Cranberry Char Siu Pork Tenderloin

I'm so excited to be using Cape Cod Select premium frozen cranberries for their Holiday Blogger Recipe Challenge! They were nice enough to send me two bags of the most gorgeous cranberries I've ever seen to work with. Farm fresh, recipe ready, no additives, preservatives or GMOs, what more could you ask for?

Char Siu Pork, or Chinese BBQ Pork, is a delicious dish that combines juicy savory pork covered in a sticky sweet glaze. It’s absolutely delicious. The only problem is, when trying to re-create this dish at home, I realized that the signature red color of the meat was due to an alarming amount of red food dye.

Not so appetizing, right?

Well, when I was brainstorming what to create with these gorgeous cranberries it hit me! Why not turn these gorgeous red berries into a naturally bright red, tangy and delicious Char Siu Pork! No red dye needed. I hope you love my version as much as my family did!

Cranberry Char Siu Pork Tenderloin

Brine:
1/4 cup kosher salt
3 cups warm water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup ice cubes
2 pork tenderloins, (about 14-16 oz. each) trimmed of all silver skin

Pork:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Sauce:
1 ½ cups Cape Cod Select Premium frozen cranberries
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons Chinese five spice powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ginger, grated
2 teaspoons chili garlic paste
3 tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil

In a large zip top bag, dissolve the salt in the warm water. Add the remaining brine ingredients and the tenderloins. Brine for 15-20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove the pork from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Brush the pork with half of the oil, and season with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 425°F.

While the pork is brining, make the sauce. Stir together the cranberries, hoisin, Chinese five spice, garlic, ginger, chili paste, honey, soy sauce and sesame oil in a medium sauce pot over low heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens.

Heat the remaining oil in a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium high heat. When oil is very hot and rippling, add the tenderloins. Sear each side until browned, about 2 minutes per side.

Brush with cranberry sauce, and place the pan in the oven. After 15 minutes of cooking, brush with the glaze again. Roast for another 10-15 minutes or until the meat reaches an internal temp of 145-150 degrees. Remove the pan from the oven. Tent lightly with a piece of foil and allow it to sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Serve with remaining cranberry sauce.


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To find Cape Cod Select Premium Frozen Cranberries near you click HERE

Sage and Pomegranate Sparkler

When I saw that Stirrings was hosting the Stir It Up Holiday Blogger Mixology Challenge I knew I had to join in the fun, and the holidays are the perfect time to try a cocktail challenge. I was thrilled when they sent me some delicious samples to work with. My first entry is totally delicious and would be a festive way to toast the new year!



Sage and Pomegranate Sparkler

Stirrings Cosmopolitan Rimmer
6 fresh sage leaves
6 ounces Stirrings Simple Pomegranate Martini Cocktail Mix
3 ounces vodka
juice of 1/2 a lime
4 ounces prosecco


Rub a sage leaf around the rim of 2 cocktail glasses and then press the rims into the Stirrings Cosmopolitan Rimmer to coat. In a cocktail shaker muddle 4 sage leaves. Fill the shaker with ice then pour in the Stirrings Simple Pomegranate Martini Cocktail Mix, vodka and lime juice. Shake for 30 seconds and strain into glasses. Top each off with the prosecco and garnish with the remaining sage leaves. Serves 2

To get your hands on some of these delicious mixers yourself, they can be found in Austin, TX at: 1st Colony Liquors, Total Wines & More, 34 Wine & Liquors, 6S Spirits, ABC Liquors, 82 Liquor

To follow Stirrings you can find them: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest

#STIRRINGSMIXOLOGYCONTEST

Cranberry White Chocolate Chess Pie

Don't cranberries just scream holiday?!

I'm so excited to be using Cape Cod Select premium frozen cranberries for their Holiday Blogger Recipe Challenge! They were nice enough to send me two bags of the most gorgeous cranberries I've ever seen to work with. Farm fresh, recipe ready, no additives, preservatives or GMOs, what more could you ask for?

Let's start with dessert, shall we?

My first entry is this gorgeous and festive Cranberry White Chocolate Chess Pie.

Cranberry White Chocolate Chess Pie

1 stick of butter

1 cup sugar

4 ounces white chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal

4 eggs

1 1/2 cup Cape Cod Select premium frozen cranberries

1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a medium saucepan, over low heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the sugar. Remove the pan from the heat, add the chocolate chips and stir until smooth.

Add the eggs, vanilla and cornmeal. Whisk until smooth. Pour into the pie shell. Sprinkle the cranberries evenly over the filling. Bake for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 30 minutes before slicing.

You can follow Cape Cod Select on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest

To find Cape Cod Select Premium Frozen Cranberries near you click HERE

Cheddar Jalapeno Churros with Cilantro Ranch Dip

Holy Moly

Apparently, me and the deep fryer have a thing going on right now, and man is it dangerous!

These cheesy puffy sticks of deliciousness are so easy to make, and I can't wait to throw a party and make them tot size

This is my entry for the Old Croc Most Aussome Recipe Contest and I really hope those judges love these as much as I did!

Cheddar Jalapeno Churros with Cilantro Ranch Dip

4 cups canola oil

4 Tablespoons butter

2/3 cup water

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1/2 cup flour

2 medium eggs, beaten

2/3 cup OldCroc Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

3 Tbsp. fresh jalapeno, minced finely

1/3 cup ranch dressing

½ cup cilantro leaves

Preheat oil in a deep-fryer to 400 degrees F.

Heat butter, water and half of the salt together in a large saucepan, over medium high heat, until the butter has melted and bring the mixture to a boil. Whisk in the flour and remove the pot from the heat. Stir vigorously until the mixture forms a ball of dough. Allow the dough to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Gradually add eggs, beating well between each addition. Add cheese and half of the jalapeno and stir to combine.

Spoon the dough into a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe and snip off 3-4 inch sections of dough from the pastry bag into the oil. Fry for 3-4 minutes, or until all sides are golden brown. Remove from the oil and let rest on a paper towel lined cookie sheet. Sprinkle with remaining salt.

Place the remaining jalapeno, ranch and cilantro in a small food processor and blend until smooth. Serve with churros.

Makes 24 churros

Bacon Fried Potato Salad Bites with Fry Sauce

How many times after picnics, BBQs or tailgates have you been left with a container, half filled, of potato salad?

Growing up in the South, there's not a party or BBQ without potato salad on the menu! Trying to use up the leftovers the next day, I came up with this dish. I pump up my potato salad with bacon and then deep fry it! What's more Southern than deep fried party food?! Dip it into the delicious fry sauce and you've got an appetizer or side the whole crowd will love!

Bacon Fried Potato Salad Bites with Fry Sauce

6 cups cubed, peeled Idaho potatoes

1 Tablespoon salt

4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

6 slices cooked bacon, chopped fine

1/3 cup minced celery

1/3 cup sliced green onion

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning blend

¼ cup sweet pickle relish

2 Tablespoons yellow mustard

2 Tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

1/3 cup mayonnaise

6 cups vegetable oil

1 cup flour

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons water

2 cups panko bread crumbs

For the Fry Sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup ketchup

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon sriracha

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Place the cubed potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Season the water with 2 teaspoons of the salt, and cook until fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to hot pot to dry.  

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the chopped egg, bacon, celery, green onion, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, pickle relish, mustard, parsley and mayonnaise. Add the potatoes and stir, slightly mashing, until the mixture is evenly blended and there is an equal amount of smooth and cubed potatoes.

Line a large cookie sheet with wax paper. Using a small cookie scoop, create small balls about 1 heaping Tablespoon each, of the potato salad mixture and line them up evenly on the cookie sheet. Place in the freezer for about 30 minutes, or until the balls are firm enough to roll.

Heat the oil to 375 degrees in a large, high sided pot over medium-high heat, fitted with a candy thermometer.  

To set up the breading station, pour the remaining 1 teaspoon of the salt and the flour into a small pie plate and whisk it together. Whisk together the eggs and water in another pie plate and the panko in a third plate. Set aside for later use.

Remove the tray of the potato salad bites from the freezer, and handling them carefully, dredge first in the flour, then egg mixture and finally in the panko mixture. Place the breaded balls in the hot oil carefully and fry for 3-5 minutes, or until browned and crisp. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper towel lined tray.

To make the Fry Sauce, whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, sriracha and apple cider vinegar in a small mixing bowl.

Serve immediately with dipping sauce. Makes 45 bites