Healthy, Scrumptious Summer Meals

Cookbook Author Pam Anderson Offers Recipes As Early Show's "Chef on a Shoestring"

(CBS) 

Barbeque Pork Tenderloin Foil Packet

While the oven preheats, simply toss and wrap the meat, flavoring, and vegetables in foil. Then put the packets in the oven, and 15 minutes later, you've got a colorful dinner. While the packets cook, you can relax with a glass of wine. How civil is that?!

To ensure that the meat and vegetables cook evenly, place the oven rack in the lowest position (or make sure the grill is good and hot) and arrange the meat or seafood in a single layer over the vegetables. Before opening the packs, let them rest for a few minutes to allow the residual heat to gently finish the cooking. If you want to take advantage of all the flavorful juices, accompany these dishes with a small amount of rice.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS:
Meat
1 1/2 pound Pork tenderloin, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds

Barbeque Marinade
1/4 cup olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, minced
4 large scallions, sliced thin
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 teaspoon each salt and ground black pepper

Vegetables
Bell peppers (1 each red & yellow), stemmed, seeded, and cut into 4-inch-wide strips
1 Zucchini, sliced

METHOD:

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Or heat gas grill, igniting all burners on high, for at least 10 minutes.

Combine all of the ingredients for the barbeque sauce marinade and gently toss the pork and vegetables in a large bowl.

Divide mixture among 4 approximately 18-by-12-inch sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil, arranging meat atop the vegetables, each in a more or less single layer.

Bring long sides of foil together, fold over about 1/2 inch, and crimp to seal. Repeat folding and crimping twice more. Fold ends in twice to seal completely.

If baking, set foil packets on a large baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from oven, let stand for 3 minutes, and serve.

If grilling, set foil packets on hot rack, cover, and grill for 8 minutes.
Remove from grill, let stand for 3 minutes, and serve.

For the rice, bring water with salt to a boil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid.

Add rice and stir once, and then reduce heat to low and cook, covered, 20 minutes.

Remove pan from heat (do not lift lid) and let stand, covered, 5 minutes.
Fluff rice gently with a fork

About 375 calories per serving in the barbeque marinade

Double Chocolate Pudding

I like whole milk's richness in this pudding. If you prefer to use reduced- or low-fat milk, you could have a larger portion.

SERVES 6 OR MAKES UP TO 3 DOZEN TARTLETS

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon instant coffee or espresso powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Fresh raspberries

METHOD:

Microwave milk in a 1-quart Pyrex measuring cup until steamy hot, 3 to 4 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch, instant coffee or espresso powder, and salt in a medium saucepan.

Over medium heat, vigorously whisk in milk.

Continue to whisk until mixture thickens to pudding consistency, just a couple of minutes.

Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate and vanilla until chocolate melts.
Pour into six custard cups or into an airtight container.

Serve warm or cover surface with a sheet of plastic to keep a skin from forming, chill, and serve cold.

Top with fresh raspberries right before serving. (Pudding can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.)

190 calories per serving.

HOW DID PAM DO WITH OUR $40 BUDGET?

1ST COURSE
Capers $2.49
Smoked Salmon $3.99
Fresh Dill $1.49
Lemon $0.33
Red Onion $0.48
French Bread $1.69

2ND COURSE
Pork Tenderloin $6.99
Garlic $0.39
Scallions $0.99
Barbeque Sauce $1.89
Bell Peppers $3.05
Zucchini .99
Rice $1.79

3RD COURSE
Cocoa Powder $2.79
Cornstarch $1.19
Instant Coffee $1.99
Bittersweet Chocolate $2.99
Raspberries $3.99

FINAL COST = $39.51!

[cyberus-2009]

I see their ingredient cost list still fails to list everything ... they use government math I guess.
Olive oil, milk and sugar aren''t free anywhere around here but they never seem to count here.

[barbaraf4]

I wouldn''t eat anything raw that came out of our poluted oceans and rivers.

[libra1636]

Smoked salmon contains not only a lot of salt, but nitrates as well.If everyone worried about sugar as much as they do calories, they wouldn''t have to worry so much about their weight and many other health problems. Also making sure that we get enough fiber in our diets, which in the average person is lacking. And also that gluten has got to go. More vegetables, fruits and grains and less animal products are in my opinion the best.

[libra1636]

Smoked salmon contains not only a lot of salt, but nitrates as well.If everyone worried about sugar as much as they do calories, they wouldn''t have to worry so much about their weight and many other health problems. Also making sure that we get enough fiber in our diets, which in the average person is lacking. And also that gluten has got to go. More vegetables, fruits and grains and less animal products are in my opinion the best.