Blue Cheese and Date Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Yes, I am still here.  It has been over a month since I have posted a Dinner Nightmare and I feel really behind. Spring Break came and went, and the end of the school year is nearing.  For all of you teachers (and parents), you know what that means - TAKS and kids starting to go a bit insane.  Needless to say, I have been a tad bit busy.  I have nearly 50 meals in need of being posted so I took this morning and much of this afternoon to upload the pics to my blog.  Now all I have to do is write and post.  That is the part I am not so good at.  Cooking, I can do it with my eyes closed.  Writing, blech!

So, here it is.  The first of many meals to be coming your way really soon.  Blue Cheese, Raisin and Date stuffed Pork Tenderloin, Garden Chard Pockets and Broccoli Soup. 

Golden raisins, dried pitted dates, blue cheese, fillo dough, artichokes, tomatoes and fresh cut chard from the garden

My plan was to use figs for this recipe, but I didn't have any on hand and really did not want to go to the grocery store.  I had golden raisins and dates on hand so I made the substitution.

Chop dates and raisins coarsely.

Cut pork tenderloin through the middle but not all of the way.  Flatten out with a meal mallet or roller.  Top with blue cheese and date/raisin mixture.

Roll it up.

To make a sauce for the pork tenderloin I mixed apple butter, balsamic vinegar, Poblano Jelly (Thanks John & Linda) and more of the dates and raisins.  Simmered low and slow until mixed perfectly.

Chop chard into bit sized pieces.

Saute with red onions, EVOO, salt and pepper. 

I cheated and did not make my own fillo dough.

Roasted tomatoes were chopped and put in the chard mixture.

Chard, onion and tomato mixture ready to be enveloped in fillo.

Make sure to always brush fillo dough with butter in order to make sure the dough crisps perfectly. 

Placed dollops of the mixture on the fillo, folded into triangles, brushed with more butter and baked until golden brown.

Before cooking the tenderloin in a hot oven, I brushed it with some of the apple butter sauce. 

For the broccoli soup I purred green onions, broccoli and garlic in the food processor. This is because I do not have an immersion blender with would have been way more handy.  After the veggies were pureed, I added to a pot of warmed butter and chicken stock.  These ingredients were mixed well and then heavy cream or milk (i can't remember which i used, both do the job just fine) was added.  The soup continued to warm until ready to serve.