Saturday, August 21, 2010

Company Tenderloin in a Snap


While Julie is already missing her daughter, I have a house full of college bound guests. I live in Hokie Territory, and everything -- mailboxes, cakes at bakeries, shoes, shirts, purses, you name it -- is blooming in the Hokie colors of orange and maroon to welcome the students back to town.

With all the unloading and registration activities, my guests are very busy. So, I kept tonight's dinner very simple, like my protagonist Sophie would, and I have to admit that it was a hit. Easy, and it takes very little time -- what could be better?


Mustard & Pepper Pork Tenderloin Medallions

1 pork tenderloin
salt
pepper
mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil

Cut the pork tenderloin into one inch slices. Shake equal amounts of salt and pepper onto a dinner plate. Coat each side of the pork with mustard, then dip into the salt and pepper mixture.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Cook the pork on each side about 3 minutes or until the center is barely pink. Do not overcook!

Serve with a peach mango salsa. One pork tenderloin serves three.



Enjoy!

19 comments:

  1. Hokie! Too funny. Well, this is a simple and delicious looking dish. Thanks for sharing. My guests will thank you, too.

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  2. Pork, it's what's for dinner!

    And looks terrific!

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  3. Nice and easy. We love pork tenderloin and since the daughter we just took to college was the only vegetarian in the house, I think we may be serving this soon! Have fun with your guests, Krista!

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  4. Elegant and easy! Thanks, Krista.
    Enjoy your houseful of guests! I know they'll be eating well.

    MJ

    Charlotte Adams mysteries

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  5. Avery, you may thank me more than your guests. It's so quick and easy! ; )

    Hi Dave, you know how I love pork tenderloin! And this is delicious.

    Thanks, Julie. I have to say that all my guests liked it, even the ones I expected to be on the picky side! : )

    Krista

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  6. Hi MJ! We're having a lot of fun. Well, I am, because I'm not doing any of the heavy lifting and carrying!

    ~ Krista

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  7. Welcome back from your book tour, Krista. Those medallions look so moist and delicious -- easy yet elegant for company, perfect. Also love that you got the Hokie colors in your final pic with the beautiful plate and the peach mango salsa.

    Have a great Saturday,
    ~ Cleo
    Coffeehouse Mystery.com
    Cleo Coyle on Twitter

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  8. You had me at Peach Mango Salsa :)

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  9. We love pork tenderloin in our house, too. Now to share the mango peach salsa.....pretty please...

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  10. Krista,
    Thanks for a lovely recipe...now two important questions...what the heck is a Hokie and where did the name come from..and (OK..3 questions) is is this just plain old yellow mustard? Wow...it's what the family will be having tomorrow for supper!!!

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  11. Krista,
    I am a "Nina" but made this pork for my visitors and it was the best pork dish any of us have ever had. THANKS!!!
    Hokie in Middleburg

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  12. Dear Krista,

    As you know, I am the mother of a daughter whose cooking is not her specialty, but tonight was an entirely different story-----she served the pork with the peach and mango salsa, and it was ELEGANT!!!!! A wonderful treat!

    She wanted me to ask you if you could prepare it so she could buy it in a box!!

    So proud of your success. Love, Harriet

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  13. Love your books and can't wait for the next one. How funny that you moved from Northern Virginia to "Hokie" country and I recently moved from Floyd Count (in "Hokie" country) to Northern Virginia. I'm a DC native and my first home was in Alexandria, VA. I love living back up here, but miss my Blue Ridge Country.

    Thanks for great reads!

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  14. Only 5 ingredients? Sounds just up my alley! Thanks, Krista!

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  15. Where did all these comments come from?

    So sorry that I missed them when they came in!

    You're very welcome, Caroline.

    Cleo, those orange and maroons colors aren't easy to do in food!

    Babs, fruit salsas are just so refreshing -- and good for us, too.

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  16. Vickie, I thought I had already posted a peach mango salsa. Looks like I haven't. That might be a good recipe to post this week. It's super simple!

    Nanc, I used plain old yellow mustard. Okay, mine was organic, but it was plain. I suspect it would be really great with horseradish mustard, too.

    A Hokie is a Virginia Tech fan. There are all sorts of theories about the origin of the mascot and name. The hokie bird (VA Tech mascot) is supposed to look sort of like a maroon cardinal, but, honestly, tradition has it looking a *lot* like a turkey. You can read more about the hokie bird here -- http://www.vt.edu/about/hokie.html .

    ~ Krista

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  17. Did you really make it, Hokie in Middleburg? I'm delighted!

    Harriet, thank you so much for your support. I'm astonished that Hokie in Middleburg made this pork dish for you. She is indeed a Nina Reid Norwood when it comes to cooking. I'm thrilled that she made the dish and that it turned out so well!

    ~ Krista

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  18. StitchenTigger, it's like we swapped places. The Blue Ridge is very pretty in the fall, but I also love Old Town where Sophie resides. I'm delighted that you like my books!

    Elizabeth, I love these easy recipes, too. Especially when I don't have to buy fancy ingredients to make them!

    ~ Krista

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