basil
Sweet Basil Rubbed Pork Tenderloin
Sweet Basil Rubbed Pork Tenderloin
Lyn and I decided this will be added to our rotation. Want to thank Martha for sharing this with us.
Extremely simple to prepare and cook, tender and delicious.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pork tenderloin (1 to 1 1/2 pounds)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons spices or seasonings (See Recipe Note)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
How
- Heat the oven and pan. 10 to 20 minutes before you plan to cook, place a large cast-iron or oven safe skillet on the middle rack in the oven and heat the oven to 450°F. The skillet will heat along with the oven.
- Season the pork. Pat the pork dry with paper towels and trim off any large pieces of surface fat. Mix any spices being used with the salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the spice mix onto the pork on all sides.
- Swirl the pan with oil. Using oven mitts, carefully remove the hot pan from the oven. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Roast the pork for 10 minutes. Place the pork in the pan. (It’s fine if your pork tenderloin is a little long for the pan; just bend it to fit as we did here.) Return the pan to the oven and roast for 10 minutes.
- Flip the pork, reduce the heat, and roast another 10 to 15 minutes. Flip the pork. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and continue roasting 10 to 15 minutes more. The pork is done when its internal temperature registers 140°F to 145°F in the thickest part, 20 to 25 minutes total.
- Rest for 10 minutes before serving. Transfer the pork to a clean cutting board, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing crosswise. For extra-thin slices for sandwiches, cool the pork completely, then refrigerate before cutting.
RECIPE NOTES
- Seasoning the pork: You can keep this pork simple and season with just salt and pepper, or you can rub it with any favorite spices or salt-free blend of spices.
- I used a basil blend rub.
Ravioli Puttanesca
Love raviolis, they remind me of Sunday dinners at my mother in laws where seconds consisted of her asking, want some more, then grabbing the edge of your plate so no pull away with her. After piling on more than your first serving. She believed a well-fed person was a happy one and with her cooking everyone was happy.
Lyn found this recipe; it was surprisingly quick and easy with great taste. We cleaned our plates.
I made half this recipe since there was only the two of us.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. cheese ravioli
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/3 c. pitted Kalamata olives (about 15), chopped
- Note: I had to substitute a can of black that’s all we had
- 1 tbsp. capers, rinsed and chopped
- 1 c. grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced
- Note: will try with a can of fire roasted tomatoes next time
- 4 c. baby spinach
- black pepper
- 1 c. fresh basil leaves, torn
- Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, for serving
How
Cook the ravioli according to package directions.
Meanwhile, heat the oil and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat until the garlic starts to sizzle, about 3 minutes. Add the olives and capers and cook for 2 minutes more.
Add the tomatoes and toss to combine.
Add the ravioli, spinach, and 1 teaspoon black pepper; toss until the spinach begins to wilt, 2 minutes.
Fold in the basil and serve with grated cheese, if desired.
Fold in the basil and serve with grated cheese, if desired.
Got a AeroGrow for Christmas from Mike
Every year we plant our herbs in the garden and on the deck some from seeds, some from seedlings bought and others like the Thyme, oregano, chives etc. just keep coming back . The start of February always bring thoughts of better start so if I want to have plants ready transplant.
It’s not just herbs for me no there was the one year that Lyn lost her dinette area I decided to start Lillies from seed all summer and fall where ever I went I inspected pods to see if they were ready to gift their gift of seeds. I walk a lot – 2 miles every work day at lunch- and on my journey whether from neighbor’s house, CVS or the local mall I inspected and collected many seeds. I had some great success and now the plants are here and there in the yard across the street…. It was a one year thing but a lot of fun for me. I even tied cross pollination to create my own breed but I think the bees did a better job than I did. Anyway………
Growing fresh food and flowers lifts the spirit and nurtures the soul. But for most people, the nurturing ends when winter begins. AeroGrow founder Michael Bissonnette said, “Wouldn’t it be great to have fresh herbs, flowers and veggies growing in your home, any time of year?”. So he and a group of like-minded innovators married that notion to aeroponics, a highly efficient gardening technology in which plants grow in water, nutrients and air.
Here is our progress so far in about a month – thanks Mikie already and basil on pizza and chives on the baked potato and parsley on the frittata!
Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato and Jerod Mayo Sandwich
Jerod Mayo was drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round (10th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft … Signed by the Patriots (7/24/08). This Thursday we play the Jets again we need him to play as he did the first meeting with I believe 11 Tackles – 10 Solo and 1 Assist and caused 1 fumble. He hits often and hard, maybe too hard sometimes. Here is a sandwich that hits you hard in a good way. This came from Scup’s In the Harbor the restaurant my sister and her husband used to own and operate in east boston, now they live on the opposites coast in Washington state but still root for the patriots. We even Skype some of the games for them if not on national TV. They are still keeping some stuff a secret so I had to wing it, gee my own sister go figure. Kind of like your Mom a little of this and handful of that.
Oh if you want a Thanksgiving Day recipe try my Buttermilk Marinated Turkey but marinated at least 8 hours or overnight turning once start breast side up.
Ok It’s half time let’s eat!
Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato and Jerod Mayo Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 slices of Grilled Italian Bread
- Romaine lettuce
- Oven roasted cherry or grape tomatoes sliced in half length wise. (Roast at 450 for about 10-15 minutes) – You do not have to roast them if you do not want to or just can’t wait.
- Crispy Smoked apple wood “thick” bacon
- Sliced cheddar (optional)
Basil Mayo ( this is my recipe not theirs, secrets you know)
- Whisk all ingredients together
- 1 cup good mayonnaise
- 10 to 15 basil leaves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon good olive oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
Serve:
Make sandwiches cut in half and stake on platter or serve all ingredients on a platter and have a build your own sandwich.
Wendy says: I Hope Mr. Mayo enjoys his namesake sandwich.
Alternative sauce chili-mayonnaise
nepatriotslife life Mayo mentions
Video: Mayo goes down with shoulder injury.
Video: Jerod Mayo hates Tom Curran from CSNNE
Revitalizing The Dynasty Defense
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Boston Magazine 8-2009
We admit it’s tough to make a bad BLT (there is bacon in there, after all). But it’s a genuine challenge to ace every element—crisp strips of meat, sweetly ripe tomato, lettuce with just the right crunch—and elevate this humble sandwich to warm-weather classic. Scup’s in the harbor rises to the occasion with cherry wood–smoked bacon and roasted cherry tomatoes nestled on red leaf lettuce. Sliced cheddar and a spot of pesto mayo add zing and texture without overpowering the key players, and sturdy slices of toasted wheat keep hands clean and flavor at the fore. Boston Magazine 8-2009
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
One day when I was feeling like a bowl of what Mom used to make, Campbell tomato soup with rice and saltine crackers on the side, I thought she was a genius. I had not had that in years, wonder why, and this is a far cry from condensed soup and white rice but it still gave me that feeling.
Thank you Ina Garten, I saw you make this on your show and it quickly became a staple in our house.
This is a great starter or complete meal on a cold winter day, I have even had a cold bowl in the height of the summer heat. If plum tomatoes are 99 cents a pound it’s a no brainer soup will soon be on the stove. We tried to grow our own last summer but the ground hogs quickly discovered them along with the rest of the garden. I used to put it in canning jars for my parents but as age took over they started opening them with can openers so I switched to screw top Tupperware, even then it was a challenge.
Hope you enjoy as much as I do.
Prep Time: 15 to 30 minutes if you like to talk and goof off when you prep.
Cook Time: 1 hr 35 minutes to 2 hours
Serves: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
- 3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups chopped yellow onions – about 2 onions
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- A good pinch of crushed red pepper flakes about 1/4 teaspoon
- 1 (28-ounce) canned whole plum tomatoes, with their juice
- 4 cups fresh basil leaves packed (save small amount for garnish)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
Optional
- Add a red pepper sliced in half and seeded and white vein removed or two to the tomatoes while roasting
- 3-4 cups fresh Cilantro or mix of both basil and cilantro.
- Fresh or frozen corn (use if using cilantro the combo is great)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper I also add a small amount of dried basil or even crushed dried rosemary. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet, drizzle any left oil mixture and roast for 45-55 minutes. I like them to get caramelized.
In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, sauté the onions with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown add and garlic for about 30 seconds . Add the canned tomatoes, basil/cilantro, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade. Taste for seasonings. Return to pot add corn at this time and simmer for about 10-15 minutes until corn is cooked. Chiffonade small amount of the basil and sprinkle over soup when served. Serve hot or cold.
Chiffonade :Arrange the leaves in a stack, roll them up cigar-style, and slice the roll as thinly as you can. The word for this technique (should you care to brush up on your French while you slice) is chiffonade (shihf-uh-NAHD).
I have a friend who put into blender instead of food mill but I think it got too creamy or smooth.
Gourmet Dad, Don’t Let The Title Fool You 
