Thursday, April 28, 2011

Easy Slow Cooker Barbecue Pork


The joy of slow cooking; coming home to dinner already made. This simple, easy to assemble dish will leave you fully satisfied. I hope you enjoy!
  • 1 (3-4 lb) boneless pork shoulder or pork butt roast
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp red pepper
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 bottle (16-oz) your favorite barbecue sauce
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
Place sliced onion and bell pepper in slow cooker. Mix cumin, paprika, red pepper, and black pepper together in small bowl and rub over pork roast. Place pork in slow cooker. Mix together barbecue sauce and brown sugar in a small bowl. Pour over pork. Cook on LOW 8-10 hours. Serve with fresh green veggies or atop rice.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Naturally Dyed Easter Eggs


Happy Easter! In honor of Easter, my friend Natalie and I dyed eggs the way my sister, mom, and I would always do at my Nana's house each Easter. We originally got the idea from a Martha Stewart news clipping (click here for article). It is so fun and creates a brilliant sienna colored egg. I'll be anxious next year to try other natural ingredients to make other colors. I hope you enjoy!

What you'll need:
  • 1 quart water + 2 tbsp white vinegar (use this proportion)
  • dozen raw eggs, brought to room temperature
  • sheer panty hose
  • twisty ties
  • greenery from your garden
  • about 4 cups of onion skins (not the purple onions)
Fill large pot with onion skins and add water and vinegar until covered. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Place desired leaves or flowers onto egg. Cover carefully with a piece of panty hose, as to not mess-up the position of the greenery, and tie tightly with twisty tie. Bring water back to boil and place eggs into large pot. Boil for 25-30 minutes. Remove eggs carefully, as they will be hot, and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Remove panty hose. Beautiful!

Monday, April 11, 2011

Easy Chicken Posole


In a rush, but still want a good, healthy chicken soup with a kick? This posole (basically, a tex-mex chicken soup) is fantastic and super easy to make. I hope you enjoy!

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 3/4 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 (8-oz) package pre-chopped onion and celery mixed (or frozen mix)
  • 4 canned tomatillos, drained and coarsely chopped (in the Latin food section)
  • 2 (14-oz.) cans fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 (15-oz.) can white hominy, rinsed and drained
  • 2 cups chopped, skinless boneless chicken breast (rotisserie chicken)
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oregano and next 4 ingredients (through onions and celery); saute 2 minutes. Stir in tomatillos; cook 1 minute. Add broth and hominy; cover and bring to boil. Uncover and cook 8 minutes. Stir in chicken; cook 1 minute or until heated. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice, salt, and pepper. Makes 4 servings. Top with avocado.