Weeknight Porchetta

Hey there. I can't believe I haven't posted since last July! To be honest, I'm still not cooking all that much...and when I do cook, I just make simple favorites. Lots of pasta, potstickers, and roasted chicken around here.

So, what have I been doing with my time? Well, I'm knitting A LOT. Since Christmas I've made 50 pink hats for the Pussyhat Project. I sent a few to Washington DC for the women's march, I sold some (and used the money to buy more yarn), and gave many away to friends. 

I dismantled my guest bedroom (since I haven't had houseguests in like seven years) and turned it into my knitting room. I redecorated with new curtains, artwork & a desk, filled two dressers with yarn, and organized all my needles and notions. I love it in there.

In December, I retired from teaching cooking classes. After 8 years, it was time; I wanted my weekends back. I still think about food all the time, though. I still pin numerous recipes to try and continuously watch cooking shows like Chef's Table and The Mind of a Chef.

I did make a nice dinner not long ago, a bacon-wrapped pork loin roasted with garlic and rosemary...and it was pretty tasty. Why don't I do that more often? ;-)

 Weeknight Porchetta

recipe slightly adapted from Bon Appetit

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; plus 2 heads, halved crosswise
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped rosemary, plus 4 sprigs
1/2 tablespoon fennel seeds, coarsely chopped
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1½-pound pork tenderloin
4 slices bacon

• Preheat oven to 425°. 
• Toss chopped garlic, chopped rosemary, fennel seeds, salt, and 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl. Season with pepper.
• Rub garlic mixture all over tenderloin. Scatter rosemary sprigs in a large baking dish and set tenderloin on top. Wrap bacon slices around tenderloin, tucking ends underneath so bacon stays put. Nestle halved heads of garlic around tenderloin and drizzle everything with remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.
• Roast until a hermometer inserted into thickest part of tenderloin registers 140 degrees (it will rise to 145 as it rests), 30–40 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.
• Squeeze out the garlic cloves, mush them up, and spread them on warm bread.