Pulled Pork

I made pulled pork for a party a few months ago and I was blown away with how easy it was. The key is in the slow cooker. Through a couple of tries, I found that my 6 qt oval can easily take on a 6 lb shoulder/butt.. and could kinda squeeze in a little over 8 lbs.  

It was really popular at parties and it was an easy entree for a large family dinner. We toasted up some Hawaiian buns (use the dinner rolls if you want sliders) and topped it with my favorite BBQ sauce.

Roasted veggies and a baked potato rounded out the meal.

Ingredients: 

1 c brown sugar
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp ground sage
1/2 tbsp ground thyme
1 tbsp coarse salt
5 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 medium onion, sliced
16 oz chicken stock

Directions: 

1. Remove pork from package. Blot dry with paper towels. 
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine spices, sugar, and garlic. This is your dry-rub.
3. Rub the dry rub all over the pork. (optional: do this step the night before and let sit in the refrigerator in a covered container).
4. In the slow cooker, spread the sliced onion out in an even layer. 
5. Place pork into slow cooker, fatty side up. 
6. Pour chicken stock into the slow cooker so that the pork is 80% - 90% covered (you don't need to use all of the cooking liquid). 
7. Cover. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 9. (Do not uncover the slow cooker until at least 6 hrs have passed). 
8. After cooking time has lapsed, pull out the pork shoulder with some tongs and place in a shallow container.
9. Transfer the cooking liquid into a separate container. As it cools, skim off some of the fat. 
10. With two forks, shred the meat. The meat should easily come apart - fall off the bone tender. 
11. Place meat back into the slow cooker with some of the cooking liquid to keep it moist. Reserve the rest of the liquid so people can use it as desired (like an aus ju). Set slow cooker to "warm."

Stuffed Shells

One of the easiest one-pan make-ahead meals I make is hands down the stuffed shells. The ingredients for the filling generally can be kept on hand for a couple of weeks, making this a great option for that very last night before you have to go to the market. 

I was originally introduced to stuffed shells by KK, and was intimidated by making it at first since cooking the shells seemed daunting (how can I make sure to not break it?!). But it's almost as easy as making a pot sticker. 

Sorry, but we dug into it before I could get a "right out of the oven" picture. 

The shells and sauce: 

I use 2 (16 oz) jars of sauce and 1 package of jumbo shells. The larger the shell, the easier it is to work with.  Cook the shells according to package directions for the shortest time possible. You want to slightly undercook the pasta. When you bake it, the pasta will finish cooking and absorb moisture from the filling and sauce. 

Beef Filling: 

1 medium onion 

2 - 3 clove garlic

1 lb mozzarella, shredded

15 oz container fat free ricotta

onion powder (optional)

2 tsp salt

1 lb lean ground beef
shredded basil (optional)

Putting it together: 

1. Cook the shells according to package directions for the shortest time possible. 
2. Drain, then set aside on a cookie sheet to cool. In a frying pan, cook the onion, garlic, and ground beef. Drain and add the salt. 
3. Lightly spray a 9x13 pan and an 8x8 pan with cooking spray. 
4. Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan (skip if making ahead). 
5. Combine the cooked meat mixture with the ricotta and half of the mozzarella until the mixture is smooth. 
6. Spoon the filling into the shell. Each shell should hold about 2 - 3 tbsp of filling.
7. Lay the filled shells into the pan, seam side down.   

When you're ready to cook it, pour the pasta sauce into the pan, making sure all of the shells are covered. Top with the remaining mozzarella. Bake at 350 degrees or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbly, about 35 - 45 min. 

Tip: If you plan on making these ahead and want to freeze them, lay the stuffed shells in a pan lined with parchment paper. Make sure no two shells are touching. Once they are frozen, they will store well in a gallon ziplock or a freezer safe storage container. They can easily go from freezer to oven. Just increase the cooking time.

Vegetarian Filling: 

1 lb frozen chopped spinach

minced garlic

2 zucchini, shredded

1 lb mozzarella, shredded

1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese

15 oz container fat free ricotta

onion powder (optional)

2 tsp salt