By The week after birthday week. Quiet. The house feels like mine now in a way it didn't last week.
Monday I drove to the clinic in the rain and almost missed the exit because I keep forgetting that this is the route now. Twenty-two minutes from Quincy when traffic is clean. Thirty-five when it isn't.
Liam lost his second front tooth Tuesday at school and brought it home in a plastic baggie the nurse gave him. He put it under his pillow with the same care he uses for the Red Sox cards Dad gave him last summer. Two dollars from the tooth fairy. Inflation.
Nora drew the new house. Crayon. The chimney is bigger than the house. The sun has eyelashes. I taped it to the fridge.
Group Tuesday. A new woman came. Late thirties. Husband, heart attack, six weeks ago. She did not speak. Bernadette let her not speak. I remember being her.
The basement still smells like someone else's basement. I bought a dehumidifier on Wednesday and named it Carl, because Liam said it should have a name.
Meghan called at 11 Tuesday. She said how is the house. I said the dryer is making a noise. She said call Patrick. I said I will. I didn't.
Sunday dinner at Ma's. She made shepherd's pie. Dad ate two helpings without comment. Patrick brought Sean III who is two and three quarters and threw a roll at the wall like it owed him money.
Saturday pancakes. Burned the first one. New kitchen, blue plate, same prayer. Liam asked if pancakes taste different in a new house. I said no. He said they do. He ate four.
Food of the week: ham and bean soup. The slow cooker did most of the work.
The slow cooker got the ham and bean soup through the week, but by Saturday I wanted something that felt a little more like a decision — something I chose, not just assembled. Pork tenderloin with a pineapple glaze has that quality: it looks like effort, it smells like Sunday, and Liam didn’t ask a single question about it except whether there was more. New house, new kitchen, same blue plate — and a recipe that made the room smell like somewhere we belong.
Pineapple-Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs pork tenderloin, trimmed
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated (or 1/4 tsp ground ginger)
- 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water
Instructions
- Preheat. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set aside.
- Season the pork. Pat the tenderloin dry with paper towels. Combine garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl, then rub the mixture evenly over the entire surface of the pork.
- Sear. Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tenderloin and sear for 2 minutes per side until golden brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes total.
- Make the glaze. While the pork sears, whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, and ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stir in the cornstarch slurry, and cook 2–3 minutes until the glaze thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
- Glaze and roast. Brush the seared tenderloin generously with about half the glaze. Transfer the skillet to the oven (or move pork to the prepared baking sheet) and roast for 15–18 minutes, brushing with remaining glaze halfway through, until an instant-read thermometer registers 145°F at the thickest point.
- Rest and slice. Transfer the tenderloin to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing into 1/2-inch medallions. Drizzle any pan drippings or remaining glaze over the top before serving.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 295 | Protein: 36g | Fat: 8g | Carbs: 18g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 620mg