December 14, 2011

Slow Cooked Apples & Pork Tenderloin

The next couple of days can be the most hectic of the year. When we are home I find myself looking for healthy, tasty, & easy dinners. This dish will have your house smelling like the holidays with only a tiny bit of effort!  This will also be on our New Year's Day menu - Enjoy!!!  
Slow Cooked Apples & Pork Tenderloin
Slow Cooked Apples & Pork Tenderloin
Serves 4

1 1 & 1/2 pound pork tenderloin, washed and patted dry
1 onion, chopped
2 pink lady apples, unpeeled, cored and chopped***
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs of olive oil
1/2 cup Chardonnay
3/4 cup Maple Syrup
3 Tbs Apple juice
1 Cinnamon stick
3 Sprigs of thyme
Salt & Pepper


Spray the surface of your crock pot with cooking spray & turn to low setting.
Melt butter in a black iron skillet over medium high heat and then add olive oil . Salt and pepper the tenderloin.  Once the butter and oil start to slightly smoke, sear the tenderloin for a minute or two per side, just slightly brown & add to your crock pot.  Add the apples and onions to the skillet and allow them to lightly soften, for about 5 minutes.  Add all remaining ingredients, except for thyme & cinnamon stick, to the skillet and allow it to come to a slight boil.  Cover the pork tenderloin with the apple sauce, add the thyme & cinnamon stick, cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
Remove cinnamon stick and thyme sprigs.  Serve over rice or egg noodles & Enjoy!

***If you can't find pink ladies - Honey Crisp, Golden Delicious or Jonagold will do too

Speaking of keeping it easy we have started a new tradition of  vacationing for Thanksgiving.  Our favorite spot is at a lodge on a lake in Georgia surrounded by a gorgeous pine forest. Below are a few of our favorite Thanksgiving scenes from this year.
When a Gingerbread House just won't do...
The Lodge ready for the Holidays
Beautiful walkways all around the Lodge
A Christmas tree Clark Griswold would approve of
Thanksgiving Carving Stations & Iron Chef Competition
Caviar Station
The Raw Bar
The Cheese Display
Dessert anyone??? (This is only 1/4 of the selection)
The end of our Thanksgiving Meal
A long walk after our meal - I had to stop by my favorite herb garden
We took Taddy to see the Linger Longer Express
Champagne cocktails at sunset to end the day - this is the best picture I could get with a 25 pound Scottie in my lap

5 comments:

StephenC said...

Don't have a crockpot, but do know how to slow cook. Nice work.

Lara B Knight said...

Thank you Stephen! Maybe you should ask Santa for one ;-)

Jennifer said...

This looks amazing! It would be terrific served over Pdubs, bacon grits! Yummers! I love, love, love the pictures of your get-a-way.

Lara B Knight said...

Oh Jenn it would! Unfortunately JK will not touch grits :-(

Velva said...

Here is to keeping it simple during the holidays!

Pork and apples is like a hand in glove flavor combination.

Merry Christmas to you.

Velva