Easter Dinner (recipes for Cranberry Apricot Roast Pork Loin and Cauliflower Gratin)

I had an absolutely lovely Easter luncheon this afternoon. A small, quiet group of six with a wonderful friends with way too much delicious food.

Easter Luncheon Menu

Appetizer Tray: Deviled eggs, Olives, Pickles, and Carrots

First Course: Strawberry, Beet Salad with Feta and Pecans

Second Course: Cranberry Apricot Roast Pork Loin, Cauliflower Gratin, Roast Asparagus, Peas with Bacon, Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, Cranberry Sauce, and one friend brought a rich Sun-dried Tomato and Spinach Macaroni and Cheese made with Smokey Gouda (it was very good)

Dessert: Lemon Cream Pie

Cranberry Apricot Roast Pork Loin 

(Adapted from "Quick Savory Cranberry Glazed Pork Loin Roast on allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS
4 lb pork loin roast (I couldn't find a 
                     whole one so I had to 
                     buy three portions 
                     that totaled four 
                     pounds.)
1 14 oz can whole cranberry sauce
1 cup apricot jelly (I didn't have enough 
                    so I used half apricot 
                    jelly and half 
                    applesauce.)
1 T Dijon mustard 
1 T horseradish
2 t garlic powder
2 T fresh thyme, minced
4 chicken bouillon cubes
Salt and pepper
Non-stick cooking spray

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2) Rinse and dry the pork loin roast. Sprinkle all sides with salt and pepper. Place in a roasting pan sprayed with cooking spray.
3) In a small sauce pan, mix all of the remaining ingredients.  (In place of two of the bouillon cubes, I used some chicken thigh pan drippings saved from the previous evening's dinner. Very yummy.) Cook sauce over medium heat until the bouillon cubes have dissolved. 

4) Spoon sauce over pork loin. Bake at 375 degrees for about an hour or until the internal temperature reads 145 on a meat thermometer. 
5) Let the roast rest for at least 10 minutes before carving. It's moist, juicy and delicious.

Cauliflower Gratin

INGREDIENTS

1 large head of cauliflower cut into small florets 

8 oz Mascarpone cheese

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 fresh sage, minced

1/4 t nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup Parmesano Reggiano cheese
Non-stick cooking spray

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2) Blanch the cauliflower florets in boiling water for about 5 minutes until tender. Drain thoroughly and pour into a 9x13 pan coated with cooking spray.
3) Place Mascarpone cheese, heavy whipping cream, sage, and nutmeg in a medium-sized sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over cauliflower florets.
4) Sprinkle Parmesano Reggiano cheese over top. Bake in 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes until the cheese is all melted and starting to brown.

Creamy and mild-flavored. Went really well with the peas and bacon. (I mixed them together. Quiet excellent. Maybe the start to a new recipe.)

Sauteed Peas with Bacon

Roasted Asparagus