Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Dry Rub

What an unexpected surprise this was!
 I try to pick up sale meat at King Soopers (Kroger) to keep in the freezer. I would buy large batches and portion it out for the freezer. But every now and then the entire tray gets tossed in there.(Ooops.) Yesterday I decided to defrost this monster size hunk of pork. It ended up being three large pieces of pork loin, about 3 pounds. I love BBQ, but it is now nonexistent in my house, hubbs NOT a fan. All weekend I was suffering with sinus issues and eating anything spicy, so that became my inspiration! Non BBQ, sinus clearing pulled pork!


For this any pork will do. I had a few bones in mine, but as the meat softened up I was able to pull them out with tongs. But I would prefer a pork roast so it can cook whole then pull apart with forks. But this was a great way to make a meal on a budget with sale meat! 

This was very hubby approved too. I loved the blackened crunchy bits. I threw together come cilantro rice and our burritos were ready. This wasn't planned out, it was a accident surprise, I wish I had some sour cream and avocados on hand. But this will be made again! As soon as I go through all the left overs. This batch made 6 Chipotle sized burritos. 
Hubbys lunches, done! 


This might also be a great pot luck idea, and have a 'build your own burrito' table. Football food. 

Ingredients

• 3 Pounds of Pork
• 3 tbsps chili powder
• 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tsps ground cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Oil to coat.
• Mix all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Use oil as your sticking agent. I poured some in my palm then rubbed it over the pork. I used a large enough bowl (for mixing the dry rub) I was able to put the pork in to the dry rub and roll it around and rub in the dry ingredients. Place in crock pot on low for 6-8 hours, or high for about 4-6 hours. Or until meat falls apart by using a fork. Shred using forks, serve in a burrito, or burrito bowl. Or stand over the crock with a fork.... just sayin'.

Easy Crock Pot Pesto Ranch

This week is my back to school week for my big kid. And that adds one more lunch into the mix. I send off my hubby with his (he is super easy), my toddler (picky cracker and air eater), and now my 3rd grader. I'm getting good at throwing stuff into bags real quick during bath time to be done with it. But I stumbled upon a tasty crock pot dinner, that does double duty as lunch!This chicken is so flavorful, it also falls apart into stringy chicken. It just asks to be used in many ways. Holla!


 I incorporated the healthier DIY version of ranch mix... HOLLA! (I am in a holla mood, so feel free to holla back).

FYI it's OK to publicly display back to school happiness.

This is about right. I love this picture. Holla for this Chick... (click to see her blog)♥

This recipe can be easy to change up for the size of your family. Change the amount of potatoes for your needs, or add extra chicken! I switch it up depending on if I am serving a whole meals from the crock, or pre-making lunches. The ingredients are easily changed for your needs. Don't sweat the small stuff.


4 chicken breast
4 medium potatoes
3 large carrots (optional)
7-8 ounces of pesto (small deli tub)
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons ranch mix (or more to taste)
Light olive oil to coat
Sea salt to taste

Lightly spray your crock with non-stick cooking spray. 
Cut your potatoes in to 1 inch pieces (I am not a peeler, I try to retain as much of the nutrient value as possible!)
 Place potatoes in bottom of crock (or a mixing bowl, they will need to be coated I went to town in my crock.)
Cut carrots, set aside.
Fillet the chicken for smaller pieces place in a mixing bowl
First lightly coat your potatoes in olive oil, use your hands to get the oil evenly distributed. 
Now do the same to your chicken.
Add your pesto and ranch mix to the chicken again using your hands to make sure they are all coated. This will be messy. 
See all that mess stuck to your hands, grab your taters and rub a dub dub!♥
 I essentially cleaned all the left over pesto and ranch off my hands on to the potatoes. Best decision ever! Feel free to add more ranch too, I did.  I really just kept on adding until I had a nice coating! Since I make my own ranch mix I had to Google how much is in a ranch packet. 3 tablespoons is a good starting point.
Add a layer of carrots over the potatoes (my first batch [pictured] , I steamed corn on the cob!)
 Pour in the broth,  add  chicken.( I add my broth before the chicken is because I want as much of the pesto and ranch to stick... hence the use of glue oil).

Crock it for 5-6 hours, until your veggies are soft. 

It just gets better... 

The day after was when I got an unsolicited rave review from hubs about his sandwich!
 Holy smokes!

All I had on hand was frozen hamburger buns. I threw them together with butter,  a piece of salami and mozzarella cheese  (Hubs loves his salted meats). I tossed them back into the freezer individually wrapped before the bun defrosted  (that quick girl).  A great pre-made lunch option!

Another left over lunch idea (used  for my 3rd grader).
♥A cold noodle salad. All  that is needed  make up some noodles, toss with oil, add  chicken. (That will get the yumm-ness all over the noodles). Top it off with a few olives and cheese (parm or mozz).

♥For the picky toddler: (she just likes cold chicken). Done. Added crackers, and apple sauce. 

♥And for Mama, cut up or shred chicken and sprinkle on a spinach salad.


I hope you enjoy, it's nice to see you.

Crock Pot Apple Butter to die for!

After the success of Crock Pot Apple Butter Pork Chops I had to make my own apple butter. Insanely easy! My house was full of spicy apple-ie goodness!   (I am making up words it was so good.) I used the same site for Apple Butter that I adapted Crock Pot Apple Butter Pork Chops from (Frugal Foodie Mama). I like any one with Mama in their title! 

After a day of two crock pots teasing me with dinner and apple butter I was rewarded this morning with Apple Butter on my home made bread, and a mock pumpkin spice vanilla latte. 

I adapted my recipe because I only had the minimum amount of apples and only had apple juice not cider. Also you will find my recipe for All Spice, and brown sugar below it's so simple,  there's no reason to ever buy it.

Did I ever tell you I hate peeling, and coring? It sucks, I rarely do it, I leave most skins on for all the nutrients. But this recipe calls for peeling.. BLAH! I only had 6 apples on hand and thats the below minimum. You really need 8-10, using 6 I should of used a little less apple juice because I had to scoop out my apples and leave some juice in the bottom of my crock. 

It's just as easy to dump in your ingredients but I wanted to make sure that I blended the spices with the juice before. I also ran out of brown sugar so I had to make my own too! 

After all the peeling, the coring, making all spice, and making brown sugar I poured the mixture over my apples and cinnamon sticks. It really is easy if you're prepared! I am the queen to making a chaotic mess. 


Im surprised I actually get food into a crock pot some days.

Apple butter you have to tend to during the day. I was stirring every couple of hours to make sure the cinnamon infused into the apples. It was a divine task. *NOM NOM*

I left my apples in for 8 hours because I used the full amount  of juice, and only 6 apples. I wanted the extra juice to hopefully boil down some. When It was time to add to the blender I scooped out the apples and left a juice at the bottom I could tell that it would be too watery if I added it to the blender. I used a a quick 3 second chop because it goes fast! Watch out! Too much and you have apple water. I reused my jam jars from my stash. Six apples made two average sized jam jars. I waited to cool then put into the fridge, it will last a couple of weeks, if not eaten this weekend ;-).

Crock Pot Apple Butter

8-10 apples- peeled, cored, and chopped

3/4 cup of apple juice or cider* 

1 1/2 cups of brown sugar**

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp allspice***

3 whole cinnamon sticks

Peel and core your apples, and chop into smaller chunks. Mix your juice or cider, and sugar with the spices. Pour over apples and cinnamon sticks. Leave in crock pot on low for 6-8 hours. When reached a nice soft rich consistency pour into bender. Use a pulse setting, it will blend very quick. Blend until smooth. Contain in jars, either reused, or if you like to use elaborate means!

* I only had apple juice, and I love Spiced Apple Butter, So I upped the nutmeg to 1/4 tsp, and everything else heaping!

How to make your own brown sugar:

Some time ago I ran into a Pin about making brown sugar. Super easy, just mix sugar and maple syrup. That simple, but of course I didn't have maple syrup on hand. That's just my luck. So here is a substitute for the substitute. I actually used my Splenda baking mix, you don't have to, but I  did it with out thinking ( I do a lot of that). The consistency still came out the same, but this is the Splenda that had sugar mixed in, so I don't know about 'the straight stuff'. 

I was a half a cup sort, so I used half cup Slpenda baking mix, Karo Dark Syrup, and Maple Extract. I did not do any measuring because this was on a whim. I just tasted as I went. The cool thing is as I stirred it truly looked like brown sugar.  My only tip is dribble the extract as you go.  I could pick it up between my fingers and chew on it like the real thing! I don't think I will ever buy brown sugar again. The awesome thing about this is you can really add to the richness and aroma of the apple butter by doing this.

***Make your Own 'All Spice'

Equal parts of:

 cinnamon
 cloves 
 nutmeg

If you want less cloves and nutmeg just use half of what you used of cinnamon. I know mind blowing. 

I am really thinking that this Apple Butter had a gift-giving quality. Paired with a home made loaf it's "aces baby!" Yeah, I will get you my so-addictive-bread-it's-crack-recipe next. My list of stuff to share is just growing, and I am to the point that I forget what picture is for what recipe. I really need to upload and name the file or picture. There's a new idea! 

 

"Organize my files! Say what, that can't be done!"