cornbread stuffed pork tenderloin

Serves 4

A great company or family entree, whole pork tenderloin is split and filled with a cornbread, fruit and vegetable stuffing with just a hint of sweetness, before baking.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2/3 cup peeled cored finely chopped tart apple
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dry white wine OR unsweetened apple juice
3 packets Equal® sweetener*
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 cup coarsely chopped packed baby spinach
1/3 cup cornbread stuffing crumbs
1 whole pork tenderloin (1 to 1-1/2 pounds)

*Substitute 2 tablespoons Equal Spoonful for the packets.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cook and stir onion and garlic in butter in a large saucepan on medium heat 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in apple and cranberries; cook 2 minutes. Add wine, Equal, rosemary and thyme. Cook, covered, on medium-low heat 5 minutes or until most of the wine has evaporated. Stir in spinach and stuffing crumbs. Cook on low heat 1 minute or until spinach is wilted and stuffing crumbs have softened.
Meanwhile, cut pork tenderloin horizontally in half. Place one-half, cut side up, in shallow baking pan. Cover evenly with stuffing mixture. Top with second half of tenderloin, cut side facing stuffing. Carefully tie tenderloin in several places with kitchen string to hold together.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until internal temperature of both pork and stuffing reach 160° F. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes. Remove string and cut into 4 pieces.

VARIATION: The stuffing can also be used to stuff 1-inch thick pork chops. Cut a “pocket” in each pork chop, fill and bake.