Quick Dinners Day 2: Pork Medallions with Cranberry Apple Stuffing

Well today is day 2 of my quick dinner journey. After surviving the day running on coffee, diet coke and Peanut M&M's I pretty much just wanted to stuff my face with whatever was in arms reach, not cook a meal. Why do I eat so little throughout the day you may ask. The answer to that question is because my daily lunch breaks consist of me driving to my sons daycare (baby school as I like to call it) and feeding him. Then I run any errands I have on my list or grocery shopping. I am generally left with about 15 minutes to eat. Usually it is trail mix, nuts, or in starving desperate times a cheeseburger. Today Little E was being too cute and I had trouble leaving....so I hung out in his classroom for my entire lunch. So I snuck candy at my desk. It was the best tasting candy I ever had! By the time I got home I was so geeked out on all the sugar that I was like a tornado running through my house. I was hapy that this recipe seemed more simple than yesterday because I was impatient and famished. I was pretty pleased with the outcome!

Day 2: Pork Medallions with Cranberry Apple Stuffing

2 pork tenderloins (1-1/2 lb.)
1/4 cup KRAFT Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Dressing
1 Tbsp. GREY POUPON Dijon Mustard
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 apple (I used Macintosh) cored peeled and chopped


Cut each tenderloin crosswise into 6 slices; pound to 1/2-inch thickness. Cook in large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat 3 min. on each side or until browned on both sides. Mix dressing and mustard; pour over meat. Cook on low heat 3 min. on each side or until meat is done and sauce is thickened. Meanwhile, prepare stuffing as directed on package, but reducing spread to 1 Tbsp. and adding cranberries and chopped apple to water along with stuffing mix. Spoon stuffing onto serving plates. Add meat; top with sauce.

The Verdict: Not too shabby! I was unsure about the mustard based sauce for the pork mixed with the sweetness of the stuffing but I was surprised with how well they went together. I served it along some steamed asparagus and liked that pairing. I think my husband would have liked some bread (hello...stuffing?) but he did comment that this recipe was a keeper. I give this recipe a B+/A-.

I'm back! 4 Quick Dinners by Kraft Day 1: Steak StirFry

Wow...has it really been almost nine months since I have last posted? Sadly it has and boy did I miss my kitchen. If you read my blog previously you would know that I was expecting a little bundle of joy and my posts became all but non-existent. My only excuse is that my feet looked like swollen sausages and standing was hardly an option.Well I am back and ready to attempt to blog again. Since you last heard from me, I have given birth to that little bundle and he is already three months old!! I have also gone back to work full time and take on a 45 minute trek to take Little E (the bundle) to his Grannys a couple times a week. With that being said my days of having hours to prepare a meal are pretty much over. I have approximately one hour to fix dinner for my husband before he leaves for work. This week is dedicated to those fast meals...I found this weeks recipes on Kraft.com. Why only 4 recipes you may ask? Well this Mama likes to take a break now and then and lets Pizza Hut do all the work every once in a while. If that laziness offends you take it up with this ferocious bear.

Day 1: Beef Stir Fry

2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked
1 lb. boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen stir-fry vegetables, thawed, drained
1/4 cup KRAFT Light Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing
1/4 cup lite soy sauce

Cook rice as directed on package. Meanwhile, heat large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add meat and garlic; stir-fry 2 min. Add vegetables, dressing and soy sauce; stir-fry 3 min. or until vegetables are crisp-tender and meat is done. Spoon rice onto platter; top with meat mixture.

The Verdict: This was VERY easy to make. My family usually doesnt lean towards brown rice but my husband didnt even notice. The sauce was pretty tasty but I felt it needed a little extra salt. Overall I would probably make this again and I might even try it with chicken or shrimp next time. I give it a solid B.