Welcome to Wild Card Wednesday

No National Days jumped out at me for inspiration. There was National Pralines Day, but I’m not a candy maker. A pro at eating candy, just not big on making it. Our other choice – National Parchment Day. Goes well with Pralines, doesn’t it?

In our house, Wednesdays are know as Wild Card Wednesday. It means when it comes to our meal planner, anything and everything goes. It’s a great day for having breakfast for dinner or kicking back with Hump-day Hamburgers. Usually I use the Wild Card as an excuse to try a new recipe that doesn’t fit the rest of the week night themes – Mellow Monday, Tijuana Tuesday, Tuscan Thursday or Fish-Stick Friday aka Catholic Friday. I like the idea of a wild card meal in the middle of the week just to shake things up a bit. I guess the same can be said for Mellow Monday – the idea is that Mondays should be simple. Simple is also up for interpretation. Maybe you think Smoked Turkey Legs are simple. Or maybe Omelette Marseille is your idea of Mellow Monday. So really, it’s like Wild Card Wednesday in that just about anything goes. Days are what you make them. Life is too short not to have something delicious every day.

Garlic Pork Potato Skillet Supper
1-1/4 lb Pork Tenderloin
1 lb Baby Red Potatoes, quartered
20 Garlic Cloves, peeled
4 tablespoons Butter, divided
3/4 teaspoon Sea Salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon dried Thyme Leaves
2 tablespoons Italian Parsley, garnish

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Trim pork of any excess fat and sliverskin. Set aside. Scrub potatoes, cut into quarters and set aside. Peel garlic, set aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Rub pork with melted butter. Rub pork with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper and the thyme.

Melt remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. In large bowl, toss butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the potatoes and garlic.

In 12-inch ovenproof skillet, sear tenderloin over medium-high heat; cook 2 to 4 minutes or until browned on first side. Turn, and immediately remove skillet from heat. Add potato mixture to skillet around pork; transfer to oven, and roast 25 to 30 minutes or until pork reaches at least 140-degrees in center. While the pork roasts, finely chop parsley for the garnish and set aside.

Remove skillet from oven; transfer pork to cutting board, and tent with foil. Let stand 5 minutes (pork should reach at least 145-degrees in center after resting); stir potato mixture, and return skillet to oven. Continue to roast 10 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

Cut pork into 1/2-inch slices; return to skillet. Top with parsley. Serve directly from the skillet for a rustic yet attractive presentation.

This beautiful pork and potato skillet would be delicious with  Thyme-Dill Carrots or Char-Braised Basil Asparagus. Enjoy!

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