Turkey Tenderloin with a Raspberry Thyme Glaze

I had a turkey tenderloin in the freezer, so I decided to make use of it tonight. I seasoned the turkey with salt, pepper, garlic, and thyme and roasted for an hour and 30 minutes at 325 degrees (followed direction from butcher).

I decided to “whip up” a sauce to accompany the tenderloin using some raspberry preserves and white wine. I say “whip up” only because I truly stood in front of my pantry and the fridge until I had concocted a sauce in my mind. I heated a pan and added 3(ish) tablespoons of raspberry preserves, about ¼ cup chicken stock, and a few splashes of white wine. I finely diced some shallots and minced some garlic to add to the sauce, as well as tossing in some dried thyme, salt, and pepper. I simmered for a few minutes until it reduced a bit, and then added a mixture of 1 tsp. flour with 1 tsp. cold water. I stirred until thickened and kept warm until ready to serve.

I served the meal with green beans, coated lightly in a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, pepper, and Jane’s Crazy Salt (a mixture of a variety of salts…my dad ALWAYS had this in the house, and when I saw it in the store the other day, I had to buy it!) and brown rice, which I cooked with chicken stock and a bay leaf for added flavor.

Spinach Ravioli with Lemon White Wine Sauce

This is really more of a “semi-homemade” meal, although I hate to use that term because I do despise Sandra Lee! My husband hates ricotta cheese. It is one of my favorites! That makes for a tough life for me, let me tell you! But, he was away on business the other night, so I was able to indulge in some spinach and ricotta ravioli from Trader Joe’s. I boiled according to the directions on the package. I knew I wanted some sort of sauce, and based on a quick inventory of items in my cabinets and fridge, I came up wit the following…

I started by heating a handful of frozen spinach as well as a handful of artichoke hearts in a sauté pan with a little water. Once heated through, and once most of the water had been absorbed, I poured some (sorry, not good with measurements on this one) white wine (chardonnay to be exact) into the pan, followed by a quick turn of extra virgin olive oil. I let the wine cook out a bit, then added the juice from half of a small lemon. I let simmer for about 5 minutes. While simmering, I added some minced garlic (1 clove) to a pan, and added to the sauce after the 5 minutes, along with a dab of SmartBalance Light buttery spread. I finished it off with some fresh flat leaf parsley and grated parmesean cheese and viola, dinner for one was served!

Pork Chops with Cranberry-Thyme Pan Sauce

This recipe was AWESOME! I loved it! Matt and I felt the need to change things up, and boneless pork chops seemed the way to go. But, I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them...until I came across this epicurious recipe. I followed the recipe nearly exactly, although I did make a few adjustments, which I listed below:

* pork took longer to cook, because I some HUGE boneless chops!
* I used more wine and more cranberry sauce
* I used shallots instead of green onions

The pork came out perfectly and the sauce was amazingly delicious! I served this with cinnamon nutmeg apple slices and a mixed green salad.

For the apples, I sliced and peeled 2 medium sized apples. I placed in a small pot and added a touch of water. I simmered until softened, and added cinnamon and nutmeg as they cooked. I placed the apples on top of the pork, after I had spooned on the sauce.

For the salad, I tossed mixed greens with crumbled turkey bacon, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, and honey goat cheese. For the dressing, I combined a few tablespoons of cider vinegar, some apple cider, a tiny bit of honey, shallots, and some salt and pepper. I streamed in extra virgin olive oil, and voila!

Matt hates goat cheese, so I omitted it on his salad, and cooked up some brown rice for him as well, as he feared the meat and salad would not be enough.

Chicken Picatta

This meal is one of the first I ever made. Also, it is the first meal my now husband and I ever made together, so it is special! Soon after I began making this meal, it became my go-to meal when I had company. Thankfully, I have increased my menu options when hosting a dinner party, but I still fall back on this tried but true favorite from time to time.

This Chicken Picatta is my mom’s recipe, and I have been making it for years. Over time, I have enhanced the recipe to what you see below.

Thin sliced boneless chicken breasts
1 large egg
½ cup flour (I use ¼ cup whole wheat, and ¼ cup all purpose)
Paprika
Garlic powder
Fresh lemon juice
1 cup chicken broth
¼ cup white wine
Pepper
Capers

Beat egg with 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Combine flour, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper. Dip chicken in egg mix, then flour mix. Brown in butter (I use Smart Balance Light, or sometimes just Pam, and it still browns just fine) in skillet. In a small pot, heat chicken broth, wine, and juice from ½ lemon until it boils. Pour broth mixture over the chicken breasts, add capers, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

I served this over lo-carb thin spaghetti and with a side of green beans.