Our Non-Traditional Christmas Dinner

So we have Turkey and dressing at Thanksgiving and Christmas at all our family dinners... but when Brent and I cook for our parents we like to fix a dinner that is good but slightly less traditional.  The past two years we had made a stuffed tenderloin and this year we decided to carry on with that tradition.  I hunted for months for a new reciepe that I liked... never finding one that really jumped out at me.  Until my December issue of Better Homes and Gardens came and I spotted this recipe in the Prize Tested Reciepes, it was the $500 winner and the name literally shouted... "cook me at Christmas!!!"  So we did.  This Christmas we made Blackberry-Stuffed Pork from the Better Homes and Gardens magazine and added some Paula Deen specilities of green bean bundles and scalloped potatoes.  So yummy, even my picky sister-in-law thought is was wonderful, and my nephew ate it like crazy at lunch the next day.  Anyhow, since it was such a hit I thought I would share it.  I have been unable to locate an actual link to it on the Better Homes and Gardens magazine website so I will just type out the recipe here and will link the sides below. 

Blackberry-Stuffed Pork

BHG-PTR winner Anne Galindo of Fostoria, OH

1 recipe Balckberry Sauce (below)

1 2lb. boneless pork top loin roast

1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1.Preheat oven to 325°F.  Prepare Blackberry Sauce.
   Line roasting pan with foil; place rack in pan
   (we do not actually own a roasting pan so we substitued a broiler pan bottom with
    a cookie cooling rack in the bottom; worked wonderfully)
2.To butterfly roast, turn roast fat side down.  Make a lengthwise cut down the 
   center, cutting to within 1/2 inch of opposite side.  Place knife in the V. Cut
   perpendicular to the first cut to within 1/2 inch of side. Repeat on opposite side. 
   Open flat.  Spinkle with 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper.  Spread with half of the
   sauce; sprinkle with half the nuts.

3. Starting from a short side, roll up meat (some sauce may leak out).  Place roast

   on rack in pan.  Roast, uncovered, for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until thermometer

   inserted into meat registers 145°F.  Tent with foil; let stand for 15 minutes.

4. Reheat remaining Blackberry Sauce; spoon over roast. Sprinkle with remaining nuts.  If desired, top
    with fresh blackberries and snipped fresh rosemary.

Makes 8 servings.

Blackberry Sauce
Coat medium saucepan with nonstick cooking spray; cook 1/2 cup chopped onion in pan over medium heat for 5 minutes or just until tender.  In a bowl combine onion, 1/2 cup blackberry spreadable fruit, 1/4 cup green jalapeno jelly, 1/2 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel, and 1/2 tsp. reduced sodium soy sauce.  Stir in 1 cup of fresh blackberries.

Thanks to Aunt Brandy planting her garden early we had jalapeno jelly from this summer in the pantry. 

My husband is an awesome cook.  Sometimes I can find great recipes, but he is really the best cook in the house.

For sides we enjoyed a nice green salad and green bean bundles from  here and scalloped potaoes from here both from Paula Deen.  I just love her recipes!

I have tried to make scalloped potatoes before, with not very good results.  My mother-in-law makes the best ones ever!  At least in my opinion.  However, both her and my husband told me these I made were awesome.  Way to go me!  Finally I have a scalloped potatoe recipe I can keep and actually use again.  Of course the green bundles with bacon were almost too pretty to eat but so yummy. 

So those of you who think this was just a crazy amount of work for Christmas dinner... well yes is was lots of work, but the result was a wonderful meal that we can be proud to say we made. All the while we were together and that is really counts on Christmas.  Now for our Christmas with my mom this weekend.... Lazy Sunday foods!!!  Pulled Pork sandwhiches from a recipe from Aunt Brandy and homemade potatoe chips.

Well Merry Christmas... a couple of day late and HAPPY NEW YEARS!