Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Nothing says “good morning!” like a flat tire.  At first I thought that I was dragging something under the car – thump, thump, thump.  I jumped out of the car and looked underneath to see a very flat tire.  “Kids.  Quick.  Get into Travis’ car!” 

And nothing says “grilling weather” like 40 degrees and drizzly.  Someone (me) didn’t check the weather report before grocery shopping.  This Charlie Palmer recipe is a hit regardless of the temperature outside. 

Vote.  Let your voice be heard.  Every vote counts.  Every voice matters.  Respect one another.

Ingredients

• 3 (3/4 to 1 pound) pork tenderloins
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

Combine the soy sauce, sherry, honey, vinegar, oil, and orange juice in a medium bowl, whisking until well blended. Stir in the rosemary, shallots, and ginger. Pour the mixture over the tenderloins. Allow to marinate for at least 2 hours.

Remove the pork from the marinade, shaking off any excess. Place the tenderloins on the grill and cook, turning frequently, for about 18 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 155 degrees F. Transfer to a platter and allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, place the marinade in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

Slice the pork into 1/4 inch-thick slices, spoon the hot marinade over the pork.

Chicken Fried Rice

 

Over the years, we have accumulated a large quantity of party paper napkins.  You know how it goes – you buy a pack for a party and then there are leftovers.  We have a large drawer of mismatched napkins.  When paper napkins and paper towels were in short supply a few months ago, we made our meals festive with colorful choices.  At one point, someone setting the table gave a “special” napkin to a family member and waited to see how long it took the rest of us to notice.  Which one is not like the other?  So now it has become a joke and every so often, a special napkin is allocated.  Try it and see how long it takes to be noticed.

We have also tried lots of fried rice recipes.  Usually I take the stance of “leave it to the experts” but Andrew was insistent.  The first time I made it, David had the pizza place on speed dial and afterwards admitted “that was better than I had anticipated.”  Lovely.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 ½ pounds chicken, boneless, skinless and cut into bite size pieces
• 2 medium carrots, peeled, diced and blanched
• 1 small white onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and black pepper
• 4 cups cooked and chilled rice, like jasmine rice – or 3 orders of steamed rice from a Chinese restaurant like Pei Wei
• 3–4 tablespoons soy sauce, or more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• Optional ingredients which we did not include but which are listed in the original recipe: peas, green onions and oyster sauce

Cook or buy your rice a day in advance.  Place in the refrigerator to cool.  Supposedly cold rice works the best. 

In a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Place chicken pieces in the pan, season with salt and a splash of soy sauce.  Cook through.  Remove chicken from pan and set aside. 

Heat 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a sauté pan over medium-high heat until melted. Add eggs and cook until scrambled, stirring occasionally. Transfer egg to a separate plate.

In a large saute pan (preferably with high sides) or a wide pot, heat 1 tablespoon butter until melted. Add carrots, onion, and garlic, and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onion and carrots are soft. Increase heat to high, add in the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter, and stir until melted. Immediately add the rice and soy sauce and stir until combined. Continue sautéing for an additional 3 minutes to fry the rice, stirring occasionally.  (You can let the rice rest for a bit between stirs so that it can crisp up on the bottom.)  Then add in the eggs and chicken stir to combine. Remove from heat, and stir in the sesame oil until combined.  Taste and season with extra soy sauce, if needed.

Bagels

“For every human hand leaves its mark, an imprint like no other.”  I read these words a few weeks ago and it made me think about how each of us is unique; each of us has an opportunity to make a difference; what legacy will each of us leave behind.  And what is mine…

Susan B. has made her mark on this blog being a frequent contributor with some stellar recipes (sea bass; salted caramel cheesecake; North Carolina barbecue; monkey bread; meatballs; pancakes).  She shared this bagel recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction – twice.  Travis has made them – twice.  He was more successful – and daring – in his second go round.  He had a lot of fun trying out various toppings (not shown here – the chocolate – think chocolate iced donut but with a bagel base) – shown above: plain, cinnamon sugar, salt, cheese, and sesame.    

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups warm water (between 100-110°F)
• 2 3/4 teaspoons instant or active dry yeast
• 4 cups bread flour (spoon & leveled), plus more for work surface and hands
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar or packed light or dark brown sugar (or barley malt syrup)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Nonstick spray or 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup honey (or barley malt syrup)

Prepare the dough: Whisk the warm water and yeast together in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment. Cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

Add the flour, brown sugar, and salt. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes. The dough is very stiff and will look somewhat dry.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With lightly floured hands, knead the dough for 4-5 minutes. The dough is too heavy for the mixer to knead it.

Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel.  Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 60-90 minutes or until double in size.

Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Shape the bagels: When the dough is ready, punch it down to release any air bubbles. Divide the dough into 8 equal-ish pieces. Shape each piece into a ball. Press your index finger through the center of each ball to make a hole about 1.5 – 2 inches in diameter.

Loosely cover the shaped bagels with kitchen towel and rest for a few minutes as you prepare the water bath.

Preheat oven to 425.

Water bath: Fill a large, wide pot with 2 quarts of water. Whisk in the honey. Bring water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-high. Drop bagels in, 2-4 at a time, making sure they have enough room to float around. Cook the bagels for 1 minute on each side.  Remove from the water bath. 

Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash on top and around the sides of each bagel. Place 4 bagels onto each lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. You want the bagels to be a dark golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow bagels to cool on the baking sheets for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Cover leftover bagels tightly and store at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week (but they won’t last that long).