Cherry-Merlot Pork and Egg Noodles

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Cherry Merlot Pork Tenderloin and Egg NoodlesThis time of year things get so hectic. With all our favorite Fall activities, soccer games and practices, school obligations …often I find that my meal planning falls by the wayside. So, when asked to try a recipe from the Marzetti KitchensSM website to share with you guys – I jumped at the opportunity to try something new! But, it also had to be quick and easy, to accommodate our hectic schedules these days!

So, I’m glad I hopped on over there and checked it out. Because they really do have so many great recipes! I’ve always been a huge fan of their Caesar salad dressing that’s in the refrigerated produce section of the grocery store. Can always find a bottle in my fridge, still working on finding a homemade recipe that lives up to it!

I happened to have a pork tenderloin that I needed to use, so this recipe immediately caught my eye. I adapted it a bit, mainly because I was feeling lazy and just wanted to sear the tenderloin in one piece. Then a quick sauce is made using Merlot, cherry preserves and dried cherries. The pork finishes cooking while the sauce reduces, and then at the end you whisk in butter to make the sauce thick and luxurious. Easy peasy, and so darned impressive! The flavor of the sauce was absolutely delicious, both sweet and savory. Served over a heaping pile of warm egg noodles and a side salad, it made for a hearty and filling meal that didn’t completely weigh you down.  A perfect seasonal dish that comes together quickly for these hectic fall months!

Everyone enjoyed it, and leftovers were killer made into a panini using some brie cheese. So if you’re like me, and in a bit of a recipe funk – head over to the Marzetti Kitchens page to check out all their delicious recipes! I know you’re bound to find something that will “Wow!” your family, just like this meal did for us!

Cherry Merlot Pork Tenderloin and Egg Noodles

Cherry-Merlot Pork and Egg Noodles

1 (8 oz) package egg noodles
1 pork tenderloin
1 1/2 cups Merlot wine 3 oz dried cherries, reconstituted
1 (10 oz) jar cherry preserves
1/2 cup butter, cut into pieces
2 Tbsp. olive oil
kosher salt
ground black pepper

Cook egg noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork tenderloin generously with salt and pepper and sear in hot skillet until well browned on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside.

To the pan drippings add the wine, the cherry preserves and the cherries. Bring to a boil and return the tenderloin to the pan. Reduce heat to low and allow sauce to reduce, turning the tenderloin every few minutes to finish cooking evenly until the internal temperature reaches 160. Remove tenderloin from sauce and set aside to rest.

Meanwhile, whisk the butter into the sauce until well combined and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Slice pork into 1/2-inch pieces and serve over the egg noodles. Pour sauce over top of the pork. Serve immediately.

Source: adapted from Marzetti Kitchens

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Black Bean & Cheese Nachos

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Easy Black Bean & Cheese Nacos

Well, things are well under way in the back to school front here at our house. Andrew started kindergarten this year, and is gone all day long – not returning home until 3 in the afternoon. Which, is a long day for a kindergartner if you ask me…it was just a half day when I went to school!

At any rate, my little man gets home and is hungry for a snack. And to buy myself some time to get dinner started, I’m always happy to oblige. I usually always have the ingredients for these quick and easy nachos on hand, and the boys always love them. Cheese is something our family can never get enough of – so I use two varieties in these nachos. A cheddar for that cheesy flavor, paired with a Monterey Jack for a nice cheesy gooeyness.  And with the addition of black beans and a good veggie-hearty salsa, it’s a choice you can feel good about. Calcium, protein – two things my little ones need plenty of!

Supporting local dairy farmers is something I’m passionate about. Whether it’s the little independent dairy in my small town, or by looking for the Real Seal logo on dairy products when I’m shopping at the supermarket – I know that I’m supporting American cows, and that makes me smile. I can’t help but love those California cow commercials, can you? Get, get on the floor…

Black Bean & Cheese Nachos

4 cups tortilla chips
2/3 cup salsa
1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil (for easy cleanup).

Place tortilla chips onto baking pan in a single even layer. Using a spoon, evenly distribute salsa over tortilla chips. Sprinkle evenly with black beans and cheese.

Bake for about 3 minutes, until cheese melts and is bubbly. Serve immediately.

Source: inspired by my friend Lynn

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by the good folks at Real Seal, and as always all thoughts are my own.

Spaghetti with Clams

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Spaghetti with Clams

I’ve mentioned before that we live in a small town in a rural area, full of small towns just like ours. And in these small towns, it’s not uncommon for someone to have 2 professions. Like, the chief of police also owns the only extermination company for a 50-mile radius. Or the mayor of the town, who also owns an electric supply company. Or Jon’s boss at NASA, who farms cultured clams in his spare time…

We’ve been wanting to get a bag of “littlenecks”, the smallest and tenderest of clams, for quite some time now, but Jon would always forget to mention it to Scott for some reason or another. Finally last week, he remembered to remember, and a big bag of these guys were waiting for him in the office refrigerator on Monday morning. I knew I wanted to do a pasta with clam sauce, but all the other ones I had tried in the past were kind of lackluster. So, I turned to Giada. I’d found both of her cookbooks in the thrift shop for $1/piece (one man’s trash is another man’s comeup!) and there was a recipe that looked great, yet had a simple ingredient list – precisely what this dish should be.

And, I’m pleased to report that this recipe fully lived up to my expectations. A punch of garlic, a little bite from the addition of white wine, and then just an awesome brininess from the clams that rounds out all the flavors and brings everything together. So quick, too. Dinner is literally done in the time that it takes to boil the pasta! Winner, winner – clam and pasta dinner. Have a great weekend, kids!

Spaghetti With Clams

1 pound dried spaghetti
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 1/2 pounds (about 25) Manila or Littleneck clams, scrubbed clean
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons butter, diced into small cubes
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, zested, for garnish

In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water. Add pasta, stirring constantly in the beginning to prevent it from sticking together. Cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. When almost smoking, add shallots and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the clams and wine. Cover and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until most clams have opened. Add 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Whisk in butter to thicken sauce slightly.

Drain pasta in a colander. Do not rinse pasta with water. Place pasta into the clam saute pan and mix thoroughly. Season with to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour pasta into large serving bowl. Zest lemon over the dish. Garnish with remaining parsley. Serve immediately.

Source: adapted from Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis

Kohlrabi Slaw

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Kohlrabi Slaw

This was the first year that we’ve been a part of a crop share. Every Tuesday afternoon the boys and I take a ride up to Salisbury (about 30 minutes for us) and get our goodies for the week. We’re never sure what we’ll get, and it’s always exciting to find something that we haven’t tried before in the basket for the week.

Take kohlrabi for instance. I had no clue what do with it. Folks seemed to say it was like a cross between cabbage and broccoli – so I of course immediately thought of a slaw. I shredded the kohlrabi down and combined it with a small bag of pre-packaged broccoli slaw. I also  had a couple of green apples hanging around, so I shredded them and added as well. I loved, loved, loved the sweet crunch that they brought to the party.

I’m hoping we’ll continue to see kohlrabi in our baskets for another few weeks at least, I’m already brainstorming more uses for those big leafy bulbs!

Kohlrabi Slaw

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and shredded
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 bulbs kohlrabi, peeled and shredded
1 (12 oz.) package broccoli slaw
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup greek yogurt
3 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

Toss the shredded apples with lemon juice to prevent browning.

In a large bowl whisk the mayonnaise, yogurt, vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper together. Add the kohlrabi, broccoli slaw, and apples. Toss with the dressing to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.