Kalua Pork

from melskitchencafe.com

10-12 pounds pork shoulder butt roast (don't substitute a leaner cut of pork or it will be dry)
1 bottle liquid smoke
2 tablespoons sea salt (or hula salt if you can find it)
1 1/2 cups water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Trim roast of large pockets of fat (but leave some fat on there to help the pork stay tender while cooking). Place pork in large roasting pan (the aluminum, deep roasting pans you can buy at the grocery store work great if you don't own a heavy-duty roasting pan). Rub 2-3 tablespoons of sea salt into pork. Pour the bottle of liquid smoke over and around the pork. Pour the water around the pork. Cover roasting pan TIGHTLY with two layers of aluminum foil.

Bake for 5-7 hours (don't uncover while baking - let the steam and heat work it's magic!).
Shred with two forks and serve with rice.

*Mel's Note:  I always make a ton of this when cooking it because it freezes well but feel free to scale down the recipe as needed.*

Cinnamon Sugar Buns

I've had this link saved for a while and I just happened upon it again.  I'm definitely gonna have to try this soon!  It looks soooo yummy!  I found this recipe here.

Cinnamon Sugar Buns 

3 1/2 cups (14 3/4 ounces) all-purpose Flour + 1/2 cup (2 1/4 ounces) cornstarch
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons (7/8 ounce) sugar
2 to 2 1/4 cups heavy cream

Coating
7 tablespoons butter, melted, OR 2 5/8 ounces milk
Cinnamon and sugar for rolling

If you don’t have any demarle nonstick baking pans, then lightly grease a 9″ x 13″ pan, line with parchment, and grease the parchment. Parchment isn’t absolutely necessary, but it makes it easier to get the bubbly, sugary buns out of the pan once they are baked.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add 2 cups of the cream all at once, then toss and stir the mixture till the dough comes together. If necessary, add additional cream to make the dough cohesive. Gather the dough in your hands and knead it a few times to make sure there are no dry spots.

Place the cinnamon sugar in a small, shallow bowl or pan; or in a plastic zip-top bag. Break off pieces of dough about the size of a ping pong ball, or about 1 1/8 ounces. Dip each piece in melted butter or milk, then roll or shake in the cinnamon-sugar to coat. Place the cinnamon-coated dough balls into the pan of your choice in a single layer; they’ll be touching one another, which is just fine.

Cover the pan with plastic, and place in the freezer overnight, or for up to a week or so. If freezing longer than overnight wrap the entire pan in plastic wrap, then in foil. Next day, remove the pan from the freezer, and let the buns rest at room temperature while you preheat your oven to 350°F. The buns don’t need to thaw.

If you’re baking the buns immediately (not frozen), bake them for 45 to 50 minutes, till the buns in the center are cooked through. You can asses this by taking a toothpick and actually digging into the center bun to take a look; it should look totally baked, not doughy. If the buns have been frozen, bake them for 65 to 70 minutes, testing for doneness as instructed above. Tent them with aluminum foil after 45 minutes of baking. Remove from the oven, and serve immediately. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired, right before serving

Taffy Apple Salad

 Found this recipe on tnt-cook.com

Ingredients

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained with juice reserved
4 large apples, cored and diced with peel
2 cups unsalted peanuts
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed



1.In a medium saucepan combine the flour, sugar, egg yolk, vinegar and reserved pineapple juice. Cook over medium heat until thick. Remove from heat and chill.

2.in a large bowl combine the pineapple, apples, peanuts and chilled cooked mixture. Fold in whipped topping and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Brown Sugar Muffins

One of my friends brought these to playgroup and they were yum!  Maybe we'll make these tonight for Family Home Evening!

1 cube butter

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 egg

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk

 

Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and mix.  Add rest of ingredients.  Bake @ 350 for 12-15 min.

White Chocolate Popcorn

Mmmmmmm.......white chocolate and popcorn!  How could this not be yummy!

www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com
Time: 20 minutes + 30 minutes to set up
Yield: about 12 servings
Recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up!
 
2 bags microwave popcorn
2  12 oz packages white chocolate chips
1 T shortening
1 C  m and m's
1 C peanuts (I used honey roasted)
 
1. Pop you popcorn according to package directions.
2. Put your white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Heat it for 30 seconds and then stir. Repeat until it is all melted. Don't get it too hot! If you don't heat it slowly....it can burn. Oh, that would be one sad day. Burned white chocolate. What a shame.
3. Add the shortening to your melted chocolate. Stir until melted.
4. Place your pop corn in two large bowls. It's easier to get all of the goodies incorporated if you use two bowls instead of one.
5. Pour the white chocolate over the popcorn. Stir it all around to incorporate.
6. Add the m and m's and the peanuts and stir so they get all stuck in the white chocolate as well.
7. Lay the chocolate covered popcorn on two large cookie sheets that are lined with wax paper.
8. After the chocolate has set (about 30 minutes) break it into chucks and eat it up!
Or, bag some up and give it to a friend!

Healthy Corn Muffins

Yield: 12 muffins

Time: 30 minutes or less!

Recipe from Jamie Cooks It Up!

 

 1 1/2 C flour

1 C cornmeal

1/2 C sugar

1 t baking soda

2 t baking powder

1 t salt

1/2 C blended up canned corn (don't get all squeemish on me)

1 egg, whisked with a fork until frothy

3 T butter, melted

 

1. In a small food processor or in a blender process your can of corn until it is all saucy and smooth. Don't worry your pretty little head about this ingredient. I fed these lovely treasures to a bunch of neighbor kids and they all loved them. They didn't even realize they had less fat. This blended up corn will replace some of the butter that the original recipe called for. Only some folks. We don't want to omit the butter all together now do we?

2. In a mixing bowl combine the 1/2 C blended corn, egg and melted butter. Mix with a wooden spoon.

3. In a separate bowl combine all other ingredients.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined.

5. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. Carefully spoon the batter into each cup. Only fill them 2/3 of the way. You want to leave room for them to rise up.

6. Bake at 350 for 13-16 minutes. Enjoy!

BBQ-Ranch Chicken Salad

This sounds very yummy! Also found on jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com.

Salad:
2 bags Spring Mix lettuce
1/2 bunch cilantro
1/2 bunch green onions
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 red pepper, chopped
2 C cheddar cheese
1 lime
1 bag corn chips
4 chicken breasts
1/2 C BBQ sauce

Dressing:
1 1/2 C ranch dressing (I just buy the big bottle from Costco)
3/4 C BBQ Sauce (Sweet Baby Rays is my fave)

Note: You can certainly make smaller amounts of this salad and dressing. When measuring ingredients for the dressing just include 2 parts ranch to 1 part BBQ Sauce and you'll be good to go.

1. Throw your chicken into a 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Pour your BBQ sauce over the top. Bake at 400 for about 25-30 minutes. When it has cooled, chop it into 1 inch pieces.
2. Chop up your lettuce greens, cilantro, and green onion and place in a large bow. I planted all of these in my garden this year. It's been fun to be able to go out and pick them as I like, however they are all spring time lovers and are shriveling up in this new heat. Hoping to plant them again in August.3. Add your corn, beans, and chopped red pepper to the salad greens. Add your chicken, chips, cheese, and squirt your lime all over the top.
4. Mix the dressing ingredients together and let folks put it on themselves.

NOTE: If you are taking this to a pot luck, don't add the chicken, chips, cheese, or lime until just before serving. It will get all soggy.

Yield: 15 servings
Time: 40 minutes

Fabulous Pizza Dough

I have a pizza dough that I use that is really simple that I use for my pizza rolls, but I'm not sure its the best recipe for just a regular pizza dough.  I'll try this one out for jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com.

1 t yeast
1 1/2 C warm water
4 C flour
1 t salt
1/3 C olive oil

1. Sprinkle yeast over the top of your warm water.
2. Combine the flour and salt in the bottom of your mixer.
3. Pour the olive oil in and mix just just until combined.
4. Pour the yeast and water mixture into the flour.
5. Mix just until combined.
6. Cover and set aside. Let it rise until double in size. OR....and the beauty is.....you can put it in the fridge and let it rise throughout the day.
7. Punch the dough down and divide it in half. Let each piece rest on a pizza stone or sprayed cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Then stretch it out as thin or thick as you like.

REVIEW:  I made this dough for a youth activity.  I made them into individual pizzas.  I cooked them for about 7 minutes and then I had the girls put the topping on it that they like and cooked it for about 5 more minutes.  The girls said it was really good!!  I thought so too.  I made this in my KitchenAid but I think I could of very well made it by hand.

Pizza Sauce

I haven't found a pizza sauce that we love just yet.  I hope this one that I found on Jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com.


1 -14.5 oz can Italian Stewed Tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 t sugar
1 t dried oregano
1 t dried basil
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t lemon juice
pinch red pepper flakes

1. Combine all ingredients into a small food processor and blend. No mini food processor? You could easily just use a whisk to combine it all together.

2. Spread it onto your pizza dough...top with your favorite toppings, some mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

3. Bake your pizza at 475 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Homemade Thin Mints

I haven't seen a Girl Scouts around here at all!   I would love to be to make these.  I found the recipe here.

Homemade Thin Mints
Source: Adapted from Handle the Heat, Makes 30-40 cookies

Chocolate Wafers:

· 8 ounces butter, room temperature

· 1 cup powdered sugar

· 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

· 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

· 3/4 teaspoon salt

· 1 1/2 cups cake flour (all-purpose would work just fine)

·

Chocolate Peppermint Coating:

· 1 package mint dark chocolate candy melts

-or-

· 1 pound good quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

· peppermint extract to taste (about 1 teaspoon)

Cookie dough: In a mixer cream the butter until it is light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and continue to cream, scraping the sides of the bowl a couple times if necessary. Stir in the vanilla extract, salt, and cocoa powder. Mix until the cocoa powder is integrated and the batter is smooth and creamy, resembling a thick frosting. Add the flour and mix just until the batter is no longer dusty looking but still a bit crumbly. Turn the dough out onto a clean counter, gather it into a ball, and knead it together into a nice, smooth mass. Divide the dough in 2, flatten into disks, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 15 minutes.

Rollout and bake: Preheat oven to 350. Roll dough out really thin, about 1/8-inch. These are called thin mints after all. You can either roll it out between two sheets of plastic, or dust your counter and rolling pin with a bit of flour and do it that way. If the dough is too firm to roll you can microwave it for 5 seconds. Cut out cookies and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
 
Make the peppermint coating: Meanwhile, prepare your chocolate coating. Using a double boiler, slowly melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally until it is glossy and smooth. You can add 1 tablespoon of shortening if your chocolate is too thick. Alternatively, use a microwave in short 15-20 second bursts to melt the chocolate. Stir in the peppermint extract if you don’t have the mint candy melts.

Finishing the cookies: Using a fork gently drop the cookies one at a time into the chocolate coating. Flip to coat all sides. Lift the cookie out of the chocolate with the fork and bang the fork on the side of the pan to drain any extra chocolate off the cookie. You are after a thin, even coating of chocolate. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, and repeat for the rest of the cookies. Place the cookies in the refrigerator or freezer to set.

Homemade Bagels

I've always wanted to make homemade bagels.  I found this recipe at thehappyhousewife.com.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 Tbs Honey
• 2 1/4 tsp salt
• 5 cups flower (you can use all white, half white/half wheat, or all whole wheat)
• 1 Tbs gluten
• 2 tsp. instant yeast

 Combine water, honey, and salt. Add part of the flour, yeast and gluten, mix well. Continue to add flour until you have a slightly sticky dough, kneed for about 10 minutes.  After the dough has risen, divide into 11-13 balls. I can usually get 13 bagels out of this recipe, but today I only got 12. This is also the time to add any extras. After the first rise but before you divide your dough, you can mix in onions (for onion bagels), assorted seeds or nuts, cinnamon and sugar, it is up to you.

After you have divided your dough, take the balls and put your thumbs through the middle of the ball. You will make the bagel shape by doing this. You need to work the hole to a pretty large diameter (almost 2 inches) because the hole will shrink when they rise.

Allow the bagels to rest (covered) for 20 minutes. It is best if you watch the time on this. You won’t ruin your bagels if they rest for 25 or 30 minutes, but 20 minutes is ideal. While the bagels are resting, start boiling a pot of water on the stove. Add honey or sugar (about 1/3 cup) to the water.

After the bagels have rested and your water is boiling drop the bagels (one or two at a time depending on how big your pot is) into the boiling water. Boil for one minute. Let me repeat this, boil for one minute. Do not over boil. Your bagels will fall apart. You can under boil them, but do not over boil. After a minute remove from the water with a slotted spoon and place on greased cookie sheet.

After the bagels are boiled you can brush them with an egg wash ( one egg white and about 3 Tbs of water) but it isn’t required. The egg wash gives the bagels that shiny look.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes. You can flip them if you think they are getting too brown on the bottom, but they won’t be as pretty.

Pasta with Pancetta & Leeks

I love food blogs!  I don't think I'll ever have to buy another recipe book again!  I found this recipe on Pioneerwoman.com.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces, weight Pasta, Cooked Al Dente
• Reserved Pasta Water, If Needed
• 3 ounces, weight Chopped Pancetta
• 3 whole Leeks, Sliced Thin
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• ½ cups Dry White Wine (I will use chicken stock)
• ½ cups Heavy Cream
• Salt And Freshly Ground Pepper, To Taste
• Parmesan Cheese, Shaved

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta and set aside. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.
Saute chopped pancetta until fat is rendered and it starts to brown. Add sliced leeks and cook for 8 minutes. When you add the leeks, you can also throw in a pat or two of butter if you want to. This’ll give the dish some scrumptious flavor. I add it after the bacon is browned because I don’t want the butter to brown. After 8 to 10 minutes, pour in wine, then cook an additional 1-2 minutes, until reduced. Reduce heat to low, then pour in cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in Parmesan shavings. Toss in pasta, adding a little pasta water to thin as needed. Serve with Parmesan shavings over the top—delicious!

*Some people suggested substituting portabello mushrooms for the Pancetta/bacon (if you want it vegetarian).  I might try turkey bacon instead. Others suggested add nutmeg, tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes or zucchini. Others said half & half or Greek yogurt could be substituted for the heavy cream. In some of the comments, they suggested saving the leek ends and bottoms in the freezer with all their other leftover veggie bits (ends of carrots, leaves from celery, onion ends, Parmesan rind and/or chicken carcasses) to make stock when you have enough.  What a good idea!  I guess people left out the butter (b/c it wasn't in the original directions) and it was yummy without it.