Pulled Pork Sandwich

Allyson Reed’s Pulled Pork

Pork:

3 lb. boneless pork shoulder (I use a tenderloin or pork loin because the fat is easier to get off! If feeding a large group, the large pork loin at Sam's is the way to go!
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Kosher salt
Black Pepper
Liquid smoke or smoked Paprika
16 ounces of your favorite BBQ Sauce (I like Sweet Baby Ray's)

Sprinkle Meat with liquid smoke and seasonings and place in your slow cooker,  Add about 1/2 inch of water and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
When the meat has cooked, drain liquid and then return to the slow cooker and shred.  Pour enough sauce over the meat so it's well-incorporated but not soupy.  Put lid back on and heat through.

When ready to serve, slice rolls (I love the Bolillo Rolls at the Sam's CLub bakery! MY FAV!!) and add meat.  Top with coleslaw and a few slices of dill pickle!


Coleslaw:

1 c. Mayonnaise (not low fat, the GOOD stuff)
2 T. Dijon Mustard
2 T. apple cider vinegar
2 T. sugar
1/2 heaping teaspoon Kosher salt
1 T. grated onion
2-21/2 tsp. celery seed (don't skip this, it is essential for classic coleslaw!)
1 16-oz. bag shredded cabbage with carrots (Sam's has a big bag! Remember it looks like a lot but when the dressing is added it shrinks! Don't buy finely shredded cabbage or it will b soggy)
1 green pepper minced
1 carrot peeled and grated

Combine mayo, mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, onion, and celery seed.  In a large bowl, combine shredded cabbage, carrots and green pepper.
Toss with dressing and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours and up to 3 days or when it's too soggy for your liking!

We had these at a ward activity this summer and they are yummy! The homemade coleslaw is a great addition:)

Marinated Grilled Salmon

Sometimes eating (and cooking) fish can be a chore. I do it because it's just good for you. Well this recipe made the fish delish! Jake and I couldn't get enough of it and we were sad that it was all gone. We will definitely be eating fish more, or whenever salmon goes on sale. :-) 

1 1/2 Pounds Salmon Fillets 

Lemon Pepper OR  Lemon Juice & Pepper 

Garlic Powder

Salt 

1/3 Cup Soy Sauce

1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

1/3 Cup Water 

1/4 Cup Olive Oil OR Vegetable Oil 

Directions

1. Season salmon fillets with lemon pepper, garlic powder, and salt.
2. In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and vegetable oil until sugar is dissolved. Place fish in a large resealable plastic bag with the soy sauce mixture, seal, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
3. Preheat grill for medium heat.
4. Lightly oil grill grate. Place salmon on the preheated grill, and discard marinade. Cook salmon for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

I just used our Foreman Grill, and for easy, easy clean up  I did what Dad does when grilling fish and made a little two-layered, tinfoil boat with the edges curved up. Then I placed another layer of tinfoil over the fish and then closed the grill. 

Triple Chip Blondies

Recipe and Photo Credit

These are amazingly easy and really addictive.  Consider yourselves warned.

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
2 cups light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour, lightly spooned into a measuring cup and leveled with the back of a knife
2/3 cup chocolate chips, plus 1/3 cup for drizzling on top
2/3 cup white chocolate chips
2/3 cup peanut butter chips or butterscotch chips
1 teaspoon coconut oil or shortening
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9×13″ pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Melt the butter. Combine in a large mixing bowl with the brown sugar. Add the vanilla and the eggs and beat on medium speed until combined. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Add the chocolate chips (excluding the 1/3 cup reserved chips), white chocolate chips, and peanut butter or butterscotch chips and mix until combined.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top. Allow to cool completely. When cool, combine the reserved chips and the coconut oil or shortening in a small freezer zip-top bag, seal it, and heat it in the microwave in 15-second increments, mashing the bag with your hands until the chocolate and oil are smooth (repeat as long as necessary). Cut a small corner out of the bag and squeeze the melted chocolate over the baked blondies. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.

Wassail

1 gallon apple juice
1 can frozen orange juice concentrate
1 can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 cup sugar

Combine in spice bag: (I never have a spice bag so I just let everything float around and just avoid ladeling them into the mugs :)
1 Tbsp. whole cloves
1 Tbsp. whole allspice
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cinnamon stick

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and let it heat up on HIGH and simmer for at least 30 minutes and serve or you can combine all ingredients in a pan over the stove and simmer for 20 minutes and serve.

Baked Potato Soup

A very simple but very hearty meal! I love the basic ingredients and how little time this takes to make. It tastes even better with some buttery rolls to sup with! 

3 TBSP butter

1 C. finely chopped onion

2 TBSP flour

1 (14 1/2 oz) can of chicken broth (I always just use warm water with bullion dissolved in)

4 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp white pepper

1/4 tsp black pepper (I just omitted the white and did twice as much black)

1 tsp dried basil

dash of Tobasco sauce ( I used chalula cause we had it, I'm sure you could leave it out too)

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1 C. half and half (I just used milk)

Garnish with:

Grated Cheddar cheese

Sour cream

Crumbled bacon

Chopped green onion

Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan on medium heat. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the onions and cook about 5 minutes, stirring often. Gradually add chicken broth. Add potatoes, salt, pepper, basil, Tabasco, and garlic salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Stir in half and half; heat through. Serve with desired garnishes. Serves 4, but doubles easily. DELISH!

Total time: 30 minutes

Apple Pumpkin Bread

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup pumpkin (canned)
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 2/3 cups flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1 cup chopped, peeled apples

In a bowl, combine sugar, pumpkin, water, oil, and eggs and mix well.  In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients except the apples.  Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and beat on low speed just until moistened.  Fold in apples.  Pour into a greased loaf pan and bake at 325 degrees for 60-70 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes.

Really delicious, tastes like fall!

French Peasant Bread

1 Tbsp. yeast
2 cups warm water
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
4 cups flour
oil
corn meal
melted butter

Combine yeast, water, sugar, and salt in bowl and stir until dissolved. Add flour and stir until blended. Do not knead. Cover and rise one hour or until doubled in size.
Flour hands, remove dough from bowl and place in two rounds on an oiled cookie sheet sprinkled with corn meal. Les rise an additional hour.
Brush top with melted butter and bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and brush again with melted butter. Serve warm.
Delicious!!!!

Creamy Bacon Carbonara

 

EASY and DELICIOUS. Make this tonight!!!

 2 eggs

1/4 cup Cream or Heavy Cream  (Whipping Cream)

1/3 cup Parmesan

Fresh diced Parsley or dried flakes

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp Red Pepper flakes

*(I doubled the Sauce recipe, and it was perfect)

1/2 lb. bacon

1 small onion, chopped (opt)

3 mushrooms sliced (opt)

1/2 lb. Pasta

DIRECTIONS:

Beat the eggs, cream, Parmesan, parsley, salt and the red pepper together in a bowl.  I just used a fork.  Fry the bacon until crisp, then crumble and set aside.  With 1 -2 Tbsp. bacon grease, saute the onion and the mushrooms until the onions are translucent and golden.  Drain the pasta and while still warm, add to the onions and mushrooms.  Pour cream mixture into the pasta, and stir over low heat for one to two minutes. (**I doubled the sauce recipe and I saved a bit of the pasta water, just in case my sauce got thicker than I liked – simply add a bit if you need it)   Don’t do this on high heat, or you will make scrambled eggs.  Serve with additional Parmesan, and a loaf of Crusty French bread and a salad.  So Good!