Chili Lime Pork Tenderloin

Today's idea for chili lime pork is rooted in a recipe that my friend Dan emailed me. I didn't have some of the ingredients it called for so I took what I had in the cupboard and made it my own. The spirit of the recipe is still there but I have drastically reduced the honey and added a few of my own spices. You can do this too. Don't have exactly what the recipe calls for? Improvise!

This recipe stays true to the theme of "get in, get it going, and get out fast!" Who has time for anything more than that especially on a Monday.

What you'll need:

Pork Tenderloin (I used 2 1/2 pounds)

Marinade:

3 T. honey

2T. Chili powder

Juice of one lime

Zest of one lime

1/2 tsp garlic powder

What you do:

Preheat your oven to 425. In a small bowl mix the marinade ingredients. Remove the pork from its package and trim off the visible fat and silver skin. Get out your roasting pan and line it with foil. That is, unless you like to spend your highly coveted free time scrubbing off baked on honey. Plop your tenderloin in the pan and pour the marinade over it. Rub it all over. No... you should not take a bite already even though it looks fantastic and smells even better. Raw pork is no bueno.

Bake the tenderloin for about 20 minutes per pound. I like brush it with the marinade a couple of times during the cooking process. I have no idea if brushing it does anything but it helps with the guilt from this recipe being so easy. So brush away!

Get out a plate and a length of aluminum foil. When the pork comes out, transfer it to the foil and wrap it up tightly in the foil while simultaneously using your ninja-like reflexes to block your family from trying to taste it. Let the pork rest in the foil for about 10 minutes to reabsorb all its juices. Guard it well. It's not safe. Nobody touches it until it's done resting... capiche?

After the pork nap is done, slice it in one inch thicknesses and serve with some veggies.

** Just a side note: If you want to throw this together in the morning and let it marinade in a bag in the fridge, it's even better. I was on emergency dinner mode when I put this one together.

Enjoy!