I have had this recipe in my recipes-I-need-to-try binder for a long time. I’m pretty sure it was in there when I was still living in Wisconsin! I had a feeling it was going to be delicious, so I really have no idea why it took me so long to try it. I was SO right: it was wonderful! It’s not hard to make, but it tastes amazing. I told Andrew that this is definitely one to serve to company!

I paired it with a recipe for a very quick, easy, and inexpensive macaroni and cheese. When I realized we were lacking vegetables, I threw a bag of frozen mixed veggies in the microwave while I assembled the plates. Andrew says these were some of the best from-the-freezer veggies he’s ever had:
I think I got both the recipe for the pork medallions and the recipe for the macaroni and cheese from Taste of Home, which is where I get almost every one of my favorite recipes! So here they are:

Tuscan Pork Medallions

Prep/Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 2 servings (I doubled it for leftovers)

3/4 lb. pork tenderloin, cut into 1″ slices
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper (I added more… I love pepper!)
1 T. butter
2 thin slices prosciutto, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 t. minced fresh sage
2 T. balsamic vinegar (love this stuff!)
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
3/4 c. chopped plum tomatoes
4 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 t. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook pork in butter until no longer pink. Remove; set aside.
2. In the same skillet, saute prosciutto in the drippings until browned. Add garlic and sage; cook 1 minute longer. Add vinegar, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan.
3. Stir in the cream; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add tomatoes and pork; heat through. Sprinkle each serving with basil and cheese.

Budget Macaroni & Cheese

Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4

8 oz. elbow macaroni
3 T. butter
3 T. flour
1/4 t. salt
dash of pepper (I added more)
1 c. milk
1 c. (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

1. Cook the macaroni. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add the flour, salt, and pepper; stir until smooth.
2. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in cheese until melted.
3. Drain pasta. Add to the cheese mixture; toss to coat.

**Each serving of mac & cheese has 412 calories, 20 g fat, 61 mg cholesterol, 437 mg. sodium, 44 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 15 g protein per serving. **

My timing wasn’t great on this. You can always tell when my timing is off, because that’s when I’m dashing through the kitchen, narrowly avoiding hitting my head on open cupboard doors. Andrew has learned to avoid the kitchen during these times and just call out, “Dinner smells good, honey!” 🙂 But I always have bad timing my first time trying a recipe. Despite my stress level, everything came out tasting pretty darn good!