Island Pork Tenderloin

Why is it I have NEVER made a Pork Tenderloin. This sounds like a great recipe to start with. I found this at http://bakinandeggs.com/ where they site the recipe source The Gourmet Cookbook.


1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pork tenderloins (a little over 1 pound)
1 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon hot sauce (Tabasco)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Stir together salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder and cinnamon and coat pork with spice rub.
Heat oil in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over medium high heat until just beginning to smoke. Brown pork on all sides, about 4 minutes total. Remove from heat.

While the pork is browning, stir together brown sugar, garlic and hot sauce. Once you remove pork from heat, spread glaze onto top of each tenderloin. Roast in oven until thermometer inserted in center of tenderloin registers 140 degrees, about 20 minutes. Tent with foil and let pork stand in skillet at room temperature 10 minutes. (Temperature will rise to about 150-155 while standing.) Slice and serve.
Yield: 2 servings

Banana Pineapple Cupcakes with Caramel Fondant

Must try this... I found this recipe on Brooke McLay's blog
http://www.cheekykitchen.com/2009/03/ex.html
Check it out the picture of the cupcakes on her site.

1 white cake mix
2 eggs
2 banana's
8 oz. crushed pineapple, undrained
2 T. olive oil
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/3 c. crushed macadamia nuts (optional)
Seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean

With an electric mixer, mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Batter will be thick. Spoon into mini-muffin pan, lined with small cupcake papers. Bake 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until cupcakes spring back when touched lightly. Remove and cool.


Two Spoon Caramel Fondant
One spoon to stir, and one to lick.

20 caramels
1/2 c. butter
2 lb powdered sugar
1/4 c. milk

In a large, microwave-safe bowl, melt caramels and butter together, stirring every 30 seconds until fully melted. Using an electric mixer on high, slowly beat in half of powdered sugar and half of milk. Continue to add sugar and milk, until a thick-but-spreadable consistency is reached. (Note: you may not need all the sugar or milk. Add it slowly at the end, there!)
Frost muffins while they are barely warm.

Allow frosting to cool and set before serving.