Island Pork Tenderloin Salad
Fresh fruit and vegetables? A salad? Tropical themes? It must be getting sunny in Seattle.
That it is! And, I am such a happier person when the sun is shining. I take any excuse to walk the dog, sit outside and read a book, or even just leave the house to do errands on foot, rather than in my car.
We also just got back from a fabulous weekend in Quincy, Washington at a winery and spa called Cave B. It was a magical two days. Cashew even befriended the vineyard dog, a girl Lab named Cuvee, who slept with us in our cabin! Erik and I tasted some delicious wines, had an excellent local and organic dinner, got a hot stone massage, and I dare say a little bit of a suntan.
This meal was much needed after lots of wine, and heavy eating. It was just the right amount of refreshing food to keep you satisfied, but not feel too full. And, when it is hot, I hate feeling too full!
What is your favorite summertime meal?
Pork Tenderloin with Bing Cherry Reduction
“My picture today is not particularly amazing (hahah! to say the least), but that is because in the past two days I have broken both of my memory cards in BOTH of my cameras. I am obviously doing something wrong. Thank goodness for the camera on my iPhone!” *(I updated the picture this evening because the photo was BEYOND horrible)
This recipe stemmed from many different people. The first person is one of my best friends and fellow-foodie, Kylee. She is the master at making pork tenderloin. The other day she said that she made a dinner where she stuffed it with goat cheese! Delicious. I knew I had to try it. The second person who inspired me for this recipe is my fellow Seattle food-blogger friend Matt Wright. He made dandelion greens about a month ago, and I knew I just had to try them, after seeing his delicious post. Lastly, I adapted a recipe that I found on another blog I love called Closet Cooking(and he adapted it from a recipe on Food Network). So, Thank you to all of my inspirations. The dinner was a success. I served this with the Truffle Potato Mash with Mascarpone that I made the other night. However, I left out the truffle oil:)
Tacos al Pastor
I realized I hardly ever cook Mexican food. I guess it is because we have a Mexican restaurant one block away from us. Tonight, I decided to make this recipe that was inspired by my May 2008 Bon Appetit.
I love this recipe because the marinade used chipotle in adobo. Chipotle in adobo are smoked jalepeno peppers that are stewed in tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, salt, and spices. A can of this can be found in the international foods aisle. They ARE spicy, but don’t be scared. This recipe has just the right amount of subtle spice.
Also, you could add grilled pineapple to these tacos. Erik dislikes warm pineapple (like a Hawaiian pizza), so I opted out of this. However, it would have worked very well.
Alentejo Pork with Chorizo and Mussels
This recipe is from the December/January 2008 issue of Every Day withRachael Ray. I was flipping through the magazine this morning, and this recipe intrigued me. Usually, I cook mussels in a white wine, butter, and shallot sauce. But, this mussel recipe seemed to have interesting flavor combinations that Rachael Ray was inspired by from her recent trip to Lisbon, Portugal. It was subtly spicy, but not too overbearing. Also, don’t be intimidated by cooking mussels. They are fool proof! They have their own timer. When their shells open, they are ready.
Spicy Pork and Noodles in Coconut Broth
This is another Donna Hay recipe. I love all the flavors that she uses in her dishes. They are simple, but then you learn the basics of the flavors (like Thai flavors), and you can eventually make the dish your own. This soup could be made with chicken instead of pork, and you could also add different vegetables. I used one whole can of light coconut milk and 1/2 can of regular coconut milk. This lightens the dish, but still adds a richness from the full fat coconut milk.
Mustard Sage Pork Medallions
Last night we had a dinner party for our good friends Patricia and Michael. I got inspired to cook a dish for them that I had read from a cookbook I purchased at Williams- Sonoma called “Dinner Parties”. The book is wonderful because it not only gives you a game plan and a menu, but it gives you wine selections and decoration ideas for each dinner. The pictures are beautiful, and the meals have a simple elegance. I was very happy with the recipes from the menu we tried last night. Of course, I have a few changes as usual. One major suggestion is not to overcook the pork. Pork can have a little pink in the center now a days. This keeps the meat tender, and not chewy.
