Crock Pot Beer Pulled Pork-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

I've only made pulled pork twice before, and I used the same recipe both times. It was delicious, but I'm always up for trying something new. When I saw this recipe, I decided it would be a good idea to forego the rolls and stuff a sweet potato with the pork instead. When I suggested it to Joel, he thought that was strange, so he ate his as a regular sandwich..on bread, because we didn't go to the store to buy rolls. Of course, when we finished dinner, he commented that the bread was not the right choice and that stuffing the sweet potato wasn't such a bad idea after all! It wasn't; the potato served as the perfect vehicle for the pork, and I didn't even miss the bread!

Because I am the type of person who usually fails to read a recipe all the way through until it's too late, I feel like I have to include this clause in case any of you are the same way. Because of the use of the crock pot, this meal takes a bit of planning ahead. I had it on my menu for about 3 days before I actually made it because I didn't plan for the appropriate time and I didn't feel like eating at 10pm! However, this morning, I was able to prep everything as I was boiling my water for tea, and I had everything ready before I walked out the door for work. Let me tell you, walking into a house filled with the delicious aroma of barbecue is not a bad way to end a long day at work!

1 tablespoon Olive Oil
5 pounds Boneless Pork Loin Roast, trimmed (4 pounds after trimming)
12 ounces Beer
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 teaspoons Liquid Smoke
2 Shallots, minced
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/2 Onion, chopped
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
4 Sweet Potatoes
3/4 cup BBQ Sauce (I used a local favorite, Dinosaur BBQ…I may have used a bit more!) 

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; sear the roast on each side, 2-4 minutes or until slightly golden, then remove to the crock pot. Add the beer, soy sauce, liquid smoke, shallots, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, and cumin to the crock pot. Rotate the meat to coat. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 6 hours. (Ours cooked on low for 10 hours and was perfectly tender when I went to pull it.)

Before serving, scrub the sweet potatoes under cold water and pat dry. Wrap each potato in foil and bake at 400 degrees for 60-75 minutes, or until a fork poked into the potato can be easily removed without resistance. Drain all but 1/2-1 cup of liquid from the crock pot. Using 2 forks, shred the meat to desired consistency. Remove all but about 16 ounces of pork from the crock pot, add the BBQ sauce, stir, and cover to warm through for 5-10 minutes. Cut a large slit in the top of each potato and loosen the flesh to create an opening. Add 4 ounces of pulled pork to the top of each potato and serve. Freeze remaining pulled pork for another day!

SOURCE: Prevention RD

Cheddar Jalapeño Burgers

Mother Nature finally got the message that it is spring and not winter because our temperatures have been on the rise these past few days! Even though we use our grill all year, even in the snow, there is something about the first warm spring day that makes the grill scream "use me!" So, today we did! Despite some rain, we had a craving for burgers. Being that we are always searching for new flavor combinations for our burgers, I decided to give these a try. They came together very quickly and were absolutely delicious! These were the perfect way to welcome spring. Now, I just hope that this weather sticks around for a while!

1 1/2 pounds Ground Chicken (I used ground turkey)
1/2 cup Onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup Cilantro, finely chopped
2 teaspoons Jalapeño, chopped (I used 1/2 of a large jalapeño)
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Paprika
1/3 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Salt and Pepper

Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Using your hands, mix everything until well incorporated, taking care not to over mix. Form the mixture into four equal-sized patties. Cook the burgers on a grill over medium heat until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes on each side. Serve each burger on a bun topped with sour cream and guacamole, if desired (I put a little bit of bbq sauce on mine and it was delicious).

SOURCE: What's Gabby Cooking

Spicy Italian Drunken Noodles with Sausage

Even though it's officially spring, you wouldn't know it by looking outside. The temperatures have been in the upper 20's and low 30's. One minute it's clear, the next minute snow is blowing sideways in an apparent blizzard! The weather is certainly bi-polar, at least where I live. So, since it doesn't feel much like spring, I will share a comforting pasta dish that is well suited for winter. This filling pasta dish is full of flavor; the sweetness from the peppers perfectly balances the spiciness from the sausage. The original recipe says that it serves 4, but we had enough for a few days worth of food, which would come in handy if we happened to get snowed in...

2 tablespoons Olive Oil
4 links Italian Sausage (we used hot), casings removed
1 Onion, quartered and thinly sliced
 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
 1 teaspoon Italian Seasonings (I used a mix of oregano and basil)
1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 Red Bell Pepper, cored and thinly sliced
1 Orange Bell Pepper, cored and thinly sliced
1 Yellow Bell Pepper, cored and thinly sliced
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/2 cup Dry White Wine
1 (28 ounce) can Diced Tomatoes, with juices
2 tablespoons Parsley, chopped
1/4 cup Basil Leaves, julienned
8 ounces Pappardelle Noodles 

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Squeeze the sausage out of the casings and into the pan with the hot oil; break the sausage into chunks and allow it to brown on each side. Once the sausage has been cooked, remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and set it aside in a bowl. Add the onion to the pan with the sausage drippings and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until the onion starts to become golden; add salt, Italian seasonings, and black pepper, stirring to combine. Add the bell peppers and allow them to sauté with the onion for about 2 minutes, until they become slightly golden and tender. Add the garlic and once it becomes aromatic, add in the white wine, allowing it to cook until the wine has almost completely reduced, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and return the sausage to the pan. Gently stir the mixture to combine and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer for 3-4 minutes, to allow the flavors to combine. Turn off the heat and stir in about half of the parsley and basil. Prepare the noodles according to package directions. Drain the noodles well, then add them to the pan with the sausage mixture, gently tossing to coat the noodles with the sauce. Place portions of the pasta on plates or in bowls and top with remaining herbs and shaved parmesan, if desired. 

SOURCE: The Cozy Apron

Baked Burritos with Sour Cream-Poblano Sauce

It's no secret that we love Mexican food. We will eat it any chance we get. Lately, we've been stalking our local taco truck and making late night taco runs to Mighty Taco. Not the healthiest of habits, but delicious nonetheless! However, when given the opportunity, I'd rather make Mexican food at home, because then and only then can you control the ingredients that you eat. Very rarely does it take long to throw together tacos, enchiladas, or burritos, and generally the flavor is amazing. Take this dish, for example, which is spectacular, by the way. I've made it several times in the past year, which says a lot because I very rarely ever make a recipe twice (sorry Joel!). Not a single part of the recipe is difficult. Put a pepper on the grill and forget about it for a while until it gets charred. Cook up some meat and vegetables, stir in some beans and cheese, wrap in a tortilla and bake. Simple! And don't even get me started about the sauce. If I could eat it by the spoonful, I'd be happy! Pour the sauce over these crispy baked burritos, and your taste buds will smile!

For Burritos:
1 tablespoon Canola Oil
1 Onion, diced
1 pound Ground Beef (I've also used ground turkey and ground chicken)
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
1 (14 ounce) can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup Water (or broth of your choice)
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Oregano
1 1/4 teaspoon Chili Powder
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne
1 teaspoon Brown Sugar
1 cup Shredded Cheese (cheddar or monterey jack are great options) 
4-10 Tortillas, depending on size (I've used "fajita" size and made about 6) 
Spray Cooking Oil

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add the oil. Add the onions and cook for 3-5 minutes, until they begin to soften. Place the ground beef into the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned. Drain any excess fat, if necessary/desired. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, and cook for 30-60 seconds, then add the beans. Add the water, cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne, and brown sugar. Reduce the heat and simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed. To assemble the burritos, place 2-4 tablespoons of cheese at the end of each tortilla, then spoon some of the beef and bean mixture over the top. Fold the left and right sides of the tortilla in, then roll it up. Place the burrito seam-side down on a baking sheet, then sprat the top with cooking oil. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until the tortillas are golden brown and crispy.

For the Sauce:
2 Poblano Peppers
2 tablespoons Butter
1 Jalapeño Pepper, diced
2 tablespoons Flour 
2/3 cup Chicken Broth (I've also used vegetable broth)
1/2 cup Sour Cream

Blacken the poblano pepper by placing it directly over the gas burner, on the grill, or under the broiler, using tongs to turn the pepper until it is blackened on all sides. Place the peppers in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap until cool enough to handle. Peel the poblanos, remove the stem and seeds, and dice the pepper. Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add the butter. Saute the jalapeño for about a minute, then stir in the flour, cooking for an additional minute. Slowly add the broth, then the diced poblano. Continue to simmer, whisking frequently, until thickened. Add the sour cream and warm through. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, if necessary. 

To serve, spoon the sauce over the baked burritos.

SOURCE: Elly Says Opa

Spicy Pasta with Broccoli & Sausage

It's Secret Recipe Club reveal day again, and sadly, this one marks the end of summer. This month, I was assigned to Kate's blog, Food Babbles. Kate writes a wonderful blog with a great mix of sweet and savory recipes, which of course, made it very difficult to choose just one to make. As per usual, when I got my assignment, I went right to work reading every post from the beginning to the present. I had several that I immediately bookmarked, including Chicken Chorizo Empanadas, which was Kate's most recent post for First on the First, a cool monthly project that she co-hosts (that I am thinking about emailing her to see if she will accept a new member). While I didn't end up making the empanadas (yet), I ended up making this pasta dish because it seemed like just the kind of recipe that we love. And love we did! It was a great pasta recipe to bridge the gap from summer to fall, keeping things fresh and light with the broccoli and minimal ingredients, but still being a comforting, and spicy, pasta dish. Thanks, Kate, for introducing me to a recipe that I am sure will be a household staple for years to come. 

6 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
1/3 cup Olive Oil
4 cups Broccoli, chopped
1 pound Italian Sausage, casings removed (I used a hot pork sausage)
1 cup Reserved Pasta Water
1/2 cup White Wine
1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1 pound Orecchiette Pasta, or similar shape (I used small shells)
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. In a pan over medium-high heat, brown the sausage, breaking it up as it cooks. Meanwhile, in a separate pan over medium-high heat, cook the garlic in the oil for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally, until golden. Add the broccoli, 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water, wine, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is tender and the liquid is mostly evaporated. Add the sausage and pasta to the broccoli mixture and toss to combine. Add the other half of the reserved pasta water, if the remaining liquid needs thinning. Stir in the parmesan cheese and serve. 

SOURCE: Food Babbles