Tender, juicy pork tenderloin is a favorite of mine to cook because it's so versatile. This recipe for Pork Tenderloin and Mushrooms shows off the delicate flavor of the pork with the earthy, warm and delicious paring of portobello mushrooms and of course, our favorite seasonings make it POP.

I'll confess, pork was NOT a favorite of mine growing up. Why? Because when it hit the plate, it actually sounded like a hockey puck and not a tender, juicy piece of meat. Now, I don't blame the cook- "old-skool" methods told us that pork needed to be pretty much dried out and overcooked to be safe to eat.

The rules have changed and the National Pork Board along with the FDA have changed the guidelines and proven that pork is safe (and so delicious!) to eat at a more moderately cooked temperature. Woohoo!

We take total advantage of that in this recipe and use the dual cooking method of pan-sear combined with finishing in the oven (or the grill!) to create tender, juicy morsels in just a matter of minutes. The really cool thing about this recipe is that you can also do the exact same preparation with beef tenderloin or even chicken breast (cooking times may vary though, just saying.)

Mix and match recipes are the best because they're foolproof. You can even mix up the seasonings to give you different flavor variations as well. (Hint- if you need some help mixing and matching flavors, check out this chart).

To start, you season the meat with some basics (salt, pepper, etc) like Dash of Desperation seasoning. This gives the meat a nice crust when you sear it and preps it for flavor. The seasonings also give the pan something to "stick" to other than the meat and allow it to brown and bring out all that incredible flavor.

The meat will be soooo juicy, and yet it has this great crust full of flavor on the outside. That's the beauty of the two step method. The high heat of the sear makes the crust and the slow oven finish keeps it super juicy.

The end result speaks for itself! This is one fabulous weeknight meal you'll be proud to serve, and even happier to eat.

Happy Cooking!
Stacey