Oven Roasted Pulled Pork

I'm not a huge meat eater, and my recipe index clearly shows that. Poultry is okay, and I love fish, but beef and pork usually get the short end of the stick. A pulled pork sandwich however, is a little different. I love bbq sauce (Sweet Baby Ray's is in the pic!), and the meat itself is irresistibly tender, not at all tough. Slow roasting meat in the oven is the way to go I tell ya! The bone literally fell off when I moved it from my dutch oven to a plate. 

I chose Paula Dean's recipe, because of all the stellar reviews, though I did alter it slightly. I thought there was too much salt, pepper, and cayenne, and like many reviewers, I added the garlic powder to the rub instead of the juice. I've reflected my changes below. We had this sandwich along with my new favorite salad, making a wonderful summer lunch. Bon appetit!

Oven Roasted Pulled Pork

Ingredients

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

4 pound shoulder pork roast

2 cups apple juice

1 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons Worcestershire

Hamburger buns

Your fave barbecue sauce

Directions

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a small bowl. Sprinkle rub all over the pork roast, pressing into the pork. Cover with plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours (I did mine overnight, so it was ready to go in the morning).

Combine liquid ingredients, and pour into a large Dutch oven. Place pork in the oven, and tightly cover with aluminum foil, then lid. Roast for 4 hours or until fork tender and shreds easily. Brush or baste with cooking liquid every hour.

Remove from oven and let stand until cool enough to handle. Shred pork with a fork or tongs into bite size pieces.

Serve on hamburger buns topped with your favorite barbecue sauce y'all!

Recipe Source: adapted from Paula Dean, via foodnetwork.com

Avocado and Strawberry Salad with Honey Dressing

Summer is a time for salad. Fresh beautiful produce is everywhere, and it's too enticing to pass up. The second I saw this salad on this month's round up of No Croutons Required, I knew it had to be mine. I had everything but the strawberries, so I added it to my grocery list before heading to the store that afternoon. I forgot how sweet and juicy fresh strawberries are when they are in season. They are like candy, and I adore them. Speaking of candy, I added some candied pecans, which took it to a whole other level. With a sweet and sour dressing, this is probably one of my new favorite salads! Plus, look how pretty it is!!

One doesn't need exact measurements for ingredients, as it's very much up to personal taste. Below, I've simply listing the ingredients I used, followed by the recipe for the dressing. Make this salad immediately!

I'm also submitting this to Souper (Soup, Salad, and Sammies) Sundays over at Kahakai Kitchen!

Avocado and Strawberry Salad with Honey Dressing

Ingredients

For the salad:

Avocado

Strawberries

Greens of choice (I used spinach)

Nuts of choice (I used candied pecans)

Dressing for two:

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients.

Peal avocado, and cut into chunks or wedges, then wash and slice strawberries.

Arrange greens in salad bowls. Top with avocados, strawberries, and nuts. Drizzle with dressing, and serve immediately.

Recipe Source: adapted from Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey

Coconut Sheet Cake

This cake seems to be one of my mom's favorites. In the few times I've visited home over the past two years, this cake has made an appearance twice, this past weekend being the second, and I was the one to make it. The cake is ultra moist, and topped with a thick slab of coconut-cream cheese frosting. Be warned, there is a lot of frosting. Some people are frosting people, but I am not one of them. Though this frosting is exquisite, I will probably half the amount next time. My mom also adds a little coconut extract to the cake batter for extra coconut goodness. I'll have to add some next time as well! Mom knows best.

From start to finish, this cake comes together in no time, so there's no excuse for not making it immediately. Enjoy this southern classic!

 

Coconut Sheet Cake

Ingredients

3 large eggs

1 (8-ounce) container sour cream

1/3 cup water

1 (8.5 ounce) can cream of coconut

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (18.5-ounce) package white cake mix

Coconut-cream cheese frosting (recipe below)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease and flour a 13x9-inch baking pan.

Beat eggs on high speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Add sour cream, water, and next two ingredients, beating well after each addition. Add cake mix, beating at low speed just until blended. Beat at high speed for two minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake in a pan on a wire rack. Cover pan with plastic wrap, and freeze 30 minutes. Remove cake from freezer.

Spread coconut-cream cheese frosting on top of chilled cake. Cover and store in the refrigerator.

Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting   

Ingredients

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

3 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted

1 (7-ounce) package sweetened flaked coconut

Directions

Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixture until creamy. Add milk and vanilla, beating well. Gradually add sugar, beating until smooth. Stir in coconut. 

This frosting is very thick and rich.

Recipe Source: adapted from Southern Living: Our Readers Top-Rated Recipes

Mediterranean Eggplant and Barley Salad

A new goal of mine is to incorporate more whole grains into my diet, and this salad was the first of many in achieving that goal. I really like barley, though hardly ever make it! It's chewy, nutty, and super healthy, providing over 50% of one's daily fiber! 

Salads like this are also great to have around, and they keep very well, so you have a healthy meal/side dish in the fridge waiting for you whenever you want it. This recipe was pretty easy to make, though a bit time consuming. The end result is totally worth is though! Lots of veggies, tons of fresh herbs, you feel good eating it. Please keep in mind this recipe yields a lot, probably 8 full servings. Luckily, I was able to share with friends at a pizza making soirée last night, and still have plenty left for me! Enjoy!

Mediterranean Eggplant and Barley Salad

Ingredients

1 1/2 pound eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

3/4 pound zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

10 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil*

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 cup chopped scallion

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne (adjust to taste-I used about 1/8 teaspoon, I could've used a bit more)

1 1/4 cup pearl barley

2 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, quartered

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

Crumbled feta to garnish (optional...I guess)-omit to make vegan or dairy free

Directions

Preheat oven to 425F. Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven.

Toss eggplant and zucchini with 5 tablespoons oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl, then spread in 2 baking sheets lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Roast vegetables in oven, stirring occasionally, and switching position of pans halfway through baking, until vegetables are golden and tender, 20-25 minutes total. Combine vegetables in 1 pan and cool, reserving the other pan for cooling barley.

Meanwhile, cook the barley. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 3 to 4 quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook scallion, cumin, coriander, and cayenne, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add barley and cook, stirring until well coated with oil, 2 minutes more. Add stock and water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until all of the liquid is absorbed and barley is tender, 30-40 minutes, adding more water if the pot dries out (I added a teensy bit). Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Transfer to reserved shallow baking pan and spread to quickly cool, uncovered, to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

While barley is cooling, make the dressing. Whisk together lemon juice, garlic, sugar, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 3 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Add cooled barley, roasted vegetables, and remaining ingredients to bowl with dressing, and toss until well combined. Top with feta, if desired (you desire it).

*I hardly ever measure the amount of oil I use in cooking, I usually just drizzle until it looks right. That being said, I don't think I used 10 tablespoons of olive oil for this recipe.

Recipe Source: adapted from Gourmet 2006, via Epicurious.com

Classic Sour Cream-Topped Cheesecake

Thursday was Chris' birthday. Every year I ask him what cake he wants, and he always says cheesecake. Even when I ask what kind of layered frosted cake he likes best, he doesn't budge, still deeming cheesecake the best. Honestly, who can blame the guy. Cheesecake is incredible, and also one of my favorites. It's such a treat to have cheesecake, since I hardly ever make it. Now that I think about it, I only make it once a year for his birthday! That being said, I think this is the best cheesecake I've made yet. It didn't crack at all which is an achievement by itself. Look how perfect it came out!

Since Chris had a 30-page paper due on his birthday (gross) and I had a concert in the evening, we celebrated with a small potluck last night. It was an interesting menu to say the least. We had a beautiful spring salad with goat cheese, pistachios, and dried cranberries, topped with a fig walnut vinaigrette (thanks Katelyn!), I made rice to go along with some awesome pinto beans (thanks Dan!), a very authentic Bah Kut Teh (thanks AikKhai!), a baguette, red wine (thanks Megumi!), and this cheesecake I made for my honey. It was such an odd combination, but I wouldn't have had it any other way. It was a great night, with good company, delicious food, and a rather intense puzzle (still working on it guys!). We are very fortunate to have such wonderful people in our lives. 

 

Anyhoo, back to the cheesecake! It was super easy to prepare, and I can't recommend it enough. This recipe didn't come from a big name magazine or website like Cooks Illustrated or Bon Appetit, but instead came from good ole Kraft. It's classic, simple, and perfect. If you're looking for a no frills recipe, I think this is it. It also makes for a great breakfast if I do say so myself! Enjoy!

Classic Sour Cream-Topped Cheesecake

Ingredients

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided**
3 tablespoons butter
3 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, divided
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups sour cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 325F.

Mix together graham cracker crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and butter. Press onto bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

While the crust is baking, beat together cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar, lemon zest, juice, and 1/2 a teaspoon of the vanilla, until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over prepared crust.

{I then placed a small metal bread pan in the oven with some hot water in it. I had intended on doing a water bath, but forgot. I don't know whether it did anything or not to prevent the cake from cracking, but it obviously didn't hurt!}  

Bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour, or until the center is almost set. Mix sour cream, remaining sugar, and remaining teaspoon vanilla until well blended. Carefully spread over cheesecake. Bake 10 minutes. Run a knife around the rim of the pan to loosen the cake. Cool before removing rim.

Refrigerate 4 hours before serving. Eat plain, or top with jam or a fruit compote (I had some leftover strawberry compote I made. Num!).

**I kept the sugar in a separate small bowl through out the whole process. I took what I needed, so in the end I dumped what was remaining into the sour cream for the topping.

Recipe Source: adapted from Kraft