Sweet Chili Pork Tenderloin

Sweet Chili Pork Tenderloin

1 lb pork tenderloin
1/4 cup + 1 T orange juice
Juice of 1 lime
2 T + 1 tsp apricot preserves
1 T + 1 tsp chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T soy sauce
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 T olive oil

Combine 1/4 cup orange juice, lime juice, 2 T apricot preserves, 1 T chili powder, garlic, soy sauce, and cayenne pepper in a large food storage bag and add pork tenderloin. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and heat. Add tenderloin and cook about 5-6 minutes on each side to form a crust. Resist the temptation to turn the meat too early.

Transfer the pan to the oven and finish cooking for approximately 10-15 minutes until cooked through. Combine 1 T orange juice, 1 tsp preserves, and 1 tsp chili powder in a small bowl, brush on tenderloin for last 5 minutes of cooking. Let meat rest covered with foil for about 5-10 minutes before cutting to let juices redistribute. Pour any remaining glaze over sliced tenderloin.

Smoky Mountain Chili

Smoky Mountain Chili

2 lbs ground beef
1/2 lb chorizo
1/2 lb Italian sausage
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz dark beer
1 green pepper, diced
3 jalapenos, finely diced
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup corn kernels (frozen)
1 T ancho chili powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp ground cumin

Brown meat in a large dutch oven or skillet over medium high heat, crumbling with a wooden spatula. Drain off grease and transfer meat to a bowl. Return pan to heat and add onions and garlic. Cook about 2 minutes and add beer to deglaze the pan, scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan and let the majority of the beer cook off. Transfer to a crockpot if desired. Reduce heat to medium-low and add tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beans and stir to combine. Add corn, peppers and spices and cook for at least 60 minutes covered on the stove, stirring occasionally or 3-4 hours on low in the crockpot. Stir in tomato paste as necessary to thicken to desired consistency.

Top with shredded sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, Fritos, etc. as desired.

*I made this in April 2010. Two thumbs up. I used sweet sausage and really liked that part of it. Also added mushrooms since I had some handy. Good stuff.

Cheesy Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins

Cheesy Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins
Recipe slightly adapted from Elly Says Opa originally from Cooks Illustrated
Makes 18 muffins

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal (I used Martha White)
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup frozen corn kernels
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese (Monterrey jack, colby, and cheddar)
1-2 jalapeno peppers, finely diced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray muffin tins with baking spray. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl and whisk together. Make a well in the center.

In a food processor, combine, corn, sugar and buttermilk and pulse several times. Add eggs and blend until well mixed, the batter will be lumpy from the corn. Pour wet ingredients into well in dry ingredients and begin to gently combine. Add melted butter and continue mixing just until dry ingredients are all mixed in. Stir in cheese and jalapenos.

Spoon into muffin tins, filling each about 2/3 of the way full and bake about 20-25 minutes until the tops spring back when touched. Cool in pans for about 5 minutes and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Serve warm with chili and butter or store in an airtight container.

*From http://www.homemadebyholman.com/