Banana Lime Sorbet

Here is a fantastic little recipe I invented this summer when I wanted something cool and sweet.  I was inspired by Alton Brown's show Good Eats in which he talks about using avocado in ice cream because you can use less sugar, since avocado is a natural emulsifier.  He mentioned that bananas were similar, and I had been meaning to test the theory since then.

This sorbet is even more fantastic with a shot of tequila over the top.  Ay, ay, ay!

I used our small Krups ice cream mixer-- the one where you freeze the bowl in the freezer and then the motor mounts on top.  It worked great for this purpose and this small batch.
As always, amounts are approximate!

Ingredients:
5 ripe bananas
1 c. simple syrup
lime zest finely ground/chopped
lime juice (1 or two limes total for zest and juice—4 tablespoons of juice?)

Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth.

Freeze in ice cream mixer.

Adult Slushie:
Add a scoop of the sorbet, squeeze of lime and tequila in a cup and eat!

Additional note (Summer, 2012):  I tried making this recipe as a granita by pouring it into a shallow pan and putting it in the freezer, and scraping it every 40 minutes or so.  It worked great and tasted great.   Also worth noting, the color of this can be off-putting.  It's the color of ripe banana flesh, of course, an unappetizing sort of pukey taupe.  Sorry.  There's nothing I can really figure out to do about that.  If you have any ideas, let me know.  Otherwise, it is a really great way to use up ripe bananas.

Chile Lime Pork Tenderloin

Here is a recipe I made over the summer that turned out quite tasty.  As in all my recipes, amounts are approximate!  Make with Love, and ENJOY!

Ingredients:
3-4 pounds pork tenderloin, silverskin removed.
¼ cup mild red chile, ground (New Mexico)
2 tablespoons cumin
1/2 -1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 tablespoon garlic powder (or to taste)
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1-2 teaspoons liquid smoke
4-5 chopped scallions
zest of three limes, in larger pieces.
juice of three limes (1/4 cup? More would be okay.)
¾ of a Corona beer (drink the rest)

Mix everything but the meat in a gallon sized Ziploc bag. Squish to mix ingredients and dissolve the honey.

Add meat to the bag and seal, pressing out as much air as possible. Squish the meat and marinade around gently to evenly distribute the marinade.  Place bag in a 9x9 square baking dish or similar dish or tray to prevent spills if there is leakage.

Marinate for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator; more would be better.

Before grilling, pat meat dry with towels. remove most big chunks of scallion and lime zest. Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.  Grill over coals until it reaches a safe internal temperature (I stopped at 145 degrees) & allow to rest before slicing.

Good accompaniment: grilled vegetable skewers.