Sometimes Simple, Sometimes Grand, Always Declicious
If you know me at all, then you’ll know I like to be quick and efficient in the kitchen. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a slow and perfected weekend meal as much as the next mom chef, but during the week that’s just not always possible. What I’ve discovered, however, is that if I take the time to make a bit extra of whatever dish it is that I’m cooking up on a Sunday when the time allots, I’ll reap the rewards later in the week when eating is a much more rushed experience.
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Now that I’m a mom I look forward to Mother’s day. This year the boys and my husband went all out to make sure I was taken care of on the special day. It began with a leisurely stroll on our local greenway. I enjoyed the pitch perfect weather and my boys (with the exception of Alex) enjoyed the fact that the cicadas have pretty much taken claim over the entire city. It’s a once every thirteen year phenomenon and we’re smack in the middle of it. Nick, being all boy, found joy in grabbing them by the wings and letting them go to fly away once again. Drew just chased them up and down the walking bridge laughing the entire time. Only Alex had no desire to jump into the bug fray. In fact, I think he was a little “bugged out” by the time we finished the adventure. That’s my boy.
We followed up the walk with a stop at the local yogurt shop and an afternoon nap for me. That’s right a nap. I don’t think I’ve had one of those since I was three years old and it.felt.great. When I got back up and joined the land of the living, this is what I came down to witness:
My husband, who hasn’t set foot in the kitchen more than twice in our married lives to cook a full on meal, was doing just that. I tell ya, I could get used to this. It’s too bad Mother’s day is only once a year.
It’s back to normal life today and back to the dinner grind. If you’d like to get your husband cooking, this meal is a great segway into the kitchen. It involves the grill (the manly aspect of the meal) and a simple yet flavorful salsa that seriously makes the dish (the almighty segway).
To whip up the marinade, you’ll grab up a gallon sized ziplock and add in some balsamic, olive oil, cumin, coriander, lime juice, garlic, and salt. Add in your pork, close er up, and let it rest in the fridge for a couple hours.
When you’re ready to cook up a delicious grill inspired dinner, heat it up and get that gorgeous loin cooking. And I do mean gorgeous.
Once it’s cooked through and the temperature registers 145 degrees in the thickest part of the loin, remove and cover it with foil for about 5 minutes.
Now’s the time to put together that gorgeous salsa. I’m seeing some mango, strawberries, mint, cilantro, avocado along a few other surprises in that bowl. Trust me, they all belong there.
Mix it together, slice up that tantalizing loin, and drop a heaping spoonful (or three) of that gorgeous salsa over the top. A feast fit for a kitchen loving husband. I hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s day!
Total Time: 2 hour 30 min
For the Marinade:
1-2 Pound Pork Tenderloin
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Coriander
1 Lime, Juiced
1/2 tsp Salt
For the Salsa:
2 Cups Strawberries, Chopped
5-10 Mint Leaves, Chopped
2 Tbsp Cilantro, Chopped
1 Small Avocado, Chopped
1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 Cup Yellow Pepper, Chopped (about 1/3 of the pepper)
1/2 Mango, Chopped
1/2 Lime, Juiced
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Honey
Mix together all the marinade ingredients with the exception of the pork loin in a gallon sized ziploc bag.
Add the pork to the bag, seal and let marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
When you're ready to cook up the pork, fire up the grill on medium-high heat (around 425 degrees).
Place the pork loin on the grill and cook for about 10-15 minutes, flipping once. The pork will be done when the temperature in the thickest part of the loin reaches 145 degrees.
Remove the loin from the grill and cover with aluminum foil. Let sit for 5 minutes.
While the loin is sitting, grab up the ingredients for your salsa, drop them into a bowl and toss them up.
Slice up the finished pork and serve the strawberry mango salsa over the top.
Some people call it black bean salsa, some call it texas caviar. I simply call it delicious. This stuff is so good that I can eat it by the spoonful, with or without chips. I’m not alone either. Andrew and Alex, my two youngest, will join me in my spoon eating of this black bean goodness. We mainly use it as a dip for tortilla chips or as an accompaniment with main dishes; I’ve got two main dish recipes that I will be sharing in the upcoming days that use it as an enhancement. It’s versatile, healthy and yummy!
I have my best Texas friend, EVER, to thank for this delicious recipe. Micki and I met 6 years ago at a childbirth class for the arrival of both of our first children, and we’ve never looked back. I love this girl to pieces. She’s the type of friend that you can tell anything to, call any time of the day or night, talk on the phone with for HOURS and never get bored, and just plain have a kick ass time with any time you see her. She’s been there for the laughs and tears; even now that we’re long distance. She’s got your back no matter what and she’ll defend you with everything that’s in her. Friends come and go, but every once in a while you meet one that you know is special. Micki’s that one for me. I love ya girl!
Now, without further ado… Black Bean and Corn Salsa; Micki Style. Here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredients Needed:
1 Large Lime, Juiced
2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
½ tsp. Ground Cumin
¼ tsp. Salt
1 15 Oz. Can Black Beans, Rinsed and Drained
1 Cup Frozen Corn Kernels, Thawed
1 Medium Tomato, Diced
8 Thin Green Onions, Sliced (1/2 cup)
1/4 Cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro
1 Fresh Avocado, Chopped
Combine your lime juice, vinegar, cumin and salt in a large bowl; stir to mix well. Next, add in the beans, corn, green onions and cilantro; and stir to mix well again. Before serving add in the tomato and avocado. Serve immediately or refrigerate overnight.
Total Time: 15 min
1 Large Lime, Juiced
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 tsp Ground Cumin
1/4 tsp Salt
1 15 Oz. Can Black Beans, Rinsed and Drained
1 Cup Frozen Corn Kernels, Thawed
1 Medium Tomato, Diced
4 Green Onions, Chopped (1/2 Cup)
1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
1 Avocado, Chopped
Combine your lime juice, vinegar, cumin and salt in a large bowl; stir to mix well.
Next, add in the beans, corn, green onions and cilantro; and stir to mix well again.
Before serving add in the tomato and avocado.
Serve immediately or refrigerate overnight.
Well, the weekend’s over and it’s back to the bump and grind of every day life. I’m feeling pretty fortunate that we were blessed with beautiful weather here in North Carolina for the first weekend of spring considering my friends back in Texas were given yet another snowstorm with multiple inches of snow. It inspired me to cook up all kinds of goodies to share this week including a pizza using the guacamole recipe below that was amazing (who would have thought you could use guacamole on a pizza?) and a pound cake that was worth every tablespoon of butter I put into it.
Ok, so let’s get to the guacamole. This is my quickie version of guacamole. It’s the recipe you go to when you want yummy guacamole without all the dicing and chopping. Don’t get me wrong, I do love a batch of high effort guaco as much as the next girl, but most nights during the witching hour (and if you have kids you know what I mean), I feel lucky just to get food on the table, let alone gourmet guacamole. This guaco serves up a mean batch of delicious and takes about half the time to make. So here’s what you’ll need:
Ingredients Needed:
2 Large Avocados
The Juice from 1 Lime
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Cumin
1 Clove of Garlic
2 tsp of Cilantro
Sea Salt to taste
Now I know I mentioned this in an earlier recipe, but I just want to throw out again what a wonderful thing Dorot herbs are. No garlic mincing, no cilantro chopping, and best of all, because it’s a freezer item, it stays good for so much longer than fresh herbs. Don’t get me wrong, I love fresh herbs as well as the next gal and use them often, but for a quick backup, that really does the job, these are awesome.
Ok, the recipe. Mash up your two avocados in a bowl with a fork. Add in the juice, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, garlic, and cilantro. Mix well and then add your sea salt to taste. And let me tell ya, don’t be afraid with the salt. I find it takes a bit to really get the flavor where I want it. And that’s it! I told you it was a quickie.
I want to add one more note about the salt. For this recipe if you have access to it, try to use sea salt vs. regular salt. I don’t know why it is, but for some reason, sea salt makes guacamole that is really good! A friend once told me that sea salt was the secret to great restaurant guaco and after trying it, I’m a believer.
So here it is; the finished product. Try not to drool too much on your computer screen.
Total Time: 15 min
2 Large Avocados
1 Lime, Juiced
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Cumin
1 Clove Garlic, Minced
2 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
Sea Salt to Taste
Mash up your two avocados in a bowl with a fork.
Add in the juice, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, garlic, and cilantro.
Mix well and then add your sea salt to taste.