Rosemary-Apricot Pork Tenderloin

There are two main things that I look for in a weeknight dinner recipe:

1.)  It has to be healthy (and I'm not talking SUPER healthy here, because I don't believe in restricting myself from foods I enjoy...but it should at least be well-balanced and have some nutrition).

2.)  It has to be quick!

This is really important, since Tony and I both work and I go to school some nights, so I don't always have a lot of time for prep work.  I definitely don't want us to be eating dinner too late at night, and want to spend minimal time in the kitchen since I'm usually pretty exhausted.

That's why this Rosemary-Apricot Pork Tenderloin recipe is a perfect dish for weeknights.  It is really quick and easy to prepare, and you can have this ready to eat in under 30 minutes.  I made this last month, after receiving my first month's issue's of food magazines.  This particular recipe came from the Taste of Home Dec-Jan 2012 issue.

I'm a big fan of Taste of Home.  Although it's not as commercial and "high-end" as some other popular food magazines, it's the very first food magazine I ever remember myself reading.  I remember helping my grandma move out of her home quite a few years ago, while I was still in high school.  Throughout the years, it had become difficult for her to live on her own.  It was a long, steady process to help her go through all of her things, deciding what to throw away, what to donate, and what to keep.  During this process, I remember discovering her HUGE collection of Taste of Home magazines.

I had never heard of Taste of Home magazine before (at that point, I was still reading things like Cosmogirl and Teen Magazine) but I was immediately intrigued by all of the recipes.  The recipes in the Taste of Home magazines are mostly submitted by home cooks, so you really get a warm, comforting feel as you read. A lot of the recipes reminded me of the types of foods my mom would cook for us, so I was tempted to try them!

Every day when my mom and sister would go to my grandma's to work on the house, I would come along and sit on my grandma's sofa, reading through all of her old Taste of Home magazines, cutting out the recipes I wanted to keep (with her permission, of course!).  I'd put all of the cut-out recipes into a shoe box, and then throw away the remainder of the issue.  I realize now that I may not have been the most helpful when it came to getting my grandma ready for the move (sorry, Mom), but I am really glad I took the time to save those recipes!  In fact, I STILL have that shoe box of recipes, and a lot of those recipes found so many years ago are still recipes that regularly show up on my dinner table.

This Rosemary-Apricot Pork Tenderloin recipe will join them, and will show up regularly on the table.  It couldn't be any simpler to make.  The apricot glaze gave it just enough flavor, and the recipe results in tender, juicy pork.  It also gets Tony's approval, so it's definitely a keeper!

Check back tomorrow for a few side dish options to go along with this dish!

Rosemary-Apricot Pork Tenderloin
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Recipe from Taste of Home magazine - Dec 2011-Jan 2012 issue
Yield:  8 servings

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary, or 1 Tbsp dried rosemary, crushed
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 pork tenderloins (1 lb each)

For the glaze:
1 cup apricot preserves
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine the rosemary, 1 Tbsp oil, garlic, salt, and pepper; brush over pork.

In a large ovenproof skillet, brown pork in remaining oil on all sides.  Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the glaze ingredients; brush over pork.  Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees, basting occasionally with pan juices.  Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.