balsamic pork tenderloin

When it comes to pork I usually stick to making pork chops or pork cutlet, for the simple fact that its quick to cook... but tonight I made balsamic pork tenderloin with lemon-honey sauce  and honestly it didn't take that much longer and was such a perfect fall meal! 

The meal was fast and flavorful... I hope you can try it! 



What You'll Need: 

For the pork: 
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 
1 Tablespoon whole-gain mustard
1 Pork tenderloin (trimmed) 

For the sauce: 
2 Tablespoons sliced shallots 
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 spring fresh rosemary 
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon butter 

What To Do: 

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees 
2. In a large bowl mix together balsamic and mustard and add pork and coat. Let the pork marinate for 10 minutes 
3. Place the pork on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 30 minutes 
4. While the pork is cooking make the sauce: cook shallots and olive oil then add in rosemary, chicken broth, lemon juice, honey and butter. Cook for 5 minutes until the sauce becomes thick 
5. When the pork is done cooking, let it rest for 5 minutes then slice serve over mash potatoes and drizzle over the sauce. 

Buffalo What?!... Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Thank God it's finally Thursday.. that means lots of good TV (scandal, how to get away with murder, football) aka lets drink some wine and relax because Friday is almost here! 

To accompany all this good TV I made... buffalo chicken balls in pita pockets with sweet potato fries and ranch yogurt sauce. These came out so well, they might become a staple in our house from now on and honestly there not terribly bad for you especially compared to buffalo wings! 

This meal was also extremely quick & easy to make only 20-25 minutes .. cant complain about that at all when I get home close to 8!! 

What You'll Need 
(to make 14 chicken balls) 

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1/3 cup of hot sauce 
• 3/4 cup of panko breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup buffalo sauce
• Whole Wheat Pita pockets ( I bought 100 calories ones) 
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup ranch
• 1/2 tablespoon cilantro 

What To Do: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees 
2. In a large bowl together, ground chicken, hot sauce, panko and egg. Incorporate everything but don't over mix. Season with salt and pepper. 
3. Form 14 chicken balls and place on a cookie sheet and put in the oven. Cook for 20-25 minutes (at the same time cook store bought sweet potato fries if desired.) 
4. In a small bowl mix together greek yogurt, ranch, salt and pepper and cilantro
5. Once the chicken balls are done coat with buffalo sauce and serve inside the pita pocket and ranch sauce on the side. 
   
   

Pizza Night!

Tonight was Pizza Night! If I had to eat one food for the rest of my life it would most certainly be pizza. That is just one of the many attributes I got from my dad... guy loves pizza! 

This meal is so simple and is ready so fast! 

What You'll Need: 

• Pizza dough 
• 3 spicy sausage links 
• 1 cup of mushrooms 
• 3/4 cups of tomato sauce
• Teaspoon Oregano 
• 1 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella 

What To Do: 

1. Add a small amount of olive oil to a pan over medium heat. Take the casing off the sausage and add to the pan (breaking it up as you go). Once cooked for a few minutes add in the mushrooms and let them cook for 5 minutes. 
2. Roll the dough into a medium sized cookie sheet, add sauce then meat mixture and top with cheese. 
3. Sprinkle with oregano and put in the oven at 400 degree for 12-15 minutes 

Pumpkin Cupcakes

Like I said in my earlier post today... October is ... pumpkin everything! In other of October and other work events today I made pumpkin cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese frosting. The cupcake isn't too sweet and has a lot of pumpkin flavor.

What You'll Need (serving size 12 cupcakes): 

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup milk

What To Do: 

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in egg. Blend in mashed pumpkin. Stir in dry ingredients alternately with the milk, blending until batter is smooth after each addition. Use an ice-cream scoop and up batter into cupcake tin. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes. Frost with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting or even leave it plain for more of a pumpkin muffin. 

Happy Oct 1st.

Happy October 1st everyone! Despite the upsetting news that all tanning will have to be done indoors and we won't see the beach/pool for a long 7 months. The fall brings a few goods things: designer boots, pumpkin everrthing, Burberry scarves and more inside cooking. (Since its not so 100 degrees out and the thought of turning on the oven just sucks!) 

With all the being said tonight we  I made an awesome fall meal! Roasted Eggplant Boats with Spicy sausage and chicken.

What You'll Need: 
(serving size 2) 

• 2 eggplants
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/2lb ground chicken 
• 2-3 spicy sausage link (take the casing off) 
• 3/4 cup tomato sauce 
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley 
• Fresh mozzarella cheese sliced

What To Do: 
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, cut the eggplant in half and season both sides with EVOO, salt and pepper then place in the oven cut side down. 
2. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes. 

3. In the meantime, heat a large skillet over medium heat and drizzle EVOO. Add spicy sausage and ground chicken. (Make sure to break this up as you go). 
4. Cook until the chicken and sausage are browned
5. Add in tomato sauce, balsamic and season with salt and pepper. Then add in parsley. 

6. At this point all you have to do is assemble -- take the eggplant out of the oven flip them over and top with meat sauce. Stuff the meat into the middle of the eggplant. Layer on the slices of cheese and put it back in the oven for 10 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling. 

7. ENJOY!