Christmas Dinner: Balsamic Roasted Pork with Roasted Root Vegetables

Hi everyone! My name is Kristyn. I head up a blog called pretty kitten, where I write about real-life recipes and other kitchen wizardry. I was thrilled when Colleen asked me to do a guest post for her during her Christmas in July series. Well… it’s August now, but the Christmas-in-July spirit remains and I have a fantastic, simple recipe to share with you.

In my family, Christmas Eve is a big deal. We have a marvelous lasagna dinner, play games, read the nativity story from Luke 2, and open just one present. I love those traditions. Still, I’ve always felt that it leaves Christmas day in the lurch a little. I think we’re all so pooped from anticipation and preparation for the big day that once the wrapping paper is safely stowed in the recycling bin, we just want to nap.

Whether, like my family, your big meal is on Christmas Eve, or you celebrate more on the day itself, chances are you would rather spend your time being with your family and building memories than slaving over the stove all evening. That’s where this recipe comes in. With a little prep (and I do mean very little prep) you can have Christmas dinner on the table within an hour and a half. And during that time, you can enjoy family time or rest up because the oven does practically all the work.

I love the robust flavors in this meal. The dark, syrupy balsamic vinegar complements the subtly spicy seasonings. Taking the meat out when it reaches 145° results in a juicy, tender, flavorful roast. Roasting the vegetables produces beautiful caramelization and a tender texture that goes beautifully with the pork.

Sold yet? Good.

You will need:
1, 2lb. pork roast (a leaner cut, like a loin roast or tenderloin)
½ c. balsamic vinegar
½ c. olive oil
2 Tbsp. Montreal Steak Seasoning
Salt and pepper
1 lb. potatoes
½ lb. carrots
1 gallon size ziplock bag
Roasting pan
Oven
Instant-read meat thermometer

Right after breakfast, whip up the marinade and get the pork marinating. Start with ½ c. balsamic vinegar: Sweet with a pronounced twang and a robust flavor. Stir in 2 Tbsp. Montreal Steak Seasoning, a fantastic, bold spice blend from McCormack, along with a generous pinch each of salt and pepper, and let things party for a few minutes to dissolve the salt crystals.

Then stream in ½ c. olive oil, whisking all the while.

Reserve 3 Tbsp to ¼ c. of this mixture and pour the rest over a 2 lb. pork roast (any kind will do – I usually use tenderloin or sirloin roast cuts) in a zip-top bag. Get out most of the air and seal the bag up. Squish it around a bit and set it in the fridge to marinate until dinner (8 hours, give or take).

When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 350° and pull out a roasting pan or pyrex casserole dish.

Wash your root veggies. I like to use about a pound of potatoes – baby red and fingerling are favorites – and about half a pound of carrots, peeled. Cut any really large potatoes into large chunks (if using baby potatoes, just cut the bigger ones in half) and chop your carrots so everything is about the same size (or use baby carrots to cut down on chopping and peeling time). Remember that marinade you reserved way back at breakfast? Pour that over your veggies and toss to coat.

Place your roast in the center of your roasting pan and arrange the veggies around it as evenly as possible.

Stick it in your preheated oven and roast until the internal temperature of your roast reaches 145° (this usually takes about an hour). No need to baste or babysit – just let it be. When your roast is cooked to 145°, take it out of the oven and cover in foil. Let rest for 10 minutes or so before carving.

While your roast is resting, return the veggies to the oven to roast a while longer (the 10 minutes while the roast rests are usually sufficient). The veggies should be fork-tender when done. Serve with rolls and a green salad – and to all a good night!

I love baking. (Almost) every Wednesday I bake cookies or some other treat. So, a few weeks ago, instead of making just my regular batch of cookies, I made three. One batch of three different kinds of cookies. And you know what? It really didn’t take me much longer than making my regular batch. Here are the three types I made:

{cookie jar gingersnaps}

{chocolate chip cookies}

{chocolate dipped peanut butter cookies}

Click on any picture above to go to the recipe. (Yup, see that new tab at the top of the page? I’ll be posting a lot more recipes up there.)

Now here’s how to do the baking in bulk, and in advance. Did you know that you can make your cookie dough and freeze it for a few months? Sure can. I probably wouldn’t make it in July for Christmas (mostly because I know they would never last that long in the freezer at my house), but you could definitely do it at the end of October or early November. Just make the dough, shape it into balls, and set them on a pan covered with waxed paper. It doesn’t matter if they’re spaced out like they would be for baking, just put them as close together as you can, and pop the pan into the freezer for about 15 minutes.

Once they’re chilled just enough to keep their shape (but not long enough to get that freezer-burned taste) take them out, toss them into a Ziploc freezer bag, write the date on it and throw that into the freezer.

When you’re ready to bake them, take them out of the freezer and place on your baking sheet (this time, appropriately spaced for baking), let them thaw for a few minutes, and bake as directed in the recipe. You’ll then have rows and rows of deliciousness ready and waiting.

At this point, you could throw them on a plate and hand out to whomever you want. But that just wouldn’t be festive enough for me (although I have been guilty of that in the past). Why not make a stack of alternating cookies,

and wrap them up like a giant piece of candy?

If you want to make an extra yummy treat to share, throw in some homemade caramels

and you’ve really got something special that anyone would enjoy (just ask my neighbors who got this package of goodies the day after I baked cookies).

Coming up soon I’ll have more ideas about sharing treats around the holidays that are much more in the spirit of Christmas than leaving a plate on someone’s doorstep. (Although, there’s nothing terribly bad about that, as long as you leave a card so they know who’s kitchen they came from, and they’re not left in a snowstorm to be blown away and found in the garden in springtime.)

What are some of your favorite things to bake around the holidays?

Wait, did I say that? Most rewarding? These are just neighbor gifts, right? Let’s see… what have I received (or gifted) with neighbors? Ornaments. Wall hangings (some absolutely adorable… others not). Treat plates. Ice scrapers (it was actually a cool scraper. Too bad my sister took it for her car).

Let’s face it, not a lot of meaning in those gifts. But what if you could give a seemingly mundane gift that really packs a lot of meaning? Have you seen lists like this lately?

The Road Home’s Most Urgent In-Kind Needs

The following items are of the greatest need:

• Socks (for all ages)
• Blankets (all sizes)
• Underwear (new, for all ages)
• Sunscreen
• Playpens
• Strollers
• Bath Towels
• Swimsuits (children)
• Pillows

This is the list that is on one of my local shelters’ website right now. Sure, swimsuits may not be on there in December, but there’s always a list of needed items. Not just to feed people, but, as stated on their website:

So how about this – instead of finding just the right balance between cost and not-too-lame for however many neighbors you would exchange a gift with,  you pledge with your neighbors to donate some of these items? Distribute the list, along with facts about the charity, maybe some times they need service hours, and watch the meaningful gifts roll in.You’d be surprised how meaningful a package of toilet paper can be.

If you’re not sure of your local charities, it’s not hard to find one. Google “local charity” with your state name, and pages upon pages will show up. Even easier? Call your local radio station and ask them what charities they do drives for around the holidays (or just listen and you should hear those charities named over and over).

When you’re ready to collect, maybe make an evening, or Saturday afternoon, to collect donations and travel to the charity to deliver the items. This will allow your children to see the needs of others and how they can help fill those needs. Do it as a neighborhood, and it will bring you closer to your neighbors than a plate of cookies ever could.

Did you know there are rules about giving and receiving gifts? Well, of course there are. And of course, the late Emily Post had something to say about it. Here is a great article about gifts for service professionals in your life.  Now, before you read this article and scan the list, just remember that there are very well-to-do people out there who use all of these services. I, for one, am not one of those people. But some of the notes here are interesting

Here are a few points I especially want to highlight:

• If your budget does not allow for tips, consider homemade gifts; and if you’re not good with crafts or in the kitchen, remember that words are always a great way to express your thanks for a year of good service.
• Any gift or tip should always be accompanied by a short handwritten note of appreciation. (Two or three sentences will be enough.)
• Common sense, specific circumstances and holiday spirit should always be your guide.

(image via Good Housekeeping)

So, there are some guidelines for individuals who serve us throughout the year. What about guidelines for those other people on our list? Here’s another article from the Emily Post Institute on the subject.

Things to think about:

1. Reciprocity. Do you give a gift just because a gift is received? This kind of thinking often leads to gifts that aren’t heartfelt. Personally, I’d prefer a nice “Thank you” over a gift with no thought behind it.
2. Monetary value. Do you feel like you have to spend the same on everyone? What if you make (or buy) something that you know a friend will love, and make something else for another friend he or she will equally love, but it cost a lot less than the first gift? Do you rush to add to the gift, maybe diminishing the true value in the process? Remember what Ms. Post said, “holiday spirit should always be your guide.” In gift giving, it isn’t the dollar amount that is important. It is how the gift will be received.
3. The unexpected. While you don’t have to give a gift just because someone gave you one, inevitably at some point during the season, you may realize you have forgotten someone you would like to have a gift for. Do you have a gift closet? Think of a few gifts you can have ready that will have meaning for many. Chocolate springs to mind… or maybe that’s just because I have a headache.

Okay, I think that’s enough on the rules. Any thoughts on the rules of gift giving? Or receiving?

Next up: actual gift ideas.

So, with that in mind, let’s start our {Christmas in July} with a list of everyone we would like to have a gift for. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• family – that goes without saying, right? Who is on your family list?
  • spouse
  • children
  • parents
  • parents-in-law
  • siblings (and in-laws)
  • nieces/nephews
  • aunts/uncles
• friends – how many friends do you have that you exchange gifts with? If you weren’t spending a lot of money on a gift, yet could have a meaningful gift, would that list be longer?
• neighbors – sometimes I dread the obligatory “neighbor gift.” (Really? You want me to hang what on my wall?!?) What if these gifts could be more meaningful? I’ll share some ideas for that too.
• teachers – yours? your kids’?
• church members
• mail carrier – are you one who has given your mail carrier a present? I never was, however, he’s been bringing a lot of packages to our house this year… and he’s even started bringing them to the door with all our mail. He just might be on my list this year.
• co-workers – this one’s tricky… do you give only to those you have direct contact with? only the ones you like? everyone, just so nobody feels left out? Don’t worry… I’ll have some ideas to make everyone in the office happy.
• childrens’ friends – what do you do for all those little munchkins that run in and out of your house?
• charity/secret santa

So, now we have a start on the list. Is there anyone on your lists that I may have left off mine? Let me know, and I’ll update our list.

Stay tuned for more info on the “rules” of gift-giving.