Monday, March 31, 2014

Pulled Pork Sandwiches with coleslaw

You can make it easier buy using your favorite BBQ sauce, but I think making your own makes it over the top tasty.  I do love no fuss slow cooker meals, especially when making it for a party.  Making your own hamburger buns will even make this better.



PULLED PORK SANDWICHES
(serves 10-14)

Pulled Pork Ingredients:

*Dry Rub (use my recipe or your favorite dry rub)
*5-7 pound pork shoulder roast (pork butt)
*3 onions, cut into quarters
*3 stalks of celery, cut in half
*4 whole garlic cloves
*1 bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce (I can my own BBQ sauce)
*Hamburger buns

Pulled Pork Directions:
~Spread the dry rub all over the 5-7 pound pork shoulder.
~Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate over night (or at least 8 hours).
~Remove pork from refrigerator.
~Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
~Place pork into a large pot.
~Place 3 quartered onions, 3 stalks celery cut in half, and 4 cloves garlic over roast.
~Cover and cook or 7-8 hours.
~Remove from oven and put pork onto a large cutting board.
~Remove any fat, and then shred pork.
~Disscard celery.
~Chop up cooked onion and garlic and mix into pork.
~Place pot on burner over medium-high heat and add1/2 cup water.
~Scrape bottom of pan to deglaze pan (remove left over meat from bottom of pan).
~Cook for 4-5 minutes. 
~Pour in 1 bottle of your favorite Barbecue sauce and heat up.
~Remove from heat and add in shredded pork.

Coleslaw Ingredients: (optional)
*1/2  head green cabbage, shredded
*1 carrot, grated
*1/2  red onion, thinly sliced
*1/8 cup dijon mustard
*3/4 cups mayonnaise
*1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (can use white vinegar too)
*Juice from 1/2 small lemon
*1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
*1/4 teaspoon celery seed
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Coleslaw Directions:
~In a large bowl, mix 1/2 head shredded cabbage, 1 grated carrot, 1/2 sliced red onion, 1/8 cup dijon mustard, 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 1/2 teaspoons apple cider, 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon Clery seed, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper and mix well.
~Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.


Making the Sandwich:
~Spread butter on the inside of all of the hamburger buns.
~Toast buns, butter side down, in a large skillet over medium-low heat until golden brown.
~Spoon bbq pork onto bottom buns.
~Spoon desired amount of coleslaw over top of cheese.
~Place top bun on and enjoy.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Classic Pepperoni & Mushroom Pizza

I love to make homemade pizza for my family.  It took me a lot of trials & errors to get the curt the way I wanted and to cook it so it looked and tasted like one from the pizzeria.   To me buying high quality pepperoni, mozzarella cheese & parmesan cheese makes this pizza outstanding.   You need to invest in a pizza stone or use glazed quarry tiles to make a good crusty pizza.



CLASSIC PEPPERONI & MUSHROOM PIZZA

Ingredients:
~One store or pizzeria bought pizza dough or make your own pizza crust.
~1-1/2 cups pizza sauce (I like to make my own).
~Pepperoni, as much as you like on a pizza (use good quality pepperoni)
~1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
~1/4 cup fresh mozzarella ball, crumbled
~1/2 cup fresh sliced mushrooms (optional)
~1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese, shredded & divided
~1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:
~Place pizza stone or glazed quarry tiles in cold oven.
~Preheat oven to 500 degrees for 30-45 minutes before place putting pizza on stone.
~Flour a pizza paddle (large thin wooden cutting board or a cookie sheet upside-down).
~Form pizza dough into a 12-inch circle or rectangle.
~Place on the floured pizza paddle/cookie sheet.
~Drizzle pizza sauce in a circular motion over pizza (don't saturate with sauce).
~Place shredded mozzarella cheese over pizza dough.
~Sprinkle 1/8 cup parmesan cheese over pizza.
~Place crumbled mozzarella cheese ove pizza.
~Place pepperoni over pizza.
~Place mushrooms over pizza.
~Slide pizza onto stone, started from the back of the pizza stone.
~Bake for 3-4 minutes.
~Turn off oven.
~Turn on to Broil.
~Cook for another 2-4 minutes, careful not to burn it.
~Remove from oven.
~Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese.
~Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil.