Cola Braised Pulled-Pork Carnitas

This is another Crock pot recipe that I got from the October issue of Canadian Family. The butter chicken went so well that I must try this one.


Ingredients
1 tbsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 cups cola (not diet), I've also heard of this being done with Root Beer
1/4 cups brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp dried oregano leaves
2 bay leaves
3 lbs boneless pork shoulder

Directions

• Add everything but the pork to the slow cooker. Stir to mix.
• Cut pork in half horizontally to lie flat. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer pork to slow cooker and set it to low for 8 hours or high for 5 hours.
• When done, carefully remove pork from cooker and keep warm.
• Separate the grease from the cooking liquid. Reduce liquid in a pot over high heat until thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Using two forks, pull the meat apart into shreds. Mix in some of the thickened cooking liquid until just moistened, then season with salt and pepper.
• Serve on warm soft tacos with salsa, avocado slices, chopped cilantro, and a squirt of lime juice.

Now, if you're going all out you might want to accompany this with some kicked up cole slaw and a Corona and have yourself a real fiesta.

Herbed Beef and Tomatoes

This is one of our favourite crock-pot (slow cooker) recipes, provided to us by our good friend Little Chris. It can also be done on the stove. We usually serve this with rice or mashed potatoes for a hearty fall or winter meal.

Ingredients:
1 medium onion thinly sliced
2 lb stewing beef
2 tbsp oil
1 cup beef broth
1 clove minced garlic
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp pepper
2 tsp cold water
2 tsp soya sauce
3 tsp cornstarch
1 can plum tomatoes

Directions:
- separate onions into rings and place in an even layer on the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Trim fat from meat
- Brown meat in a skillet with hot oil
- Stir into slow cooker: broth, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, paprika, and pepper
- Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours
- After 8-10 hours turn cooker to high setting
- Skim off fat
- Blend water and soya sauce into cornstarch, stir into slow cooker.
- Add tomatoes to the the slow cooker
- Cover and cook until bubbly (about 20 minutes)
- Enjoy with some rice or potatoes and a nice glass of red wine.

Kicked up Cole Slaw

I got this recipe from Guy's Big Bite on the food network. It's easy and really good. The horse radish and dijon adds some nice kick.

Ingredients:
Cabbage (I bought a bag of cole slaw mix from the grocery store)
3 tbsp Mayo (I used lite mayo to save some calories)
3/4 tbsp horseradish (I love horseradish- if you're not a big fan you can keep it to 1/2 a tbsp)
3/4 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
2 grated carrots
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Directions
Mix all the wet ingredients
Poor over the cabbage and carrots and mix well.
Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken

Since it's the fall and I'm short on time the slow cooker is the solution. A bunch of people have been talking about it over the last few days. So I'll be adding a couple of my favourite slow cooker recipes over the next few days.

I found this recipe in the October issue of Canadian Family. I hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp ground cumin
2-3 tbsp yellow or red curry paste
1/2 tbsp ground cardamom
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
3/4 cup coconut milk
8 skinless, bone-in chicken drumsticks and thighs (approx 3 lbs)

Directions
1. Melt butter and pour in slow cooker. Stir in all ingredients except chicken.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to slow cooker. Turn to coat.
3. Cook on high setting for two and a half hours or low for 5 hours.

I suggest serving it with some naan bread, rice and perhaps some roasted veggies.