My friend Lindsey recently told me she’d made a pot roast and it might be her favorite meal to do because it seems like a lot but there’s nothing easier. She got me thinking that I hadn’t done a big one-pot roast-y kind of thing in awhile, and I vowed to put two crock pot meals on my menu for the next week.

And here is my solemn confession: I am a crock pot failure. In concept, the crock pot is a perfect cooking tool for a busy working mom like me. But in practice, it just never works. It seems like I should be able to prep everything the night before or even in the morning before I go to work, but it turns out I never want to. I’ve already made dinner on Monday night, and I don’t feel like going back in the kitchen when it’s all said and done to cut up potatoes for Tuesday night. And Tuesday morning always proves more frantic than I wanted it to be, and I end up blowing off my crock pot prep in lieu of having my hair washed and dried before work.

So, while I generally love the results my crock pot produces, I have just resigned myself to using it primarily on weekends or for parties, and knowing I just have to use my stove or oven during the week.

I had thawed a pork loin roast with the intention of crock potting it last week, but if course it didn’t happen. Thankfully, my roast was only about three pounds so I had time to cook it in the oven and even have it done at the early geriatric hour we prefer to have dinner. And, even without the crock pot, it was EASY. It made for a gorgeous meal and plate presentation, and provided leftovers for some amazing sandwiches that if you’re nice I’ll share with you next week.

By the way, have I ever talked specifically about my love of the pork loin? It’s one of my favorite cuts of meat to work with. I like it far, far better than the pork tenderloin, which in my never-to-be-humble opinion is always dry and just so-so. It’s a fairly inexpensive cut and is super-versatile and forgiving.

So, without further adieu, here is my good weeknight roasted pork, which I promise will impress your family and they’ll wonder what they did to deserve such a meal on just a random Tuesday.

http://www.lawrence.com/users/photos/2012/oct/28/243848/

Herb-Encrusted Roasted Pork Loin and Oven Vegetables
3 lb pork loin
4 yukon gold potatoes (these are far superior, but any potatoes will do)
3 cups baby carrots
1 red onion
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tsp garlic powder, divided
2 tsp basil
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp tarragon
1 tsp sage
(or whatever favorite herbs you have on hand)
salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a skillet (I use cast iron for this) to high heat and put in a tablespoon of olive oil. Sear your pork loin on all sides, thoroughly, until it’s a little brown all around.

Cut up your onion into large hunks.

Toss your carrots and onion pieces into a roasting pan with a rack and drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper, and a little balsamic vinegar.

Put your pork loin on the rack, sprinkle it with balsamic, then cover it thoroughly with herbs, and salt and pepper. Put the potatoes around the roast and then drizzle everything with olive oil. Be sure to salt and pepper the potatoes as well.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes per pound. Let the meat rest for ten minutes or so before you cut and serve it.

Poof! A perfect dinner in about an hour and a half, all in one pot. Eat and be happy.