Savory Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloins are an essential component in a busy cook's life because they represent a quick, easy to prepare, and delicious solution for a family meal that also qualifies for a respectable meal to serve to dinner guests. In this recipe, pork tenderloin is flavored in a marinade prepared with soy sauce, vinegar, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, garlic and crystallized ginger. All of these flavors combine to form a richly aromatic and delicious meal. (I like to serve with mashed potatoes and string beans).

Serves 6

Ingredients
1 1 ½ to 2-pound pork tenderloin
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon crystallized ginger

Preparation
Combine the marinade ingredients in a measuring cup and whisk to combine. Pour over pork tenderloin in a plastic bag.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 45 minutes or until meat is 145 degrees F when measured with an instant-read thermometer. Allow meat to rest about 10 minutes before cutting into 2-inch serving pieces. Drizzle a small amount of the meat juices from cooking over each piece of meat.

Serve with your favorite potato and vegetable for a complete meal!

Cappuccino Chiffon Cake

I've been looking for some alternatives to brownies to satisfy what seems to be an increasing craving for sweets these days. I'm thinking that my increased calorie output due to my half-marathon training is driving me to seek some rich treats so I decided to dust off a cookbook that I haven't perused in a while, Reader's Digest eat to beat high blood pressure, and found this recipe. It caught my attention for several reasons. First, each slice is only 220 calories! Also, the ingredients included both coffee and cocoa, two of my favorites. And, the usage of walnut oil provides an excellent source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.

And, on a more personal note, the idea of a Chiffon style cake brought back many fond memories of my mother baking in her kitchen. So, Mom…. This one's for you!

Serves 16

Ingredients
2 ¼ cups cake flour
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup walnut oil (or extra light olive oil)
2 large eggs, separated, plus 4 large egg whites
¾ cup brewed espresso or other dark-roast coffee, at room temperature
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Preparation
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Stir together cake flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the walnut oil, egg yolks, espresso, cocoa powder, and vanilla together in a large bowl. Fold flour mixture into egg mixture until well combined.

Beat 6 egg whites until frothy in a separate bowl. Beat in cream of tartar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into batter.

Spoon batter into ungreased 10-inch tube pan. Bake until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.

Invert pan to cool. Once cooked, run a metal spatula around the inner and outer edges and invert onto a serving plate. Dust cake with confectioners' sugar.

Creamy Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and Gemelli

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Serves 6 – 8

Ingredients
3 Tbs. olive oil
2 pounds chicken thighs, skinless
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 medium only, chopped
3 celery stalks, sliced
¼ cup all purpose flour
1 quart and 1 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half)
2 bay leaves
12 ounces white button mushrooms, cleaned and stems trimmed
1 pound gemelli pasta, cooked until al dente
Chopped fresh parsley

Preparation
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Brown the chicken on both sides. Remove the chicken when browned and reserve.

Add the onion and celery and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour until evenly distributed. Gradually stir in the chicken stock and cream. Add the bay leaves, chicken and mushrooms. Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 2 hours.

Serve over cooked gemelli pasta and garnish with chopped parsley.

Ratatouille Polenta Bake

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Serves 4

Ingredients
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (½ cup)
1 medium bell pepper, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
1 small unpeeled eggplant (1 pound), diced (2 cups)
1 medium zucchini, diced (1 cup)
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 can (14 ½ ounces) Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 tube (16 ounces) plain polenta (plain or flavored)
2 Tbs. shredded Parmesan cheese
¾ cup finely shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese (3 ounces)
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation
Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 12-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Cook onion and bell pepper in skillet for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in eggplant, zucchini, salt and pepper. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Stir in tomatoes, breaking up with spoon; reduce heat to low. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Spray rectangular baking dish, 11 x 7 x 1 ½ inches, with cooking spray. Cut polenta into ¼-inch slices. Arrange over bottom of baking dish, overlapping and cutting to fit where necessary. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Spoon vegetable mixture evenly over top.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and parsley. Bake uncovered about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Butternut Squash and Barley Casserole with Chicken

Serves 4

Ingredients
Cooking Spray
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed and drained
1 tsp. dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
1 15-oz. can chicken broth
1 cup (about 1/2 pound) cubed cooked or leftover chicken breast
2 medium butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds each), halved lengthwise, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Preparation
Coat a 4-quart baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and onion and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the barley, sage and black pepper and stir to combine well. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 35 minutes. Add the chicken and squash and continue to simmer for 15 minutes more or until all of the broth is absorbed and the squash is tender. Add an additional 1/4 cup of broth if the mixture seems too dry.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and top with the cheese. Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, until the cheese is golden.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

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Serves 8

Ingredients

1 medium onion, finely chopped (1 cup)
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 ribs celery, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 Tbs. ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 15-oz. cans diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup quinoa
3 large carrots, grated (11/2 cups)
11/2 cups grated reduced-fat pepper Jack cheese, divided
4 large red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, ribs removed

Preparation

Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and celery, and cook 5 minutes, or until soft. Add cumin and garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Stir in spinach and drained tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.

Stir in black beans, quinoa, carrots, and 2 cups water. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until quinoa is tender. Stir in 1 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour liquid from tomatoes in bottom of baking dish.

Fill each bell pepper half with heaping 3/4-cup quinoa mixture, and place in baking dish. Cover with foil, and bake 1 hour. Uncover, and sprinkle each pepper with 1 Tbs. remaining cheese. Bake 15 minutes more, or until tops of stuffed peppers are browned. Let stand 5 minutes. Transfer stuffed peppers to serving plates, and drizzle each with pan juices before serving.

Pumpkin Pie Muffins

If you enjoy the sweet pleasant smell of pumpkin pies baking in the oven, these Pumpkin Pie Muffins will make you feel like you can have pumpkin pie for breakfast or a snack, any day of the year. This recipe includes all of the lovely spices that are characteristic of pumpkin pie including cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg and while they are baking, they will fill your kitchen with the aromas of the holiday season.

Nutritional Spin

Pumpkin provides a rich source of beta-carotene, an important antioxidant, and research indicates that a diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protection against heart disease. Beta-carotene also offers protection against some degenerative aspects of aging.

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-grain pastry flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
3 Tbs. unsulphered molasses
¼ cup canola oil
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¾ cup low fat buttermilk
¼ cup raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.

In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, molasses, oil and 1 egg until combined. Add the other egg and whisk well. Whisk in the pumpkin and vanilla. Whisk in the flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk. Whisk just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of 1 of the muffins comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the muffins to loosen them and unmold. Cool completely on the rack.