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Archive for December, 2010

Chili Lime Pork Tenderloin

Posted in Main Dishes (For The Low Cal Left Brain), tagged on December 31, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

I have a bone to pick with NYC.  Snooki, the star of our lives and everything wonderful about reality television, was supposed to be dropped in a glass ball, like a hamster, in Times Square on New Year’s and now, she’s not.  I would like to be the first to start a motion that there is no reason that Snooki should not be allowed to portay a hamster and that this snow-covered city needs some cheering up and that the Snoomster would be the cure.

In my fury and in the need of a healthy meal to keep me thin for my impeccably tight New Year’s hamster-supporting dress, I needed a good healthy dinner recipe.  I borrowed this recipe from the Noble Pig and it is wonderfully easy, flavorful, and low calorie.  Snooki for President.

Adapted from the Noble Pig

Ingredients:

  • 1-1/2 lb pork tenderloin
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Blend chili powder with lime juice, soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl.

Pat pork tenderloin dry and season on all sides with salt and pepper. Use your hands to rub chili mixture thoroughly into tenderloin.

Let marinate for an hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees . Cook for 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Let rest for 15 minutes, then enjoy!

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New Year’s!

Posted in Desserts (For The High Cal Right Brain), tagged , on December 26, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

Need some last minute New Year’s recipes?

How about some Chocolate Truffles?

Or a Caramel Nut Tart?

Feeling fruity?  We do have an apricot tart…

There are always chewy chocolate coconut cookies.

And lastly some candy bar cookies, if you’ve got a little nugget or two running around that wants to help you out.

Whatever you fancy, I wish you all a safe and Happy New Year’s Eve.  Have a drink or five for me :) .

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Jalapeno Popper Dip

Posted in Sides (For the High Cal Right Brain, tagged , on December 21, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

Why has it been a ton of time since I last posted?  Is it because work has been busy?  Is it because I went on a lavish vacation?  No, sorry.  It’s because I got drunk and left my camera at my friend’s place.  But hey, at least I had fun, right? Well, now back to the dip.  I love jalapeno poppers and I love hot dip.  I’ve seen a ton of jalapeno-related dips popping up on blogs as Christmas is getting closer and I wanted to try to make my own–and let me tell you, it came out perfectly.  I honestly wanted to dive inside of it and live in a butter cracker hut. It’s the perfect dish to bring to a dinner party and even better to comfort me after that whole Miley Cyrus scandal that I can’t even discuss.  Try it; you will not be disappointed.

Ingredients:

  • 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup light mayonnaise (the 35 calorie one)
  • 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies
  • 4 ounces canned, diced jalapeno peppers (I used the jarred, sliced ones and chopped them up; but I heard some places do actually have canned jalapenos. Jealous.)
  • 1/2 cup shredded Mexican-style cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup Panko

Preheat the oven to 350.  Mix together the mayo and cream cheese until well blended.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients except the Panko; spread into a pan.

If you want to make the dip ahead of time, stop here.  Otherwise, sprinkle on a cup of Panko, and give one quick spray of PAM on top.  Bake for around 30 minutes, until the mixture is hot and the crumbs are browned.  

Serve with carrots and butter crackers.  Proceed to be addicted.

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Aunt Sindy’s Sassy Spears

Posted in Sides (For The Low Cal Left Brain), tagged , , on December 12, 2010 | 2 Comments »

For the past few family gatherings, my Aunt Sindy has added something extra to the table.  She introduced us to her sassy spears–a lower sodium, low-calorie pickle that she makes at home.  After being berated at work for “making them all fat”, I decided it was time to cook something up that’s a happier and healthier option.  I have NEVER seen anything go as fast as these.  I think most of them were gone within an hour of putting them out and I made a double recipe!  Enjoy and sass away!

Sassy Sindy and me at my first birthday party.

Slightly adapted from Real Simple

Ingredients:

  • 4 Kirby cucumbers (about 1 pound), quartered lengthwise
  • 3/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/4 small sweet onion (such as Vidalia or Walla Walla), thinly sliced or chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dill seed
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt (Aunt Sindy only uses 1/2 teaspoon to lower the salt content.)
  • Hot water

Place the cucumbers in a 1-quart jar or some other container with a tight-fitting lid.

In a bowl, combine the vinegar, onion, garlic, sugar, dill seed, peppercorns, bay leaf, 2 teaspoons salt, and ¾ cup hot tap water. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Pour the vinegar mixture into the jar with the cucumbers, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 day before serving.

The pickles will last up to 1 week.

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Dark Chocolate S’mores Bark

Posted in Desserts (For The High Cal Right Brain), tagged , on December 4, 2010 | 1 Comment »

When it comes to dating, I’ve never really had a type.  My dad likes to state that I’ve found ways to “date the United Nations” and I must agree.  However, I do have certain things that I need in a man and there are basically no budge points.  He has to make me laugh, accept my obsession with Miley Cyrus, understand that Domino’s is not pizza,–yet not any less delicious due to said fact–plus understand that if there is a fire, there must be s’mores.  I grew up going to summer camp every summer and s’mores was a necessity.  Whatever genius put these three magic ingredients together, I should probably marry, especially if it was Mark Bittman.  Little Mommies had the great idea of making a portable s’mores, which I can’t wait to slightly microwave and shove down my throat.  Please, do enjoy…

Ingredients:

  • 1 to 1 1/4  pounds good quality, dark or milk chocolate (or candy melts*)
  • 4-5 graham crackers
  • 1 cup mini marshmallows

Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper; set aside.  Temper chocolate or melt candy melts.

While chocolate is tempering, break graham crackers into chunks.  Measure one cup of chunks into a bowl.

Add marshmallows to bowl; mix together.

Stir cracker/marshmallow mixture into tempered chocolate being sure to coat it well.

With spatula, spread 1/2 of the chocolate mixture on each baking sheet.  Rap baking sheets against the counter several times to spread out chocolate and get out some of the air bubbles.  Refrigerate for 25 minutes or until set.

Break into irregular-shaped pieces.

Package candy in cellophane bags tied with ribbon.  Give as gifts for Hanukkah, Christmas, or whatever you celebrate…  Makes about 1 1/2 pounds.

 

*Note:  Chocolate melting wafers, also known as candy melts and confectionery coating, are a very easy to use chocolate substitute. I prefer the Merckens’ brand and it is available in many candy and craft stores.

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