Pork Tenderloin with Pesto, Goat Cheese & Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Oh and with spinach, too. But that would have made the title even longer than it already is.

Okay...I have a problem. I've been stuffing everything lately, as I'm sure you've noticed. Maybe it's because I've finally figured out how to slice the meat without cutting all the way through. Or perhaps it's because it's just so easy to make a full meal by stuffing a few extra ingredients inside it. Either way, this is a problem I can handle.

I came up with this while planning a dinner party with some of my sorority sisters. I was hosting everyone, and I wanted something that would be easy, wouldn't make a big mess, and would allow me to spend time with my girlfriends instead of glued to the kitchen. Oh, and something super tasty, too.

This met all the requirements! I was able to have the tenderloin all rolled up and ready, and popped it in the oven once everyone arrived. I enjoyed sitting with my friends, having a glass of wine, and knowing dinner was in the bag. I think it turned out great, and received many compliments from the girls - even one who normally doesn't eat meat. This night was a success, and a perfect evening filled with wonderful friends! :)

Pork Tenderloin with Pesto, Goat Cheese, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Spinach
Recipe by Call Me Mrs. Rapp
Serves 4-6, depending on portion sizes. 
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Ingredients:
*pork tenderloin (my 1.5 lb package included 2 tenderloins; I rolled both of them)
*2 oz. sun-dried tomatoes
*2 oz. light cream cheese
*1.5 oz. goat cheese
*6 oz. spinach, roughly cut or torn
*1/3 cup pesto
*olive oil
*salt and pepper
*2 cloves garlic, minced

Preparation: 
*Preheat oven to 400.

*Combine cheeses, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, pesto and garlic in a bowl. Mix until well combined.

*Create a slit in the pork tenderloin, lengthwise, so it lays flat like a book (careful not to cut all the way through!). Spread mixture onto tenderloin, and roll it up (lengthwise, like a jelly roll). Use toothpicks to secure.

*Place stuffed and rolled tenderloin on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

*Cook for 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the pork is 155 degrees.  
Note: I would highly suggest using a meat thermometer because I saw so many different suggestions when researching cooking times. Time will vary based on thickness of your pork, oven, etc.

*Let pork rest for about 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

blurry...but you can see it cut

Open like a book

Showing how I cut it

the filling!

spread out

secured with toothpicks

toothpicks, olive oil, slat and pepper done

cooked!

sliced and standing

yummy filling

Prosciutto-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Guess where I found this recipe? No, not Pinterest! One of my wedding cookbooks, The Newlyweds' Cookbook! This recipe immediately appealed to me because it has one of John's favorite foods ever - prosciutto. As you may have seen from one of my recent posts, Toasted Prosciutto and Mozzarella, prosciutto holds a special place in our hearts.

This recipe was so, so, soooo good. I mean, the flavors that the prosciutto gave after being cooked, and then the pork and sage...wow. Very nice, very easy meal. I'm so happy with how it was, and John was too, as he got so excited he started eating it with his fingers! (No, I'm not kidding.)

I so suggest you make this asap, as a special recipe for your special someone. And, if you have one close to you, go to Trader Joe's because you will find great, cheap food!!

Ingredients:
*pork tenderloin (12 oz for 2 people)
*4 thin slices prosciutto
*6 sage leaves 
*evoo
*salt and pepper

Preparation:
* Cut the pork tenderloin crosswise (so it stays round) to make two servings. Season with salt and pepper.

*Put 2 slices of proscuitto on a work surface, overlapping them slightly. Add three of the sage leaves in a line down the middle.

*Put a pork fillet on top and roll up, keeping the join underneath. Repeat with the remaining fillet.

*Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the pork fillets, seam side down, and saute over medium heat for 12-15 minutes, turning frequently until evenly browned.

*Transfer to a warm oven and let rest 5 minutes.

*Slice and serve with your choice of side. (I used Parmesan-Roasted Cauliflower).

Prosciutto plus sage plus pork

Wrapped and ready to go

Searing

Looking good!

Mmmm look at that sage and crisp prosciutto

Sliced and yummy

Pork plus a nice side :)

Sweet and Spicy Pulled Pork

I've been pretty much sticking to chicken and, lately, ground turkey for my dishes. I saw another great recipe on Jourdan's blog, this time for pulled pork. I've never made pulled pork before but this recipe looked so easy I was pretty confident in my abilities to make it.

This was a super tasty dish, and it definitely came with a kick! (I took two of my heartburn medication after the first bite!) If you wanted this to be a little less spicy, I'd add a little more brown sugar (which I did once it was done) and maybe half the chipotle peppers. However, John and I really loved it how it is once I added some extra brown sugar (about 2 more tablespoons) and honey barbeque sauce (Sweet Baby Rays!). 

Funny story, I sent John to the store for the meat. Well, my husband is always on the lookout for a deal. He called to ask me if pork loin was the same as pork shoulder/butt (which is what I put on his grocery list). I told him I didn't think so but to ask the butcher.  John did ask the butcher, but not until he had googled it on his phone first. The butcher told him the same thing Google did, and he decided to get me the shoulder, which, apparently, is what they use in the south. Butt is, apparently, usually used on the east coast. Just a little random fact for you. Enjoy! :)

Ingredients:
*pork shoulder/butt (mine was about 4.5 pounds)
*2 cans Dr. Pepper (24 oz total)
*1 7 oz can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (I found this with the Mexican food - tortillas, taco seasoning, etc.)
*2 tablespoons brown sugar
*1/2 large onion, largely chopped
*whole wheat buns
*parsley (original recipe calls for cilantro, but I have a serious aversion to it so I decided to use parsley - Google told me it was a substitution)
*1/4 cup almonds
*1/4 cup olive oil
*1 or 1/2 jalapeno (depending on size and how spicy you would like it - I skipped this altogether!)
*Honey BBQ sauce (optional, but highly recommended)

Preparation:

Pulled Pork:
*Roughly chop 1/2 a large onion (or the whole thing, depending on how much onion you like) and place it in the bottom of a slow cooker. Place the pork on top of the onion, with the fatty side facing up.

*Spread the chipotle peppers on top of the pork. Add the Dr. Pepper, followed by the brown sugar (I just sprinkled mine all around). Set it on low for 7 hours (I like to start with 7 hours so I don't overcook the meat. If it's not ready after 7 hours, set it on low for another hour. I ended up cooking it for 7.5 hours total).

*When the pork is done pull it out of the slow cooker and place it into a bowl where you can add more brown sugar and barbeque sauce as you'd like. If you can, sift the onions out into a separate bowl as well. Serve with your desired components and enjoy!

Parsley Pesto:
*Chop up the parsley (or cilantro), jalapeno (if you choose to include it) and almonds. Place in a food processor with olive oil and mix well or until your desired consistency.

*Spoon the sauce over your pulled pork or on the bun. (Note: While I enjoyed this sauce, John loved it so much without the sauce that he didn't even bother putting it on! Use your discretion and personal palette to decide what to do. This definitely wasn't a make it or break it addition for us.)

What everything looked like as I turned on the slow cooker.

The onions pulled out from the slow cooker. Carmelized and delicious!

Parsley Pesto!

A look at how much pork we got from the pulled pork.

View from the top.

Pulled pork, plus BBQ sauce, plus more pulled pork, plus onions, plus a little extra BBQ sauce on the bun. YUM!

I served our sandwiches with green beans so that we'd get our greens in :)

With the parsley pesto. Love how the green adds to the dish.

Maple-Mustard Pork Chops

Covered in that savory sauce and out of the oven. :)

Now that I've been cooking more Ive expanded my repertoire to include more than just chicken (I've added ground beef/turkey, chuck roast, salmon and tuna steaks, woo!). I saw another recipe from Classic Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals, this one for pork chops, and decided I was ready to try it.  When I saw it was only $3.10 for 4 chops at the store I was even more excited for this new recipe adventure (I love a deal!).

This dish has some really great flavors. Grilling the pork chops gave them a nice smoky flavor (though my unventilated kitchen was slightly filled with smoke, too). The spiciness of the brown mustard, combined with the richness of the cumin and sweetness of my apple cider impromptu substitution made for a great meal.  John told me how great they were several times, and then, sweet as always, reiterated by saying, "I don't want to sound like a broken record, but everything you cook is just so wonderful. I promise to tell you if I don't like it, but it's just all better than the last."  I'm a lucky girl. :)

Ingredients: 
*1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
*1/4 medium onion, finely chopped
*1/2 teaspoon allspice
*1 teaspoon ground cumin
*grill seasoning blend (I used Montreal Seasoning) or salt and pepper
*olive oil
*8 center-cut boneless pork loin chops (I only used 4)
*1/2 cup dark amber maple syrup (I couldn't find this at the grocery store - maybe I didn't look hard enough - but I went ahead and substituted the dark amber maple syrup for good old light syrup that was sitting in our fridge. I think it worked out just as well - and healthier!)
*1/4 cup apple cider (I forgot this, so I substituted 1/4 cup water, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and a dash of cinnamon  - - it was great!)

Preparation:
*Preheat a grill or nostick griddle pan over medium-high heat. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

*Combine syrup, mustard, cider (or cider substitution), onion, allspice and cumin in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, 7 to 10 minutes, until sauce begins to thicken.

*Coat chops lightly in olive oil, season with grill seasoning blend - or salt and pepper - and cook on the grill pan of your choice, 3 minutes on each side. Baste chops liberally with sauce and cook, 2 or 3 minutes more, then transfer to a baking sheet. Baste again with sauce and place in hot oven to finish cooking, about 10 to 12 minutes (I did 12 minutes but feel 10 minutes would have been better).

*Serve along your sides of choice! I chose mustard-roasted potatoes - recipe posted here too! :)

Sauce...such a delicious and interesting combination!

On the grill pan. So nice to have when you can't have a grill at your apartment (but received an amazing one as a wedding gift and have to store it).

Flipped after first 3 minutes.

Covered in that savory sauce and out of the oven. :)