Pork Tenderloin Day 2

The Pork Tenderloin that Mr Man and I bought for our Anniversary dinner in my last post must have been from a Monstrous Pig.  Usually Kris and I split one and have very little if any left however this time we had a little more than half left when we finished.  I didn't check the weight on it this time, I am usually pretty good about that but I was shopping with Mr. Man so I was a bit distracted.

Kris and I are sometimes bad about using leftovers, I finish the meal, pack it all up and it sits in the back of the fridge until I grows enough "personality"  to file a formal protest then ultimately gets fed to the garbage disposal..  I couldn't let that happen to more than half a pork tenderloin.

The answer BBQ Pork Sandwiches!  The ingredients round 2:

Ginger Pickled Vegetables

2 Medium Carrots Shredded on a Mandolin (or by hand)

1 inch cube of Fresh Ginger shredded (same way)

1/2 medium White Onion sliced thin

1/2 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar

1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

2 TBS Balsamic Vinegar

2 TBS Honey

Ok, you ask the obvious question, "Why three types of vinegar?"

Simple, I was going to use rice vinegar but ran out and thought I would finish with cider vinegar but ran out so finished with balsamic...  Like I have said before this is a very forgiving recipe.  Cut the first three ingredients and put into a bowl then heat up the Vinegar(s) and Honey on the stove.  When it comes to a soft boil pour the mixture into the bowl with the shredded vegetables, add a little salt and set aside for about 40 minutes I put it in the fridge.

I am not showing off here, but we were out of every drop of BBQ Sauce in the house so... The Sauce:

1 cup Ketchup

1 Heavy TBS of Molasses

1/4  cup Bourbon

2 tsp Dijon Mustard

2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp Chili Powder

1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp Onion Powder

Heat over medium stirring occasionally until sauce starts to thicken, maybe 20 minutes or so.

While the sauce is going it is time for the good part, the meat.  I didn't really measure but I have to say that I had about 2/3 of a pound of cooked pork tenderloin.  I started this part the best way ever... I diced a couple of slices of bacon into a small saucepan and cooked until it was almost done then sliced the pork into 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch strips and sauteed that with the bacon for a minute or two then added the BBQ Sauce. 

I made sure the pork was covered but not "over sauced" then cooked them together for 10 or 15 minutes.  The sandwich is what you see... open a bun put the pork on then top with the pickled vegetables.  The question comes up, "so how was it?" 

Really good! but quite a bit of work for just the two of us, this one will be on for a summer barbecue with with friends but I don't see it for the quiet weekend meal.

Pork Tenderloin Day 1

Kris and I celebrated out 4th anniversary on February 18th, the celebration was pretty short I woke up at my typical 4:15 am and found Kris at the computer, "Happy Anniversary."

"You too Sweetie, I love you."

This Saturday we had our anniversary dinner among all shopping, car repairs and child birthday parties that occupy our lives these days.  While Kris took Miss Lu to a glow in the dark miniature golf party Mr. Man and I went to the store for dinner supplies.  The Menu, Apple Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Mashed Potatoes and Sauteed Vegetables followed by Molten Chocolate Cake.  Nothing really fancy but nice enough and easy to do so Kris and I could actually talk while I made dinner.  I have talked about Pork Tenderloin in the past, it is an extremely versatile meat, just waiting to take on the flavor that you give it.  This one worked well twice!  The ingredients round 1:

1 Granny Smith Apple cut to a 1/4 inch dice

1 Cup Apple Cider

1/2 Cup of Bourbon

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

1/2 Cup Brown Sugar

2 Cloves minced Garlic

1 tsp dried Rosemary

Salt, Pepper

Mix ingredients together and heat up until the sugar dissolves then add a Pork Tenderloin I put this into the refrigerator for about an hour while the marinated cooled down then back out when I got everything ready.  

Take the Pork out and sprinkle with a bit more salt and pepper then strain about a cup of the marinate into a saucepan,  and add about 1/2 cup heavy cream.  Then start to heat the Marinate about to become Apple Cider, Bourbon Cream Sauce add about 2 tsps of roux to thicken and bring to a low boil.  Put your pork Tenderloin on the grill and cook the way you like it.  For me that is medium take it off the grill and let rest under foil for a few minutes.  Then well you see how it looks, it does taste that good too.  The Sauce is a bit on the sweet side, very nice on the meat.

Ahh The Manhattan

The last couple of days have been days to remember... or hopefully, with the help of this drink... not. I had taken some time (and pictures) over the last few days (I took a four day weekend from that pesky day job) to put together some posts that I was excited by (you will see them soon) but the graphics card on my computer crashed. I called HP but they were more interested in selling me a new computer than helping me with my problem. That is fine, they need to make money too I suppose.

While I search for a compatible component (instead of a $1500 computer) I have a couple of ideas that I had planned to bring up soon. This one seems most appropriate now, the Manhattan. History suggests that the Manhattan was first made for Winston Churchill's Mother, Lady Randolph Churchill, at the Manhattan Club in New York. Though there is some argument over the proportions the classic Manhattan has Whiskey, Sweet Vermouth and Bitters usually garnished with a Maraschino Cherry. Mine are:

2 oz whiskey

1/2 oz Sweet Vermouth

2-3 drops Angostrua Bitters A little bit goes a Looooong way

Poor into a Rocks Glass filled with Ice, I don't usually garnish this drink because I am so eager to consume it.

A friend of mine in Dublin Ohio used to cater a party for a couple that celebrated their switch from Martinis to Manhattans every Labor Day weekend. I have to say that it was a party for a good cause(drinking) they also celebrated the opposite switch on Memorial day each year I don't know much else about the semiannual events except for the fact that a lot of rich people drank way too much

The Hot Toddy

Yesterday I took the day off of work because I was sick, I tried to think of the last time I called into work for that reason, for the life of me I couldn't think of a time when that had happened before. The day was spent mostly going from watching TV and napping to reading a trashy mystery novel and napping. I have something resembling a bad cold with headache and cough.

As I was getting ready to go to bed at about 8:30 I decided to make a Hot Toddy to to take the edge off of my symptoms. A Hot Toddy is a wonderful warm and soothing drink that will sooth a cough give me a little push towards sleep. This one had:

6 oz water

2 1/2 oz Bourbon

1 Tbs Honey

slice of lemon.

Put the water in the microwave until hot then add the other ingredients and stir. The honey and lemon took the edge off my cough and the Bourbon... well you know what that does. I held my cup with both hands and walked to the bedroom with it. The warm cup and the sweet smell were already starting to relax me. I sat in bed and slowly drank most of it, though honestly I fell asleep before I finished.