EASY Pulled Pork

This is the easiest, yummiest recipe ever for pulled pork! No reason not to try it!

Ingredients:
pork loin
root beer
bbq sauce (apx. one bottle)
vinegar (optional)
buns

1. Put pork in crock pot.
2. Pour in root beer until pork is half or mostly covered (not a science... however much you have/want to put in)
3. Leave in crock pot on low all day or until meat is literally falling apart.
4. Remove pork and pull apart with forks.
5. Mix with bbq sauce and vinegar if using. We like about 3 tbsp vinegar. Adjust to your taste.
6. Serve on buns.

Done. Easy. Yummy :)

This recipe is all over, and honestly I can't remember where I got it from originally...

Dipping Oil for Bread

So this is a dipping oil much like the appetizer at Carrabba's. I make homemade french bread and serve with pasta dishes. Tonight we are having Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo and steamed broccoli maybe; not sure on the veggie yet :) Anyway, this is super easy to make and super delicious. Could also be a great gift for the holidays with a bottle of olive oil!

Ingredients:
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp parsley flakes
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 - 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients except oil on a shallow bowl or plate. Pour olive oil over top. Serve with fresh bread for dipping.

This recipe makes more than we eat in one sitting, so I combine all the dry ingredients in a small container and store in spice cabinet. I spoon out about 1/2 to 1 tsp of mix and add additional ingredients for the two of us. (Only as much oil as needed-- maybe 2 or 3 tbsp??) We also liked this recipe when we briefly toasted the fresh minced garlic in a pan until golden.

Strawberry Cobbler

I know, I know. Who makes a cobbler without peaches?!?! I have been on a strawberry kick and let me tell you: this cobbler is delicious! And it is super easy!

Fruit Filling Ingredients:
2 quarts strawberries, hulled and rinsed, large berries halved
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/3 to 1/2 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cobbler Ingredients:
1 c flour
1/4 c plus 2 tsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c buttermilk
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp cinnamon

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Place fruit filling in a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Place pie plate on a foil-lined, rimmed baking sheet and bake until the fruit begins to release liquid, 20 to 30 min.
2.While fruit is baking, whisk flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla together. In a third bowl, toss the cinnamon with remaining 2 tsp sugar.
3. Once the fruit filling has begun to release liquid, gently stir the butter milk mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until the dough is just combined and no dry pockets remain.
4. Remove cobbler filling from oven and stir. Pinch the biscuit dough into 8 equal pieces and place on top of hot filling, spaced 1/2 inch apart. Sprinkle the dough with the cinnamon sugar.
5. Return cobbler to oven and bake until the filling is bubbling and the biscuits are golden brown on top and cooked through, 15 to 20 min. Let cobbler cool on a wire rack for 15 min before serving. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Cobbler is so easy to make and so yummy to eat. This particular recipe is from America's Test Kitchen: Family Cookbook, revised edition. It also includes variations for about 8 other fruit fillings which look super delicious as well!

Original Spicy Buffalo Wings

These wings are amazing! If you like super spicy wings, then you will love this recipe. Of course, the method for baking the wings works great for other flavors as well. We like honey bbq, sweet & spicy, or just a milder version of this hot wing. You can find almost any sauce you like and add it to the wings (or you can make up your own, which is also rather yummy).

This is the original recipe for Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY. The recipe makes 36 pieces which serves about 2 to 4 people depending on how much you like wings :)

Ingredients:
36 chicken wing pieces (1 wing = 2 pieces -- flat & drum)
1 tbsp veg oil*
1 tsp salt*
1 c flour
1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp Louisiana hot sauce**
6 tbsp unsalted butter/margarine
celery sticks
blue cheese dressing

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
1. Cut wings into pieces. In bowl, toss with oil and salt. Place into large bag and add flour. Shake to coat evenly. Remove wings from bag, shaking off excess flour, spread out evenly on oiled foil-lined baking sheet/pan(s). Do not crowd. Bake ~20 min, turn wings over, bake another 20 min or until wings are cooked through and browned.
2. While wings are baking, mix all ingredients for sauce in pan, and bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, and then turn off.
3. After wings are baked, transfer to a large mixing bowl. Pour sauce over wings and toss with a spoon or spatula to coat completely.

These wings were originally served with celery sticks and blue cheese on the side, but you can eat them with anything. I prefer carrot & celery sticks with ranch :)

*The wings get a bit crunchier and yummier if the extra oil and salt are omitted.
**It is well worth finding the real Louisiana sauce. The flavor is incredible and it tastes great on lots of dishes, including our personal favorite: tacos!

We love the way these wings are baked. They turn out great no matter what flavoring you use! Let me know if you find a new delicious sauce to coat the wings with. Since chicken is cheap (especially wings!) it is a great way to make a low cost yummy meal!

Green Salad with Grapes

This is the salad we serve with our lentil and sausage soup. It is super yummy and easy to adjust to fit your tastes. My favorite recipes are the ones we make to fit our taste! The original recipe is from here.

Ingredients:
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 pinch sugar
1/3 cup olive oil
8 cups torn mixed salad greens (we use 1/2 romaine 1/2 red leaf)
1 cup flat leaf or Italian parsley, rinsed and spun dry (optional)
1 1/2 cups red seedless grapes, halved
1/4 cup shelled roasted sunflower seeds or sliced almonds
1 apple, peeled and sliced
Parmesan cheese to top

1. In a small bowl whisk together vinegar, salt, pepper, dijon, and sugar.
2. Add the oil and whisk until emulsified (or put in dressing container with sealable pour spout and shake).
3. Combine lettuce, parsley and grapes.
4. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds or almonds, apple, and parmesan. Add dressing to taste. Serve immediately.

Lentil and Sausage Soup

So this recipe is in one of my cookbooks (BHG 14th Edition), and is one of the few I like exactly as is... with one slight "adjustment."

Ingredients:
28 oz chicken broth (reduced sodium)
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and drained
1 cup sliced celery (2 stalks)
1 cup sliced carrot (2 medium)
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1 tsp snipped fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz cooked smoked sausage links, quartered lengthwise and sliced*

In a large saucepan combine broth, water, lentils, celery, carrot, onion, dried thyme (if using), cayenne pepper, and garlic. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 - 25 minutes or until vegetables and lentils are tender.** Stir in sausage and, if using, fresh thyme. Heat through.

We eat this with a yummy green salad with grapes (recipe still to come).

*Make sure to get a mild flavor of sausage; to bold an it will over power the remaining flavors.
**Try not to over cook. If you let it boil a little too long the soup will become a bit mushy.

Bacon and Avocado Grilled Cheese

My first recipe might as well be a recent success. It was delicious! I found the recipe via Pinterest, but the original recipe comes from this blog. For those of you who have yet to experience pinterest, I highly recommend checking it out!

Anyway, this take on grilled cheese is phenomenal! So simple, yet so yummy. Only five ingredients and if you slim on the bacon and cheese it is pretty healthy :)


Ingredients:
Sourdough bread
Bacon
Avocado
Apple slices
Pepperjack cheese


Make sandwich.
Cook.
Eat.


We have a George Foreman Grill which worked wonderfully, but I also used the oven (broil) which got one side crispy so maybe flip the sandwich half way through.  And really you can cook it however you prefer!

With the sandwich we ate a fresh fruit salad. I ate mine plain tonight, but yogurt is also a yummy addition.

This is a great recipe and it is easy to make exactly the way you like. Add as much or little of each ingredient. Oh and did I mention? My toddler likes it! Enjoy!