Succulent Grilled Pork Tenderloin

I love pork tenderloin because it is just that... tender.  I love the flavors you can produce when you marinate it over night.  I think it makes for a nice Sunday meal.  This tenderloin recipe came from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Succulent Grilled Pork Tenderloin

• 2-3 pounds pork tenderloin
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoons grated fresh ginger (or 1/2 tsp. dried, ground ginger)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, orange juice, pineapple juice, brown sugar, ginger and garlic. Place the pork tenderloins in a ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the pork. Seal the bag and refrigerate the pork for 8-12 hours (perfect to prepare overnight for grilling the next day).
2. Preheat an outdoor grill to medium heat. Grill the pork tenderloins for 8-12 minutes per side, until the pork is cooked through. Tent the pork with foil and let it rest 5-10 minutes before cutting into slices and serving warm.  I looked it up online and you want the tenderloin to reach an internal temperature of between 148 - 150 degrees... then you'll know it's done.

Cheesy Potato Side Dish

I needed a quick and easy side dish (notice I didn't say healthy!) to complement a pork tenderloin a few Sundays ago and this dish did the job nicely.  Potatoes loaded with cheese, sour cream and bacon are just comforting every now and again.

Cheesy Potato Side Dish

5 lb bag of potatoes (red would work well or other small potatoes)
1 c. sour cream
1 c. mayo
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 envelope (1 oz.) ranch dressing mix
1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Scrub potatoes and cut into small cubes.  Boil on stove top until tender.
3. Combine remaining ingredients.
4. When potatoes are done cooking, gently toss with remaining ingredients.
5. Pour into 13x9 pan and bake for 30-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Granola Bites

I made these for a snack for the kids the other day and they were a hit!  They were also super easy and quick which means I'll be making them again!  We actually tried baking some of these and decided we preferred them unbaked, cold out of the refrigerator.  This recipe comes from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Granola Bites

• 2 cups quick oats
• 1 cup crispy rice cereal
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup ground flaxseed
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips (I used regular-sized.)
• 2/3 cup honey or agave nectar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

1. Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl, mixing gently so the crispy rice cereal doesn't get crushed. Mix until well-combined.
2. Using a cookie scoop (or roll small amounts in your hands), drop rounded tablespoonful-sized portions onto a parchment or wax paper lined cooking sheet.
3. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours. At this point you can serve them or combine the chilled granola bites in a large tupperware-type container or ziploc bags to freeze or refrigerate. They will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to a week or for a few months in the freezer.

Chipotle Chicken Skewers with Creamy Dipping Sauce

Since I had leftover chipotle chiles from our chipotle chicken tacos, I decided to try this recipe.  I love chicken skewers and my kids think it's the greatest thing on earth to eat anything off of a stick.  These were tasty, especially dipped in the sauce.  However, I think homemade ranch dressing would have been just as good... in fact, I may like that even better and it will try it that way next time.  This recipe comes from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Chipotle Chicken Skewers with Creamy Dipping Sauce 

Chicken Skewers:

• 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (4-5 medium chicken breasts)
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced (scrape out the seeds before mincing to reduce spiciness)
• 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 12 bamboo or metal skewers   

Creamy Dipping Sauce:

• 3/4 cup lowfat sour cream
• 1/4 cup lowfat mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup lime juice, from 2-3 limes
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, minced
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Slice the chicken breasts into long, thin strips, about 1/2-inch thick. You should have right around 20 strips. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cilantro, chipotle chile, adobo sauce, salt, chili powder, garlic powder, and pepper. In a Ziploc bag, toss the chicken with the brown sugar mixture coating all the pieces evenly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
2. For the dipping sauce, in a bowl, stir all the ingredients together. Cover the mixture and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes until the flavors combine. Alternately, you can make the dipping sauce in advance and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Be sure to season the dipping sauce with additional lime juice, salt and pepper to taste before serving.
3. 30 minutes before grilling, cover the bamboo skewers with water and soak. Skip this step if using metal skewers.
4. Preheat an oven broiler or gas/charcoal grill. Weave two strips of chicken onto each skewer. Broil or grill the chicken for 5-8 minutes until cooked through, using nonstick cooking spray on a foil-lined pan if you are broiling. Serve immediately (if you broil, you may need to cook in batches) with the dipping sauce.

Black Bean and Mango Quesadillas

This was the most unique quesadilla I've ever made and surprisingly delicious.  Ben thought it would have been great with the addition of chicken too... maybe next time.  I found this recipe at Our Best Bites.

Black Bean and Mango Quesadillas

1  cup diced mango (about 1 medium/large mango, 2 small ones)
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1-2 tablespoons finely minced jalapeno pepper
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon water
1-2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
4-6 small/med flour tortillas

Preheat a non-stick griddle or skillet to medium high heat.

Combine mango, red onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, cilantro, and lime juice in a bowl.  Sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt and a few cracks of pepper.  Gently stir to combine and place in fridge to chill.
Place beans, water, cumin, coriander, onion and garlic in a microwave-safe bowl and stir.  Cover with plastic wrap and prick plastic with a fork to vent.  Microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes (microwaves vary) until beans are hot.  Use a fork to lightly mash beans, leaving some beans still in tact.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Lightly brush pan with a little oil and place tortillas on it.  Sprinkle tortillas with pepper jack cheese and cook until cheese is melted and tortillas are toasted and golden brown.

Remove from heat and divide bean mixture between tortillas, top with mango salsa and fold tortillas in half.  Use a pizza cutter to cut into wedges.  Serve with sour cream if desired.

Tex-Mex Enchilada Casserole

A few weeks back I bagged the regular dinner schedule and we had almost an entire week of Mexican food.  I don't cook to please the kids - we all know that can be hard to do - but if Ben likes a meal I consider it a success and this was definitely a success.  The ingredient list is long but the casserole actually comes together quite quickly.  You could also easily omit the meat and it would still taste great.

Tex-Mex Enchilada Casserole

• 14 corn tortillas cut into thirds
• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef or turkey
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 medium red or green bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
• 1 large poblano chile, diced
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons chile powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
• 8 ounces Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• Chopped cilantro for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9X13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
2. Arrange the cut tortillas in a single layer on two large, rimmed baking sheets. Bake the tortillas until slightly crisp, about 10-15 minutes.
3. In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef or turkey with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper breaking the meat up into bite-sized pieces. Cook until the meat is no longer pink, 5-7 minutes. Scrape the meat onto a plate and wipe the skillet clean (you may need to drain off excess grease from the meat depending on the fat content).
4. In the same skillet over medium heat, add the butter and olive oil and stir in the onion, bell pepper, poblano, corn and garlic. Cook until the veggies are softened, 3-4 minutes. Stir the flour, chile powder, cumin and coriander into the vegetable mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, whisking constantly. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until thick, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in the beans, lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
5. Line the bottom of the greased baking pan with 1/3 of the baked tortillas. Layer with 1/3 of the meat and then 1/3 of the veggie/sauce mixture and then sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheeses. Repeat that process again twice more ending with the cheeses.  (I was only able to get 2 layers.)
6. Bake the casserole until hot and bubbly, about 30-35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes or so before serving. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Chipotle Chicken Tacos

I didn't get a picture of these but we really enjoyed them so I wanted to make sure I posted the recipe so I don't forget about it!  These do have a little kick, but with a generous helping of avocado and sour cream they were just right.  Actually, I realize now that the recipe calls for 2 teaspoons and I used almost 2 Tablespoons of chiles!  Oops.  I found this recipe here.  Yum!

Chipotle Chicken Tacos

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (you can find these in the Mexican Foods aisle at most grocery stores)
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds) - I used 6 half breasts and it was about the perfect amount for the sauce.
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• Salt and pepper
• 12 (6-inch) flour tortillas (I used Costco uncooked tortillas.)

1. Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and chipotle and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the orange juice, Worcestershire sauce and 1/2 cup chopped cilantro and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the chicken and simmer, covered, over medium-low heat for 12-13 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through cooking. When the chicken is done cooking, transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
2. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the mixture left in the skillet until the liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the yellow mustard. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to the skillet. Add the remaining cilantro to the skillet and toss until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm with tortillas topped with lettuce, cheese, tomato, sour cream and avocado.