::Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork::

When I saw this recipe on The Pioneer Woman, I knew this was something I needed to make. It reminded me of something I'd make up. Spicy and sweet. This recipe is easy, as it calls for a few ingredients to be thrown together at once and popped in the oven (this would work in a crock-pot too). I added more of the spicy ingredient...and it definitly maybe made it a little too spicy (but I like that). PS..sorry for such a long time between this post and my last. I was on a four night shift stretch, and during my stretches I do nothing but work and sleep (and even the sleeping part is hard to get in). Anyways, enjoy this recipe! :)

::Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork::

From: The Pioneer Woman

1 whole Large Onion

1 whole Pork Shoulder ("pork Butt") - 5 To 7 Pounds

Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1 can (11 Ounce) Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce

2 cans Dr. Pepper

2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Peel the onion and cut it into wedges. Lay them in the bottom of a large dutch oven.

Generously salt and pepper the pork roast, then set it on top of the onions in the pan.

Pour the can of chipotle peppers over the pork (include the sauce.) Pour in both cans of Dr Pepper. Add brown sugar to the juice and stir in.

Place lid tightly on pot, then set pot in the oven. Cook for at least six hours, turning roast two or three times during the cooking process. Check meat after six hours; it should be absolutely falling apart (use two forks to test.) If it’s not falling apart, return to the oven for another hour.

Remove meat from pot and place on a cutting board or other work surface. Use two forks to shred meat, discarding large pieces of fat. Strain as much of the fat off the top of the cooking liquid as you can and discard it. Return the shredded meat to the cooking liquid, and keep warm until ready to serve. (You can also refrigerate the meat and liquid separately, then remove hardened fat once it’s cold. Then heat up the liquid on the stovetop and return the meat to the liquid to warm up.

The ingredients (just imagine there are 2 cans of the peppers instead of 1)!

Start out with the whole onion.

..and cut it up in half and then each half in half.

Break the onion apart into the slices and place on the bottom.

Then add the pork. The recipe calls for pork butt, but you can use whatever roast you have/want.

Then, generously salt and pepper the roast. Since mine was still frozen, I wasn't sure how that would work, but I did it anyways!

What appears to be a whole lot of salt, is a few frozen ice crystals :)

The recipe calls for an 11oz can but the only ones I found were 7oz each...so I just used both.

The smell is so delicious!

Pour the can(s) over the roast.

This has spicy written all over it.

This calls for 2 cans...but I used 1 bottle (so I was 4 oz short).

Pour in.

Oh yea, I forgot the picture of the ingredients didn't include this ingredient. Ooops! Can't forget about the brown sugar though! :)

Add in the brown sugar...you can't see it in this pic because it already dissolved.

Bake for around 6 hours or until it falls apart and is done.

I then placed it on a cutting board to remove the bone and fat. Then added it back to the juice/sauce.

mmmm..shredded pork. My favorite.

The onions and peppers.

The juice.

Add the pork back to the juice, onions, and peppers.

I placed back in the oven until we were ready to eat.

Close up. I served this with baked potatoes and veggies. The Pioneer Woman served them in tacos, which I think would be great because it would tame the spiciness down a bit. Warning, if you don't like really spicy things this may not be the dish for you. I guess you could add less of the peppers if you wanted to try that!

Anyways...enjoy!

::Iced Coffee:: Cheap. Healthy. Easy.

I know a girl, who knows a girl, who knew a girl, who knows how to make a good iced coffee. Got it? Well, on a serious note, a girl I work with told me about these Starbucks sweetened iced coffee packets. She said that the secretary at work had made her one and it was so delicious. The secretary went on to tell her what it was and how easy it was. So, the next time I worked with her she made one for me. I was instantly in love and I actually went to Sam's Club to purchase the packets; that's how in love with them I was. I have to admit, I drink way more diet soda pop than I should. I guess I have cut back, but I probably drink about two cans a day. For me, I personally think that is too much. I'm just not a big water fan...besides after a good workout or day in the sun (does that mean I have to workout more? heheh). I have tried adding things to water to drink more of it, but I eventually go back to the good ol' diet pop. I only have about two cans left in the pack I have at home, so the other day I thought maybe after those are gone I won't buy anymore. We'll see how that goes! My fallback is that I work 12-hr night shifts and they get me through the night and my hour+ drive home! Maybe this iced coffee is a replacement?! So, here are some other exciting things about this iced coffee recipe. At Sam's Club, the box contains a total of 10 packets and the cost was about about $10.00 (to be exact, I think they were $9.88?). So, thats $1.00 per packet and equals $1.00 per drink. Which is awesome! However...that's if you follow the directions that are on the box, which, isn't good (and others at work agree). If you follow the recipe below you can get about 4-5 drinks out of one packet. Which then comes to about $0.25 cents per drink (without counting the two packets of Splenda)! To me, thats amazing! How cheap! Oh wait, it gets better! One packet contains 100 calories, so if you make 4-5 drinks out of it, do the math, that's only about 25 calories per drink. That's even more amazing! I am sure this recipe would be good to add some of your favorite flavored syrup and a little cream, to make it like the "real thing." But this will suffice.

So far four people, that I know of, are buying these and making them according to this recipe and they love them. So, love them and enjoy them too!

::Iced Coffee::

Medium sized glass filled with ice & water

2 packets (add more as needed) Splenda (sorry to dissappoint Dad and Brother!...I just had to say that because I grew up on a farm that raised sugar beets...so Splenda is not a good thing. However, there is a really sweet sweet taste that you get from it without need much, and that is what it was originally made with for me, so that's what I use too! Yes, I had to explain myself :) )

1-1 1/2 tsp. (more or less to your taste) Starbucks VIA Iced Coffee drink mix

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy!

Medium sized glass with lots of ice and water!

I used two packets. Depending on the size of glass and amount of water and ice, you may need/want to add more after you get it all mixed up and taste test.

The box of packets I'm talking about!

And the packet!

The are Starbucks' directions.

Add 1-1.5 tsps...or more if you need to!

All mixed up! The first time I was made this drink, I thought...don't you have to add cream? Nope! And it's so wonderful!

Top shot.

Ahh refreshing summer drink! I know we aren't even done with spring...but a girl can dream right?!

I keep leftovers in a Ziplock and in my purse...so whenever I'm in need...I deliver! :)

Enjoy!

::Cranberry-Nut Chicken Salad::

Alot of comments that people make about the blog are that 1) I post recipes that have ingredients that are easy to find and 2) I post recipes that are "different" and not the traditional ND casserole way. So, this recipe describes both of those comments. My sister introduced me to this recipe; she fell in love with it and so did I. There are two ingredients that, prior to trying this recipe, I had never tasted. My sister got this recipe off of Smitten Kitchen in which it is titled "Cranberry-Walnut Chicken Salad." I changed a few minor things when I made it and I didn't use walnuts so that is why I don't have "walnut" in the title. According to Smitten Kitchen, this recipe is very versatile and you can make changes or add more/different ingredients as you please. There are two ingredients, fresh tarragon and tarragon vinegar, that add the "hmm...what is that ingredient in there?" and and they aren't overpowering but give it a nice flavor. This is also a refreshing salad, with the cranberries and celery. I think this is a good recipe to start off the season of warm temps, as I can see this going to a picnic, summer BBQ, or potluck. When my sister served this to me she served it in pita pockets; which were awesome. Smitten Kitchen said it's good on Romaine lettuce. This is also good on croissants, and croissants and pita pockets make a great serving presentation; if that's what you are looking for. Enjoy!

::Cranberry-Nut Chicken Salad::

4 cups cubed (1/2 inch) cooked chicken (I bought and used the chicken from a rotisserie chicken)

1 cup cashews, chopped (SK uses walnuts)

1 celery rib, diced into small bits (1 cup)

2 or more tablespoons finely chopped red onion (SK uses shallots)

1 cup dried cranberries

2/3-3/4 cup mayonnaise (I used Miracle Whip) 

3 tablespoons tarragon vinegar (SK says you can use champagne or white wine vinegar work fine too)

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon or herb or your choice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions: Toss together all ingredients in a large bowl until combined well.

Serve in pita pockets, on croissants, your favorite bread, or on top of lettuce.

Ingredients.

People ask if I like my IPad and I always say that I do and that I love pulling up recipes and just setting it on my counter to follow from.

I bought a rotisserie chicken from Sam's club and used 4 cups of the meat from it. You can use regular chicken breasts but my sister had made it both ways and says the rotisserie chicken adds a little extra flavor.

Chicken!

...all 4 cups of it.

1 rib celery, wash and cut the ends off.

Like that.

Then dice. I cut in half, then each half into two strips..and then dice.

Like that. I used this cutting board to cut the cooked chicken...that's why you may be thinking "is her cutting board dirty..yuck?!"

Adding the ingredients together.

Then dice the red onion (or shallots if that's what you are using).

Craisins!

1 cup.

I think it looks pretty too!

Such a neat flavor. It's hard to describe! I didn't find this at the Wal Mart I went to (if your initials are L.I....then you are glad Wal Mart doesn't have this! haha) but they had it at Dan's (or something similar would be Hornbacher's, Sunmart, CashWise, Hugo's, etc etc..) by all the other vinegars.

I used this, however, SK's recipe calls or mayonnaise. My husband likes this better and it's healthier than mayonnaise.

Adding more each time! Oh..PS...I used the full  3/4 cups of miracle whip. I started out with the 2/3 and then thought it was a little "dry" so that is why I added the full 3/4.

The fresh tarragon. This can be found in the produce section of the grocery store; where the coolers are at.

Pull the leaves off of the stem as shown above.

Whenever I chop herbs I always bunch them tight and then chop. It just makes it easier. You'll know what I mean if you do it.

The tarragon added!

Salt and pepper to taste!

I had whole cashews so I threw them in my mini chopper.

To chop. At this point I was wondering, since they were salted, if since I already added the salt if adding this would make it really salty. But, not at all. Oh, and you can use whatever nut is your favorite.

Finally ready to mix together!

All mixed up. Ready to sit in the fridge a while before it's served..and ready to enjoy!