Recipe: Applesauce and Herb-Crusted Pork Loin

Man, I have been totally remiss in posting lately!

And *much* has transpired! (including starting seeds for my Summer Garden!)

I'll try to catch-up later. But for now, I wanted to post a recipe (that I am trying-out for the very first time tonight - hopefully I can add pictures later).

QT's Applesauce-Herb-Crusted Pork Tenderloin Roast

(I smooshed two recipes together *and* modified it, so I think I can safely call it my own!)

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/applesauce-pork-loin/

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/herb-crusted-pork-tenderloin-recipe/index.html

Ingredients:

• 1 3-1/2 lb Pork Tenderloin
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 Tbs Olive Oil
• 1 Tbs honey
• 1 Tbs yellow mustard (orig recipe called for 3 Tbs Dijon, but I didn't have any) (and I really, really HATE mustard!)
• 4 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• I also added 1/2 tsp fresh thyme, 1 tsp fresh basil, 2 tsp fresh rosemary (because I had it available)
• fresh-ground pepper and sea-salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. I started out by pre-heating my Nuker/Convection oven to 450*. Once it was heated-up, I put my (rinsed and patted dry) pork loin in the oven, fat-side DOWN, for 15 minutes (I know, from experience, that my oven has a hot spot in the middle/top - and I wanted the bottom to get a chance to get cooked).
2. While it was pre-cooking, I prepared the coating/sauce by combining all the remaining ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
3. After the roast was pre-cooked, I slathered the sauce over the entire roast.
4. Then, I flipped the roast over (fat-side up) and put it back in the Convection/Nuker on Auto-Roast. It set itself to cook @ 325* for appx 1 hour.
5. Maybe, appx 15 minutes before it's "done," I'll flip it over again - to make sure the bottom gets fully cooked. I had a little leftover applesauce/herb gloop that I'll probably add at that time.

I'll definitely check it with a meat thermometer and make sure it's done enough (internal temp 155-160*). Then I'll tent it with aluminum foil and let it rest for 15-20 mins...

I hope it's half as good as it smells! (It smells AMAZING!!!!)

I'll serve it with "Cheater's Mashed Potatoes" (nukable from the 'frigerator section of the grocery store) and "Cheater's Green Beans w/Slivered Almonds from the freezer section).

Oh, and canned Turkey Gravy with pan-drippings and a small can of mushrooms mixed in.

:::sigh::: I'm just too lazy to prepare EVERYTHING from scratch!

Afterword: I think the Convection/Nuker's Auto-setting might have been a little *too* long. The roast came out a little on the dry side (thank goodness for gravy!). I think 45 minutes would've been a little better. Nevertheless, it was delicious!

Pictures:

Fresh out of the oven!

All served up!