Uccellini-Scappati and a Nebbiolo from Lombardy #ItalianFWT

Scrumptious pork cutlets filled with pancetta, sun-dried tomatoes and sage covered in a savory red wine sauce.

We are visiting Lombardia this month with our Italian Food Wine and Travel group.......

Sweet Potato Gnocchi #OurFamilyTable

Light, fluffy dumplings of Sweet Potato and Ricotta Cheese covered in a savory Browned Butter Sage Sauce.

It's all about potatoes today with the From Our Dinner Table team........

Braised Pork Roast with Apples, Sweet Potatoes and Parsnips #AppleWeek

Welcome to Day 3 of Apple Week.  I hope you have been having as much fun as I, perusing all the amazing recipes being offered.  My stomach starts growling just thinking about it.

If this is your first day joining us in this celebration you need to go to my Welcome Post.  There you will learn all about this great party being hosted by Carlee of Cooking with Carlee.  You will also meet our sponsors and be able to enter into an amazing giveaway.

That very first day I shared these moist and delicious muffins that are great to have on hand now that school is back into full swing.  Sometimes the mornings can get away from you and these tasty morsels are perfect to hand your child as they are running out the door saying they don't have time to eat.

Yesterday we enjoyed some tasty apple turnovers that were inspired by the book, Farmer Boy, by Laura Ingalls Wilder.  In fact, we are going to enjoy them again tonight for dessert after this fabulous pork roast I'm sharing today.

This recipe transforms an inexpensive pork shoulder roast into a masterpiece.  Filled with garlic and sage and browned before braising imparting great flavor into the meat itself.

I had received a pair of clip n snip shears from Casabella , one of our sponsors for this event.  They quickly and efficiently chopped the sage for insertion into the roast along with the garlic slices.  

This pork roast screams autumn to me.  Slow braised until tender, flavorful and juicy.  Surrounded by veggies and whole apples it is an elegant presentation.

The photos do not do it justice but trust me when I say your family and any guests you may have over will be duly impressed.  Our friend, Chris, joined us for dinner when I served this and exclaimed "Wow, this is a restaurant worthy presentation".

Did you know that we are in the midst of Family Meals Month?  It's true.  You can learn more about it over at the Food Marketing Institute.  This would be a great meal with which to lure your family around the table during this time.

I served this over buttered egg noodles but mashed potatoes would also make a great side or if you are watching your starch intake it is perfect just as is but I'm afraid, at the very least, I would still need some good bread to sop up that delicious sauce.

This recipe was very slightly adapted from one I found in Cuisine at Home.  I received no monetary compensation for the writing of this post and all opinions written are exclusively mine.  I hope you enjoy this wonderful dinner as much as we.  I was very proud to serve it to our guest.

Disclaimer: Thank you to #AppleWeek Sponsors: Rodelle, Dreamfarm, Casabella, Flahavan's Irish Oatmeal, Pryex, Chicago Cutlery, Rainier Fruit, and Veggie Wash for providing prizes for #AppleWeek free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #AppleWeek. All opinions are my own.

Braised Pork Roast

with Apples, Sweet Potatoes ad Parsnips

adapted from Cuisine at Home, Issue #79

1 pork shoulder roast
10 sage leaves, 3 set aside, remaining chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
salt and pepper to taste
2 T. olive oil
9 small tart apples, 6 left whole and set aside, 3 cored, peeled and diced
1 lg. vidalia onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 T. tomato paste
1/4 c. flour
1 c. dry white wine
2 c. apple cider
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 parsnips, peeled and diced

Trim exterior fat from the roast and tie with twine by wrapping it around the roast, crossing the twine and bringing it around the roast in the other direction.

Pat pork dry and cut 1" deep slits all over the roast.  Combine the chopped sage leaves with the salt and pepper.  Insert a slice of garlic and some of the seasoned sage into each of the slits.

Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over med high heat.  Add the pork and sear until browned, about 10 minutes per side.  Remove the roast to a plate and set aside.

Add the chopped apples, onion and celery to the dutch oven and cook in the pan drippings until onion softens, stirring frequently.  Stir in tomato paste and then mix in the flour.  Pour in the wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Add the cider and reserved sage, bring to a boil.  Return the roast and any collected juices to the pot, cover and place in a preheated 325*oven for 2 hours.

Remove the pot from the oven and transfer the roast to a plate.  Strain the sauce from the dutch oven into a large bowl, discarding the apples, onions and sage leaves.  Return the strained sauce to the dutch oven along with the roast and any juices collected.  Cover, return to oven and braise another 1-1 1/2 hrs.

While roast is braising prepare the apples by scoring them around the middle.  Peel and dice the sweet potatoes and parsnips.  Add the apples and vegetables to the pot with the roast, cover and cook for another 30-45 minutes, until the pork and veggies are fork tender.

Transfer the apples, vegetables and pork to a large shallow bowl or platter with raised edges.  Remove twine and break the meat into pieces with a fork.  Pour the sauce over the meat and veggies and serve.  Print Recipe

Let's see what the others are sharing today!

• Apple BBQ Meatballs over Brown Rice from Tip Garden 
• Apple Butterscotch Crumb Cake from The Crumby Kitchen 
• Apple Cider Donuts from 4 Sons 'R' Us 
• Apple Coffee Cake from Bear & Bug Eats 
• Apple & Fig Flatbread with Goat Cheese from Simple and Savory 
• Apple Oatmeal Bars from Palatable Pastime 
• Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Bars from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Apple & Sausage Stuffing from Girl Abroad 
• Apple Pie with Oat Crumble Crust from The Redhead Baker 
• Baked Oatmeal with Apple Cheddar and Sausagefrom A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures 
• Braised Pork Roast with Apples from A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Caramelized Apple Hand Pies from Jolene's Recipe Journal 
• Caramel Frosted Apple Quick Bread from The Chef Next Door 
• Cheesy Apple and Brie Pull Apart Bread from Family Around the Table 
• Crunchy Apple BBQ Pork from The Freshman Cook 
• Easy Fried Apples With Cinnamon from Feeding Big 
• Fresh and Fun Dinner Salad from Cooking With Carlee 
• Lamb Lolipops with Apple Herb Chutney from Culinary Adventures with Camilla 
• Roasted Beet and Apple Salad from Amy's Cooking Adventures 
• Skillet Pork Chops with Apples and Onions from Grumpy's Honeybunch 
• Slow Cooker Baked Apples from Jonesin' for Taste 
• Sweet and Sauer Apple Cabbage Salad from All That's Jas 

Savory Sage Muffins #MuffinMonday

Happy Muffin Monday everyone.  Thanks to Stacy of Food Lust People Love, we celebrate the  last Monday of every month by baking and sharing muffins.

I almost didn't join in this month because I got busy and forgot I had put my muffins in the oven until I started smelling them.  I was afraid that they had overcooked and was going to feed them to the chickens but I decided to try one first.

I broke one open, took a bite and...oh my word....it was delicious.  Crisp on the outside, tender on the inside with a cheesy hint of sage in every bite.  I am so glad that I decided to try them before they became chicken food.

I adapted a recipe that I found online from Cabot Creamery.  I reduced the recipe to only make a dozen muffins and I served them up alongside Turkey Pot Pie.  One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving is using the leftovers for Turkey Pot Pie the next day.  YUMMMOOOOO.  

Please stop by and visit my friends who are sharing muffins today.  You are sure to find the perfect match, whether you are looking for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack.  I love that muffins are so versatile and they travel so well. They only take minutes to make and can easily be baked and handed out to your loved one's as they leave the house in the morning or taken to work and enjoyed by colleagues. 

Start with mixing together your dry ingredients.  Then whisk together your wet ingredients and fold it into the dry.  Stir in any add ins, scoop into your tins and bake for 15-20 minutes. Everyone will be impressed with your homemade muffins and you can just sit back and enjoy the glory.

You can flavor your muffins with any add ins that you like.  You can make them sweet or savory.  I had some fresh sage left from my Thanksgiving recipes and knew that it would be delicious in a muffin and would pair beautifully with my dinner made of leftovers.

Savory Sage Muffins

adapted from Cabot Creamery

1 3/4 c. flour

1/4 c. corn meal

2 T. sugar

1 T. baking powder

pinch of salt

1 c. sour cream

1/2 t. baking soda

1 lg. egg

1/3 c. milk

1 c. shredded cheddar jack cheese blend

2 T. chopped fresh sage

Combine the flour, corn meal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.  Whisk together the sour cream, baking soda, egg and milk in another bowl.  Make a well in the dry ingredients and fill it with the wet ingredients.  Stir just until combined.  Add the cheese and sage to the muffin batter.  Divide the batter between 12 muffin tins that have been treated with cooking spray or lined with paper cups. Bake in a preheated 425* oven for 18-22 minutes, until nicely browned.  Print Recipe

More Monday Muffins

• Banana Chocolate Espresso Swirl Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Chocolate Banana Crinkle Muffins from Making Miracles
• Chocolate Chip Pecan Sweet Potato Muffins from Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Christmas Morning Muffins from Farm Fresh Feasts
• Gingerbread Muffins from Palatable Pastime
• Savory Sage Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Shrimp Scampi Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Stout Spice Muffins from Passion Kneaded

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board.

Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page.