Pancetta-Wrapped Pork Roast

Pittsburgh is a pretty awesome city...magical even. I grew up there, so I'm a little bit biased, but here are just a few of the reasons:

1.The people have developed their own language (Pittsburghese)

2. There are not one, not TWO, BUT THREE rivers! Woa.

3. The Pens won the Stanley Cup last year and are on their way to winning it again.

4. The Steelers have six Super Bowl Rings.

5. The Pirates have a nice field...

6. Kennywood

7. My parent's kitchen

The kitchen at my parent's house is the most magical of all. Cooking there is always a breeze and everything comes out delicious. I guess it could have something to do with the top notch appliances and the seemingly endless counter space that I clearly do not have at my overpriced one bedroom Arlington apartment. But, I think it's mostly the Pittsburgh Magic. Don't believe me? This beautiful German's Chocolate Cake would have ended up all over the floor if I had made it in my own kitchen:

Sometimes my oven shuts off in the middle of cooking so my Pancetta wrapped Pork would not have turned out like this:

And it would have tasted awful and I wouldn't be giving you this recipe. You're lucky my parents have a magical kitchen in Pittsburgh.

Pancetta Wrapped Pork Roast

from Giada DeLaurentiis

8 large garlic cloves

1 tbsp. fresh rosemary

1 tbsp. fresh thyme

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 (3 1/2 pound to 4 pound) tied boneless pork loin roast

Salt and pepper

4 oz. thinly sliced pancetta

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups white wine

Blend the garlic, rosemary, thyme, and olive oil in a food processor until garlic in minced. Sprinkle the pork roast generously with salt and pepper. Arrange the pancetta slices on a work surface, overlapping slightly and forming a rectangle. Spread half of the garlic mixture over 1 side of the pork and between the 2 loins that meet in the center of the tied pork roast. Place the pork, garlic mixture side down, in the center of the pancetta rectangle. Spread the remaining garlic mixture over the remaining pork. Wrap the pancetta slices around the pork. Place the pork in a roasting pan. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Pour 1/2 cup of broth and 1/2 cup of wine into the roasting pan. Add more broth and wine to the pan juices every 20 minutes. Roast the pork until a meat thermometer inserted into the center registers 145 degrees F for medium-rare, about 1 hour. Transfer the pork to a cutting board. Tent with aluminum foil and let stand for 10 minutes. Pour the pan drippings into a glass measuring cup and spoon off any fat that rises to the top.

Using a large sharp carving knife, cut the pork into 1/4-inch-thick slices and serve with the pan juices.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Everyone knows that it's impolite to show up at a party empty handed. When I was little I brought a present for the birthday kid. When I was in college I brought a plastic handle of vodka (gross). Now, my go-to host/hostess gift is a bottle of wine. I always keep a few in the apartment so I can just grab one on my way out the door.

I've never heard anyone complain when I show up with alcohol but, what's even better is to surprise everyone with a delicious dish. My favorite crowd pleaser? Buffalo Chicken Dip. I could eat an entire platter of this in one sitting. But, I'd probably have a massive heart attack immediately after so I suppose it's better to share with friends. Thanks to my good friend Dana for sharing this with me so many years ago!

Dana's Buffalo Chicken Dip (no picture, sorry)

2 cups shredded chicken

3/4 cup diced celery

2 8oz. packages of cream cheese

1 cup blue cheese dressing

12 oz. hot sauce (Frank's Red Hot is best)

Sautee the celery with a little bit of butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once it's softened add the chicken and hot sauce and cook for one minute. Add the cream cheese and blue cheese to the pan and let the cream cheese melt half way. When it has melted transfer the mixture into a baking dish and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Serve with tortilla chips and celery.

Coffee + Wine = Heaven

When I first moved to Arlington almost four years ago my favorite weekend spot was Murky Coffee. Sure, it was kind of a dump. The couches were falling apart, the stairs were creaky, and I wouldn't dare use the five second rule if I happened to drop a pastry on that filthy floor. But, it had a certain charm...mostly from the heavenly cappuccinos which were by far the best in the city. So, when they closed I felt a bit homeless. I tried desperately to find a few place to call my own. Java Hut, while conveniently two blocks away from my apartment, put too much foam in their cappuccino and didn't have ample seating. Cosi had plenty of tables and free wireless, but their coffee was terrible and, as my sister put it, "their bread smells so corporate". Ick. No thanks.

I had pretty much resigned myself to using my stove top espresso maker for the rest of my life when I heard talk of Northside Social opening up in the old Murky Coffee space. Joy! They had a lot to live up to, so I dropped by during their opening week to check things out.

The smell of coffee is one of my favorite things (you can smell it from about a block away as you approach Northside Social), but combined with the intoxicating aroma of the breads, muffins, and scones they bake in-house…well, words cannot describe. Not only does it smell awesome, but they did a great job sprucing up the place. It has all the charm of Murky Coffee (and then some) without all the grime. Plenty of natural light and beautiful wood furnishings make the space warm and inviting.

Now, the big test. How does Northside Social satisfy the taste buds?? It passes with flying colors! The cappuccino was strong yet slightly sweet from the milk…basically perfect. On a second visit I ordered the most ooey-gooey grilled cheese I've ever had. I've heard rave reviews about the Pork Belly Sandwich, so that's next on the "to order" list. You don't have to limit yourself to just breakfast and lunch, though. After 4pm the evening menu offers affordable main dishes like Poached Gulf Shrimp ($8) and Duck Confit ($10). And…drum roll please…there's a wine bar upstairs! The folks responsible for this (and for Liberty Tavern AND the brand new Lyon Hall) are clearly geniuses…and probably mind readers since I'm sure I've thought about wine and coffee under the same roof a gazillion times. I'm definitely becoming a regular...and you should too!