recipe to try

 https://thewoksoflife.com/chinese-bbq-pork-cha-siu/

bbq pork and cole slaw

Apple Cider Pulled Pork Sandwiches--TB rendition-reinvented from a recipe I have so it works in crock pot

2 cups apple cider (or juice)--DO NOT MEASURE any of the below..............
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
optional: 4 tbsp. of your favorite barbecue sauce  I used my new FAVORITE: meijer brand carolina bbq sauce--SO TASTY with a vinegar kick
1 medium onion, divided into eighths
2-3 lbs. pork shoulder, all ties removed (I used a pork shoulder butt roast)

put onion on bottom of crock pot 
mix all the other stuff except pork
put pork in crock
dump stuff on top
cover
crock pot it all day
pull meat out
shred
reduce sauce on stove if you want or use store sauce on bbq
serve with sauce on top, next to or mixed into meat
serve on buns or with buns

enjoy



TB coleslaw
1 bag slaw mix (small)
mayo
sour cream
apple cider vinegar
beaumounde seasoning
salt
pepper
sugar
dried green chives  

mix. store in fridge to marinade and serve. 

menu

after a super busy last week............ where i planned entire meals but we didn't eat almost any of them..... i am trying this out again!

today: make your own :) (i have soccer at 5:30)

monday: spicy steak stew and french bread

tuesday: bbq pork sandwiches (slow cooked in crock pot), coleslaw and chips

wednesday: chicken patty sandwiches, tator tots and fruit

thursday: stir fry or lo mein, egg rolls

friday: unfried chicken, italian broccoli and bread

saturday: date night??? or eat out

recipes:

Apple Cider Pulled Pork Sandwiches--TB rendition-reinvented from a recipe I have so it works in crock pot

2 cups apple cider (or juice)--DO NOT MEASURE any of the below..............
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
optional: 4 tbsp. of your favorite barbecue sauce  I used my new FAVORITE: meijer brand carolina bbq sauce--SO TASTY with a vinegar kick
1 medium onion, divided into eighths
2-3 lbs. pork shoulder, all ties removed (I used a pork shoulder butt roast)

put onion on bottom of crock pot
mix all the other stuff except pork
put pork in crock
dump stuff on top
cover
crock pot it all day
pull meat out
shred
reduce sauce on stove if you want or use store sauce on bbq
serve with sauce on top, next to or mixed into meat
serve on buns or with buns

enjoy



TB coleslaw
1 bag slaw mix (small)
mayo
sour cream
apple cider vinegar
beaumounde seasoning
salt
pepper
sugar
dried green chives 

mix. store in fridge to marinade and serve.

Spicy Steak Stew (today i changed it up a bit)

NEED:
round steak or stew meat--today stew meat
chopped onions
shallots diced tiny
garlic--diced
carrots--both diced tiny and sliced into "thicker circles"
diced celery
beef broth
white wine
potatoes--cubed
canned tomatoes
worsteshire sauce
cayenne pepper 
salt and pepper
broccoli (optional)


DO:
book onion, shallots, garlic and celery in a stock pot with italian seasoning, salt, pepper and olive oil i added a bit of butter)
remove veggies from pan 
brown the steak in a stock pan--season with salt and pepper
add veggies back into pot
add wine and simmer for a bit, add worsteshire sauce
add broth and two-three cans of diced tomatoes with juice
add potatoes and bring to a simmer, simmer until potatoes are tender
taste and add additional Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper
simmer long enough that it is "stews". otherwise, before serving, mix cornstarch with water to make a slurry and stir into stew.

i find it tastes best if i make it, let it sit in fridge overnight and then reheat the next day before serving :)

 Veggie Stir Fry
**if you are using chicken, marinade chicken over night in soy sauce with a bit of sesame oil and green onion or chives
NEED:
Asian Hot Sauce (with the green top)--Ethnic Aisle--Few Dashes...1-2 tsp?
Soy Sauce 1/4-1/2 cup
Sesame Oil (Ethnic Aisle) --dash.....a little goes a long way....1/2 tsp?
Corn Starch 1-2 TBS?
Beef Broth or Hot Water with "Quality" Beef Base (1 cup or so)



Veggies cup up :) I used orange peppers, green peppers, red onion, pea pods and broccoli

DO:
mix the first ingredients and let them sit while you cook the rest

get the skillet super hot and then add a little olive oil (i used garlic olive oil). add the onions and peppers.....then the broccoli then pea pods. Get them done to your liking and then at the last minute, add the "sauce"--let thicken. if too thick, add a bit more broth...but small amounts at a time.

serve over HOT jasmine sticky rice (we buy the Mahatma brand)

NEW recipe for me: Art Smith's Southern Oven UNFRIED chicken
need: 1 cup buttermilk
1 T hot sauce
4 skinless bonless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cup panko
3 T parm cheese
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tps garlic powder
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprika
olive oil spray

DO:
preheat oven to 400
combine buttermilk and hot sauce
add chicken and marinade 1 hour  in fridge
combine all rest except spray in a gallon size bag

remove chicken from milk, add one piece at a time to bag and shake, lay on lightly oiled sheet and chicken 30 minutes uncovered

lightly spray with oil

bake 15-20 minutes, turn and bake 15-20 minutes until done

pulled pork

another one i want to try.....

http://www.asweetpeachef.com/entrees/pulled-pork-sandwiches/

Apple Cider Pulled Pork Sandwiches

2 cups apple cider (or juice)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
optional: 4 tbsp. of your favorite barbecue sauce
1 medium onion, divided into eighths
2-3 lbs. pork shoulder, all ties removed (I used a pork shoulder butt roast)
4-6 sandwich buns (try these Egg Bread Buns if you’d like)

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine the apple cider, ketchup, brown sugar, optional barbecue sauce and spices and set aside.
Place 1/2 of the sliced onions into the bottom of a 4-6-quart dutch oven. Place the pork shoulder on top the onions. Top the pork shoulder with the remaining onions and then pour sauce over everything. The pork shoulder need not be completely submerged to reach perfect pulled perfection, but you can add a little more apple cider if you’d like at this point.
Cover and place in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, depending on the size of your pork shoulder. Begin checking for doneness after about 2 hours. When done, the pork will easily pull apart from itself with a fork. Remove the meat and place onto a flat surface.
Place the dutch oven on the stove (or move contents to a large pan) and heat to boiling to thicken. While the sauce boils, pull the pork into shreds using two forks. Take care to remove the pieces of fat. Return the shredded pork to the sauce and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Serve pulled pork piled high on a sandwich bun or just by itself. Top with some coleslaw if you’d like. It’s really yummy!

north carolina style pulled pork bbq

mmmmm and easy

NEED:
1 pork butt (i had a shoulder so that would do)
2 cups apple cider vinnegar
salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp sugar

ketchup
hot sauce
mustard powder (i used dash of real)

DO:
pork butt into crock pot
pour in vinnegar
sprinkle with salt, pepper, sugar

cook on low all day mmmmmm

take meat out, shred (get rid of icky fat stuff)

mix 1/2 cup of the vinnegar cooking liquid with ketchup, hot sauce, mustard (to taste)
mix into pork

mmmmmm enjoy on buns!

the recipe also suggests adding dash of oj with ketchup mix.

i really wanted cole slaw to eat with this meal but alas i had none!

contented sigh....so tasty!

a contented sigh is the only way i can describe the delisciousness of tonight's dinner!

i used the mccormick bbq pork seasoning for the first time and it turned out amazing! the smell throughout the day was such a tantalizer! after it cooked through, i removed the pork and got rid of any  of the fat and other "icky" parts. i then shredded it with two forks and put it back in the sauce. i served it on french rolls (arnie's) that had been warmed in the over. mmmmmmmmmmmm

to go along with these yummy sandwiches, i made asian slaw. i could not find my aunt betty's coleslaw crunch recipe (aka asian slaw) but i did find a similar one. i took the recipe and my memory to create the one i listed below.  on the side i also served watermelon, strawberries and chips :) 

mmmmmm dinner hit special spot in my tummy tonight. that slaw is one of my favorites but don't make it often since i am the only one of us four that likes it :) good thing i sometimes make things for me too! :)

tb's rendition of an asian slaw 

dressing:
1/2 cup veggie oil
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1 T sesame oil (makes it extra yummy) 
1/8 cup of white sugar

**Shake ALL together--i also let it hang out in the fridge for a while

cole slaw:
2 packs of ramen noodles (use "packet of seasoning" for other use) BROKEN UP SMALL
sesame seeds
1 stick butter
1 package slivered almonds
1 (or 2) of napa cabbage (also known as celery cabbage)
green onion
dried cranberries or cherries (optional i suppose but an amazing addition)

saute the first four ingredients (noodles, sesame seeds, almonds and butter) in a pan on the stove until they are "warm brown" (melt butter first for easiest sauteing)

let the entire sauteed mixture cool on paper towel COMPLETELY and then store in a air tight container

finely julienne the cabbage. slice up the green onion. mix these two together and toss with the dried berries. cover and store in fridge.

when you are ready to serve, combine the dressing, crunchy mix and cabbage mix together. ENJOY!