Kitchen Tip of the Day

Let raw potatoes stand in cold water for at least half an hour before frying to improve the crispness of french-fried potatoes.

Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin w/ Roasted Red Potatoes, Sliced Carrots, and...

Dinner Tonight: Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin w/ Roasted Red Potatoes, Sliced Carrots, and Whole in Bread

 I had no clue for what to have for dinner tonight until I came across Pork Tenderloin that Walmart had on sale and I knew I had my dinner! I had tried this recipe a couple of weeks ago and it turned out one of the best Pork Tenderloins I had ever had. I preheated the oven to 475 degrees F.  I placed the pork loin on a rack in a roasting pan. I then combined Sea Salt, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Minced Garlic, Thyme, Rosemary, and Basil in a small bowl. Then with my fingers, massaged the mixture onto the pork loin, covering all of the meat and fat. I roasted the pork for 30 minutes, make sure you have your stove overhead fan running as it start to smaoke somewhat after about 20 minutes. I then reduced the heat to 425 degrees F and roasted it for an additional hour. Test for doneness using an instant-read thermometer. When the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F, remove the roast from the oven. Allow it to sit for about 20 minutes before carving. It will continue to cook while it rests. then be ready to slice one delicious and juicy Pork Tenderloin!

For sides I prepared Roasted Red Potatoes and Sliced Carrots.I love this Potato Dish! Red Potatoes, Turkey Bacon, and the seasoning all combined makes a great Potatoe recipe. I left the Pork Tenderloin and the Red Potatoe recipes at the end of the post. For the Carrots I used a can of Del Monte Sliced Carrots that I heated up in a medium sauce pan. We also had Aunt Millie's Whole Grain Bread. I usually use Healthy Life Whole Grain Bread but they had this on special buy one loaf get one free. They have the same amount of calories (70) but Aunt Millies has 4 more carbs (20) for two slices than Healthy Life.  

Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen, 2007

Ingredients
1 (4-pound) boneless pork loin, with fat left on
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried basil or 2 teaspoons fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
Directions
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.

Place the pork loin on a rack in a roasting pan. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. With your fingers, massage the mixture onto the pork loin, covering all of the meat and fat.

Roast the pork for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 425 degrees F and roast for an additional hour. Test for doneness using an instant-read thermometer. When the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F, remove the roast from the oven. Allow it to sit for about 20 minutes before carving. It will continue to cook while it rests.


Roasted Red Potatoes

Ingredients:

Small Gourmet Red Potatoes, quartered
Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
McCormick Grinder Sea Salt and Black Peppercorn, Parsley and Dried Dill, to taste

Directions:

*HEAT oven to 400ºF. Cook Turkey Bacon in large skillet on medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet, reserving 1 Tbsp. drippings in skillet. Drain bacon on paper towels.

*ADD quartered potatoes to reserved drippings; cook 5 min., season while stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Crumble bacon. Add to potatoes; mix lightly. Spoon into 13×9-inch baking dish.

*BAKE 20-30 min. or until potatoes are tender and done. Top with cheese and parsley, optional.

Cheese of the Week - Gouda

Named after the Dutch town of Gouda, just outside Rotterdam. It accounts for more than 60% of the cheese produced in Holland and it has a very long history. Gouda is a traditional, creamery, hard cheese. It is round with very smooth, yellow, waxed rind. The flavor is sweet and fruity. As time passes, the taste intensifies and becomes more complex. Mature Gouda (18 months plus) is coated in black wax which provides a stark contrast to the deep yellow interior. Gouda is considered to be one of the world's great cheeses. It is both a table cheese and a dessert cheese, excellent with fruit and wine. Gouda is now made globally in a style similar to the creation of Edam.

Country: Holland
Milk: cow milk
Texture: semi-hard
Fat content: 40 %

Gouda  is an orange cheese made from cow's milk. The cheese is named after the city of Gouda in the Netherlands, but its name is not protected. However, the European Commission has confirmed that "Gouda Holland" is to be protected (although "Gouda" itself is not). Cheese under the name of Gouda is currently made and sold all around the world.

The cheese is from cultured milk that is heated until the curds separate from the whey. Some of the whey is then drained, and water is added. This is called "washing the curd", and creates a sweeter cheese, as the washing removes some of the lactic acid. About ten percent of the mixture are curds, which are pressed into circular moulds for several hours. These moulds are the essential reason behind its traditional, characteristic shape. The cheese is then soaked in a brine solution, which gives the cheese and its rind a distinctive taste. The cheese is dried for a few days before being coated to prevent it from drying out, then it is aged. Depending on age classification, it can be aged a number of weeks to over seven years before it is ready to be eaten. As it ages, it develops a caramel sweetness and sometimes has a slight crunchiness from salt-like calcium lactate or tyrosine crystals that form in older cheeses. After 24 months of aging, sodium chloride crystals start to form around the outside casing of the cheese. These crystals are usually removed with a soft cloth.

The term "Gouda" is now a universal name, and not restricted to cheese of Dutch origin. The term "Noord-Hollandse Gouda" is registered in the EU as a Protected Geographical Status. The cheese itself was originally developed in Gouda which is in the Dutch province South Holland. The main distributor during this period of time was Pieter's Kaas (Owned by Dutch priest Peter Haase)

Gouda at the market

Within the Netherlands, the cheeses vary based on age and additional ingredients. From young to old, these are: "Graskaas", "Jong", "Jong belegen", "Belegen", "Extra belegen", "Oud" and "Overjarig". Younger cheeses are creamier while older cheeses are harder and saltier.
Stinging nettle cheese, or "Brandnetelkaas", is a type of gouda that contains stinging nettles (Urtica dioica). The small, green particles give the cheese a distinct flavour and appearance. Another variety of gouda contains small pieces of red capsicum, imparting a mildly spicy flavor.


Gouda is exported in two varieties: Young Gouda cheese, aged between 1 and 6 months, is a rich yellow in color and with a red or yellow paraffin wax coating. This cheese is easily sliced with a cheese slicer. Older Gouda cheese has a pungent underlying bitterness, yet is considerably creamier; it sometimes is discernible by a black paraffin wax coating. This strong-tasting cheese is hard and often brittle.



Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese
INGREDIENTS:
1 (16 ounce) package whole wheat pasta
2 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 teaspoon paparika
4 ounces smoked Gouda cheese,
shredded

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 10 inch casserole dish.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
3. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook until a roux forms. Stir in the milk, salt and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is smooth and thick and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.
4. Combine cooked pasta and cheese sauce; transfer to prepared dish.

New England Clam Chowder w/ Oyster Crackers and a Hot Hammy Cheese

Today's Menu: New England Clam Chowder w/ Oyster Crackers and a Hot Hammy Cheese

A simple but flat out lip smacking good dinner tonight! New England Clam Chowder w/ Oyster Crackers and a Hot Hammy Cheese, Sounds good but tasted even better! My Clam Chowder wasn't home made but was every bit as good. I used Campbell's Chunky New England Clam Chowder with Hearty Potatoes. If you have a craving for Clam Chowder but don't have the time or just want a  simple way to prepare it give Campbells a try. Great taste, plenty of Clams and Potatoes, and in a nice thick stock. It has 210 calories and 23 carbs per serving. I topped with just a sprinkle of fresh grated Dutch Smoked Gouda and some Skyline brand Oyster Crackers, I could make a meal out of the Cheese and Crackers!

I also prepared a Hot Hammy and Cheese Sandwich. I used Oscar Mayer Carver Board Ham, Sargento Ultra Light Swiss Cheese, and Healthy Life Whole Grain English Muffin. In a small skillet I heated the slices of Ham and while that was heating I split the Muffin in half and toasted it in the toaster. To assemble just put the Ham on one of the Muffin halves and top the Ham with the Sargento Swiss and add the other half of the Muffin, the Swiss will start melting immediately. A simple but quite hearty dinner! For dessert later a fresh baked Pillsbury Apple Turnover, a nice way to end the day.  

One of America's Favorites - Pot Pie

Curry chicken pot pies

A pot pie is a term for a type of baked savory pie with a bottom and top completely encased by flaky crusts and baked inside a pie tin to support its shape.

The pot pie does differs from the Australian meat pie and many British regional variants on pie recipes, which may have a top of flaky pastry, but whose body is usually made from heavier, more mechanically stable shortcrust, hot water crust or similar pastry.

The pot pie may be considered a variation of the pasty.
An American pot pie typically has a filling of meat (particularly beef, chicken or turkey), gravy, and mixed vegetables (potatoes, carrots, green beans and peas). Frozen pot pies are often available in individual serving sizes.

The distinction between a pot pie and other types of savoury pie is specific to the United States of America. In the United Kingdom a pot pie would simply be called a pie, the word having a much broader application in British English.

Some American pie variations have no bottom crust and are more similar to a baked casserole (or chicken and dumplings) than to a traditional meat pie. Since the remaining top crust is not required to offer any structural support, it can be made by closely spacing small dollops of drop biscuit dough onto the stew-like filling before baking. This type of pie is also very common in the United Kingdom, where it is known as a top-crust pie.

In the Pennsylvania Dutch region, there is a dish called "bot boi" (or "bott boi") by Deitsh-speaking natives. Pennsylvania Dutch pot pie is a stew, usually made of a combination of chicken, ham, beef, or wild game with square-cut egg noodles, potatoes, and a stock of onion, optional celery and parsley. Bouillon is sometimes used to enhance the flavor. The egg noodles are often made from scratch from flour, eggs, salt (optional) and water. Some recipes use leavening agents such as baking powder.



Chicken Pot Pie

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken
breast halves - cubed
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground smoked cumin
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
2. In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
3. In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Kitchen Tip of the Day

Kitchen Tip of the Day

Use a gentle touch when shaping ground beef patties. Over handling will result in a firm, compact texture after cooking. Don't press or flatten with spatula during cooking.

Ground Pork Pesto Burger w/ Baked Steakhouse Seasoned Griller Potatoes

Today’s Menu: Ground Pork Pesto Burger w/ Baked Steakhouse Seasoned Griller Potatoes

For Dinner tonight I had a Ground Pork & Pesto Burger along with some Baked Steakhouse Seasoned Griller Potatoes . The pesto mixed in with the Ground Pork is a perfect combo! I had made up several of these and froze them that way Iv'e always got them on hand.  I used Kroger Brand Ground Pork, 180 calories and 0 carbs. I combined the Ground Pork with Buitoni Pesto w/ Basil and Italian Style Bread Crumbs and mixed by hand until everything was well combined and made it into patties. I fried the Burger in Extra Virgin Olive Oil and seasoned it with Morton Salt Substitute and Ground Black Pepper. I topped it with just a splash of JB's  Fat Boy Haugwaush BBQ Sauce and a slice of Sargento Muenster Cheese and served on a Healthy Life Whole Grain Bun. The Pesto and Pork are a fantastic pairing! You have to give these a try. I left the recipe at the end of the post. I also had a side of Ore Ida Baked Steakhouse Seasoned Griller Potatoes . For dessert later a Jello Sugar Free Chocolate Pudding.

(Makes 4 Burgers)
Ingredients:

1 LB. Ground Pork
1/4 Cup Basil Pesto (You can add more or less to taste)
1/4 cup Italian Style Bread Crumbs
Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper, to taste
4 Slices of Smoked Gouda Cheese or Muenster Cheese, Optional
Lettuce, sliced Tomato optional

Instructions:

* In a mixing bowl add your bread crumbs, pesto, and ground pork. Mix together and form into 4 Burgers
* Spray a large skillet and heat on medium heat and add 1/2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
* Fry the Burgers to your liking, I fried these for about 4 minutes per side.
* Serve on a Bun of your choice (I used Healthy Life Whole Grain Buns). Add Sauteed Baby Bella Mushrooms, Reduced or Lite Mayo, and a Slice of Cheese.