Whewwwww…..bessie. I made it.

For a second there, I didn’t think I would make it through the craziness of Christmas. Between the endless amounts of Christmas cookies, cheese platters, gift wrapping, gift giving, booze, and the “What have you been up to this year?” questions, I realized I needed a second to sit and breathe.

The hubs and I spent the past week on what we call our “tour of Kansas.” Since we have families that live in Wichita and Kansas City, we do our best to spend time equally between families (we’re politically savvy like that). Even though flying and driving can be a pain in the tookus, it’s fun to experience two different family traditions.

Since the husband has three brothers and they are all happily married with the cutest kids, it’s a little bonkers when all fourteen of us get together. Let’s just say the nieces and nephews run the show.

When my immediate family gets together, it’s obviously quieter because there are only eight of us, but we still have a blasty-blast. We center our Christmas dinner around a holiday movie each year. This year’s theme was inspired from Home Alone. The centerpiece was a collection of traps Kevin used to give the burglars a hard time :  paint cans, mini cars, ornaments, etc. It was a hoot to decorate with my Mom.

Besides a fun tablescape, we had a huge spread – mashed potatoes with chives, buttery rolls, roasted carrots with dill, and a silky chocolate tart. The main dish was a toss up between brisket and rosemary bacon pork tenderloin. The brisket won. How? Haven’t a stinking clue. I tried and I tried to convince the members of my family that everything is better with bacon. I even showed them pictures of it all roasty and sizzling straight from the oven. Sighhhh. It wasn’t meant to be. Maybe I should have done a bacon wrapped brisket?

My friends, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make this tenderloin. In fact, run to the grocery and dewwww it. I promise it’s the best {after} Christmas present you can make yourself. Scout’s honor.

Print Recipe

Rosemary Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 1 hour + 20 minutes

Ingredients:

3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons rosemary, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil,
Kosher Salt
Ground Pepper
1 pound pork tenderloin
6 slices thick bacon

Directions:

Place pork tenderloin in a roasting pan and let it sit at room temperature for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small mixing bowl, combine garlic, rosemary, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Rub mixture all over pork tenderloin. Take about six slices of thick bacon and wrap it around the pork. Roast the pork for about 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a thermometer reads 145 degrees. Let it chill for about 5 to 7 minutes before slicing and gobbling up!

adapted from Rachel Ray Magazine

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