Pork Tenderloin with Apples

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 20 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4-6, depending on the size of the tenderloins

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pork tenderloins
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into slivers
• Salt and pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 Tbsp canola oil or grapeseed oil
• 1 cup (235 ml) of chicken or beef broth
• 1 cup (235 ml) dry white wine (can sub with apple brandy or apple cider)
• 2 medium sized apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

METHOD

1 Preheat oven to 400° F (205°C). With the tip of a sharp knife, make deep little slits all over the tenderloin and insert the garlic slivers. Season with salt, pepper and cumin.

2 Heat the oil in a skillet on medium high heat and sear the tenderloin well on all sides (about 10 minutes).

3 Remove the tenderloins from the skillet (do not discard the juices in the skillet) and place the tederloins in a roasting pan. Add the broth and white wine to the roasting pan. Cook in the oven at 400°F (205°C) for 10 minutes.

4 After you've placed the tenderloins in the oven, cook the apple slices in the same skillet (with the remaining oil and juices) that you used to brown the tenderloin. Sauté until soft. Remove the apples from the pan, set them aside, saving the juices once again in the pan.

5 After the tenderloins have cooked in the oven for 10 minutes remove them from the oven. Remove the tenderloins from the pan to a cutting board, cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes. The tenderloins will continue to cook while they sit. While the pork is resting, pour the roasting pan juices into the skillet and boil everything on high heat for 5 minutes, or until you get a gravy the consistency of melted ice cream.

6 Slice the tenderloins into 1/4 inch thick slices, add the sliced apples to the meat in the serving dish, drizzle some gravy over and serve immediately.

Cornbread

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a small bowl, combine cornmeal and milk; let stand for 10 minutes. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix in the cornmeal mixture, eggs and oil and whisk for 5 min. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean.

Slow Cooker Spinach Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

• 1 (10 oz) bag fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, chopped
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup onion, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, cubed
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Spray a slow cooker (I used a 4 quart slow cooker) with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix together spinach, artichoke hearts, sour cream, mayonnaise, onion, garlic, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic salt, and milk. Add salt and pepper as desired. Dump into your slow cooker.
3. Place your cubed cream cheese on top of spinach/artichoke mixture, spread out as evenly as possible.
4. Cook on high for 2 - 2 1/2 hours, or until ingredients are cooked through and the cream cheese is melted. Mix in the cream cheese keep dip on "warm" setting until eaten. Serve with crackers, bread, or vegetables.

Beefy Macaroni Casserole

INGREDIENTS

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
• 2 medium red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into medium dice
• 1 medium yellow onion, medium dice
• 2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (with juices)
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth or stock
• 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the bell peppers, onion, garlic, measured salt, oregano, paprika, and measured pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened but not browned, about 7 to 10 minutes.
3. Add the tomato paste, stir to combine, and cook until the raw flavor has cooked out, about 1 minute. Add the ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking the meat into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until it’s just cooked through and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling pot of water and cook until still chewy and underdone, usually 1 or 2 minutes less than the package directions suggest (the pasta will finish cooking in the oven). Drain and rinse with cold water until no longer steaming; set aside.
4. Add the flour to the beef mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the raw taste has cooked out of the flour, about 2 minutes. Add the milk, tomatoes and their juices, and broth or stock, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer.
5. Add the cooked pasta and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese and stir to combine. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is heated through and steaming, about 1 minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
6. Transfer to a 5-quart baking dish, sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cheese, and bake until bubbling and lightly browned on top, about 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.