Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!! Post # 1 of what will probably end up being about 3. John and I made a lot of delicious food for "Thanksgiving." Some of it was traditional, but since it didn't feel like Thanksgiving to us anyways, we also made some changes to the usual menu.





















Instead of a turkey, we had pork tenderloin, stuffed with prunes and bay leaves. John has made this about 3 other times, and each time we're amazed at how good it tastes. "Pork is a fruity meat," as he said, and it goes really nicely with the prunes. They also trap in moisture and flavor, so the pork doesn't get dry.






















We just used household twine to tie up the pork. Then he stuffed bay leaves along the sides.














They bake for around 30 minutes, and they're done.













Our other food was as follows: cheese and crackers (dubliner, havarti with dill, and brie with cranberries), sweet potatoes with marshmallows (compliments of my mom), and pumpkin cheesecake. I'll post more of those individually and a Thanksgiving wrap up of what we actually did all weekend (besides eat) over the next few days. For now, my PhD calls...

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Prunes and Bay leaves
Source: recipezaar.com (I think...we usually wing it).
8 bay leaves
15 large pitted prunes
1.5 lbs pork tenderloin
salt and pepper

1. In a bowl, pour boiling water over the prunes and bay leaves and let sit for 15 minutes. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut a 1'' slit along each tenderloin, leaving 1'' at either end uncut. Drain the bay leaves and prunes, pat dry with a paper towel.

3. Tightly insert the prunes into the bottom of the slit. Crumble 1 bay leaf over the top of the prunes. Tie up the roast with string every 1''.

4. Season with salt and pepper. Slide the rest of the bay leaves under the string, along the sides of the pork. Place in greased pan and roast at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let rest a few minutes before slicing and serving.