Pork Tenderloin with Spicy Guava Glaze

This is a slightly altered version of a recipe I found on Recipezaar. The person who posted it there said it was from Cooking Light. It was delicious!


The guava paste used in this recipe can be found in the Hispanic section of the grocery store. It's a common ingredient and it's inexpensive.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH SPICY GUAVA GLAZE

2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons cumin
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 pounds pork tenderloins, trimmed
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
6 ounces guava paste
2 garlic colves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced

Combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Rub pork with the garlic powder mixture.

Combine onion and remaining ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Cook about 5 minutes or until guava paste dissolves, stirring constantly. Reduce heat, and simmer 8 to 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Set aside.

Place pork on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 20 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160 – 165 degrees, turning pork occasionally. Remove from grill.

Pour or brush guava mixture over pork. Let it stand 5 minutes before slicing into 1/2 inch slices. Serve with additional glaze on top.

We had this with Roasted Broccoli and a salad.



ROASTED BROCCOLI (recipe from realmomkitchen.com)

1 head broccoli, cut in florets
2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced

Toss broccoli florets with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Roast in 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until slightly crisped and browned. Serve immediately.

Supreme Pasta Salad

A recipe from the McCormick website. Follow this link to see it.

Extra ingredients are, of course, optional and intrechangeable. I used broccoli, red bell pepper and onion. Instead of Italian or Ranch dressing as suggested, I used a fat-free Greek vinaigrette. I used miniature bowties for the pasta.

Tropical Fruit Salad

This is a recipe from my ex-mother-in-law. I've never made this myself, but always liked when she made it. I don't know why I haven't made it for the last 10 years. I guess I forgot how good it was.

This is quick and easy to keep the ingredients in the pantry for last minute needs.



TROPICAL FRUIT SALAD

2 (15 ounce) cans Tropical Fruit Salad, drained
1 (11 ounce) can Mandarin oranges, drained
1 (8 ounce) can pineapple tidbits, drained
1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1 (1.34 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding (sugar-free)
1/2 cup pecan pieces (optional)

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Chill at least 1 hour up to overnight.

I know it sounds weird, but just pour the pudding powder mix right in on the fruit! Even after draining the fruit, there's enough liquid for the pudding to form.

The canned Tropical Fruit Salad has pineapple, papaya and guava if I remember right. It's really good.

Broccoli Salad

So many versions of Broccoli Salad... Here's mine.

BROCCOLI SALAD

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sugar (or Splenda)
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
salt
pepper
1 bunch fresh broccoli florets, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (or a handful of Hormel bacon pieces)
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dry roasted sunflower kernels

Whisk together mayonnaise, sugar, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Set aside. Combine all other ingredients. Pour dressing over and toss to combine.

As you can see, I don't like too much mayo. The red wine vinegar thins it out a lot so a little can go along way and really cover the salad. Make it early so that it can refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving.

Tortellini Salad

I'm back.

School became very time consuming for a while. My speech class required alot of time in research and rehearsal. But, it paid off with an A.

Of course, the anatomy class took lots of time, too. I still have a final exam to take this Tuesday. Then I'm done with school for a few weeks.

I have one class this summer, it only meets one day a week. I'll have to find some other things to occupy my time and not get too lazy!

Here's one of my favorite summer pasta salad recipes.

TORTELLINI SALAD

1 (16 ounce) package frozen cheese tortellini
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
3 tablespoons prepared pesto
1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips (I added an orange pepper, too)
3 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 (6 ounce) jars marinated artichoke hearts, drained and cut in half


Cook tortellini as label directs. Drain and cool by running cold water over. In a small bowl, mix vinegar, olive oil, sugar, salt, pepper and pesto. Combine green and yellow peppers, tomato, artichokes and tortellini in a large bowl. Pour dressing in; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate if not serving right away.

Southwestern Corn Salad

This is a quick and easy summer side dish. Just needs a little chilling time after it's put together.

SOUTHWESTERN CORN SALAD

2 (15 ounce) cans corn kernels, drained
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon sugar
salt
pepper

Place first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add oil mixture to the rest and mix well. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

Note: Very easy to change proportions of ingredients to your taste.

Carrot Souffle

Have you seen the movie "Four Christmases" with Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn? It's hilarious, I highly recommend it. The story is that their holiday getaway is cancelled/delayed so they have to visit with all the family they were trying to avoid. Both sets of parents are divorced, so they have four Christmas gatherings to attend. I wouldn't want four, but it's nice to have two Christmases.

My parents came over for a holiday meal with us this past Friday.

We had:
Roasted Red Pepper Dip with Pita Chips
Third Coast Salad
Chicken Amaretto
Green Beans
and this delicious Carrot Souffle.

Don't turn your nose up just because it's carrots. Think of it as an alternative to sweet potato casserole. It's sweet and yummy like that.





CARROT SOUFFLÉ

2 pounds baby cut carrots, cooked, drained and mashed (boil about 45 minutes)
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1 pinch cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients; mix really well (I use an immersion hand blender). Pour into a greased 2 quart casserole dish.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 45 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar if desired.

Yield: barely makes 5 servings, better double it next time!

Gingersnap Sweet Potatoes and Broccoli Casserole

Happy Thankgiving!

We had a great time and delicious food at my cousin's house today.

I made Gingersnap Sweet Potatoes.



GINGERSNAP SWEET POTATOES

4 to 5 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup half-and-half
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
2 cups coarsely crushed gingersnap cookies (I used Nabisco)

Cook sweet potatoes in a large pot in boiling water for about 30 minutes or until tender. Mash potatoes. Combine mashed sweet potatoes, 1/2 cup brown sugar and next 4 ingredients in a mixing bowl; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Spoon into a greased 2 1/2 quart casserole dish (or 9x13x2 pan).

Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar and flour. Cut in 1/4 cup cold butter with a pastry blender until crumbly. Stir in crushed gingersnaps. Sprinkle streusel mixture over sweet potato.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until streusel is lightly browned.

Make ahead: Prepare sweet potato filling and spoon into a greased microwave-safe dish. Cover and chill overnight. Microwave at high for 10 minutes or until hot. Prepare streusel and sprinkle over filling. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until streusel is lightly browned.

My mom made Broccoli Casserole.




BROCCOLI CASSEROLE

4 (10 ounce) boxes frozen chopped broccoli
1 pound Velveeta cheese, cubed
2 sticks butter
8 ounces Ritz crackers, crushed
salt and pepper

Cook broccoli and drain well. Return broccoli to pot. Add cheese, 1 stick butter (in slices), salt and pepper; stir well. Place mixture in a casserole dish. Cover with crushed crackers. Melt remaining stick of butter and drizzle over crackers.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

And this is everything else!

Do you see those pies in the back??? Mmmmmm...

Apple Cranberry Stuffing

At Eddie's office, they are having a Thanksgiving meal today. Oh, how I miss those great potluck meals at a big office...

He saw this Paula Deen recipe last Saturday on one of her shows and decided he would try it out. It was really good, and we will make it again one day, but I really do prefer a traditional Southern cornbread dressing with my turkey at Thanksgiving. This would be great with ham at Christmas, though.

By the way, I think it's weird that Paula calls this 'stuffing'. She's a Southern woman and we usually call this 'dressing'. It's not stuffed into anything, after all.

APPLE CRANBERRY STUFFING

2 cups chicken broth
1 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup butter
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (10 ounce) can cream of celery soup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 cups Hawaiian sweet bread, cubed and toasted (that's a 16 ounce round loaf)

Lightly grease or spray a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine chicken broth and cranberries; let soak for 30 minutes.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, pepper and celery; cook for 6 to 10 minutes stirring frequently or until tender. Add apples and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and place in a large bowl.

Beat 3 eggs in a separate bowl. Add salt and pepper. Set aside.

In the large bowl with vegetables, stir in chicken broth/cranberry mixture, celery soup and cinnamon. Add toasted bread, stirring gently to combine. Add eggs. Spoon mixture into prepared dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until center is set.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Note: Paula didn't tell me how to toast the bread cubes. We baked them at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. You want them to really dry out, because this bread is super soft when it's fresh. In fact, it would be a good idea to buy the bread a few days ahead and let it get a bit stale, then toast.

Corn Pudding

A good Fall/holiday dish...

CORN PUDDING

1 egg, beaten
1 (15 ounce) can cream style corn
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles, drained
1 (8 ounce) package dry corn muffin mix (like Jiffy)
dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

Grease a 1 quart casserole dish. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except corn muffin mix. Then stir in the corn muffin mix until just moistened. Pour into casserole dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until set and top is golden.

Yield: 6 to 8 small servings

Squash Casserole

Every good Southern girl has to have a Squash Casserole recipe. Here's my version.

You would need to double this if making for a big holiday meal with a large group.



SQUASH CASSEROLE

2 pounds yellow squash, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup diced onion
salt and pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs

Sauté squash and onion (add salt and pepper here) in a little oil until soft, but not too soft and browned a bit. Combine squash, eggs, cheese and bread crumbs in a large bowl. Pour into greased casserole dish. Top with more bread crumbs.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

Yield: 4 to 5 servings

If you buy pre-shredded cheddar cheese, get the larger grated kind, not the finely shredded.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Onions

Since it's Fall, there are butternut squash recipes all over the internet right now. I decided that I had to try it. I think that I've eaten butternut squash in a Lean Cuisine or WW Smart Ones entree before, but I had never cooked it myself. It turned out pretty good! We liked it alot.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND ONIONS

peeled, cubed butternut squash
thick sliced onion (Vidalia, of course)
brown sugar
black pepper
olive oil

Mix squash and onions in a large bowl. Sprinkle with a good amount of brown sugar and black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Spread squash and onions in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Bake at 475 degrees for about 25 minutes. Stir and turn at least once during cooking time.

Notes: I only used enough squash for the 2 servings that we needed (half the squash I bought). The squash shrinks up a good bit, so use a little more than you think you need. For my amount, I used 2 Tablespoons of brown sugar.

Roasted Green Beans

If you haven't tried this before, you should. It was even better than I expected.

I sometimes make asparagus the same way, but green beans were better.

Toss fresh green beans in olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread them out a pan in an even layer. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir and flip them once about halfway through. Let them get some browned spots. Yum!!!!

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Using more apples while they are in season...



The flavors in this recipe go great with ham.


STUFFED SWEET POTATOES

3 medium to large sweet potatoes
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/4 cup butter
1/2 apple, diced (I used a Gala)
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Place potatoes on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, heat pecans in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 2 to 3 minutes or until toasted. Remove from skillet. Set aside.

Melt butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Add apple and raisins; sauté 2 to 3 minutes or until apple is tender. Stir in brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Remove from heat.

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise; scoop pulp into a large bowl, leaving shells intact. Add apple mixture to pulp in bowl; stir until blended. Spoon mixture into 4 of the shells. Place on baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Top with nuts.

Yield: 4 servings


Note: Using an extra potato will give you extra mixture to overstuff the shells.


Go ahead and buy a big bag of pecans and put the rest in the freezer. You'll find more uses for them with the upcoming holidays.

Potato Salad, Hubby's Way

I have a couple of ways that I make potato salad, but this is how my husband likes it. I especially like the pimentos for the color and the taste. And leave the potato skins on (it's healthier and colorful).




POTATO SALAD, HUBBY’S WAY

2 to 3 pounds small red potatoes
1/3 cup sweet pickle relish
4 tablespoons diced pimentos
1/8 cup yellow mustard
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup diced onion
1 hard-boiled egg, diced
salt and pepper

Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender. Drain and cool slightly.

Meanwhile, mix all other ingredients in a large bowl to create dressing. Add potatoes and toss well.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Italian Sauteed Beans

ITALIAN SAUTEED BEANS
1/2 cup roasted red peppers (from a jar)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini or great northern beans (drained and rinsed)
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 fresh basil leaves, chopped

Cut peppers into 1/4-inch pieces. Preheat large sauté pan on medium-high 2–3 minutes.

Place oil in pan; swirl to coat. Add garlic, peppers, and remaining ingredients (except basil); cook 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until beans are thoroughly heated. Stir in basil; cook 1–2 more minutes or until fragrant.

Yield: 4 servings

Note: This can also be served as a cold bean salad. It was really good when I ate it cold the next day for lunch!

This recipe came from Publix Simple Meals.

Creamed Spinach Casserole

Stop reading here if you don't like spinach. I know, it's a love it or hate it kind of thing...

I happen to love it!

This is similar to the traditional green bean casserole we all have at holiday meals.

CREAMED SPINACH CASSEROLE

1 (16 ounce) bag frozen chopped spinach [or 2 (10 ounce) boxes]
4 ounces cream cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small (2.8 ounce) can fried onion rings
black pepper to taste

Cook spinach; drain well. Add cream cheese; mix well. Add soup; mix well. Add half the can of onion rings and pepper. Stir and pour into casserole dish. Top with remaining fried onion rings.

Bake at 325 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Yield: 5 or 6 servings

Brunswick Stew

My hubby spent most of Saturday afternoon outside with the smoker. Usually, I am in charge of anything that is being cooked ahead to go in the freezer, but that was his job this weekend. He smoked pork and a couple of chickens.

Pulled pork sandwich, cole slaw and Brunswick Stew....




I have seen a lot of recipes for Brunswick stew that call for things like lima beans and potatoes. That is not what I call Brunswick stew. Maybe mine is the Redneck version from Georgia, but it's close to the way I remember it from Uncle Jerry's back yard barbecues.


BRUNSWICK STEW

1 cup chopped onion
4 cups shredded smoked meat (pork, chicken or a combination of both)
1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) can creamed corn
2 (15 ounce) cans chicken broth
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup barbecue sauce (vinegar based, hot)

In a large pot, sauté onion in a little oil until softened. Add all other ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about an hour.

Yield: 8 large servings

Cuban Black Beans

My version of 'Cuban', of course. Shortcuts included.

CUBAN BLACK BEANS

1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup bacon pieces (like Hormel, the ones that come in a pouch)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (14 ounce) can black beans (drain slightly leaving a little liquid)
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Heat oil in a small saucepan. Add onion, bacon pieces and garlic. Sauté until bacon is crispy and onions are tender and browned. Add black beans, cumin and oregano to pot. Cook long enough to heat through. Remove from heat and add red wine vinegar.

Yield: 2 servings

The red wine vinegar really makes a difference. If you don't have it, try apple cider vinegar, some of the recipes I have seen use that.

By the way, shrimp and scallops in the photo were marinated in a liquid Jerk seasoning and grilled in a grill basket.

Sweet Potato Mash

Okay. So, the picture is not so enticing. But if you like sweet potatoes, you will like this.

SWEET POTATO MASH

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1/2 cup golden raisins

Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender. Drain. Return to pot and add brown sugar, orange juice and ginger. Mash until smooth. Stir in raisins.

That's it. Done.

You know there's a shortcut: I used Gourmet Garden ginger. It comes already grated, in a tube, refrigerated, in the produce department.