Sweet & Smoky "Pork and Beans"

Pork and Beans reinvented as caramelized honey-glazed pork tenderloin served on a bed of smoky adzuki beans.

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 40 minutes

1/2 cup Billy Bee® Honey 2 tablespoons Thai Kitchen® Premium Fish Sauce 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 2 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Gourmet Collection Smoked Paprika, divided 1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Gourmet Collection Garlic Powder, divided 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Crushed Red Pepper 1 pork tenderloin (about 1 1/4 pounds) 2 slices bacon, diced 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) petite diced tomatoes, undrained 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Ground Ginger 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Sicilian Sea Salt 1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Coarse Grind Black Pepper 1 can (15 ounces) adzuki beans, drained and rinsed 2 green onions, thinly sliced

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix honey, fish sauce, lime juice, 2 teaspoons of the smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of the garlic powder and red pepper in small bowl until well blended. Brush pork with glaze.

2. Roast 20 to 30 minutes or until desired doneness, brushing with glaze halfway through cooking time. Let pork stand 5 minutes before slicing.

3. Meanwhile, cook bacon in large skillet on medium heat until crisp. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, remaining 1/2 teaspoon each smoked paprika and garlic powder, ginger, sea salt and pepper; cook 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Gently stir in beans. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through. Slice pork on an angle into thin slices and serve over bean mixture. Garnish with green onions.

Makes 6 servings.

Test Kitchen Tip: Adzuki beans are small, russet-colored beans with a sweet, nutty flavor. They are often used in Asian cuisine in confections. They can be purchased dried, canned or powdered in Asian markets or online specialty stores.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: 307 Calories, Fat 7g, Protein 25g, Carbohydrates 36g, Cholesterol 60mg, Sodium 647mg, Fiber 4g

Baklava Bites

Simplify the preparation of baklava by using mini phyllo shells. This bite-size version includes mashed adzuki beans in the honey-walnut filling.

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes

2/3 cup drained canned adzuki beans, rinsed and well mashed (1/2 cup mashed) 1 cup honey, divided 1/3 cup sugar 1 egg, beaten 2 tablespoons butter, melted 2 teaspoons McCormick® Gourmet Collection Saigon Cinnamon 1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract 1 1/2 cups finely chopped walnuts 4 packages (15 shells each) frozen mini phyllo shells

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat mashed beans, 1/2 cup of the honey, sugar, egg, butter, cinnamon and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed until well blended. Add walnuts; mix well.

2. Spoon mixture evenly into phyllo shells. Place on baking sheets.

3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until phyllo is golden brown and crisp and filling is set. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Drizzle about 1/2 teaspoon of the remaining honey over each dessert.

Makes 30 (2 bite) servings.

Test Kitchen Tips: Adzuki beans are small, russet-colored beans with a sweet, nutty flavor. They are often used in Asian cuisine to prepare confections. They can be purchased dried, canned or powdered in Asian markets or online specialty stores.

Prepare Baklava Bites as directed using McCormick® Gourmet Collection Roasted Saigon Cinnamon in place of the regular Saigon Cinnamon.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: 130 Calories, Fat 6g, Protein 2g, Carbohydrates 17g, Cholesterol 9mg, Sodium 24mg, Fiber 1g

Aztecan-Style Adzuki Bean Soup with Roasted Chiles and Mexican Crema

Honey-roasted tomatoes and jalapeños add a distinctive taste to this bean soup that’s prepared with adzuki beans.

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved 1 small onion, cut into 1-inch chunks 3 jalapeño peppers, halved and seeded 3 cloves garlic, peeled 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon oil 2 cans (15 ounces each) adzuki beans, drained and rinsed, divided 2 cups chicken broth, divided 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided 2 teaspoons McCormick® Gourmet Collection Mexican Oregano Leaves 1 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Roasted Ground Cumin 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Gourmet Collection Sicilian Sea Salt 1/4 cup Mexican crema

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss tomatoes, onion, jalapeño peppers, garlic, honey and oil in medium bowl until well coated. Spread in single layer on foil-lined shallow baking pan. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Reserve 2 of the roasted jalapeño halves for garnish.

2. With center part of cover removed to let steam escape, puree roasted vegetables in blender on high speed until smooth. Pour pureed vegetables into large saucepan. Puree 1 can of the beans, 1 cup of the broth, 3 tablespoons of the cilantro, oregano, roasted cumin and sea salt in blender on high speed until smooth. Pour pureed bean mixture, remaining 1 cup broth and remaining can of beans into vegetables in saucepan. Mix well.

3. Cook on medium-low heat about 15 minutes or until heated through and slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Slice reserved jalapeño halves into thin strips. To serve soup, ladle into serving bowls. Top with crema, jalapeño strips and cilantro. Garnish with additional finely chopped tomatoes, if desired.

Makes 5 (1-cup) servings.

Test Kitchen Tip: Adzuki beans are small russet-colored beans with a sweet, nutty flavor. They are often used in Asian cuisine to prepare confections. They can be purchased dried, canned or powdered in Asian markets or online specialty stores.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: 220 Calories, Fat 8g, Protein 8g, Carbohydrates 29g, Cholesterol 14mg, Sodium 677mg, Fiber 6g