Pork tenderloins are, hands down, one of the easiest items to prepare for a crowd. They pair well with almost any flavor combination and are so lean that they cook in virtually no time. While they do require just a bit of trimming to remove any excess fat or silverskin (that shiny connective tissue that you see on the surface of the cut), you can choose to do it quickly yourself or just ask your butcher to remove it for you.

While glazed carrots may feel a little 1950s on paper, I dare you to find someone who would turn down a delicious, salty-sweet one if it appeared as a side. It’s a timeless side dish that, thanks to the oven pulling double duty, requires almost no babysitting. Cut the vegetables into long spears to save prep time and amp up the wow factor when you’re presenting your flawless spread.

If you’re cooking just for the family, prepare this recipe as is. Entertaining? It scales up beautifully to serve a crowd the next time you feel like impressing the pants off your fancy neighbors.

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Oven-Glazed Carrots + Parsnips

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a small dish combine the cheese, dried herbs, onion powder and garlic powder. Season the tenderloins with salt and pepper, and rub them with the herb-cheese mixture. Place the tenderloins on a baking sheet and roast until cooked to your liking, 25 to 30 minutes for medium (the internal temperature reads 150 degrees F). Let the cooked pork rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a baking dish combine the chicken stock, brown sugar, butter, vegetables and some salt and pepper. Roast, tossing occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the liquid has reduced into a glaze, about 25 minutes. Toss with the juice of the lemon and parsley. Reserve warm.

Thinly slice the roasted pork and serve with the glazed vegetables.

Patrick W. Decker’s life revolves around food. Always has, probably always will. As a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America and past member of the culinary teams for Food Network stars Rachael Ray, Sandra Lee, Marc Forgione and Bobby Deen, he’s now the Digital Content Manager for FoodNetwork.com, CookingChannelTV.com and Food.com in NYC by day and develops recipes at his home in New York’s Hudson Valley by night. You can see what he’s up to by following him on Instagram or visiting his website at patrickwdecker.com.