The Best Kinds of Days

Every once in awhile I'm asked to cover a Saturday at work, and in return, I'm given a day off during the week. this was one of those weeks, and today I got to lay around in bed all day. Sure, I could have been doing something productive, but I started reading Angels & Demons yesterday and that's one of those books that you just can't put down once you start. This morning, I put a pork roast in the crockpot, and this evening, I finished my book just in time to start the rest of dinner fixins'. Now I'm nursing one glass of wine (just one...sigh...damn migraines), and typing this up before I go up and start my next book. What, you thought I'd take a break or something?

Crockpot Cranberry Pork Roast

Adapted from Beantown Baker

2.5 lb pork roast

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp dijon mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 Tbsp cornstarch

6 oz fresh cranberries (I took mine straight from the freezer, did not seem to cause a problem)

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup dried cranberries

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 lemon, thinly sliced

Mix ginger, mustard, salt, pepper, and cornstarch. Coat pork. Place in crockpot.

Put rest of ingredients in crockpot.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4. It will be more tender if you cook it lower and slower.

I served it with Balsamic Glazed Carrots (you'll see recipe soon) and an adapted form of this gravy. I used cranberry juice instead of apple cider, and rosemary and thyme in the roux.

Quick Well-Rounded Meal

Can I just say that I LOVE Cooking Light? I first discovered it while standing in line in the grocery store. I was just spreading my foodie wings, while at the same time struggling with the 20+ post engagement pounds. The photos in the magazine are gorgeous, and the recipes are perfect for a growing culinary mind. They focus on fresh ingredients, some that are familiar, but they also encourage you to branch out. This month's issue had a new section with full meal plans laid out in a certain time limit--great for a weeknight when I don't necessarily feel like spending hours cooking. (Ironically, I made this on a Sunday.)

I didn't do much to these recipes, I did add a marinade to the pork, as I think chops tend to run on the dry side. I also added the same spice mix to the potatoes.

Spice-Rubbed Pork Chops

Adapted from Cooking Light October 2009

Marinade:

New Day Meadery Semi-Dry Plum Mead

Worcestershire Sauce

Garlic Salt

Ground Coriander

Ground Cumin

Brown Sugar

Nutmeg

Lemon Juice

2 Boneless Pork chops

1/8 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp brown sguar

1 1/2 tsp olive oil

Heat skillet over medium high heat. Rub spice mixture into pork. Add oil to pan, swirl to coat. Add pork to pan, spice side down. Cook 2 minutes or until browned. Turn pork over, and cook 4 minutes or until done.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Adapted from Cooking Light October 2009

Cut 2 large sweet potatoes into 1 inch cube. Combine potatoes with olive oil and more of the same spices used for the pork chops. Arrange in single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 500 degrees for 20 minutes until done, turning after 10 minutes.

Lemon Green Beans

Adapted from Cooking Light October 2009

Steam 8 oz green beans until crisp-tender. Toss with 1 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp grated lemon rind, adn 1/4 tsp salt.

Note--There's this new law about disclaimers that I have to start following--Cooking Light is not paying me for this post, this is my own opinion. I just really like their magazine and I'm a loyal subscriber. You'll see their recipes a lot on my blog but I'm in no way affiliated with them.