Stuffed pork loin

This stuffed pork tenderloin is filled with spinach, cheese and sun dried tomatoes, then rolled up and roasted to perfection. An elegant meal that’s actually quite simple to make!

Pork tenderloin is perfect for an easy dinner, but when you butterfly it and stuff it with a delicious filling, it gets even better. Add some potatoes to your roasting pan and you’ll have a complete meal!

I always keep a pork tenderloin in my freezer. They’re flavorful, tender, inexpensive and the perfect neutral base to layer on the flavors. This stuffed pork tenderloin is a family favorite, it’s full of savory Italian flavors and looks fancy too!

How do you make stuffed pork tenderloin?

The first thing you’ll need to do is butterfly your meat. Make a cut down the length of your pork tenderloin, but don’t cut all the way through. The pork is then laid open like a book and pounded thin with a meat mallet. I place a piece of plastic wrap or parchment on the surface of the meat so that it doesn’t tear when I pound it thin with a meat mallet.

After your pork has been butterflied, it gets filled with a savory stuffing of thawed frozen spinach, sun dried tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. You can get creative here and vary up the filling depending on your mood and the ingredients you have on hand. Other great choices are fontina cheese, feta cheese, marinated artichokes, olives or sauteed mushrooms.

After your filling is in your pork, it’s time to roll it up and tie it with some kitchen twine. I add some small potatoes to my roasting pan to make it a complete meal. You could add other sides to the pan such as carrots, sweet potatoes or even cubed butternut squash.

How do I cook a stuffed pork tenderloin?

For this recipe, I recommend roasting your pork tenderloin. It’s the best way to ensure the meat cooks through evenly and it’s so convenient because it’s a hands off cooking method. You can also saute your pork tenderloin in a skillet or grill it if desired.

How long do you cook a stuffed pork tenderloin?

An average sized pork tenderloin (approximately 1 1/4 pounds) will take about 30 minutes to cook in the oven. You can choose your desired level of doneness by checking the thickest part of your pork with a kitchen thermometer. You want the pork to be at least 145 degrees F for a slightly pink center, up to 160 degrees F for a more well done tenderloin.

My whole family adores this recipe, and I love how easy it is to customize the fillings and vegetable side for a simple one pan dinner.

More pork recipes you’ll love

I participated in the National Pork Board Porksgiving program as a member of One2One Network. I received compensation but all opinions are my own.

Stromboli recipe

Ingredients

Pizza Dough:

One 1/4-ounce packet dry-active yeast

2 teaspoons sugar

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus bench flour

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

Filling:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus extra for the tops

6 ounces thinly sliced salami

6 ounces thinly sliced deli ham

6 ounces thinly sliced bresaola

8 thin slices mozzarella (about 6 ounces)

8 thin slices pepper jack cheese (about 6 ounces total)

1/4 cup finely sliced fresh basil leaves

Freshly ground black pepper

Marinara Sauce, recipe follows

Marinara Sauce:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup diced yellow onion

3 medium cloves garlic, crushed

One 28-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, such as Muir Glen

1/4 cup shredded fresh basil leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. For the pizza dough: Add the yeast, 1 cup warm water and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook. Let the mixture sit to allow the yeast to activate. The mixture should start foaming and forming small bubbles on the surface, 10 minutes. Gradually add the flour with the mixer on low speed. Add the olive oil and salt. Continue to mix on low and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Increase the speed as the flour becomes incorporated, and knead on medium speed, 7 to 8 minutes. The dough is done when it comes together as a single mass.


2. Remove the dough from the mixer and knead 4 to 5 times on a lightly-floured surface so the dough is smooth and consistent. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic and allow to sit until the dough rises and doubles in volume, 1 hour.


3. For the filling: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Divide the dough in half and, working with one piece at a time, stretch the dough into a 10-by-13-inch rectangle. Arrange the dough rectangle so the 13-inch-long side is closest to you. Brush the surface with half of the melted butter, then spread the minced garlic out evenly over the top, remembering to split the filling ingredient quantities evenly across both stromboli. Leave a 1-inch border around the far and side borders.


4. Sprinkle the dough with the Parmesan, then layer with the salami slices. Top the salami with a layer of deli ham and then a layer of bresaola. Shingle the cheese slices over the top and finish with fresh basil and some ground black pepper. With the covered edge closest to you, roll the dough up into a log, gently sealing the ends of the roll as you go. When you get to the end that has no filling on it, gently press to seal, then place the roll seam-side down on a nonstick sheet tray. Repeat the process with second piece of dough. Brush the tops of the dough with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake in the center of the oven until golden brown and puffy, 25 to 30 minutes.


5. Allow the stromboli to cool 5 minutes before slicing it into thick slices with a serrated knife. Serve with the Marinara Sauce on the side or some mustard.

Marinara Sauce:

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until the garlic is almost brown, another 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer, 20 minutes.


2. Add the basil and oregano, and continue to simmer to thoroughly marry the flavors, 20 minutes longer. Puree the mixture with a stick blender, food mill or food processor. Season with salt and pepper. Yield: Makes 1 quart.

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Smoked chicken

If you have never smoked a chicken you may wonder what all the fuss is about.

Maybe you think that there’s not much difference between smoking and baking where you pop the chicken into the oven for an hour and it’s ready. You can’t see any reason to spend the extra time on smoking it (or brining it, which will be explained later).

But it is not the same at all. When you do it right, a smoked chicken and a baked chicken taste like their very distant cousins. The smoked chicken will win the taste-test every time.

Reasons Why You Should Brine the Chicken

In the process of brining, a mixture of salt and other spices are mixed with water. The meat is immersed and remains in this water so that the brine and all its flavors can be absorbed.

When you smoke meat at low temperatures, the connective tissues are broken down. What you end up with is a piece of very juicy meat that melts in your mouth. You will love it and will prove to yourself that it is well worth the extra time and effort.

Tools and Equipment You Will Need

3 small chunks of dry wood used for smoking – apple, hickory, maple or cherry are the best to use with chicken
A bowl or container large enough to cover the chicken breasts with 2 quarts of water
1 water pan, lined with foil (this will be needed if you will use a charcoal grill)
Small bowl for mixing the rub mixture
Basting brush or a large spoon
An Instant-read meat thermometer
Charcoal
Chimney starter

The Brining Process

First, fill a bowl or some kind of container with 2 quarts of cold water, ½ cup of table salt and ½ cup of white sugar. Mix them well to dissolve the sugar and salt. If you would like the extra flavors, add ¼ cup of soy sauce and a bit of lemon juice and olive oil. This is your brine mixture. Mix them together well, then set it aside.

Next, place the chicken pieces into the brine. All of the pieces should be fully covered by the water. If possible, leave them in the brine overnight to allow them to soak up as much flavor and moisture as possible. However, they can be brined for as little as 30-60 minutes and they will be ready to smoke.

PRO TIP:
You will want to keep the chicken in the refrigerator at all times unless it’s being prepared for the brine or the rub. Aside from health and safety issues, cold meat will absorb the flavors from the smoke much better than meat that has cooled down to room temperature. It will be best to leave it in the refrigerator until the last minute, taking it out just before setting the chicken on the grill.

Apply the Rub to the Chicken

When you’re ready to start grilling, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and take it out of the brine. Dry each piece with paper towels, removing as much water as you can. This will allow the rub to stick to the chicken while it’s smoking.

With the chicken over a bowl or baking sheet, use a spoon to generously cover it and use your hands, rub the spices into the meat. Be sure the whole piece is completely covered.

If the grill is still heating up, return the chicken to the refrigerator.

Prepare the grill for smoking

Fill the chimney of the smoker completely with charcoal with a few pieces placed into the firebox. Light the charcoal and allow it to heat up for about 15 minutes. Both the chimney baffles and the intake should be left open. Wait for it to reach a temperature of 225°F. Before the grill reaches 225°F, lubricate the grill rack with a little bit of canola oil. You can do this with tongs and paper towels that have been dipped in the oil.

This should be done on a clean grill. If it’s not clean, scrub it with a wire brush after it’s begun to heat up, making it easier to brush away any of the old grease that was left from the last time you grilled. Now you can begin to place the wood pieces over the charcoal.

The three vents at the bottom of the grill must be wide open. The top vent also needs to be left open. The foil-lined water pan should be placed on the grill. Put a few hot coals near the pan to make a place for indirect and direct cooking.

Now add the chunks of wood to the charcoal in your preheated grill.

Eggplant with tomato and garlic sauce

Step #1: Thoroughly wash the eggplants and partly remove the skin by peeling them to look like stripes. Fry with the potatoes in sunflower oil and drain on a kitchen towel once cooked.

Step #2: In a separate pan, fry the onions and garlic until transparent. Add green peppers, tomatoes, bouquet garni (the 3 sprigs of parsley, the sprig of thyme, and the small bay leaf), tomato paste, pepper paste, allspice and salt, along with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil on low heat.

Step #3: When the tomatoes change color (after about 5 minutes of cooking), remove the bouquet garni, and pour half of the sauce into a baking dish. Make a cut lengthwise in the center of the eggplants and insert garlic clove in each.

Step #4: Place the eggplants and potatoes on top of the tomato sauce in the baking dish and top off with the remainder of the sauce. Cook for 30 minutes in a preheated 350º F oven. Serve warm and garnish with spring onion.

More recipes eggplant.

Shrimp scampi recipe

Melissa Clark

• Yield 4 servings


• Time 15 minutes

David Malosh for The New York Times

Scampi are tiny, lobster-like crustaceans with pale pink shells (also called langoustines). Italian cooks in the United States swapped shrimp for scampi, but kept both names. Thus the dish was born, along with inevitable variations.

This classic recipe makes a simple garlic, white wine and butter sauce that goes well with a pile of pasta or with a hunk of crusty bread. However you make the dish, once the shrimp are added to the pan, the trick is to cook them just long enough that they turn pink all over, but not until their bodies curl into rounds with the texture of tires.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter


• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil


• 4 garlic cloves, minced


• ½ cup dry white wine or broth


• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste


• ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste


• Freshly ground black pepper


• 1 ¾ pounds large or extra-large shrimp, shelled


• ⅓ cup chopped parsley


• Freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon


• Cooked pasta or crusty bread

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Preparation

1. In a large skillet, melt butter with olive oil. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine or broth, salt, red pepper flakes and plenty of black pepper and bring to a simmer. Let wine reduce by half, about 2 minutes.


2. Add shrimp and sauté until they just turn pink, 2 to 4 minutes depending upon their size. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice and serve over pasta or accompanied by crusty bread.

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Sheet-Pan Roasted Salmon Niçoise Salad

Buttermilk-Marinated Roast Chicken

By Samin Nosrat

About 1 3/4 hours, plus overnight marinating

Diane - s tapenade

This is such a simple recipe to put together. And that basically that is all you do. Just assemble your ingredients first then blend and chill. It’ s likely that you have all the ingredients at home most of the time. Check your pantry shelf and bring in the ingredients you don’t already have. You will always have this wonderful tapenade at your fingertips. It is elegant and delicious.

Putting dips and sauces in attractive serving dishes really really can set the mood you are trying to create I think plain white serving pieces for the hors d’oeuvres or appetizers are great. It is all in how attractive you choose to make it look. Try low sided bowls when you can so guests can more easily see what you have offered. Make designs with veggies on a plate, straighten all the crackers in holder or plate ( nicely arranged). Always provide a spreader if needed. And napkins and small plates. All these things you can easily have in your pantry. Try to use real plates, instead of plastic or paper. Well Di, I think you can guess , this a GREAT recipe in my book Here goes…..

• 1/2 small onion


• 4 oz. can chopped black olives


• 2 oz. can anchovies


• 3 Tablespons Capers


• 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic


• 2 Tablespoons Fresh lemon juice


• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard


• 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper

1. Put all ingredients in (except the olive oil mixture) blender.

Drain oil off anchovies and add enough live oil to make 1/3 cup and pour through hole in processor lid whie blending.

Chill and serve with white corn chips, or any cracker, bread piece and so on and so on. Pretty much this delicious recipe is very versatile. You will make it time and time again. Thanks Di.

More recipes tapenade.

Shrimp fra diavolo

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Feeling a little devilish tonight? Then you’ll love our take on this classic Italian-American pasta dish. The name fra diavolo, or “brother devil,” comes from the crushed red pepper that gives the tomato sauce its heat (though you can use as much or as little as you like). Sweet, succulent shrimp are an excellent pairing for the spicy sauce. And since we couldn’t resist the play on good and evil, we’re tossing the sauce with superfine angel hair pasta (get it?) and serving with cheesy Asiago-garlic bread. It’s clever (at least we think so!), but also downright delicious.