Cherry Side Rice

I've recently learned that Scott doesn't like wild rice. Which baffles me. I think it's awesome. And I love this recipe because it mixes regular rice with the wild rice to get it a bit of a sticky consistency. The dried cherries really add something to this too!

Cherry Side Rice-adapted from Best Fall Recipes by Southern Living
Total Time: 4 hours
Serves 8

• 1 cup uncooked white rice
• 1 cup uncooked wild rice
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 32 ounces chicken broth
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 3/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 5.5 ounces dried cherries

In a lightly greased 3 quart slow cooker, stir in rice and butter until rice is coated. Stir in chicken broth, onion and pepper. Cover and cook on high 3 1/2-4 hours or until rice is tender. Stir in cherries. Turn off heat, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes.

Braised Beef Roast

This recipe was supposed to be a beef brisket. However, I couldn't, for the life of me, find a beef brisket at any of my grocery stores (I went to three!), so I settled for a beef rump roast instead. The flavors of this were absolutely amazing! And it was so simple to throw together. It barely took any time to prep, it just took awhile to cook. I think if I made this again, I'd try it in the slow cooker. The au jus was plenty and made the meal!

Braised Beef Roast-adapted from Best Fall Recipes by Southern Living

Total Time 2 hours

Serves 4-6

• 3 1/2 pound beef rump roast
• Salt and pepper
• 1-14.5 ounce can beef broth
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/8 cup lemon juice
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tablespoon liquid smoke (optional)

Season roast with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine all other ingredients. Place roast in a large roasting pan and pour mixture over roast. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate 12-24 hours

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Bake roast, covered, for 2 hours, or until meat is tender. Uncover and let stand 20 minutes. Cut roast across the grain into think slices. Serve with pan drippings.

Pork Tenderloin with Dried Fruit and Wine Sauce

Scott has always told me that he's just not a fan of pork. He thinks it's dry and chicken is much tastier. I made this recipe and the pork ended up so tender and delicious! The fruit and wine is more of a garnish than an integral part of the dish as far as we decided. It was great flavor, but totally unnecessary. It would be very nice to do for a family dinner or special occasion, though.

Pork Tenderloin with Dried Fruit and Wine Sauce-adapted from Best Fall Recipes by Southern Living
Total Time: 50 Minutes
Serves 8

• 3 pounds pork tenderloin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 7 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup dried apricots
• 1 cup dried plums (prunes)
• 1/2 cup dried cherries
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 cup chicken broth

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Cook pork in 6 teaspoons hot oil in a large skillet over medium high heat for about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Transfer pork to a lightly greased baking pan, reserving drippings in skillet.

Bake pork for 18-20 minutes, or until cooked through. 

Meanwhile, add remaining 1 teaspoon oil to hot drippings in skillet. Add apricots, plums, cherries and pine numbers and saute over medium high heat for about 3 minutes, until pine nuts are toasted and fragrant.

Add wine and next two ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes or until mixture slightly thickens. Stir in broth and simmer 15 minutes, or until fruit is tender. Serve with pork.