Pork Tenderloin with Blueberry Balsamic Reduction with a side of Gnocchi with Renee’s Mornay Sauce

Hey guys!! Welome to my first recipe post! I’m so excited to share these with you, this was my first meal that was entirely my own recipe and idea and it turned out soo yummy! I made this for my husband while we were engaged for one of our date nights. It was his first time trying gnoochi and lucky for me he loved it.

This sauce is one I have been making for years adapted from a recipe found online, it sometimes gets a little thick but no worries I have a tip in here for that.  Don’t be intimidated by the reduction sauce it is very simple and blueberry goes so well with pork. I will hush for now and let you get to the recipes, I hope you enjoy them.

For the Pork

First take a cup or so of flour and mix in salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning. Have enough seasoning to be able to see it within the flour. Rub it on the pork.

Get a skillet hot with about a teaspoon of oil in it and then sear each side and get some color on the pork. Then place it in a pan and cook for 25 minutes, or until it is 155°F on the inside

For the Blueberry Balsamic sauce

Take a quarter cup of onion chopped and two cloves of garlic and saute in a tablespoon of olive oil. Add in a cup of slightly thawed frozen blueberries. Mash and let them cook down for about 4 minutes stirring often. Then add ½ cup of balsamic and let it cook for about 5 minutes letting it reduce a little. Then add about 3 tablespoons of Honey, adjusting for desired level of sweetness.  It will look something like this,

If you like a smooth sauce put it in the blender and purée it. I will do this next time I make it to avoid having so many lumps and pieces of blueberry skin.  Then just set aside until your almost ready to make your plate.

For the best cheese sauce you will ever have

Make a simple roux with 2 tablespoons of flour and tablespoon of butter. Melting the butter first then whisking in the flour, let it cook a little bit turning a nice golden color. Then whisk in a cup of heavy cream. Let this mixture thicken up stirring the whole time.  Season with garlic powder and Italian seasoning, and some extra basil never hurt anyone. When it gets to the point that when you run your finger down the back of a spoon and it leaves a mark it is time to add the cheese. Mostly all of the wedge of Parmesan, two handfulls from a bag of shredded mozzarella (about half the bag). Stir it all together until it is smooth, at this point it may be too thick for you so add in some water about a ¼ cup at a time until desired thickness is achieved, this time I used 2 cups. I haven’t quite figured out why after it sits a bit it gets much thicker but just add a little water and warm it back up when you’re ready to serve.

For the Gnocchi

There are awesome recipes out there to make your own gnocchi which is not to hard and I will show you all later but since it was Hubby's first time trying it I didn't want to put that much time into it if he didn't like them at all so I used the package. Follow the directions on the back and your ready to go.

Now the pork should be done and look ever so amazing. Let it REST at least 5 minutes otherwise you will have juices everywhere other than in your meat. In the mean time warm up the blueberry reduction and the cheese sauce. When it is time slice the pork, into thin slices about a ¼ inch thick. Lay 4-5 on a plate and drizzle the blueberry sauce over it. Then put some gnocchi next to it and smother it with the delicious cheese sauce.  OR just put each item on its own dish and let your family make them as they desire!

I apologize for the quality and lack of pictures I was only sort of thinking of blogging when I made this and did not take a lot of pictures. 
As always I love to hear feed back let me know if you try this or have any questions!                      

Ingredients:

Pork 

2lb pork tenderloin

1 cup flour

tt salt

tt pepper

tt onion powder

tt garlic powder

tt Italian seasoning

1 tsp olive oil

Blueberry Balsamic Reduction

1/4 cup of onion chopped

2 cloves of garlic

tbsp olive oil

1 cup frozen blueberries

 ½ cup of balsamic

3 tbsp Honey

Renee's Mornay Sauce

2 tbsp flour

1 tbsp butter

1 cup heavy cream

tt garlic powder

tt Italian seasoning

tt dried basil

parmesan wedge

1 cup of mozzarella

Water (to adjust thickness)

1 package of gnocchi

Pork

• Mix salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning into flour
• Rub it on the pork
• Heat oil in pan and sear meat on each side
• Put in oven and cook for 25 minutes until 155°F

Blueberry Balsamic sauce

• Heat oil and saute onions then add in garlic  
• Add in slightly thawed frozen blueberries, stiring often, mashing them for 4 minutes
• add balsamic and let it cook for about 5 minutes letting it reduce a little.
• add Honey, adjusting for desired level of sweetness. 
• Puree if needed.

Renee's Mornay Sauce 

•  Make a simple roux with flour and butter.
• whisk in heavy cream. Let this mixture thicken up stirring the whole time. 
• Season with garlic powder Italian seasoning, and basil.
• When it gets to the point that when you run your finger down the back of a spoon and it leaves a mark add cheese. Stir it all together until it is smooth

Note: If it is too thick for you so add in some water about a ¼ cup at a time until desired thickness is
achieved, this time I used 2 cups.