Roasted Pork Loin with Apples and Brie

I know I whine about this a lot, but I’m getting older!!!! I don’t want to say old because I plan on living a good long, happy life. But life definitely changes as you age.

Now I’m not sure if it’s the closing in on three decades of life or the twenty years I’ve spent pushing my body, but I am FOR SURE feeling the aches and pains as of late. As I type my ankle is iced up and elevated. Depressing.

Wes has prescribed me one week of no yoga, spinning or walking with mom and dad. Which just means I’ll be spending more time in the kitchen making tasty dishes for the family since Josh just came home from Europe!

He isn’t a huge fan of fish and has been getting plenty of beef in Budva, so I’ll be mixing it up with proteins like this one. The pork loin is delicious, but the creamy, sweet and savory filling takes it too the next level.

You will need…

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ lb pork loin, butterflied

2 tablespoons butter

2 honey crisp or gala apples, diced

1 small onion, diced

¼ cup parsley, finely chopped

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ cup dry white wine

8 slice Brie cheese

3 cups chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Butchers twine

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.

While the oven is preheating, heat the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat.

When the butter has melted, toss in the onions and the apples. Season well with salt and pepper and sauté until the onions are starting to lightly brown. About 8 minutes.

Add in the white wine and simmer until the liquid is almost gone.

Toss in the cinnamon, cayenne pepper and parsley and cook for an additional minute and then remove from the heat.

Lay out the loin and pound until season well with salt and pepper.

At one end of the loin lay out the Brie and 1 to 2 cups of the apple and onion filling.

Roll the loin up and tie twine around it so that it is secure.

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large pan. When the oil is hot, add in the loin and seared until browned on all sides. About 10 minutes.

Place the loin in a roasting pan and roast in the oven until cooked until the internal temp is 145 degrees F. About 20 minutes.

While the loin is roasting, place the remaining apple and onion mix back over medium high heat. Add in the chicken stock and simmer until the stock has reduced by half.

When the pork has finished roasting, remove from the oven and let the loin rest for 5 minutes, covered with foil.

Slice into ½ inch slices, top with apple and onion sauce and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Roasted Pork Loin with Apples and Brie

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ lb pork loin, butterflied

2 tablespoons butter

2 honey crisp or gala apples, diced

1 small onion, diced

¼ cup parsley, finely chopped

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ cup dry white wine

8 slice Brie cheese

3 cups chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Butchers twine

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.

While the oven is preheating, heat the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat.

When the butter has melted, toss in the onions and the apples. Season well with salt and pepper and sauté until the onions are starting to lightly brown. About 8 minutes.

Add in the white wine and simmer until the liquid is almost gone.

Toss in the cinnamon, cayenne pepper and parsley and cook for an additional minute and then remove from the heat.

Lay out the loin and pound until season well with salt and pepper.

At one end of the loin lay out the Brie and 1 to 2 cups of the apple and onion filling.

Roll the loin up and tie twine around it so that it is secure.

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large pan. When the oil is hot, add in the loin and seared until browned on all sides. About 10 minutes.

Place the loin in a roasting pan and roast in the oven until cooked until the internal temp is 145 degrees F. About 20 minutes.

While the loin is roasting, place the remaining apple and onion mix back over medium high heat. Add in the chicken stock and simmer until the stock has reduced by half.

When the pork has finished roasting, remove from the oven and let the loin rest for 5 minutes, covered with foil.

Slice into ½ inch slices, top with apple and onion sauce and serve hot. 

Apple Cinnamon Crisp

It is a tradition in our family that on your birthday, you get to pick the meal.

You can request any meal and dessert combo that your little heart desires and Mom always makes sure it is delivered.

Every year, instead of asking for birthday cake I would ask for birthday pie.

Usually strawberry, but I would also settle for a good apple.

So I shouldn’t have been that surprised when my brother requested this dish for his birthday dinner this year.

This was an awesome alternative to the classic apple pie. It was the perfect birthday treat. And it was just as good the next day for breakfast.

Yes, there are perks to being an adult.

You will need…

For the Crumble:

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats

½ cup packed light brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold butter, cut into small pieces

For the Filling

2 tablespoons butter

2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ lemon, juiced

Start by whisking together the flour, oats, sugars and salt in a large bowl.

Add in the butter and work it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Making sure that there are no butter pieces bitter than a large pea.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheating your oven to 375 degrees F.

Then, in a large skillet melt 1 tablespoon of butter.

When the butter has melted, add in half the apples and brown for 1 minute.

Stir in half of the sugar and cook, stirring often, until the apples start to turn golden brown. About 3 minutes.

Stir in half of the flour and half the cinnamon and cook until the mixture has thickened. Stirring often for about 2 more minutes.

Pour the apples into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and then repeat cooking the apples.

Pour the second batch of apples into the pan and drizzle them with the juice of the lemon.

Top the apples with the crumble topping and place in the preheated oven.

Cook on the middle rack of the oven, rotating halfway through, until the top is golden brown and the fruit juices bubble up around the edges. About 35 minutes.

Serve hot with a scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Apple Cinnamon Crisp

For the Crumble:

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats

½ cup packed light brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold butter, cut into small pieces

For the Filling

2 tablespoons butter

2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ lemon, juiced

Start by whisking together the flour, oats, sugars and salt in a large bowl. Add in the butter and work it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Making sure that there are no butter pieces bitter than a large pea.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheating your oven to 375 degrees F.

Then, in a large skillet melt 1 tablespoon of butter.

When the butter has melted, add in half the apples and brown for 1 minute.

Stir in half of the sugar and cook, stirring often, until the apples start to turn golden brown. About 3 minutes.

Stir in half of the flour and half the cinnamon and cook until the mixture has thickened. Stirring often for about 2 more minutes.

Pour the apples into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and then repeat cooking the apples.

Pour the second batch of apples into the pan and drizzle them with the juice of the lemon.

Top the apples with the crumble topping and place in the preheated oven.

Cook on the middle rack of the oven, rotating halfway through, until the top is golden brown and the fruit juices bubble up around the edges. About 35 minutes.

Serve hot with a scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream. 

Spiced Peanut Brittle

I came to realize today that my life must have been a lot less busy two years ago before I decided to do the Twelve Days of Treats.

It seemed like nothing then. I would make a couple treats a night, take them to work and do it all over again the next night. Wham, bam, thank you ma’am.

But I must have a lot more going on now. Because this is the second year in a row I’ve attempted the Twelve Days of Treats and failed. Either I have more going on, or I’ve lost my edge.

Whatever the reason, I’m pretty sure I only made it to Nine Days of Treats this year.

I know it is no excuse, but I was busy a lot of the time wrapping about forty gifts that look like this…

Thankfully I didn’t poop out before making this awesome brittle.

You will need…

1 ½ cup lightly salted, roasted peanuts

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ tablespoon vegetable oil

3 cups sugar

1 ½ cups water

½ tablespoons soften butter for the spatula

Start by combining the cayenne pepper, cinnamon and the peanuts in a small bowl.

Then, lightly oil a medium sized saucepan and add in the water and sugar.

Cook over high heating, bring the mixture to a boil. Stir often.

When it has begun to boil, cover and cook for three minutes.

Remove the cover and cook over medium high heat until the sugar water is a medium amber color. You want it to be about 300 degrees.

Then, add in the peanut mixture and remove from the heat.

Once completely combined, pour onto a silicone mat lined baking sheet or a buttered parchment lined baking sheet.

Use the buttered spatula to spread the mixture out into a thin layer.

Allow to harden completely.

Break apart and serve.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

 Spiced Peanut Brittle

1 ½ cup lightly salted, roasted peanuts

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ tablespoon vegetable oil

3 cups sugar

1 ½ cups water

½ tablespoons soften butter for the spatula

Start by combining the cayenne pepper, cinnamon and the peanuts in a small bowl.

Then, lightly oil a medium sized saucepan and add in the water and sugar.

Cook over high heating, bring the mixture to a boil. Stir often.

When it has begun to boil, cover and cook for three minutes.

Remove the cover and cook over medium high heat until the sugar water is a medium amber color. You want it to be about 300 degrees.

Then, add in the peanut mixture and remove from the heat.

Once completely combined, pour onto a silicone mat lined baking sheet or a buttered parchment lined baking sheet.

Use the buttered spatula to spread the mixture out into a thin layer.

Allow to harden completely.

Break apart and serve.

1 ½ cup lightly salted, roasted peanuts

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ tablespoon vegetable oil

3 cups sugar

1 ½ cups water

½ tablespoons soften butter for the spatula

Start by combining the cayenne pepper, cinnamon and the peanuts in a small bowl.

Then, lightly oil a medium sized saucepan and add in the water and sugar.

Cook over high heating, bring the mixture to a boil. Stir often.

When it has begun to boil, cover and cook for three minutes.

Remove the cover and cook over medium high heat until the sugar water is a medium amber color. You want it to be about 300 degrees.

Then, add in the peanut mixture and remove from the heat.

Once completely combined, pour onto a silicone mat lined baking sheet or a buttered parchment lined baking sheet.

Use the buttered spatula to spread the mixture out into a thin layer. Allow to harden completely.

Break apart and serve. 

Chocolate Hazelnut Rugalach

After yesterday’s all day recovery session at the Samuels house, we were all too happy to have a very quiet last night of Chanukah at home with just the family.

The only problem is that we didn’t have any of this tasty Jewish pastry left over from the third annual Jew Food Tuesday.

These were so good they were gone by morning.

You will need…

Dough:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon fine salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cold and cut into pieces

8 ounces cream cheese, cold and cut into chunks

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt

2 egg yolks (for the egg wash)

Filling:

¾ cup hazelnut chocolate spread (like Nutella)

½ cup semi sweet chocolate, minis

¼ cup sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

 In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar and salt and mix together until combined.

Add in the butter and combine until the texture resembled course sand.

Then, while the mixer is on add in the cream cheese and sour cream. Combine until it creates a ball of dough.

Remove the dough from bowl and place it on a floured surface.

Cut into four even pieces and mold them in to flat rectangles. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for 15 to 30 minutes.

After the dough has hardened, remove it from the plastic wrap and roll it into a rectangle roughly 6 by 14 inches. You want it to be ¼ inch thick or thinner.

Then, spread the hazelnut chocolate spread, the sugar and cinnamon and the chocolate minis all over the dough. Save a little of the cinnamon and sugar mixture for the top of the rugalach.

Roll up the rugalach so it makes a long roll of dough.

Wrap it up in plastic wrap again and freeze for another 20 minutes.

While they are freezing, whisk together the 2 egg yolks and 1 tablespoons water.

Remove the rugalach from the freezer and slice into 1 ½ inch pieces and place them on a baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Brush the rugalach with the egg wash and top with a little of the cinnamon sugar mixture and a couple chocolate minis.

Bake until they get a little golden and crisp on top. About 25 minutes.

Serve warm.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Chocolate Hazelnut Rugalach 

Dough:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon fine salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cold and cut into pieces

8 ounces cream cheese, cold and cut into chunks

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt

2 egg yolks (for the egg wash)

Filling:

¾ cup hazelnut chocolate spread (like Nutella)

½ cup semi sweet chocolate, minis

¼ cup sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, sugar and salt and mix together until combined.

Add in the butter and combine until the texture resembled course sand.

Then, while the mixer is on add in the cream cheese and sour cream. Combine until it creates a ball of dough.

Remove the dough from bowl and place it on a floured surface.

Cut into four even pieces and mold them in to flat rectangles. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for 15 to 30 minutes.

After the dough has hardened, remove it from the plastic wrap and roll it into a rectangle roughly 6 by 14 inches. You want it to be ¼ inch thick or thinner.

Then, spread the hazelnut chocolate spread, the sugar and cinnamon and the chocolate minis all over the dough. Save a little of the cinnamon and sugar mixture for the top of the rugalach.

Roll up the rugalach so it makes a long roll of dough.

Wrap it up in plastic wrap again and freeze for another 20 minutes.

While they are freezing, whisk together the 2 egg yolks and 1 tablespoons water.

Remove the rugalach from the freezer and slice into 1 ½ inch pieces and place them on a baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Brush the rugalach with the egg wash and top with a little of the cinnamon sugar mixture and a couple chocolate minis.

Bake until they get a little golden and crisp on top. About 25 minutes.

Serve warm.