I've moved to a new site =( ==> =)

Hello! I've moved to a new blogging site. Find me at www.sunkist365.tumblr.com
My new blog will not only be just about food but my random thoughts and rants also. Hope to see u guys there!!


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Not Your Ordinary Cup of Joe: Vietnamese Coffee

I'm not much of a coffee person, never have been...but never will?? When I go to Starbucks I usually get a non coffee item, whether it be Shaken Black Tea Lemonade or a Hot Caramel Apple Cider. There's just something about coffee that usually turns my mouth to go..."bleh!" But the first time I tried Vietnamese Coffee, all bias aside, I actually had a nirvana moment.

I tried, on a whim, to make this delicious cold Vietnamese treat before but failed miserably. The coffee melted the ice and as a result I got a dark, watery mess. Months later my Vietnamese coffee craving came calling me again. This time I decided to approach this more wisely and judiciously. I did my research on various food blog sites and found a post written by wanderingchopsticks that was really good. I actually followed her recipe for the most part and it turn out spectaclar! The only thing I added at the end was some half and half for some extra creaminess (idea courtesy of Nhat).

Vietnamese Coffee: Cafe Sua Da
2 Tbs Sweet Condensed Milk
2 Tbs Coarsely Ground Coffee (I use Trung Nguyen Coffee)
Half and Half (as much or little as you want) maybe about 1-2 Tbs
Hot boiling water
Vietnamese Coffe Filter

Put 2 Tbs (and a little more if u like) of condensed milk in a cup that fits the coffee filter over the rim.
Put 2 Tbs of coffee grounds in the filter and pack down either with the screw top or the packing top. I happen to have the packing top which works fine. For me, the more tightly packed the coffee the better so that the coffee drips SLOWLY. 

Fill the filter with hot water and let drip . WARNING. It will drip very slowly at first.  You will think nothing is dripping.  Don't mess with the top, just be patient.  The drips will come.  BELIEVE ME.  Then after all the water has been filtered through, if you want fill again with hot water to get a little more.  I usually fill a second time only about half way.  In the mean time while the coffee is dripping fill a glass to the brim with ice and put in freezer so it will become cold.  After all your coffe has dripped, remove the filter and stirr to mix the coffee and condense milk. 

Then pour over the glass of ice and add some half and half.  Stir and enjoy!!!

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Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Veggies

I’d like to share with you a pork recipe that I tried yesterday. This was my first time ever cooking a pork tenderloin. For those who already know then please excuse my ignorance, but did you know pork tenderloin and pork loin are two different types of meats? Tenderloin is actually a smaller muscle than the loin and lies beneath the larger loin. The tenderloin is much tenderer than the loin, hence, tenderloin. So anyways, since it is autumn and all, I wanted to try an “autumny” recipe with pork and apples.

I found a really simple recipe on foodnetwork dot com. I pretty much followed the recipe exactly. The only addition was adding about ¼ cup of red wine to make the sauce in place of apple cider (since I didn’t have any). You could add about ¾ cup chicken broth also, but I didn’t and the sauce was still very tasty. I also didn’t have any celery and don’t care too much for celery so I didn’t add it in. I took out the meat at 150 degrees and let it sit. There was no blush in the middle but the meat was still very tender and moist. I think this would be a good recipe to make for a small dinner party. You definitely will need a good size pan that can also go in the oven.

Adapted from foodnetwork.com
Pork Tenderloin with Apples and Veggies
vegetable oil
olive oil
1 (2-pound) boneless center cut pork loin, trimmed and tied
1 medium onion, thickly sliced
3 carrots cut into about 2 inch chunks
3 cloves garlic, smashed
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 apples peeled, cored and cut into 8 slices
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
¼ red wine
2 tablespoons mustard
salt and pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a large ovenproof skillet heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Season the pork loin all over generously with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Sear the meat until golden brown on all sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the meat to a plate and set it aside.
Add the onions, carrots, garlic, herb sprigs, and 2 tablespoons of the butter to the skillet. Stir until the vegetables are browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in the sliced apples, then push the mixture to the sides and place the pork loin in the middle of the skillet along with the juices. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the loin until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 140 to 150 degrees F, about 30 to 35 minutes.
Transfer the pork to a cutting board and cover it loosely with foil.
To make the sauce:
Arrange the apples and vegetables on a platter. Discard the herb sprigs. Return the skillet to med-high heat and add the vinegar scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits at bottom of pan. Add the wine and let the alcohol cook off for a few minutes. Take the skillet from the heat and whisk in the mustard, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of cold butter. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste.
Remove the strings from the roast and slice into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Drizzle the sauce over the meat.

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