Root Beer Pulled Pork

Root Beer Pulled Pork Sandwiches

This is a wonderful crock pot recipe, but warning: it cooks in the crock pot for 10-11 hours, so some planning is required when you make it. I was up early one morning so I got mine in my crock pot at 7:00am and it was done by around 5:00pm.

Perfect recipe for a mom on the go!

There is also a low carb option, by skipping the bun and using lettuce cups. (photo below)

You will need:

1 (5-6 pound) bone in pork shoulder butt roast

1 (1 oz) envelope dried onion soup mix

Salt and pepper

1 (12 oz) can root beer (Mug)

2 cups barbeque sauce, divided

10 hamburger buns

To Make:

Trim the pork roast of excess fat. 

Place on a work surface and sprinkle with the onion soup mix. 

Use hands to rub in onto meat well. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place the seasoned roast in your slow cooker.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the root beer and ½ cup of the barbeque sauce. Pour over the roast in the slow cooker.

Cook and cover on low for 10-11 hours. 

Remove the roast to a cutting board and let cool a few minutes. 

Use 2 forks to shred the pork, cutting around and disgarding all but ¾ cup of the juices. Disgard any fat pieces. 

Place all of the pulled pork back into the slow cooker along with the reserved juices. 

Add remaining 1 ½ cups barbeque sauce. 

Stir to combine and put lid back on.

 Cook on high heat 15-20 minutes. 

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200 F.

Split the buns and place cut side up on a baking sheet. 

Warm in the oven until ready to serve. 

Scoop pulled pork onto warmed buns and serve immediately.

Low carb option too: skip the bun and place them in lettuce cups.

Source: Recipe girl by lori lange

Leftover Chicken Lettuce Cups

Leftover Chicken Lettuce Cups

This is the perfect recipe for leftover chicken.
I like to make this because it is comprised of food that I typically already have in my house, so it's easy to just throw it together.
I made mine with Avocado, Mozzarella, and Tomato grilled cheese sandwiches. 


You will need:
1 1/2 cups chopped leftover chicken, any bones removed or shredded rotisserie chicken

1/4 cup chopped cucumber

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 tsp dried italian seasoning or 2 tsp fresh marjoram

12 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

1 Tbsp whole capers

1 Tbsp EVOO

2 tsp sherry vinegar or white wine vinegar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 head of butter lettuce (Boston Lettuce)

To Make:

In a large bowl, combine chicken, cucumber, tomatoes, feta cheese, italian seasoning, olives, capers, evoo, vinegar, salt and pepper. Fill the lettuce cups with mixture and serve.

Source: The Busy Mom's Cookbook by Antonia Lofaso

Mini Meatball Sandwiches

Mini Meatball Sandwiches

Ingredients you will need: 

1 pound Ground Chuck Or Ground Beef

1/2 cup Panko Or Other Bread Crumbs

1 clove Garlic, Minced

1/2 teaspoon Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1/2 cup Milk

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1/2 whole Medium Onion, Diced

1 jar (large) Marinara Sauce

12 whole Dinner Rolls (or Slider Rolls)

4 slices Provolone Cheese, Cut Into Four Wedges Each

To Make:

Mix meat with bread crumbs, garlic, salt, pepper, and milk. Knead together with hands. 

Roll into heaping tablespoon-sized rolls.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 

Add onions and cook for one minute. 

Add meatballs between the onions and brown for one minute. (You might have to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your skillet.)

Pour in jar of marinara; shake pan gently to mix. 

Put on lid and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.

When ready to serve, cut each dinner roll in half. 

Place a wedge of Provolone on the top and bottom of each roll. 

Spoon a meatball with the sauce onto the bottom bun; top with the top bun.

Serve immediately!

Source: Pioneer Woman

Avocado,mozzarella, tomato grilled cheese

I do not have a ton of "sandwich" recipes in my arsenal, mostly because I am so picky, but this one is a fantastic sandwich. 

I am a new avocado lover, so this is just perfect.

The flavors combine just perfectly.

Try it yourself!

You will need:

Bread of choice

1 avocado, sliced

2 pieces of mozzarella cheese slices

1 tomato, sliced

evoo

salt

butter

To Make:

Heat a small skillet over medium heat.

Butter one side of 2 slices of whatever bread you like. Place one slice butter side down in the pan.

Top with sliced avocado, mozzarella cheese slices and a couple slices of tomato.

Drizzle with a little bit evoo and sprinkle with salt. 

Top the remaining piece of bread, butter side up.

Cook until bread is golden brown (2-3 minutes), then flip and brown the other side. 

Serve!

Recipe Source: http://www.navywifecook.com

Tomato and fontina grilled cheese

I love me a grilled cheese sandwich, but I wanted to branch out from the typical cheddar routine, so I found this recipe on grilled cheese social.com and right away I knew it was going to be a knock-out success.

It smelled sooooo good cooking and then when I cut into it and the cheese was all gooey and melty, it was a homerun. This is one of my new favorite recipes and is just perfect for summer or with a bowl of soup in the chillier months. Go ahead and try it out.....you'll love it!

Tomato and fontina grilled cheese

You will need:

- 2 slices of lite boule or some white bread
- 1/2 cup of shredded fontina
- 1 giant beefsteak tomato slice
- 1 tbsp of herbed butter
  (combine 1 tbsp salted butter with 1/2 tsp herbs
   de provence)

To begin, go ahead and butter your bread with some delicious herbed butter.

Preheat your oven to 450°.
 Then put the bread, butter side down, onto a baking sheet. Then sprinkle it with fontina cheese. 

Next, you'll want a nice thick slice of tomato to lay down right in the middle of the sandwich.

When it's all built, go ahead and place the baking sheet on the middle rack for about six and a half minutes. 

And then when it's all bubbly and golden, take it out and fold the two pieces together to make a sandwich.  

Give it a second to rest because if you cut it right away, the tomato will slip out.

Enjoy!


Source: grilledcheesesocial.com

Chicken Salad

I found this recipe on recipesecrets.net and I didn't have a lot of the ingredients on hand, so I converted it to what I did have and it turned out great!

You will need:

1/3 cup mayo

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

1 Tablespoon dijon mustard

2 cooked boneless and skinless chicken breasts, diced (a generous 2 cups)

1/2 -3/4 green apple, cored and cut into medium dice

Salt and pepper, if desired

handful of red grapes, quartered

handful of walnuts (optional)

To make:

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, cider vinegar and Dijon mustard to form a dressing.

To the bowl, add the chicken, apple, grapes, and walnuts.

Toss everything together, taste and adjust the seasoning if desired.

 Chill before serving.

This makes about 1 quart chicken salad.

Recipe adapted from http://www.recipesecrets.net

sloppy joes

Homemade Sloppy Joes

I love a good sloppy joe, so I decided to find a highly rated recipe and give it a whirl!

You will need:

1 pound lean ground beef

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp prepared yellow mustard

3/4 cup ketchup

3 tsp brown sugar

salt

ground pepper

To make:

In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef, onion, and green pepper, drain off liquids.

Stir in the garlic powder, mustard, ketchup, and brown sugar; mix thoroughly. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Source: All Recipes.com

Chipotle Beef Sandwiches

Chipotle Beef Sandwiches

*Crock Pot recipe*

This was a very different recipe for me, I am branching! We got some great ciabatta rolls for these & it totally made them even better! 

1 large sweet onion, halved & thinly sliced

1 beef sirloin tip roast (3 pounds)

1 jar (16 oz.) chipotle salsa

½ cup beer or nonalcoholic beer

1 envelope beefy onion soup mix

10 kaiser or ciabatta rolls, split

Place onion in a 5 qt. slow cooker. Cut roast in half, place over onion. Combine salsa, beer & soup mix. Pour over top. Cover & cook  on low 7-8 hours.

Remove roast. Shred the meat with 2 forks & return to slow cooker. Heat through. Using slotted spoon, spoon shredded meat onto each roll. 

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Ingredients:
2 Cups cooked, shredded chicken ( I buy a rotisserie one & shred it)
1 Cup mayo
Celery (chopped)
Green Onion (chopped in small pieces- optional)
Red Grapes (cut in half)
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
Salt
Pepper
Croissants

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together.
I don't like onions, so I left those out. You really don't to measure anything, just add more or less of what you like.
Serve on yummy buttery croissants!