Monthly Archives: August 2012

Sassy Tex-Mex Slow Cooker Shredded Pork

Posted on August 23, 2012 by Jenna

On days when you need to get dinner to the table in a hurry with minimal effort you need to think slow…..as in slow cooker! Dinner cooks while you are off doing other things and when you get home after that long busy day, the house already smells like dinner! How awesome is that??

In anticipation of a hectic evening (or two) this week I decided to make my Tex Mex Slow Cooker Shredded Pork. It takes about 10 minutes to make the sauce, then you let the pork marinate 12-24 hours before putting everything in the slow cooker so it can do its thing. Eight to ten hours later pork comes out falling part, tender and juicy.

I love this recipe beause it is so versitile. You can serve the pork just as is, add BBQ sauce or add the shredded pork into other dishes like tacos. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Sassy Tex-Mex Slow Cooker Shredded Pork

Prep: 15 minutes - Marinade: 12-24 hours - Cook time: 8-10 hours

5 – 6 lb. pork shoulder roast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium white or yellow onion, medium diced
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
Juice from 1 large Texas ruby red grapefruit
2 chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce
1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon salt
Handful of cilantro
2 tablespoons olive oil

Place 2 tablespoons in a medium skillet. Heat to medium-high. Add diced onions and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add jalapenos and garlic. Stir and saute an additional 4-5 minutes.

Place sautéed onions, jalapenos, and garlic into a food processor. Add grapefruit juice, chipotle peppers, ancho chili powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, coriander seeds, salt, cilantro and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Pulse until fully blended.

Place pork shoulder roast into a large plastic baggie. Pour in the marinade. Refrigerate to marinade for 12-24 hours.

Pour pork and marinade into a slow cooker into a slow cooker with fat side up. Cook on low heat for 8- 10 hours.

Other Receipes You Might Enjoy!

Grilled Cobia over Napa Mango Slaw

Cream of Mushroom Soup with Wild Rice

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Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Posted on August 17, 2012 by Jenna

It is Friday and we have made it through another long work week. I should feel socially motivated to round up some friends for a night on the town, but is rainy and muggy and just plain yucky out…..sooooo I think I am declaring this a stay-at-home family night. I can make something really yummy for dinner, rent a pay-per-view and curl up on the couch to watch movie with my favorite people, all without having to go traipsing back out into the rain.

Tonight’s menu is Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps. My inspiration was the lettuce wraps I like to get from PF Chang’s. I, of course, have no idea what they put in theirs so I made up my own version. Don’t be intimidated by the long ingredient list. These are really easy to make and come together really quickly in a skillet.

Happy Friday everyone!

Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Prep time: 5 minutes - Cook time: 20 minutes - Makes: six 1/2 cup servings

3 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound ground chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1 inch nob fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons garlic chili pepper sauce
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
1/2 can (8 ounce size) quartered water chestnuts, drained
1/4 cup peanuts, rough chopped
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
6- 10 large lettuce leaves (Boston bibb, butter lettuce or green leaf lettuce all work well)

Place 3 tablespoons canola oil in large non-stick skillet and heat on high. Reduce heat to medium high and add onions. Saute onions for 5-7 minutes. Add chicken and a dash of salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is nearly done, stirring often to crumble the meat.

While chicken is cooking, combine soy sauce, hoisin, rice wine vinegar, garlic chili pepper sauce and peanut butter in small bowl.

Once chicken is almost fully cooked add sauce mixture to the skillet along with water chestnuts, peanuts, and chopped green onions. Stir and continue cooking until chicken is fully cooked.

Remove from heat and add toasted sesame oil. Serve chicken mixture hot with cold lettuce leaves. Enjoy!

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy!

Honey Orange chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Inside Out Chicken Egg Rolls

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Posted in Asian, chicken, sandwich & wraps | Tagged asian lettuce wraps, ground chicken, lettuce wraps, Thai lettuce wraps | Leave a comment

Biscoff Milkshake

Posted on August 12, 2012 by Jenna

Little dude and I have been so enjoying the Summer Olympic games. I love the mix of international cooperation and the all out competition for gold glory. And little dude, just like saying the word “olympics” over and over because it is his current newest big word to say.

I thought in honor of the closing ceremony tonight I would create my own international fusion frozen treat – Biscoff Milkshakes. These milkshakes are incredibly easy to make. The ingredient list is simple – French vanilla ice cream, Belgian Biscoff spread and some home-grown American milk will get you most of the way there. Add some whipped cream and some crushed Biscoff cookies for garnish and you are done.

If you are not familiar with Biscoff Spread is this wonderful little treat made from crushed Biscoff cookies (like the ones you get on Delta flights). The spread has the consistency of peanut butter but without the benefit of protein. You can typically find it near peanut butter in the grocery store.

These milkshakes are incredibly rich and decadent. They will perfect for marking the end of the 2012 Summer Olympic games. Hope you all have enjoyed the Summer Olympic games as much as I have!

Biscoff Milkshakes

Prep time: 4 minutes – Makes: one 15-oz milkshake

1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup Biscoff Spread (a cookie spread typically found near peanut butter in the grocery store)
4 scoops of French Vanilla ice cream (about 8 oz)
whipped cream
1 Biscoff cookie, crushed (optional garnish)

Place milk, Biscoff spread and ice cream in a blender. Start blender on slow to start the ingredients mixing. Turn the speed up to high and continue blending until well mixed. (If you prefer a thinner milkshake, you can add a little more milk.) Pour milkshake in a glass. Top with a whip cream and crush biscoff cookie and serve immediately.

(Bloggers Note: I did not receive any compensation or free product to feature Biscoff Spread in this post. I liked the product so I included it in a recipe.)