cuban panini

I never knew I liked pickles until I had a life changing experience at a local restaurant here in Delaware that makes their own. Michael and I had lunch there one day and there was this fresh, crisp pickle on my plate. I took a bite and the crunch was out of control. The flavors were so bright with that vinegar bite.

I can't say that I'm now a pickle fanatic... but I did buy the first jar of pickles I've ever bought last week, to make this sandwich.

I know this isn't a super traditional Cuban sandwich made with real Cuban bread. But you can get that same crusty, hard exterior by grilling the bread and making a panini.

Roasted pork tenderloin is the star of this sandwich. I just used a Smithfield pre-marinated 1 1/2 pound pork tenderloin to make my life easy. You could also season your own pork tenderloin and roast it that way.

Slicing the pork in thin slices keeps it from being too tough and chewy. You want it to be moist and tender for this sandwich.

The roasted pork is layered with sliced deli ham, cheese, pickles and a mustard/mayo mixture. I pressed it on my panini grill to get that melty, crunchy goodness. Hello, lovely.

The roasted pork is so flavorful, and mixed with smoked ham and the crunchy pickle... it's such a great combination of textures and flavors.

Cuban sandwiches are a favorite of mine, so this panini is a big winner in my book. It saved me from a week-long chicken extravaganza. Embrace your inner pork and make this sandwich.

Enjoy!

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Cuban Panini

Makes 4 sandwiches

1 1/2 pound pre-marinated Peppercorn Garlic pork tenderloin (I used Smithfield)
1/2 pound sliced smoked ham
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 "stackers" style pickles (I used Vlasic)
4 tablespoons honey mustard
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
8 slices sourdough bread
Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an uncovered, shallow pan (I used a 13x9) with cooking spray. Place tenderloin in pan and bake for 20 minutes per pound or until meat thermometer reads 145-150 degrees internal temperature. Let rest for 10 minutes before making small, 1/4 inch slices.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl mix together mustard and mayonnaise to make the sauce. Set aside. 

To assemble the sandwiches, layer even amounts of pork, ham, cheese and pickles on 4 slices of the bread. You may not use all the pork, so just put the extra slices in a container and refrigerate for another time. On the other 4 slices, spread your mustard/mayo sauce. Place the sandwiches on a panini press coated with cooking spray, or grill them in a frying pan on the stovetop. Be sure to press down a bit so everything melts together. Serve immediately.

summer recipes

Jenna Laughs has been pretty dessert-heavy lately. Seems like I am doing a whole lot of baking the last few weeks! So I wanted to go through my non-dessert dishes and post some great ideas for summer parties and barbecues.

First up we have Barbecue Spice Rubbed Pork Chops. These are bone-in thick cut pork chops, rubbed down with a spicy/sweet rub and grilled to caramelized perfection. You're welcome.

Greek Cucumber Salad is light, fresh and the perfect side dish on a hot summer day. It has 4 ingredients: cucumbers, tomatoes, feta cheese and olive oil. Couldn't be more simple and delicious!

These Mediterranean Turkey Burgers with Homemade Tzatziki Sauce are perfectly light and flavorful. The tzatziki sauce is tangy and thick, a lovely alternative to typical burger toppings. I served these with oven baked fries and it was a perfect meal.

Pasta with Lemon and Basil. This unusual flavor combination is heavenly. So light and refreshing - and loaded with tons of fresh basil. I made this last winter when lemons were in season, but now we have lovely fresh basil in season.

This grilled chicken is so flavorful, juicy, cheesy and wonderful. The fresh tomato salsa puts it on a whole other level. Then to make it even better - I made a flavored chili lime butter to brush on corn. This is definitely one of my favorite dishes for the summer.

Finally, to wash it all down - try Sparkling Lime Lemonade. It's super tart, which is how I like my lemonade.

I hope everyone has so many fun barbecues this summer!

barbecue spice rubbed pork chops

I'm a chicken lover through and through. But I am always looking for meal options that are different, just to mix it up. These pork chops are just that.

Bone-in, thick, center cut pork chops are rubbed down with a spice rub, seared in a skillet then baked until tender. The sugar in the spice rub caramelizes to form a crust on the outside. They are spicy and sweet and delicious.

I served these with blue cheese potato gratin and it was the perfect, easy weeknight meal.

It couldn't get any easier to make these pork chops. Just combine the spices in a little bowl, then take your pork chops and rub them down. Get all up in those pretty hunks of meat. Rub it around on all sides and then let them sit, rest and calm down after their deep tissue massage. The spices will soak in and marinade the meat. Only good things can happen from this.

Get a skillet screaming hot with a little oil. Sear them for about 2 minutes on each side to get a nice crust. Then pop the skillet in the oven and bake until they're cooked through. This is the secret for tender, delicious pork chops.

You want to be really careful with pork. Make sure it's cooked all the way through until a meat thermometer reaches 155 - 160 degrees.

After it rests for a few minutes, you have the most flavorful pork chops you've ever put in your mouth. The spice rub is so complex with flavors from brown sugar, ground allspice and paprika - perfectly sweet and spicy at the same time.

Here's the recipe!

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Barbecue Spice Rubbed Pork Chops

print this recipe

1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
2 large, bone-in, thick, center cut pork chops

Heat an oven-safe skillet over high heat with oil. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine brown sugar, salt, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, ground cumin, dry mustard, ground allspice and black pepper in an small bowl until well mixed. Rub both pork chops with equal amounts of spice rub. Really get into the grooves of the meat and rub on all sides. Let the meat rest for 3-4 minutes before searing.

Put pork chops in skillet, sear for 2 minutes on each side to form crust. Put skillet in oven for 10-12 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reaches 154 to 160 degrees. Serve immediately.

Serves: 2


Recipe adapted from: Cooking Light Dinner Tonight Cookbook