Recently Andrew and I had the following conversation:

        A: When are you getting together with your college roommates?

        C: February 4-5.  It’s a Monday-Tuesday.

        A: Hmm.

        C: Why do you ask? (Fishing for an “I’m going to miss you!”)

        A: I was hoping it was on a weekend.  I need a weekend to get some things done  

             around the house without having to worry about “quality time.”

Husbands, right? 😀

I tell you this story so that I don’t look like the bad guy when I say that I thoroughly enjoyed some me-time last night while Andrew was out (he had a work related dinner followed by a basketball game.)  No matter how much two people love each other, I think personal time is crucial.  While Andrew was off shooting hoops and talking about rocks (mine engineer,) here’s how I filled my evening: Dinner & Relaxation

Dinner

Herb-Seasoned Pork Tenderloin, Oven Roasted Potatoes, and Steamed Broccoli

I would make this meal every week if I were cooking only for myself.  Pork is, without question, my favorite type of meat.  Here’s how I prepared it last night:

1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp paprika

Salt & Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil.

2. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, rosemary, thyme, and paprika.

3. Place pork tenderloin on the baking sheet and spoon spice/oil mixture over top.  Use hands to make sure entire tenderloin is coated.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper.

4. Place in oven for 30-45 minutes (Mine took about 35.)

5. Remove from oven, cover with foil, and let rest for 5-10 minutes (this allows the meat to reabsorb its juices.)

Foil = clean pan and tender, juicy meat

6. Dig in, and enjoy!

Oh man.  This came out perfectly.  I’d like to take credit, but I think it’s just tough to mess up a pork tenderloin.

I slice in at least 5 places to make sure it’s done.  Paranoid?  Perhaps. 😉

With the roasted potatoes and slightly over-steamed (in other words, delicious) broccoli, it was a very satisfying meal.

Mmm.

Relaxation

Tea–Easy Now by Traditional Medicinals, in my “C” mug that my sister-in-law Jenny gave me for Christmas!  TM has a tea for almost any ailment you could imagine, and I generally turn to them before medicine, for better or worse 😉  Their Throat Coat tea is nothing short of miraculous.  Easy Now contains lavender and chamomile, among other herbs, and definitely helps me relax.

Bubble Bath–Who doesn’t love a hot bath?  Don’t answer that;  I’m sure there are people who aren’t into that.  I’m not one of those people.

Bubble bath, tea, magazine… perfect.

It’s good to be alone sometimes.  Especially while blogging, when your husband is a super rational, get-things-done kind of guy–

“Why did you take a picture of your tea? <Sigh.> We are raising up a generation of complete egotists.”

Who, me? 😉