RECIPES: 1 night, 2 new recipes... and "wife-of-the-year award"...

I was feeling bold and adventurous today... after spending most of the day in my favorite chair, reading my current favorite book and working up a true appetite. I decided to try out 2 new recipes tonight: Tender Pork Tenderloin and Perfect Potatoes Au Gratin.

Talk about ambitious. And just you wait... it gets exciting and dangerous at the end...

Starting with the pork tenderloin: Pat it dry on all sides...

And quick ... find your garlic!



Next: cut a few cloves in half and smell the garlic...



You need these cloves sliced thin... so I sliced up about three or four cloves...



With a small knife you make little cuts into the tenderloin and slide the garlic slivers in... mmm...



Then sprinkle with the seasonings: I used kosher salt, ground black pepper and ground cumin.



Lower the tenderloin into hot oil ... and brown on all sides.



Turn every 3-4 minutes to brown on all sides...



Then you'll add the goodness that keeps this so moist... dry white wine and chicken broth.



Carefully splash the broth mix into the Dutch oven or skillet, cover and slide into hot oven.



Approximately 45 minutes later you have this...



A moist pork tenderloin that has reached at least 150 degrees F... keep it covered and let it rest for a while.



And when it's ready... move it to a cutting board and find your best knife...



But first, take a look at those beautiful garlic slivers poking up out of there... can you smell them?!



Thinly slice and serve up ... but first ... don't forget about the potatoes... let's back up for a bit and start at the beginning...

Well, I'll let the Pioneer Woman show us in all her glory. Check it out: Perfect Potatoes Au Gratin.




And for those of you who read all the way through this to read about the exciting and dangerous portion of tonight's dinner... and, this is how I won the "wife-of-the-year award".

My hero-of-a-hubby is on very strong antibiotics this week and cannot, I mean C-A-N-N-O-T, consume any alcohol. Fast forward to sitting down with this yummy-looking, fantastic-smelling plate of food and taking a few bites. My hero-of-a-hubby asked me what the meat was cooked in and I explained "chicken broth and white wine" and he just about jumped out of his chair. He had taken 2 or 3 bites and, wait... what is that?! He tasted something similar to wine...

Enter the "wife-of-the-year award"...

I promise... I will N-E-V-E-R make that mistake again! But I do get to enjoy the rest of the tenderloin... all-by-myself...


RECIPE: Tender Pork Tenderloin
Recipe courtesy Parade magazine (Oct ’01)

Ingredients
1 ½ - 2 pound pork tenderloin
3 clove of garlic, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ cup chicken broth
½ cup dry white wine

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400°F.

With the tip of a sharp knife, make deep little slits all over the tenderloin and insert the garlic slivers. Season with salt, pepper, and cumin.

Place the oil in a Dutch oven and sear the tenderloin well on medium-high heat on all sides (3-4 minutes on each side), turning the meat over as it browns.

Add the chicken broth and white wine to the pan and place it in the oven for approximately 45 minutes (or until meat thermometer inserted into middle of largest part reads at least 150 degrees F . Remove it and let it rest for 10 to 12 minutes (covered), before carving. It will continue to cook as it sits. Slice and serve immediately.




enjoy your time in the kitcen...