BBQ Pork

Tomorrow, we are going to be celebrating a birthday as well as Fathers Day.

The birthday boy is my 4 yr old gr grandson, Mana.  And we are having a BBQ.

I called and asked my daughter what they were having and she said they were serving the "kids" hot dogs and hamburgers etc.  So knowing my hubby would be wanting to eat BBQ Shoyu chicken and potato salad I got that all ready to take over.. marinading the chicken now.  As for ME I love pulled pork and so that will be what I have and anyone else that wants some! LOL  I like the pulled pork placed on a bun then add cole slaw on top and cover with the top bun..

I saw Pioneer woman had made a pulled pork recipe using Dr. Pepper and that looked interesting so I decided that I would try it out for tomorrow.. And I did a slow cook in the oven and it came out great!  So credit for this recipe goes to

Ree the pioneer woman!  She calls it " Spicy Dr Pepper shredded pork". And she places the shredded pork in a flour tortilla.. Just look at the bottom of her instructions.. she'll fill you in on how she did hers with the torilla.

Ingredients

• 1 whole Large Onion
• 1 whole Pork Shoulder ("pork Butt") - 5 To 7 Pounds
• Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1 can (11 Ounce) Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce
• 2 cans Dr. Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Peel the onion and cut it into wedges. Lay them in the bottom of a large dutch oven.
Generously salt and pepper the pork roast, then set it on top of the onions in the pan.
Pour the can of chipotle peppers over the pork (include the sauce.) Pour in both cans of Dr Pepper. Add brown sugar to the juice and stir in.
Place lid tightly on pot, then set pot in the oven. Cook for at least six hours, turning roast two or three times during the cooking process. Check meat after six hours; it should be absolutely falling apart (use two forks to test.) If it’s not falling apart, return to the oven for another hour.
Remove meat from pot and place on a cutting board or other work surface. Use two forks to shred meat, discarding large pieces of fat. Strain as much of the fat off the top of the cooking liquid as you can and discard it. Return the shredded meat to the cooking liquid, and keep warm until ready to serve. (You can also refrigerate the meat and liquid separately, then remove hardened fat once it’s cold. Then heat up the liquid on the stovetop and return the meat to the liquid to warm up.
Serve on warm flour tortillas. Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, grated cheese, avocado slices, salsa, and whatever else you’d like.

Posted by Ree on March 22 2011



Confetti Jello (sugar free)

This is a really good jello recipe.  I used sugar free jello and made the sugar free 

 condensed milk from a recipe from a recipe I found online.

I could have cut the colored jello's into smaller cubes but I had another project going at about the same time so these were cubed in a hurry! LOL

Ingredients:

1  3oz regular orsugar free  strawberry, orange, lime and lemon jello

4 cups boiling water

1 can condensed milk ( I made my own sugar free version)

1/2 can hot water

1/2 can tap water

4 envelopes unflavored gelatine

1 cup hot water

Directions:

Dissolve each package of jello into one cup of boiling water in separate bowls.

Chill till set.  In a large bowl, blend condensed milk 1/2 can hot water and 1/2 can tap water. Stir to blend well.  Mix 4 envelopes gelatine into 1 cup hot water, stirring well.  Pour through strainer then combine with condensed milk.

Set aside to cool.  Mince jello into 9x13 pan.  Mix to evenly spread flavors. Pour milk mixture into pan.  Mix well. Chill until set.  Cut and serve.

Here is the sugar free condensed milk recipe I used: 

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 Tablespoon cold water

1 1/4 cup nonfat powdered milk

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup splenda

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Combine cornstarch and cold water in a small dish and set aside.

In a microwavable container, stir together the powder and water.

Cover and microwave 45 seconds or until hot but not boiling.

Stir in cornstarch slurry and microwave  10-15 seconds  longer until thick.

Stir in splenda and vanilla thoroughly.

Chill minimum of 2 hrs before using.



Custard Pie

Yesterday I made this custard pie as I had some eggs I wanted to use up and also it happens to be my husbands favorite pie. I didn't get a picture taken before it got attacked but here is what it looked like after supper!

Ingredients:

4 slightly beaten eggs

1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar or splenda.. depends on how sweet you want it.

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups scalded milk

1 nine inch pie crust ( I used the one I had in the freezer from Wallies)

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degree F.

Directions:

In a bowl add the 4 eggs and slightly beat them.

Add the sugar or splenda

Add the salt

Add the vanilla

Add the 2 1/2 cups of scalded milk

Add the nutmeg

With your hand mixer on low setting gently mix all of the ingredients.

Now you are ready to put the custard filling in the pie crust.  How I do it to make sure none of the custard spills out is that I place the pie crust on the rack in the oven and then use the half cup metal measuring scoop and laddle the filling into the crust that way and the amount of filling is just right for this 9 inch pie crust.. When it is all out of the bowl and into the pie crust  gently push the rack back , close the oven door and bake until done.  This recipe said 25- 30 minutes but I did mine for 50 minutes and it came out perfect.. and it was a very good pie!!

Sweet and Salty Bars

I got this recipe from a foodie group and this is her picture of what it looks like.

As soon as I make it I will post my own picture.  She called it Chubby Hubby Bars.

Her name is Kristin Miller. And she won a ribbon with this recipe. Doesn't it look yummy!

Ingredients

2 c	all-purpose flour
1 tsp	baking soda
1/2 tsp	salt
3/4 c	unsalter butter or margarine (room temperature)
1 c	light brown sugar
1/2 c	granulated sugar
2 lg	eggs
1 Tbsp	vanilla extract
1 c	semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 c	coarsely chopped pretzels
1/4 c	peanut butter chips (for top)
1/4 c	chocolate chips (for top)
1/4 c	coarsely chopped pretzels (for top)

Directions

1

Preheat oven to 350. Foil line and spray a 9X13" pan. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt. Using a mixer, beat butter and both sugars at medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients just until incorporated. I stirred in some chunky peanut butter eye balled about 1/4 cup or so,1 cup chocolate chips and 1 1/2 cups pretzel pieces.

2

Spread batter evenly in pan. Sprinkle peanut butter chips, 1/4 chocolate chips and 1/4 cup chopped pretzels.

3

Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.



Old Fashioned Green Beans

Tonight I made these yummy green beans to go with my meat loaf and scalloped potatoes.  I got this recipe from a blog and Susanne McMinn is the one who posted the recipe and its her blog. I made these for Thanksgiving one year and they were a hit.  Very tasty!  Can't you just picture a pan of golden brown cornbread to go along with these beans and have a meal in itself!  Truth told I have done exactly that!!  PS this is my picture of the beans not hers.

Ingredients

1/4 pound sliced peppered bacon, chopped in pieces ( I use regular bacon)

1 medium-sized onion, sliced

1 quart green beans, fresh or home-canned

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

water

Directions

If you aren’t using peppered bacon, you’ll want to add some pepper. You can leave out the sugar, but I like the sweet-salty flavor in the dish. Up to you!
Wash green beans (if using fresh); drain. Chop the bacon in pieces. I leave them pretty chunky. You can make them smaller or larger. Start the bacon frying on medium in large pot. Slice onion and add to pot to cook with bacon. You can add more or less onion, and slice it any way you like.
When the bacon is about half-cooked (just starting to brown a little bit) add green beans. (DO NOT drain bacon grease! Well, you can drain a little bit, if you must, but don’t go out of control here.) Add sugar, salt, seasoned salt, and just enough water to cover. (If using canned green beans, the liquid from the jar or can may be enough.) Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down, cover pot, and simmer for at least 45 minutes. If you really want to cook them down hard, after 45 minutes, take the lid off and turn up the heat.
Adjust seasonings to taste and serve!

Shirley's Meat Loaf

This is my favorite meat loaf.. I have to say that my husband doesn't care for meat loaf so on the days I want some for supper I make two meals .. one that I like and one that he likes.  Works out great every time!  Then we have leftovers for the next day and some to freeze for future suppers..

Ingredients:

2 lbs hamburger

2 eggs

1 cup diced onions

1 pkg meat loaf mix

1 cup  crushed into crumbs chicken flavored stuffing

1/2 cup water

Directions:

Saute the diced onions in butter.  In a large bowl add the hamburger,eggs,meat loaf mix, stuffing crumbs, water and then the saute'ed onions.  Mix really good by hand.  Put in a loaf pan or whatever you plan to cook the meat loaf in.

Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hrs at 350 degrees.  Remove from oven 5 minutes before the meat loaf is finished cooking and add catsup on top and then back in the oven till cooked.

Daikon Pickles (Takuwan)

These make a tasty side for oriental dishes and I have been making them for years..

Ingredients

2 qt	sliced daikon ( salt daikon overnight!!)
1/3-1/2 c	sea salt or kosher salt
2 1/2 c	sugar
1 c	vinegar
1 c	water
	yellow food coloring
1 Tbsp	monosodium glutatmate (optiional) i don't use it.

Directions

1

Boil together:
sugar, water, vinegar, monosodium glutamate (if using)

2

cool and add the yellow food coloring, (A few drops at a time till you get the color you like.)doesn't take much to get a pretty pale yellow color.

3

Pour over vegetables that have been put in steralized jars and refrigerate.

4

Note: regarding the turnips that have been soaking in the salt overnight.. I rinse the salt off and then add the turnips to the jars and then do step #3

5

I let the pickles sit in the refrigerator for a few days or even a week so the syrup will incorporate into the daikon and it will taste sooo ono (good)!!!

Pork Tofu

Pork Tofu is a Japanese dish that is one of my husband's favorite meals and lucky for him that we have an oriental store that sells the two tofu for this dish.

I serve this up with rice and mac/potato salad and Daikon (pickled Japanese turnip) oh so good!! 

Ingredients:

4 pork cutlets chopped chop suey style

1 package wet tofu cubed

1 package dry tofu  cubed

1 bunch green onions chopped

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1/2 cup shoyu

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup water

1 cup chicken broth

dash black pepper

Directions:

Place chopped up pork in a pot that has been heated up .

Add the minced garlic and cook till pork is no longer pink.

Add the shoyu,water, sugar and chicken broth mixture.

Let cook while you prepare the tofu's and green onion.

When they are ready add to the pot with the pork and wet ingredients.

Lightly toss to cover all the tofu's and let cook for 5-10 minutes. You don't want to be stirring this around as it will break up the wet tofu but they do need to be covered well with the shoyu,sugar,chicken broth mixture..

Since I cook for 2 I get two meals out of this recipe.



Spam Musubi

There is nothing better tasting than Spam Musubi with an ice cold soda! 

I am thankful that I brought over from Hawaii to WA my mold to put together  this yummy snack! 

Here is the way I make my spam musubi!  I cook for 2 people .. namely my husband and myself now that the kids are grown and left the nest. So this recipe if for two people.

Ingredients:

rice 1 1/2 cups

Spam (4 slices)

Nori ( 2 nori cut in half)

shoyu 1/4 cup

brown sugar 1/4 cup

canola oil 2 Tbsp

Directions:

Cook rice in rice cooker.  While rice is cooking get your spam out and cut four slices .. the can of spam will make 8 musubi so I just cover and save the balance of the spam for breakfast or to put in a bowl of saimin for another meal.

In a small bowl measure out 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup shoyu sauce.

We have always used ALOHA shoyu.. but any shoyu will do.

Mix up the sugar and shoyu well and add the spam slices and cover both sides of spam with the mixture. 

Have a skillet hot and add a little canola oil .  Then add the spam that has been in the mixture and let brown on both sides.. Remove from skillet .

By now your rice is cooked and you are ready to put together the musubi.

Take one of the Nori  halves and lay down on working area then get your mold and place in the middle of the nori.  Add about 2-3 teaspoons of cooked rice and spread it all around the mold.  Add one of the spam and then cover the spam with another layer of rice.  Take the top of the mold and press down .

Then slowly remove the top of the mold. Remove bottom mold from musubi.  Take one side of the nori and lay it over the top of the rice and then do the same for the other side of the Nori. Repeat till 4 musbui are made.

Your Spam Musubi is ready to eat!  If you want to save a few for later snack just wrap them up in saran wrap and put in the refrigerator.. When you are ready for the snack just warm up in the microwave..
NOTE# Sometimes I fry an egg and add it to the spam .. its good too! So there is a layer of rice , a layer of spam (with the shoyu,sugar mixture and then fried) then fry the egg and add to spam and then another layer of rice.. just follow  the directions you can't go wrong.