Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork

I'm a little late getting this up...being that I was uploading all the Iron Chef recipes. For that I apologize...because it is just a shame that this shouldn't have been immediately shared.

I also think I need to stop sharing Pioneer Woman recipes...because I am never, ever, EVER going to find one that isn't amazing, delicious, scrumptious, and just down right PERFECT...and frankly, you can go to her website and find all the wonderful recipes yourself, and all with MUCH prettier pictures.

But before I do that, I want to share this little gem...called Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork.

I love recipes that use soda...because we hardly ever have soda in the house...and it makes it a lovely treat for my poor, soda-deprived children.. A couple Easters ago, I used soda to not only glaze my ham, but make a wonderful cake that is from my own childhood.

This is an all-day recipe...requiring hours to slowly roast in the oven. Roasting food for hours is my FAVORITE way to cook (which you already know if you know anything about me)...the effort is incredibly worth it.

No need to double...you'll feed firsts, seconds, and thirds, and have leftovers, too...

Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork

• 1 whole large onion
• 1 whole Pork Shoulder - 5 to 7 pounds
• Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1 can (11 Ounces) Chipolte Peppers in Adobo Sauce (my store only had 7-ounce cans, so I used two)
• 2 cans Dr. Pepper
• 2 TBS Brown Sugar

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 chipolte peppers over the pork (include the sauce).

Pour in both cans of Dr. Pepper. Add brown sugar to the juice and stir it in.

Place lid tightly on pot, then set pot in oven. Cook for AT LEAST 6 hours, turning roast two or three times during the cooking process. Check meat after 6 hours, it should be absolutely falling apart (Use two forks to test it). If it's not falling apart, return to the oven for another hour.

Remove meat from pot and place on cutting board or other work surface. Use two forks to shred the 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.

note: You can also refrigerate meat and liquid separately, and remove hardened fat once it's cold. Then heat up the liquid on the stove top 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, and whatever else floats your boat.

Sorry I don't have any pictures of the tacos we made...frankly...we couldn't stop eating long enough to take any!!

courtesy Pioneer Woman

Salsa Stoup and Quesadillas with Avocado Smash

I was folding clothes the other day, and simultaneously flipping through channels, and I stumbled on an old episode of 30-Minute Meals with Rachel Ray and the Food Network. She was making her version of Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese...

She called it Salsa Stoup and Quesadillas with Avocado Smash.

Well, I am still on my soup kick, so I thought I'd give it a try. Not only that...but my kids LOVE salsa and quesadillas, so I figured this recipe would be a no-brainer in the "child eat-ability" category.

And, it's vegetarian...so a great way to get those veggies in my kids diet.

Rachel Ray calls this "Stoup"...because it's thicker than a soup, but not quit a stew. She's always making up funny stuff like that.

OH!! And by the way...I did not double the actual stoup recipe, but I DID double the amount of quesadillas I made. Just in case you were wondering. So this recipe is the original...if you're cooking for a crowd, then you might want to double the quesadillas as well...but leave the stoup...this makes PLENTY...

Salsa Stoup and Quesadillas

• 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil, plus some for brushing on tortillas 
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 ribs celery, chopped with greens
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1 28-ounce can stewed tomatoes
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups vegetable broth or stock
• 3 TBS chopped cilantro
• 6 flour tortillas, 6-8inches
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 4 ounce brick Pepper Jack OR Chipolte cheese, shredded, about 1 cup
• Sour cream, to pass at the table

1. Preheat oven to 300.

2. Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add 2 TBS olive oil, jalapenos, bell pepper, onions, celery, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and the saute veggies 5 minutes. Add stewed tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and stock, and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and stir in cilantro.

Yummy...

3. Paint 1 side of tortillas with extra virgin olive oil and place them next to each other, oiled side down, on a large cookie sheet. Mix cheddar with scallions and divide the cheese between the tortillas evenly.

This is totally a kid-friendly-in-the-kitchen recipe...

 Top with another tortilla and top each of those with equal amounts of Pepper Jack cheese. Set the last tortillas on top and brush tops with extra virgin olive oil. Cook for 10 minutes in the oven to melt cheese and crisp tortillas. Cool quesadillas 5 minutes to set and then cut each quesadilla into 6 pieces.

Pre-baked quesadillas...

Avocado Smash

• 1 avocado
• 2 TBS chopped cilantro leaves
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 cup sour cream
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 plum tomato, finely chopped

1. Remove avocado flesh to a bowl. Add cilantro and scallions. Pop the lime in the microwave for a few seconds, and squeeze the juice into the mix. Add sour cream, and season with salt and pepper. With a fork or spoon, smash up the mixture, leaving chunks for a good consistency.

2. Chop and seed the plum tomato and fold into the avocado mixture.

Cool and refreshing...

Serve bowls of stoup with 3 wedges of quesadilla along side each bowlful. Pass the Avocado Smash and the plain sour cream for topping stoup or quesadillas.

courtesy Rachel Ray's 30-Minute Meals

Iron Chef Pembroke PInes February 2011 - Strawberry Tartlets

I made this yummy treat...the graham cracker crust is to DIE for...

Strawberry Tartlets

1 ½ cups hulled, quartered strawberries

3 TBS granulated sugar

Nonstick cooking spray

5 ounces graham crackers (about 10 whole crackers)

¼ cup packed dark brown sugar (may use finely chopped piloncillo for a decidedly Mexican flavor...it's that cake of dark maple sugar wrapped in plastic wrap)

½ cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

2 8-ounce pkgs. Cream cheese, softened

½ cup sour cream

½ cup granulated sugar

To Make:

1. In a small bowl, combine strawberries and 3 TBS granulated sugar. Let stand at room temp for one hour.

2. Preheat oven to 350. Place six 3 ½ x ¾ -inch tart pans with removeable bottoms on a baking sheet. Coat tart pans with cooking spray.

3. For tartlet shells, in a food processor, combine crackers and brown sugar; cover and process until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add butter; cover and process until the crumbs come together. Press the crumbs on bottoms and up the sides of prepared tart pans. Bake in a preheated oven 10 to 15 minutes or until tartlet shells are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

4. For strawberry filling, in a large bowl, combine cream cheese and sour cream; beat with an electric mixture on medium speed until fluffy. Add the ½ cup granulated sugar; beat until well mixed. Drain strawberries, reserving 2 TBS of liquid. Fold strawberries and reserved liquid into the cream cheese mixture. Divide the strawberry filling evenly amoung the tartlet shells. If desired, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours.

5. Makes 6 tartlets…

courtesy BH&G Special Interest Mexican

Iron Chef Miami: October 2009 - Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

We had some really yummy dishes this month for our first-ever Iron Chef Miami competition. Our featured ingredient was "tomatoes"...and this entry was great because it was fairly simple, you could make it with items found in your pantry, and it is a Weight Watchers recipe!!! It was entered by Melodee Cooper.

Crock pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

1-1/2 pounds chicken, cooked and shredded (or two cans canned chicken)
15 oz. whole tomatoes
10 oz. enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
4 oz. chopped green chilies
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups water
14-1/2 oz. fat-free chicken broth
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 whole bay leaf
6 whole corn tortillas
2 TBS vegetable oil
1 TBS chopped cilantro

optional: 1 can of whole kernel corn, 1-1/2 cups of cooked white rice

optional additional garnish: shredded pepper-jack cheese, torn fresh cilantro

1. In a Crock pot, combine chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chilies, and garlic. Add water, broth, and seasonings. Add can of corn, if using. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 3-4 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 400. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil; cut into 2-1/2 by 1/2-inch strips. Place on baking sheet and bake 5-10 minutes until crisp, turning occasionally.

3. Prepare rice separately and add to soup just before serving...heat through.

4. Ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle with tortilla strips, cilantro, and cheese.

courtesy Melodee Cooper

Iron Chef Miami: October 2009

So, a couple weeks ago, three of my girlfriends and myself were lounging around a pool...

...isn't that a GREAT way to start a story?

Don't you wish you were lounging around a pool?

I suppose I shouldn't admit that that was our occupation for the day..."pool loungers".

After all...I work very hard to dispel the "housewife" myth of lazy ladies who hang out in yoga pants all day and play on Facebook and have housekeepers and nanny's that do any actual "housewife" stuff. That's why I prefer terms like "homemaker"...or better yet..."domestic goddess"...

...of course, there isn't another activity that is more "goddess-like" than lounging around a pool with your girlfriends, sipping lemonade and eating fresh-cut fruit...

...but still...

ANYWAY...we were lounging and chatting and LAUGHING (which is my favorite part)...and talking about how we needed more stuff to do (yah right)...and we came up with this GREAT idea to host our own Iron Chef competition...

...we'd invite a few other choice ladies and have a monthly mini cook-off on the second Monday of every month, and choose a secret ingredient to "star" ...something easy and accessible to make great...

So today was our FIRST EVER Iron Chef Miami competition...and the secret ingredient was "tomatoes". We had GREAT entries...and after tasting some delicious entries, we voted, and crowned Tina Fabiano as our Iron Chef for October!! She won with her Capellini Caprese!! It was AWESOME!!

Doesn't everything look delicious?

This is Crock pot Chicken Tortilla Soup by Melodee Cooper. We topped it with tortilla strips, fresh cilantro, and pepper jack cheese. Best of all...it was a Weight Watchers recipe!!

This is Tina Fabiano's WINNING entry, Capellini Caprese. She puts capers in it...which makes it amazing.

Heidi Tyler made Fresh Herb-Tomato Crostini. So good...I ate four...

This is my entry...Roasted Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons...which I got from a recipe I found in Family Fun magazine a few months ago. It is WAY delish!!

We had a GREAT time...we tried everyone's dish and graded on presentation, originality, and taste. Then we tallied the points and named an Iron Chef!!

I'm posting all the recipes here on my blog!! So dig in!! Enjoy!! And we'll see you next month when I host our next Iron Chef competition...featuring "pumpkin"...

Walking Tacos

We just got back from camping on beautiful Sanibel Island in Sunny South Florida this weekend.

And I have to say...now I know why people don't tent camp in South Florida in the summer.

Hot.

Humid.

Buggy.

But the beaches were BEAUTIFUL...the shelling was AWESOME...and Periwinkle Park, the only campground on either Sanibel or Captiva Islands, was PERFECT (my kids especially loved all the tropical birds on display...particularly "Fred", a Scarlet Macaw that talked and liked to whistle at Savannah every time she passed by...making her blush).

So, I thought in honor of our trip, and since it's been woefully long since I've posted on this site, I'd post a camping recipe. This is a tried and true recipe that is GREAT for Scout camp-outs...and works good for families, too...

and it's called...

Walking Tacos

2 pounds ground beef
2 packages taco seasoning
1 package ranch dressing powdered dressing mix/seasoning
chopped tomatoes
shredded lettuce
shredded cheese
a bag (or two) of Fritos
Ziploc baggies

1. Brown ground beef and prepare with taco seasoning as package directs. Add ranch dressing mix in at same time.

2. In a Ziploc baggie, add desired amount of Fritos, meat, lettuce, tomato, and cheese. Seal bag and mix lightly.

Now - you can do one of two things...

A. Pack Ziploc baggie in backpack and go on a hike. When you get hungry, open the bag and turn edges down, and eat STRAIGHT FROM THE BAG WITHOUT FORKS AND SPOONS...just eat.

OR....

B. Do the same thing...right there at your picnic table.

Sounds messy, right? It kinda is...but once your kids get the hang of it...its GREAT...no packing extra silverware, totally ecologically friendly, and REALLY YUMMY. Plus...there's something about eating food from a baggie without utensils that appeals to kids...kids and men, that is...because men ARE kids...

Anyway - I only took a disposable camera on our trip, so I'll post pictures LATER...

until then...

enjoy your baggie of taco!!

courtesy me!!!

Chicken-Corn Pizza

So, I tried a new quick pizza recipe that I found SOMEWHERE and copied into my "TRY THIS" file of recipes (unfortunately I didn't record the source of the find). I altered it slightly to give it a Southwest flavor, which I thought would appeal to my kids gourmet pizza tastes. And ya' know how I'm always saying that my kids will eat ANYTHING?

Well - this pizza proved me wrong.

My kids wouldn't TOUCH this pizza...which is a shame, because it was really, really good and I ended up having to eat the whole thing. Burp!!

Excuse me.

And I don't have pictures because the camera I hijacked from my teenage daughter ran out of juice, and she doesn't feel that cleaning her room is worth the trouble to find the charger.

But don't worry - it's really self-explanatory. And if you try it...tell me what your kids thought about it.

Southwest Chicken-Corn Pizza

1 12-inch packaged pre-baked pizza crust
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 10-ounce frozen whole kernel corn in butter sauce (Green Giant makes this)
1 6-ounce package refrigerated cooked chicken breast strips, chopped (I used Perdues Short Cuts Carved Chicken Breast, Southwestern Style seasoned chicken breast strips...REALLY YUMMY)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped red sweet pepper
1 TBS finely shredded lemon peel
1 tsp bottled minced garlic
1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese
12 ounce can sliced pitted ripe black olives
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Preheat oven to 450. Line baking sheet with foil. Coat foil with nonstick cooking spray. Place pizza crust on foil; set aside.

2. In a bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan, and black pepper. Spread on crust leaving 1/2-inch space around edge. Bake 5 minutes.

3. Steam corn in microwave as directed (the Green Giant brand steams right in the bag!!). Remove from microwave and transfer to a bowl. Stir in chopped chicken, sweet pepper, lemon peel, and garlic. Remove pizza from oven. Spoon corn mixture over ricotta mixture on crust.

4. Top with goat cheese and black olives. Bake 5 minutes more until cheese and edges are lightly browned. Sprinkle with cilantro before serving.

courtesy me (and some unknown inspirational source)

Mexican Lasagna

Oh, look!! Pictures!!

I stole my daughters camera...but I don't really like it. Hers is an Olympus Stylus, and it's really high-tech. It's got all these crazy features for gadget gurus.

And I am NOT a gadget guru.

So my pictures with it suck worse than with my old camera...and that's really saying something. "Cause if you've seen the pictures SHE takes with it - you'll realize how ultimately untalented I am in the field of photography. Which really doesn't help my plea to my hubby to get me a fancier camera with a bunch of lenses and stuff.

So - I tried a new recipe last night. I got it off Pioneer Womans cooking site...but it is not hers. It is one of her guest commentators, a man named "Pastor Ryan", so named because he's a, uh, well...a brother of the cloth. And also, a genius in the kitchen. I guess living proof that God can give you multiple callings in this life.

Anyway, I found it and it tickled my fancy and sounded delicious, so I decided to try it. And I have to say...it IS delicious. Like - I could live on it. And so could my kids.

Now you know when I bring over recipes from Pioneer Woman, you never need to double. She, after all, feeds a family of 6, plus a ranch full of cowboys. Her recipes reflect that...for which I'm grateful. (Hey - there are some nights that even simple math is more than I can take).

So I knew I wouldn't be doubling. In fact, after looking at the amount of ingredients called for in this recipe, I had the urge to... (I'm about to say something that I have never said before, and you may never hear me say again)...scale back.

I know, I know. Shocker.

But I decided to just go with it and make it as the recipe says. And that's why, about halfway through, I called my friend Michelle Marlowe and desperately asked her if I could bring her dinner that night...because there was NO WAY IN HADES that we were gonna be able to eat that much food.

This ended up filling (and I do mean FILLING) two ENORMOUS oval bakers from Crate & Barrel (approx. 13x9 size)...and there was STILL some I couldn't fit. This would feed THREE of my families. It would feed a WARD. It's PERFECT for a large gathering of hungry people.

And the bonus was that I got to give some away AND get a second opinion on the recipe (which, by the way, scored a "two thumbs up").

So, Pastor Ryan and Pioneer Woman...you got me. I actually get to say a phrase that I NEVER thought I'd say on this site...if feeding an average-sized family, scale this back to ABOUT A THIRD. Unless you want to eat it for a month.

Which, actually, by the way it tastes, is totally do-able.

Served with corn-on-the-cob!!

Pastor Ryan's Mexican Lasagna

(This is the original recipe with original measurements. Do the math to adjust to feed your family!!)

4 cups unprepared rice

8 cups chicken broth

4-8 tomatoes (up to you)

2-3 onions (up to you)

8-14 LARGE cloves of garlic (up to you)

3 lbs ground beef

3 x 16oz. bags of Mexican cheese blend, all mixed together and then divided in half.

3 cans corn (drained)

1-2 cans black or pinto beans (up to you), UNdrained

Two 16 oz. jars of Salsa Verde

1 16-oz. jar of enchilada sauce

1 pouch Taco seasoning

6 TBS chili powder, divided

3 TBS EACH of paprika and cumin, divided

20 (2 packages) Fajita-size flour tortillas

Sour cream

Fresh Cilantro

Butter

1. Prepare rice with chicken broth. Once prepared, salt to taste and set aside.

2. Chop tomatoes, onions, and garlic as small as you prefer. Saute in a pan with a few TBS of butter. Add 3 TBS chili powder, and 1-1/2 TBS of both paprika and cumin. Stir until nicely combined. Feel free to add beans (juice and all). Mix cooked rice together with tomato/onion/garlic/bean mixture.

3. Brown the ground beef using about remaining 3 TBS chili powder and 1-1/2 TBS of both paprika and cumin. Add salt to taste. Add about 4-6 oz. of water to create the taco beef, and let simmer until absorbed.

4. Spread one container of salsa verde in the bottom of a large casserole baking dish (or two). Layer on tortillas covering salsa verde (overlapping is expected). Divide your rice mixture in half, and spread one half over the layer of tortillas. Use half of your divided cheese and layer it on top of the rice layer. Add another layer of tortillas on top of cheese layer. Pour enchilada sauce over the tortillas and spread evenly. Add layer of browned ground beef (all of it). Add 3 cans of drained corn on top of beef layer. Add remaining amount of rice mixture on top of corn layer, followed by remaining jar of salsa verde, on top of which you'll add the remaining cheese. sprinkle cheese layer with packet of taco seasoning.

CASSEROLE (S) WILL BE EXTREMELY HEAVY!!!

5. Bake at 375 for 25-35 minutes until cheese has melted and begins to brown.

6. Serve with sour cream, fresh sprigs of cilantro, and a hearty appetite.

courtesy Pioneer Woman

Easy Chicken Tostadas

I love the quirky things about being Mormon.

Like the drinks we WON'T drink (like coffee and alcohol), or the food we WILL eat (like green jello w/carrots and casseroles with Cheez-it crackers).

But the best part our being a "peculiar people" is that we TOTALLY make fun of ourselves for it. We joke more about Mormon than people who aren't Mormon joke about us being Mormon.

There are Mormon movies, and books, and magazines...and there is always this tongue-in-cheek humor about ourselves that keeps us all giggling behind our Triple Combinations.

A couple days ago I introduced you to a cookbook that celebrated "Mormon" recipes...and yeah - there's a lot of stuff to use up your endless supply of zucchini from your garden and recipes of innovative things to do with food storage, along with classic casseroles and quick meals for those busy nights with MIA, Scouts, and presidency meetings.

Well - that cookbook has a companion, also by Julie Badger Jensen, and it is called Essential Mormon Celebrations: Secret Combinations for Holidays, Homecomings, Potluck Dinners, and More. I thought I'd highlight a recipe from it tonight...it is a very simple Chicken Tostada recipe. You don't really NEED a recipe for tostadas...it's like tacos or burritos...anything that is self-assemble, really...because it is usually "anything goes". It's one reason why those Mexican favorites are also favorites at MY house because everyone has different tastes, and can make their meal however they please.

Anyway - what I DO like about this recipe is that it is easy and quick and since it is Girl Scout night...both are requirements.

This makes six servings, so depending on how many you're feeding...you may want to double. To save time tonight, I'm replacing the chicken tenders with CostCo's pre-cooked canned chicken...a yummy substitute. Another alteration is that I'm switching the flour tortillas for corn...because that's what's in my fridge.

I'm also playing with her salsa recipe, adding onion, tomatillos and cilantro, and switching the vegetable oil originally called for in the salsa for extra virgin olive oil (just a personal taste thing). Our sides will be a yellow saffron rice, black beans, and chips and salsa!!
-

Chicken Tostadas

2 TBS vegetable oil, plus more for cooking tortillas
2 pounds chicken tenders (or 2-3 cans CostCo cooked chicken)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
1/2 cup sour cream
6 (6-inch) flour tortillas (we used about 12 corn tortillas)
1/2 small head iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced
1 cup grated Monterrey Jack or cheddar cheese
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 recipe Avocado Salsa (see below)

1. In a 3-qt. saucepan, heat 2 TBS vegetable oil over medium heat. Add chicken tenders and cook for about 10 minutes or until cooked through. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 to 60 seconds. Add green chilies and sour cream, stir well. Cook over low heat until hot. Cover and set aside.

2. Generously brush tortillas with vegetable oil on both sides. (Here's another deviation...we just pour oil in the pan, heat it up, and drop them in...but whichever way is fine). Place a well-greased 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Fry flour tortillas, one at a time, for about 30 seconds on each side or until lightly browned and blistered. Remove from skillet and stack. (I personally blot tortillas a bit to remove excess oil).

3. Arrange lettuce on each tortilla. Top with chicken mixture; sprinkle with cheese and tomato. Spoon Avocado Salsa on top of tostadas and serve immediately.

Avocado Salsa

3 TBS olive oil
2 TBS lime or lemon juice
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 tomatillos, chopped
1 small or half a medium/large sweet onion, diced 2-3 TBS finely chopped cilantro

1. In a small bowl, combine all salsa ingredients and stir together.

2. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
-

(Keeping it real...a laid-back quick family meal at our house...some things I don't even take out of the pans they were cooked in...)

courtesy The Essential Mormon Celebrations: Secret Combinations for Holidays, Homecomings, Potluck Dinners and More by Julie Badger Jensen