Slow Cooker BBQ Pork Sandwiches

This has one extra little step, so it isn't just a simple "leave it in the Crock Pot and go" recipe, but it is worth it!

INGREDIENTS 

1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
3 pounds boneless pork ribs
1 (18 ounce) bottle barbeque sauce

DIRECTIONS

1. Pour can of beef broth into slow cooker, and add boneless pork ribs. Cook on High heat for 4 hours, or until meat shreds easily. Remove meat, and shred with two forks. It will seem that it's not working right away, but it will.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Transfer the shredded pork to a Dutch oven or iron skillet, and stir in barbeque sauce.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until heated through.

Serve on rolls, buns, or your choice of bread.  Top with cheese, if desired.

Red Potato Salad

The beauty of potato salads is that you can change them easily to suit your taste.  Here is a good recipe, ready for your own variation, if needed. Just be sure you keep the potatoes and some sort of creamy whip. 

 INGREDIENTS

2 pounds clean, scrubbed new red potatoes
6 eggs
3/4 cub crumbled bacon
4 green onions, chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped

2 slices pickles, finely chopped
4 oz. cheese, cut into small cubes (you can also just use shredded, if you would like)

2 cups mayonnaise

good squeeze of mustard (your preference, I do about 1/4 cup)
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and set in the refrigerator to cool.
2. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
3. Chop the cooled potatoes, leaving skin on. Add to a large bowl, along with the eggs, bacon, onionm cheese and celery. Add mayonnaise and mustard, salt and pepper to taste. Chill for an hour before serving. 

VARIATIONS
Add aliced olives; add chopped up pepperchinis; substitute Miracle Whip for mayo, or 1/2 cup Miracle Whip and 1/2 cup sour cream;

Strawberry Fields Salad

Hard to call this "white trash" because the dressing is home made, but it is easy, and it is probably one of the best salads I have had in a long time, so totally worth it.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced onion
10 ounces fresh spinach - rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
1 quart strawberries - cleaned, hulled and sliced
1/4 cup almonds, blanched and slivered

DIRECTIONS

1. In a blender, puree the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Cover, and chill for one hour.
2. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds. 
3. You can mix the dressing in with the salad and chill, but I prefer to serve it on the side.

VARIATIONS

Add chicken; add crumbled bacon; add feta or blue cheese; substitute almonds for walnuts or candied almonds; add chopped red onions

Dead Serious Salad

Seriously....

INGREDIENTS
1 (8 oz.) tub of Cool Whip
2 Snickers bars cut up into small pieces
(or 8-10 fun size cut up)
1-2 apples (your choice) cup up into small pieces

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix together

2. Eat.

3. Yum.  Serious. 

And I repeat....Cool Whip, Snickers and apples.  Done.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Peanut Butter Bars

I don't really like the traditional Peanut Butter bars (not really a peanut butter and chocolate fan....I gag everytime I eat a Reese's Peanut Butter cup, but for some reason, I always take a bite thinking I might like it this time.  Wrong every time.)   This is not the traditional PB Bar recipe.  It has a chocolate chip cookie dough crust, then the peanut butter layer, and chocolate.   Still somewhat classic, but with a yummy twist.

INGREDIENTS
1 roll (16.5 oz) refrigerated chocolate chip cookies

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 egg yolks
1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

DIRECTIONS
1 . Heat oven to 350°F. Cut cookie dough in half crosswise. Cut each section in half lengthwise. With floured fingers, press dough evenly in bottom of ungreased pan to form crust. Bake 10 minutes


2 . Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix condensed milk, peanut butter, vanilla and egg yolks until smooth.

3 . Spoon milk mixture evenly over partially baked crust; carefully spread. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until set.

4 . Sprinkle with chocolate chips; let stand 3 minutes to soften. Spread chocolate evenly over top. Cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours. Refrigerate 30 minutes to set chocolate. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows.

Pain Perdu (a sort of stuffed french toast)

A while back, I just happened to turn on Good Things Utah (which I can usually hardly stand to even watch) and they were making my very favorite thing from Mimi's Cafe....the PAIN PERDU!!! It is a super yummy french toast stuffed with cream cheese and orange marmalade.  It is really yummy, and pretty dang easy.

One thing it doesn't mention in the recipe, but I know as a Mimi's insider is that they use "day-old bread" for the french toast. It is sometimes hard to reproduce restaurant food, but Mimi's usually won't release a recipe unless they know it is comparable so hopefully this one won't disappoint.
Pain Perdu (pronounced "Pan Per-Do")

Balboa Mix Ingredients:
12 oz. Cream Cheese
1/2 cup Orange Marmalade

Preparation:
Cut cream cheese into smaller pieces and place in mixer. Add marmalade and mix approximately 10 minutes on medium speed, scraping the sides frequently.

Perdu Ingredient:
16 pieces egg-white bread

Preparation:
Trim crusts off egg-white bread; add scoop of balboa mix to center of a slice of bread. Do not press down. Top with another slice of bread to form a “sandwich.”

French Toast Batter Ingredients:
3 eggs, whisked
1/2 cup Half and Half
1 ½ TBS Sugar
¼ TSP Salt
¼ TSP Vanilla
¼ TSP Cinnamon
¼ TSP Nutmeg
Zest of ¼ Orange

Preparation: Add eggs, Half and Half, sugar and spices together and mix; add orange zest.

Grilling: Dip Pain Perdu “sandwich” in French toast batter. Cook on flat griddle to a golden brown on both sides. Slice diagonally.

For extra yumminess, add strawberries, blueberries and raspberry puree across entire center. Dust with powdered sugar.

Peaches & Cream Pie

Our friend Margo brought us the most heavenly pie a couple weeks ago.  I LOVE fruit.  Since I was 5, you ask me what my favorite food is, and I have always said fruit. I'll be honest, though, I am not so much a fruit pie fan, until I tasted this.  I requested the recipe thinking it might be a bit too gourmet for the site, but Margo pulled through for me!  Frozen pie shells, TANG and Cool Whip....it will be a classic!!  Thank you, thank you!

RECIPE:

2-pre-cooked pie shells (I don't make pie crust so I use the Marie Calendar's frozen shells), cooled.


Glaze:
1 Tbsp. Corn Starch
1 1/3 c. H20
1/2 c. Sugar
6 tsp TANG (Yup its white trash too!)
2 tsp lemon juice

Combine, bring to boil. Boil for 1 min. Cool completely.

Filling:
1 8-oz package cream cheese
1 small tub cool-whip
1/2 c. Sugar
Mix together and spread in bottom of pie crust.

Layer sliced fresh peaches and top with glaze.

Italian Pasta Bake

Another submission, thank you!  Sounds yummy, and easy, just how we like it!

INGREDIENTS
1 lb of cooked ground meat or chicken breast cooked and cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, pressed or diced
1 pkg of penne or spiral pasta (they usually come in about 13-15 oz bags)
2 Tb italian seasoning
1 (15 oz) can of diced tomatos
1 (15 oz) can of tomato sauce
water: just enough to fill the pan 2/3 full
1/2 c parmesean cheese
16 oz of mozzerella cheese
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Pre heat oven to 350

Brown meat, onion, and garlic in large sauce pan, drain. Return meat to pan and pour in diced tomatos, tomato sauce, italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste. Keep on low heat while you get the baking pan ready. Take out a 9x13 glass baking dish. Pour UNCOOKED pasta in and spread to cover the bottom. Gently pour meat mixture over noodles. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Gradually add water until dish is about 2/3 full. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. The last ten take off the foil and sprinkle mozzerella cheese liberally. Stick back in for the remainder of time.
I hope this sounds tasty! You can also chop up zucchini and add olives to your meat sauce. It all depends on how much work you want to do. If it takes more than a half an hour to make I usually don't bother:)

Rachel Wattson
Lakeside, Ca