Category Archives: Pork

Bacon Wrapped Mushroom Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

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I’m trying to clean out my freezer and do a little experiment in the process. I have this habit of stocking up on food when things go on sale and putting it in the freezer. What makes it a bad habit is that I forget about thawing something out for dinner and wind up buying more items for dinner, even though I have it in the freezer already!

I came up with this after finding a pork tenderloin in the freezer. I had some fresh spinach and bacon in the fridge I needed to use up, and all I needed to buy extra was fresh mushrooms!

I didn’t really spend time measuring this recipe out like I usually do, so adjust where your taste buds see fit.

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  • 2  1 lb pork tenderloins
  • 3.5 oz shitake mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 4 oz baby portabello mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup tightly packed fresh spinach, chopped
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 lb sliced bacon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium sized skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and garlic and continue to cook 10 more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.  Add spinach and cook until wilted. Add heavy cream one tablespoon at a time, you may need a little more or less depending on the moisture in your onions and mushrooms, and cook until mixture forms a paste like consistency. Remove mixture and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, cut a pocket into both tenderloins making sure you don’t cut through the ends of the tenderloin, it helps to hold in the mixture. On a piece of parchment paper lay out bacon, overlapping each piece, with enough pieces to cover the length of the tenderloin. Stuff the pocket with half of the mushroom mixture and roll the tenderloin up with the bacon. Placed on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tenderloin.

Bake tenderloins for 30 to 45 minutes until cooked through. Allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing into medallions. Enjoy!

Pear And Bacon Stuffed Pork Chops With Gorgonzola Sauce

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It’s a New Years resolution of mine to learn more pork recipes. As you can see, I only have a couple so far. I’ve been terrified of cooking pork loin chops just because they’re so easy to dry out, and I’m not a huge fan of eating shoe leather.

I’m not too familiar with cooking pork chops, but I know a lot of pork recipes use apples, and I thought about a pear and gorgonzola salad, and tried to figure out how to combine the two. This is what I came up with!

Sorry about not being able to see much of the pork chop in the photo! The sauce was so good, I got a little carried away!photo 3

For the pork chops:

  • 4  boneless pork chops, butterflied
  • 3  tbsp butter
  • 3  slices bacon, diced
  • 2  bartlett pears, diced
  • 1  small onion, diced
  • 1  tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1  tbsp brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sear pork chops for 3 minutes on both sides, still folded over like they’re not split for stuffing. Set aside and keep warm until ready to stuff.

In the same skillet, cook bacon until browned on the edges, but still slightly raw in the center. Add pears and onions to skillet, and cook until softened. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in balsamic and brown sugar. When sugar is well blended into mixture, remove from heat and cool slightly. Spoon 1/4 of mixture into each chop and place in a greased baking dish.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

For the gorgonzola sauce:

  • 3  tbsp butter
  • 3  tbsp flour*
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 4  oz. crumbled gorgonzola

In a sauce pan, melt butter over medium low heat. Whisk in flour and let cook, stirring continuously for one minute, then whisk in milk. Continue to cook and stir until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat and stir in gorgonzola a little at a time until well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, place a stuffed pork chop on a plate and top with heaping spoonfuls of gorgonzola sauce. Goes well with green beans and oven roasted sweet potatoes.

 

* I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour

Sausage And Sweet Potato Scramble

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My husband and I recently went on an impromptu trip to Asheville, North Carolina (in my opinion a dining mecca) and intended on having breakfast at Tupelo Honey Cafe. When we got there, we were told they were closed a few days for some remodeling, and were directed upstairs to The Early Girl Eatery. It didn’t look like much, and I was heartbroken to not be having breakfast at my first chosen location, so imagine my delight when I saw this tasty treat on the menu! I scarfed down every last bit and was hoping that hubby wouldn’t eat all of his so I could finish his plate as well! Sad to say, I only got the portion I ordered! When I came back home, I knew I had to make this, and did several times for breakfast and even once for dinner!photo-2

A family sized meal:

  • 1 lb bulk breakfast sausage (Jimmy Dean and the like)
  • 6 slices cooked, diced bacon
  • 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly diced
  • 3 diced green onions
  • 4 oz sliced mushrooms, shiitake or cremini
  • 10 eggs

Place sweet potatoes in a large sauce pan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook and crumble sausage over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onions and cook until mushrooms are soft. (For a more healthful alternative, drain fat from the sausage, remove from skillet and cook mushrooms and onions in a few teaspoons of olive oil, then add sausage back to the skillet.)

When potatoes are soft enough to pierce with a fork, drain and let cool for 2 to 3 minutes then add to skillet with sausage. Stir in bacon. Scramble up eggs in a mixing bowl, season with salt and pepper, and add to skillet. Allow to firm up a bit before stirring or you’ll have minced eggs instead of nice big chunks! Serve with your favorite breakfast sides!

Santa Fe Swine Chili

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Chili has to be one of my favorite dishes, period. I could eat it once a week, even in the hottest months of summer, so I just had to come up with another chili recipe to add to my repertoire, and why not make it with pork tenderloin? I like to top my chili with shredded cheddar, sour cream, and Fritos, though my hubby prefers tortilla chips. Load it up, or eat it straight out of the pot, it’s delicious!

  • 2 lbs pork tenderloin, cut into bite size pieces
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 6 slices cooked bacon, chopped
  • 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
  • 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
  • 1 15 oz can beef broth
  • 1 15 oz can kidney beans
  • 1 15 oz can black beans
  • 1  4 oz can chopped green chiles
  • 3 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp oregano
  • 3 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp cayenne

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for at least 8 hours. Serve with your favorite chili toppings!

*Note, this is a great workday meal! Just chop veggies and tenderloin the night before and place in baggies in the fridge. It will save time on your way to work and you’ll come home to an easy, no fuss dinner! 🙂