Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Chris wanted to grill supper tonight so I decided to dig out my favorite thing to grill...pork tenderloin.  The trick to perfectly grilled pork tenderloin is to "bank" the coals.  If you don't know what that means click here to read a how-to.  We only use charcoal, if you have a gas grill, you can  turn on one side of your grill to medium high heat and leave the other at a lower temperature. 

Preparing the tenderloin:
First thing you want to do is trim the silver skin, and any visible fat.

Drizzle with canola oil and season with salt, pepper and steak seasoning.

When the coals are ready, sear the tenderloin on both sides, then move to the side of the grill without coals.  Continue cooking another 20 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 145 degrees.  Let sit for 10 minutes to rest.  Slice on an angle (it's ok for the pork to be a little pink).

(Chris also grilled brat patties)

My favorite side dish for the grill is Potato Packets.  This is the easiest thing in the world to make...Spray aluminum foil with cooking spray.  Scrub and slice potatoes and onion into about 1/2" slices and place on foil.  Season with salt, pepper and seasoned salt.  Wrap tightly (you may have to double or triple wrap, you don't want any holes).  We have also topped these with cooked bacon and shredded cheese (yum!).  Grill over coals for 20 minutes; turn and grill an additional 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

(we also grilled shrimp seasoned with canola oil, salt, pepper and nature's seasoning)

The final talley, so to speak...

3 oz. pork tenderloin (3 PP), shrimp skewer (3 PP), medium yukon

gold potato (3 PP), corn cob (2 PP)

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Today I also prepared 3 Mostaciolli Casseroles to put in the freezer for my son to take home.

Mostaccioli Casserole

1 package (16 ounces) mostaccioli
1 pound 80/20 ground beef
1-1/4 cups chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1 jar (26 ounces) spaghetti sauce
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
3/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

Cook mostaccioli according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the beef, green pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the spaghetti sauce, soup, Italian seasoning and pepper.  

Drain mostaccioli. Add mostaccioli and 1-1/2 cups cheese to beef mixture. Transfer to two greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dishes.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the

remaining casserole at 350° for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until bubbly and cheese is melted. 

To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove

from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted. Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).

Nutrition Facts: 1 cup equals 351 calories, 12 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 42 mg cholesterol, 633 mg sodium, 39 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 22 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2-1/2 starch, 2 lean meat, 1 fat.

I decided to make three smaller casseroles at 4 servings each. As written this recipe has 10 PP per serving.  If you use 93% lean ground beef, and whole wheat pasta it cuts it down to 8 PP per serving.