Root Beer Pulled Pork Sandwiches

I've always been intrigued by dinner foods that call for everyday, but off-the-wall ingredients...like soda pop, but I have this problem that has thus far prevented me from ever trying one of those recipes myself.  It turns out that when you don't give your kids the opportunity to have a food (or carbonated beverage) very often, that it becomes a  forbidden fruit which sends them into frenzied sneaking behaviors whenever it's in the house (no teenage boy's names mentioned).  

After a couple of failed attempts at having all the ingredients for this dish in stock, I finally decided to hide the root beer in a place where they would never find it before I needed it---the bottom of their empty clothes hamper.  :)    I got the pork started while the kids were in school, so they didn't actually see me adding the root beer, but it didn't seem to matter whether they knew of the presence of soda (or "pop" if you live in the West),  they still devoured these tender, flavorful sandwiches with the reckless abandon of red meat/soda deprived children.  :) The kids and hubby all gave it five stars....while I gave it a four star rating for wishing the sauce was a little thicker.  In any case, they're good, easy, and perfect for a summer gathering!  Enjoy! 

 Source:  Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book

Click here for printable recipe. 

The ingredients:

2-1/2 to 3 -pound pork sirloin roast
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
2 medium onions, cut into thin wedges
4 cups root beer, divided  (DON'T use diet root beer)
2 Tbs. minced garlic
1 bottle  (12-ounces)  chili sauce
Several dashes bottled hot pepper sauce, to taste (optional)
8-10 hamburger buns, toasted
Lettuce leaves
Tomato slices

Directions:  Trim fat from meat if necessary.  Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper.  In a large skillet brown meat on all sides in hot oil.  Drain off fat.  Transfer meat to slow cooker.  Add onions, only ONE CUP of the root beer, and garlic.
  Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours. 

Meanwhile, for sauce, in medium saucepan combine the remaining root beer (3 cups) and the jar of chili sauce.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Boil gently, uncovered, stirring occasionally , about 30 minutes or until mixture has reduced to 2 cups.  If desired, add hot pepper sauce to taste.   

Transfer meat to a cutting board.  With a slotted spoon remove onions and set aside.  Discard cooking juices.  Using 2 forks, pull meat apart into shreds.  To serve, if desire, line TOASTED buns with lettuce leaves and tomato slices.  Add meat and onions; spoon on sauce. 

Enjoy! 


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French Dip Sandwiches in the Slow Cooker

Hello, chefs. 

Look at your sandwich....

now look at mine.

Sadly, your sandwich isn’t like mine. But if you stopped using pasty colored nut butters and switched to tender juicy chunks of beef oozing with melty Swiss cheese, it could smell and taste like my sandwich.
Look down, back up, where are you?

You’re in your kitchen with the French Dip sandwich your family will drool over.....

I’m on a horse. 

Yee haw!

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients: (crusty rolls, water, salt and pepper not pictured)

2 Tbs. oil
2-1/2 to 3 lbs. beef roast
Salt, pepper
2 packages (1-ounce each) dry onion soup mix
2 cups water
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) beef broth
1 package (16-ounces) sliced Swiss cheese
Crusty buns or rolls


Directions:  Over medium-high heat, heat olive oil in a large pot or skillet.  While oil is heating, sprinkle all sides of the roast with salt and pepper.  When the oil is very hot, carefully place the roast in the pan and sear it on all sides.  (NOTE:  This process shouldn't take more than a few minutes. You're only browning the outside of the roast, not trying to cook it through). 



Transfer the browned roast to your slow cooker.  Sprinkle the onion soup mixes over the roast and add water and beef broth. 

Cook on HIGH for 4-6 hours or on LOW for 8-10 hours.  When the meat shreds easily with a fork, shred the entire roast.
 
Serve on sliced crusty rolls with a slice of Swiss cheese.  If desired, you can toast them before serving by broiling them in the oven for a minute or two.   


Serve with the juices from the slow cooker as the au jus sauce for dipping. 

Enjoy!


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3 more quick things:  

1.  If you decide to broil yours, be sure to move the oven rack down a notch or two and don't leave the room to go watch Old Spice commercials.  My first batch was in the oven for all of 2 minutes before they caught fire.  Thank goodness I was right there to put it out quickly. 

2.   A special thanks to my daughter, Cami, for being a good sport while I subjected her to a goofy photo shoot and also to the people behind  Our Best Bites cookbook for yet another great recipe. 

3.  Don't miss a single recipe.  Sign up on the right to become an email subscriber. 


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Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Peanut Noodles

The sun is out, the flower buds are poking their heads out,  and I've got spring fever in a bad way!  I have all these house projects calling out for my attention and all I want to do is go outside and soak up the sunshine and vitamin d that my body is craving. So what's a girl to do?   More and more the answer to that question for me is to pull out the crockpot, throw in a low-maintenance dinner, then run a gazillion miles an hour to cross things off my list, only to return a few hours later to an already made dinner.  It's awesome!   I found this  fabulous slow cooker recipe  over at 365 Days of Crockpot (a treasure trove of non-mushy crockpot recipes all rated with 1-5 stars).  We love Thai food at our house and Karen had given this one a full 5 stars, so we figured it would be a perfect dish to try on a crazy day (um, I guess with five kids, you could call every day a crazy day around here, but that's beside the point).    It was easy to throw together and totally fresh tasting with the lime/cilantro flavor combination. Kids and hubby alike enjoyed this one topped with honey roasted peanuts!  Enjoy!  

Click here for printable recipe. 

The ingredients:

1-1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
1 red bell pepper, cut into short, thin strips
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like things)
2 Tbs. cornstarch
1/4 cup lime juice
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
3/4 cup chopped peanuts or cashews (we really liked it with honey roasted peanuts)
3/4 cup chopped cilantro
Cooked spaghetti noodles or rice

Directions:  Place chicken, bell pepper, broth, soy sauce, garlic, and red pepper flakes in slow cooker. 

Cover and cook on LOW for 3 hours.  Mix cornstarch with lime juice in small bowl until smooth. 

Turn slow cooker on HIGH.  Stir in peanut butter and cornstarch mixture. 

Cover and cook 30 minutes or until sauce is thickened and chicken is no longer pink.  Stir well. 

Serve over  spaghetti noodles or rice.  Sprinkle with nuts and cilantro.  Enjoy!

Creamy Lime Chicken and Peppers (in the Slow Cooker)

This creamy lime chicken (made in the slow cooker) was a breath of fresh air on a busy day.  I chopped up the peppers early in the day, then threw it all in the crockpot together about 4-1/2 hours before dinnertime.  The roux goes in right before serving and voila…a beautiful looking, zesty, flavorful, and healthy dinner!  This recipe came from my favorite slow cooker cookbook: 365 Days of Slow Cooking!

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:

2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
4 Tbs. lime juice, divided
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1-1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken tenders
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 red pepper, cut into long strips
1 green pepper, cut into long strips
1 yellow pepper, cut into long strips
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup flour, divided
1 cup half-and-half (or whole milk)
1 lb. spinach fettuccine (or regular fettuccine), cooked and drained
cilantro, chopped (for garnishment)


Directions:  Combine garlic, broth, 2 Tablespoons lime juice, soy sauce, chicken, red onion, and peppers in slow cooker.  Stir to coat chicken.  Cook on LOW for about 4 hours. 


In a large skillet, melt butter over low heat.  As soon as butter is melted sprinkle in 1/4 cup of flour.  Stir with wire whisk.  Slowly add in whole milk (or half-and-half) and stir with whisk.  Take a measuring cup and dip it in the slow cooker and get about 1/2 cup of the liquid.  Pour it into the skillet.  Add in the rest of the flour (another 1/4 cup) and stir.  Get more liquid from slow cooker (exact measurements not important) and add it into the creamy mixture.   Add in the remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice to the cream mixture. 


Pour sauce over the contents of the slow cooker.  Stir to combine.  Add in cooked pasta and coat with sauce.  Garnish with cilantro.  Makes 4-6 servings.  Enjoy! 

Cashew Chicken in the Crockpot

Moist, tender chicken thighs in an Asian style sauce, this crockpot dish was yet another winner in our house.  It’s totally worth the couple of extra minutes of prep time to brown the chicken, since it really seems to richen the flavor.  It’s also worth the effort to find chicken thighs instead of breasts, since they seem to make it even more authentically Asian.  I found this recipe over at  365 days of crockpot—a great place for slow cooker recipes in any variety!    

Click here for printable recipe.

The ingredients:

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thigh tenders (not chicken breasts)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbs. canola oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbs. rice vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 Tbs. ketchup
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 cup cashews, toasted and coarsely chopped (I used 3/4 cup)
Hot cooked rice
Fresh chopped cilantro (for garnishing)



Directions: Combine flour and pepper in resealable food storage bag.  Add chicken thigh tenders.  Shake to coat with flour mixture.  Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown chicken about 2 minutes on each side.


Place chicken and all accumulated juices in slow cooker.  Combine soy sauce, vinegar, water, ketchup, sugar, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes in small bowl; pour over chicken.  Cook on LOW for 3-4  hours.  Add cashews just before serving.  Serve hot over rice.  Makes 4-6 servings.  

Enjoy!!!