Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pork Carnitas

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pork Carnitas
Recipe from: Family Feasts for $75 a Week by Mary Ostyn

One 3-pound pork butt (I used a pork loin, because that's what I had!)
1 can lemon-lime soda
2 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
Twelve 8-inch flour tortillas, warmed
Salsa and sour cream or guacamole for serving

1. Trim pork of excess fat; cut into 2 to 3 inch cubes. Combine pork cubes in a large heavy pot with soda, water, and salt. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to low and continue to simmer, uncovered for 2 hours. Do not stir. (I actually transferred everything to my crockpot at this point)

2. After 2 hours, turn heat up to medium and cook, covered, until all liquid has evaporated and pork fat has rendered, about 45 minutes. Stir a few times, just often enough to keep pork from sticking hard to bottom of pan. If it starts to stick, add a little more water as you complete cooking time. When done, pork will be brown on both sides, and just a little liquid fat will remain in pot. Pork will be so tender that it will fall apart at a touch. (after it cooked all afternoon in my crockpot on low, I transferred back to the pot on the stove to cook down the juices)

3. Serve pork in warm tortillas with salsa and sour cream or guacamole. (Brandon likes the green salsa and cilantro!)

Our verdict: Great! We'll make this again for sure. Using the crockpot made it a really easy way to do the slow cooking - since I wasn't home all day! Also, our cat thought this smelled great, and was begging all evening to eat this! Even for leftovers!!! Silly cat! :)

Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

Slow-Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
Recipe from: Family Feasts for $75 a Week by Mary Ostyn

1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 to 4 pounds bone-in chicken thighs (I didn't have these, so I used boneless chicken breast)
Two 6-ounce cans tomato paste
Two 4-ounce cans sliced mushrooms (we don't like mushrooms, so I left these out)
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon celery powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

1. Layer onion over bottom of a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker. Add chicken pieces to cooker. Combine next 12 ingredients and red pepper, if using. Pour over chicken in cooker. Cover and cook on Low 7 to 9 hours or on High 3 or 4 hours.
2. Serve over pasta or rice.

The verdict: REALLY good! Brandon really liked this a lot - said it reminded him a little of mole - which is one of his favorites! :) It had a good amount of heat, and flavor - but not overwhelming - it had a touch of sweetness, but it wasn't too sweet! Very dark and earthy tasting - but really really good!! I will make this again for sure!! (I served it with pasta)

Tex-Mex Beef Barbecue Sandwiches

Originally posted March 29, 2011

This was dinner tonight - first time I'd made it, but it's DEFINITELY going in our rotation of favorites! SUPER yummy, way easy!! The house smelled great when I got home from work! I didn't have a brisket, so I used a rump roast, and that worked great. My roast was relatively fat free, so I didn't have a lot to trim off which was nice. The sauce was a perfect combo of tangy, smoky and spicy. I think this would make great pulled pork sandwiches as well - using a pork loin (which are REALLY inexpensive at Cash & Carry by the way) or pork roast. I'll have to try that next time! I used onion rolls with this and they were perfect! Can't wait to eat this for lunch again tomorrow!! :)

**I've made this several more times since March, and we love it every time!!!

Tex-Mex Beef Barbecues
Recipe from Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 1 fresh beef brisket (3-1/2 pounds)
• 1 jar (18 ounces) hickory smoke-flavored barbecue sauce
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 envelope chili seasoning
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 14 hamburger buns, split

Directions

• Cut brisket in half; place in a 5-qt. slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the barbecue sauce, onion, chili seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and lemon juice. Pour over beef. Cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or until meat is tender.
• Remove beef; cool slightly. Shred and return to the slow cooker. Heat through. Serve on buns. Yield: 14 servings.

Beef Barley Lentil Soup

Originally posted March 29, 2011 (a few notes added at the end - since I've made this a number of times now)

Both Brandon and I really enjoy soup! In fact my dream some day is to own/run a Soup Shack - you know when I have my pumpkin patch/Christmas tree farm with goats and donkeys. Someday....

Anyway, I tried this soup and it was REALLY good!! A couple of differences from the original recipe - I cooked it on the stove top instead of using the crockpot. I'm a HUGE fan of my crockpot, but I was home during spring break, so I decided to just cook this on the stove instead! Also, I accidentally left out the tomatoes. I don't think I'll put them in the next time either! It was super yummy the way it was - so why change it?!? :) Neither of us are HUGE tomato fans, we like them in things, but they're not our favorite - so we were perfectly happy without them! I think I might add a little more of the lemon pepper next time too.


** I've made this several times since originally posted it, and we really love it. I've not ever put the tomatoes in, and we love it without them. I have made it in the crockpot as well as on the stove top, and either way works great! This makes a LOT of soup - and company has enjoyed it! Definitely one of our favorite soups!!


Beef Barley Lentil Soup
Recipe from Taste of Home

• 1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cups cubed red potatoes (1/4-inch pieces)
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
• 1/2 cup medium pearl barley
• 8 cups water
• 2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules (I used 4 cups of beef broth and the rest water1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning (I would use a little more next time!)
• 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) stewed tomatoes (I didn't use)

Directions

• In a nonstick skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
• Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker. Layer with the potatoes, celery, carrots, lentils and barley. Combine the water, bouillon, salt and lemon-pepper; pour over vegetables. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until vegetables and barley are tender.
• Add the tomatoes; cook 2 hours longer. Yield: 10 servings.