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

What Marzetti Kitchens recipe do you want to try? Share your favorite in the comments below for a chance to win a $100 VISA Gift Card.

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Ginger Pork Stir-Fry

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Ginger Pork Stir Fry

Stir-fries are one of my favorite options for a weeknight meals. Healthy, quick, and flavorful – I usually find myself adding one to our menu weekly. They’re also great for a “clean out the fridge” kind of night. I had close to a whole pork tenderloin leftover that I used for this dish. I was worried that the pork would be overcooked after stir-frying. But, it was just as tender and juicy as it was the first night we enjoyed it.

But, if you didn’t have a cooked pork tenderloin hanging around (which, you totally should make that recipe. It’s pretty much amazing) – you could of course slice it thin, and then cook in the wok before the veggies. I added broccoli, red pepper, and water chestnuts for a crunchy kick. But mushrooms, carrots, or snow peas would be other great additions. That’s why I love stir-fries – they are pretty much good with anything you throw at it!

Ginger Pork Stir-Fry

3/4 pound pork tenderloin, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1 red pepper, diced
1 can water chestnuts, drained
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 scallions, chopped

For the sauce:
1 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp hoison sauce
2 Tbsp Mirin (or dry sherry)

Combine soy sauce, veggie oil, garlic, 1 tsp grated ginger, and scallions in a Ziploc bag. Add pork to bag and toss to coat. Let marinade 30 minutes while you prep the rest of the veggies and sauce.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of ice and 2 cups of water. Toss broccoli florets into the boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove, and place in the ice bath to set the color and stop the cooking process. Drain, and place florets on a clean kitchen towel to dry.

Drain the excess marinade from the pork. Place your sauce, vegetables and pork near the stove.

Heat 1/4 inch vegetable oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced pork; stir slowly until almost opaque; about 1 minute. Transfer to plate; discard the oil and wipe out the pan.

Heat the pan over high heat; 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons oil and add the vegetables, starting with the red peppers – then the broccoli and water chestnuts. Stir-fry until crisp-tender.

Add the pork and sauce and stir until the sauce is thickens, about 3 minutes. Thin with chicken broth, if needed. Serve over rice and garnish with sliced scallions.

Source: adapted from Food Network Magazine, March 2010

Singapore Mei Fun

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Singapore Mei Fun

I love making our favorite Chinese take-out dishes at home. They’re always tastier, healthier, and much easier on the old pocketbook. Jon’s favorite dish to order-out, hands down, would have to be Singapore Mei Fun. Now, I realize this probably isn’t anywhere close to the noodle dishes you’d actually find in Singpore – but let’s be honest, what comes out most Chinese restaurants in this country  actually is authentic? Am I right?

Soft rice noodles, sauteed with all kinds of crispy yet tender vegetables – and a protein if you like, all in a delicious spicy sauce chock full of curry. I’d never had it before her ordered it, he used to be a General Tso’s guy…but switched to this when he was trying to lose a little weight, and years later he’s still never gone back. I’ve almost grown to love it over my beloved lo mein noodles! Our local place always adds a scrambled egg to the stir-fry, which I feel is a great addition as it helps to soak up any extra sauce and flavor, so I added that to my at-home version too.

It turned out really great, and was a fairly quick and easy meal. I just softened the rice noodles while I was prepping the veggies (stuff I had laying around in the fridge and pantry), stirred together the spices with some soy sauce and sesame oil, and stir-fried for a delicious dinner. I sliced up half a pork tenderloin that I had from a meal earlier in the week and added it to the mix, to add a little protein – but shrimp, leftover chicken or beef would also be great. Ff you wanted to make it vegetarian try adding tofu, or even just bulking up the veggies. And by using your favorite soy sauce substitute, it’s easily gluten-free. You can also switch up the spices in a bit – adding more or less Sriracha or red chili flakes to adapt the heat to your liking. We like it pretty spicy, but I realize not all folks do.

This is one I’m definitely glad to be adding to my repertoire, as it’s a favorite of our whole family! 

Singapore Mei Fun

12 oz rice noodles
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
2 tsp grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cup green cabbage, shredded
1 1/2 cup red cabbage, shredded
1 cup leftover pork, chicken or beef – sliced (optional)
1 1/2 cup bean sprouts
4 scallions, sliced

For the sauce:
1 Tbsp hot curry powder (or your favorite curry powder)
1 tsp ground tumeric
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp crushed red chili flakes
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp Sriracha
1 tsp grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced

Soak the noodles according to the package instructions (Usually soak in hot water for 15 minutes). Drain well and set aside in the colander.

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl, stir to combine.

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in wok over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and cook, stirring constantly, until the eggs are cooked and scrambled. Remove to a small bowl and set aside.

Add remaining oil to the wok and increase heat to high. Add ginger garlic paste, and stir until fragrant – about 30 seconds. Add the carrot, bell pepper, and cabbages to the wok. Toss using a pair of tons until starting to soften – about 2 minutes.

Add in the rice noodles, sliced meat, bean sprouts, scallions, scrambled eggs, and finally the sauce. Toss well to combine everything and cook for an additional minute.

Serve hot with additional Sriracha and soy sauce, if desired. 

Source: adapted from Messy Kitchen Stories

Reader Favorites of 2013

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It’s been another great year here at Tide & Thyme. A great year of cooking, and a great year of eating. A big thanks to you guys for making this the best year for the site yet, and I hope to see you back here next year looking for tasty new recipes!

So without further adieu, here are your favorite posts from this year…

Beer-Candied BaconThe beer-candied bacon was by far the most popular post of the year. In fact, it was one of the top pins on Pinterest for the year as well! And, for good reason – it’s easy, delicious, and unforgettable. For something I was debating even taking pictures of and sharing with you guys, I’m so glad I did – because it’s turned out to be one of the most popular recipes of all time here on the site! Thank you internet, for loving beer and bacon as much as I do…

Homemade Enchilada SauceHomemade Enchilada Sauce – This was another big year for DIY-ing in my kitchen, and this enchilada sauce is one of my favorite “store-bought” ingredients to make at home. Takes just a few minutes to bring together, and the flavor is unparalleled to anything you’d find on a shelf in the supermarket.

Indonesian Pork TenderloinIndonesian Pork Tenderloin was another big hit here on the site this year. I love pretty much any flavorful twist on this tender protein choice, but there’s something about the combination of flavors found here that make this recipe a winner I keep coming back for, and evidently you guys do too!

Bacon Stout Chocolate CheesecakeBacon Stout Chocolate Cheesecake – with all those components in one recipe, what’s not to love? This was a recipe I tried to copycat from our local brewpub (word to Dogfish!) that ended up being even better than their version, if I do say so myself.

Oreo Cheesecake BitesOreo Cheesecake Bites – ya’ll clearly love your sweets, and here at Tide & Thyme we aim to please. These guys are perfect little bites of perfection chock full of everyone’s favorite sandwich cookie. No wonder it’s been such a hit!

Bacon and Aspargaus Pasta

Bacon and Asparagus Pasta – this was one I just kind of winged one night, that turned out to be a favorite. It’s quick and filling, and aside from the asparagus – can be made with ingredients most of us usually have on hand.

Lemon Cupcakes with Blackberry ButtercreamLemon Cupcakes with Blackberry Buttercream – citrus and berries are always a winning combination in my book, but when paired with a cupcake? Well then it’s just pretty tough to beat! You guys evidently felt the same.

Chocolate Cream PieChocolate Cream Pie – one of my very favorite desserts, as well as yours. It’s been a classic for ages. This version is rich and delicious, and cuts absolutely beautifully – something that can be tricky when it comes to cream pies. 

Beef Burritos with Poblano QuesoBeef Burritos with Poblano Queso – a quick weeknight dinner that’s something different than your standard tacos. Tender ground beef, corn, and black beans all rolled up in a flour tortilla, then topped with a creamy cheese sauce that’ studded with smoky poblano peppers. Win!

Blackberry MargaritasBlackberry Margaritas – it may be the dead of winter, but we can still dream of our favorite summertime drinks…like, these insanely delicious margaritas. Fresh berries are pureed and added to a homemade margarita mix to make a cocktail that is out of this world delicious!

So, there they are – the reader favorites for 2013. Thanks again for making it such a fantastic year for us, everyone! And, make sure to check back tomorrow for some of my favorites from this year that didn’t make it to the list!