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

Iron Chef Pembroke Pines: April 2011 - Lemon Fusilli with Arugula

Bonnie is a newer member of our Iron Chef team...a friend of Tinas from Atlanta...she brings fresh variety to our little group. We love having her...

...especially if she keeps bringing stuff like THIS.

An adapted Barefoot Contessa recipe...so good...it was a wonderfully fresh dish to balance out all that sugar at Iron Chef.

Lemon Fusilli with Arugula

Ingredients:

• 1 TBS good olive oil
• 1 TBS miced garlic (2 cloves)
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 lemons (2 juiced and zested)
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound dried fusilli pasta
• 1/2 pound baby arugula (or two bunches of regular arugula, stems removed and leaves cut into thirds)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook for 60 seconds, then add the cream, the zest and juice of two of the lemons, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until it starts to thicken.

Bring a large pot of water to boil, and add 1 TBS salt and the pasta, and cook al dente according to the directions on the package, about 12 minutes, stirring occassionally. Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Immediately add the cream mixture and cook over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, until the pasta has absorbed most of the sauce. Pour the hot pasta into a large bowl, and add the arugula, Parmesan, and tomatoes. Cut the last lemon in half lengthwise, slice it into 1/4-inch thick slices crosswise, and add a few slices to the pasta. Toss well, season to taste, and serve hot.

Courtesy Bonnie, adapted from the Barefoot Contessa

Iron Chef Pembroke Pines: April 2011 - Lemon Buttermilk Sheet Cake

Don't let this cake fool you...it looks simple...unassuming...even plain.

But then you TASTE it.

Afterall...with all the absolutely DIVINE things at a Lemon-themed Iron Chef...this cake won.

And it deserved to.

So don't judge a book by it's cover...or in this case, a sheet cake by it's rectangular shape. Just make it...and you'll see...

Lemon Buttermilk Sheet Cake
 
Cake Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ cup buttermilk, room temp
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon zest
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (3 lemons)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
• 12 Tbsp butter, softened
• 3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, room temp

Cake Directions:

1. Preheat oven 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 13x9 inch pan.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in medium bowl.
3. Combine buttermilk, lemon juice, and vanilla in large measuring cup.
4. In large bowl beat lemon zest with sugar until moist and fragrant (1 min.). Set aside ¼ cup of sugar mixture for later. Add butter to remaining sugar mixture and beat until light and fluffy (2 min.).
5. Beat in eggs and yolk until combined. Then mix in 1/3 of flour mixture, then half of buttermilk mixture. Repeat with half of remaining flour and all of remaining buttermilk mixture. Add remaining flour and mix until smooth.
6. Pour batter into pan, and bake until golden brown, 25-35 minutes, rotating pan halfway through. Then transfer to wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.


GlazeIngredients:

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp buttermilk

Whisk all ingredients until smooth. Gently spread glaze over warm cake and sprinkle evenly with the reserved sugar mixture from above. Let cake cool 2 hours. Serve.

courtesy Heather Wangeman

Iron Chef Pembroke Pines: April 2011 - Lemon Bars

This was a PERFECT Lemon Bar...in every way...exactly what a lemon bar should be. The crust was thin, firm, and delightful. The lemon was sweet, but just enough tart to not overpower. This is what every Lemon Bar should aspire to be...

Lemon Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter at room temperature 
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar 
• 2 cup sifted flour 
• 4 eggs powdered sur for topping 
• 2 cup granulated sugar 
• 4 tablespoon flour 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 4 tablespoon lemon juice 

 Directions:


1. Cream butter and powdered sugar, blend in flour, mix well. Press evenly into an 11 x 17 inch jelly roll pan, bake in a preheated 350 oven for 15 minutes.
2. Beat eggs slightly, add remaining ingredients and beat until well mixed. Spread evenly over crust. Bake an additional 15 minutes or until set. Do not brown. Filling may puff during baking, but flattens when cooled.
3. Sprinkle top with powdered sugar while still warm. Cut in squares. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

courtesy Teri Metts

Iron Chef Pembroke Pines: April 2011 - Lemon Posset

I absolutely LOVED this entry...it was so delicious and creamy and so absolutely perfect... the kind of little dessert that actually makes you sigh with contentment and drift away into some kind of bliss...

Rachel said these would be perfect served in darling little shot glasses, and I think she is 100% correct.

But, since she's LDS, and shot glasses are in short supply in her house, she served it in paper cups...but I am totally going out and buying shot glasses (my LDS status be darned)...just so I can make these pretty little pieces of heaven at home, and have them look as perfect as they taste...

Lemon Posset

Ingredients:

• 3 c. heavy cream 
• 1 1/4 c. sugar 
• 3 lemons, juiced 
• fresh berries of choice for garnish 

Directions:

In a saucepan stir together cream and sugar. Bring to a boil, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice. Pour into serving glasses and refrigerate until set, about 5 hours. Top with fresh berries to serve.

courtesy Rachel Quinton

Iron Chef Pembroke Pines: April 2011 - Lemon-Orzo Salad with Veggies and Chicken

This is another recipe that I have no pictures for...because at the last minute, Jeneice's poor baby got sick and she couldn't come. I'm including it anyway...just so I can make it someday.

And Hey!! Bonus!! It's a Weight Watchers recipe...so no guilt!!

Lemon-Orzo Salad with Veggies and Chicken 

Ingredients:
   

• 3/4 C uncooked orzo pasta 
• 1/4 tsp grated lemon rind 
• 3 Tbs fresh lemon juice 
• 1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil 
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt 
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic 
• 1/4 tsp honey 
• 1/8 tsp black pepper 
• 1 C cooked shredded or diced boneless, skinless chicken 
• 1/2 C diced cucumber 
• 1/2 C diced red bell pepper 
• 1/3 C sliced green onions 
• 1 Tbs chopped fresh dill, or 1 tsp dried dill 
• 1/2 C crumbled feta cheese 

Directions:

Cook orzo according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water until pasta feels cool to the touch. Drain and place in a large salad bowl. While orzo cooks, combine lemon rind, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, garlic, honey, and black pepper. Whisk to combine. Add chicken, cucumber, bell pepper, green onions, and dill to pasta. Drizzle with dressing and toss to combine. Divide onto 4 plates and sprinkle with feta.

Nutrition Facts per Serving (1 1/4 C)
Calories: 275 Fat: 9.7g Protein 18.2 g Weight Watchers Points: 6

courtesy Jeneice Fernandez

Iron Chef Pembroke Pines: April 2011 - Lemon Pepper Shrimp

Tina made these absolutely delicious Lemon-Pepper Shrimp...and everyone LOVED them. But Tina is one of those people that knows her frecipes by heart, and has such an immensely busy life, that she can hardly be bothered to write them down.

And she's like me...we don't really care about winning...only hanging out and enjoying good food with friends...so she makes awesome stuff, but not to really compete.

Anyway...this is NOT Tina's recipe, because she never gave one. This is Heidi's Lemon Pepper Shrimp recipe...which she says is significantly less pepper-y than Tina's.

But it is the closest we've got...so here is Tina's PICTURE...and Heidi's recipe.

Lemon-Pepper Shrimp

Ingredients:

• 1 lb xl shrimp (16-20 count), peeled
• 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
• 2 lg cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp red-pepper flakes
• ¼ c. + 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
• 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp white wine(or a substitute white grape juice)
• 2 TBSP butter
• 2 Tbsp drained capers, chopped (optional)
• Lemon wedges (optional)

Directions:

1. Put first 6 ingredients in bowl. Add ¼ cup lemon juice and 1 Tbsp parsley. Marinate 15-30 minutes.
2. Heat grill to medium. Bring wine, butter, 2 tsp lemon juice, and capers to a boil and remove from heat. Put shrimp on grill and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until bright pink, about 2 min.
per side
3. Transfer to bowl and stir in warm butter mixture. Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp parsley. Garnish with lemon.

courtesy Heidi Tyler