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Here is a suggestion, for a Christmas Roast Pork Dinner

Rustic Pork Roast with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

This entree is spectacular, complete with my favorite mashed potatoes, and my great uncles' favorite stuffing!!

Pork Roast

4-6 lb. pork roast
1 head of garlic, minced
2 Tbs.. fresh parsley, minced
1 tsp. oregano, dried
1 tsp. thyme, dried
Fresh - ground black pepper
Kosher salt to taste

Potatoes

1 dozen red bliss potatoes
1 head of garlic
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 stick of butter, softened
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbs.. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degree.
2. Cut the top off one of your garlic heads, to expose the individual cloves. Place on the center of a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzled olive oil over the garlic head.
3. Wrap foil to close securely and bake for 50 minutes. Set aside.
4. Boil red bliss potatoes with skins on. Test with fork for doneness, and drain potatoes.
5. In a mixing bowl, thoroughly mix all ingredients. Serve with Pork roast.

Pork Roast:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degree.
2. Blend minced garlic, parsley, oregano and thyme.
3. Using a sharp knife, cut holes in the roast, approximately 1 inch deep, every couple of inches in the entire roast.
4. Fill these "pockets" with your garlic mixture.
5. Place in a roasting pan, with about 1/2 inch of water and season with salt and pepper.
5. Cook for 10 minutes at 425 degree and then lower the oven to 350 degree to cook for an additional 40 minutes. Baste your roast about every 15 minutes.
6. When done, remove roast from pan and let sit about 10 minutes before carving. You can make a gravy using the drippings from the roasting pan.
Serves 4

Uncle Joe's Favorite Stuffing

This stuffing is for a big bird, not to be confused with stuffing"Big Bird", or as a side for any roast. It will easily stuff a 24 pound bird and have a little left over. If you are using a smaller bird, you can halve this recipe, or else freeze the extra. One of the best things about this stuffing is how well it freezes. Take any extra stuffing and place it in a foil lined casserole dish. Bake like normal and cool to room temperature. Freeze for a day or two. Remove your casserole dish and you will have a nice package of frozen stuffing for whenever you need it.

2 cups diced dried apricots
1 cup diced dried cranberries
1/2 cup amaretto liqueur
1 cup pear or plain brandy
1 1/2 cups butter
2 large yellow onions, chopped
1 bunch scallions, sliced
6 stalks and leaves celery, chopped
8 cups day old egg bread cubes
2 pounds bulk pork or turkey sausage
2 cups chestnuts, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 pears, cored and chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
3 beaten eggs
1 cup apricot nectar
3 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper

Soak the apricots and cranberries in the amaretto and brandy overnight. Saute the onions, scallions, and celery in 4 tablespoons butter until soft. Once cooked, transfer to a large bowl. In the same pan crumble the sausage and cook until browned. Add the sausage and bread cubes to the onion mixture. Add the chestnuts, pears, apricot mixture (including soaking liquid) and rosemary to the stuffing mixture. In the same skillet heat the rest of the butter, apricot nectar, and chicken stock until the butter is melted and pour over the stuffing. Salt and pepper to taste and mix well. Loosely stuff the turkey if desired. Bake any leftover (or all of the stuffing) for 40 minutes along with the turkey.