I love cooking meals. I'm not big on baking. But I love cooking a good dinner.  I made this Pork Roast last year for Christmas and it came out really good. I do believe anything with bacon in it is awesome anyway!
Here is a link to the biscuits that I made to go with it: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/muffins/double-cheddar-holiday-biscuits/
AND...these Scalloped Potatoes were awesome also:  http://www.bhg.com/recipe/vegetables/scalloped-russet-and-sweet-potatoes/ 

Have a great Christmas!

Herb-and-Garlic-Crusted Pork Roast

Makes: 6 servingsYield: 6 servings plus leftovers

Prep 25 minsMarinate  overnightRoast 425°F 1 hr  /350 degrees FStand 15 mins

Herb-and-Garlic-Crusted Pork Roast

• 1

ingredients

• 8
  cups cold water
• 1/2
  cup kosher salt
• 1/4
  cup brown sugar
• 1
  center cut, boneless pork loin, approximately 3 to 3-1/2 pounds
• 3
  tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
• 4
  slices Black Forest bacon or other thick-sliced bacon, cut in 1-inch pieces (uncooked)
• 1
  tablespoon apricot preserves
• 2
  teaspoons finely chopped fresh garlic
• 1
  tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1/2
  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2
  cups fresh bread crumbs
• 3
  tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2
  teaspoon kosher salt
• 3
  tablespoons butter, melted

directions

1.For brine, in a very large bowl dissolve salt and sugar in 8 cups cold water. Transfer pork to brine, making sure to submerge it fully. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or up to 2 days.

2.Remove loin from brine and blot dry with paper towels. In a nonstick skillet heat oil, then brown roast on all sides, about 10 minutes. Set aside for 5 to 30 minutes to cool slightly.

3.In a food processor puree uncooked bacon to a smooth paste. (This amount of bacon is necessary for blades to process. Use the remaining puree to make appetizers: spread on baguette slices then broil until golden. Serve with Plum Compote.) Transfer half the bacon to a bowl. Stir in apricot preserves, chopped garlic, and 2 teaspoons of the chopped rosemary.

4.Position oven rack in lowest position. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place cooled pork loin on waxed paper. Spread with bacon mixture. In a separate bowl combine the bread crumbs, parsley, remaining rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, a few grinds of black pepper, and the melted butter. Toss well to mix. Press an even layer of the crumb mixture on the roast (except the ends), applying enough pressure for the crumbs to adhere to the bacon layer.

5.Transfer roast to a wire rack in a foil lined baking pan or roasting pan. Roast for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Roast for 45 minutes more or until an instant read thermometer registers 145 degrees F. (If crust begins to brown too deeply, tent roast with foil.) Remove roast from oven, tent with foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes in a warm place. Temperature of roast will rise approximately 10 degrees F as it stands.

from the test kitchen

• * If you are not able to find a natural pork roast, skip the brining step.

• ** If you don't let the crumbs stale overnight, spread them in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan and bake, uncovered, in a 300 degrees F oven 10 minutes or until dry, stirring once or twice. Crumbs will continue to dry as they cool.

Menu Planning:

• Increase oven temp to 425 degrees F and when it reaches temp, bake biscuits while roast and potatoes rest. Reserve any unused seasoned bread crumbs and keep on hand in the freezer as a special treat. Serve with plum pudding compote and a dish of Dijon-style mustard on the side. Slices of cold roast pork make a most excellent sandwich or midnight snack, especially with a bit of the compote. Use some of the remaining bacon puree to spread on baguette slices and toast until golden. Serve with cheese and plum pudding compote.

nutrition facts (Herb-and-Garlic-Crusted Pork Roast)

• Servings Per Recipe 6,
 
• cal. (kcal) 412,
 
• Fat, total (g) 23,
 
• chol. (mg) 118,
 
• sat. fat (g) 8,
• carb. (g) 13,
 
• Monosaturated fat (g) 10,
 
• Polyunsaturated fat (g) 3,
 
• fiber (g) 1,
 
• sugar (g) 2,
• pro. (g) 36,
 
• vit. A (IU) 194,
 
• vit. C (mg) 2,
 
• Thiamin (mg) 1,
 
• Riboflavin (mg) 0,
 
• Niacin (mg) 13,
 
• Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 1,
 
• Folate (µg) 16,
 
• Cobalamin (Vit. B12) (µg) 1,
 
• sodium (mg) 621,
 
• Potassium (mg) 631,
 
• calcium (mg) 40,
 
• iron (mg) 2,
 
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Cookie Decorating Playdate - 12/18/12

Hey Mamas!  We have a special Christmas themed playdate this Tuesday - decorating Christmas cookies!  We'll be meeting at Kim Mowat's house at 10:00am.   Please bring your own cookies to decorate, but the frosting and decor will be provided.  Don't worry if your little ones are babies or too young to decorate cookies, they will have plenty of toys and things to entertain them.  If you have older kids out of school, please feel free to bring them along!  Kim's address is 1131 Petras St, Erie, CO  80516.  Her phone number is 303-942-0604.  Hope to see you there!

MOPS Christmas Brunch Reminder - 12/11/2012

Just a reminder that this Tuesday is our Christmas Brunch with the theme "Christmas Morning"!  Please come in your PJ's!  We have a lot of fun activities planned, tons of good food and our special guest speaker is Adrian Boykin from the Erie campus.  We will be also collecting cash donations for our amazing Moppets workers that allow us to get away for a few hours.  Hope to see you all Tuesday at 9:00am!

Healthy Holidays!?

Do those two words really belong in the same sentence?

This time of year we are surrounded by decadence. Rich creamy foods. Beautiful Christmas displays. And more rich creamy food.

When it starts getting cold, our bodies naturally crave foods that will keep us warm. That means foods that are more likely to bulk us up. Our bodies have not realized we live in a world of down jackets and central heat. But really, who wants to gain the typical 5-7 pounds of Holiday weight? Not me, thanks.

So how do we avoid the Holiday bulge? 

1. Be picky. Just because it's there doesn't mean you have to eat it. Decide what are your must have treats are for the holidays and mindfully enjoy them in reasonable quantities. If you come across something you don't love, remember you have a choice to pass it by.

2. Remember it is what we eat most of the time that really matters. That once a year Christmas dinner does not have near as much effect as what you are eating day in and day out for breakfast, lunch and dinner. As often as possible, make healthy choices that will support you in feeling your best and having the energy you want to take pleasure in your daily responsibilities.

3. Enjoy downtime. Yes, this might mean those presents are not picture perfect. Or you have store bought cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning instead of homemade. Or you do most of your shopping online in the comfort of your PJ's sipping a warm cup of tea. Make rest a priority, get plenty of sleep and schedule in time for you to do what recharges you.

4. Make healthy movement a priority. Grab that sweet baby and dance your heart out to Christmas classics. Run errands on your bike (it's definitely warm enough this week!). When you are finishing up your shopping, park way out in the lot and power walk to the door. Bonus points for pushing multiple kids in the cart. Go for a run- walking is great too. Try an online yoga class- www.yogatoday.com is my favorite, they have a free class every week! Staying active at this time of year is key to balancing the gluttony of foods that surround us.

5. Don't stress. We all have extra tasks- shopping, cooking, cleaning, packing, driving- that we are responsible for at this time of year. But remembering to keep the stress level down by breathing and passing our burdens on to the Lord can help us turn a sky high stress level into gentle pressure that makes us productive.

Here are three of my favorite healthy recipes that look and taste decadent but are loaded with good for you stuff that won't weigh you down.

One Sweet Appetizer

For easier prep and more flavor, roast the sweet potatoes and heat the beans and spices the day before. Store in the fridge but allow them to come to room temperature before assembling.

3 medium sweet potatoes, sliced into ¼ inch rounds
1.5 Tbsp olive oil
15-oz can black beans or 2 cups cooked black beans
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp cumin
Feta cheese
A few sprigs cilantro

Preheat oven to 375. Using a large mixing bowl, toss sweet potatoes with olive oil and stir well to combine. Spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Roast for 30 minutes or until soft and lightly brown. Remove from oven. While potatoes are cooling, place black beans in a saucepan with the oregano, chili powder and cumin. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Remove a few tablespoons of the beans to a colander over the sink and allow to drain. Spread the roasted sweet potato rounds on a tray. Sprinkle each lightly with feta and beans, moving more beans to the colander to drain if necessary. Reserve extra beans for another use. Place a small piece of cilantro on each round and serve.

Pomegranate Kale Salad 

This hearty salad makes a great light lunch. Enjoy with some chicken or a hard-boiled egg for extra staying power. Repurpose the kale stems by adding them to soups.

6 cups curly kale, thick stems removed and discarded
4 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
1 carrot, grated
Seeds from 1 pomegranate~ mine contained a heaping cup
Pinch black pepper
¼ cup raw sunflower seeds
¼ cup raw walnuts

In a large bowl, combine kale, lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Mix well to combine. Add carrot, pomegranate seeds, pepper, sunflower seeds and walnuts.  If possible, let sit for 15 minutes to allow flavors to combine. Store in the fridge, where it should keep for 3 days.

Date Oat Bars

Crust/Topping:

1 cup raw almonds

1 cup oats

1/4 tsp sea salt

6 medjool dates, pitted and chopped

3 Tbsp cacao nibs

4 Tbsp + 2 tsp coconut oil
½ tsp vanilla extract

Filling:

16 medjool dates

1 tsp almond extract

4-5 Tbsp water

Using a food processor, grind almonds and oats until a fine crumble forms. Add salt, dates, cacao, coconut oil and vanilla extract. Process until well combined. Grease an 8x8 pan with coconut oil. Press crust ingredients into pan, reserving ½ cup for topping.  

Add filling ingredients to food processor. Process until a paste forms. You will probably have to stop and scrape the mixture down a few times before it really combines. Using a wet spatula, spread filling over crust. Sprinkle topping over filling, pressing down slightly so it will stick.

Chill in fridge overnight or in freezer for an hour before slicing. They might stick- I used a fork to slide them off the glass.