Grilled Pork and Asparagus with Kay's Roasted Potatoes

Here is the Valentine's Day dinner I made for us, except Jason did the grilling. The recipe is called Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Asparagus with Peanut Dipping Sauce. I got the recipe from the Family Fun May 2008 issue. I used pork chops instead of pork tenderloin. The marinade was really good. I didn't care for the peanut dipping sauce (it was too tangy for me) but Jason liked it. The potatoes are called Kay's Roasted Potatoes and the recipe came from The Pioneer Woman Cooks! blog. The potatoes were absolutely delicious and I have made them twice since this dinner. All of my kids loved them as well.

Here are the recipes:

Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Asparagus with Peanut Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil

2 tbsp. honey

1 tsp peeled and grated fresh ginger (I used ginger powder)

2 cloves garlic minced

1/2 tsp. lemon pepper

1 lb. fresh asparagus, rinsed and snapped

1 pound pork tenderloin

1/2 c. peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)

Make the marinade by whisking together the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, honey, ginger, garlic, and lemon pepper in a bowl, and reserve 1/2 cup of the mixture in a separate container.

Place the asparagus in a Ziploc bag and pour in 1/4 cup of the marinade from the bowl. Work the bag gently with your fingers to distribute the marinade. Do the same with the pork tenderloin using a second Ziploc bag and the remaining marinade from the bowl. Let the meat and vegetables marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a charcoal fire or heat a gas grill to medium-high, and oil the grates. Add the peanut butter to the reserved marinade and whisk the mixture until smooth.

Grill the tenderloin for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, rotating it a quarter turn at a time, until the internal temperature registers 145 degrees in the center. Remove the meat from the grill and let it rest for about 5 minutes (the internal temperature will rise to 150 degrees). Meanwhile, grill the asparagus spears for 2 minutes per side.

Slice the pork diagonally into 1 to 2 inch slices. It should be juicy and slightly pink inside. Serve the meat and the asparagus with the peanut dipping sauce. Serves 4.

Here is the link for Kay's Roasted Potatoes

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/12/kays-roasted-potatoes/