Island Spice Pork Tenderloin

Annnnnnd I'm back! Sorry for that little hiatus I took there, I had several large projects for school backing up and they kind of took over. Well, I am so very glad that this past semester is now behind me and I can breathe for a little bit. Or maybe just about a week before I get back into it.

I decided to try out this new pork tenderloin dish in the midst of working on all these projects -- not only because I love the other recipes I have tried, but also because they tend to be fairly quick and easy. This dish was definitely not any different.

Island Spice Pork Tenderloin
From: Annie's Eats

For the spice rub:
2 tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 pork tenderloins (about 2-2½ lbs. total)
2 tbsp. olive oil

For the glaze:
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. (2-3 cloves) finely minced garlic
1½ tsp. Tabasco sauce

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Combine the salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder and cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir together with a fork to blend. Pat the mixture over the pork tenderloins.

Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Place the tenderloins in the skillet and brown on all sides, turning occasionally, about 4 minutes total. Remove from the heat, leaving the pork in the skillet.

Stir together the brown sugar, garlic and Tabasco in a small bowl until blended. Spread the mixture evenly over the tops of the tenderloins.

Place the skillet in the preheated oven and roast about 20 minutes, until an instant-read themometer inserted in the center of each tenderloin registers 140˚ F. Loosely tent the skillet with foil and let stand 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Serves: 8

I have to admit, after one of those "failure meals" in which I added too much rub to the meat, I was hesitant to use all of the rub in this recipe. So I didn't. And I wish I would have. The flavoring was definitely not as strong as what it is in other recipes, and doesn't really come through and shine at all. However, from the flavoring we DID get, it was pretty good. If I decide to give this recipe another shot, I would go all out and use the entire rub.

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 297	Calories from fat 114
% Daily Value
Total Fat 12.7g	20%
Saturated Fat 3.8g	19%
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol107mg	36%
Sodium 666mg	28%
Total Carbs 9.9g	3%
Sugars 8.8g
Protein 34.1g
Vitamin A 3%	Vitamin C 3%
Calcium 2%	Iron 11%

Spaghetti with Cheese and Black Pepper

I hate failures. They really annoy me. No, I'm not talking about people... but a failed meal. Not only is it frustrating to have spent the last half hour or so stirring and sauteing and mixing away, but now whatever it is I've been working on is not something I can eat. And most likely it is at least 8:30, if not 9:00 at night, and I.want.food.

See, I thought of this when I realized how many of my last few posts have been about pasta. Surely we haven't eaten pasta 50 bajillion times in the last month, right? Yes, don't worry, I have a nice little back log I've been slowly chipping away at, and in between all these pasta posts I've been making little failure meals. Which means those employees at Chick-Fil-A are starting to get to know us. Probably not really a great thing.

But this recipe is definitely not a failure. It IS pasta, but it's not a failure. Quite delicious in fact, despite being ridiculously simple and easy to put together.

Spaghetti with Cheese and Black Pepper
From: Smitten Kitchen

1/4 cup olive oil
1 pound dried spaghetti
2 tablespoons butter
4 ounces Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated
1 1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Salt (optional)

Cook spaghetti in well-salted water to al dente in a large, wide-bottomed pot. Drain spaghetti, reserving 1 1/2 cups of pasta cooking water.

Dry out the pot from the spaghetti, then heat the olive oil over high heat until almost smoking in the same pot. Add drained spaghetti and 1 cup of reserved pasta water. (Watch out, this is guaranteed to splatter.)

Add butter, 3 ounces cheese and ground pepper and toss together with tongs. Taste, adding more pasta water, cheese, pepper or salt to taste.

Serve immediately, sprinkling with reserved cheese and an extra grind or two of black pepper.

Serves: 6-8

While trying to be slightly more healthy, I used whole-wheat spaghetti to make this. However, I would not recommend the Giant Eagle brand or actually whole-wheat spaghetti at all. This dish really highlights whatever pasta you choose, so this might be the time to splurge a little for the better stuff... or even better, try your hand at making your own.

So simple yet definitely satisfying and tasty.

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 304	Calories from fat 133
% Daily Value
Total Fat 14.8g	23%
Saturated Fat 5.4g	27%
Cholesterol 64mg	21%
Sodium 206mg	9%
Total Carbs 31.8g	11%
Protein 11.0g
Vitamin A 4%	Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 16%	Iron 12%

And the Winner Is...

Congratulations Trenna! You will soon be the proud new owner of a pasta maker! Be on the look out for an email!

Orzo Risotto with Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil

Hopefully everyone out there had a great past weekend and didn't gorge themselves on chocolate bunny ears, peeps, and Cadbury creme eggs too bad. Or maybe you did, and saved just a tiny itty-bitty space in your stomach to chow down on that tasty Easter dinner or brunch or whatever meal you went after. I am happy to report that I did not stuff myself full of Easter sweets. Nope, I have slowly been building up my consumption of candy for about a month so it's not technically gorging myself... I was merely consuming my normal amount of sugary goodness.

Although I have to admit, my weaknesses lie in the small Reese's eggs and Sour Punch Straws. I have most likely consumed enough of these two items to outweigh a small child. No, but really. I have. It's really kind of sad. I kind of flipped out a bit when I went to Giant Eagle the other day looking for my small (not the minis) Reese's Eggs and all I could find were the regular ones or the usual miniature cups. Apparently 3/4 of the way into the Easter selling season every store decided to stop carrying these. Almost ruined my Easter.

Despite the conspiracy between the stores and Reese's to spoil my fun, the weather decided to be absolutely gorgeous. Makes me wish our apartment complex hadn't confiscated temporarily relocated our grill to a garage for safe keeping. Unfortunately, the gorgeous 70-80 degree weather is threatening to leave us for some nasty rainy 55 degree weather this weekend. Boo. On the good side, this dish would work perfectly for a rainy day, or any other time you're craving some warm creamy pasta goodness. THIS is the recipe that reminded Adam and I of THIS recipe (not the Basil Chicken over Angle Hair, although they all have very similar flavors, silly me).

Orzo Risotto with Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil
Adapted from: Emeril Lagasse's 20-40-60 Fresh Food Fast

3 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup minced onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups orzo pasta
4 cups reduced-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon (heaping) dried basil

In a small saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil, then turn heat to low.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a wide, shallow medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the orzo -- stirring well to coat.

Gradually add the broth in 1/2 cup increments (about one large ladle), stirring continously until all the liquid has been absorbed. Continue to add more broth and allow it to absorb before adding more (until all broth has been used). This should take about 14-16 minutes and the pasta should be al dente. Season with salt and pepper.

Add tomatoes, stirring until heated through, about 1-2 minutes. Add the mozzarella and basil and continue to stir until completely melted, 2-3 minutes.

Serve in bowls garnished with an extra pinch of mozzarella.

Serves 4.

Basically, the biggest changes I made to this recipe were purely ones of convience: I used canned tomatoes, pre-shredded mozzarella, dried basil, and whatever onion I had on hand. And it was still delicious. The slow incorporation of broth allows for that nice starchy release making an oh-so-delicious creamy "sauce". Just thinking about it is starting to make me hungry -- forget the weather. Too bad my fridge is stuffed to the gills with an odd assortment of leftovers... a couple slices of pizza here, thai food, a plate of ham, some pork tenderloin, and I'm sure there's a couple things of tupperware that I have no idea what's inside. Hmmm, time for a little spring cleaning maybe?

Don't forget! You still have one more day to enter the Pasta Maker Giveaway! Giveaway closes tomorrow (Tuesday) at 9pm EST. Click here to enter!

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 512	Calories from fat 145
% Daily Value
Total Fat 16.1g	25%
Saturated Fat 3.6g	18%
Cholesterol 8mg	3%
Sodium 1425mg	59%
Total Carbs 70.2g	23%
Dietary Fiber 1.5g	6%
Sugars 3.9g
Protein 20.2g
Vitamin A 19%	Vitamin C 24%
Calcium 13%	Iron 6%

Easter Dinner Ideas

I realize this might be a tad late for a few of you, but if you're still out there wondering what to serve for Easter dinner tomorrow, here are a couple ideas that might strike your fancy:

For the Entree:

Honey-Glazed Ham

Side dishes:

Creamy Broccoli Bake


Mashed-Potato Casserole with Smoked Gouda


Gougeres

Desserts:

Tres Leches Cake


Sugar Cookies


Sunny Day Cake

Hope everyone has a great Easter! And don't forget the Pasta Maker Giveaway is still going on through Tuesday! Click here to enter!

Speaking of Pasta... {GIVEAWAY!!}

If you've followed my blog for any length of time, it's pretty obvious I'm a fan of pasta. No low-carb diets for this kid! Pasta is such a versatile ingredient -- it can be smothered under creamy decadent sauce, wrapped around tasty parcels of cheese or meat, add heartiness to a soup, or even be coated with the lightest oil and herb sauce and it's all still fantastic.

It's that last type of pasta that requires a special kind of pasta. Not the dried stuff you find hanging out on the shelf marked 10 for $10. Nope, you need the fresh stuff tucked away by the cheese in the refrigerated section, or better yet -- fresh made pasta from your kitchen. I've made pasta by hand before and yes, it is incredibly time consuming to roll out and cut the dough. Unless...... you have a handy-dandy pasta machine to do all the rolling and cutting for you. Then it's not too bad.

A couple weeks ago I was contacted by CSN Stores about hosting a giveaway. (They sell all kinds of cool things from kids beds, to health & fitness items, to cookware.) Soooo if you've wanted to try your hand at making your own pasta, here's your chance! With the help of CSN Stores, I'm giving away a CucinaPro Pasta Maker! That's right, you could be making your own spaghetti and fettuccine in no time!

The down and dirty -- Rules and all that Yackity-Yack:

*All you have to do is leave a comment on this post to enter for a chance to win.
*You must include your email or link to your blog when you enter your comment (so I am able to contact you!). Following the random drawing, I will be contacting the winner for your address and all that fun stuff. Winner must respond within 24 hours or another winner will be chosen.
*In your comment, tell us what your favorite pasta dish is, or what you would make with your new pasta machine.
*The giveaway is now closed.
*One winner will be chosen at random using Random.org

Make sure you spread the word and let all your friends know! Good luck!

After reading a couple of your comments I just wanted to clarify what exactly you're getting -- a CucinaPro Pasta maker with the spaghetti and fettuccine attachment. Once you discover how much you love your machine and want to expand your repertoire you are able (not required) to purchase other attachments (e.g. angel hair, lasagnette, ravioli, trenette). Hope that clears things up!

Disclaimer: This giveaway was sponsored by CSN Stores.

Basil Chicken Over Angel Hair

I woke up this morning with the full intention of working diligently on a group presentation for one of my classes. Do it and get it done. I had all these grandiose ideas that I would knock it out in just a few hours. This is how it really went:

Got up and puttered on the computer for about half and hour.
Attempted to read a review for my presentation.
Got distracted on the computer for another couple minutes.
Went back to reading for maybe 5 minutes.
Decided I was hungry. Ate Reese's cups.
Went back to reading.
Decided I was still hungry. Drank some juice (hey, it was that V8 fusion stuff, so I got some fruits and veggies in there) and had a granola bar.
Got distracted by the computer again.
Went back to reading.
Husband came home from church. Got distracted.
Attempted to start on a powerpoint.
Decided I was still hungry. Decided to eat some lunch....

And the whole day went like this. Apparently I tend to get distracted quite often when it comes to doing things I'm not very interested in. I mean, watching my husband play a video game is far more entertaining than trying to figure out the physiologic basis behind resistance training.

Kind of like I've already been distracted about 20 times so far writing this. Looks like somebody needs to work on focusing on things. Well, it's not like I can't -- just as long as it's something I'm interested in. Talk to me about politics, or finances or something equally as dry and boring and you will eventually see the glazed look, which means I'm off thinking of ponies, or butterflies, or crap I have an assignment due tomorrow that I totally forgot about.

This is why quick and easy meals are a plus for me. I tend to not get distracted as easily or forget I have water boiling or cookies in the oven or that I'm even making something at all. This recipe falls in to that quick and easy category -- start working on the garlic and onions when you set the water on to boil and by the time the pasta is done cooking, all you'll have to do it toss it in with the sauce.

Basil Chicken over Angel Hair
Adapted from: Allrecipes.com

1 (8 ounce) package whole-wheat angel hair pasta
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook angel hair pasta until it is al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions and garlic for about 5 minutes, or until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken, basil, salt and hot pepper sauce. Reduce heat to medium, and cover skillet. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture is hot and tomatoes are soft.

Toss sauce with hot cooked angel hair pasta to coat. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Yields: 4 servings

I guess I have a thing for pasta, basil, cheese, and tomatoes, as this recipe was very reminiscent of this recipe. Different, but definitely with a similar taste. (Not to mention a little healthier.)

Adam and I both enjoyed this, and as I tend to have all these ingredients on hand, I'm sure this will be making the rounds here again.

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 342	Calories from fat 69
% Daily Value
Total Fat 7.7g	12%
Saturated Fat 2.2g	11%
Cholesterol 101mg	34%
Sodium 451mg	19%
Total Carbs 36.9g	12%
Dietary Fiber 1.5g	6%
Sugars 3.4g
Protein 30.3g
Vitamin A 20%	Vitamin C 24%
Calcium 10%	Iron 16%