Sweet & Sassy Pork Tenderloin

As you know.....I'm not a huge meat eater, with the exception of chicken, turkey and seafood....the only other meat I like is pork! And this pork tenderloin recipe is to die for! When I say it's delicious, it's an understatement. It's so tender and has the perfect amount of sweet and spice (sassy)! 

The key is marinating it for long enough and cooking it perfectly. I can promise you, you will add this to the rotation. As for my kids....they LOVE it! 

 I always double this recipe so there is enough sauce to smother and dip!  You should double it also!

SWEET AND SASSY PORK TENDERLOIN 
2 pounds pork tenderloin 
4 tablespoons brown sugar 
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 
2 tablespoon Spicy Brown Mustard 
2 cloves garlic, minced 
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes...if you want it more sassy, add more! 
2 teaspoon prepared horseradish 

Cut tenderloin into 1-1.5 inch thick pieces..and place in large bowl. I got about 8 pieces out of mine. 
Stir together sugar, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, mustard, garlic, red pepper flakes, and horseradish in bowl, until blended and pour over pork. 
Let marinate for at least 2 hours..I do it all day! 
Place the meat onto preheated grill (med/high heat). 
Grill until no longer pink in the center, approx 8 minutes per side. 
When finished, place pork on a plate, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. 

While meat is cooking bring the marinade to a boil on the stove, and simmer over medium heat, and stir until smooth. Pour sauce over sliced tenderloin to serve.

ENJOY!

~Gianna~

Death by Chocolate

One of my resolutions this year is to blog more...so I'm going to really try (I say this all time, I know) to get a new recipe or blog entry 2x a week or more often! 

I actually have about 100 recipes in my "draft" section, just waiting to be posted.   So post....I will!!!! Blogging more, getting back on my workout routine and cooking more at home (we've gotten ourselves into an ordering out/going out routine)...as well as more organizing and decorating the house all in 2013! Those are my goals/resolutions!!  And I plan to stick with them ALL (as much as I can)!  Now that I've publicly announced them....I better put my food where my mouth is! 

Here is a recipe that my Mom always made for special occasions when we were kids....I especially remember it on New Year's Eve!  Her recipe was a little different because she used Heath Bars......and with all the nut allergies nowadays I stick with Kit Kats.  She also used to put Kahlua in her cake mix to give it a little extra kick, I do not.  You definitely can add the Kahlua and swap the Heath for the Kit Kats! But no matter how you do it.....you will be sure to have a crowd pleasing dessert!!!  It's a very simple recipe, that really takes no time at all.....As long as you have the ingredients in your kitchen. You can make it for a large crowd, for a holiday, for a BBQ, or just for 2 people to share on Valentine's Day (and the week following with leftovers).  I made this yesterday for New Year's Eve and even though a lot of it went...I was so excited to have leftovers!!!!   It's even better after it sits in the fridge for a few days!   YUM!!!!  

Death By Chocolate 

1 box of Chocolate Cake Mix (I use Chocolate Fudge) 
1 box of Chocolate Mousse Mix 
1 large container of Cool Whip -- remove from freezer and into fridge for 30 minutes-1hour before you make dessert. 
1 package of 6 -- Kit Kat Bars 

 Follow directions on the cake mix box..and make your cake. 
Cool and then wrap the entire cake in foil and put in the freezer for a few hours. 
Make mousse by following the box..let cool in fridge for a few hours. 
In a food processor or by hand smash candy bars into pieces. 

When ready to make the dessert, get a large clear bowl. 
Crumble 1/2 of the cake into bottom of bowl. 
Next layer 1/2 of the mousse on top.
Next layer 1/2 of the Cool Whip. 
Sprinkle 1/2 of the candy pieces. 
Next layer the rest of cake crumbled.
Layer rest of mousse. 
Layer rest of Cool Whip. 
Finish off with candy pieces!

 Blog Post -- 1, Eating Healthy -- 0 


 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

~Gianna~

White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cheesecake

I hosted Christmas this year and I needed a dessert!  I had already been making tons of other stuff like cupcakes for the girl's parties at school, cookies (because what's Christmas without cookies?!?!), stuff for Christmas Eve at my parent's house (for 25 people) and Christmas dinner for 12.  I needed something I could prepare a few days before, but something that would be delicious with a WOW factor!  So while searching I found THIS and decided to give it a try!  It took a pretty decent amount of time due to all the layers, but the end result was worth it!  If you like peppermint flavor anything and cheesecake...you will LOVE this dessert and so will everyone you serve it to!  And a little goes a long way..make sure you slice into thinner pieces and save some for another day!

White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cheesecake

Crust:
2 cups Chocolate Cookie Crumbs (22 regular Oreos -- regular not Double Stuffed)
3 tbsp. butter,  melted

Filling:  
3 blocks of cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
4 oz. white chocolate, melted
1 1/2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 tbsp heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp peppermint extract
3 eggs
1/2 batch peppermint bark (RECIPE) approx. 1 1/2c chunks

Mousse:
1/2 cup Cool Whip, softened
4 oz.  cream cheese, softened
2 oz. white chocolate, melted
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla


••••Make the peppermint bark before you are ready to make the cheesecake.  I usually have some made during the holiday season, but if you do not...make sure you have it made a day or 2 before you are ready to make the cake.  •••••

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Using 2 sheets of tin foil prepare your 9" spring form pan.  
Using a food processor blend cookies until they are fine crumbs.  Add melted butter and blend together.  
Transfer the crumbs to the pan and using a flat bottom cup, press crumbs down to make an even crust.  
Bake for 10 minutes and set aside.

Reduce temperature to 325 degrees.

Cut up peppermint bark into small pieces and set aside.

Melt 4oz of white chocolate.  I use the microwave and check it (and stir it) every 30 seconds until fully melted.  You can also use a double broiler.  

Filling:
In a large bowl (I use my stand mixer), beat cream cheese until smooth.  Add sugar and mix well.  Add melted chocolate, flour, heavy cream, salt and peppermint extract.   Make sure to scrap the bowl between each new addition.  Mix well.  Add one egg at a time and then mix until smooth and well blended.
Add peppermint bark pieces and stir by hand.

Transfer the whole spring form pan (with crust) to a larger roasting pan and pour filling into spring form pan.  Add hot water to roasting pan....fill half way up the sides of the spring form pan.  

Carefully place in center of oven and bake for 1 hour.  

Turn oven off and keep door shut, but leave cheesecake in the oven for an additional 45 minutes.  

Remove spring form pan from roasting pan and allow to cool for an hour before chilling.

Chill 4 hours or overnight before adding the mousse.  

Mousse:
In a medium bowl beat softened cream cheese, melted white chocolate, cool whip, sugar and vanilla until smooth and thickened, slightly.  


Carefully remove side of spring form pan.  Spread mousse mixture evenly over cheesecake. 

Chill for another 4 hours or overnight before serving. 

Serve topped with whipped cream, chocolate shavings and crushed candy cane!  

ENJOY!!!!! 

~Gianna~

Ultimate Pretzel Crusted Peanut Butter Brownies

Yes, you read that right!  Someone posted this recipe on my message board, and as soon as I saw "pretzel", "peanut butter" and "brownie" in the same title -- DONE!  While I'm not a huge chocolate person (as you already know).....once you mix it with peanut butter, I'm a HUGE fan!

So I read the title and ran to the food store.  See....I've been doing a lot of cooking lately for my family...but also for my Mom and Dad.  Sadly my Mom's cancer spread (it's treatable though) and she's been on radiation.  She also has bronchitis and well.....those 2 things have her totally exhausted and unable to do much.  So I've taken on the role as private chef for my parents....and now I'm thinking that when radiation and chemo are over.....they might ask me to just move in...or put me on pay role!  She called me tonight and asked me "what's on the menu this week?"  With menu in hand for the week, I added these as an added bonus!

I'd been cooking ALL.  DAY.  LONG and I was tired....but I knew once dinner was over and the kitchen was clean, I could sink my teeth into one of these!

The recipe came from HERE.  I followed the recipe exact, because I had gotten all the ingredients this time!  And they did NOT disappoint!  I had one, but no one else in the family has.  Olivia was in bed by 7:15, not felling well...Ava got punished because she didn't eat dinner (can't have your pudding, if you don't eat your meat) and Joe is asleep on the couch.  But now that I've cut them up...once the smell makes its way to the living room he'll be up!   For now though......I may just have another one!  They are a little rich and sweet...so cut them into smaller "brownie pieces" unless you like rich and sweet.

There is NOTHING healthy about these....so if you are dieting or watching what you eat...LEAVE NOW before you see the picture!  If you are all "F - DIETS!", feast your eyes on these..........

(that is heaps of peanut butter from the peanut butter cups).

OK....I won't waste any more time...here's the recipe!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups crushed butter snap pretzels

1 cup melted butter

5 TBSP sugar

Peanut Butter Cookie Mix (+ ingredients the mix calls for)

Brownie Mix (+ ingredients the mix calls for)

Snack size Reece's Peanut Butter Cups (24)

1.  Crush the pretzels in a food processor (or however you'd like to crush them).  Don't crush to dust....make sure there are small pieces still in the mix.  

Mix with melted butter and sugar.

Press lightly into a greased 13x9 pan.

Set aside

2.  Make cookie dough according to package.  Lightly press cookie dough evenly on top of pretzel crust.

3.  Unwrap 24 Reece's Peanut Butter Cups and layer them on top of cookie dough.

4.  Make brownie mix according to package and pour evenly over Peanut Butter Cups.

5.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

6. Remove, Cook and ENJOY!

My good camera is broken (sad face) so these pictures are from my phone...and do not do it's justice!

~Gianna~

It's a Jersey thing....

Here in NJ we have one of the most delicious things you'll ever lay your mouth on.  In Norther Jersey we call it taylor ham, egg and cheese, in Southern Jersey they call it pork roll, egg and cheese.....it's also popularly known as TEC because this is what most delis, bagel stores, etc...write on the wrapper after they wrap it up to get it to go with your coffee, iced tea, 1/2 & 1/2 (known around the world as an Arnold Palmer, but in my parts a 1/2 & 1/2).  You can't even get taylor ham/pork roll in many parts of the USA....which is shocking to me!  Shocking that some people have never had the pleasure of enjoying this NJ delicacy.

So what IS taylor ham and pork roll?  You ask????   Well Taylor Ham is actually a brand of pork roll.....just like Q-Tip is a brand of cotton swab or Band-Aid is a brand of adhesive bandage.  Pork roll is a breakfast meat...similar to ham, but when pan-fried in a skillet or on a griddle, tastes much different.   It gets sliced (sometimes it comes sliced already) into a circle and then gets 3 or 4 slits around the circle...to prevent the finished product from curling around the edges.  

Once cut up, you put the pieces onto a hot, buttered griddle or frying pan and cook it for about 5 minutes on each side...or until it's browned.  On the other side of the pan or griddle crack open your eggs....right on the hot pan!  Cook the eggs however you like them cooked....they are usually served fully fried or over medium (yolk harder), BUT some like it a over-easy and more runny.  You can cook it however you'd like.  

Once it's almost cooked to your liking you add the American cheese and let it cook until it's melted on top of the eggs!

Once your taylor ham and eggs are all cooked...you simply layer it on top of a hard roll, a bagel,  croissant...really anything!  I prefer mine on a hard roll.   Then you can sprinkle some "saltpepperketchup" on top!    AKA...salt, pepper and ketchup...which is ALWAYS asked when you order one of these sandwiches in NJ.....and when it's asked, it's almost like those 3 words, mumbled into 1 word!    If it isn't asked, then you aren't in NJ!  Plain and simple!

I LOVE mine with just ketchup...no salt or pepper!  So the way I like mine is  "TEC K" in Jersey terms!  Most people like theirs "TEC SPK"!

There really isn't a specific recipe for this breakfast sandwich...it's really how you like it!  All you need is

Taylor Ham (pork roll) sliced
Eggs
American Cheese (sliced)
saltpepperketchup
Rolls, bagels....

And voila......THE MOST AMAZING THING EVER!

~Gianna~