Fall Flavor Infused Pork Loin

            

           After a stroll through the grocery store, thinking that it was going to be another chicken and rice night; I came across some fresh, fall sales.  Instead of the usual eight to ten dollar price tag, I found that pre-trimmed pork loins were on sale for $5.49. I also had a dollar off coupon, making it an exceptional deal. 

I did a bit of investigating on my phone and came across a Pioneer Woman recipe for apple and onion roasted pork shoulder.  The pictures were pretty and the recipe sounded great. It even utilized other ingredients that are easily found on sale in the fall.  The only catch was that the recipe called for a different cut of pork, which has a nice fat cap as well as fat marbled into the meat.  Don’t get me wrong, it sounded delicious, but not in line with my higher protein, lower fat dinner plan. 

I went ahead and stuck with my pork loin and picked up some red potatoes to throw in the Dutch oven, making this a one pot meal. I also substituted yellow onions for red and tossed in a star anise for added depth.  Overall, it was a delicious dish that didn’t sacrifice flavor when I eliminated the fat. 

            One quick note: I am sure this recipe would work in a slow cooker quite well.  I would still sear the meat to seal in the juices before tossing in all of the ingredients.  I came across it one day and now I always this site to convert oven to slow cooker temperature and time.

           Ingredients:

       1 Pork Loin 

            2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 

            1 Cup Apple Juice 

            4-5 Red potatoes - Quarted

        2 Small Apples, Cored And Cut Into Wedges 

            2 Medium Red Onions, Sliced 

            1 Bay Leaf 

       1 Star Anise Pod

            Salt Pepper and Paprika to taste

Directions:

            Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

            Add 1 tablespoon of the oil (or enough to lightly coat the bottom) to a Dutch oven that has been heated over a medium flame.  Add half of the sliced onions and the star anise pod, if using. Allow the onions to soften and get a bit golden.  Remove the onions and place into a bowl.  Also, remove the star anise and discard.  

Clean and dry the pork loin. Season liberally with salt, pepper and paprika.  Add the remainder of the oil to the pot and turn up to a high heat.  Brown the loin on all sides.  Remove the meat and deglaze the pan with the apple juice.  Line the bottom of the pot with the pieces of potato.  Add the bay leaf.  Rest the pork loin on top of the potatoes.  Toss in apple slices and remaining onion.  

Cover the pot and place in the oven for an hour and a half. 

Remove everything but the juices (the apples will have mostly dissolved). Place the pot, uncovered on the stove over medium-high heat and reduce to a glaze-like consistency.  Plate your sliced pork and potatoes.  Pour glaze over top and enjoy!

Way Too Easy Asian Vegetable Noodle Soup

     I get a little too excited when I enter a Trader Joe’s, especially in the fall. I tend to grab a basket, thinking I will only be buying a few staple items. I end up getting an upper body workout because the friendly staff tells me all of their TJ’s recipe secrets and I must try every ingenious meal.  Today I picked up some staples including chai tea, pumpkin bread mix, edamame and naan. I also grabbed the ingredients for my recipe for the easiest Asian inspired soup that I have ever made.

     My “recipe” (and I must use this word loosely) uses a bag of Trader Joe’s frozen Asian Stir Fry Vegetables, four cups of beef broth or stock and half a package of chow mein or udon noodles.  Tonight I am adding some very thinly sliced beef to make the soup at bit more hearty.  The entire dish takes about 10 minutes to make.   
     Even though I feel like I am cheating on my kitchen, it is hard to complain about 10 minutes and a healthy meal. I am serving this soup with some lightly salted edamame as a starter.  Hopefully, you can use this idea as a starting point and incorporate your favorite veggies. It is perfect for wintertime or when you do not have fresh produce available; because it is always possible find a bag of mixed vegetables at the store or in the back of your freezer. This recipe easily serves 3 (or two super hungry people that need an extra dose of vegetables.) 

Ingredients

1 bag frozen Trader Joe’s Asian Vegetables with Beijing Style Soy Sauce (if you don’t have access to this product, use a bag of frozen stir fry vegetables and low sodium soy sauce to taste.)

4 cups of beef broth

½ bag (about 6 ounces) udon or chow mein noodles – I found a hybrid of both that I love at World Market

¼ pound of super thinly sliced sirloin tip steak (optional) 

Directions

Break your noodles in half and cook as per package instructions. Remember that most Asian style noodles only need a few minutes to cook.  

Bring your broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan.  Add your bag of frozen vegetables and adjust your heat to keep the broth at a simmer.  Allow your vegetables to cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add in the package of sauce or add soy sauce to taste. If you wish, add your thinly sliced steak pieces and allow to simmer for 2 more minutes.  Make sure to taste your broth for seasoning. I often add a few turns of freshly cracked black pepper. 

Place your noodles in the bottom of the bowl and ladle over your soup.

Enjoy!

Fancy Pants Peasant Pasta with a Garlicky Green Salad

      

        I am currently one year into my marriage and a bit further into adjusting to suburban homeownership.  Over this past year, it has been my goal to save as much money as possible. I have dreams of grandeur that involve building a house with a freakishly large, Tuscan style kitchen and a beautiful patio that plays home to a wood-burning pizza oven.  Part of my savings strategy has been using fantastic websites that have taught me to use coupons and store sales to stock up on essential items.  While I already knew about couponing from clipping my way to savings and better math skills as a child with my father; I have been able to take it to a whole new level.  

      The great thing about saving so much on everyday household items is that I have allowed myself to enjoy perusing the produce or meat market a couple of times a week without guilt.  Even though I am attempting to eat as much fresh food as possible, doesn’t mean that I’m breaking the bank.  My recipes for a dressed up peasant pasta and garlicky green salad allow me to enjoy a fun dinner with my husband without feeling weighed down. These recipes will feed 3-4, but can easily be halved for a date night. It also allows me to have money in my pocket to go out for gelato (or stay home – recipe for chocolate hazelnut gelato to come!)   

Garlicky Green Salad

Ingredients

    3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil – If you a savings-fiend like me, resist the urge to buy cheap olive oil! Stick with a fruity extra-virgin since this is the backbone of this recipe.

    1 cup fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped

    1 tablespoon grated Parmesan

    1 tablespoon capers

    1 oil-packed anchovy

    1 clove garlic, peeled

    1 head of Romaine – hand torn

    Juice of 1/2 a lemon

     2 tablespoons of raw pine nuts (optional)

Directions

Place the parsley, capers, anchovies, Parmesan, garlic and lemon juice into a food processor and pulse a few times. Begin pouring in your olive oil and blend until smooth.  Grind in a bit of pepper.  Salt will most likely not be necessary, but taste the dressing before you toss it into the salad. It is very important to taste as you go! 

It turned out that the last time I made this recipe, my lemon was a bit bitter. To counteract this, I used a microplane to shave some carrot to bring in some sweetness.  

Toss your romaine with the dressing right before serving. For a rustic touch, shave some fresh Parmesan over the salad. 

If you enjoy pine nuts, I recommend buying them and keeping them in an airtight container in your freezer. For this recipe, toast your pine nuts in a pan over medium-low heat. Be very careful, because they will need to be moved around and only take a couple of minutes in the pan to get that golden color.  Sprinkle the warm pine nuts over the glistening salad. 

The dressing will keep in your refrigerator for a couple of days if you keep it in an airtight container. 

Fancy Pants Peasant Pasta

Ingredients

    1 pound ripe cherry tomatoes (any tomato except for large hot house tomatoes will work)

    2 cloves garlic - minced

    2 anchovy fillets – finely chopped

    4 ounces of black olives sliced – this is about 2/3 of a can of large olives

    1 tablespoon salted capers, rinsed and roughly chopped

    dash crushed red pepper

    1 pound spaghetti – I prefer Barilla Thin Spaghetti

    1 handful fresh parsley – roughly chopped

    salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

    extra-virgin olive oil for coating the pan and more for drizzling

Directions

In a large pot, bring plenty of water to a boil for your pasta.

Chop your cherry tomatoes in half or larger tomatoes into small chunks.  Heat a large, preferably non-stick pan and add olive oil to coat the bottom.  Sauté the garlic, anchovies, olives and capers for about 4-5 minutes.

Add tomatoes and let cook on medium-low heat until they burst and create a light sauce. This takes about 10 minutes.

Salt your pasta water (your only opportunity to season the pasta itself) and cook your pasta.  Cut 2 minutes off of the cooking time of your pasta.

Move the pasta from the water to the pan with your sauce. I do this with tongs so that I can start incorporating the sauce right away. Add a ladle of pasta water to your sauced pasta. Let the pasta complete the last minute of cooking while in the sauce over a medium heat. Toss in a bit of chopped parsley and a small pour of extra-virgin olive oil.