Easy Pineapple Pork Tenderloin with Creamy Potatoes

First of all, this sounds a lot fancier than it is. During the week, I don't have a ton of time to stand in the kitchen and make dinner. This is a great weeknight meal that is savory and sweet and the best part... kid friendly! No fluff, classic meat-and-potatoes kind of dinner.

I "cheat" and use a pre-marinated pork tenderloin that I keep stocked in the fridge (one of my favorite Aldi finds!). It is the easiest way to have dinner at my fingertips. For this recipe, I used the garlic marinaded tenderloin and it was the perfect flavoring.

My girls will eat any kind of potato, so I know that however I make them, they'll be devoured. But these creamy potatoes are easy to make ahead if you have a busy week ahead, or can be made day-of, and they're just as amazing. One of the best little gems about this recipe is that a really easy "gravy" can be made and it has a little citrus flavoring, which may not sound delicious, but you can't knock it 'til you try it. It's YUMMY.

Ingredients:

1 Pork tenderloin

1 Pineapple, sliced

6-7 medium sized potatoes

4oz Neufchatel cheese

1/2 cup Heavy cream

Salt

Pepper

1 Stick Butter, softened

1. Slice the pineapple and place 1 layer on the bottom of your crockpot. Set the tenderloin on top, and layer the remaining pineapple slices on top. Cook on low for 8 hours. (Yes, it is that easy!)

2. Peel and cut the potatoes into chunks. Boil until tender, about 25 minutes.

3. Transfer the potatoes to a stand mixer and add in the softened butter and heavy cream. Mix until smooth.

4. Cube the neufchatel cheese and add in slowly until the mixture is creamy.

5. Salt and pepper to taste.

*If you are making the potatoes when it's dinner time, you're done! If you make them ahead of time, transfer to a baking dish and bake at 350-degrees for about 20-25 minutes.

Once the tenderloin and pineapple pieces have been removed from the crock pot, make "gravy" by adding some flour to the drippings in the bottom of the dish. Whisk until a nice roux is formed and there are no lumps. It is definitely an easy hack for making gravy (because let's be honest, what are mashed potatoes if not a vehicle for gravy...)

It really is one of the easiest things to make on a busy weeknight. Nothing screams "cold weather" more than creamy potatoes and a nice pork tenderloin.

Enjoy!

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