Easiest Pulled Pork in the Crockpot/Slow Cooker

I didn't invest in a crockpot until I got pregnant. Everyone raved about how easy it is to cook delicious meat in one, but it seemed like a superfluous appliance to me. But the list that my midwife gave me for my birthing kit suggested that I have a crockpot on hand. So I purchased a generic one at Walmart. I didn't actually use it during labor, but it's been very useful since then!

My mom was the one who got me into pulled pork. She made it for after-church-dinner a few times, and Reuben got hooked. When she sent me the recipe, I was shocked by how easy it was. Her pork was always so tasty - how could so few ingredients produce so much flavor? But they do.

Here's the super easy steps to get delicious pulled pork:

Slice up an onion and place it in the bottom of your crockpot. I didn't have quite a full onion, but that's okay.

Put a pork shoulder (AKA butt) roast on top of the onion and season well with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Pour in about 1 -1 1/2 cups of broth (you could also use water or another liquid, but it probably won't be as flavorful).

Cook on low for about 8 hours or overnight. If you want your pork ready at 6:00 PM, start it at 10:00. Once the pork is done cooking, pull it apart with two forks.

Serve with lots of BBQ sauce. This goes really well with crispy baked potatoes (I'll share the recipe someday!) or homemade buns. Mmhmm.

Easiest Pulled Pork in the Crockpot/Slow Cooker
recipe from my mom. | PRINT
A super easy and flavorful way to cook pulled pork! Serve with BBQ sauce.
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
1 onion, sliced,
1 pork shoulder/butt roast,
salt and pepper to taste,
1 - 1.5 cups broth,

Instructions:

Place the onion in the bottom of a slow cooker. Put the roast on top and season well with salt and pepper. Pour in the broth.

Cook on low for 8 hours. Pull the pork apart with two forks.

Monday, June 1, 2015

Easiest Pulled Pork in the Crockpot/Slow Cooker

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Hearty Pasta Sauce From Scratch

Pasta is one of those things that's just hard to mess up. As long as you start with good ingredients, you're sure to end with something delicious.

While at the farmers market the other day, I was inspired by seeing all the fresh tomatoes to make a pasta sauce. I purchased a pepper and onion to accompany it. Another day, at our local health food store, I selected a bunch of vine tomatoes and a box of crimini mushrooms. Plus I had half a pound of grass-fed Italian sausage (also purchased at the farmers market) in the refrigerator to use up.

Once I got home I put Helen down for her nap and started prepping my ingredients. It's almost therapeutic for me to chop vegetables without interruption. I added the ingredients one by one to the pot and slowly cooked them together.

The blend of all the fresh ingredients made for an awesome sauce (yes, I did that on purpose). Reuben heartily approved.

When following this recipe, make sure you add your own personal touch. There's just something satisfying about making a dish your own. If you like your sausage with a kick, by all means use spicy Italian! If you don't care for mushrooms, leave them out! Experiment!

Hearty Pasta Sauce

recipe by Erica Lea of Buttered Side Up | Makes 2-4 servings (depending on how hungry you are)

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. mild Italian sausage
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 medium onion, diced small
• 1 small box crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 6 vine tomatoes (about 1 bunch), diced medium
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 tablespoon cane sugar
• your favorite pasta (I used wide egg noodles)

Directions:

1) Cook the sausage until no longer pink.

2) In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and the butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the onion, lower the heat, and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper and cook until the onions are almost transparent, about 3 more minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until everything is nice and soft. Add the garlic and salt and pepper to taste and cook for 2 more minutes.

3) Add the tomatoes, oregano, basil, sugar and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Increase heat to medium and bring to a boil. Simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes. Add the cooked sausage and stir to combine.

4) Meanwhile, as the sauce is simmering, bring a pot of water to boil. Add salt and stir in your pasta. Cook to desired firmness (I like mine a little past al dente). Serve with lots of sauce and a sprinkling of parmesan. Enjoy!

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Hearty Pasta Sauce From Scratch

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