Pork Loin

We keep a pork loin in the freezer all the time. I cut them in half and that feeds my family for the evening.

One Pork Tenderloin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Put tenderloin in a baking dish. Sprinkle extra virgin olive oil on the top (about a TBS). Sprinkle salt, garlic, and black pepper on top. Bake in 350 degree oven until thermometer reads 155 degrees. Take from oven and let sit for about 5-7 minutes, then carve.

You can also put teriaki sauce on the top instead of the above. You can put Italian salad dressing on it too. (not with the teriaki sauce!)

Pork Chops

Tonight is Pork Chops on the Grill. We grill out all year long. Even in the winter my husband fires up the grill and we grill out.

Easy pork chop marinade:

1 cup Zesty Italian Salad Dressing! That is it! How easy is that? We marinade chicken, pork and shrimp in it. Let it sit for about 30 minutes, flipping the meat at least once. Then grill.

How do we get the nice criss cross grill marks on our meat? My husband loves having the grill marks and here is how he does it. He lets the grill get nice and hot. Then he places the meat on the grill, lets it sit there for 3-4 minutes and then takes the spatula and turns the meat clockwise a quarter of a turn on the same side. Then he lets it cook another 3-4 minutes and then turns the meat to the other side to cook. Lets it sit 3-4 minutes and the turns it clockwise a quarter of a turn and lets it sit another 3-4 minutes until done. Many people like to move and turn their meat on the grill often. This makes the meat dry and tough. You should only flip your meat once and you can turn the meat a quarter of a turn to make the grill marks. Other than that don't touch the meat while grilling.

Another big no no for grilling is to smoosh the hamburgers with the spatula. This dries them out because all the juices leak out when you are smooshing. Never smoosh!!

Happy grilling tonight.

Grilled Pork, Squash Casserole

I opened the freezer and the first thing I saw were boneless pork chops. So that is what we are having for dinner. After they have thawed I will marinate them in a Ken's Caesar Salad Dressing. It gives them a bit of garlic and Parmesan cheese coating. We will grill them about 6 minutes on each side.

I will make a squash casserole with patty pan squash from our garden. You can use summer crookneck (yellow) or zucchini for this recipe as well. The recipe is below. I am thinking about having some fresh green beans from our garden too. A salad would be fun and some sliced tomatoes. I am going to forgo the salad, as I don't have any lettuce right now.

Squash Casserole:

Ingredients:
4 cups sliced patty pan squash
1/2 cup chopped onion
35 buttery round crackers, crushed
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Place squash and onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Pour in a small amount of water. Cover, and cook until squash is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain well, and place in a large bowl.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together cracker crumbs and cheese. Stir half of the cracker mixture into the cooked squash and onions.
4. In a small bowl, mix together eggs and milk, then add to squash mixture. Stir in 1/4 cup melted butter, and season with salt and pepper. Spread into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cracker mixture, and dot with 2 tablespoons butter.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned.