Meat

• If you use small tenderloin pieces, pound the meat between plastic wrap for easy cleanup. Using a meat-pounding mallet, pound the meat into 1/2- to 1/8-inch slices. For larger pieces of meat, such as chicken or turkey breasts, slice the meat before pounding it into 1-inch-thick pieces. Invite your children to join you in the pounding fun, using the mallet, a potato masher or even your fists. Caution your younger children to pound gently, and make sure they wash their hands before and after touching raw foods.

Breading

• Breading goes easily when you give yourself plenty of space and arrange breading stations in order. Begin by dredging the meat in flour, seasoned with salt and pepper, to dry the meat. Dip each dredged piece in a bowl of beaten eggs to give the breading something to adhere to, then press both sides of the meat onto bread crumbs spread on a plate. Let the tenderloins rest on a rack while you bread all the pieces.

Cooking

• Tenderloins cook quickly in a large skillet set on medium-high heat. Three to five minutes on each side is usually sufficient. Use butter, oil or a mixture of both. To keep the breading crispy and golden brown on each side, you may need to add more oil for the second side. After cooking the first batch, place the tenderloins on an oven-proof plate in a 250-degree Fahrenheit oven to keep warm while you finish cooking.

Garnishes

• In Germany, breaded tenderloins are typically served with slices of lemon and sometimes sprinkled with chopped hard-boiled eggs, anchovies or capers. Tenderloins cooked Milanese style include Parmesan cheese in the breading. And in the United States, tenderloins may be topped with an arugula salad tossed with a simple vinaigrette and Parmesan shavings, which add acidity to temper the rich breading.

Variations

• Add oregano, thyme and basil to the breading to give tenderloins an Italian flavor. A few teaspoons of chili and cumin result in Tex-Mex tenderloins. Some kids may like tenderloins served with ketchup. If you're in the mood for a sandwich, simply place the tenderloin on a bun as they do at the Iowa State Fair, where pork tenderloin is deep fried and served garnished like hamburgers.