Herby, Salty Pork Loin

I don’t keep pork tenderloin on my meal rotation as much as I should. It really is the little black dress of meats—you can dress it up or down. 

Tonight I drizzled olive oil all over a baking dish and ran out to the backyard and clipped a handful of fresh rosemary, thyme, and oregano to create a nice little bed for the pork. Then I plopped the meat on top and topped with a generous dusting of @jacobsensaltco black garlic salt (delish!). I had this prepped well before dinner and ended up baking it at 300 degrees for an hour (I believe it was just over 1 lb). Not pictured is the fresh basil and walnut pesto I used to top the meat (will share that five-minute-no-measuring-required recipe soon!). It really hit the mark and was such a no-fuss meal. (For sides I made orzo and roasted fresh green beans and zucchini and sautéed some sliced mushrooms in olive oil and seasoning salt.) .

Super-fast cashew chicken

After indulging in some incredible take-out cashew chicken a few weeks back, I'd been craving it again.

I planned to make a recipe from an old favorite cookbook but then realized I didn't have any hoisin sauce, so I had to improvise. I checked out a couple of other cashew chicken recipes and decided to create my own.

Having trouble with the site I use to load my recipes, so here it is plain and simple:

Super-fast Cashew Chicken

Note: I eyeball everything--these measurements are approximate...add more of the flavors you like.

Ingredients:
About 1.5 cups cooked shredded chicken or diced chicken breast (I used a rotisserie chicken!)
3 large carrots chopped how you like them
4 celery stalks chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
4 scallions, white and light green parts chopped
1/2 cup dry-roasted cashews
Sesame seeds

Instructions:
In a large pan over medium heat, drizzle olive oil (enough to lightly coat the pan). Add the carrots and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the celery.
Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients from garlic through ginger.
Once the vegetables are crisp-tender, add the chicken. Pour the sauce over the chicken and stir, coating the chicken and the vegetables. The sauce will thicken a bit. Then, add the green onions and cashews to finish the dish, stirring everything together.
Serve over rice and top with sesame seeds for garnish.

Karina's pecan-crusted spicy chicken

Without hesitation, this is Karina's go-to main. If you get the chicken marinating before you head out the door in the morning, you can have this dish in the oven in less than 15 minutes, and on the table in another 30.

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Karina's pecan-crusted spicy chicken

Karina likes to use Frank's Red Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce as her marinade, but you can use any hot sauce you'd like.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 12-oz bottle hot sauce (like Frank's Red Hot)
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 cup pecans (finely chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Instructions

In a large thick zip-top plastic bag or in a covered bowl or dish, marinate the chicken breasts in the entire bottle of hot sauce. Marinate for at least 30 minutes (you can leave them marinating in the refrigerator all day, also!). Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the chopped pecans on a foil-lined baking sheet, and bake until browned (around 10 minutes, but be sure to check frequently to avoid burning). Sprinkle with salt and pepper and chili powder. Transfer nuts to a plate. Roll each chicken breast in pecan mixture and place back on foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes.

Details

Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 1 hour Yield: 4 servings

Simple Sesame Chicken

Sauté a bag of frozen stir fry veggies over a couple tablespoons of sesame oil (add a can of water chestnuts or baby corn to amplify the Asian flavors!), and start a pot of brown or white rice. This sesame chicken recipe is easy and quick enough to throw together in less than 30 minutes, start to finish.

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Simple Sesame Chicken

This recipe takes just 25 minutes, inclusive of prep!

Ingredients

• 1 Egg
• 3 tablespoons Cornstarch
• Salt & pepper
• 1 lb Boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons Soy sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon Sesame oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Rice vinegar
• Generous squirt Ginger paste
• 1 clove Garlic
• 2 tablespoons Sesame seeds
• About 3, chopped, for garnish Green onions

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, cornstarch, and salt & pepper. Cut chicken thighs into small pieces, discarding any excess fat. Toss chicken in egg mixture. Heat a large pan with oil over medium-high heat, and when the oil is very hot, add the chicken and any remaining egg mixture. Cook and stir occasionally until golden brown and cooked through (about 10 minutes).While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce in a small bowl. Whisk all the ingredients together. If you don't have ginger paste (available in Asian markets and Trader Joe's!), grate an inch of fresh ginger.When the chicken is cooked through, add the sauce. Stir and let it thicken up, and then remove from heat. Serve over rice and stir fry veggies, and top with chopped green onions.

Details

Prep time: Cook time: Total time: 25 mins Yield: About 4 servings

Mariel's Salsa Pasta

This is one of Mariel's top go-to dinners, adapted from a Williams-Sonoma recipe. It's simple and flavorful, and it freezes really well...in case you want to make it as a freezer meal. 

In total, this should take a little less than a half-hour to whip up.

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Mariel's Salsa Pasta

You could peel fresh tomatoes, but save yourself the time and just buy a 28-oz. can of chopped plum tomatoes.

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons Butter
• 2 chopped Carrots
• 2 stalks chopped Celery
• 1 chopped Onion
• 1 28-oz can Plum tomatoes, chopped
• Sea salt
• Pepper
• 1 lb Spaghetti
• A generous handful Basil leaves
• About 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Instructions

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add carrots, celery, and onion. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 15 minutes. The onions should be soft and the carrots and celery tender. Add the tomatoes, about 1 teaspoon salt, and a dash of pepper, and cook until the sauce starts to bubble. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens (this will take about 15 minutes). Add salt and pepper to taste. While the sauce is simmering, cook the spaghetti according to package instructions. Ladle out at least 2 scoops of the cooking water before draining, and I recommend saving even more. Add the drained pasta to the sauce and toss over low heat until the spaghetti is coated in sauce, adding some of the cooking water if the sauce seems too thick. Then add the basil and another 1 tablespoon of butter and toss. Remove the pan from heat and add the cheese. Toss. Serve. Enjoy!

Details

Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 25 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: 4-6 servings