Even though the weather outside is finally looking like springtime, I made this hearty fall/winter style meal tonight. I wanted to make something that would have a good amount of leftovers and this recipe did just that. I substituted 2 Fuji apples for the pears and left out the potatoes because it was going to be too much food for just us.

Into the oven it goes ©EverydayCookingAdventures 2013

The directions were perfectly straightforward so hands-on time was minimal. This would be a gem for dinner parties or the holidays because you prep for only a few minutes, throw it in the oven and then can relax for an hour. 10 minutes before my pork loin was ready, I checked the internal temperature with a meat thermometer and it was just at 160ºF so I turned off the oven at 1 hour exactly and let it sit in the warm oven for those last minutes.

©EverydayCookingAdventures 2013

During this time, I made my Creamed Swiss Chard, my own creation that was inspired by a recipe passed on from my family friend Liesl P. In a saute pan, warm 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp butter, add in a few leaves of Swiss chard that have been torn or cut into strips, salt and pepper it and cook over medium heat for 4 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons heavy cream, stir and cook for another 2 minutes and serve.

The pork was moist but thoroughly cooked through and the roasted fruit and onions were a wonderful addition of flavors and color. I served organic applesauce from the jar on the side. The only change I would suggest is to add the fruit, onion, and potatoes about 30 minutes into the cooking time so they only bake for just over half the time as the meat because some pieces did get a bit burnt around the edges. Otherwise, the fennel and garlic crust was very tasty and I would most definitely make this meal again. Here’s my fennel-crusted pork loin: #realsimple

©EverydayCookingAdventures 2013

Fennel-Crusted Pork Loin with Roasted Potatoes

From: Real Simple Magazine,  Sara Quessenberry, October, 2007
Serves 3-4
Hands-On Time: 15min
Cooking Time: 1hr 10m

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1 pound boneless pork loin
• 1 red onions, quartered
• 1/2 pound small white potatoes, quartered
• 2 firm pears (such as Bartlett), cored and quartered

Directions
1. Heat oven to 400°F.

2. Using the bottom of a heavy pan, crush the fennel seeds. In a small bowl, mix the seeds, the garlic, 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Rub the mixture over the pork, then place the pork in a large roasting pan. Optionally: Using kitchen twine tie a couple pieces around the pork loin to turn it into 3 sections. Trim the extra string.

3. In a large bowl, mix the onions, potatoes, pears, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the remaining oil. Scatter around the pork and roast until cooked through, about 70 minutes (internal temperature 160°F).

4. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with the roasted fruit and vegetables.