A delicious dinner that is easy to prepare, and even better to share, is the perfect way to start off a new week! I recommend a pork tenderloin with balsamic fig glaze and an arugula salad with goat cheese and strawberries. For a sweet ending, try mini strawberry shortcakes that are easy to assemble and sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.
With just a bit of time preparing, you will have a great meal for your family and plenty of leftovers to use in a variety of ways.
Many of the ingredients you will find in your kitchen, so look through the recipes to compile your personal grocery list, take a stroll to the store, then get started in the kitchen!
Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Glaze and Figs
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
1 1lb pork tenderloin
1 tbsp olive oil (for rubbing)
? tsp of dried thyme
? tsp salt
? tsp pepper
1 white onion, chopped
? cup of dried figs, roughly chopped
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp honey
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 425
2. Rub tenderloin with olive oil. Sprinkle pork evenly with salt, pepper, and thyme.
3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat
4. Spray with cooking spray. Add pork and onions, cook 2 minutes while turning occasionally, until browned.
5. While pork is browning, roughly chop figs
6. Combine balsamic vinegar, water, and honey. Whisk together and add figs to the bowl
7. When pork is browned remove pan from heat
8. Place pork in a roasting pan or deep baking dish
9. Add fig and honey mixture to the pan- pouring sauce over browned tenderloin
10. Cover pan with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes
11. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing
Arugula Salad with Dressing
Ingredients:
6 cups of arugula
1 cup of hulled and split strawberries
? cup of chopped walnuts
3 oz of goat cheese, crumbled
? cup of balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp honey
⅓ cup of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
1. Toss together the arugula, strawberries, walnuts and cheese.
2. For the dressing, whisk together vinegar, honey, olive oil- Add salt and pepper to taste
3. Top the salad with dressing or serve on the side
Mini Strawberry Shortcakes (yields 6 cakes)
Ingredients:
For the topping:
1 pint of hulled strawberries, cut into large chunks
2 tsp of sugar
For the madeleines (To save time you can used store bought pound cake cut into chunks instead):
3 tbsp butter
2 large eggs
6 tbsp sugar
? cup of all purpose flour
? tsp of baking powder
⅛ tsp salt
⅛ tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp honey
Cooking Spray
Cool Whip (for topping)
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Toss the berries with the 2 tsp sugar. Cover and place in fridge for 30 minutes, this will allow the sugar and berries to make a syrup
3. For the madeleines, melt the butter and set aside to cool
4. Whip eggs and 6 tablespoons of sugar (using whisk attachment) until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients- flour, baking powder, and salt
5. Mixing at a low speed, add flour mixture to the egg mixture until combined. Add vanilla extract, honey, and melted butter. Mix well
6. Lightly spray a muffin tin with cooking spray- do not use wrappers
7. Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin cups
8. Bake until firm and puffed in the middle, about 15 minutes
9. Cut muffins in half horizontally, place on a plate and put a dollop of whipped cream in the middle. Top with whipped cream and strawberries.
The best part of home cooked dinner is sharing the meal with the ones you love. Plus, there are some good leftover meals you can create- make tenderloin sandwiches, throw some vegetables together for a pork stir fry, or serve the extra meat on top of the leftover salad.
With a few easy to find ingredients and a small amount of time in the kitchen, you will have a wonderful meal for you and your family to enjoy!
Kris Schoels is the editor of Young Married Chic -- a blog devoted to baking, fashion, home decor and travel.
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