Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Thank Heavens it's Over!

The holidays that is. Every year seems to be more and more stressful. Money is tighter, the (step) kids are impossible to shop for, and we can never agree on the dinner menu. Somehow, we managed to pull it all together and survive another Christmas. If I had my way (and tons of money), I would spend Christmas someplace warm and remote just to escape the frenzy of it all. But since I can't afford Christmas travel, here I sit in the awful cold of the northeast U.S.. Actually I exaggerate a bit. I do enjoy having the family together and watching the kids open their gifts. It's just really exhausting. I cooked for two days straight to prep everything for this years holiday meal. Since we were trying out some new things, I even did some test runs in the weeks leading up to the holiday to be sure the new recipes didn't suck (they didn't). It all started when the hubs proclaimed that he did not want prime rib for dinner this year. He wanted ham instead. Here is the thing. I don't really care for ham. I don't hate it but I don't really love it either. Hubs doesn't like it nearly as much as he claims to either. He will eat it for dinner. Make a few sandwiches out of the leftovers and then never touch it again, leaving me with all sorts of leftover ham to contend with. Anything I make out of the leftovers, like ham salad or pea soup, he won't eat so it either end up giving it or throwing it away. Ridiculous, right? So, as a compromise, I made a stuffed pork loin this year. I was inspired by a crown roast of pork I saw being prepared on the Chew while in the waiting room at my doctors office. I figured that I could do something similar, albeit less dramatic, with the huge ass pork loin I had in my freezer. I mean, it is basically the same cut of meat, just without the bones and far less expensive. Preparing the actual roast is pretty straight forward - Just butterfly, stuff, roll, tie and bake. It was the stuffing and the sauce that made the meal special. Everyone was surprised at how well all of the flavors came together. Who knows, maybe I will make it again next year. If I do maybe I will remember to take a picture.....or not, lol.

Cranberry Cornbread Stuffing for Pork

1 roll sausage (not hot)
2 stalks of celery, chopped fine
1/2 onion, diced
2 clove garlic, minced
1/2 bag cranberries, chopped coarsely
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbs Bells poultry seasoning
2 Tbs parsley
1/2 Tbs ground sage
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
1 bag dry cornbread stuffing
2-3 Cups chicken broth
salt and pepper

In a large pot brown sausage with celery and onions until cooked. Add garlic and cook another minute.
Add cranberries and sugar and continue to cook over med-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add cornbread stuffing and seasonings. Stir to combine.
Add broth to desired consistency.
Adjust seasonings if needed and salt and pepper to taste

Creamy Mustard Sage Sauce
2 Tbs butter
1 Tbs flour
1/2 Cup apple cider
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
1 tsp ground sage
 2 Cups cream
salt and pepper

Over low heat melt butter and flour to create a roux
Add apple cider, mustard and sage to a sauce pan and whisk together until fully blended.
Add cream
Slowly heat mixture, stirring frequently until it reaches desired consistency.
Adjust seasonings to taste
Remove from heat and serve

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