Are you looking for the perfect pork roast recipe? Roasted all day, left falling apart and tender enough to cut with a fork; this Italian Pork Roast just might become your favorite pork roast with the very first bite.

Italian Slow Cooker Roast

The first time I made a slow cooker red wine roast beef (over ten years ago now), my husband requested that I please put that roast on the menu at least once a month. I was more than happy to oblige.

My family was still talking about that meal two days later. So, naturally, I decided to play with a pork version of that Italian flavor-inspired roast.

When I cooked that first five-pound pork roast, I expected to have a huge amount of leftovers. However, almost everyone went back for seconds and I wound up with far less than half of the roast left for another meal.

If you are fortunate enough to have leftovers at the end of the meal, they are delicious when combined with potato, onion, and apple to make this Roasted Italian Pork with Apples and Potatoes.

Italian Pork Roast

This Italian pork roast recipe is an absolutely hassle-free dinner. Less than 10 minutes are required to prep the roast; then just sit back and enjoy how wonderful it smells as it cooks through the day.

Cooking this roast in a slow-cooker makes it easier than you ever imagined to roast pork to perfection. This Italian-inspired slow cooker roast starts with a 7lb pork shoulder (shoulder blade is my favorite cut of meat for this roast recipe).

After layering thinly sliced onions on the bottom of a crock-pot, cook the roast with the onions, a blend of fragrant Italian herbs and spices, water, and red wine for 9 to 10 hours.

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Have you heard of Milk Punch? This old-school cocktail is made with bourbon, whisky, or brandy. It is a very lightly sweetened drink that starts with milk and half-and-half, it’s flavored with hints of vanilla and nutmeg.

What is Milk Punch?

Milk Punch is about as old-fashioned as a cocktail can get. This creamy, dairy-based cocktail actually dates back to Scotland in the 1600’s. And as far as I can tell, there isn’t just one way or accepted recipe for the drink either.

This drink was originally made and served warm, as refrigeration wasn’t a thing when Benjamin Franklin was sipping his own milk punch. Lucky for us, the cocktail is now more commonly served cold.

This particular recipe creates a slushy-like drink that is irresistible both in the winter months and in the midst of a hot summer. Imagine a boozy milkshake that’s not overly sweet, and still refreshing. Yes, it’s possible and yes, it’s good.

Milk Punch Recipe

This recipe is one that I found in my Canal House Cooks Everyday cookbook and as soon as I saw it, I had to try it. I’d never even heard of Milk Punch prior to that day.

I absolutely love finding fun new recipes to share with you and like the Italian Cream Liqueur that our friend Tony introduced us to a few years ago, this Milk Punch begged to be shared from the very first sip.

It was a real hardship, but I went ahead and made another batch to photograph and share with you this year for the holidays.

In case my sarcasm wasn’t clear enough, it’s no hardship to mix this recipe together. Pour everything into a jar and pop it in the freezer. Shake a few times as it chills. That’s it. You’ll be sipping an old-fashioned, new-to-you drink in no time!

Milk Punch Ingredients

• whole milk
• half-and-half
• powdered sugar
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Thanksgiving Sides Roundup

I saw a t-shirt the other day that said, “I’m just here for the sides” and I felt like it should be mine! Thanksgiving is all about the sides for me. I could honestly do without the turkey…shhhhhhhh don’t tell anyone, but it’s true. Give me allllllll the potatoes, rolls, stuffing, veggies, sweet potatoes, salads and gravy!! And the pie…always save room for a slice (or 5) of pie! But that’s a whole different post! So here’s a roundup of all our favorite Thanksgiving sides…

Potatoes

Let’s start with the potatoes. Are you a classic mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving person? Or do you like to mix it up? We have recipes for roasted potatoes, baked potatoes, and several cheesy potato casseroles. No matter which way you want to potato, we have you covered!

Mashed Potatoes

This is your classic, creamy mashed potato recipe that is buttery and totally irresistible! Topped with some turkey gravy and you’ve entered turkey day euphoria!

Steakhouse Smashed Potatoes

These masked potatoes have a little texture to them so we call them “smashed potatoes”. We leave the skins on and leave the potatoes a little more chunky.

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From the crunch of the sugar crust on the bottom to the juicy cranberries to the flaky cake layer on top; Nantucket Christmas Cranberry Pie is cranberry dessert heaven.

This recipe was sent to me by a reader, Maureen. She saw our Cranberry Christmas Cake on Facebook and it reminded her of this pie. She thought we might like it and she was right.

Cranberry Pie

The sweetly tart combination proved to be irresistible! My whole family LOVED this pie and I even ate it again for breakfast. That’s how much I enjoyed it.

If you can’t decide whether to make cake or pie, this recipe is your answer!

Crunchy pecans are added to a mixture of tart juicy cranberries and sugar, then topped with a buttery batter to make ta dessert that’s a little bit cake and a little bit pie.

Is it a pie-like cake? Is it a cake-like pie? I don’t know but I do know that it tastes phenomenal!

Christmas Cranberry Pie

Have you ever made cranberry pie before? I admit that it’s not the first thing I think of when I think of pie but it makes total sense.

We eat a lot of cranberries around the holidays and even more pie so why not put the two together?

This Cranberry Pie recipe is also far less fussy than your typical Christmas Pie. Instead of rolling a delicate pie crust, you simply pour the cranberry filling into a pie pan and top with a batter made from butter, eggs, sugar and flour.

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Our Favorite From Scratch Banana Cream Pie Recipe

A banana cream pie recipe that is made completely from scratch and infused with real banana flavor. This is the best banana pie filling you’ll ever find!

I used the ATK method of infusing the filling with real bananas and oh my gosh, I love it so much. Why don’t people like pie?! What is wrong with the world? I have never once posted our bcp recipe because I hate that it lacked banana flavor. And now I’m so happy!

I heard someone complaining it’s the worst dessert and a piece of my soul withered right there. Right there on the spot! I just can’t understand it! Pie is dessert perfection!

What You Need to Make Banana Cream Pie

There’s nothing crazy going on with this recipe at all. You’ll just need your basic cream pie ingredients plus a few bananas. Here is your ingredients list: