Sheet Pan Bacon Pork Tenderloin with Chili Sweet Potatoes

Easy meal for Mother’s Day

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I’ve been wrapping up pork tenderloin in bacon for so many years (40?) that when I see a photo where someone else has done it, I think they’ve stolen my idea. (Perhaps they have but I’m doubtful. The world is large and I’m but one small cook.) Before the bacon method, I sometimes stuck slivers of garlic into knife-made slits all over the meat, slathered Dijon on top, and covered the whole shebang with almost more salt, pepper, and rosemary than was reasonable. Occasionally, and it’s all here on the blog, I combine all those ideas, and lest you think that was somewhat over the top, it wasn’t. Try it! Pork tenderloin, a bastion of easy-cook lean meat with a plethora of ideas for second round meals, remains a stable favorite in my cooking rotation, especially when it’s BOGO or buy one; get one “free.” This time, as the tenderloins — not to be confused with pork loins (scroll down to see the difference)– were two to a pack, I came home with 4 for about $13.50. Best sous and husband Dave divvied them up and vacuum-sealed them to freeze individually. Given that each was between 1 and 1 1/2 pounds of no-fat goodness and great for just about any cooking method (stovetop, oven, grill, air fryer, or electric pressure cooker), I started looking forward to my choice of preparations for spring and summer. First off was the bacon routine because #1 I could do it in my sleep and #2 I had this sweet sweet potato recipe that I knew was a match made in heaven. Having cooked a number of pork tenderloin sheet pan meals over the years, I knew I could put the meat and sweet potatoes all in one pan in the oven and sit down to eat in a half-hour. Meanwhile, I could find music, pour wine, set the table, and make a green vegetable.

Scroll down to IF YOU LIKED THIS... for a short list of my pork tenderloin faves. Type Pork Tenderloin into the search box for more.

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Beer-Braised Pork Shoulder–Election Day Comfort Food

Let’s talk carnitas for lunch. Frittatas for brunch. Pork RagĂș on Pasta with Parmigiano Reggiano come Friday Date Night. BBQ Sandwiches to kick off Game Day. Pizza. Nachos. Pork Chopped Salad for the Carb-Watchers. Sweet Potatoes topped with Pulled Pork, Smoked Gouda, and Pickled Red Onions solves dinner for everyone. Pork Stew — just because no one makes it enough. Hot Pork Sandwiches (see below) or what about Cubanos? Yep, all that, and even more can be had from one oven-braised pork shoulder that requires little more effort than sniffing happily around the house all day long while it stays all cozy in the oven. I guess I don’t have to but still will say this stuff smells exactly like hog heaven.

And wouldn’t that be nice on Tuesday, November 3, 2020?

Songs to Get You Through Election Day

Most Popular Movies and TV Shows tagged “presidential election”/IMDB

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Salmon Tacos with Basil Pesto-Yogurt Sauce

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                                                     Quick version of recipe at bottom of post.

I clearly remember the first time I heard someone order fish tacos at a Tex-Mex place called Chevy’s (it may still be around somewhere.) I couldn’t get my mind around it, but the person ordering it, who happened to be my brother-in-law Bill, assured me it was out of the world luscious.

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Here’s Bill singing Beatle songs to our granddaughter Piper last May.

I don’t think so, thought my younger and more naive self twenty years ago.  And this despite the fact that I had, indeed, spent four years in San Antonio, where tacos of any sort in the universe reigned supreme. (Had there been fish tacos, though? I didn’t remember them.)

Fast forward a few years and find my sister cooking fish tacos in my kitchen. Addiction. Totally. I hijacked her recipe with a few embellishments. And made it and made it and made it.  Dave then began ordering fish tacos from restaurants and I kept thinking…

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Chicken Taco Salad Bar Party for 25

Why do we shy away from inviting a group-any size, really- of people to eat at our table (or sit on the floor) and warm their hearts with us? What stops us? Larger parties just put people to shaking their heads and sort of pulling their lower lips to one side, gritting teeth, thinking about the need to paint the house, clean the carpet, re-do the bathroom, install new lighting fixtures, buy all new dishes, pots and pans and wine glasses, and, as my husband says, “alphabetize the spices.” In other words, we want to do everything that ever needed to be done (preferably in one week/day? or less) in the last five years. (Above and below photos-favorite family/friends come visit for the chicken salad taco party in honor our our daughter’s college graduation.)
Once, many years ago now, we were having our good friends, Susan and Charles (with kids) over for a Christmas night buffet. Early that afternoon, my lovely guy decided it was time to pull apart the kitchen chairs and re-glue them. Oh, boy. (I did stop him.)

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Helen and Alyce’s Fish Tacos in Five Minutes


What a fun thing this blog has turned into. My kitchen is full of notes for current and future recipes, as well as ideas from other people for meals they’d like simplified so that they, too, can spend more time at the table together. Looking at life OUT of the fast lane.

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I have been a little amazed by how many people have said, “Oh, I bought the stuff to make ________ and I’ll make it this weekend.” This is for a meal that takes 20-30 minutes to fix. It makes me realize that folks who work full-time often don’t cook at all during the week. Maybe sandwiches or leftovers, certainly take-out and I’d guess a couple of restaurant meals. So, try this fish taco meal. My sister Helen made a version of this once while visiting and we’ve been making it ever since. This dish is faster than going and picking something up at the local pizza shop. The fish is done in FIVE MINUTES. You can make other things to go with it and it will take longer, but you can make a fairly balanced meal in nearly the time it takes the fish to cook.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like fish tacos. They’re on menus as main courses with beans and rice; they’re also listed as a starter some places. They may come with tartar sauce and lettuce and tomatoes or with coleslaw and jalapenos. However you like them, I am sure you’ll make this super-easy and incredibly fast version one day soon—maybe today. This is one of those meals for which you would want to shop the day you’re cooking or, at very most, the day before.

Could serve with: A can (or homemade) of black or pinto beans mixed with sautĂ©ed bits of onion and green or red peppers. A side of Southwestern rice if you’ve got time. Homemade pico de gallo–why not? If you have a Cuisinart, you have pico in 30 seconds.  Easiest: some finely shredded lettuce with minced tomatoes on top. Continue reading