Stuffed Pork Loin

I hope you enjoy this pork on pork action as much as we did!

 

 

1 pork loin (about 2 lb)

Salt

Pepper

¾ cup frozen, chopped spinach (defrosted and water squeezed out)

¼ cup chopped sundried tomatoes (jarred in oil, drained)

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

About 4 oz goat cheese crumbles

4 slices of thick bacon

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

 

Cut horizontally through the center of the pork, but not all the way through. Open flat, like a book. Place between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to about ½” thick using a meat mallet. Season with salt and pepper.

 

In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients (except bacon). Leaving a 1” border, spread filling over pork and roll up pork like a jelly roll. Cover pork roll with bacon slices. Secure with cooking twine at approx. 2” intervals.

 

Move pork loin to a casserole dish and bake uncovered for about 45 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in the middle registers 138 degrees. Remove pork from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. 

 

Serve over couscous with sautéed veggies.

 

Mediterranean Chicken Sauté

This dish is easy to make and bursting with colors and delicious flavors. It's perfect for a weekday dinner since it's quick to prepare and cook.

 

 

4 thin chicken filets

Salt

Pepper

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1/2 large red bell pepper, diced

1/2 large yellow bell pepper, diced

1/2 large green bell pepper, diced

1/4 onion, diced

1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes with basil

1 sprig fresh Rosemary (about 2 tsp)

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped

1/2 cup quartered artichoke hearts

A dash of red pepper flakes 

 

In a large sauté pan over medium high, heat EVOO. Season each side of chicken filets with salt and pepper. When oil starts to smoke and ripple, add chicken. Brown each side for 2-3 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

 

In the same pan, add peppers and onions; sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, return chicken to pan and press into vegetables, then cover and turn heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked all the way through. 

 

Serve over rice or egg noodles. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

 

 

 

 

Chicken with Mediterranean Couscous

This dish took less than 30 minutes to make. It was colorful and full of flavor. I love marinating chicken in Italian salad dressing overnight because it's so easy and provides lots of flavor the next day.
 

 

I package of couscous (I used a box of garlic and olive oil flavor)

½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced

¼ cup sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and diced

¼ cup artichoke hearts in oil, drained and diced
½ cup Mozzarella cheese pearls
2 Tbsp minced fresh Italian flat leaf parsley

Italian Chicken:

2 chicken breasts
Italian salad dressing
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
 
In a large bag or bowl, add chicken and cover with salad dressing. Marinate overnight.

Cook couscous according to directions on packaging. Stir in remaining ingredients. Set aside and cook chicken.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium frying pan, heat a drizzle of EVOO over high heat. Once it starts to smoke and ripple, add chicken and brown on both sides for 1-2 minutes. Move chicken to oven and cook for 15 minutes, or until cooked all the way through so no longer pink in the middle and juices run clear.

To plate, make a bed of couscous and top with chicken sliced and fanned on top.

Mediterranean Orzo Pasta Salad

Where the flavors of Italy and the Mediterranean meet and create happiness in your mouth.

 

1 lb dried Orzo pasta

1 cup mozzarella cheese pearls

½ cup sliced Kalamata olives

1/3 cup diced sun dried tomatoes

1 large bunch of basil, chopped

2 green onion sprigs, chopped

1/3 cup minced Italian flat leaf parsley

Marinade:

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

Juice from one lemon

Salt and pepper, to taste

 

Cook Orzo according to directions on packaging; cook until al dente. Set aside and allow to cool.

 

In a small bowl, combine marinade ingredients and whisk together; set aside. 

 

Toss cooled Orzo pasta with remaining ingredients. Add marinade and mix together until well combined.

 

Helpful hint: For a more flavorful pasta, make this dish a day ahead to allow the flavors to marinate overnight. 

 

Variations:

·         Substitute the sun dried tomatoes for halved fresh cherry tomatoes

·         Substitute the  marinade for a pesto sauce

Mediterranean Meatballs over Couscous

1 lb ground beef, pork or turkey (I used beef in this dish)
1 egg
¼ cup breadcrumbs
1 small red bell pepper, diced
½ yellow onion, diced
2 Tbsp Moroccan Gourmet Garden Fresh Blends (found by the fresh herbs)
1 box of couscous (my favorite brand is Near East)
A large handful of fresh baby spinach
EVOO

In a large bowl, combine meat, egg, breadcrumbs, pepper, onion and Moroccan spice; mix well. Using wet hands to prevent meat from sticking, shape mixture into meatballs the size of golf balls. In a frying pan over med-high heat, drizzle EVOO and cook meatballs. Brown all sides and make sure they are cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, make the couscous according to directions on the box. After 5 minutes when couscous has absorbed the liquid and is ready to be fluffed, stir in the baby spinach; cover and set aside.

Serve in a shallow bowl by making a bed of couscous and topping with meatballs. Drizzle with any remaining pepper and onion bits that might be left in the pan.

Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken with Couscous

Bursting with flavor in every bite. The hubby usually isn't a fan of couscous unless I mix in different ingredients, like artichoke hearts, cheese, etc...get creative!

2 chicken breasts

¼ cup Kalamata olives, pitted

2 Tbsp sundried tomatoes
EVOO
Lemon Pepper seasoning
Salt

Couscous:
1 box of olive oil and pine nuts couscous (or plain)
½ red bell pepper, diced
2 green onion sprigs, sliced
Jarred artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
Feta cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

With a deboning knife, insert a hole into the thick end of the chicken breast and using your knife and finger carefully create a pocket. Be careful to not poke a hole through the other side. Set aside.

In a food processor, combine olives, tomatoes with a drizzle of EVOO. Stuff the chicken with this mixture. Season both sides chicken with lemon pepper and salt. In a frying pan over med-high heat, drizzle a little EVOO and brown both sides of chicken. Remove chicken from pan and to a baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes until chicken is cooked throughout.

While chicken is baking, add a couple drizzles of EVOO to a pot over med-high heat. Add peppers and sauté for a couple minutes. Add water for couscous to the pot (following directions on the box), bring to a boil, add couscous with seasonings, remove from heat, cover and set to the side for about 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork then stir in green onions, artichoke hearts and feta cheese.

Serve chicken with couscous and drizzle with cooked chicken juice from baking sheet.

Mediterranean Tortellini

Inspired by planning our trip to the Italian Riviera

1 frozen package of spinach and cheese Buitoni tortellini
½ jar of pesto sauce
1 small tomato, chopped
1 tsp of capers
10 Kalamata olives, sliced in thirds
1/4 cup frozen chopped spinach, after it’s defrosted and water squeezed out
3 oz feta cheese

Boil tortellini for about 10 minutes; drain. In the same pot used for boiling pasta, add pesto, tomato, capers, olives and spinach. Sauté and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add tortellini back to pot and toss in sauce.

Plate in a shallow bowl and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Grilled Chicken with Vegetable Bulgur Salad

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup of bulgur (found in a Mediterranean market, international isle of grocery story, or substitue with cous cous)
2 ½ cup chicken broth
Handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
Handful of Kalamata olives, sliced in thirds
¼ large red bell pepper, chopped
2 green onion sprigs, chopped
1/3 cucumber, chopped
2 Tbsp minced parsley
3 oz feta cheese
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon

Cook bulgur in chicken stock, as directed on package. Drain any excess liquid; let cool.

Season chicken to your liking. I like to marinate my chicken in Italian dressing and add a few dashes of lemon pepper seasoning. Grill over med-high heat for about 6-7 minutes per side, until no longer pink in the middle.

In a large bowl, combine cooled bulgur and all the vegetables, feta cheese and lemon; mix together.

Slice grilled chicken and fan out on a plate. Drizzle with any extra juice left on cutting board. Sprinkle with extra lemon zest or parsley. Serve with vegetable bulgur salad.

Mediterranean Flat Bread Pizza

3 flat breads, jalapeño and cilantro flavor
½ red bell pepper, sliced
2-3 rings of red onion, sliced
5-10 Kalamata olives, sliced
1 ½-2 sweet turkey sausage, removed from casting
1 large garlic clove, minced
Herbed goat cheese
Feta cheese, lemon and oregano flavor
EVOO

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

In a frying pan over medium high heat, sauté sausage until cooked all the way through, until no longer pink.

Brush flat bread with EVOO. Top flat bread with peppers, onions, olives and sausage. Sprinkle with garlic and feta cheese. Break off chunks of goat cheese and place on top. Bake pizzas for about 8 minutes, until veggies are cooked and flat bread is crusty. Don’t bake too long or the bread will turn into a cracker!

Note: I would have added sliced tomatoes and quartered, marinated artichokes, but I forgot to add them!

Steak with Dirty Mediterranean Rice

This is an easy recipe that was super tasty! Perfect for a summer dinner. I always put Ben in charge of the grilling and I take care of the chopping and the stove top. Ben also came up with the name of the rice!

2 servings

2 New York steaks
Steak seasoning (Mrs. Dash and salt)
½ cup of basmati rice
1 cup of water
1 zucchini, chopped
¼ small red onion, diced
½ small jar of marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
About 10 kalamata olives, chopped
1 tsp of EVOO

Heat grill. Cook rice in pot or rice cooker.

Grill steaks to likeness.

Heat EVOO in a skillet. Sauté zucchini and onion for a few minutes until onion is translucent. Add salt to taste.

Once rice is done add artichoke hearts and olives, and sautéed zucchini and onions.

Once steak if finished grilling, plate with rice.

Note: Use the “touch test” to cook your steak. Touch the middle of your steak with your finger, if it’s soft like your cheek, it’s medium rare; if it’s more firm like the tip of your nose, it’s medium; if it’s hard like your forehead, it’s well done.