This post is for Staci.  You should never be afraid of seafood, but since you are I thought I would post something I know you will like.  When you come to visit I will make sure I have plenty of PB&J on hand for seafood night at our house!  :)  I got both of these recipes from my friends Lara's website.  This is Lara's favorite recipe for pork tenderloin.  Her kids LOVE this zucchini & call it "the good zucchini".  I wish I could say the same for my kids, but as always, they turn their noses up at anything green.

I have made both of these dishes several times now and everyone loves both dishes!  (With the exception of my kids not liking the zucchini, but what do they know?) 


Herb-Roasted Pork Tenderloin

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 (1 1/2-pound) package pork tenderloins

Stir together first 11 ingredients in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Prick pork with a fork, and place in marinade, turning to coat. Cover or seal; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes, or chill 2 hours or up to one day (longer is better). Place pork in a roasting pan.

Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 160° to 165°, depending upon your desired degree of doneness.

Slice tenderloin, spooning marinade over the top, or serving on the side. NOTE: Do NOT use marinade if you have not cooked the meat in it.

Lara's Good Zucchini

1) Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise. Slice each piece crosswise into thick (about 1/2 inch thick or a little more) semi-circles.

2) Heat 1 Tbsp. butter over medium-high heat in a large, wide skillet until melted and slightly foamy.

3) Add some zucchini slices (about one zucchini's worth) to the pan, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. This is important; if there are too many in the pan, they will steam, rather than brown.

4) Sprinkle the topside of the slices with a little bit of Baby Bam.***

5) Keep a close eye on the slices and turn them over with a pair of tongs as soon as they are nicely browned on the bottom.

6) Allow the slices to brown on the bottom side and remove them from the pan when they're nicely browned on both sides, but still firm. If the slices are getting too soft, then your pan isn't hot enough. If the butter is smoking or burning, your pan is too hot (the butter should turn a nice, nutty golden brown).

7) Add more butter to the pan, if necessary. Repeat with remaining slices, working in small batches until all your squash is done.

 ***I use Creole Seasoning instead of Baby Bam.

 

OH YUM!  Hubby told me if he had been served this in a restaurant, he would go back to that restaurant often. :)

I got this recipe from my friend Staci and have adapted it a little over the years to suit our taste.

EGGPLANT PARMESAN

1 fresh eggplant, peel the purple skin off (you don't have to, you can eat it, I just prefer not to).  Cut into ½ to ¾ inch slices.  Lay out on anything you want, sprinkle with salt on both sides, let rest for about 30 minutes, rinse off the salt after 30 minutes.  (This tenderized your eggplant & makes it less bitter and makes it OH SO much better – you can skip this step if you want, but I would not suggest it)
 2 or 3 eggs
flour
Canola oil
1 jar any pasta sauce you like.  I like Rao’s marinara for my Eggplant Parm, but since they don’t have it here, I made my own.  If you want the recipe, just ask & I will be happy to give it to you, but I know most of my readers just like to open jars and be done with it.
1 12 oz package mozzarella (I like fresh), cut into ¼ inch slices
Parmesan cheese (I like to use ½ parmesan, ½ pecorino romano)

Heat oil in skillet, coat eggplant slices in egg, then dip in flour.  Add to heated oil.  Fry for 1-2 minutes on one side, flip to other.  Eggplant is done when it is a golden brown and you stick your fork in and it is soft.  Drain on paper towel.

 In a single layer put eggplant in a 9x12 pan (or larger).  Put about ¼ cup sauce on top of each eggplant slice, top with a slice of mozzarella cheese, add parmesan cheese to top (as much as you want).  Bake at 350 about 20 minutes or until cheese is nicely melted.

ITALIAN SALAD


 I just threw this together; I was trying to mimic a recipe from my favorite Italian Restaurant, Buca Di Beppos.  If you are ever close to a Buca's, go eat there & have the 1862 Salad.  Ok, so I just went to the website, to find the correct name for the salad, and it is not on the menu...Aughh...I have no idea why they would take this salad off the menu, it is wonderful.  Eat there anyway & order the salad that starts with a year.

Romaine lettuce
Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Kalamata olives
Pepperoncinis
Red onion
Parmesan cheese, slice with a cheese grater to make large flakes (or just use the packaged stuff if you must)
Pepperoni
Hard salami
Roasted red & yellow peppers, you can buy or roast them yourself

Italian Herb Vinaigrette – Now, you can use store bought, but it won’t be as good.  Take a few minutes to make your own, it is well worth it.

Italian Herb Vinaigrette
¼ cup olive oil
2 TBL red wine vinegar
1 minced garlic clove
1 TBL finely chopped fresh oregano, or ½ TBL dried oregano
2 TSP finely chopped fresh rosemary or 1 TSP dried
1 TBL ground mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

 Mix all ingredients together using a wire whisk.  Viola, you have dressing. See, that wasn’t so hard now was it?

Hubby and I loved this salad. It now has a permanent place in my recipe box.  Go ahead; give it a try, you are sure to like it!  I served it with grilled chicken breast.

This was adapted from a recipe in Cooking Light magazine.

1 bag of your favorite salad (I used Spring Mix)
1 6oz container fresh raspberries
¼ cup chopped fresh chives
1 ½ TBL apple cider vinegar
1 ½ TBL white vinegar
2 TSP honey
½ TSP Dijon mustard
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 TBL canola oil
6 TBL sweet spiced almonds (recipe follows)

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine vinegars and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl, add oil stirring with a whisk.  Drizzle over lettuce mixture, toss to coat.  Top with sweet spiced almonds.

 Sweet Spiced Almonds

1 cup sliced almonds
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 TSP cinnamon
½ TSP ground coriander
½ TSP ground cumin
1 large egg white lightly beaten
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 325/  Combine almonds & next 4 ingredients in a small bowl.  Add egg white, mix till incorporated. Spread evenly onto a foil lined baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Bake for 10 minutes, stir, spread out evenly on cooking sheet again & bake for 15 more minutes or till crisp.  Transfer foil to wire rack and cool.  Break almond mixture into small pieces.

 

This is what I made with my fresh cilantro.  As you might imagine, Mexican food is hard to come by around here.


6-7 Roma tomatoes
1 bell pepper
1 bunch green onions
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 jalapeño
Crushed red pepper
Kosher salt
Fresh crushed black pepper

·          Chop first 4 ingredients - I do this by hand, but you can use a food processor if desired
·          Depending on the level of heat you desire, leave the seed in or take them out of the jalapeño before chopping
·          Add the last 3 ingredients to taste


I like to let my salsa sit in the fridge for about 1 hour before eating, although that is not necessary.

ENJOY!