Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Potatoes and Apples

Here is a super retro recipe that I found in one of my vintage cookbooks. I was so excited to find The Meats Cookbook by Southern Living at a book fair I visited several months ago. What could be more exciting for a southern gal than a whole cookbook of meats?

This recipe captures some of my favorite fall flavors - absolutely delicious! The pork is tender and juicy, sweet with the flavors of the apple juice and cinnamon. The sweet potatoes melt in your mouth. And the apples? Let's just say it's like having dessert built-in to your meal!

Pork Tenderloin with Sweet Potatoes and Apples
Adapted from The Meats Cookbook by Southern Living

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large pork tenderloin
2 cups milk
1/2 cup flour
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 medium apples, peeled and cored
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons raisins
2 large sweet potatoes, quartered
4 large marshmallows

Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet on the stove. Meanwhile, dip the pork in the milk. Mix the flour with the salt and pepper and cinnamon, and dredge the pork with the flour mixture. Brown the pork in the skillet over medium-high heat.

Meanwhile, fill the center of the cored apples with the brown sugar and raisins, and place the sweet potatoes and the apples in your crock pot. Add the pork and any drippings. Pour over the remaining milk and cover.

Cook on low for about 6-8 hours or on high for about 4 hours. Place a marshmallow on each apple just before serving (optional).

Tip: You could easily adapt this recipe for a dutch oven by adding all your ingredients to the pot after browning the meat. Cover and cook over low heat for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Saucy Pork Chops

Here's another retro recipe: this one comes from my mom's collection of little scraps of paper with recipes scrawled on them. I'd call it a recipe box full of recipe cards, except that it's more of a pile of old receipts and other random scraps of paper bearing recipes in her almost indecipherable script stuffed into an old cookbook. My mom and I spent hours one night last week poring over these tid-bits of goodness. This recipe is just one in a treasure-chest of goodies!

Saucy Pork Chops
from our family friend, Bobby

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 chops, about ¾ inch thick
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 10.5-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
¼ cup ketchup
2-3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Season your chops with salt and pepper on both sides. Add them to the skillet, browning for 2-3 minutes on each side. Top with onions.

In a medium bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients and pour over the chops. Cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes. Serve hot.

Georgia Shrimp 'n' Grits

Like many other aspiring chefs, I looooove to watch the Food Network. One of my favorite shows is called Throwdown with Bobby Flay. The idea behind this show is that Chef Flay travels to challenge the best of the best to a culinary throwdown, where he tries to top their very best dish.

Well, you can imagine how excited this Georgia girl was to watch the episode where Chef Flay challenged the widely-recognized King of Shrimp 'n' Grits, Joe Barnett of Washington, Georgia, to a Shrimp 'n' Grits cookoff! Of course, my fellow Georgian Mr. Barnett took the prize, and here is my version of his fabulous recipe.

Holy camoly is this stuff good - the shrimp are tender and spicy, the grits are perfectly creamy and fluffy, and the sauce? Oh, my goodness the sauce . . . Hold on while I drool for a moment. . . It's salty and hammy and melts around the shrimp, bringing the whole dish together.

Georgia Shrimp 'n' Grits
adapted from Joe Barnett's Recipe

3/4 lb. wild Georgia shrimp
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup water
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup quick-cooking grits
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon butter
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
4 teaspoons flour
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1 slice cured country ham, cooked and torn into pieces

Peel and de-vein the shrimp (i.e. get your husband to peel and de-vein the shrimp). Combine in a small bowl the Cajun seasoning, the paprika, the Italian seasoning, and the pepper. Sprinkle the mixture over the shrimp, tossing until they are well coated. Set aside.

Next, pour the water, the chicken boullion, and the butter into a heavy saucepan. Bring the mixture to a full boil. Slowly add in the grits, and whisk constantly, cooking over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, the cream, and the cheddar cheese. Continue to cook and whisk for 2-3 more minutes, until grits become very creamy and thick. To quote the original recipe, "Don't skimp on the butter and the cream, folks."

In a large skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds. Pour in the spiced shrimp and cook JUST until they are done and tender, about 2 minutes (depending on the size of your shrimp). Do not overcook or your shrimp will get rubbery. Remove the shrimp from the pan to a clean bowl and set aside.

Return the pan to the stove. Add the flour to the drippings, stirring to make the base of a roux. Cook for 10 minutes until medium tan in color. Slowly whisk in the chicken stock and the cream. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the worchestershire sauce and hot sauce, stirring to incorporate. Finally, add the country ham.

Serve the shrimp on a generous bed of grits, topped with the roux sauce. Enjoy!!

Dijonnaise Never Looked So Good

This is one of my mom's best dishes. The Creamy Dijon Sauce compliments the tender, juicy pork perfectly. Pork loins have been on sale a lot lately at the grocery store, so I got the chance to make it for myself this week. Mom usually serves this dish with mashed potatoes - so that we can drizzle some extra dijon sauce on top of them! This leftovers are amazing in a sandwich, too.

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Creamy Dijon Sauce

1/4 cup Dijonnaise spread
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon dried minced onion seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic, minced or grated
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 fresh pork tenderloin
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup Dijonnaise spread
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon dried minced onion seasoning
1/2 cup half-n-half
2 tablespoons more Dijonnaise spread

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix together the Dijonnaise, the dry mustard, the onion, and the garlic. The mixture should be a bit thick. Set it aside.

In a large dutch oven-style baking dish, measure the olive oil and heat it over medium-high heat. Generously season the pork loin with salt and pepper on all sides. Using metal tongs, brown the pork in the olive oil until it is nice and caramelized on all sides. At this point, get your dijon mixture and spoon it all over the pork loin, applying it on all sides.

Next, send the whole dish into the oven to roast in the oven for about 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of your cut). Remove the pork from the oven when a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the meat reaches 145 degrees (for medium done-ness). Remove the meat from the dish and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, return the dutch oven to the stove. Add the half and half, deglazing the pan (i.e. scraping the brown bits off the bottom - they hold all the flavor!). Stir in the extra 2 tablespoons of Dijonnaise and warm the sauce to a simmer over low to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.

Next, slice the rested tenderloin into thick slices. Arrange the meat on a platter, and drizzle the dijon sauce over every piece. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

Grilled Salad with Sweet Italian Sausage

Here is the salad that we served during our wine-tasting party. It paired beautifully with the La Crema Pinot Noir. Everyone loved the ginger crostini in this salad - and you will not believe how easy it was to make. This would be a perfect salad to serve at a cook-out - the grilled flavors of the sausage and the onion are complimented so beautifully by the balsamic.

Grilled Salad with Ginger Crostini
Adapted from Rachel Ray

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 teaspoons ground ginger
6-8 slices crusty white bread
1 pound sweet Italian pork sausages
2 medium sweet onions, peeled and quartered
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
8 cups mixed greens
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette (recommended: Newman's Own)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil and the ground ginger. Brush the ginger mixture generously on the bread slices. Place them on a baking sheet, and bake until toasted and crispy, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, using a grill, grill pan, or George Foreman, cook the sausages over medium-high heat, turnning as necessary, until browned and crispy on all side, about 15-20 minutes.

Pour the balsamic vinegar over the onion wedges. Grill on both sides over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes on each side. The wedges should become soft and slightly charred.

In a large bowl, toss the greens with the balsamic vinaigrette until the greens are lightly coated. Divide the salad into 6-8 portions, topping each with a grilled onion wedge and a ginger crostini. Slice the sausages diagonally and divide the pieces among the salads. Serve immediately, and enjoy!

The Legendary Hot Brown

What is the legendary hot brown, you ask? It is a hot open-faced sandwich dish created by the Brown Hotel in downtown Louisville, Kentucky.

In the 1920s, the Brown Hotel hosted over a thousand guests each evening for its dinner dance. Guests would dance well into the wee hours of the morning before heading over to the restaurant for a late-night bite. Chef Fred Schmidt set out to create something new for these guests, and so he created a unique open-faced turkey sandwich with bacon and a delicate Mornay sauce. Thus, the Hot Brown was born!

The Hot Brown is definitely a local delicacy of the Louisville area, and I have enjoyed it there while visiting my best friend from high school, who is a middle-school teacher there, and when I used to go visit my brother, who attended grad school in Louisville. But I have also seen it in other restaurants, such as Martin's Tavern in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC.

So with our leftover roasted turkey, I decided to try my hand at the original recipe for the Legendary Hot Brown.

The Legendary Hot Brown
From the Brown Hotel

1/2 cup butter
6-8 tablespoons flour
3 - 3 1/2 cups milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to Taste
8-12 thick slices of roasted turkey
8-12 slices of toast
Extra Parmesan
8-12 Strips of Cooked Bacon

Heat a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Melt butter and add enough flour to absorb the butter into a thick sauce. Stirring constantly, cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes. This process cooks the flour so that your sauce doesn't taste starchy. Slowly add the milk and Parmesan cheese, whisking the mixture to keep it smooth. Add the beaten egg to the mixture, whisking constantly. Turn the heat down to low and allow the mixture to heat and thicken, but don't allow it to reach a boil. Stirring constantly, continue to cook the mixture for about 8-10 minutes. You will know when it's ready because it will become the consistency of thin pudding. Remove the sauce from the heat and add salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat your oven to broil. Spray a small cooking dish or pie plate for each hot brown with cooking spray. For each Hot Brown, place two slices of toast in the bottom of each dish. Next, layer as much turkey as you would like on top of the toast. Finally, pour a generous amount of sauce over the turkey and toast. Place each dish under a broiler until the sauce is speckled brown and bubbly. Remove from broiler, cross two pieces of bacon on top, and sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. Makes 4-6 servings.

PS: Sorry for the lackluster photos - I had to use my camera phone for this one!

Cheesy Bacon Onion Dip

Good morning, and Happy Groundhog Day to you, dear readers! Last night was the Super Bowl, and I'm excited to post some of the yummy treats I shared with my family while we watched the big game. Let's start with the sinfully indulgent dip that we enjoyed.

This recipe was inspired by a dip that my sweet mother-in-law made for us before a family dinner get-together last week. It was AMAZING - beware, very addictive. The tangy and stringy Swiss cheese, the creamy and luscious base, the flavorful sautéed onions, and the salty smoked bacon blend together to bring out the best in each flavor and texture.

Cheesy Bacon Onion Dip
adapted from my Mother-In-Law's recipe

1 8-ounce package of cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese, divided
8 strips of bacon, cooked and chopped into small pieces OR 1/2 cup bacon bits (in original recipe)
1/4 cup onion, diced (not in original)
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a pie dish or other small oven-save dish with cooking spray and set aside. In a medium bowl blend together cream cheese, sour cream, and mayo until creamy. Stir in 3/4 cup Swiss cheese (about half). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sautée your onions for about 5 minutes over medium-high heat using 1 tablespoon of olive oil or reserved bacon drippings. Add to the creamed mixture and stir until evenly distributed. Spread this mixture evenly in the bottom of your prepared baking dish.

Next, sprinkle the remaining Swiss cheese over the top of the creamed mixture. Finally, sprinkle the bacon evenly over the top. Season with a little bit of freshly ground pepper on top. At this point, you can cover it and put it in the fridge for up to 5 days or continue and bake it up!

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until dip is bubbly and cheese begins to turn golden brown. Serve with crackers or chips.

Fireman Fontina Smoky Sandwiches

So I came up with these tasty little treats using some leftovers we had on hand at my mom and dad's house this week. Mom came up with the name. These sandwiches were a great, hearty dinner.

Fireman Fontina Smokey Sandwiches

4 hamburger or sandwich buns
2 tablespoons of butter
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 thick slices of roasted pork tenderloin or smoked ham
8 tablespoons of your favorite smoky barbecue sauce
4 large slices of fontina cheese

Preheat your oven to broil. Butter the insides of your buns and sprinkle with garlic powder. Place buns face-up on a cookie sheet lined with tin foil. Place under the broiler just until the edges of the buns begin to brown - about 2-3 minutes - and then remove.

In a medium frying pan over medium-high heat, heat olive oil and add sliced onions. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and caramelized. Remove from heat and set aside.

On one side of each sandwich, place a slice of pork. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce on each slice. On the opposite side of each sandwich, heap equal portions of the caramelized onions. Top the onions with a slice of fontina cheese.

Return the cookie sheet with the sandwiches to the broiler. Bake until cheese melts and barbecue sauce bubbles, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, and assemble the sandwiches. Serve hot with your favorite veggies or sides!