Dry Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

This post is for my dad since this past weekend he asked me about the lack of meat dishes on my blog lately, like pork and beef. Well, between my aversion to certain types of food in the first trimester to Chuck's high cholesterol, I guess I haven't really been basing my meals around meat lately. But I remembered I had a pork tenderloin in the freezer and asked around on my cooking board for a yummy way to prepare it.

CLStar at Cook Like a Champion suggested her dish to me and it looked quick enough for a weeknight and delicious enough to give it a whirl, so I did! Chuck and I were pleased with this. It actually ended up being a little dry but I think that's because I need to cook meat until well done because of the babette and we all know certain meats are better when they taste a little less like shoe leather. The crust was delicious and it was simple enough to make.

I did change some herbs in the dry rub from the original recipe but I really think the ones CLStar suggests would be better so I will link you right to her recipe:

Dry Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cake

Alright, so I debated even posting this since the end result turned out to be a partial disaster. But then I decided to post because the cake itSELF was delicious, it was just my own mistakes that made this an ugly end product.

I think the major problem I had was that the cake was too heavy for itself. I did use a 9.5 inch bundt cake pan rather than a 10 inch one, so maybe the batter wasn't spread out enough; but essentially, I think it was just too much CAKE for a bundt pan. Between cooling it on the wire rack, glazing it with the powdered sugar, and moving it onto the cake plate, it broke in several places:

There was just no way to move it all at once so that one part of the cake wasn't lagging behind the rest. So if I make this again, I may try mini bundt pans, or reduce the amount of ingredients so that it results in a smaller cake.

All in all though, the cake got rave reviews (but how can you not with three sticks of butter?!). The moist chocolatey cake paired with the raspberry jam and the chocolate chips made an excellent, rich dessert that pairs well with a tall glass of cold milk!

**Note: I have had this recipe saved in my file for quite some time, pre-blog, so I have no clue where it came from. Please email me at cookingthisandthat@hotmail.com if this is yours!

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cake

from source unknown

Makes one 10-inch bundt cake

3 cups flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 sticks butter, softened

3 cups sugar

4 extra large eggs (I used 4 large)

1 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 cup milk

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup raspberry preserves

Glaze:

Mix 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons milk until it forms a pourable glaze. Add more sugar or milk to reach desired consistency.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In large bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, on medium speed. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Add vanilla and mix.

Add flour mixture and milk in alternating batches (1/3 flour, 1/2 milk, 1/3 flour, 1/2 milk, 1/3 flour). Mix just until combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips with rubber spatula.

Spread 1/2 of the batter in the prepared pan. Heat raspberry preserves for 15 seconds in the microwave. Spoon over top of the batter in the pan. Spread the remaining batter over the preserves.

Bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Remove from over and let cool in pan for 15 -20 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake and turn on to a cooling rack. Let cool completely, then drizzle glaze over top.

Bruschetta with Artichoke Tapenade

I was looking for an easy little appetizer to make for Mother's Day and these popped up in my Google Reader. This is the perfect little app - a nice mix of flavorful ingredients with not too much prep time! The different cheeses blend together nicely with the marinated artichokes.

I would suggest serving these hot from the oven, because after they sat around for a little bit they got chewy rather than crunchy, and the topping is best piping hot. I didn't change anything from the original recipe so I will just link you over to Big City Cooking to see it!

Bruschetta with Artichoke Tapenade

Baked Orzo with Shrimp, Tomato Sauce, and Feta

This is a very tasty little weeknight dinner to whip up in less than a half hour (plus cooking time). Even Chuck, who doesn't like feta, enjoyed this, because the feta melts while baking so his whole "texture" thing doesn't apply here. That makes me very happy since I LOVE feta! It accents a very nice shrimp and tomato mixture highlighted by the onions, garlic and different herbs and spices that are added.

Changes I have made from the original recipe include reducing the amounts so I didn't make too much for us, as well as omitting the Kalamata olives since Chuck doesn't like those either (I really need to work on his tastebuds, huh?). But it's all there in the link - enjoy!

Baked Orzo with Shrimp, Tomato Sauce, and Feta

amounts adapted from Gourmet Magazine

Makes 4 servings

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
pinch of dried hot red pepper flakes (or more to your taste!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1/2 can (28- to 32-oz) crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 pound large shrimp (about 18), shelled and deveined
8 ounces orzo

kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 pound feta, patted dry and crumbled (1 1/2 cups)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat an 8 x 8 baking dish with cooking spray or olive oil.

Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add wine and boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and salt, then reduce heat and simmer briskly, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. Stir shrimp into sauce and simmer, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are just cooked through, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add orzo and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water, then drain orzo VERY carefully (a fine-mesh sieve helps). Return orzo to pot and toss with remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil.

Add orzo into sauce with shrimp and mix gently. Add reserved cooking water as needed (I only use about 2 tablespoons). Season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Spoon half of pasta into prepared baking dish, then sprinkle with half of feta. Top with remaining pasta and feta, then bake in middle of oven, uncovered, until cheese is slightly melted and pasta is heated through, 10 to 15 minutes.

Texas Chicken Quesadillas

These quesadillas have been flying around the cooking message board I often post on. I have had the recipe saved for awhile and once I made them this week I was sorry I didn't make them sooner! The sweet caramelized onions combined with the BBQ sauce on the chicken and the cheddar cheese was an amazing combination. And the whole recipe made enough for Chuck and I to eat dinner AND have enough so that both of us could take lunch the next day!

A few notes about the amounts of certain ingredients: When I saw that this called for 1 1/2 onions for only 4 servings, I did a double take and only bought one. How could you possibly eat that many onions in one serving?! Well, I was wrong - the caramelization process combined with the honey makes them so sweet and delicious you hardly know you are eating an onion. When I assembled the quesadillas, I definitely wished I had more.

On the other hand, if you use approximately a pound of chicken as the recipe suggests, you may think that there is not enough chicken to go around, it is so sparse-looking on the tortilla. But it all worked out in the end, because there was more than enough chicken flavor in each bite, so don't worry!

Soooo...you're going to make these tonight, right? I served them with Sauteed Corn and Black Bean Salad and a green salad.

Texas Chicken Quesadillas

slightly adapted from Jenn and Food, Perfect Together

Makes 4 large servings

2 tablespoons oil (I used olive oil)

1 1/2 sweet onions (vidalia is preferred), sliced into rings

1 tablespoon honey

2 cooked chicken breasts (about 1 pound), diced

1/2 cup BBQ sauce (my fave is Sweet Baby Ray's)

1-2 cups shredded mexican or cheddar cheese

8 ten-inch flour tortillas (medium-size)

Heat one tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute until they just become golden and begin to get soft. Turn heat to medium and continue cooking until they caramelize (about 20-30 minutes). Mix in the honey and stir until it is golden brown. Remove and set aside.

Place the remaining oil (if necessary)in the same skillet and add the chicken and BBQ sauce. Cook until heated through.

Lay out 4 tortillas. Divide the chicken, onions and cheese evenly onto each tortilla, top with another tortilla and cook in your quesadilla maker about 5 minutes. Alternatively, you can cook them in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Ready to be covered and baked!

Banana Butterscotch Cake

When I saw Maria's post for this cake on her blog, Two Peas and Their Pod, I thought it was an interesting idea. No butter or oil added? Brilliant! And healthy! But how would it taste? Well, it is safe to say that it is DELICIOUS. I brought a few pieces to work to share with some friends and I have been *cough* harassed *cough* by certain people at work to post right away!

So here it is. Maria uses cinnamon chips in hers but I couldn't find them in my sub-par grocery store so I decided to use butterscotch chips instead. They added a nice touch to the already moist, dense banana cake that resulted from this great recipe. The cinnamon-sugar topping really adds a nice touch too, so don't skip that!

Banana Butterscotch Cake

slightly adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod

Makes an 8 x 8 cake

3 very ripe bananas

2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup cinnamon or butterscotch chips

For topping:

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat an 8 x 8 baking dish with cooking spray (preferably with flour in it).

In a medium mixing bowl, mash the bananas well with a fork or potato masher. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Gently fold in the sugar.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl. Add to the banana mixture and mix until combined. Add 3/4 cup of the cinnamon chips, and stir briefly. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the topping ingredients. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the batter in the pan, and top with the remaining 1/4 cup chips.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Penne with Shrimp, Zucchini, and Tomatoes in Vodka Sauce

This dish kind of came about from what I had left in the freezer and refrigerator, and also changed direction as I was making it! Originally I thought I had enough vodka sauce left over to properly cover all of the pasta, but I was sorely mistaken. Luckily I had a can of diced tomatoes in the pantry to add to the mix.

We ended up liking this a lot though. Lots of great flavors, and don't be shy with the garlic and onion because that really adds a lot to the dish. If you don't like ricotta cheese, you can leave it out, but even Chuck, who doesn't like ricotta, agreed that it was quite tasty in here.

As usual when I am making my own creation, all ingredient amounts are approximate, so feel free to add more or less of any ingredient. Enjoy!

Penne with Shrimp, Zucchini, and Tomatoes in Vodka Sauce

from Colleen's Kitchen

Makes 3-4 servings

olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1 medium zucchini, quartered vertically and cut into thick slices

kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper

1 cup vodka sauce

1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

8 ounces penne pasta

8 ounces (about 16-20) large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onion, saute until just beginning to turn golden, 2-3 minutes. Turn heat to medium and add zucchini, season with salt and pepper. Continue to saute until onion and zucchini are cooked through, 3-5 minutes more. Add vodka sauce and diced tomatoes with juices, heat through.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add penne, cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, add shrimp to pasta pot. Drain pasta and shrimp.

Add pasta and shrimp to zucchini and sauce mixture. Add ricotta and gently mix all until combined. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese to taste.