.mock porchetta.

Yesterday was Jim's 38th birthday. Man, we are getting old. LOL He got back from Seattle late Tuesday night so this was his first "real meal" being back and I wanted to make sure it was a good one. It was his day to be KING of the house and he had a birthday feast!

The King's Menu

Smoked Turkey and Lentil Soup

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Spring Salad

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Mock Porchetta with Roasted Vegetables

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Potato Rolls

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Pineapple Mango Upside Down Cake

(Recipes will be posted over the next few days. )

Porchetta... REAL porchetta is an herbed stuffed pig. It's a traditional Italian meal and is usually fatty and yummy and put on a spit and grilled over a pit. Well, since I don't think we could actually eat an ENTIRE pig, I went with a pork loin roast. You should use pork butt (preferrably boneless) but I didn't want it to be as fatty.

Let me tell you it was so moist and delicious!!!! I like this a lot more than boring old pot roast! I'm sure you will love it too. :)


In a bowl, put the zest of one lemon, 3 roughly chopped cloves of garlic, 2 tsp crushed fennel seed, 12 sage leaves (fresh) chopped, 2 rosemary sprigs (fresh) pulled from their stems and chopped, 1 Tbsp capers (rinsed), and some fresh cracked black pepper.


Take your pork roast and cut it almost all the way open down the center. If your roast has a bone in it, just cut along the bone. Season well with salt.


Rub the entire roast inside and out with the herb mixture. Put in a dish and cover with saran. This is best if it's allowed to sit in your fridge like this for 2-3 days! WOW. Well, I obviously didn't read the directions thoroughly so mine only sat in the fridge for about 5 hours.

Take this out of the fridge an hour before putting in the oven.


While it sits out for that hour, cut up some potatoes, carrots, and red onion.


Coat lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.


Sorry for the ultra blurry picture. GRRR. Put your roast and all the veggies in a baking dish. Put in a preheated 350* oven.


After an hour, pull the dish from the oven and rotate all the veggies and the roast. Put back in the oven for another hour.


After that second hour, pull from oven and pour 1/3 cup chicken stock (or pork stock) on top of the veggies. Return to oven for another half hour. By this time your house should be filled with the smell of delicious herbs! Man it was amazing.

Pull the roast from the oven and put on a platter. Drizzle the pork with the sauce from the baking dish. Slice and serve!

.comfort food part 2.

I decided to make a fresh entry with the pot roast recipe because there are a lot of pictures and steps and hated the thought of you guys reading on and on and on.

I have to admit that I used to really struggle with pot roast. It was never awesome. I finally tried a combination at the suggestion of a friend and it is now really good and we love it. I cook mine in the oven, but this recipe can be converted for a crock pot.

Shopping List:

• 5 lb chuck roast
• Yukon gold potatoes
• baby carrots
• pearl onions
• 1 can french onion soup
• 1 bottle beer

Peel and half the potatoes. Peel the pearl onions. (NOTE: To peel pearl onions, dump into a pot of boiling water and let cook 3 minutes. Remove by using a serrated spoon and immediately put in a bowl of ice water. This is called blanching and the reason for the ice water is to stop the cooking. Use a paring knife and slice off the root end, then squeeze gently the onion and the center will come out of the dried onion layer.)

In a pie plate, put 1 1/2 cups flour, 4-5 Tbsp Seasoning Salt, and 2 tsp thyme. Mix up and coat the roast on all sides.

Put 1/4 stick butter and about 2 Tbsp Crisco in a skillet (or dutch oven if you have one). Saute your carrots for a few minutes then remove and set aside, then saute potatoes on all sides, remove and set aside when done...then sear the roast on all sides. This will lock in the juices.

Put the seared roast in a baking dish. Put carrots, potatoes, pearl onions, and 3 cloves garlic in. Pour the can of soup and bottle of beer on top. Salt and pepper generously. (NOTE: I don't drink alcohol so I don't know what beer is good, but my husband picked up Killian Red and given the price, it better be the best out there. )

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 2 1/2 hours at 350*. What you wind up with is a delicious, moist roast with perfectly tender vegetables on the side. I ladle some of the broth over my meat and potatoes. Yummy!