BBQ Shredded Pork Sandwiches

So life got a little nuts in October...

I sort of got in over my head with volunteering and working and STUFF, and then everything suffered since I had trouble saying NO. Ever get that way? I'm still doing too much, but I've managed to unload a few things. Anyway, my point is, TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, so you can keep taking care of everyone else, and don't be afraid to say NO sometimes. :)

It's basketball season, so we've got evening practices and games, which means it will be more challenging to eat together, or eat a home-cooked meal most nights. With some preparation though, it's not impossible. I'm making some freezer meals to have on hand and share, and I've got TWO crock pots going right now.

I've got a pork loin roast in one, and a family-sized package of boneless skinless chicken breasts in another. I'll be using the chicken in some chicken enchiladas and then making the rest into some chicken taco meat or bbq shredded chicken that can be easily thawed and reheated, ready to serve. For the pork, we're doing BBQ shredded pork for sandwiches. It's barely a recipe, but here's what I did:

BBQ Shredded Pork
1 boneless pork loin roast
1/2 c. cider vinegar
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce (divided)

Throw all of the above (just 1/2 of the BBQ sauce to start) in your crock pot, and cook for 8-10 hours, until tender enough to shred with a fork. Shred meat, and add in the rest of your BBQ sauce until it's as saucy as you like.

To freeze: Let meat cool completely, and package in freezer bags (might make enough for 2 meals, depending on your family size). Freeze flat so it's easy to store.

To serve: Thaw completely, and reheat. Serve on rolls with your favorite condiments - we like freezer pickles (see recipe here), extra BBQ sauce, and some slaw.

Layered Mexican Trifle Salad

So this is awesome. It's a lot of work, but it is awesome. Feeds a crowd, looks cool, tastes great. What more can you ask for? I first had this at a party, and then tracked down the recipe - I believe it was originally from Pampered Chef. You can mix it up, but I really like this combo. It's easy to double or whatever is needed, based on the serving dish. The one pictured was MASSIVE, and was basically a triple batch - so much work, and at the last minute! Layered Mexican Trifle Salad I ngredients: Beans: drain, rinse and mix together 1 15 oz. can pinto beans and 1 15 oz. can black beans 1 15 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained (I've also used fresh) 1 large tomato, diced (I usually use several Roma tomatoes) 2 green bell peppers, diced 3 ripe avocadoes, diced and mashed with the juice of 1 lime and salt and pepper to taste 1 large onion, diced (red or white) 2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded 2 cups cheddar or jack cheese, shredded

Skillet Chicken, Broccoli, Ziti & Asiago Cheese

We ALL really love this recipe. This is based on a recipe from the good people at Cooks Illustrated - I am grateful to them for getting my kids to happily eat sundried tomatoes and broccoli! I've also made this in a huge batch and served it family-style for a dinner party (and got to use my giant Pampered Chef Simple Additions square pasta bowl (it's really big), and it was AWESOME). If people could have licked the bowl clean, they might have - there was NOTHING left. Try this, and love it: Chicken, Broccoli, Penne and Asiago Cheese Skillet 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch squares 2 tbsp. vegetable oil (or olive oil - just don't heat that to smoking) 1 medium onion, minced (about 1 cup) 3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tbsp.) 1/4 tsp. dried oregano 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes 8 oz. ziti or penne (2 /12 cups) 3 c. water 2 c. low-sodium chicken broth 3-4 c. broccoli florets 1/4 c. sun-dried tomatoes in oil, rinsed and choppe

Another Take on Comfort Food

Sometimes there's nothing you can do but cook. I've had the displeasure of seeing 2 young moms in our school community recieve cancer diagnoses in the last 18 months. If you're like me, when someone you know is hurting, you want to help, but lots of times, there's not much you can do. If you can cook, you can take away some of the stress of getting the family fed and bring a meal or two. In fact, even if you can't cook, you can pick up a meal at a restaurant or a bag of groceries, or even a gift card for a local restaurant. I think it comes naturally to some - the church and school communities I grew up in always loved with food - church potlucks, school spaghetti dinners, and of course lots of meals for people who needed them. But not everyone has done this before, so it might be overwhelming. As in my "feeding a crowd" blurb, there are a few things to keep in mind. Don't try to impress - don't try new recipes. Find out if you're

A Cooking Baker

Search This Blog