I created this when I needed to use up a pork tenderloin I purchased, but was tired of the "same old thing." I had some leftover pesto in the fridge, blended it up with some old breadcrumbs, and it made an amazing dish! Please try this; it's one of the things I'm most proud of lately.
Serves 3-4
Pork tenderloin
1/2 cup pesto (get my recipe here, or make your own!)
breadcrumbs (my favorite lately is stale, ground-up pretzels. The dry texture and salty malt flavor of the pretzel are fantastic, but any old cracker or breadcrumb will do)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking pan with pan spray to keep it from sticking.
Mix enough breadcrumbs into the pesto to make a thick paste. spread paste generously and in a thick layer over the tenderloin, completely coating it on all sides. Be generous!
Bake in prepared baking dish for 45 - 60 mins, or until internal temperature reaches 140 degrees. Let rest for 10 mins. Slice at an angle and serve.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Pesto
I had a friend request my pesto recipe, but this is one of those that's really hard, because it's just a "throw together" recipe. Really like cheese? Add more. Don't like garlic? cut it in half. Salt to taste. I've known people to use mint instead of basil for fish recipes, and parsley for steak. That's the beauty of fresh recipes like this; they're so versitile!
If I had to guess at my own pesto recipe, it would probably go like this:
For two pasta servings
1 cup (compacted) fresh basil leaves
two garlic cloves
1 2-inch square of parmesan
1/8 cup pecans (I know, I know, traditionally it's pine nuts, but pecans give it such a richer flavor, and as a Texan I usually have pecans in my freezer!)
Enough olive oil to make a sauce...maybe 1/2 cup?
Salt to taste
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until uniform. Add more olive oil to make a sauce consistency, and add salt until flavors begin to expand (you'll know it when you taste it!). Serve with pasta, chicken, or use for my new favorite, pesto-crusted pork tenderloin.
If I had to guess at my own pesto recipe, it would probably go like this:
For two pasta servings
1 cup (compacted) fresh basil leaves
two garlic cloves
1 2-inch square of parmesan
1/8 cup pecans (I know, I know, traditionally it's pine nuts, but pecans give it such a richer flavor, and as a Texan I usually have pecans in my freezer!)
Enough olive oil to make a sauce...maybe 1/2 cup?
Salt to taste
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until uniform. Add more olive oil to make a sauce consistency, and add salt until flavors begin to expand (you'll know it when you taste it!). Serve with pasta, chicken, or use for my new favorite, pesto-crusted pork tenderloin.
By request!
After almost two years since my last post, I've had a few friends request some new recipes. And I started thinking, well, sure! I have some new stuff that I didn't even think about posting, but will surely be fun to share.
Looking back on the blog, my comment of "I'm not a professional" doesn't really apply anymore. Within these last two years I quit my corporate job and went to culinary school, and now work nights for a popular nationally-recognized baking franchise. But even though my training was in pastry work, baking, and decorating, most of my recipes are still just good dinners. How often do you really get to decorate a wedding cake, anyway?
So here we go! A few new recipes, hopefully with more to follow soon. Thanks again for reading, and I hope you get to try at least some of them soon! For now, let's start with a simple pesto and my new favorite "Fancy Dinners Made Easy," pesto-crusted pork tenderloin!
Looking back on the blog, my comment of "I'm not a professional" doesn't really apply anymore. Within these last two years I quit my corporate job and went to culinary school, and now work nights for a popular nationally-recognized baking franchise. But even though my training was in pastry work, baking, and decorating, most of my recipes are still just good dinners. How often do you really get to decorate a wedding cake, anyway?
So here we go! A few new recipes, hopefully with more to follow soon. Thanks again for reading, and I hope you get to try at least some of them soon! For now, let's start with a simple pesto and my new favorite "Fancy Dinners Made Easy," pesto-crusted pork tenderloin!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli with Sage Browned Butter
This was a time I felt like being creative, and it turned out better than I expected! Serve with a spinach and vinaigrette salad and a classic California Chardonnay, and you have a special dinner for very little work!
Serves 2
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tbls. plus 1 tbls olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp minced shallots
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
4 oz goat cheese
1 pkg wonton wrappers ( usually found in your grocery store near the cheeses)
1 stick butter
1 handful fresh sage leaves
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. toss the squash in the olive oil and salt two tbls of olive oil. Spread on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven for 45 mins, tossing every 20 mins or so. Puree in a food processor and set aside.
Heat the remaining one tbls olive oil over medium heat and saute the shallots until browned. Add squash puree and cook 10 mins. remove from heat and add pepper, nutmeg, and cheese. Cool completely.
Add one heaping tsp of filling to each wonton wrapper, moisten edge with water and fold over into a triangle, sealing well. Place on cookie sheet in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Heat a pot of salted water until boiling, add ravioli and cook 3-4 minutes or until tender. Drain.
While you're waiting for the water to boil, melt the stick of butter over medium heat. Add sage leaves. Cook until butter is lightly browned and sage is crispy.
Pour butter and sage over ravioli and serve.
Serves 2
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tbls. plus 1 tbls olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp minced shallots
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
4 oz goat cheese
1 pkg wonton wrappers ( usually found in your grocery store near the cheeses)
1 stick butter
1 handful fresh sage leaves
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. toss the squash in the olive oil and salt two tbls of olive oil. Spread on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven for 45 mins, tossing every 20 mins or so. Puree in a food processor and set aside.
Heat the remaining one tbls olive oil over medium heat and saute the shallots until browned. Add squash puree and cook 10 mins. remove from heat and add pepper, nutmeg, and cheese. Cool completely.
Add one heaping tsp of filling to each wonton wrapper, moisten edge with water and fold over into a triangle, sealing well. Place on cookie sheet in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Heat a pot of salted water until boiling, add ravioli and cook 3-4 minutes or until tender. Drain.
While you're waiting for the water to boil, melt the stick of butter over medium heat. Add sage leaves. Cook until butter is lightly browned and sage is crispy.
Pour butter and sage over ravioli and serve.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Fajita Salad
I created this when I had to lose some weight for a friend's wedding, in order to fit into a bridesmaid dress. It's a great salad, uses no dressing, and is even filling enough for the man in the house! If you have leftovers, stuff it into pitas - it's wonderful.
Serves 4
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
fajita seasoning
1 head romaine lettuce
3 tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed (fire-roasted is best, if you can get it!)
1 can black beans, drained
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 lime
1/2 cup you favorite salsa
1 avocado, sliced
Generously season the chicken and grill until cooked, about 7 minutes per side. Let cool and slice.
Once the chicken is cool, toss all ingredients together, adding the avocado slices last so it doesn't get mashed. Serve!
Serves 4
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
fajita seasoning
1 head romaine lettuce
3 tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed (fire-roasted is best, if you can get it!)
1 can black beans, drained
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 lime
1/2 cup you favorite salsa
1 avocado, sliced
Generously season the chicken and grill until cooked, about 7 minutes per side. Let cool and slice.
Once the chicken is cool, toss all ingredients together, adding the avocado slices last so it doesn't get mashed. Serve!
Spicy Lime Dressing
Stumbled upon this when I had romaine lettuce and just didn't want another Caesar salad. Very yummy! Could also be a great dipping sauce or drizzled over flank steak.
Serves 4
1/2 cup ranch dressing
juice from one lime
1/8 cup packed cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ras al hanout seasoning (an equal parts cilantro, cumin, and coriander blend would be good too)
Put all ingredients into a food processor, blender, or "Magic Bullet" until combined.
Serves 4
1/2 cup ranch dressing
juice from one lime
1/8 cup packed cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ras al hanout seasoning (an equal parts cilantro, cumin, and coriander blend would be good too)
Put all ingredients into a food processor, blender, or "Magic Bullet" until combined.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Lasagna
This is the scaled-down version of my mom's amazing lasagna - basically this uses jarred sauce instead of simmering your own for an hour. But it's pretty amazing, and fairly easy to make after work! The best part? You don't have to cook the noodles ahead of time, and it makes a ton of leftovers! If you want you can always assemble the lasagna early and then refrigerate it until you're ready to cook.
1 pkg Italian sausage (1 lb), casings removed
2 jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 large container ricotta cheese
approx. 3 tsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1 wedge Parmesan cheese, grated
1 pkg shredded mozzarella cheese
1 pkg lasagna noodles
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brown the sausage in a large skillet. Add 1 1/2 jars of sauce and heat through. In a large bowl mix the ricotta, parsley, oregano, salt, and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan together and set aside.
In a rectangular cake pan, put a thin layer of the meat mixture, add noodles, ricotta (clumps are fine), mozzarella, Parmesan, and noodles again. Repeat meat, noodles, cheeses, noodles, until ingredients are gone (usually only a couple layers). Your last layer should be noodles, meat, cheese. Bake for 40 mins.
1 pkg Italian sausage (1 lb), casings removed
2 jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 large container ricotta cheese
approx. 3 tsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1 wedge Parmesan cheese, grated
1 pkg shredded mozzarella cheese
1 pkg lasagna noodles
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brown the sausage in a large skillet. Add 1 1/2 jars of sauce and heat through. In a large bowl mix the ricotta, parsley, oregano, salt, and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan together and set aside.
In a rectangular cake pan, put a thin layer of the meat mixture, add noodles, ricotta (clumps are fine), mozzarella, Parmesan, and noodles again. Repeat meat, noodles, cheeses, noodles, until ingredients are gone (usually only a couple layers). Your last layer should be noodles, meat, cheese. Bake for 40 mins.
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