snap!

Cooking Light 
NOVEMBER 2001

Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri

This recipe shown with the roasted potatoes and a portabella mushroom, brushed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, grilled, then topped with tomato, basil, garlic and cheese, melted on the grill.

Steak recipe based on a recipe from:  www.carascravings.blogspot.com  1 1/4 lb flank steak 1 tbsp packed brown sugar 2 tsp paprika 1 tsp cumin salt & pepper **** 1 cup fresh parsley leaves 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves 1/4 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup chicken broth 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves ( used 2 teaspoon dried) 1 tbsp olive oil salt & pepper 1/2 teaspoon cayenne (or less if you wish) 1 tablespoon crushed garlic Slice some lines across the grain of the flank steak to score it. Combine the first group of items. Rub all over both sides of the steak. Let stand at room temperature for at least 40 minutes before grilling. Preheat grill to medium high heat. Cook the steak for about 6-8 minutes on each side for medium-rare to medium. Combine the remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth, scraping down the sides if necessary. Remove the steak from the grill, cover with foil and let rest 5-10 minutes before slicing. Serve the sliced steak with the chimichurri sauce.

Boiled Dinner - Comfort Food

This isn't really a recipe, just something that is wonderful to throw in a pot on a Sunday afternoon that could be easy to forget about.

1 Small Ham - I prefer smoked, boneless, fully cooked, but it doesn't matter

4 peeled potatoes

6 peeled carrots

1 whole onion

1/2 cubbed rutabaga or turnip if you wish

1/2 head cabbage quartered
3 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon pepper
enough water to cover all that in a large pot

Simmer all in a pot for 2 or 3 hours..the meat must be hot all the way through and the veggies cooked...you may want to add some veggies as you would want them done- example, the cabbage could be added in the last 1/2 hour or so.  When done, slice the ham, serve the veggies....one pot meals, ya gotta love.

Butternut Squash Curry Sage Soup

3 cups butternut squash mashed
3 1/2 cups chicken broth (I used turkey broth)

1 cup sweet onions, chopped 

1 Tb minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon curry powder
2-3 fresh sage leaves, minced
sea salt to taste

1/4 cup heavy cream, plus more for garnish....I only had condensed milk available

Optional Garnish:  olive oil, sea salt, squash seeds (I used sunflower seeds) ground cumin, ground coriander, 9-10 whole fresh sage leaves and cream

1. If you have to start with whole butternut squash, preheat the oven to 400 F degrees. Rub the butternut squash with olive oil and place it face side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast the butternut squash for 30-35 minutes, until it's tender with a fork. Remove and set aside until it's cool enough to handle.
2. Meanwhile, let's make the garnish. Rinse out the seeds, discarding any pulp. Sprinkle the seeds with a pinch of cumin, pinch of ground coriander and a pinch of salt. In a small skillet, add a teaspoon of olive oil. When hot, add the seeds, toasting them on both sides, about 2-3 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside.
3. To the same skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil until hot. Add sage leaves and fry until the leaves are crispy and the edges are lightly browned, about 1-2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
4. To a large pot, placed over medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the spices: ground cumin, coriander, curry powder, minced sage leaves and minced garlic. Cook until the spices and garlic are fragrant, about 1 minute. Scoop out the butternut squash flesh and add it to the pot, along with the broth. Cover the pot, turn the heat to medium low and simmer for 10-12 minutes. Use immersion blender or in batches, carefully transfer the soup to a blender and pulse until very smooth. Transfer the soup back to the pot and salt to taste.  Stir in the heavy cream and heat until warm. Divide the soup between bowls and garnish with butternut squash seeds and fried sage leaves.

Yield: 4 servings

based on:  http://www.pbs.org/food/fresh-tastes/curry-sage-butternut-squash-soup/

Peanut Brittle

2 C sugar
1 C light corn syrup
1/2 C water
1 C butter
2 C unsalted roasted peanuts
1 teas baking soda
candy thermometer

Combine 1 st 3 ingredients in a large pan.  Measure the rest of the ingredients out and have ready to add to boiling sugars.  Butter two cookie sheets.  Cook & stir sugars until dissolved.  When syrup boils, blend in the butter.  Stir frequently after 230 degrees, add nuts at 280 degrees and stir constantly until 305 degrees.  Remove from heat, quickly stir in baking soda. Pour onto 2 buttered cookie sheets.  I'm not sure if my thermometer is off, but I didn't get to 305 degrees before I saw scorching on bottom of pan....I went as long as I could, stirred in the baking soda and dumped on cookie sheets.  It is good to have another person in the room for help pouring if needed, the brittle gets hard very quickly.  I remember why I haven't made this too often.....it's tricky :)

Molasses Cookies

1 C shortening (or coconut oil)

1/2 C softened butter (1 stick)
2 C sugar
2 eggs beaten
1/2 C molasses
Mix this first part together in a mixer.  Plug your nose, it stinks.

4 C flour (1/2 white, 1/2 whole wheat or all white)
1 1/2 tablespoon ginger
4 teas baking soda
2 teas cinnamon
1 teas salt
Mix the dry ingredients together, then add to the moist mixture above

Roll the dough into balls in your hands, then roll in white sugar.  At Christmas, I use colored sugar. Place the cookie on a greased cookie sheet or parchment paper.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.

makes about 4 dozen

Black Bean, Corn and Chicken Soup

• 1 Tb olive oil
• 2 C or 2 large onions diced
• 2 Tb minced garlic
• 2 large celery stalks diced (1 C)
• 2-3 cups cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken from the store)
• 6C chicken broth
• 1 teas dried thyme
• 2 (16 ounce) cans black beans
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn or small can
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and minced or small can diced chilies
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Serve with tortilla chips
• Add grated Monterey Jack cheese on top
• Optional fresh lime wedges as garnish

Directions

1. Add oil to large soup pan, then onions and celery. Saute until soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add chicken, broth and thyme. Bring
2. Add beans, corn, tomatoes, pepper, cumin and chili powder.  Do not drain any of the cans.  Simmer for 30 minutes or more.
3. Before removing from heat, stir in: 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro.
4. Final touch: Add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve soup with tortilla chips, grated Monterey Jack cheese and fresh lime wedges.