I paired steamed broccoli with my pork medallions. This version of pork medallions is so simple after a long week of rich treats.

I was thinking about posting about my Uncle John’s famous sweet potato pie. Then I started thinking about the intense amount of holiday treats I’ve been eating all week. So an idea for a simple and lean dinner forms as I sit here, grateful I don’t have to work until next Monday and wishing a marathon of The Closer or CSI was on TV. You can whip up some mashed potatoes or steam some vegetables for a side dish. The faux gravy I make for this goes with any side because it is tasty and not too thick. Rice would be good, too.

Although pork loin can seem expensive, you can use it for several meals. I used half of this pork loin for a previous meal (Crockpot Pork Loin), and I froze the rest until now. I paid $8.49 for this amount of meat, and it fed us for 3 meals. Not too bad, I have to say.

Pork Medallions

pork loin
EVOO
white wine
heavy cream
1 cube chicken bouillon coarse ground salt
freshly ground pepper
Mrs. Dash Steak Seasoning

I love this Mrs. Dash seasoning on everything. It is a Griller's Blend, and it is delicious on steak, but it is also delicious on salmon, chicken, and in this case, pork.

• Cut the pork loin into 1/2 inch thick “medallions”
• Season with salt and Mrs. Dash. The coarse salt is really excellent and will caramelize the outside of the meat.
• Heat pan to medium heat and add 1-2 tbsp of EVOO
• Put the pork in the hot oil and do not move it for at least 60 seconds. You don’t want it to burn, but you do want the meat to perfectly brown on the bottom before you turn it.
  

  Wait until the meat gets to a nice brown before you flip it. That seasoning looks so good.

• Once both sides are a wonderfully brown color, take them out and put them in an oven-safe dish.
• Continue cooking at 350 for about 10 minutes or until they are cooked through.
• While your pork is in the over, keep your heat on the empty pan on the stove, and pour 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of white wine into the pan to get all those cooked-on delicious bits off the bottom.
• Throw in a bouillon cube and cook until it dissolves.

• 

  Pour white wine into the pan to deglaze the delicious bits. The wine makes a most fabulous noise when it hits the hot pan.

• Add 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream. If you don’t have that around, half and half would work.
  

  After you add the cream, the sauce will have this creamy brown hue.

• Continue to reduce until it is half its original volume.
• I call this “faux gravy” because it is not really as thick as gravy usually is.
• Pull your pork out of the oven and pour the faux gravy over it and whatever side you chose.
  

  I highly suggest you try the Mrs. Dash Steak Seasoning. Look at those beautifully browned medallions with the faux gravy.

I know I’m married to him, but this is the best compliment a cook can get:

I caught Joe licking the plate!

Crock pots are so great any time of year. You get a home cooked meal...that you didn't have to cook! I never have enough ingredients to fill my crock pot this full.

I don’t really know how to cook a tofu crockpot meal, and my last soybean excursion boiled over…and all over my kitchen. Usually, I am a pro at these things, but the termite man called to tell me that he was going to be late…and he is a talker. Right when I hung up, my ground soy bean and water mixture boiled over, and boilin’ hot okara went everywhere. This would not have happened if I had used my huge pot, but I was trying to perfect this process, use less dishes, and add some fresh basil. It did not work out. On the same soybean note, I have posted pictures to my Fresh Tofu Adventure, so go check them out if you are curious.

Whatever the reason, I was craving some slowly cooked pork loin in my crock pot. If you work or go to school all day, this is the best thing to come home to. It smells up the whole house with a wonderfully warm aroma of herbs and spices. This pork loin was not even a pound, and it fed us for 3 different meals:

1. Low and Slow Crock Pot Pork Loin
2. Pork Medallions
3. BBQ pulled pork sandwiches

Low and Slow Pork Loin

baby carrots
half an onion, chopped
2 small garlic cloves
3/4 to a cup of any unsweet white wine
pork loin, cut in half so as to neatly fit in crock pot
1/2 cup water
Mrs. Dashcoarse salt
pepper

• put your carrots and onions in the bottom of the crock pot
• place the 2 garlic cloves so that they will sit just under the pork loin
• rub the pork with the coarse salt, Mrs. Dash, and pepper; be careful with the coarse salt as a little goes a long way
• put the pork down on top of the carrots, onions, and garlic
• pour in the white wine and water; it does not need to submerge the pork
• turn on the lowest cooking settings
• mine has 3 settings: keep warm, low, and high–”keep warm” will not cook the meat enough
• I put this on at about 7 a.m. and didn’t get home until 5 p.m.
• It was perfect!

1/2 cup chardonnay
4 tbsp heavy cream
3 chopped green onions (or 2 fat ones)
1 or 2 sage leaves (or powdered sage)
4 or 5 tbsp butter, cubed
3/4 cup steamed crab or seafood of your choice (add lemon if you wish)
fettucine noodles
salt and pepper to taste
shredded parmesan

• reduce your wine, 2 tbsp cream, onions and sage over medium heat to half it’s original volume (6-10 minutes, depending on your stove settings)
• add the other 2 tbsp cream and butter over low heat, whisking until smooth
• add in cooked pasta noodles and crab
• salt and pepper to taste
• plate up and top with shredded parmesan if you have it

If you prefer vidalias or shallots, they would be good, too. And if you want to add more butter, by all means, do it up. This recipe is so versatile and can go so many ways that I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

My creamy crab pasta has a creamy and light onion flavor. Versatile and easy--what more could one ask for?