North Carolina-Style Pulled Pork

Who doesn't like a good pulled pork Sammy? I've always had traditional BBQ pork sandwiches. You know, the kind with the red BBQ sauce. And they were good. But then I found out about this other kind of sauce. The vinegar based "Carolina-style".  And I was hooked! Mine is a bit spicy, but that makes it so much better.  My girls absolutely love the sauce.... They would love to drink it, lol!  Not really, but they do load the sandwiches up with extra sauce.  Make sure to let it rest overnight for added flavor.
I make the a large pork shoulder and double the sauce. It serves a nice dinner for 8-10 and leftovers.
I use my gas grill, but if you do use a charcoal grill, you may want to add seasoned wood chips.  And you need to cook it over indirect heat. Indirect heat is as the name suggests, the food is placed next to,not directly over the fire.  This method is used for cooking larger pieces of meat that require long, slow cooking at a low or moderate temperature(275-350). My grill has 3 burners and I light the two outside and put the meat on the center burner.  It works perfectly.  
I found a great way to shred the pork, place it in a mixer bowl and gently mix with the paddle attachment. It takes only a few minutes.


Pulled Pork

1 8 pound bone-in pork shoulder, with skin
1 head of garlic, peeled and separated
3/4 cup Memphis Shake
2 batches North Carolina-Style BBQ Sauce
8-10 round rolls

Make small holes all over the meat with a sharp knife and insert the cloves of garlic.  Rub the meat with the Memphis Shake,  cover and allow to sit in the fridge overnight.
Prepare an outdoor grill with an indirect medium-hot fire. Place the pork on an aluminum pan, skin side up with 1 1/4 cups of water. Place the pan on he cooler part of the grill. 
Make sure that the grill stays at a medium-hot temperature. Rotate the pork in about 3-4 hours. This will ensure that it is cooking evenly.
Cook the meat until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork registers 180 degrees, about 6 hours.
Set aside 1 quart of the sauce. With the remaining 1 quart of the sauce you will mop the surface of the pork with the sauce every 20 minutes until the instant read thermometer reads 200 degrees, 1-2 hours more.
Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest for a good 15 minutes.  Remove the outside skin and dis guard.  Cut large chunks from the meat and shred. Toss with the reserved sauce. About 1 cup sauce to every 3 cups meat. Pile the pork on the rolls and enjoy.  

Memphis Shake
Whisk 1/4 cup sweet paprika
          3 tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
          2 tbsp dried oregano
          2 tbsp granulated garlic
           1 tbsp ancho chili powder
           2 tsp kosher salt
           1 tsp celery salt

store in an airtight container.


North Carolina-Style BBQ sauce

3 cups cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 TBSP crushed red pepper
1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Heat the vinegar and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. remove from the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients.  Makes about 1 quart.

French Onion Soup

I have always loved French Onion Soup. I love the onions. I love the broth.  I love the gooey cheese. I love the crusty bread. And I love how it is so damn hot, that you have to slurp it to really get the experience. ( my girls HATE this part)



1 stick of unsalted butter
6 large onions (i used 3 Vidalia, 3 yellow) thinly sliced
1 cup Dry White Wine
4 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
4 cups beef broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
Worcestershire sauce ( a few dashes, to taste)
Crusty bread (6 slices)
Gruyere cheese, grated
(or your favorite Swiss)

Preheat oven to 400.
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, covered for 20 minutes.
After the 20 minutes, place the pot with the lid slightly ajar into the oven and cook for an hour or so. Stirring once so the onions do not burn.
Remove pot from oven and return to stove top.  Add the wine and stir, getting all of the burned little bits off of the pot. Turn the heat to medium high. Cook for a few minutes, allowing the wine to reduce.  Add both of the broths, the garlic, and a few dashes of Worcestershire. I used about 10.  Lower the heat to low and simmer for 30-45 minutes.
 Set the oven to broil.
Butter your slices of bread and toast under the broiler for a few minutes. 
Ladle your soup into 6 oven safe bowls or ramekins. Place the bowls on a baking sheet for easy handling  Top each with a slice of toasted bread and a generous handful of grated cheese.
Broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden in color. 
Serve immediately.


Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Perfect Salmon

My family loves salmon. We try to have it as much as possible for a few reasons; it is very healthy
super easy to make, and everyone will eat it.

i found the recipe from  The Pioneer Woman. She served hers with a caper sauce that I loved, but never seem to remember to make. So usually we just eat it plain. But it is delicious!!

I make half of it with salt and pepper and half with Wegman's BBQ seasoning.  If you haven't tried Wegman's BBQ seasoning- you must go out and get some today!!! It is great!!

So, you get a nice piece of salmon and lay it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Drizzle this beautiful fish with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, Wegman's BBQ seasoning, or your favorite seasoning. 
Place this in a COLD oven and set the oven to 400. Bake for 25-30 minutes. This is perfect every single time. Tender, moist, and flaky.

My daughter makes this at college, and it comes out perfect for her too. Since she only cooks a small portion she checks on it at 20 minutes. 

Rosemary and Garlic Grilled Shrimp

I try to always have some frozen shrimp in the freezer for emergencies. It is very quick to defrost under some cold running water in the sink. This marinade only needs to sit for a short time and grilling the little guys only takes a few minutes on each side. The result is a nice flavorful shrimp.  You can serve these as an appetizer, a snack or with some rice and grilled veggies for an easy dinner. 
I have these cool skewers, but if you are using wooden ones, be sure to soak them for a good 30 minutes before grilling, so the they do not catch on fire. 

1/4 c olive oil
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice (lime)
2 TBSP minced fresh garlic
1 tsp salt ( optional, it really doesn't need it)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 lb shrimp,thawed and peeled
4-5 skewers, soaked for 30 minutes

Combine the olive oil,lemon juice,garlic and salt and pepper in a ziplock bag. Add the shrimp and let sit in the fridge. Only let sit for about 15 minutes. Thread the shrimp on the skewers and grill on a medium high grill. Flip the skewers when the shrimp have turned pink. They cook very quick so be sure to keep an eye on them. Take off the grill and enjoy.

Macaroni and Cheese

Happy Mother's Day!

I was lucky enough to have an amazing mom. She was famous for making delicious lasagna, meatballs, pork and sauerkraut, pineapple upside down cake and macaroni and cheese.  Well, maybe not famous, but in my eyes she was. 
I am sharing her macaroni and cheese with you today. It may not be glamorous or gourmet, but it was what I grew up with and whenever I make it, I think of her.


1 lb elbow macaroni
3 TBSP butter
3 TBSP flour
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 cups milk
1 block of cheddar cheese, cubed

Mom always used Cracker Barrel extra sharp white cheddar in the red package, so, use that, it is the best!

Cook the macaroni according to package direction. Rinse in cold water to stop cooking. 
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan on medium high heat; melt the butter.  When the butter is melted, whisk in the flour to make a rue . Slowly whisk in the milk. Add the dry mustard, salt and pepper. While stirring, drop in the cubed pieces of cheese, and continue stirring until all of the cheese is melted. Add the cooked macaroni to the cheese mixture and mix until thoroughly combined, getting all of the cheesy goodness into the macaroni. Pour the mixture into a greased 9x12x3 pan.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.  

Roasted Chicken

This is a simple little lunch post.  Ever since my son started wresting this fall this is all he wanted for lunch.  He came home one day and said that Coach said not to eat store bought sliced lunch eat because of all of the additives they have in them.  Coach said to eat healthy, salad, tuna, peanut butter, real meat (not processed). And my son took this very serious. My son is also very lean and lanky with only 3% body fat. But I went along with it.  And I absolutely love it! My daughter only wants roasted chicken too. Although the other daughter eats Nutella sandwiches every single school day. She hates how meat and cheese get when they sit in a lunch bag.
This chicken is also great for anafterschool snack in a quesadilla. Just heat up a few tortillas, add some grated cheese with the chicken and your good to go. 

I change the seasoning sometimes, but they really always ask for just salt and pepper. I add some variety by using different breads, rolls, and wraps. Also by adding cucumber, arugula, spinach and lettuce.

He also insisted on no mayo or mustard anymore. I sometimes spread a little butter or cheese spread on the bread. And different cheeses. She likes American and he likes Cooper Sharp. 

Drizzle of olive oil
Salt and pepper
Chicken breasts ( boneless, and skinless)

Preheat oven to 425. Cover a baking sheet with foil for easy clean up. Place chicken on the baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken . Let cool and store in a container in the fridge. Slice it thinly to use on sandwiches or quesadillas.

Party Mix

I'm pretty sure that everyone loves party mix.  I prefer the homemade kind. Some people like the store bought. Either way, it is quite addictive! You can make it to suit your tastes as well. My oldest loves the Cheez-its in the mix. My middle is allergic to peanuts, so we leave them out of hers.  I have made it with cashews, which is my favorite. And you can always play around with the cereal that you combine. Just be sure to have about 9 cups.  My personal favorite is the wheat chex, but no one else seems to like them. And Goldfish are a great addition if you have them on hand. And I don't have to have name brand, since I add all of these spices it can be generic and it tastes just as good.

3 cups Corn Chex
3 cups Wheat Chex
3 cups Rice Chex
2 cups Pretzels
2 cups cheese crackers 
2 cups nuts
1 1/2 sticks butter
3 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
6 or so dashes Tabasco sauce
3 -5 cloves garlic (smashed or minced)
1 tsp Seasoned salt (sprinkle or two more when on cookie sheet)
1/4 tsp onion powder

Put cereal, pretzels, crackers and nuts into a large bowl.  
In a glass measuring cup, add the remaining ingredients and microwave until the butter is melted. Stir together and pour over cereal mixture. Stir until thoroughly combined.
Pour mixture onto two cookie sheets, and give it a little sprinkle with the seasoned salt. Bake in a 250 oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.   Be sure to stir every 15 minutes to ensure even browning.  Let cool and store in an airtight container. Enjoy. 

Freezing tips

 It is always nice to have a well stocked freezer. It helps with those hectic days that all of us have. I have found that for me personally, I love freezer bags.  I put everything in them. I use them for extra gravy, spaghetti sauce, soup, bread, rolls, leftovers, and quick freezer meals. I divide large packages of meat into serving sizes for different meals. Remember to always label the bags before you put the food in with a Sharpie marker.The trick is to seal them up really well ( yes, I have had accidents with a spilt bag of spaghetti sauce) and lay them flat to freeze.  When they are frozen just stack them like books on a shelf. When you make your selection, simply place the bag in a container in the fridge overnight and it usually is defrosted enough to make dinner. Sometimes I just put the semi-defrosted for into the crockpot and forget about it. So simple.