Careme Recipes

Location: Quality Food Center - Factoria (3550 Factoria Blvd SE)

Preference update + replacements requested

Noted: you didn’t like the Rockfish dish or the Bison Tacos. Tell me what you disliked (fish flavor/texture, sweet glaze, cabbage slaw, spice level, etc.) and I’ll tailor the next set. Meanwhile, here are 2 replacement, still-2-serving recipes (oven/stove/slow cooker/grill only), using winter-seasonal items from your sale list and avoiding the recent chowder/pot roast/rigatoni/grilled citrus-thigh patterns.

Ingredients

Instructions

Health notes:

Drink pairing:

Stove-Top Pork Loin Medallions with Apple–Sweet Onion Pan Sauce + Garlicky Kale & Rustic Mash

A cozy, weeknight-upscale dinner: crisp-edged pork medallions finished with a quick pan sauce of sautéed apples and sweet onion. It tastes like you babysat it for hours, but it’s on the table fast—and feels perfectly seasonal for mid-December.

Ingredients

  • Kroger® Fresh Natural Pork Loin Boneless 12 oz (about 3/4 lb) $2.49 sale ($6.29 reg) per lb
  • Kroger® Fuji Apple – each (or any Fuji apple) 1 large, cored and thin-sliced $0.99–$1.99 each (as listed)
  • Private Selection® Peruvian Gold Sweet Onion (or any sweet onion) 1/2 medium, thin-sliced $5.49 (3 lb bag)
  • Organic Lacinato Kale 1 small bunch, stems removed, ribbons sliced $2.99
  • Organic Russet Potatoes 10–12 oz, cut into 1-inch chunks $1.79/lb
  • Garlic 2 cloves, minced $2.79 (3 ct) or pantry
  • Chicken stock (or water) 1/3 cup
  • Dijon mustard 1 tsp
  • Apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice) 1–2 tsp
  • Olive oil 1–2 tbsp
  • Butter 1 tbsp (optional but great)
  • Fresh thyme or dried thyme 1 tsp fresh leaves or 1/2 tsp dried
  • Salt + black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Prep the potatoes: cut into 1-inch chunks. Put in a pot, cover with salted water, and bring to a boil.
  2. Prep the rest: slice apple and onion; mince garlic; slice kale into ribbons. Cut pork into 1-inch-thick medallions and season generously with salt and pepper.
  3. Cook potatoes: boil until very tender, 12–15 minutes. Drain, return to pot, add 1 tbsp olive oil (and/or a small pat of butter), salt, pepper, and mash or smash to your liking. Cover to keep warm.
  4. Sear pork (stove): heat a skillet over medium-high with 1 tbsp olive oil. Sear medallions 2–3 minutes per side until browned and just cooked through (145°F). Remove to a plate to rest.
  5. Build the apple-onion pan sauce: lower heat to medium. Add onion with a pinch of salt; sauté 3 minutes. Add apple and thyme; cook 3–4 minutes until lightly softened. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds.
  6. Deglaze and finish: add stock, Dijon, and vinegar; simmer 2–3 minutes until lightly saucy. Swirl in 1 tbsp butter if using. Taste and adjust salt/pepper/vinegar.
  7. Quick kale: in a second small pan (or push sauce to one side), sauté kale with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt until just wilted, 2–3 minutes. (You can also toss kale into the apple pan for the last 2 minutes.)
  8. Serve: mash on the plate, kale alongside, pork on top, spoon apple-onion sauce over everything.

Health notes: ~720 kcal per serving. Balanced: good protein; moderate fat (can reduce by using less butter/oil). Add extra kale to boost fiber and micronutrients.

Drink pairing: Hard cider (dry) or an off-dry Riesling.

Shopping list
  • Kroger® Fresh Natural Pork Loin Boneless 12 oz (about 3/4 lb)
  • Kroger® Fuji Apple – each (or any Fuji apple) 1 large, cored and thin-sliced
  • Private Selection® Peruvian Gold Sweet Onion (or any sweet onion) 1/2 medium, thin-sliced
  • Organic Lacinato Kale 1 small bunch, stems removed, ribbons sliced
  • Organic Russet Potatoes 10–12 oz, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • Garlic 2 cloves, minced
  • Chicken stock (or water) 1/3 cup
  • Dijon mustard 1 tsp
  • Apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice) 1–2 tsp
  • Olive oil 1–2 tbsp
  • Butter 1 tbsp (optional but great)
  • Fresh thyme or dried thyme 1 tsp fresh leaves or 1/2 tsp dried
  • Salt + black pepper to taste

Planned by Careme.