Pork with Apples and Onions along with Kale and Mushrooms

I had that creeping guilt from our decadent eating fest last night.  I felt compelled to over do on cooking tonight!  I crushed at the grocery store too!  Practically, no actually, everything (not the Kale I had that in the garden) was on special this week!  Love a bargain.  This meal, along with a good bottle of wine, and the continuation of binge TV, made for a perfect Saturday night before a long work day (yes, I had to go out and work on Sunday!)  So, this meal may seem excessive for a Saturday, however, I needed to do a Sunday dinner on a Saturday because I couldn't on a Sunday....oh well, you get the picture!
This sauce with apples and onions is amazing. not too sweet like plain applesauce with pork would be.  So what are the rules of a meal trifecta?  Delicious-yup; Easy clean up-yup; and saving money-definitely.  My work is done for the day!

Pork with Apples and Onions
printable recipe

3-4 lb. Bone in pork roast
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and sliced
pinch of cinnamon
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 c. apple cider

Preheat the oven to 375.
Season the outside of the roast with salt and pepper.  Roast in a shallow roasting pan for 40 minutes.
Add the sliced onion, crushed pepper and a drizzle of oil to the pan.

Continue to roast for 40 minutes or until roast has an internal temperature of 145.

Remove the roast from the oven.  Place meat on a platter and tent with foil.

Add the cider, apples, and rosemary to the pan along with the onions.  On the stove top, bring to a boil.  Lower heat to a simmer.

Simmer for 15 minutes to reduce liquid and cook apples.  Remove rosemary stems and discard.  Season with salt and pepper.  

Serve as a side with slices of pork.

Smothered Mushrooms and Kale
printable recipe

2 T. olive oil
2 T. butter
4 cloves garlic, chopped
10 oz. mushrooms, cleaned and halved
1 bunch of kale, stems removed and chopped
salt and pepper
Fresh lemon juice (optional)

Heat a medium sized skillet over medium high heat.  Add the oil and butter.
When the butter is melted add the mushrooms and garlic.

Using a lid that is too small for the pan, 'smother' the mushrooms bu pressing the lid down onto the mushrooms.  Cook 7-8 minutes stirring once.

Pile the kale into the skillet.  Turn it with tongs to combine the kale with the mushrooms.

'Smother' with the lid for another few minutes until the greens are cooked. 

Season with salt and pepper.
If you would prefer, squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice to serve.