Page 159 - Dodson Family Jewels 2009 Reunion Recipe Book 362_Neat

Peppered Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin

Submitted By Vicki Dodson

This is Drabbs' signature meal when he is trying to
show off - it never fails. Is really tasty and
looks elegant. My one job as kitchen helper is to
toast the pecans and I usually mess that up. Once
we were visiting our friends Deb & Jim in
Connecticut at Christmas. Deb had to work that day
so we thought it would be nice to make dinner for
her - they have 3 sons and always a house full of
friends and relatives - never know who or how many
will be at the table. Their son Chad was home on
leave from Iraq and he was at the stove making an
omelet for himself. I put the pecans in the oven and
promptly forgot them until I smelled the smoke. I
jerked the door open and flames shot to the ceiling.
The funny part was that Chad just adjusted his
stance to the side of the stove and continued
making his breakfast - never even flinched. So I
guess I'm not as scary in the kitchen as going to
war - but probably just as deadly!! I slammed the
oven but the house was filling with black smoke.
Drabbs' ran up from the basement and threw the
pan into the back yard - it was snowing and really
freezing cold. We had to open all the windows and
doors and turn on fans to blow the smoke out of the
house. The stove cleaned up pretty well, and the
wall weren't ruined - just had to buy a new cookie
sheet. Deb just laughed about it - after all she does
have 3 sons - this was just another day at the
Dugas house. But Drabbs' doesn't allow me to toast
the pecans after that episode. And the meal was
excellent -though the house was chilly for quite a
while.

¼ cup butter or margarine
¾ lb mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
¼ cup chopped pecans, toasted
2 (12 oz) pork tenderloins, trimmed
1 tsp salt
8 thick slices bacon
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp cracked black pepper

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add
mushrooms and onion, and sauté 8 minutes or until
tender. Stir in toasted pecans and set aside. Place
pork between 2 sheets plastic wrap; flatten to ¼"
thickness, using a meat mallet or rolling pin.

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