We’ve come to that time in winter when I’m craving good old-time comfort food. The problem is, these foods are often pretty plain, because that’s how my Gran cooked. She made do with what she knew, and what she had.

But…

I can do more. And with less. I also know this is two weeks in a row with pork roast recipes… I promise, next week will be beef or chicken or maybe just veg. We’ll see.

I’m planning on giving this recipe another go with the massive shoulder roast we have in the freezer. It’s nearly time for it to be done… I hate the taste of freezer in meat.

Cracked Pork with Roast Veg

Ingredients

3-4 pound rolled pork tenderloin, with fatty layer intact
olive oil
sea salt
baby onions, carrots and potatoes
4-6 servings worth of asparagus
4 garlic cloves

Directions

Preheat oven to 400*.

Remove the strings or netting from the tenderloin. Score the pork fat layer as you would a ham, in approximately 1″ squares, and place in roaster (you may want to use a rack for ease). Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with sea salt, rubbing both into and around the scoring. Re-tie with fresh string, or use long skewers to hold the sides together.

Place in oven for 30 minutes, remove and repeat with oil and salt (no need to rub it in this time). Place 4-6 servings worth of baby onions, potatoes and carrots, and the garlic cloves, around the roast, season with salt and pepper, cover and return to oven. Lower the temperature to 250* for one and a half hours, checking every half hour and repeating the oil/salt at half time. For the last half hour, add the asparagus.

Check the meat to see if it’s cooked through using a meat thermometer. Temperature should be 155*. The fat should be golden brown, crispy and flaky like a crust. Veg and potatoes should be cooked through, and ready to serve!

Serve with fresh dinner rolls and a light wine.

Jodi’s No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust

2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp melted butter

Filling

2 8oz pkg cream cheese, well softened
1 1/2 c Cool Whip, thawed
1/2 c icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon juice

Directions

Use a fork to combine the crust ingredients, then press into the bottom of a 9×13 pan. Chill for at least a half hour.

For the filling, you’ll want to use a mixer! At “mix” speed, begin blending the cream cheese and Cool Whip, then turn up the speed to “cake mix” for one minute. If your mixer has different settings, try medium and high. Add the vanilla and lemon juice, then give it full speed until the mix is airy but thick enough to hold a loose peak.

Slowly add the icing sugar, sifted if possible. No lumps, please! When all of the sugar is in, again give it full blast, this time for two minutes.

Fold onto the crust, and spread evenly. Sprinkle with dry Oreo crumbs, garnish with broken cookies or mint leaves. Chill for at least one hour, better if overnight.

Should serve 16, but it depends on how much you like this style of cheesecake!

That’s this week, mmmm… I can already taste it!
<3 JL