Recipe of the Week

I made these Saturday night. It was two recipes that I found and I thought they would go together. I sliced the pork and layed on top of the rice and sprinkled the top with the toasted almonds. Not sure about the chocolate taste of the rice but the cherries added a nice touch. The pork was great, very moist and tender~you could use your fork to cut it. Enjoy!!

Cider Pork Roast

1 bnls pork loin roast (2lbs)

2 cups apple cider or apple juice-divided

3 sprigs fresh rosemary

1/2 cup dried cherries

5 tsps cornstarch

salt & pepper to taste

Sprinkle pork with salt & pepper. In a nonstick skillet coated w/ cooking spray, brown pork for about 4 minutes on each side. Pour 1 cup apple cider in a 3-qt slow cooker. Place 2 sprigs rosemary in slow cooker: top w/ meat & remaining rosemary. Place cherries around roast. Cover & cook on low for 5-6 hours or until thermometer reads 160'.

Cherry Almond Rice Mexicana

1 (15 oz) can pitted cherries

2 cups instant brown rice

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp chili powder

2 tblsp semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup chopped almonds, toasted

Drain canned cherries, reserving juice. Coarsely chop enough cherries for 1/2 cup and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, add reserved cherry juice(approximatley 2/3 cup) plus enough water to equal 2 cups. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Stir in remaining ingredients, except chopped almonds. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in chopped almonds.

---Recipe courtesy Sandra Lee