Maple Ginger Pork Tenderloin, Roasted Carrot & Walnut Salad, & The Magic Mix
My sweatshirt from this morning still smells like seared pork tenderloin and I am not mad about it. This Maple Ginger Pork Tenderloin and Roasted Carrot & Walnut Salad are easy enough for a weeknight meal, but special enough for your holiday table. Thanks to @nicolelmaxwell for putting the salad (it’s my take on Ina’s recipe, so you know it’s good—but even I didn’t realize how delicious it would be) on my radar. And if you need to breathe some life into your kiddos’ leftover Halloween candy, chop up some candy bars or rummage around for the M&Ms and Reese’s Pieces and throw them into this magical Chex mix. My friend Karen gave me the recipe last Christmas and I have lost count as to how many times I have made variations of it to gift and eat and share and serve.Â
Maple Ginger Pork Tenderloin
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for searing pork
- 2 garlic cloves, grated on a microplane
- 1 tbsp ginger, grated on a microplane
- 1 mandarin orange, zested and juiced
- 2 pork tenderloins, about 3/4 lb each
Instructions
- In a shallow container, mix together the maple syrup, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, ginger, orange zest and orange juice. Add the pork tenderloins, turn to cover, and marinate for at least an hour and up to overnight, refrigerated.
- Preheat oven to 375. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and sear the tenderloin on all sides until nicely browned. Transfer the tenderloin to a baking sheet and place in oven. Cook until a thermometer inserted in the largest part of the tenderloin registers 135 degrees, about 10-15 minutes.
- While the meat is cooking, bring any remaining marinade to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes to reduce and thicken into a sauce. Remove from heat. Allow the meat to rest for 5-10 minutes, then cut into slices. Drizzle with the sauce and serve.
Roasted Carrot & Walnut Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb carrots, cut into 2 inch sticks
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 5 oz arugula
- 4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425. Toss the cut carrots on a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 20-25 minutes. Drizzle with maple syrup and roast for an additional 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the cranberries and orange juice in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes to plump up the dried fruit. Grate the garlic into the vinegar in a small bowl.
- Toss the arugula in a large bowl and top with the roasted carrots, goat cheese, chopped walnuts, and rehydrated cranberries, including any remaining juice. Add the vinegar dressing and toss well. Season with salt and pepper and eat right away.
The Magic Mix
Ingredients
- 3 cups corn Chex
- 3 cups rice Chex
- 2 cups plain Cheerios
- 2 cups pretzels, I love the rounds if you can find them, otherwise snaps or twists work just fine
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 cup M&Ms, Reese’s pieces, chopped candy bars , (whatever you have left from Halloween!)
- 12 oz white chocolate chips
- pinch salt, a heavy pinch
- nonpareil sprinkles
Instructions
- In a very large bowl, toss together both types of Chex, Cheerios, pretzels, marshmallows, and candy. Using a microwave (in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one) or a double boiler, melt the white chocolate. Pour over the cereal mix, add a pinch of salt, and stir well to coat. It will seem like you don’t have enough chocolate to cover it all, but it will coat it all lightly. While stirring, add a few shakes of the nonpareils, as they will only stick while the chocolate is melted. Transfer the mixture onto a parchment lined baking sheet, sprinkle with a few more shakes of nonpareils, and leave to set. Break apart and store in airtight containers or bag up for sharing.