Pork Roast Directions or How to Cook a Pork Roast by Mrs. Dashwood Sunday December 11, 2011

          How to Cook a Pork Roast at The Merry Rose Inn By Ms. Dashwood Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011

Tonight, I am cooking a pork roast. Great online directions include the Start Cooking website.

According to these directions, use a pork roast, about 3-5 pounds.
Keep any strings or netting on the roast until after cooking it.

Position the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat for 450 degrees.
Place the pork roast in a rack in a baking pan, with the fat side up.

Pour a tablespoon or so of olive oil in a small bowl.
Add a teaspoonful of a mixture of fresh herbs, such as thyme, sage, rosemary, oregano, or others.
Spread this mixture all over the pork roast.

Place the pork in the 450 degree oven.
Let it brown for 10 minutes.
Lower the oven temperature to 250 degrees or 350.
(Note that the USDA recommends no lower that 350 degrees for pork roast).
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/roasting_those_other_holiday_meats/index.asp

Cook the roast until the meat thermometer shows an inner pork roast temperature of 145 degrees.
Cooking times will vary.
For a 3-5 pound roast, plan for 1-3 hours.
Check the roast every 30 minutes or so.

Store left over pork roast in the fridge for 1 to 2 days.
Freeze left overs, either in a whole piece or cut up for chili or stir fry.
Thaw in the fridge. Gently reheat in oven, a covered dish with a little water for moisture.
The website Cook's Illustrated Recipes That Work offers some ideas in their forum.
Freezing/Reheating a Cooked Pork Roast. Cook's Recipes that Work.
http://www.cooksillustrated.com/ibb/posts.aspx?postID=187134

For detailed directions, check out the Start Cooking website. There are clear photos and directions, along with an informative forum.

References and Resources

How to Cook a Pork Roast
posted in Main Dishes by Kathy Maister
http://startcooking.com/blog/198/How-to-Cook-a-Pork-Roast

Freezing/Reheating a Cooked Pork Roast. Cook's Recipes that Work.
http://www.cooksillustrated.com/ibb/posts.aspx?postID=187134

Roasting Those "Other" Holiday Meats. USDA.
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/roasting_those_other_holiday_meats/index.asp

November Home and Garden 2011 by Ms. Knudsen Dashwood

This post originates in a cold, windy, snowy climate. As Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the holiday season approach, here are some gardening  tips for the month of November. Written in October 1999, the tips offer ways of keeping gardens through the winter cold and ready for spring.
The Garden Helper: Gardening in the Month of November. Posted October 19, 1999.

Christmas in the Middle Ages

Medieval Recipes

For an online source of recipes from the Middle Ages, visit the Gode Cookery website. Foods and beverages are divided into types, with each recipe a click away. Reading about the food and preparation is a fascinating look into life during the Middle Ages, especially during the Christmas season.

A Boke of Gode Cookery. By James L. Matterer

Autumn Recipes for Chilly Days and Evenings: Roasted Pumpkin Seeds, by T. Knudsen-Dashwood

When the clocks turn back, and darkness falls at five o'clock p.m. in the Pacific Northwest and other places, then preparing and sharing delicious and nutritious meals for autumn weather becomes a pleasure.

There are lots of receipes in books, magazines, online, so finding receipes for chilly rain or chilling snow times can be easy. Here are some favorite receipes at the Merry Rose.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
This snack from the harvest pumpkin is so easy to make.

Cut into a pumpkin and remove the seeds. Pull any pumpkin pulp off the seeds. Then prepare a bowl with a half cup olive oil. Add seasoning if you like. Or use herbs such as rosemary or basil. Younger kids may like the roasted seeds plain or with parmesean cheese.

Put the seeds in a second bowl and add just enough of the olive oil mixture to coat the seeds. Make more olive oil mixture if necessary. Scatter the pumpkin seeds on a greased cookie sheet or baking pan. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes.

Take the seeds out of the oven when they turn a golden brown color and become crisp. Dry on a cake rack or plate. Store in an air-tight container such as a glass jar.

Pumpkin seeds contain many vitamins and minerals. So we can enjoy eating roasted pumpkin seeds for a healthy snack.

Reference
Pumpkin Seed Health: Are Pumpkin Seeds Good for You?

Redbook Magazine: What to Do with Pumpkin Seeds by Barbara Chernetz

Cafe Zupas: Roasted Pumpkin with Herbs by Caroline



Roasted Pumpkin

Cut the pumpkin into half or quarters, and place in a glass dish. Add a layer of water. Then bake the pumpkin at 350 to 300 degrees, for about one hour, more or less depending on the size of the pumpkin. When the pumpkin is completely cooked, remove from the pan and scoop out the inside pulp. Keep the pulp in a glass jar or baking dish in the refrigerator for a few days. Make pumpkin pie, custard, muffins, or other dishes.
References
Elana's Pantry: How to Roast a Pumpkin in 10 Steps.

The Merry Rose Home and Garden and Farm Opening Welcome

Thursday, November 03, 2011
The Opening Day of the Merry Rose Home and Garden and Farm

Today we are starting the webpage about homes and gardens and farms. Whether you have a farm, a garden, a small yard, or just a few potted plants in your window, we hope you find ideas.

Here are some links we like:

Amish Living: Amish Gardens and Farms and English Yankee Too.

Controlled Chaos: Creating an English Cottage Garden

November

Whilste many folk consider November a drear month of rain and snow and chilly weather, there is also beauty in this month. Scenes of a warm home with healthy food and places to use our imaginations and dream, the laughter of children and the time with friends and families.

During November, we have work to do.
We are getting ready for cold weather.
Our homes and gardens and farm lands need attention.

While children, tweens and teens play and study, we need to give them time for themselves too. We can make sure they are learning and enjoying their young lives. We have no cause to raise them to be grim. We have a responsibility to see that all children enjoy their childhoods and we support them as they achieve responsibility and dedication to live their lives according to the bright principles in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.