By Quiet week. I needed it. The universe obliged. I drove short runs Monday and Wednesday. Came home early both days. Dave asked how I was. I said fine. I was fine. The anniversary had gone well. I had worried about Justin but he seemed settled — he ate, he slept, he went to football practice, he did not say anything more about it, and I did not push him. He will process it his way. His way is mostly silent. His way is mostly okay.
Amber came home Thursday — a random, midweek visit, she drove over after her last class. She said, "Mom. I needed to see you." I said, "Baby. Come in." She stayed the night. We made a late dinner together — chicken soup from a rotisserie bird, noodles, carrots, celery, a little thyme. She ate three bowls. She slept hard. She drove back Friday at noon. The anniversary affected her more than she had let on. It always does. I understand. I am the same way.
Gayle was quiet this week. Tired. She said she was fine. She was eating. She was taking her medications. She was fine. I checked on her every day. Tyler brought her mail over Saturday — a thing he now does without being asked, which is what he said he would do back in January when the ice thing happened. He is Tyler. He keeps his word.
Sunday dinner I made a pot roast with mushrooms and potatoes. Quiet meal. Five of us. Dave said grace, which he does rarely, and which he did Sunday for his own reasons. He said, "Thank you for the people at this table and for those not at this table who are still at this table." Justin was silent. Tyler nodded. Josie said, "Amen" loudly because she is Josie. We ate. It was perfect.
The cookbook is at 290,000 copies sold. Sarah says by Christmas we will be at 350,000. I did not write the book for numbers. I am grateful for numbers. Numbers mean reach. Reach means Darla has been named in more places than I can count. Reach means Larry has been named. Reach means truckers have been seen. That is what the numbers mean. Otherwise they would not matter.
Sunday I wanted something that had been tending to itself all day — something I didn’t have to watch over, because I’d been watching over everything else all week. A marinated pork roast was exactly that: you do the work the night before, and by Sunday afternoon the house smells like something good is already taken care of. Dave said grace. Josie said amen. We ate. That’s the whole recipe, really — but here’s the one I used.
Marinated Pork Roast
Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus overnight marinade) | Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes (plus marinating) | Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 lb boneless pork loin roast
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Make the marinade. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, olive oil, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, thyme, rosemary, pepper, and onion powder until the sugar dissolves.
- Marinate the roast. Place the pork loin in a large zip-top bag or shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the roast, turning to coat on all sides. Seal or cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Bring to room temperature. Remove the roast from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Sear the roast. Heat a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Remove the roast from the marinade (reserve the marinade) and sear on all sides until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
- Roast in the oven. Pour the reserved marinade over the seared roast. Transfer the skillet or Dutch oven to the preheated oven. Roast uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes per pound, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 145°F.
- Rest and slice. Remove the roast from the oven and tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Spoon pan juices over the top before serving.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 310 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 7g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 620mg