Slow-Cooker Dry Rub Pulled Pork

A 6-7 pound pork butt is a lot of pork, but I like to freeze pulled pork in small batches.  Nothing better than week-night pulled pork nachos! The dry rub seasoning is mild enough that the pork can be used in a variety of recipes.

Ingredients:

1 6-7 ounce pork shoulder roast, or Boston butt

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

• Combine dry rub ingredients
• Pat roast dry with paper towels, and rub with seasoning.
• Place roast fat side up in a large crockpot.
• Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. Reduce heat to low and cook 4 more hours
• Remove roast and let rest for 45 minutes
• Discard bone, fat and tissue.  Shred meat
• Serve with barbecue sauce if desired.

Ginger and Rosemary Shortbread

A wonderful savory/sweet combination of flavors!

Ingredients:

 

4 sticks (2 cups) unsalted butter, softened

1 2/3 cups sugar

4 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup chopped crystallized ginger (approx. one 2 oz. jar)

2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely grated

3-4 tablespoons fresh rosemary,  chopped

2 teaspoons milk 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Prepare a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with non stick baking spray
• Beat butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy
• Reserve 1 tablespoon of beaten eggs for egg wash, set aside
• Add salt and largest portion of eggs to butter mixture.  Beat well
• Gradually add in the flour. Mix well, but do not over beat
• Add gingers and rosemary. Mix well
• Press dough evenly into baking pan
• In a small bowl, beat reserved egg and milk together to make an egg wash. Brush on dough using a pastry brush
• Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a tester inserted comes out clean.  Cool shortbread in pan on a rack and cut into squares and then triangles.

Shortbread can be made ahead and put into a well sealed container and frozen.  Allow shortbread to come to room temp before serving.  

Rugelachs

Rugelachs are my favorite cookie!  The traditional filling of apricot jam, cinnamon/sugar and walnuts is my favorite, although the white chocolate, raspberry, pecan filling I made recently was quite good.  Experiment with your own ideas.  These freeze well either unbaked (after chilling filled cookie) or baked.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound (two sticks) of unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar, plus 9 tablespoons, divided
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
1 cup walnuts, chopped fine
1/2 cup apricot preserves, pureed
1 egg beaten
1 tablespoon milf

Directions:

• Cream butter and cream cheese until light.  Add 1/4 cup sugar, salt and vanilla.
• Add flour and mix until just combined
• Roll into a ball on well-floured board.  
• Cut ball into quarters and wrap each in plastic
• Refrigerate one hour
• Combine 6 tablespoons of sugar, brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and walnuts.
• Roll each ball of dough into a circle (9-12 inch in diameter)
• Spread dough with preserves and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of filling
• Press filling into dough. Cut circle into 12 equal wedges
• Starting with wide end, roll up each wedge
• Place cookies, point tucked under, on baking sheets lined with parchment
• Chill for 30 minutes or 15 minutes in freezer.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Combine 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.  Brush each cookie with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar. 
• Bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned

Yield: 48 cookies

Corn Chowder

Fresh corn chowder with bacon! This is wonderful with toasted french bread for sopping, or tearing into chunks and dropping into your bowl

Ingredients:

8 ears of yellow corn, husked
3 tablespoons butter
6 slices of bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1 clove minced garlic
5 cups water
1 pound Yukon potatoes, cut into 1/2 pieces
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
salt
pepper
1 cup half and half
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or green onion tops
shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

• Cut kernels from ears of corn and set aside.
• Melt butter in large pot over medium heat.
• Add bacon and onion and stir frequently until onion is softened and begins to brown
• Add flour and garlic and cook 1-2 minutes.  
• While whisking, slowly pour in water.
• Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
• Stir in potatoes and corn.
• Add thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste
• Bring to a light boil, then reduce heat to medium-low
• Simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Using a hand blender, blend soup until about half is smooth.  You want some chunkiness, so don't over blend.
• Stir in half and half and honey.
• Serve topped with chives and cheese.

Blueberry Coffee Cake

Breakfast or dessert, this blueberry cake will satisfy! Batter will be very stiff when you spread it in pan. I've not tried it, but you could replace sugar with 1/3 cup of Splenda in both cake and topping for a sugar-free version.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick of butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 pint fresh blueberries

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees (350 degrees convection oven).  Butter sides and bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan.
• Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl.   
• Mix together the butter and sugar until fluffy.  Beat in egg
• Add the flour mixture alternately with milk and vanilla.
• Toss berries with one tablespoon flour.  Fold berries into batter and spread batter into prepared pan.
• Crumble topping ingredients together with hand to make crumbs.  Sprinkle over batter.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes, testing with toothpick or wooden skewer.  
• Let cool before loosening from pan.