Beef Tenderloin (in the oven)

INGREDIENTS

1 Harter House, trimmed, Beef Tenderloin

Kosher Salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
1 tsp minced fresh thyme 

2 cloves minced garlic

Instructions

Preheat oven to 225 degrees F

Preheat cast iron skillet on the stove
Add 2 Tbsp oil

Sear the tenderloin on all sides until well browned.  About 2 minutes per 4 sides.
Then rub the tenderloin all over with the paste made of oil, parsley, thyme, & garlic.
Place meat in the oven until the internal temperature reaches 125 - 130 degrees.
Remove from oven and allow to rest for about 15 minutes. 

Careful monitoring of your internal temperature is key.

Pineapple Bundt Cake

 

Pineapple Cake
1 yellow Cake Mix
1 small box vanilla pudding mix  (regular or instant)
4 eggs
1/3 Cup Oil
20 oz. Can Crushed Pineapple, divided  (Do not drain.)

Glaze
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup crushed pineapple
2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour bundt pan or angel food cake pan.  Set aside 3/4 cup of pineapple for glaze.
In a large mixing bowl combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, and remailing pineapple.
Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Allow to rest about 10 minutes before flipping onto cake plate.

For Glaze
In a small saucepan, melt butter, add the 3/4 cup crushed pineapple and powder sugar.  Stir until sugar is dissolved.  Spoon glaze over cooled cake.

If glaze is too thin, you can poke small holes in the cake to absorb the glaze.

Grilled-Pineapple Salsa

I do love Pork topped with a fresh fruit salsa.

This Grilled Pineapple Salsa is one of my favorites. It's super simple and healthy! Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

5 (1-inch) slices fresh pineapple (about 4 1/2 pounds)

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow bell pepper

Cooking spray

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons minced crystallized ginger

2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced

1 drained canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced

Preparation

Preheat grill.

Place first 3 ingredients on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side. Discard stems and seeds from bell peppers; then dice pineapple and bell peppers. Combine pineapple, bell pepper, onion, and remaining ingredients; toss gently.

Cheesecake Bars

CHEESECAKE BARS

Ingredients for crust:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup soft butter

1 cup flour

Cream the brown sugar and butter together. Then blend in the flour until crumbly. Separate 1 cup for topping. Place the rest in a 8x8 inch ungreased baking pan and press down to make crust. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven to cool.

Ingredients for filling:

2 - 8 ounce bars of cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

4 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs, milk, lemon juice and vanilla and beat well. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the crust and spread out evenly. Sprinkle the reserved flour mixture (topping), over the cream cheese filling. Bake at 350 degress for about 25 minutes. Cool and refrigerate. Cut into bars and enjoy!

from Lynda's Recipe Box

Blueberry, Apple and Pineapple Dump Cake

There really are no easier recipes than "Dump" Cakes.

Ingredients

• 1 can (21 ounces) apple pie filling
• 1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 package (12 ounces) frozen unsweetened blueberries, OR Fresh blueberries.
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 package white cake mix (regular size)
• 2/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°. Mix pie filling and pineapple in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish until combined. Toss blueberries with sugar; spoon over pie filling mixture. Sprinkle with cake mix; drizzle with butter. Top with walnuts and almonds (do not stir).
  
• Bake until golden brown and bubbly, 45-55 minutes. Serve warm.

Test Kitchen tips

Try serving this dessert in a dish with half-and-half, heavy cream or ice cream.

Toast the nuts separately before adding to the dish for extra crunch and flavor.

Roasted Boneless Pork Loin with Apple Cider and Brussels Sprouts

This recipe comes from my good friend Marina Backes who, together with her husband John, own Circle B Ranch, in Seymour, MO.
Find her recipe here;
CircleBRanchPork.com

Ingredients

For the pork

• 1  4-5 lb Boneless Pork Loin
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 1 thyme
• 3 Bay leaves
• 1 quart apple cider
• 4 springs rosemary leaves (roughly chopped)
• 9 Sage leaves (roughly chopped)
• 2–3 cloves of garlic (roughly chopped)
• Salt and Pepper
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

For the chunky applesauce

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 4–5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• Pinch of ground cinnamon

For the roasted brussels sprouts

• Brussels Sprouts (about a pound)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper

Instructions

For the pork

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. In your food processor, combine the rosemary, sage, garlic, salt and pepper and olive oil to make a paste. Spread the paste on the outside of the boneless roast.
3. Place the onions into the roasting pan and toss with olive oil. Add the thyme, bay leaves and 2 cups of the apple cider.
4. Roast the pork at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or until a beautiful brown crust has formed. Stir the onion and check that the cider has not evaporated. You can always add apple cider if necessary.
5. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees and roast for 30 minutes or until your meat thermometer reads 150 degrees.
6. Let the pork roast rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving. When ready cut the loin into thin slices.

For the chunky applesauce

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan.
2. Add the apples and saute over medium-low heat until the apples start to soften.
3. Add the apple cider and cinnamon and cook until most of the cider has evaporated and the apples are cooked and very soft. Serve either warm or room temperature.

For the roasted brussels sprouts

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut the brussels sprouts in quarters.
2. Place in a bowl and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Place the brussels sprouts into a pan and cook until golden brown. Serve either hot or room temperature. We like them both ways!

Brown Beans with Ham and Cornbread

I love great comfort food and nothing says comfort more than a pot of ham and beans.   I always use a ham shank from the meat case at Harter House.   It’s so simple, and you can leave the house all day (or work in the gardens) and come home to a nice crock pot of beans and ham!

I soak my beans overnight in a bowl of water, then rinse, throw them in the crock pot and cover with lots of water (or broth), ham shank, some chiles, onion and carrots.  Simply turn on the crock to high and off I go.  When I return, I bake a round of cornbread. 

Pinto Beans and Ham Shank

1 lb. / 16 oz. bag Pinto beans, sorted, rinsed., and soaked overnight.

1 Whole Harter House Ham Shank  (butchers can slice in half)

1/2 pound of Harter House Sweet Italian Sausage (my addition)

1 Table Cavender's NO Salt Greek Seasoning

Garlic

Large Onion

Carrots, sliced or diced (optional)

1 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Soak beans overnight.
In the morning, drain and rinse the beans in a colander.
Put your drained and rinsed beans into the stock pot or crockpot and cover with fresh water, about two inches above the bean level, approximately 3-4 quarts. 

Add 2 smashed garlic cloves to the beans and water.
Add 1/2 to 1 tsp dried crushed red peppers  or cayenne pepper (optional)
Add Chopped Onions and Cavender's Greek Seasoning or about a teaspoon of Kosher salt.
Add one whole Ham Shank from Harter House.

Place lid on crock pot and cook on low for a total of 6-8 hours.  Do not open lid to check or stir for at least three hours.

Check at 6 hours to see if they need more salt or water.

In a skillet, cook the sweet Italian Sausage and add it to the ham and beans.

NOTE Use quick soak method to prepare beans.  Place cleaned and sorted beans in a dutch oven, cover them with 6-8 cups HOT water (I use a tea kettle), boil the beans for two minutes, place the lid to the dutch oven on the pot, remove from heat and let stand at least 1 hour.
After one hour, drain and rinse the beans in a colander. continue as above.

I choose Cavender's NO salt Greek Seasoning because it does not contain monosodium glutamate.

The regular does.

Serve with Cornbread.