Marinades can take a dinner from ho-hum to really tasty with very little active effort. Yet we haven’t been able to make them a regular part of our dinner routine. We’re changing all that with this episode with three marinades that inspired us to put in the effort. The pork marinade has a bit of smokey heat from chipotles, welcome in the dead of winter when grilling isn’t an option. Shrimp marinated so quickly we felt silly for not doing it more often. Just a half hour and they were done! We rounded out the episode with a tofu marinade that was so simple you don’t even have to cook it. That’s our kind of dinner plan. Here’s to making dinner a little tastier.
Honey, Lime, and Chipotle for the Perfect Pork Tenderloin, Marinated Tofu with Peanuts and Charred Bean Sprouts, and Shrimp Marinade
Honey, Lime, and Chipotle for the Perfect Pork Tenderloin: Parade Magazine
Pork tenderloin is a near- perfect weeknight protein. It cooks up quickly, takes on so many flavors, and isn’t chicken! (The chicken rut is real.) Use this marinade to make a sweet, smokey, and a little spicy pork tenderloin for dinner in no time flat.
Tips:
- Slice up the any leftovers for killer sandwiches the next day.
- Kate had a 2 pound pork loin and used the full recipe for the marinade instead of reserving some for sauce.
Marinated Tofu with Peanuts and Charred Bean Sprouts: Bon Appetit
When you don’t even have to cook the tofu, you’ve got our interest. We loved the contrast of flavors and textures of this recipe: savory tofu, crunchy peanuts, charred beans sprouts, cool mint, and a bed of hot rice. Simple ingredients assembled for one fabulous dinner.
Tips:
- This dinner is truly the sum of its parts. While we couldn’t find the mint, the peanuts were key.
- The jalapenos can be served on the side, depending on your group’s spice preferences.
Shrimp Marinade: Dinner at the Zoo
Seafood is such an easy protein to marinate. In a hour or less in the marinade you can add so much flavor. The shrimp in this recipe are tossed in soy sauce, honey, garlic, herbs, and crushed red pepper. Think of it as a savory cousin of shrimp scampi.
Tips:
- We broiled the shrimp for this recipe and can’t recommend it enough. Preheat your broiler to 500. Take all the shrimp from the marinade and spread evenly on a half sheet tray. Place in the oven, on the rack closest to the broiler element. Broil for 5-7 minutes, watching closely. Shrimp are done with they have curled and opaque. This happens quickly so don’t walk too far away.
- Serve with white rice, tossed in fettucine, or with a big salad.
- Leftovers the next day were delicious with spinach salad.
From the Smorgasbord:
Marinade safely- always keep food chilled during marination. Never use a marinade that has touched raw food for a sauce later.
Kate made a Honey Molasses Whole Wheat Bread for breakfast. Mixes by hand in one bowl, which was a tiny miracle. So good toasted with cream cheese and (of course) jam.