In the past, I always turned my nose up at pork tenderloins. I think it’s because I’d never had one cooked properly – they were always flavorless and overcooked. A month or so ago, Elly posted a recipe for a delicious zesty dry-rubbed pork loin, and I made a mental note. A couple of weeks ago they went on sale at my local grocery store, so I picked one up with Elly’s recipe in mind.

We loved it. Loved it so much we’ve since had it again, which is unusual for us to eat something twice in a two week period. For being such a filling, comforting meal – it is super duper easy. And, a one pan dish as well! Sear off the pork loin in a cast iron pan, toss in some veggies, then finish cooking in the oven. In less than 30 minutes, dinner is on the table. The rub has wonderful flavors; lots of smokey cumin, spicy chili powder, and a bit of allspice- which gave it a  hint of a jerk seasoning. Would be a nice option for Cinco de Mayo actually, that isn’t a taco or a burrito (not that there’s anything wrong with that! Seinfeld fans, anyone?)

Most packages of tenderloins I buy actually have 2. No worries, they both fit in the skillet just fine and cooking time is about the same. I usually season 1 with the rub, which is enough to feed our crew for dinner. Then, season the other simply with salt and pepper. Leftovers make for an incredible Cuban sandwich or stir-fry later in the week!

I’ve been making my own tomato sauces for a few years now, but most take at least a couple hours on the stove. I made up a batch of this quick marinara from Teresa Giudice’s book last week when I made the stuffed artichokes, and I was so pleased with how the sauce turned out after only 15 minutes on the stove! I always have these ingredients on hand in the pantry, so I know I’ll be going to it from time to time for a quick dinner when things “run amuck” in the kitchen.

It was great with the artichokes, and then I enjoyed the leftovers with pasta for lunch throughout the week. I love a chunky tomato sauce, so I just used my hands to break up the whole tomatoes when adding them to the sauce. But, if you prefer a smoother marinara – give the tomatoes a few pulses in a food processor first. Will keep in fridge for up to a week, or you can freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.

This weekend we went over to my parent’s house for dinner. My dad had gone fishing earlier in the day, and came home with a nice sized “rock” as we call them around here, striped bass to the rest of the world. He cleaned it when we were finished with dinner (a gorgeous bushel of steamed #1 blue crabs) and sent us home with a nice sized filet, that I portioned into 4 smaller sized filets.

We get so much gorgeous, fresh seafood around here, I really take it for granted. I already had a menu set for the week, so I decided to make the fish for lunch on Sunday. Usually, I’d fry it an call it a day –  but the filets were so gorgeous, I wanted to do something special. I came up with this dish with what I had on hand, and it really knocked our socks off. I was afraid the salsa would be overpowering, but it wasn’t. The smokey sweetness just played up the flavor of the fish, and it was a nice change of pace from our standard fish fry! Plus, I got to use the pea shoots I’d bought on a whim at Trader Joe’s the week before. They soaked up all the juices from the dish, made for a surprisingly good salad.

If you’re looking for something to do with that abundance of rockfish we’re so lucky to have in our waters right now (or any other substantial white fish – mahi, halibut, etc.) bookmark this recipe! I’m hoping Dad shares some more with us this spring. I’m more than happy to send out a First and Second mate with him!

When you’re stuck with a bunch of brown bananas at the end of a long week, what’s a girl to do? Some might make banana bread or muffins, which is find and dandy. But, if you’re like me – by Friday you’re ready for a good cocktail. And there isn’t a better way to use up bananas than with a banana daiquiri.

I’m not one for fru-fru umbrella drinks, but I fell in love with the banana daiquiri on our honeymoon, where we were fortunate enough to visit the gorgeous island of St. Thomas. There we took a tour, with a wonderfully charismatic tour guide named Sunny Liston. If you’re ever in his neck of the woods, look him up. You’ll have a blast! One of the best views on the island is from the highest mountain top peak (naturally!) and they have a little shopping area/bar. “The Mountain Top” bar is actually home to the banana daiquiri, where it’s said they first concocted it back in the 40’s. The place burned down a few years ago, but it’s been rebuilt since. Thank God, I don’t think that gorgeous island would be the same without this gorgeous drink in hand.

I’ve thought about the drink from time to time since, and tried to recreate it to no avail. Until, I stumbled upon this recipe from Saveur. Nail on the head, people! Sweet, frothy, and strong. 6 ounces of rum may seem like a lot, but you wouldn’t know it’s there. The ripe bananas + banana liqueur gives it the perfect tropical kick. No fakey tasting banana – ugh, is there anything worse? Next time you have some bananas that are about to end up in the compost pile, make these daiquiris. It’s the next best thing to sitting on a tropical beach!