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A table laden with various Christmas food dishes for a festive gathering.

Festive Cranberry & Herb Pork Loin Dinner with Brie Bites

This festive menu combines elegant Cranberry Brie Bites as an appetizer, a succulent Herb-Roasted Pork Loin with seasonal root vegetables for the main course, and a refreshing Festive Punch to complete your holiday celebration.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 6 people

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Mini Muffin Tin
  • Large Roasting Pan
  • Cutting Board
  • Meat Thermometer
  • Punch Bowl or Pitcher

Ingredients
  

For the Cranberry Brie Bites (Appetizers):

  • 1 sheet puff pastry thawed
  • 1 (8-ounce) wheel of brie cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup whole berry cranberry sauce homemade or store-bought
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts optional
  • 1 egg beaten (for egg wash)
  • Fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish

For the Herb-Roasted Pork Loin with Roasted Root Vegetables (Dinner):

  • 1 boneless pork loin roast (3-4 pound)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 pounds mixed root vegetables carrots, parsnips, potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 red onion cut into wedges
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze optional, for drizzling

For the Festive Punch (General Christmas Food Element):

  • 1 (64-ounce) bottle cranberry juice cocktail chilled
  • 1 (2-liter) bottle ginger ale chilled
  • 1 (12-ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate thawed
  • 1 cup fresh cranberries for garnish
  • Orange slices or lime wheels for garnish

Instructions
 

For the Cranberry Brie Bites (Appetizers):

  • Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and lightly grease a mini muffin tin.
  • Unroll puff pastry, cut into 24 squares, and press each into muffin tin cups.
  • Place brie, cranberry sauce, and optional pecans into each pastry cup, then brush edges with egg wash.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden and puffed, then garnish with fresh rosemary.

For the Herb-Roasted Pork Loin with Roasted Root Vegetables (Dinner):

  • Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Pat pork loin dry and rub with a mixture of olive oil, minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper.
  • Toss chopped root vegetables and red onion with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a roasting pan, spreading them in a single layer.
  • Place the seasoned pork loin on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan.
  • Roast for 20-30 minutes at 400°F (200°C), then reduce oven to 350°F (175°C) and continue roasting for 30-40 minutes more until pork reaches 145°F (63°C).
  • Remove pork, tent with foil, and let rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing; keep vegetables warm in the turned-off oven.

For the Festive Punch (General Christmas Food Element):

  • In a large punch bowl, combine chilled cranberry juice cocktail and thawed orange juice concentrate; stir well.
  • Just before serving, slowly pour in the chilled ginger ale.
  • Garnish with fresh cranberries and orange or lime slices, then serve immediately.

Notes

For the pork loin, ensure you do not overcook it to keep it juicy. The resting period is crucial for even moisture distribution. For the punch, adjust sweetness to your preference by adding more or less orange juice concentrate. You can prepare most of the punch ingredients ahead of time and combine just before serving.