Can I cook or Can I?

One of the perks of being married to Darling Man is that the man can cook. He has a way of combining herbs and spices and ingredients that you wouldn't think would go together and make them sing.

I am not like this. You can ask my parents, who suffered through many a hockey puck cookie, brick-like cake or barely done soft-boiled eggs and burned toast.

You can ask Darling Man. He got my experiments with meat. The guy can chew leather.

But I keep trying. I can turn out a pretty good cake these days, and my cheese grits are famous. But meat and I have never had a cordial relationship. It seemed that if left to my own devices, I would turn everyone I cooked for into vegetarians.

Until today.

There was a sale at the grocery store on pork roasts and being the ever optimistic person that I am with regard to groceries, I bought one. It then sat in my fridge for a few days while I fretted over what to do with it.

This morning, I realized that it was now or never. Cook it today or toss it out. So I hit the internet. I wish I could remember where I found this recipe.

EASY CROCK POT PORK ROAST RECIPE

Pork Roasting Piece - IMPORTANT. Choose a piece of pork that will fit in the pot. The cut doesn't really seem to matter. Leg, shoulder or whatever will do.

Vegetables Put vegetables in the crock pot first. Cut into inch size pieces. Choose any vegetable you would normally roast. They will not be crispy, but soft and take on the flavour of the meat.

Optional Extras We generally add something else to enhance the pork flavour. However, you don't have to add anything if you don't want.

Ideas

#1 1 T. butter mixed with 1 t. of ground sage and rub over raw meat.

#2 1 T. butter mixed with 1 t. of ginger - and rub over raw meat.

DIRECTIONS Place vegetables (if cooking) in first, then put the meat in the pot. Rub on butter and extras if you want to. And that's it. Nothing else to do or add.

Cook for about 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.

Dude. Even I can't screw this one up.

So I did it... I had one large vidalia onion, which I chopped into, oh, 8ths or 16ths and dumped in. Then I looked around and spotted two sweet potatoes that I peeled and sliced into once inch rounds and tossed them in. Rinsed the meat and rubbed it with my own mixture. Smart Balance margarine with flax and ginger. I overdid both according to the directions. Put the meat into the crockpot and rubbed the top. Put the lid on, set it for low and walked out the door.

The house smelled amazing when I came home. I went and peeked through the lid. A nice mix of drippings and vegetables surrounded the meat. We went for a bike ride. And when we came home, it was time to eat.

I lifted the roast out - then had to juggle the plate because the thing fell apart and landed in two pieces on the plate I only just managed to get under it before it hit the floor. Damn. THAT's never happened to me before!

I pulled a couple of pieces off, ladled in some sweet potatoes and onions and added spinach that I'd heated up and put the plate in front of Darling Man.

He's a game man. He eats just about everything I put in front of him no matter what, but this time he lifted his fork, put the roast into his mouth and actually moaned. He finished his sweet potatoes and onions and went back for more.

ZBoy, meanwhile, took one look and pulled a face. I don't want any! Why can't we have "normal" food? (what does he mean by that?) But we have a rule. You have to have at least two bites before you can turn food down. It only took one. He asked for LOTS of meat, please! The sweet potatoes and onions took a bigger leap of faith, but he did take a bite. Okay, I admit it. It's good he grumbled. And cleaned his plate.

I CAN COOK!