Wondering what to make for dinner?

My friend Wendy makes the most delicious pulled pork sandwiches ever. ever! EVER!!  This coming from someone who doesn’t care for pork.  She served them to us for dinner one evening a few months ago and I made a complete PIG of myself! 😉  (pun intended)   She served the pulled pork inside the most delicious homemade wheat rolls, and I think I gained 5.8 lbs. that very night.  I guess you could say I love Wendy’s pulled pork sandwiches.  So, you can imagine my delight when she showed up to our monthly cooking session this month with her spices and a few pork shoulders, if I were a gymnast I would have done a hand-stand right on the spot!  Needless to say, I’ve served pulled pork sandwiches for two dinners this month, last night being one of them.  Here’s a picture for you, and the recipe just in case you feel like doing a couple hand-stands yourself.   You could serve them up for your 4th of July celebration, they’ll be the hit of the party, guaranteed!

 

Pulled Pork Sandwhiches  (adapted from America’s Test Kitchen)

3-4 lb. pork shoulder
Enough dry rub to cover pork shoulder (½ of recipe below)
Rolls
Barbeque sauce

Dry Rub for Barbeque Pork

4 tablespoons sweet paprika
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground white pepper
1-2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (if you don’t like spicy, just reduce or eliminate this one)

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.
Makes enough rub for at least two medium roasts.  Rub entire roast down, place in crockpot on low, cook all day.  When done, shred pork using two forks.  Shredded meat will absorb liquid in bottom of pot.  Serve on warm rolls, and top with barbeque sauce (we love Sweet Baby Ray’s.)  Coleslaw is always yummy  on the side.

waving goodbye to what FIG-ure I once had!

I’ve had a love for fig cookies ever since I was a kid.  Yesterday I made them in my kitchen for the first time, and let’s just say, it definitely won’t be the last!

Yummy Fig Cookies

Filling:
1 lb. raisins
1 lb. dried figs
1 ½ cups honey
1 cup water
1 small orange
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

Cookie:
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 ½ teaspoon baking powder
5 ½ cups flour
1 teaspoon salt

Begin by grinding figs and raisins.  Add finely grated orange rind.  Place in a sauce pan and add honey, water, cinnamon, and vanilla.  Boil for 15-20 minutes, stirring until condensed like jam.  Set aside to cool.

For cookie dough, cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs.  Measure vanilla into milk.  Mix dry ingredients together.  Then add dry ingredients and milk alternately to creamed mixture.  Mix well.
Refrigerate dough for at least one hour.

Roll dough out thin, and cut into rounds using small biscuit cutter.  Place about a tablespoon of cooled filling between two dough circles, pinching edges together.  Prick the top of the dough and bake 35o° for 15 minutes (till golden brown.)

Introducing Clover

Meet the newest addition to our growing little farm, she was  born just hours ago! 

My Favorite Color To Eat

Currently Reading…

Curling up today ~ in between sessions of photo editing, housework,  and orchestrating a reasonable level of peace around here ~ to get lost in these:

I’d love to hear what you’re reading!   ???

Sweet-Tooth Consoling Dessert

I dare you to make this for dessert … you’ll never be the same.  and neither will your thighs!

I discovered this recipe last night on a box of puff pastry in my freezer, my sweet tooth was screaming out for some satisfaction.  I made the recipe, and then adapted it for you(see below) to build individual desserts, rather than a big one that you have to slice (like the one in this picture.)  Better for presentation… and much less messy.

Strawberry Napoleon

1 package of puff pastry sheets
1 pkg. (3 ½ oz) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling mix
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
2 tsp. milk
1 ½ cups fresh or frozen sliced strawberries
1 square (1 oz) semi-sweet chocolate

Thaw pastry sheets at room temperature 40 min.  Heat oven to
400 degrees.  Lightly grease baking sheet.
unfold pastry sheets on lightly floured surface.  Cut into 3 strips
along fold marks.  Then cut each strip into three squares. 
Place on baking sheets.  Bake 15 min or till golden brown. 
Remove from baking sheets and cool on wire racks.

Prepare pudding mix according to package directions with 1 cup of
milk in large bowl.  Fold in whipped cream (after you’ve whipped it.)  Cover and refrigerate. 
Stir confectioners’ sugar and 2 tsp. milk in small bowl.  Spread
confectioners’ sugar mixture on six pastry squares. 

Spread a large spoonful of pudding mixture on 1 pastry square. 
Top with a handful of strawberry slices.  Repeat layers.  Top with
iced pastry square.  Repeat to make six desserts.  Drizzle desserts
with melted chocolate.  Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 4 hr.

So…. what are you waiting for???

Photo Session Made Purrrfect

Sometimes props make warming up to the camera a little easier… especially alive, furry, purring ones!  Hmmm… wonder how a kitten would work out in my camera (arsenal)bag???

 

Yee-Haw

Robbyn+Ron… Part III

That is a REAL train coming up the tracks in the two photos below, did we luck out or what?!!!  Thanks for being such a trooper, Ron!  I had so much fun with you guys!