cooking light, cooking right ~ pork tenderloin and collards skillet

I do not like the word "luck."  I haven't for a long time.  Like, since I was in high school, long.  It was then that I started really noticing how much people lean on "luck" and "coincidence" to describe unexplainable line-ups in life, and I started thinking about what it would be like if I chose to believe such happenings were a God thing.  Big or small.  From a prime parking place when in a major time crunch, to a most applicable, poignant Bible verse when in the middle of a crisis.  

Beginning to see things from that viewpoint changed me, and it gave me this sense of God's closeness in a more consistent way.  I began seeing Him more and more as an active part of my everyday, rather than viewing Him as this big, untouchable being.  And, as a believer, I felt much more comfortable with the idea that purpose drove my daily ins and outs versus a big helping of chance.      

Not being superstitious in any way, this still kicked off our new year with a marvelous start!  It was a great, tasty spin on the southern tradition to eat greens and peas for prosperity and "good luck." And I ate WAY more of it in one sitting than I should have.  Not because of the "luck" part, but because of the "good" part. ☺

Looking at this picture, I don't think "easy" or "quick" would immediately come to mind, but having already given it a try, I am here to say it was both.  AND I only got one pan dirty!  

This recipe is so up my alley.

Pork Tenderloin and Collards Skillet

printable recipe

4 servings

• 2 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 3/4 tsp black pepper, divided
• 3/4 cup sliced yellow onion
• 3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper (I used a mix I had in the crisper)
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 4 cups thinly sliced stemmed collard greens
• 1 cup canned unsalted black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
• 2 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1. Heat 1 tbsp butter in a large cast-iron skillet (I actually used my cast iron dutch oven).  Sprinkle pork with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.  Add pork to pan; cook, turning to brown all sides, until a thermometer inserted in the center registers 145 degrees F, about 15 minutes.  Place pork on a cutting board; let stand 10 minutes.  

2. While letting pork rest, melt remaining 1 1/2 tbsp butter in skillet over medium.  Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and thyme; sauté 3 minutes.  Move onion mixture to one side of the pan; add collard greens to the other side of pan.  Cook 2 minutes.  Add peas and vinegar to greens; cook 1 minute.  Stir together onion and collard mixtures.  Stir in remaining 1/4 tsp salt and remaining 1/4 tsp pepper.  Serve with sliced pork.

Recipe from Cooking Light.

Tips and Tricks

• For a bit more flavor on the meat, salt and pepper in advance and let sit.
• To quickly de-stem and rinse collards, hold by stalk, upside-down, over sink (with a few inches of cold water).  Using a sharp knife, place blade at bottom of leaf on one side of stalk, and push knife down towards top of stalk.  Most of leaf should come off. If not, tear off any left.  Repeat with other side.   

cooking light cooking right ~ fish tacos with cabbage slaw

I love Sundays, because we adore our church family.  But sometimes we adore them for so long after church is over, we're rushing like crazy to get home and eat.  On top of that, yesterday, we had to run to the grocery store.  Why we do that to ourselves, I'll never know.  It truly tries every ounce of patience I have and is a really wonderful way to self-reflect on that which the preacher's message has challenged me earlier in the morning.  

Love others.  Do not be easily angered.  Practice patience.  

You know, those things that are oh-so-easy to do at Wal-Mart when the crowd could fill twenty check-out lines but only three are open (insert sarcastic expression here).  

At any rate, after collecting a handful of groceries, getting stuck in the mega-church's dismissal traffic one mile from our house, unloading our car and putting away everything, I was so seriously excited to eat this meal, I only snapped about two pictures and called the family to the table.  It was ~ no joke ~ one of the best meals at home we've had.  Not because it was fancy or difficult, gourmet or laborious.  This meal was fresh and clean and just plain good.  Exactly what I have come to expect from Cooking Light's recipes.  

If you want a quick meal with even quicker clean-up, put a big ol' platter of the fish and fixin's out on the table, distribute the paper plates, and completely and totally chow down.   Oh, and do a side of black beans with a little salt and cumin, because that, my friends, is what you call Sunday lunch.

Fish Tacos with Cabbage Slaw

serves 4-6

printable recipe

For the tacos

• 6-8 tilapia frozen fillets, thawed
• chili powder
• kosher salt
• 1 tbsp oil
• 8 corn tortillas

For the slaw

• 12-oz bag shredded cabbage (or slaw mixture)
• 1/2 cup diced roma tomatoes
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/3 cup sliced green onions
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• malt vinegar to taste

To garnish

• 2 avocados, diced
• 2 limes, quartered

1. Combine all slaw ingredients and mix.  Set aside.

2. Heat oil in large skillet.  Meanwhile, sprinkle fillets evenly with chili powder and salt.  

3. In hot skillet, cook fillets until they flake easily, about 2-3 minutes per side.  Remove and cover with foil to keep warm.

4. Heat second skillet (I love my cast iron for this) and slightly blister the tortillas on each side.  Place with fish to keep warm until all are heated.

5. Fill platter with cooked fillets, slaw, avocado and lime quarters.  Build tacos to your liking and enjoy!

Recipes for slaw and fish inspired by Cooking Light.

cooking light, cooking right - key lime pie ice cream

This was my first love...

This one runs a close second.  

Meet my indoor ice cream maker.  

The Cusinart Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt Maker.  You keep the bowl in the freezer at all times, and it's always at the ready when you're in the mood for a frozen treat.  I actually got this around my birthday using a gift card my kind co-workers gave me from Bed, Bath & Beyond. I have had my sights set on this beauty for a while, and let me just tell you, it has not let me down!

I shared with you in my Frosty post that I started my addiction to ice cream at a very young age. My grandmother only reinforced it every time we'd go to an ice cream shop, and her tiny 4-foot, 11-inch self would ask a server for "the biggest ice cream cone you've got."  I should also tell you, she was not afraid to send it back for more if it didn't meet her expectations.  

I acquired my love for the frozen dessert honestly.

I came across this recipe a couple of years ago looking for something a bit different.  John loves Key Lime Pie anything, so I was eager to give this a go.  It's such a treat with its definite tang balanced nicely by the creaminess of the milk and crunch of the graham crackers.  And with this whiz of an ice cream maker, you can have it in no time flat.  That's actually the only downfall to the machine.  It's so perfect in every way, I'm using it way too much.  No going to a local shop and ordering the biggest cone they've got for me.  No siree...  I'll settle for 1.5 quarts in the comfort of my home and p.j.'s, thank you!  

One year ago: Co-Cola Cake, (Not just any) Chicken Salad

Key Lime Pie Ice Cream
makes 1.5 quarts
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1/2 cup bottled Key lime juice (I use Nellie and Joe's; you can find it in the juice drinks aisle)
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• Dash of salt
• 1 (14-oz) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
• 12 graham crackers (3 cookie sheets), coarsely crushed, divided

~ In a mixing bowl, mix together all ingredients, minus the crackers, whisking constantly.

~ Pour into ice cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer directions.

~ Stir graham crackers into ice cream, keeping back some for garnish.

~ Spoon ice cream into freezer-safe container and freeze one hour or until desired firmness 

    is reached.

Recipe slightly adapted from Cooking Light - July 2005.

cooking light, cooking right - thai shrimp cakes

I've never been a big diet person.  I don't like them at all, actually.  They're restrictive, they're trendy, and they're not fun.  Three things I don't think I am.  

I've always been fortunate to have a pretty healthy palate, which has definitely played in my favor, and somehow... for the most part... I've been able to balance a love of all the things one shouldn't eat too much of, with a sincere appreciation for most things one should.  

Out of all the cooking magazines I have historically, and currently do, subscribe to, Cooking Light ranks at the top of my list.  So, I thought it might be fun to have a reoccurring post to feature some of my favorite CL recipes.  I've titled it, Cooking Light, Cooking Right.  

The magazine has a great mix of quick recipes, edgy recipes, down-home recipes, and just plain good recipes with a lighter twist.  It's not a wipe-all-the-sugar-and-fat-out-of-a-recipe type magazine, but it is an everything-in-moderation kind of offering that gives a rather pleasant - but not in your face - nod towards healthy food decisions.  Best of all, it never sacrifices flavor for a few less calories!

Everywhere I look, I'm seeing Asian recipes.  It seems to have the covers and headlines of many food discussions, so I thought I'd try my hand at one I found in the latest edition of the magazine.  These cakes came together so incredibly fast, and John said - I quote - "This might have been the most flavorful thing I've eaten!"  

I couldn't have agreed more.

I followed this recipe to a "T" and didn't, nor wouldn't, change a thing.  Well, actually, you could add a bit more olive oil than called for, just so the cakes have enough for a quick seer/fry to help hold them together.  Don't be afraid to let them sizzle for a while.  You want to be able to successfully flip them.

I'm not sure what it is about these, specifically, that causes the immense flavor.  The ingredients fit together beautifully, and all I know is I already want more.  That's if I can beat John to the platter.  I was glad I had eaten one before I let him at 'em.  I'm still looking forward to a second.

A side of steamed Edamame with a nice sprinkling of Kosher salt made this meal on the patio at sunset a "10."  Thanks, Cooking Light.  With recipes like this, it's "cooking right" in my book!    

Thai Shrimp Cakes - makes 4 cakes
Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided
• 1/4 cup minced unsweetened dried coconut, divided
• 2 tbsp. minced green onions
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tsp. fish sauce
• 2 tsp. Sriracha (hot chile sauce)
• 1 1/2 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 8 ounces peeled and deveined shrimp, chopped
• 1 tbsp. olive oil (or more, if needed)
• 1 lime, quartered

~ Combine 1/3 cup panko, 2 tbsp coconut, and next 8 ingredients in a large bowl.  
~ Add shrimp and stir just until combined.
~ Using wet hands, shape mixture into 4 equal balls.
~ Combine remaining panko and coconut in a shallow dish.
~ Coat balls in panko mixture, pressing to form 4 (4-inch) patties.
~ Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
~ Add oil; swirl to coat.
~ Add patties; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.
~ Serve with lime wedges.

Recipe from Cooking Light

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