It would be a disservice to my 3 readers for me NOT to post this.

So, last night was one of those "surprise, we're both home for dinner" nights. and due to the fact that my pantry is filled to the brim with odds and ends AND i've maxed out my made up grocery budget. If it were just me? Pasta and frozen pesto (my mom's homemade frozen pesto, straight from the s.c.)  The only problem was, i'm married to a meat eater. What meat did i have in the house? a jar of dried beef and one frozen pork tenderloin.  The true miracle part of this story is that i realized i needed to take the pork out of the freezer at 3:30 pm.  And it was thawed by 7! Now, let me tell you what you need to do with a pork tenderloin. it turned out so well, and was so easy, and my husband man said it was wonderful (i thought it was too).

Typical Pork Tenderloin

1. preheat your oven to 400 and get out either 1 ovenproof skillet OR one skillet plus one roasting pan or baking sheet. 

2.Take a pork tenderloin, try to cut off the silvery skin ( i never really succeed at this part, but i got off enough of it. Wash your hands, and combine the following in a little tiny bowl: 

1 tsp of dried thyme

1 Tbsp of kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 clove of garlic, minced

3.  Take that stuff in the little bowl and rub it all over the pork tenderloin. All the sides, you can even make a couple slits in it and stuff the garlic pieces down in there. 

4. Put about a tablespoon of olive oil in your skillet and heat it up over medium high heat.  Use your kitchen tongs (if you don't have tongs, go buy some). And brown the pork on every side: bottom, side, top, side. This should only take a couple minutes per side.  Then, using potholders (because i didn't) move your ovenproof skillet into the preheated oven. If you're using a baking sheet or roasting pan - move the pork tenderloin to that and put it in the oven.  

5. Bake at 400 for about 14 minutes - or until you can stick a thermometer in it and it says 155 degrees. Take it out and just let it sit there for 5 minutes.  It'll keep cooking (seriously, its weird - the pink part will actually get not pink as it sits there).  

6. Slice and serve!! Last night mine happened to be kept company by cous cous and a wedge salad. But do what you want.  

You can also change up the seasoning - but i would suggest keeping salt in there no matter what.  I'll let you know if i try any other variations that are particularly good.  

Quick, easy, and satisfies the meat lover. Done.