Crockpot Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork

You can't go wrong with 3 ingredients.

The best part about this dish is that the Crockpot does most of the work. 

Ingredients

4-5 pounds pork loin or pork butt or pork shoulder

1 can or bottle Dr. Pepper (not diet)

1 bottle of your favorite BBQ Sauce (to taste)

Place pork in the bottom of your Crockpot and  pour Dr Pepper over it.

 Cook on high  4-5 hours or on low 7-8 hours. 

Meat should be tender. Shred using forks and let the pork soak up the juices.

Add BBQ Sauce to taste and cook an additional 20 minutes. Serve on hamburger buns. 

Tip: Crockpot liners are wonderful. No mess, no fuss and clean-up is a snap. I found Sweet Baby Ray's original bbq sauce had the best flavor for this dish, but you can choose which tang and smokiness flavor you love best.

Utah Scones or Navajo Tacos / Fry Bread

Utah Scones are not your ordinary English scones that look like bumpy biscuits and are served with tea. Utah scones are deep fried pillows of fluff and can be served with honey, syrup, or eaten with refried beans like a Navajo taco. I absolutely love this recipe. Enjoy.

Utah Scones
4 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
8 to 10 cups flour
Heat buttermilk; pour into a large mixing bowl. Dissolve yeast in buttermilk. Then add to the buttermilk: sugar, eggs, oil, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and 6 cups flour. Beat until smooth.  Add remaining flour to make moderately stiff dough. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and allow rising until doubled in bulk.  punch down. Cover and place in refrigerator overnight. Roll out 1/2-inch thick and cut into squares just before frying in hot, deep vegetable oil 375 degrees.

Serve with Honey Butter, beat 1 cup softened butter with 1 cups honey until fluffy.

Tip: I have made this recipe and used it the same day..it was good, but the consistency is better if you let the dough rest overnight in the fridge. You can double this recipe and keep it in the fridge up to a week. You can also freeze this. Just make sure to let it defrost in the fridge before using it, to allow the yeast to rise again.

Merry Christmas

My kids are so excited that we'll be having a white Christmas. With their urging I ran outside to take a quick picture.
We wish you all a very blessed and a very Merry Christmas!

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Why Not Wednesday Mango Chutney

I forgot to post this delicious Chutney yesterday so why not today. This Mango Chutney goes really well with Pork Chops, Chicken, you name it. If you like it a little spicy just add more red pepper flakes. It's up to you.

Fresh Mango Chutney

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
• 1 large yellow bell pepper, diced
• 3 large ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and diced
• 1 can crushed pineapple
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder ( totally optional)
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (or whatever you have on hand)
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup macadamia nuts

Directions

Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the red pepper flakes and cook until they begin to sizzle, then stir in the onion. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally until the onions have softened, about 20 minutes. Remove the lid, increase the heat to medium, and stir in the ginger and yellow bell pepper. Cook and stir until the ginger is fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the mangoes, pineapple, brown sugar, curry powder, raisins, nuts, and vinegar. Bring to a simmer, and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to reduce liquid. Cool the chutney and eat with pork chops or chicken. Can store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for about a week or so.

Monday Gratitudes- Back to School

Okay! This summer went by way to fast. There were still a million things that I wanted to do with the kids. We still had a great summer.
Here are a few pictures of the kids the first day of school. My oldest had already gone to school before I pulled the camera out.

My youngest started Kindergarten.

Of course he received the traditional Schultüte. Buzz Lightyear theme. He had so much fun opening it and finding fun school supplies and candy inside.

He's so excited to

finally be a big boy. I hope he'll grow into his book bag. It's almost as big as he is and he's really not that small of a kid. Funny.

Try-it Tuesdays Broccoli Slaw

This is such a wonderful tasting salad. I had this at a get together over the weekend and was surprised at how easy this was to put together. Great for a picnic, potluck, or just for family. I did tweak the ingredients a bit. If you are fat conscious then please omit the ramen noodles. the slaw still tastes fabulous. Enjoy!

Fresh Broccoli Slaw
2 packs ramen noodles
2 bags broccoli slaw
small minced red onion
2 stalks celery, minced
1/3 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1/3 cup pineapple, diced or green apple, diced
1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds or slivered almonds

Dressing Mix:
1 seasoning packet from Ramen noodle
3/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup brown or white sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

pinch of salt

Directions:
Put the ramen noodles in a bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Place the shredded broccoli into bowl and toss with the noodles, almonds, and sunflower seeds. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Garnish with chopped onions. You can also add some of the pineapple juice to the dressing mix. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Let this sit for at least a half hour, stirring a few times.

Monday Gratitudes-Happy Independence Day

Grateful that on July 4, 1776, we claimed our independence from Britain and Democracy was born.
Grateful to live in this wonderful country.
Grateful to all those that came before me, to make all of this possible.
Grateful for the blessings all around me.
Hope you all had a blessed 4th!

Try-it Tuesdays Spritzgebäck

I remember piping these cookies out as a kid and trying to spell my name. They are traditionally a Christmas Cookie but are fun any time of the year.

These cookies are made by pressing dough through a piping bag to create fun forms. They are delicate, crispy, and have a wonderful buttery taste. You can garnish them with fruit, dip them in chocolate, or even sprinkle with decorating sugars, etc.

Spritzgebäck

1 cup butter
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
3 whole eggs
1/4 Tbsp. vanilla extract

grated rind from 1/2 lemon
1 1/2 cups ground almonds or hazelnuts
3 cups flour

Cream butter and gradually add sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla or lemon rind. Beat well, while gradually adding the nuts and flour. Knead the dough briefly.

To form the cookies, use a piping bag or cookie press. Press the dough through the bag or press onto a baking sheet 1 inch apart in the form of dics, rings, sticks, or S-shapes.

Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes or until light brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Monday Gratitudes-Fathers

I am grateful to know several wonderful, inspirational, strong, and loving Father's. That includes my Father, my Husband, my Brother, and my Brother In-laws. They all have different strengths and qualities and I'm grateful to know them and to learn from them.
Two of my favorite quotes about Fathers are:

"...Fatherhood is not a matter of station or wealth; it is a matter of desire, diligence, and determination.... If that prize is lost, nothing else really matters" -Ezra Taft Benson

"God bless you, dear fathers. May He bless you with wisdom and judgment, with understanding, with self-discipline and self-control, with faith and kindness and love. And may He bless the sons and daughters who have come into your homes, that yours may be a fortifying, strengthening, guiding hand as they walk the treacherous path of life. As the years pass—and they will pass ever so quickly—may you know that "peace... which passeth all understanding" (Philip. 4:7) as you look upon your sons and daughters, who likewise have known that sacred and wonderful peace. - Gordon B. Hinckley