Roasted Pork & Apples with Cream Gravy

I missed the traditional turkey dinner this Thanksgiving.  Since cc and I went to Galveston it didn't make sense to cook a large meal for the two of us.  So I opted for a seasonal option and roasted a pork which was a great alternative.  I found the recipe in one of my favorite books, The Farm to Table Cookbook.  It was surprisingly easy and oh so delicious.

The gravy calls for a hard cider but apple cider can be substituted.  I used regular apple cider but I was worried about it being too sweet since it is drastically different than hard cider so I split the it with chicken broth for a more savory gravy and I was pleased with the results.  You will see my substitution noted in the ingredients.

Roasted Pork & Apples with Cream Gravy*

Ingredients

3-4 pound pork loin roast (healthy free-range organic pork is best)
kosher salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 small (4 ounces) shallots, peeled and whole
Two 4-inch sprigs fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
2 sweet-tart baking apples such as Braeburn or Granny Smith, halved and cored
1/2 cup hard apple cider** or 1/4 cup of apple cider + 1/4 cup of chicken stock
1 pint cream

**hard cider is fermented apple cider; it can be found in bottles wherever beer is sold.  You can substitute apple cider which is what I did.

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Season the roast on all sides with salt and pepper.  Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or ovenproof pan over high heat.  Sear the pork on all sides until it is deep brown, carefully turning with tongs.  Transfer to a plate.  Arrange the shallots, rosemary, and bay leaf in the Dutch oven and place the pork on top.  Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.

2.  Remove the foil, nestle the apples around the pork, and continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the roast reads 145 degrees, 20 to 40 minutes depending on the size of your roast (the pork should have a blush of pink juice when sliced).  Remove from the oven, place the pork on a cutting board, and cover it loosely with the foil.

3  Put the shallots and apples in a small serving bowl and keep warm.  Over high heat degalze the Dutch oven with cider (or cider and broth), scrapping any browned bits on the bottom and sides of the pan; reduce the liquid by half.  Add the cream and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

4  Carve the roast and serve with the shallots, apples, and cream gravy.

For my side dishes I served warm homemade bread, braised brussel sprouts with bacon, and roasted, rosemary potatoes.

*This recipe, with the exception of the gravy substitution, is copied directly from the book.

DIY Gift Organizer Notebook

I am not a techy.  I prefer pen and paper to apps.  So it should come as no surprise that I decided to throw together a notebook for all my gift plans for Christmas.  Instead of writing down ideas or gifts I've already purchased in multiple places, now I can house them all in this notebook.  No apps that crash.

I used an old Christmas card for the cover.  On the inside I used ledger paper I found at an estate sale to tally up my spending. 

I also created two pockets in the center to hold coupons and receipts.  Then I bound it all together using this method.  This notebook can easily be thrown in my bag or tucked into my daily planner, but most importantly all the information is in one place.  It's a little rough around the edges, but it gets the job done.

How you do organize your gift giving?

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

 

We're kicking off our fun old fashion family Christmas by heading out into the country in the old front-wheel drive sleigh to embrace the frosty majesty of the winter landscape and select that most important of Christmas symbols.

Name that movie?*  Oh the holiday tradition of picking out the tree.  It is much more fun than actually decorating the tree, which is why you won't see any photos of my tree with twinkle lights and ornaments.  We headed off to Wintergreen farm again this year to pick out our Christmas symbol.  The experience is vastly different from last year.  The only exception being the title of the post!  This year I could have been wearing my bathing suit it was so hot.  As compared to last year when we needed a parka.

Something is not quite right when one wears flip flops to saw down their tree. Seriously. It was surreal and the "frosty majesty of the winter landscape" just wasn't happening.

BUT, we did actually get to cut down a tree, which means we are celebrating our Christmas locavore style.  Last year the farm was new, the trees too small, and several inches of mud lay in the fields.  

We choose a lovely Leyland Cyprus and commenced to sawing. 

Note the t-shirt and the sunshine!  Sorry for the blown out photo.  cc took the shot and I forgot to change the settings for her.  

There was only one injury during our expedition to the field.  cc nearly cut my hand off as we were walking.  The saw was swinging like a guillotine in her hand and she bumped up next to me.  It was a bloody mess.   You can see it if you look really close. 

Now comes the not so fun part.  The lights are up, but other than that it is still bare.  I'll be busy this week getting the finally touches on because my sister comes this weekend!  Christmas is here.

What is your tree tradition? 

*National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

December 4(for) Green Acres Challenge

These monthly challenges are your opportunity to cultivate your own acres. They are designed to challenge your creativity, test your will power, and pull your awareness to the footstep you are leaving behind.

By participating in these challenges and sharing them with others you are spreading the message. Over time, those around us will be making better choices as well. The goal is not to change how you live your life, but rather think about the implications of those choices and tweek them for the best outcome.

DECEMBER CHALLENGE: HANDMADE GIFT

This monthly challenge has come full circle.  It was this month last year that I had the idea to start posting monthly challenges that would encourage others to live a more conscientious life.  The December challenge was to not purchase any wrapping of any type.  It was intended to recycle and get creative with what you already had on had.  The December 2011 archives are full of ideas on how to achieve this if you want to go for it again this year.  I intend to. 

I am sad to report that this will be the final monthly 4(for) green acres challenge post.  I will post a challenge from time to time, but not a consistent basis.  As my blog took on several identities this year, I have been weaving through the threads searching for one that suits me best.  While it is still evolving, you'll start to see that the things that don't suit are going to slowly disappear or pop up elsewhere.  

So without further delay... the final challenge.

This year the word community has been jumping out at me around every corner.  Searching for mine, wondering where I fit in, and finally learning the vast lesson about my ignorance in believing that I could possibly live this life alone.  With that being said I want to dedicate this last challenge to community, whomever that may be for you.  

It goes without saying that we are all too plugged in sometimes. Your challenge is to unplug, slow down, and dedicate some creative time to making a gift for someone in your community.  And by community it can be someone in your family, your best friend, your CSA farmer.  The person is of your choosing.  The medium is your choosing as well.  It can be a baked good, a piece of art, or something hand sewn.  

By making a gift for someone in your circle it represents what living a 4(for) green acres life is all about.  Your investment into another person is building progress.  Others almost always pay it forward in some way.  

Happy crafting, baking, sewing...  Leave me a comment and let me know what you plan to make.  I love hearing your ideas.