Delicious Date Night In: Garlic, Thyme & Dijon Marinated Pork Tenderloin

I cannot say enough about pork tenderloin. I love how it stays juicier than chicken breast, while still being low in fat. It has a beautiful flavor on its own, and also acts as a great canvas for many ethnic dishes. 

This recipe is perfect for a date night in and it is great for company.  It is easy enough to double or triple in size, depending on how many people you are serving.

I hope you will try and enjoy this recipe. Feel free to experiment with different herbs. While I prefer thyme, I think rosemary would work for a stronger flavor and possibly tarragon for a sweet, floral scent. 

Ingredients 

• 1/4 Cup Dijon mustard

• 1 Tbsp. Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small pinch of salt
• 1 Tbsp. Freshly chopped thyme leaves, plus 6-8 sprigs thyme with woody stems 
• 5 Large garlic cloves, 2 cloves minced, 3 cloves smashed 
• 1 Pork tenderloin about 1.25 pounds
• 1 Slice of bacon

Directions

In a bowl, combine Dijon mustard, ground black pepper, chopped thyme, salt and minced garlic. Rub the mustard mixture over the surface of the tenderloin and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Allow it to marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour. 
 
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 
 
Lay out the extra thyme sprigs and smashed garlic in the center of a roasting pan or baking dish. Remove the plastic wrap from the tenderloin and place on of the bed of thyme and garlic. Cut up the bacon into four pieces and place evenly distribute along the top of the tenderloin.

Place the pan in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads at least 155 degrees. While authorities might tell you pork must be cooked to 160, carry-over cooking will occur. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the tenderloin to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice the tenderloin on the bias and serve. If serving for company, feel free to garnish the dish with thyme sprigs. You can even smash the garlic into your mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Low Fat, Full Flavor Pork Carnitas!

I absolutely love carnitas. One of my fondest memories from the two plus years I have spent in Mexico, is driving to a ranch in the middle of nowhere in a Suburban with six other screaming girls for my first experience with carnitas. I was about seven and I remember pulling up to what appeared to be a small house with holes scattered throughout the front (dirt) yard. In those holes were spits with whole pigs slowly turning, basting themselves in all of their family-farm raised glory. We scattered out of the car and into the “restaurant” where we each received a real coke (no corn syrup) and clay tortilla holder. Upon opening the lids, we discovered small hand formed corn tortillas that happened to be dyed green, for an extra touch of Mexican pride. The leading lady of the restaurant then came flying through the door, not once or twice but three times, with platters of glistening carnitas. Each of us dove in, elbows on the long wooden table and put together amazingly fresh tacos to eat until we burst. Okay, maybe we didn’t burst, but we did get really quiet for a while. Everybody won.
 

Fast forward 20 years and I have been experimenting with how to scale down on the size and fat in this dish. I actually starting with a whole pork butt (shoulder)  and found the fat actually watered down the flavor of the great spices. Enter the pork tenderloin. Did you know that a trimmed pork tenderloin actually has less fat than an equal portion of boneless, skinless chicken breast? Everybody relies on chicken for a go-to weeknight, healthy meal! Frankly, I think the pork tenderloin is more versatile. It grills quickly, it bakes beautifully and it holds up perfectly in the slow cooker. Seriously, stock up on these babies. You can freeze them easily if you can find a good deal. 

I have adapted this recipe for 3-4 people. It can be served in a burrito, as tacos or as I did tonight; you can make a delicious burrito bowl with brown rice and black beans!

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tsp. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. cayenne
• ½ tsp. dried oregano
• ½ tsp. onion powder
• ½ tsp/ garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 small sweet onion
• 1 1/2 pound boneless pork tenderloin
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil

Method

Stir together all ingredients except for the pork, onion and oil in a small bowl. Roughly chop the onion and place it in the bottom of the slow cooker. Trim the tenderloin of any larger pieces of fat and silver skin. Pat the tenderloin dry with paper towels. Pat the spice mix onto the roast all over, reserving any leftover spice mix for later. 

Heat vegetable oil in a grill or cast-iron pan on high heat. Place the roast in the pan and brown on all sides. This usually takes 2 minutes per side. Place the roast in a slow cooker and add any extra spice rub. Cook on a low setting for 8 to 10 hours or until the pork pulls apart easily with two forks.

Remove the roast from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board. I chop the pork into small chunks. You can leave it in chunks or shred it with forks. Return the chunks shreds to the slow cooker and mix the pork so that is well coated with the onions and remaining juices. 

Enjoy!

The Beauty that Stems from Contradictions

Five years ago if you had asked me if I would be living in a house in the suburbs with an 11X20 ft. garden, a picket fence, two dogs and canning everything from pasta sauce to pickles; I would have informed you kindly that you are out of your mind! Having grown up in a condo overlooking Lake Michigan, I always considered myself a person of contradictions; a brick and mortar city girl who appreciates natural beauty, if you will.

The contradictions started at a young age. My window overlooked the beach bike path, but I resisted learning to ride a bicycle. Even when my friends were driving up and down Lincoln Ave in their SUVs, listening to the Backstreet Boys, I never wanted a car. If the destination were two miles or less, I walked. If it were more, I took public transportation. 

These contradictions were apparently a heredity trait. Even though we loved a good Target or Costco deal, my family rarely loaded up the car with tons of groceries at one time, favoring more frequent trips to a farmer’s market or European style grocery store.

In my new, “adult” suburban life I often see food, laundry and flower delivery services buzzing around my neighborhood. I think back to all of the flower shops that were just blocks from my door as a child.  Regardless of the premade convenience, I am reminded of how crafty my family actually was (and this was pre-Pintrest.) Never did my mother buy arranged flowers for the Christmas table or any holiday for that matter. Every year, our home was adorned with beautiful homemade creations; from handmade bird’s nest centerpieces with pastel-painted eggs for Easter, to a gathering of gourds and fall colored candles, arranged in colorful clay pots that my mom brought home from Mexico. 

Feeling ashamed of my latest rash of purchases from 1800-Flowers and Edible Arrangements, I decided to embark on a mission to create a handmade floral arrangement for my Mother-in-Law’s birthday gift. I still wanted to stay within my budget, so I had to get creative. 

I began by heading to my local Goodwill. They have a whole rack of nothing but vases, baskets and ribbons. One dollar and fifty cents later, I had a nice, sturdy vase and some pebbles to help secure my arrangement. After polling some fellow couponing and savings junkies on one of my favorite sites – jillcataldo.com, I found out that both Trader Joe’s and Costco have great deals on really fresh flowers. After checking out both stores, I found two dozen beautiful peach, yellow and pink roses for $14 at Costco. All that was left was to put a personal touch on the arrangement. My mother-in-law happens to love citrus, especially lemons. She had mentioned wanting to plant a lemon tree in the yard of the town home were she and my father-in-law plan to retire in California. Fifty cents later, I had some fresh citrus. 

A view I never had in the city :)

It took be about 15 minutes and $17 to pull this arrangement together. I know that some naysayers may point out that I could have paid a bit more and had a prearranged bouquet delivered. Yes, and after a couple hours of research I found that had I been willing to spend $10 to $20 more I could have saved myself some time, but only gotten a dozen roses delivered, without a vase.  

My final ruling on this topic is that if I am going to be in the area of or even at one of these stores, I will definitely be making my own arrangements from now on.  Don’t worry, since my childhood in that condo, I have learned to ride a bike, I own my own car and while I would never call myself a crafter, I now know that I can be crafty in my own way.

My Favorite Health & Beauty Products are Frugal with a French Twist!

Hello all! Just wanted to stop by with a quick post about one of my favorite health and beauty lines. Most of you have heard of Mary Kay and I am sure all of you have heard of Avon. But have you heard of Yves Rocher? 

No, I am not some hokey paid spokeswoman. I am also not here to tell you how I now look 25 years younger using a European brand of wrinkle cream. Because you know it is impossible for me to look 25 years younger, since I am only 24….wink wink….nudge nudge…..

About a year ago my mom introduced me to Yves Rocher. I have learned a lot from my mom about taking care of my skin, since her skin honestly looks better than mine. The main lesson that I have taken away from observing her over the years, is the art of combining high end items with more budget-friendly products. Because when Crème de La Mer costs what it does per ounce, you will find yourself busting open that sample tube like it is the antidote to old age. 

That is where Yves Rocher enters the equation. These products have a distinctly more European feel to them than their more well-known counterparts. Just reading the labels of the products I have ordered, I have found they contain less ingredients overall and have a lighter fragrance. Sometimes when I shower or put on lotion, I do want some scent, but I don’t want to feel like I just rolled in potpourri while in a Yankee Candle store. 

The other reason I enjoy Yves Rocher is that the company appeals to the frugal “need to get a deal” side of me with coupons and freebies! Heck Yeah! Okay, so once you order something you will get these crazy mailers filled with 25 pieces of paper advertising products you might not need. However, every time you order, the site will: have a sale/clearance going on, have a coupon code for free shipping and will let you pick multiple freebies from bath salts to body lotions. 

While I have to admit, I still get most of my hair care products for pennies at CVS, my hypoallergenic deodorant at Whole Foods; I love grabbing a deal at Yves Rocher a couple times a year to change up my routine. Here is a link, so feel free to browse and check out their site!

My Top Three Yves Rocher Products

1. Provençal Lavandin Shower Gel

2. Repair Lotion Extra Dry Skin

3. Vanilla Fizzy Bath Cube

I'm Back! How is Your Garden Growing?

I’m back! I’m sorry it has been so long. This summer has been quite the adventure, filled with some ups and downs. I’ve worked on getting in shape, perfecting my sauce recipe for a possible business venture and getting my garden going. To be honest, all I want right now is a pumpkin spice latte and some Trader Joe’s pumpkin loaf. But alas, it is 90 degrees out and even though kids are back in school, fall feels like it is eons away.

However, I will say that one of the benefits of this time of year is not having to pay high, grocery store prices for my produce. This year I planted a variety of herbs and vegetables and some things have fared better than others.  A series of cool, damp nights have definitely slowed the progress of my tomatoes, which like wine grapes, need a steady, small amount of water to develop their sweetness. Luckily, I have a decent farmer's market to feed my tomato addiction, just minutes from my house. My romaine came in nicely and my cucumbers and zucchini make me feel like I should be entering some sort of state fair competition.  I’ve enjoyed making pesto from my basil and not having to pay $2 every time I want a smidge of parsley or tarragon.

I will go ahead and keep this entry short and sweet. However, feel free to check out a simple tomato recipe and zucchini tip below that I have been utilizing this summer. Also, please feel free to share any recipes or thoughts on your gardening experiences!

Warm Tomato Salad

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 pint or 2 handfuls of cherry (or other small) tomatoes, rinsed and halved  
1 small shallot, diced
1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 pinch of sea salt
¼ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add oil, shallots and garlic and cook 2 minutes. Turn heat to medium-high and add the tomatoes and cook until skins begin to wrinkle. This usually takes two to three minutes. Add vinegar and remove from heat. Add salt and parsley. Toss and serve.

How to Freeze Zucchini

Dice your zucchini or summer squash into one inch cubes and blanch for one minute in a large pot of unsalted boiling water. Immediately transfer the zucchini to and ice bath and once cool spread it onto a parchment-lined sheet pan and place it in the freezer. Once frozen, separate the zucchini into individually portioned freezer bags for later use. I love to sauté up these cubes with some chunky tomato sauce or add them to homemade minestrone.

Make Ahead Baked French Toast with Artizone's Family Dinner Series

When it comes to a comforting, Sunday meal, it is safe to say that my husband and I can be found tucking in to a beautiful lunch at his grandmother’s house. However, it has been my mission to start new traditions, and monthly brunches at our house is at the top of the list. Baked French Toast was my first delightful brunch that I served to my family. After a few attempts at making the perfect recipe, I finally settled on this mix of sweet and crunchy ingredients.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is the fact that the bulk of it can be pulled together the night before.  When you wake up in the morning, throw the baking dish in the oven and the centerpiece of your brunch will be coming together as you sip your coffee. Serve it with some warm maple syrup and fresh berries. Your guests (or the kids) will be excited for this sweet brunch time treat.

Do I have your mouth watering? Be a good daughter, son or dad and get over to Artizone to grab the recipe and the ingredients in time for Mother's Day!

Fruit Salad with Orange-Vanilla Syrup & Homemade Whipped Cream

 I was watching an episode of the Pioneer Woman over the weekend, where she has her entire brood of friends and family over for a “Sunday Spring Brunch.” In the episode, she serves a glazed ham, biscuits and gravy, a potato dish and a fruit salad. I’m thinking yeah, everyone makes a glazed ham and coordinates their napkins with their floral centerpieces because it’s Sunday.

So what I took away from this (wink, wink, nudge, nudge Easter) episode was that I need to make more fruit salads. The Pioneer Woman’s recipe looked delightful, so I figured I could rework it with what I have in my refrigerator.  I also thought that if I added my recipe for simple, homemade whipped cream, this would feel like a real dessert, even without a slice of cake or ice cream.  I cut down the sugar and replaced the orange with cuties to be sure that it had a fresh, sweet taste. This recipe can also sit in your refrigerator overnight and be packed for a sweet treat at work or spooned over some French Toast.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

Simple Syrup:

½ Cup Sugar

½ Cup of Water
Zest and Juice of 3 Cuties

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Fruit I had on hand:

1 Pint of Strawberries - sliced
1 Bunch of Green Grapes – sliced in half

Fruit that can also be used:

Blueberries

Red Grapes

Whipped Cream:

½ Cup Heavy Cream

½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 ½ Teaspoons Confectioners' Sugar 

Directions:

Put the sugar, zest, water and juice into a small pot and bring it up to a boil. Reduce the heat all the way down to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and place the pot on a cool burner, allowing it cool for at least 15-20 minutes before pouring over the fruit.

Wash, dry and cut up your fruit. Place the fruit in a medium-sized bowl and toss with the simple syrup. Place the bowl in the refrigerator. I like to let the fruit sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours, only taking it out to stir it a bit once or twice.

In a large, metal bowl, whip cream with hand or stand mixer on medium speed until it begins to look thick and a bit frothy. This will take about 45 seconds to a minute. Slowly pour in your vanilla and sugar until peaks form, which should only take another 15 seconds.

Spoon your fruit with a bit of syrup into individual bowls or over some angel food cake. Top with a dollop of the whipped cream.