Brown Sugar & Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin

This is a recipe that I found via Pinterest (one of my many obsessions).  It looked so yummy that even though I am not much of a pork eater, I had to try it.  I am so glad I did!  It was fabulous!  I honestly don't think I've ever cooked anything pork, other than bacon.  And possibly a ham?!?  But even that, I'm not a hug fan of.  My husband makes the BEST Smoked Pork BBQ (NC Style of course) but that's the extent my culinary experiences with pork...until now.  This recipe just might make me a pork convert.  C + C Marriage Factory is the site that I found this recipe & consequently these pictures that summoned me to try it.  I've seen it all over the web, with lots of people using pork loin roasts too.  I have only tried it with a tenderloin so far though.  This is really so yummy & such an easy recipe, you've got to give it a try!

Ingredients:

1, 2 lb Pork Tenderloin

1 tsp Ground Sage

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Pepper

1 clove Garlic, crushed

1/2 cup Water

 

For the Glaze:

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1 tbsp Cornstarch

1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 cup Water

2 tbsp Soy Sauce

 

Directions:

Trim the silver skin & extra fat off the pork.  Combine sage, salt, pepper and garlic in a small bowl.  Then rub over the roast. Place it in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. About 1 hour before roast is done, combine ingredients for the glaze in small sauce pan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture thickens. Brush roast with the glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking. Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

**  Note:  Just before I brushed the roast with the glaze, I drained the excess liquid from the slow cooker.  If you don't have a lot of liquid, don't worry about doing that. 

Enjoy!!

Roasted Tomatoes with Bread Crumbs & Parmesan Cheese

 This is one of my personal favorites.  Especially later in the summer when there are tons & tons of ripe fresh tomatoes to use.  You can use large slicing tomatoes or Roma tomatoes, just pick up any ripe slicing tomato at the Farmers Market or grocery store that you like.  I found this recipe about a year ago and have made it over & over.  I even took pictures to share with you...but that was probably almost a year ago.  And I have no idea what I did with those pics.  So I'll share the pics from the site that I originally found the recipe, Circle B Kitchen.  As usual, mine wouldn't have turned out as beautifully as these anyway.  It sure is a good thing that I can cook because I am definitely not a photographer.  Anyways- my recipe is a little different but the method is same.  And really, this is one of those things that you don't even need a recipe for.  There is no need to measure any of it out.  Just eye ball it, mix it all up, top some sliced tomatoes & bake.  Easy peasy!  It makes for a great side dish but I love then on top of my Spaghetti with Garlic.  Yummmm.  Seriously one of my all time favorite meals! 

Ingredients:
**  See Note Below

1 1/2 lbs Ripe Slicing Tomatoes

1 cup Plain Panko Bread Crumbs

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

2 tsp Dried Italian Seasoning

1 tsp Granulated Garlic

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Olive Oil, to drizzle

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the tomatoes about 1/4 of an inch thick & lay flat on a sheet pan. (I use a foil lined sheet pan for easy clean up!)

Mix together the Panko, Parmesan, Italian Seasoning, Granulated Garlic, Salt & Pepper.  Evenly top the sliced tomatoes with the bread crumb topping mixture.
Drizzle the topped tomatoes with a little olive oil & bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are nice & golden brown.

* Note: Honestly, I do not measure here. I use about a teaspoon of Panko Bread Crumbs per tomato slice, then add half as much Parmesan Cheese as I did of the Panko.  (If I have 6 slices of tomatoes then I'd use 6 heaping teaspoons of Panko & 3 heaping teaspoons of Parmesan.)  Then I add in the dried Italian season, garlic powder, salt & pepper to taste.  You can adjust the amounts according the size of tomatoes that you use. 

 
I usually serve these on top of my Spaghetti with Garlic. 
Enjoy!!