Have some steak, Baby. Smothered in The Pioneer Woman's Creamy Onion & Blue Cheese Sauce.

I'm on the Pioneer Woman diet. At the rate I've been cooking her recipes, I'll be ready for slaughter by Mother's Day. I'm gonna make a damn fine marbled ham.

I'll post all of the recipes soon but this onion blue cheese sauce begged to go first. Not gonna lie - you need to love you some blue cheese. Also not gonna lie - your whole household better love blue cheese because its scent will linger like a ghost until the next morning. This was no problem for me though - I could bathe in the stuff. Kidding.

The only changes I made were to use half and half instead of heavy cream which I'm SURE would be even richer and more ridiculous, to go a little lighter on the Worchestershire sauce and to boil it for several minutes to thicken it in light of not having used the heavy cream.

But I'll post it just as she makes it because I personally don't want to mess with a tall redhead nicknamed The Pioneer Woman.

Pioneer Woman's Creamy Onion Blue Cheese Sauce
* From Ree Drummond via Food Network

Ingredients
4 rib eye steaks (about 5 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 stick softened butter
1 large yellow onion, sliced
1 cup heavy cream 
3 to 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
Directions
Preheat the grill to a high heat or light your outdoor grill.

Sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper and smear both sides of the steaks with 1/2 stick of the butter.

Grill the steaks until medium-rare, 3 to 4 minutes per side, and then remove from the heat and keep warm. (You can also saute them in a skillet over medium-high heat if you prefer.)

Melt the remaining 1/2 stick of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and then saute the onions until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Pour in the cream, a dash of salt and pepper and the Worcestershire sauce. Let it bubble up, then add the blue cheese and stir together to melt, adding more pepper or Worcestershire sauce as you wish.

Place the steaks on plates and spoon the sauce over the top.

Take a bite. And the world at long last will make sense.

Valentine's Pasta (Bow Ties in a Rich Provolone Cream Sauce with Shallots, Ground Turkey and Portabello)

Make this for someone you have warm fuzzy feelings for, someone you owe money to, or someone that birthed you.

All kidding aside this is quite possibly the best pasta I've ever made. There is something unmistakably nostalgic about it -  like a turkey tetrazzini and beef strogonaf mashup - yet to compare it with these humble dishes would be an insult. My husband who turns his nose up at mushrooms in pasta (and even tetrazzini of any kind) declared it his hands down favorite pasta.

While parmesan would probably work here, I highly recommend seeking out a block of Provolone Piccante cheese for this (I can find it at HEB and if I recall it's less expensive than parmesan anyway.) There is a unique sharpness to this cheese that when mellowed by the sweet shallots and creamy mascarpone turns into molten liquid crack. I realize all cream sauces are decadent but this one is both decadent and sophisticated, both showy and comforting and it somehow infuses the pasta with flavor rather than just coating it.

Green onions are an essential finish for me but I bet fresh thyme (though less of it) would be worth a try.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Pasta 

(Bow Ties in a Rich Provolone Cream Sauce with Shallots, Ground Turkey and Portabello)

Serves 5-6.

Ingredients:

Olive oil, 1 tablespoon or enough to lightly coat the bottom of a dutch oven
1/2 cup shallots, chopped fine
Salt and pepper
More olive oil, as needed
2 large portabello caps, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
Garlic powder, several shakes
1 pound ground white turkey meat
Red pepper flakes generous pinch
Generous 1/2 cup white wine
8 oz mascarpone

1 1/4 cups shredded provolone picante plus more for garnish (found in the gourmet cheese section of the market in a block like parmesan or manchego)
Lots of fresh ground nutmeg
1/3 cup chopped green onion, more for garnish
3/4 of a 1 pound box farfalle (bow tie) pasta

Directions:

Fill a large pasta pot with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling add a pinch of salt then the bow ties. Cook for 7-8 minutes or just until al dente. If the pasta is ready before the sauce, remove with a colander and hold it in a large bowl, reserving the pasta water in case you need some to thin out the sauce.

Meanwhile, heat a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil - just enough to sauté the shallots in (about a tablespoon or so.) Let heat through for 30 seconds then add the shallots. Season with a good pinch salt and pepper and sauté until softened stirring often - about 4 minutes. Scoot the softened shallots to one side of the pan and add some more olive oil to the bare spot. Let it heat through for a few seconds then add the portabello to that side. Season with a tiny bit more salt and pepper as well as the garlic powder, then stir around the oil to coat. Let cook for one minute then stir the shallots and mushrooms together and keep cooking. If you're in a hurry, you can put the lid on for one minute to cook the mushrooms faster. Otherwise just keep stirring every so often, adding more oil to the pan if it gets too dry and the mushrooms start sticking to the bottom.

When the mushrooms have wilted a little, scoot both them and the shallots over to one side of the pan (add a little more oil if the bare spot is too dry) and add the turkey meat. Give it a couple minutes to begin cooking then stir everything together. 

Season with another teensy pinch of salt and a generous pinch of red pepper flakes and keep stirring and cooking until the meat is no longer pink - about 8 minutes. Now add a generous half cup of white wine and raise the heat to high to bring to a boil.

Let bubble away, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced by about half, but not so much that it's evaporated. You want a good 1/4 inch of liquid left in the pan - this will help make the sauce.

Reduce the heat back to medium/low and stir in the 8 oz package of mascarpone cheese until incorporated then the 1 1/4 cups provolone cheese and a good pinch of fresh nutmeg. 

When all mixed together, raise the heat to high again and bring to a bubble, letting the provolone melt and create a sauce. Just let bubble for a minute or two until thickened slightly. Reduce the heat back to low and stir in the 1/3 cup green onions. If the sauce is too thick at this point (more like a cheese spread than a sauce) add a little of the pasta water to it - a tablespoon at a time - when you add the pasta. On the contrary if it seems too loose and thin, add in some more grated provolone and let it melt in to thicken it up.

Stir the bow ties into the sauce and taste for salt and pepper. 

Serve in big bowls with additional grated provolone over the top and chopped green onions.

Creamy, Zesty Avocado Cilantro Sauce

I adapted this from another blog, Guilty Kitchen, and could eat it like hot fudge. It's going to be my summer lover so if you plan on eating at my house in the next few months I dearly hope you like cilantro or it's frozen pizza for you. Just kidding. We also have frozen burritos and occasionally pot pie. Kris likes a little variety.

I served this over chicken with quinoa and while it was delish, I couldn't stop thinking about how it would taste on a burger. Or through a straw. I'll shut up now.

Creamy, Zesty Avocado Cilantro Sauce
* Makes about a cup.
* Adapted from Guilty Kitchen, http://guiltykitchen.com/

Ingredients:
1 small or regular sized avocado (not the softball sized ones)
juice of 1 regular lime
juice of 1 regular lemon (again, not the softball sized ones I see from time to time)
1 large handful of cilantro, stems and all (a heaping packed cup)
1/2 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
pinch black pepper
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Red pepper flakes, optional, or 1/2 chopped jalapeño sans seeds

Directions:
Add the avocado (scooped flesh only, no seed or skin) to a food processor or blender along with the lime and lemon juice, cilantro, garlic, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar, olive oil and pepper/jalapeno if using. Pulse to blend a few times, stopping to scraped down the sides if any chunks are sticking and blend again until smooth.

Taste for seasoning and make any adjustments necessary.

Serve with grilled chicken, steaks, burgers, or whatever you fancy.

Buffalo Chicken Kabobs with Blue Cheese Dip

                                      

I got psyched when I daydreamed this recipe. Mostly because I like anything with the word 'buffalo' in the name. I'm super original that way.

But after making them, I got even more excited. They're almost like tandoori (super moist delicious Indian kabobs) but buffalo flavored. And spicy as an ant pile.

As for the sauce, I have no words. Hide your kids. Hide your wife. It's about to get crazy up in here.

I could make this recipe every day for the rest of my life, just swapping out different kinds of meat for the chicken. Salmon would be amazing. Beef would make me weep. And if the squirrels don't stop chewing on the side of my house they too might be bound for buffalo glory.

Buffalo Chicken Kabobs with Blue Cheese Dip

Kabob Marinade:
1 package boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch cubes
7 oz greek yogurt, either 2% or whole (not fat free)
1/4 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce, or your favorite brand hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon vegetable or canola oil
2 fat green onions (white and green parts), chopped
2 smashed garlic cloves, or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
zest of 1 small lime
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (use less if using table salt!)
fresh ground black pepper
Wooden skewers (soak in water for 30 minutes before skewing/grilling)

Mix the marinade ingredients (yogurt through the black pepper) together until all blended and friendly in a medium bowl. Transfer to a large ziploc and add the chicken smushing around until all pieces are well coated. Refrigerate overnight, removing half an hour before threading onto skewers and grilling. THERE IS NO NEED TO SALT THE KABOBS BEFORE GRILLING AS THE MARINADE IS QUITE SALTY.

To grill, heat an outdoor grill to 375. Oil the grates so the kabobs won't stick (grease a folded paper towel with peanut or veg oil use tongs to swipe it along the grates.) Add the kabobs 'against the grain' from where the grates are positioned so no chicken falls through, and close the lid for 4 minutes. Try picking up to see if you have grill marks on the underside. If so, flip over and cook another 4-5 minutes until cooked through, if not cook another 1-2 minutes before checking again and flipping.

Remove and serve with dip, below.

Dip (would also make a killer dip for veg/crackers/etc:)
zest of a small lemon
1-2 green onions, sliced thin
1/3 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup light mayo
1/4 cup blue cheese or gorgonzola
salt, but only if needed after tasting and to taste

Mix altogether and store in the refrigerator until needed. Can be made the day before. Serve with the kabobs. Or as a dip for veg and crackers. Or fingers.

Spicy Ginger Chicken with Cool Cucumber Yogurt Sauce

Spicy Ginger Chicken Marinade:
* The leftover chicken makes a killer sandwich the next day with mayo and more cilantro.

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, for marinating

1 small tub (usually 5.3 oz) Greek yogurt (preferably whole or 2% Fage brand)
1 chunk gresh ginger, at least 1 tablespoon when grated or chopped, or more for more kick
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
small handful of fresh mint, roughly chopped
2-3 small shallots, chopped
big handful fresh cilantro, chopped plus extra for garnish
2 smashed garlic cloves
zest of one lime

Directions:
Mix the yogurt with the ginger, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, herbs, shallots, garlic and lime zest. Place chicken breasts in a large ziploc or medium tupperware and cover with marinade, being sure to turn to coat and really piling on the mixture to give them a good soaking. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat your broiler oven. Remove the chicken from the marinade and scrape off excess (don't be tempted to leave large hunks clinging onto the chicken - it will only burn.) Season the tops lightly with salt and pepper. Grease a pan with a rack in it, place breasts on the rack and put in the oven. Check starting at 8 minutes - breasts are done when the edges are JUST beginning to char and the thin veil of marinade on the meat has completely lost its glossy wetness and become a chalky, dull white. They're not pretty to look at but they're delicious to eat. Conversely you can just bake them on a cookie sheet (sprayed with nonstick spray) at 400 for 15 minutes until cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with cucumber yogurt sauce, following, and garnish with additional cilantro.

Cucumber Yogurt Sauce:
* You can make this hours ahead or even the day before with good results. The mixture will look a bit watery and sad - just stir it together and remind yourself looks aren't everything.

Ingredients:
1 small tub whole or 2% Greek yogurt, NOT fat free
1 handful of fresh mint, rough chopped
1 large handful cilantro, rough chopped
1 medium cucumber, seeds scraped and discarded then finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
juice of 1/2 lime
lime zest, optional for more zing

Directions:
Mix alltogether and let sit for at least 30 minutes in the fridge before serving. Spoon over hot chicken when dishing, or serve alongside for people to serve themselves.

Merry...Thanksgiving?

Making dinner the other night I was flipping through the channels when I saw Wheel of Fortune hosting from...the North Pole. I had to check my wine for poison and then my calendar. It was a full week and a half before Thanksgiving let alone Christmas. What happened to decorating with pumpkins and fall leaves or even a ceramic turkey?

But Vanna and Pat weren't the only ones. It seemed the Christmas (PC term - Festivas?) fever had already spread beyond the point of me worrying about it. The grocery store was all decked in holly with Karen Carpenter blasting from the speakers, the ghost decorators had already begun bedazzling the Cedar trees on 360 in red and gold, and truth be told - I was glad for it. It just goes by too fast y'all. (Though I do feel bad for Thanksgiving - will it soon be renamed Christmas, Part 1?)

Anyways sorry to jump on the 'skipping ahead to Christmas' bandwagon but my Thanksgiving recipes are all going to be pretty standard this year aside from doing the turkey on the Big Green Egg which I'll share with you later so I thought I'd post The Homesick Texan's Strawberry Guajillo Jam. This jam would make a fantastic gift or stocking stuffer. And if you're leery of making homemade jam like I was - don't be. Easy as pie y'all. Just make sure you put hot jam in a hot, just sterilized jar (you can do it in the dishwasher) and that's all there is to it.

This jam is lovely - the only kind Kris will eat now - not spicy but with just enough kick to be interesting. Come to think of it - it'd be fantastic on a leftover turkey sandwich instead of the usual cranberry sauce!

Strawberry Guajillo Jam, from The Homesick Texan
Yields 2 pints.
* Very easy but allow for 4 hours of letting the strawberries to sit before making.

Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
2 cups granulated sugar
1 dried guajillo chile, stem and seeds removed OR 1/4 teaspoon dried guajillo powder
1/2 cup lime juice
pinch kosher salt

Equipment:
2 pint-size jars or 4 half-pint size jars with lids and bands

Directions:
Toss the strawberries in a pot with the sugar and let stand for 4 hours until soft and juicy.

Place a plate in the freezer. Dice the dried guajillo and add it to the strawberry pot (or powder) along with the lime juice, salt and 1/4 cup of water. Bring the pot to a boil and then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, sterilize the jars and lids in either a pot of boiling water or dishwasher (just don't do this too early or the jars will become too cool - you want them still hot when you put the jam into them.)

After 30 minutes, take the plate out of the freezer and place a spoonful of the jam on the plate. After a minute, tilt the plate, and if the jam doesn't run then it's ready. If it does run, cook it for 5 more minutes and test again. Continue to test until it doesn't run.

Pour jam into hot jars, leaving a bit of headspace. Cover with lids and fasten with rings. Allow to cool and then refrigerate. I find that it can last for a few months in the refrigerator.

PS - I already might have already started decorating...

Filet Mignon with Red Wine and Porcini Mushroom Sauce. Hell to the Yeah-Uh.

I am in love with Porcini mushrooms despite the fact they smell like feet when you rehydrate them. Luckily they don't taste like feet. They taste like the most intense, flavorful mushroom you ever had, just without the use of psychotropics. If you don't like mushrooms well, we just don't have much in common, do we? Just kidding. But not really...

Perhaps the real reason I love Porcini mushrooms so much is that they just sit there in my spice drawer month after month waiting to become something tasty. They don't have to be cooked within a few days of buying them like fresh mushrooms do and they add SO much flavor to everything from risotto to side dishes to sauces. Basically they're like a super stealth secret weapon just laying low until called upon to make it rain in the kitchen. Which is just what they did last night.

I now have the answer to what my final meal would be if I ever end up on death row. These steaks, a baked potato, and roasted asparagus.

Filet Mignon with Red Wine and Porcini Mushroom Sauce
Serves 2. Recipe easily doubled.

Ingredients:
2 filet mignon, let sit out of the fridge for 45 min, then liberally seasoned with salt and pepper
Olive oil, enough to just coat bottom of a small/medium rimmed skillet
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
.75 oz dried Porcini mushrooms, reconstituted in 1 cup hot water for 30 minutes (reserve broth)
3/4 cup red wine
1 teaspoon Worchestershire
scant 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of the porcini broth
1 tablespoon butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400.

As stated in ingredient list, reconstitute your dried Porcinis in hot water for half an hour. Onwards and upwards now.

Heat your small/medium skillet over medium high heat. Add just enough olive oil to create a thin layer on the bottom of the pan and let heat through for 1 minute (you want that sear when you add your cow to the pan, sorry Moo Moo.) Add the steaks and let brown on one side - not touching them - for about 3-4 minutes depending on thickness. Use tongs to see if they'll lift easily. If not, let them be another minute before trying again. If so, go ahead and carefully flip to the other side and cook another 3-4 minutes until you have a nice crust. Remove and transfer to a medium baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray. Place in the oven for 6 minutes for medium rare (about 8 for medium and 4 for bloody.) Remove and tent with foil for 10 minutes before eating - which gives you just enough time to make the sauce!

For the sauce, add the shallots to the residual oil/fat in the skillet from frying the steaks and reduce heat slightly if they sizzle up too quickly/furiously. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then cook stirring often until translucent. About 3-4 minutes. Once translucent, add in the strained Porcinis (reserving broth), red wine, Worchestershire and rosemary. Bring to a boil then scrape up any browned bits from the bottom and stir occasionally, letting the mixture reduce by half - a few minutes or so. Once reduced, and while still boiling, stir in the cornstarch/Porcini broth mixture. It should only take 30 seconds or so at a boil for the mixture to thicken, then kill the heat and stir in the tablespoon butter.

Taste for salt/pepper - if it tastes 'okay' but not 'holy sh*t' then add a good pinch of salt, stir and taste again. A little salt is all that's keeping you from heaven at this point.

Serve the sauce spooned heavily over the rested steaks (again I love these steaks with good ole baked taters and roasted asparagus.)

Beef and Portabello Double Cheeseburgers with Grilled Green Onions, Sharp Cheddar and Espresso BBQ Sauce

I don't know how many times I've gone out to eat somewhere fancy, perused the menu full of foodie fantasies, and wound up ordering the burger. If I'm being honest, a good burger is probably my favorite thing to eat on earth. Not lady like. But true.

I can't help it - I get it from both parents. While my husband inherited a double dose of sweet teeth (I'm convinced his blood is 90% sugar at this point) I might as well be part vampire. In fact, one of my fondest childhood memories with my now long-divorced parents is hunting down and enjoying a good burger at some little Texas hole in the wall. Be it country diners or truck stops or even a Whataburger when that's all that was available.

But that's not the real reason. I mean what other food is as satisfying, versatile, and fun? I'll admit that sometimes I get so carried away with all the possibilities (bacon, grilled onions, pimiento cheese, lamb burgers, pork burgers, pesto burgers - someone stop me...) that I forget the sheer nirvana that is the unadorned, simple-as-Simon burger. American Cheese. Meat. Bun. Heaven. But as fantastic as the plain ones are, they're not really worth a blog post are they?

This burger, however, is worth sharing. It requires a roll of paper towels and a pint of beer to get it down. The first patty is beef, liberally seasoned on the outside with salt, pepper, and onion powder while the second is a meaty roasted portabello. Sharp cheddar is melted over the beef and the whole thing is topped with grilled green onions. But the party doesn't start until it's all been doused in a sweet yet smokey espresso BBQ sauce (I'm lying - it's equally good without it or even with a more savory style BBQ sauce.) But as much as I love this particular combo, I'd be hard pressed to call it my absolute favorite burger. I mean how does a mother choose a favorite when she has several dozen children? She doesn't, that's how.

So instead why don't you tell me - what's your favorite burger - homemade or otherwise?

Beef and Portabello Double Cheeseburgers with Grilled Green Onions, Sharp Cheddar and Espresso BBQ Sauce
* Makes 3 burgers.
* Make the BBQ Sauce ahead of time and keep in the fridge, heating up over the stove just before serving the burgers.

Ingredients/Instructions:
* 1 lb grass fed ground sirloin, preferably 80-85% lean but not leaner than 90%
* Liberal amounts of kosher salt and pepper and onion powder, for seasoning
* Whole Wheat or Soft White Hamburger Buns
Form the meat into 3 patties, trying not to overwork the meat. Season both sides liberally with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Heat a grill or grill pan over medium/high heat and cook the burgers about 4 minutes then flip over. Let cook another 2 minutes then top with the desire amount of cheese and cook another 3-4 minutes until cooked to your liking and the cheese has melted. Remove from the heat, put on a bun and top with each with a roasted portabello, green onions, and bbq sauce if desired - recipes follow.

* 3 portabello mushrooms, stems removed and 6 stalks of green onions, white ends trimmed off, rinsed and dried
Add the above veggies to a greased, rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper and roast at 375 for 18 minutes, until the mushrooms have sunken and the onions have begun to wilt and caramelize a little (alternatively you can grill them until they've begun to brown and caramelize - about 3 minutes per side.)

* Plenty of Cheddar Cheese Slices
* BBQ Sauce (recipe follows) or your favorite homemade or store bought

Espresso Barbecue Sauce:
* From Michael Chiarello
* I like to let the sauce cool, then blend it in the blender for a smoother consistency (and to hide the garlic from my husband;) but you don't need to do this
* Recipe can be halved - it makes tons!

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons mashed and minced garlic
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 cups ketchup
2 cups honey
Grey salt
2 demitasse cups espresso (or about 1/2 cup of strong coffee or instant espresso)
Fresh ground black pepper

Instructions:
Mash garlic with the side of a knife and then mince finely to release oils.

Add olive oil to a preheated saute pan. Add the garlic and saute until it gets light brown, about 1 minute. Add cider vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, and honey and stir well. Add a pinch of grey salt, then whisk in the coffee. Add freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.

Let cool and store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Yield: about 5 to 6 cups

Gorgeously Green Tomatillo Cream Sauce for Beef, Chicken or your Chip Bowl

I made this up a few years ago to serve with Filet Mignon on Christmas Eve because I needed a backup for my mushroom mascarpone sauce (one of my nephews detests mushrooms.) I was panicked looking around my sister's pantry for something to make a sauce out of when I came across a huge can of tomatillos. I pretended I hadn't seen the expiration date (the tomatillos were as old as Jesus) and went with it.

The weird thing is this sauce is delicious served warm as an accompaniment to grilled or roasted meat as well as cold, straight from the fridge, as a dip for tortillas chips. But no matter how you prefer to eat it, it tastes even better when made ahead and chilled for a few hours (or even overnight.)

Pretty. Versatile. Improves with age. If this recipe were a woman I'd have to kill her.

Tomatillo Cream Sauce:

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
salt and pepper, for seasoning
1 (28 oz) can tomatillos, well drained
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth
1/2 cup sour cream
2 heaping tablespoons chopped cilantro or flat leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:
Add the olive oil or butter to a medium heavy bottomed dutch oven and put over medium heat. Let heat through for 1-2 minutes until warm and add the chopped onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally for 5-6 minutes until softened. Add in the tomatillos and cook them in the onions, stirring occasionally for 12-15 minutes until the 1 or 2 of the tomatillos 'bursts' releasing its seeds into the pan OR until some of the onions begin to brown and stick to the bottom of the pan. You don't want them to start burning but some good browned bits are lovely. Add in the coriander, garlic powder, and white wine or vermouth and bring to a boil over high heat. Use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture, being sure to scrape up any sticky or browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let boil away stirring occasionally until the majority of the wine has evaporated and the mixture is beginning to thicken - about 8 minutes.

Remove from the heat and let cool for about 10 minutes before adding to your blender to puree. Blend until the tomatillos and onions are all broken down, then add the sour cream, herbs and salt and blend again.

Taste to see if you need more salt or pepper, make any adjustments, blend again and serve. Sauce can made ahead and stored up to 3 days in the fridge in a tightly sealed container. Either serve cold if using for dip or reheat as a sauce over a low flame on the stove.

Versatile Dill, Lemon and Balsamic Dressing

* This pic is actually of a roasted portabello stuffed with artichokes and fresh mozzarella that I served over an arugula salad. I didn't include the recipe because I thought the artichoke dominated the dish and made my wine taste like pee. Boo:(

Westville is a restaurant by my house in the West Village known for its down home cooking. While I'm partial to their turkey burger, my absolute favorite thing on their menu is the lemon dill balsamic vinaigrette (that I dunk my turkey burger into like it's running away from me.)

This is my attempt at a copycat version. It's not exactly like theirs but close enough for now (I will continue to tweak it and report back once satisfied.) Westville's isn't quite as 'green' tasting as mine which makes me wonder if they use dried dill? If anyone has any thoughts or opinions on fresh herbs versus dried in dressings, let me hear from you.

Another thing I love about this dressing is that it's so versatile. I love it tossed with salad (preferably arugula), as a dipping sauce for roasted meats and burgers, and oddly enough tossed with hot pasta. With this versatile vinaigrette, the world is your oyster.

Fresh Lemon, Dill and Balsamic Dressing

3 heaping tablespoons roughly chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (a couple dashes) balsamic vinegar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon honey
1 small garlic clove minced (or 1/2 if you're garlic sensitive)
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

Put the dill, balsamic, salt, pepper, honey, garlic, dijon and lemon juice in a blender. Turn on low for a minute or so to knock the fight out of them. Scrape down the sides to drown any disobedient bedfellows, then blend again for a few seconds. With the motor on low, remove the cap from the top and slowly drizzle in the olive oil so that it emulsifies as added. Taste for salt/pepper/honey making any adjustments necessary. If it's too tart, add another squeeze of honey. If it's bland, another pinch of salt and/or pepper. Usually all a 'blah' dressing needs is a bit more salt, but then again another slug of balsamic never hurt one either.

Toss with lettuce for a salad, use a dipping sauce for roasted meat, or toss with pasta.

Pan Seared Pork Cutlets with Lemon Butter Caper Sauce and Parmesan Penne

Pan Seared Pork Cutlets with Lemon Butter Caper Sauce

Ingredients:
4 thin boneless pork chop cutlets, seasoned with salt and pepper
3/4 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup dry white wine (preferably Chardonnay)
1/4 cup low sodium chicken stock
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon well drained capers
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 good squeeze honey

Instructions:
Heat up oil in a large rimmed skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is sauntering around the pan freely, add the seasoned chops, spacing evenly apart and letting cook about 4-5 minutes per side or until they've achieved a nice golden brown on the first side and release somewhat easily. Turn over and cook another 3-4 minutes or until golden on the other side. Transfer to a low, warm oven (250 or so) to keep warm while you make the sauce.

Kick the heat up to high on the pan and add the white wine, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan while you bring to a boil. Let boil down for about 5 minutes, or until reduced by at least half, then add in the chicken stock. Boil for 1 more minute then lower the heat to low and add in the juice of a half lemon, capers, butter and honey. Stir until all is dissolved and melted in. Taste for salt/pepper/sweetness. If it's too tart, add in another squeeze honey and stir in. I can't imagine it wouldn't be piquant enough with all that tart lemon and salty capers, but you never know.

Remove the chops from the oven and add back to the pan along with any accumulated juices. Serve warm with the sauce and capers ladled over the pork.

Parmesan Penne

2 cups petite whole wheat penne
handful kosher or sea salt for pasta water
4 tablespoons Fresh Dill, Lemon and Balsamic Dressing, recipe follows
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (or more if you like)
2 tablespoons lightly toasted slivered or sliced almonds

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add in a handful of salt, let return to a boil, and add in your pasta. Cook for 6 minutes or JUST until al dente. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a large bowl (if you just drain it and return to the same pot, your cheese will get to hot when you stir it in and clump together instead of combining politely with the pasta.) Toss with the dressing then add in the cheese and toss again. You might want to throw a pinch of pepper in there and toss again. Just think about it. Serve with a scattering of toasted almonds over the top.

Fresh Dill, Lemon and Balsamic Dressing:

3 heaping tablespoons roughly chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (a couple dashes) balsamic vinegar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon honey
1 small garlic clove minced (or 1/2 if you're garlic sensitive)
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

Put the dill, balsamic, salt, pepper, honey, garlic, dijon and lemon juice in a blender. Turn on low for a minute or so to knock the fight out of them. Scrape down the sides to drown any disobedient bedfellows, then blend again for a few seconds. With the motor on low, remove the cap from the top and slowly drizzle in the olive oil so that it emulsifies as added. Taste for salt/pepper/honey making any adjustments necessary. If it's too tart, add another squeeze of honey. If it's bland, another pinch of salt and/or pepper. Usually all a 'blah' dressing needs is a bit more salt, but then again another slug of balsamic never hurt one either.

Martha Hall Foose's Vinegar 'Mopping' Sauce and Dry Rub

If you like to eat tasty food, cook tasty food, or ever ponder taking a road trip through the south to come head to head with the home of the blues (and incredible southern food) then go on Amazon this instant and buy 'Screen Doors and Sweet Tea' by Martha Hall Foose. And before you skip onto your next food blog or celeb gossip site thinking you have nothing in common with a woman cooking up southern food in Mississippi, think again. Martha got herself out of the deep South as soon as she possibly could flinging herself halfway across the world to Paris (where a bag of grits made her instant bff's with an artsy set that showed her parts of the city never seen by tourists.) And while she loved it, she eventually followed her heart back to that rich, culture-soaked Mississippi soil. Martha, it turns out, is proof that you can go home again after all.

The stories and recipes pull you in like quicksand but what I love most about the book are the deeply little southern things she introduces the reader to such as this vinegar-riddled 'mop' sauce. A mop sauce, it turns out, isn't like a BBQ or basting sauce exactly. It's meant to be thin and there's no need to boil it down for hours over the stove to thicken it. She includes it in her recipe for ribs (delicious) but I love it just as much basted over a double cut, bone-in pork chop or a whole chicken. It's an instant recipe booster as is her dry rub which I included below.

A final example of a southern wisdom from the book comes from a friend of Martha's on cleaning and prepping a turtle for turtle soup - "Drive it over to Louisiana and have someone do it for you."

Mopping Sauce:
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I halve this because I'm a wimp)
Shake vigoruusly and refrigerate overnight. Baste ribs, pork chops, steak, or chicken frequently over a hot grill.

Dry Rub:
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons paprika
1/2 tablespoon black pepper (she uses a whole tbsln)
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground allspice

Mix all and store in an airtight container for up to a month. Pat thickly over cuts of meat (ideally the day before grilling) keeping wrapped in the fridge overnight to absorb the flavors.

Creamy Chipotle Cheddar Chicken. Enter the Ring of Fire.

Chipotles may be a little five minutes ago as far as culinary trends go, but I'm very comfortable with being uncool. Chipotle chiles, found packed in cans of adobo sauce, are just plain old jalapenos that have been allowed to stay on the vine until they develop a deep red color, then are removed and smoke-dried over fire until most of the moisture is evaporated. What you get is an intense smokey flavor unlike anything on earth. It's absolutely addictive, especially in dishes like this with cilantro and sharp cheese which LOVE them some smoke.

The only catch is, chipotles are roasted with seeds and all which is why this dish lives up to its other title - Ring of Fire Chicken. So unless you really, really like a kick I advise making this with two chipotle chiles the first go around to see how much you like eating and sweating at the same time. It also helps to serve it over a mellow flavored rice with something sweet in it like peas or corn (I've included my recipe below) to round everything out. But if you're a heat freak, you could always mince up another chipotle and add it to the rice as well. And in that case my hat goes off to you. As Sissy says in the movie Urban Cowboy, "You're a real cowboy, ain't you?"

As for Kris and I, we were dying laughing while eating this, watching each others' faces get redder and redder. The phrase of the meal was, "It hurts a little but man - it's SO good!"

Creamy Chipotle Cheddar Chicken (aka Ring of Fire Chicken)
Serves 4.
* The chipotle sauce would be good for lots of different things, especially steak.
* Kris wanted me to tell you that this chicken would also be great in warm tortillas, just in case the rice wasn't enough carbs for you...

Ingredients:
4 chicken breast cutlets (boneless and skinless)
1/2 cup milk (whole or low fat is fine - skim is a no no)
3 chipotle chiles, from a can of chipotle in adobo (use 2 for less heat), finely chopped
1/3 cup cottage cheese (regular/full fat will give better texture and flavor but you could use 2%)
1/2 cup sour cream
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons half and half
1 tablespoon cornstarch

3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar (I used Cracker Barrel 2% sharp cheddar)
handful of chopped green onions, for garnish
handful of cilantro leaves, for garnish

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a glass or ceramic baking dish (large enough to hold the 4 cutlets) with nonstick spray. Add the chicken (it's okay if they overlap a little but they should have the majority of space to themselves to cook evenly) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Once the oven is preheated, put the chicken in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, just until the edges of the cutlets begin to turn white.

Meanwhile, get on with the sauce. Add the milk, chiles, cottage cheese, sour cream, garlic, onion powder, cumin and salt to a medium sauce pan and bring over high heat, stirring every few minutes to keep the bottom from burning. (If you want a smooth, pretty sauce, blend the milk, chiles, garlic, and cottage cheese in a blender on high until smooth before adding them to the pan with the rest of the ingredients. Since the whole thing gets covered in cheese anyway, I save myself extra cleaning and skip this step, but to each their own.)

While you wait for the mixture to boil, mix the half and half and cornstarch in a small cup until the cornstarch is well incorporated and set aside. Once the milk mixture is boiling, add the half and half/cornstarch to the pan and stir in. Continue to boil the entire mess for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, or just until the mixture thickens. Reduce the heat so that it's just simmering and not violently boiling, and let it continue to thicken - another 2 minutes or so. Take off the heat and cover while you wait for the chicken.

Once the chicken's had its first go in the oven, remove it and carefully add the chipotle sauce to the pan, covering every bit of the chicken and making sure any extra is evenly distributed around the dish. Evenly scatter over the shredded cheddar and return the dish, uncovered, to the oven for 20 minutes. Increase the heat to 450 (if you have a fancy oven, switch it to 'top' or broiler mode) and cook the chicken an additional 2 minutes, JUST until some of the cheese begins to brown in spots.

Remove and let set up for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional chopped green onions and cilantro leaves.

Scallion Cilantro Rice
Serves 4.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1 large shallot, minced
salt and pepper
1 cup jasmine or other long grain rice
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
3/4 cup thawed frozen peas OR corn if you're not a pea person
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons toasted slivered almonds

Instructions:
In a medium pot, heat the butter over medium heat just until melted. Add the shallot, seasoning with salt and pepper and saute until translucent - about 3 minutes. Stir in the rice, toasting for 1 minute. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir well, reduce heat to low and put the lid on. Cook until the rice has absorbed all the liquid - anywhere from 12-15 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork (also checking to make sure the bottom rice hasn't burned.) Gently stir in the peas and paprika, put the cover back on and let sit off the heat another 5 minutes.

Stir in the green onions, cilantro, and almonds and serve, topping each serving with a chicken breast, sauce, and additional scallions/cilantro if desired.

Golden Pan Seared Chicken with Quick Bacon Tomato Sauce

Tomato paste is the Spanx of ingredients. It gives an instant lift to practically anything - that little somethin' something'. You can use it for its hit-you-over-the-head tomato kick or simply to round out an unbalanced sauce by adding just a dab.

Here I do want that hit-you-over-the-head tomato flavor to play off the salty bacon and sweet shallots, but as you can see it doesn't take much. And I should caveat that when I say 'sauce' here, I don't mean the traditional Italian grandma kind you make by the bucket full. By the time you reduce the white wine and stir in the paste, there will be just enough of it to coat the chicken in its auburn stickiness. But what it lacks in volume it makes up for in flavor. (Spanx, remember?)

The most exciting part of making this is that you have a chance to steer the fates of others with a simple wave of your wooden spoon. You can add a luscious hit of carmelized garlic at the end cooking by mushing the cloves into the pan sauce (1 or both - depends on how much garlic flavor you want) or you can omit them. Garlic haters will never know it was there as the cloves remain whole throughout cooking infusing the sauce with an ever so subtle but important sweetness. As for me - I mushed in a clove on my own plate to avoid any grief from the husband. He tends to side with the vampires on that particular vegetable...

Golden Pan Seared Chicken with Quick Bacon Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
kosher or sea salt and pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
pinch sea or kosher salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly 'smashed'
4 strips good quality bacon, snipped with kitchen shears into 1/4 inch wide strips
1/3 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
1/4 teaspoon double concentrated tomato paste, such as Amore brand

Instructions:
Season your chicken on one side with salt and pepper then lightly dredge both sides in flour shaking off excess. Set aside. Add your olive oil and butter to a large, rimmed skillet and bring over medium heat until melted and coating the entire bottom. Add the shallots and garlic cloves to the pan, seasoning with salt and pepper and cook, stirring every so often until softened - about 5 minutes. If they fry and spit too much when you add them, reduce the heat a little. Slow and steady is the key to bringing out their sweetness plus you don't want to burn the garlic. Add in the bacon, stirring in and letting cook for another 5-7 minutes until cooked through and lightly crispy but not hard.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the pan from the heat and transfer the bacon/shallots/garlic to a small bowl and set aside, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible. Bring the pan back over medium heat, adding in more olive oil if for some reason the pan looks dry. Once hot again, add the chicken breasts, placing them evenly around the pan and getting a nice sear.

Let cook for about 4 minutes on the first side (you can pick up the corner of one with your tongs - if it's nice and golden, it's ready to flip.) Then carefully flip and cook another 3-4 minutes on the second side or until cooked through. IF YOU HAVE UNUSUALLY THICK CHICKEN BREASTS, YOU CAN TRANSFER THEM TO A 350 OVEN TO LET FINISH COOKING OTHERWISE THE LEFTOVER RESIDUE ON THE BOTTOM OF YOUR PAN MAY BEGIN TO GET TOO DARK AND BURN.

Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the chicken to a plate and tint with foil to keep warm. Put the pan back on the heat and pour over the white wine or vermouth. Bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon and reduce the wine by half. At this point, lower the heat and dump the shallot mixture back in stirring well to blend with the wine. Stir in the tomato paste then add your chicken breasts back in, nestling in the sauce to coat (I like to turn them over in it) and letting warm back through for a couple of minutes with the heat on low.

At this point you can decide the fate of the garlic cloves - either mushing them into the sauce or tossing them out - then plate up, piling the sticky shallot and bacon mixture over the top of each breast.

Thyme Coated Chicken with Balsamic Reduction

This chicken is another riff of an Andrea Immer Robinson recipe. She constantly preaches the wine-friendliness of dried thyme, to the point where I worry about the state of her darling mind. But like any good parishioner, I finally broke down and bought a bottle.

I was afraid that using dried thyme to coat protein would be too earthy, like biting into a hay bale, but I was wrong. The flavors were delicate and mellow, actually accentuating the juiciness of the chicken rather than taking center stage. And the balsamic reduction that goes with it? I could bathe in the stuff. The addition of chocolate is optional - if you only have milk or semi sweet on hand instead of dark, omit the honey and taste first. It might be sweet enough without it.

BTW - this is LOVELY with Pinot Noir, for my wino readers out there.

TIP 1: Buy chicken breast cutlets versus breasts so you don't have to pound them yourself or ask your butcher to pound them into scallopini for you.

TIP 2: Get your oil in the pan hot before searing your chicken, letting it heat through for at least a minute before adding the meat. You can test it buy dipping just the edge of a chicken cutlet into the oil. If it sits there lackadaisically in silence, keep waiting. Otherwise you'll get heavy, lifeless chicken versus juicy seared pieces.

Thyme Coated Chicken with Balsamic Reduction
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets, or 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise in half and pounded into 1/2 thickness giving you 4 pieces
Lots of dried thyme - about 2 heaping tablespoons or more, for coating
salt and pepper
2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons red wine
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/2 tablespoon butter (small pat)
1 lady's thumb-sized piece of dark chocolate (I use Green and Black's 70% Dark Chocolate)
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees - or 'warmer' setting.

Season both sides of your chicken cutlets with salt and pepper, then pour the dried thyme over them, turning to coat and making sure every inch is covered with the green flecks (you may need more than 2 tablespoons.) Don't worry - the chicken can only hold so much so you won't 'over do it' - but you want a good coating.

Add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a large, rimmed skillet and bring to medium heat, letting the oil heat through for at least one minute (see tip above.) Once the oil is hot, add the chicken breasts carefully spreading out evenly in the pan, then don't touch them for 3 minutes. (If your oil is really spitting like mad after they've all been added, reduce your heat slightly.) After 3 minutes, lift up one of the edges of the chicken, checking to see if you've got a nice, golden crust yet. If so, carefully flip. If not, wait another minute, then check again. Once on the second side - they should only need another 3-4 minutes, depending on thickness.

Transfer the chicken to a heat proof dish and put in a low oven to keep warm (about 200 degrees.) If you're worried your oven is too hot - keep the door open - you don't want to dry the chicken out.

Meanwhile, drain any extra oil from your pan and discard, leaving just a thin layer behind. Return to medium heat, then add the balsamic vinegar, stirring briefly to scrape up any browned bits off the bottom, then letting it bubble and hiss away like witches' brew for a couple of minutes until it reduces and thickens (a good trick is to see if your wooden spoon leaves a wake behind when you drag it through. If it does - it's thickened.) Carefully add your red wine (the proper police say to take it off the heat briefly to do so.) Stir quickly, then let bubble and reduce down some more - about 2 minutes - or until what you're staring at in the pan is no doubt, SAUCE looking. Reduce heat to low and stir in your honey and butter and chocolate if adding. Season with a bit of salt and pepper, tasting before adding more. Don't ask me why but this sauce seems to mellow and taste even better if allowed to sit for a few minutes contemplating life - which is fine, given that you can leave the chicken in the LOW oven during this time. Not a necessary step, but a good one.

Remove chicken from the oven, plate, and drizzle the reduction over and around.

Pork Chops with Blackberry Pan Sauce and Melted Gruyere

Kris was out of town recently. While him going out of town makes me sad, it does have an upside - it means I can go buck wild in the kitchen. I can experiment with whatever I feel like, knowing that if it all goes tits up there's no one but me and the cats to know about it - I can simply call in a takeout order and pretend it never happened.

This experiment, however, proved to be a success. I had seen a recipe in one of my Williams Sonoma cookbooks for Fillet Mignon with Blackberry Sauce, and while I couldn't quite wrap my head around that, I thought chicken would make a good substitute. After all, the whole southern 'chicken & waffles' is a classic sweet and savory combination, as is turkey and cranberry sauce for that matter.

I then had a more random thought, remembering my mom saying that my grand dad had always eaten apple pie with a slice of cheddar cheese on top. Again, that's not that crazy when you think about it either (i.e. the existence of fruit and cheese plates.) Somehow I decided that the best finishing touch on my experimental chicken would be a slice of nutty, creamy Gruyere to contrast the bright juiciness of the berry sauce. It was lovely, though I have to admit, I would have liked it just as much without it. This is one of those pan sauces you could put in a glass and drink.

Pork Chops with Blackberry Pan Sauce and Melted Gruyere
Serves 2.

Ingredients:
2 pork chops (you can use either boneless or bone in, adjust cooking time accordingly)
salt and pepper
1 tablspoon butter + 1 tablespoon olive oil

small pat butter
3/4 cup fresh blackberries
1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth
1 tablespoon fig balsamic vinegar
tiny, 1 inch sprig of rosemary, snipped off one stalk
1 teaspoon honey
small pinch fresh cracked pepper
2 slices Gruyere cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 200.

Season your pork on all sides with salt and pepper and set aside. Add the butter and olive oil to a large rimmed skillet and melt over medium high heat. Lower the heat slightly and add the chops, cooking about 2-3 minutes until you get a nice crust. Flip to the other side and cook another 2 minutes, just until cooked through (bone in will be closer to 4 minutes.)

Remove to a sheet pan and place in the oven to keep warm. Meanwhile, drain off the excess fat from the pan and return to medium heat, adding in a new small pat of butter. Add the berries and cook, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Lower heat slightly and simmer until the wine is reduced by half. Stir in the fig balsamic vinegar, rosemary sprig, honey, and fresh cracked pepper and cook another minute, until slightly thickened. (If you don't have fig balsamic vinegar, you can stir in the tiniest bit - half teaspoon or so of any flavor of jam.)

Remove the pork chops from the oven and top with a slice of Gruyere. Plate them and drizzle with the pan sauce.

Roasted Pork Loin with Sherry, Dijon, and Thyme with Blue Cheese Sauce

Made this one for a TON of family back home. Even people who claimed not to like pork devoured it. But to be honest, I'm not sure if it was the pork or the blue cheese sauce. I think you could probably serve it on fried raccoon tails and nobody would complain.

I used dry sherry for the marinade, and as I only had two hours to marinade it, left it out at room temperature, flipping it over midway. Next time I'll marinade it over night in the fridge.

Between this and the rum cake, my brother in law proclaimed me the queen of squeezing alcohol into recipes. All hail the queen!

Roasted Pork Loin:
Should easily serve 10-12 adults, but double check to see what butcher says.
* Remember, the key to pork is to NOT over cook it, and to leave a little fat on when roasting to protect it - especially a large roast that will be in the oven a while.

1 6 pound boneless pork loin, tied (have your butcher do this - say you want to roast it)
1 cup dry sherry
3/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
14 small garlic cloves, or 7 large ones, halved length-wise
salt and pepper

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, to add to pan as needed (as marinade dries and evaporates)

Get out a medium to large, ridged roasting pan that will easily fit your roast and all the marinade without overflowing.

Using a pairing or similar sized knife, poke slits down each side of your loin to hold the garlic cloves, about 3/4 inch apart (just make sure they're spaced evenly across the center of each long side of your roast.) Stuff cloves into the slits, then slather the entire roast with dijon, not forgetting ends. Evenly sprinkle thyme leaves all over.

Carefully pour your sherry over the roast, trying to 'coat' all sides but not being too spastic about it - your going to flip it over halfway through marinating anyway. Do the same with the soy sauce.

If you're short on time, leave the roast out at room temperature for one hour, carefully flip to the other side and let sit one more hour.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425. Sprinkle your roast with salt and pepper (not too liberally - you've already got salty soy on there.)

Put in the oven for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and cook another 1 and 45 minutes, adding stock to pan when necessary (you don't want the bottom to be dry or it will burn), or until a thermometer is inserted into the center reads 165 (will come up to 170 while it rests.)

Let rest for ten minutes before serving. Meanwhile, whip up blue cheese sauce.

Blue Cheese Sauce:

4 oz blue cheese crumbles
2/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup light mayo
1 and 1/2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

Mix all together in a medium pan over medium heat on the stove, until cheese has melted and all has combined into a nice, velvety sauce. Serve warm with the pork.

* By the bye - since it is that time of year - I want to add that I've made this sauce with both low fat sour cream and mayo - and no one knew the wiser. There is virtually no fat in the pork loin, so this can not only be company friendly and impressive but figure-friendly too.