The tenderloin

Last night I finally got back to cooking. It has been probably 3 weeks or so since I last cooked. I hate that feeling of always eating out or eating something quick.

I have been wanting to cook a tenderloin for awhile, but it's just so much for one person. So I invited K to come over for the meal. I enjoy cooking, but it's more enjoyable when you share the meal.

I broke out the new Paula Deen cookbook.

Herb-Crusted Pork Loin

One 4-pound boneless pork loin, with fat left on
1 T salt
2 T olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 t dried thyme or 2 T minced fresh thyme
1 t dried basil or 2 T minced fresh basil
1 t dried rosemary or 2 T minced fresh rosemary


Preheat the oven to 475F degrees. Place the pork loin on a rock in a roasting pan. Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. With your fingers, massage the mixture onto the pork loin, covering all of the meat and fat. Roast the pork for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 435F degrees and roast for an additional hour. Test for doneness using an instant-read thermometer. When the internal temperature reaches 155F degrees, remove the roast from the oven. Allow it to sit for about 20 minutes before craving. It will continue to cook while it rests.

To go with the tenderloin, I add a small, simple side dish; baked tomatoes.

Baked Tomatoes

4 ripe tomatoes
1/2 C (1 stick) butter
2 C fresh bread crumbs
1/4 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 t Worcestershire
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 t dried thyme
1/4 t hot sauce



Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Slice the stem ends off the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half and place cut side up in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. In a 10-inch skillet over low heat, melt the butter. Stir in the bread crumbs, cheese, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, thyme, and hot sauce. Place 2 T of the mixture over each tomato half. Bake for 30 minutes, until the topping is browned.

Each turned out beautifully. Well, the pork could have been a little more on the rare side, but overall both were tasty.