Buffalo Pork Tenderloin- Kick it Up a Notch!

Fire up the TAILGATE BBQ for this Beauty! All the flavors that you love in hot wings but injected into the pork, marinated, overnight and served with delish blue cheese dipping sauce and celery! It is so nummy! (That's a word right?  Nummy?) This is so infused with the flavors you love and baked to goodness! Served warm or cool it makes a great appetizer or summer BBQ too! (CHECK BELOW FOR A BITE SIZE APPETIZER RECIPE)

Oven Roasted, BBQ'ed or slow cooked in a smoker it's a winner!

Buffalo Pork Tenderloin

Special Tools : Meat Injector

1- 1 1/4-2 lb pork tenderloin
28 oz Franks Red Hot sauce

Inject meat with half of Franks Red  Hot varying location of injection.  Place tenderloin in plastic bag or casserole dish, covering with remaining hot sauce. Let sit overnight rotating or flipping bag.

OVEN - Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Insert meat thermometer into center of tenderloin, do not let it pass all the way through.  Bake for around 1 hour and 20 minutes, until tenderloin reaches 145 degrees. I like to throw a quick broil in for say 5 minutes to give a slightly BBQ'ed look. Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

GRILL- I usually stick to a smaller cuts around 1 lb a piece and do two, Sear grill marks into pork, about 2 minutes each side. Wrap in foil, and grill over medium heat,  for 30 minutes, baste with sauce, and cook for 15 more minutes.  Should reach 145 degrees and have no pink when done.

Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce

4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
1- 1 1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
9 ounces milk (optional)

1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)

KICK IT UP A NOTCH! 

Try roasting or BBQ'ing 1 inch cubes of pork loin in the same way! Serve skewered as an appetizer with Blue Cheese, Celery sticks.

Buffalo Pork Skewers

In a small bowl, combine the butter and 2-4 tablespoons of the hot sauce. Set both mixtures aside.

In a large bowl, combine the pork and an additional 2 tablespoons of hot sauce. Season generously with salt.

Marinate overnight if possible!

GRILL- soak bamboo skewers for at least a half hour. Thread the pork onto skewers and arrange over coals over medium heat for 10-14 minutes until no pink remains in the middle.  

OVEN- Arrange pork cubes on on prepared baking sheet. Broil for 4 minutes. Turn and broil until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove pork from broiler and let rest at least 3 minutes. While pork is resting, brush both sides with the butter mixture. Stick party toothpicks or skewers in each one to serve. 

French Onion Soup

Deeply rich and brown, beefy broth, loaded with soft caramel onions, toasted bread, and cheese toasted smothering the soup in the melty goodness over individual terrines or bowls.
The secrets are threefold:
1. The more than impressive Prime Rib Beef Stock. That being said, don't shy away from making this just because you have pre-made beef stock on hand.
2. Cooking down the onions for 1 whole hour- Don't Skimp on this step.
3. Dry out your bread or bake until firm and will soak up the soup but not fall apart.


French Onion Soup

3-4 medium onions, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced lengthwise
3 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dry
1 bay leaves

1 teaspoon salt, plus 1/4-1/2 tsp for later

1 tbs sugar
1/2 stick (4 tbs) unsalted butter
2 tbs all-purpose flour
3/4 cup good red wine (burgundy, pinot gris), or dry white (I prefer the depth of red)
4 cups Prime Rib Beef Stock, or organic, reduced-sodium beef broth (32 fl oz)
OR
Vegetarian Version- Porcini or Mushroom Stock

2 garlic cloves

Few dashes of Worcestershire Sauce

6 (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices of baguette, toasted dry and firm
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

6-8 thinly sliced, or about 2 cup grated Gruyère cheese

Uncovered Cook onions, thyme, bay leaves, sugar and salt in butter in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and deep golden brown, about 1 hour. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in wine and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in broth and pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.

While soup simmers, put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Arrange bread in 1 layer on a large baking sheet,  and toast. Turning over once, sprinkle with parmesan, continue to toast until completely dry, about 15 minutes.

Remove croûtes from oven and preheat broiler. Put crocks in a shallow baking pan.

Discard bay leaves and thyme from soup and divide soup among crocks, then float a slice(s) of bread(croûte) in each. Slice enough Gruyère (about 6 ounces total) to cover tops of crocks or bowls, allowing ends of cheese to hang over rims of crocks; Bake soups on tray for 20 minutes, then preheat broiler. Finish for a minute or two under the broiler to brown the top lightly. Grab pot holders, and serve immediately.

Cranberry Bliss Bars

A reinvention of Starbucks famous, delicious Cranberry Bliss Bar.  I sat there as the holidays swept past me eating that delicious, moist, sweet, Bar of Bliss, and a Breve latte, and it occurred to me I knew how to make them.

*Revised 12/23/11








Cranberry Bliss Bars
Cookie Base

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, cubed
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 cup dried cranberries, slightly chopped
4-6 ounces white chocolate BAR, coarsely chopped; pieces a bit bigger than an eraser head

White Chocolate Frosting
1/2 package(4 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 1/2 tsp Orange zest

4 tbs fresh juice from the zested Orange
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup white chocolate baking bar, melted, separated into two 1/2 cups

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 13x9-inch oblong cake pan with nonstick spray, or butter lightly.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Remove from heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until smooth. Transfer butter & sugar into a large bowl, and let cool to room temperature. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, And salt; gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in the cranberries and white chocolate.

3. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Do not overbake. Cool completely on a wire rack.

4. Prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, orange zest and juice, and powdered sugar until well-blended. Gradually add the melted white chocolate; beat until blended. Frost bars. Sprinkle with cranberries. Drizzle with remaining melted white chocolate. Cut into bars- square or triangle-shaped. Refrigerate for about 3-4 hours.  These may be served brought to room temperature, or slightly chilled.

Melting White Chocolate - I would like to say there is some romantic stove top double boiler way to melt white chocolate.. save yourself the frustration and stick with the microwave.

Put the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on medium-power setting for 15-30 seconds at a time, checking it each time. Then whisk it smooth.

Venison (or Beef) and Wild Mushroom Stroganoff

Though I make this recipe with venison backstrap, which is naturally very low in fat, you can easily make a delicious variation with beef tenderloin or even hamburger!
Creamy, saucy and delicious Stroganoff is thought to have its origins in old Russia. and brought abroad by soldiers returning from war.


I know that many people cook dishes like this one with canned condensed soup mixed, but I hope once you learn the trick of, 2 tbs butter and 2 tbs flour starter, starting a roux, you will never find reason to ever buy processed gravies, soups, or sauces again! It really is simple. Start your flour in a fat (butter, oil, or fat) and you will never find a lump again.

Venison and Wild Mushroom Stroganoff
30 minutes

1-2 lbs venison backstrap or tenderloin
OR
1 2 1/2-pound piece beef tenderloin or sirloin, well trimmed, meat cut into 2x1x1/2 inch strips
5 tbs butter
5 tbs flour, using 2 tbs first, and 3 tbs later.
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 pound wild mushrooms, or cremini
1 clove garlic
1 1/2-2 cups (12-16 oz) organic beef broth
2 tablespoons Cognac or brandy (optional)
2-3 tbs Worcestershire sauce, to taste
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley(optional)


12 ounces wide egg noodles
4 tbs butter
1 tablespoon paprika


Cut tenderloin strips or medallions. Pat meat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and flour lightly with first 2 tbs flour. Heat oil and butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, working in batches, add meat in single layer and cook just until brown on outside, about 1 minute per side. Set aside.

Add 1 tbs olive oil in same skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté until tender, scraping up browned bits, about 2 minutes. Add button mushrooms. Sprinkle with pepper and sauté until liquid evaporates, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic in last minute. In the middle of skillet, clear an area and melt 3 tbs butter, and 3 tbs flour, letting it melt into each other. Remove all of the flour taste by browning lightly for about three minutes. Whisk in beef broth. Simmer until liquid thickens and just coats mushrooms, about 14 minutes. Stir in sour cream, Worcestershire . Add meat that was set aside, and any accumulated juices. Simmer over medium-low about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain. Put back in pan, and add remaining 2 tablespoons butter; toss to coat. Divide noodles among plates. Top with beef and sauce. Sprinkle with paprika. Serve with finely chopped fresh Italian parsley.

Grandma Rose's Diagonal Cookies

Christmas cookie recipes are plentiful, Diagonals are an adaptation of a recipe written by Rose Naftalin, a Russian immigrant, whose father passed away two years after their arrival in the US. Rose was a self taught baker that wanted to satisfy her husband, a lover of fine foods, who also died a short time after they opened their own Delicatessen during the Great Depression. Rose kept baking, supporting herself and children with Rose's Fine Food Shop.  Her food and baking gaining fans all over the nation, Rose finally retired after working 20 hour days.  She then wrote, "Grandma Rose's Book of Sinfully Delicious Cakes, Cookies, Pies...", as well as many other compilations of her recipes. I strongly recommend this cookbook.




Grandma Rose's Diagonal Cookies
Shortcake Cookie
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup each Raspberry Seedless Jam, Apricot Jam ; and Solo brand Almond Filling

Icing
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
2 1/4- 1/2 tsp milk ( Should be thick not runny)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or grease cookie sheet.

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolk, flour and sugar. Mix completely,  roll dough into three parts, wrap in plastic wrap and cool for an hour.



Roll out one third of dough to about 1/4 inch thick in a long somewhat rectangular shape. (At first dough will be hard to roll out, but quickly become very pliable. Floor rolling pin as needed) Using a knife cut out  a long rectangle. Cut down the middle lengthwise making two 1 inch wide strips; saving irregular dough you cut off.  With a spatula carefully place strips on cookie sheet. Using leftover dough add and pinch a border of dough on each side of strip. (If you are short, I have illustrated how to use scraps to pinch into a border)

Fill between two sides of cookie with jam or almond filling.  Each 1/3 of dough will create 2 strips. Repeat steps with last two dough balls, one at a time.

Bake for 15-18 minutes or until just golden brown. Let cool completely.  Drizzle with icing. Cut diagonally.
Makes about 60 cookies.
Enjoy!