BBQ

Favorite Blueberry Recipes for Summer

July 1, 2018

Blueberries are my favorite fruit and based on the number of blueberry recipes I write, it’s pretty obvious that I’m biased to this little berry. While most of the recipes are sweet, blueberry also works well in savory dishes, like that blueberry bourbon bbq sauce in the bottom corner.

July is National Blueberry Month and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than to “blueberry all the things”. While the season is over here, it is in full swing in other parts of the country and blueberries are readily available. Let’s make some blueberry recipes and celebrate this sweet little fruit.

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Dinner Divas: Week 15 – 30 Minute Meals

July 28, 2017

30 minute meals. When I ask my people on Facebook what they’d like to see more of, that is the Number One Request. I get it, we are all busy and tired. The thought of standing in the kitchen for an hour after a long work day doesn’t appeal to many people. This week, the Dinner Divas have put together a week’s worth of 30 minute meals.

How it works: Every Friday morning, a new meal plan will show up in your email. It will consist of 5 dinner options, plus 2 extras. Those two extras could be side dishes, dessert, drinks, etc. The Dinner Divas weekly menu plans will feature (mostly) healthy, seasonal foods that don’t take all day to prepare. Getting the weekly menu delivered to your inbox on Friday morning gives you the chance to make your shopping list and get organized for the week ahead. I’d love to hear from you & see your creations! Post a pic using #DinnerDivas and tag @pookspantry! I hope this weekly menu plan provides inspiration and makes life a little easier… one meal at a time.

30 MINUTE MEALS

First up this week is Pastry Chef Online’s Pasta with easy Creamy Marinara (or Vodka) Sauce. This is the perfect way to ease into the week. Check out the secret ingredient in her sauce!

Next is this amazing Korean BBQ Rice Bowl from Girl in the Little Red Kitchen. This is exactly what I crave after a long day. A few minutes the night before to prepare a marinade and the rest comes together in a snap. Bring on those spicy flavors and pickles!

The following day brings us to midweek with One Pan Greek Beef Pasta from The Chef Next Door. I love the flavors in this filling one pan meal!

Next is my Queso Fundido Chicken. Although it might be about 35 minutes from start to finish, I hope you’ll forgive the 5 minutes over the time limit because it’s worth it! Pull out some leftover rice or veggies that are hiding in the fridge and your meal is complete.

Last, but certainly not least is 15 minute Weeknight Pasta from Comfortably Domestic. This is a great recipe to have in your back pocket for those nights when you have very little time or energy.

Finally, we’ve come to the end of the week and that means dessert. This week, we have two incredible sweets to fulfill that craving.

This Salted Caramel Turtle Fudge Swirl Ice Cream is my sweet tooth’s dream. Pastry Chef Online is an ice cream genius.

The last dessert this week are Mini Walnut Cinnamon Buns. These would be a perfect weekend treat, thanks to the Chef Next Door!

Thank you for joining us this week! We hope these 30 minute meals help make the week a little easier… one meal at a time.

The Dinner Divas

Franklin Barbecue

January 10, 2014

It’s a rather unassuming-looking place, isn’t it? Don’t let that fool you. The incredible things that happen on this little corner down a nondescript side street will blow your mind.

We all have those places on our “food bucket list” that we hope we will be able to get to someday. One of mine was Franklin Barbecue in Austin, Texas. It is the epitome of what barbecue should be. Smoky, full of flavor and soft as butter. The brisket was so tender I nearly wept, the ribs literally fell off the bone when picked up… This was it, this was what I had been waiting for.

It was our first stop on the “Tour de Tex”. We had checked the website and unfortunately found that due to the holiday schedule, there was only day they would be open while we were in Texas. So, here is how it went: We woke up at 3:45 in the morning, got on a plane to San Antonio (our original destination), went straight to the rental car place from baggage claim, made an hour long drive on a wing (or a rib) and a prayer to arrive at Franklin Barbecue by 11:45 am. If this seems like a reasonable time to arrive, you’d be mistaken. The line started at 8:00am, which means we were pretty far back and it wasn’t looking good for us.

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BBQ pulled pork recipe with orange and garlic

October 6, 2012

This BBQ pulled pork recipe is a game day favorite. Pork shoulder slow roasted in garlic and orange juice until it is fall-apart tender is mixed with your favorite barbeque sauce and piled high on toasted buns.

If you make a purchase through one of the affiliate links, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.

BBQ pulled pork with orange and garlic

This is the kind of food I want to have bubbling away in the oven making my kitchen smell of divine porkiness while I am preparing to entertain a group of friends waiting for my beloved Buckeyes to take the field.
(whew… how’s THAT for a run-on sentence?!)

For most people, this is summer food… For me however, I equate having my oven going for over 4 hours with cooler temperatures and for me, cooler temps automatically mean football.

I’m sure this seems absurd to most of you. Everyone else in the blogosphere is making pumpkin this and cinnamon that and here I am making pulled pork. Well, I’m sure someone somewhere understands my particular brand of crazy… it’s called football people and it’s not just football, it’s my Ohio State Buckeyes.

If you are from the Midwest or the South where meetings are rescheduled and Saturday afternoons are off limits “on account of there’s football”, then I needn’t explain any further.
To the rest of you who can’t quite conceive of this, it’s irrational. Those of us that love football with the fervor of a sale-seeking Jersey Housewife with a platinum card understand what it’s all about.

BBQ pulled pork sides

This garlic and orange pulled pork is great on its own or in a sandwich. It is one of those great “make ahead” meals that you can cook the night before and then put in a crock pot to stay warm for game day.

Here a few options for side dishes to go with your BBQ pulled pork recipe:

Ingredients for slow-roasted pulled pork

Pulled Pork

5 lbs boneless pork shoulder, cleaned
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 large onion, quartered
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp black peppercorns
2 cups orange juice
4 cups water
1/4 cup canola oil
2 + cups of your favorite BBQ sauce – try my blueberry bourbon BBQ sauce or pineapple mango BBQ sauce

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat. Season pork with salt & pepper.
Sear pork on all sides.

Add onion, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, orange juice and water. Cover and place in oven for 4 hours. Check liquid level after 2 hours and add an extra cup of water if needed.

After 4 hours, remove pork from oven and let it sit for 10 – 15 minutes, then place in a large bowl or on a platter. With two forks, pull the meat apart until all of it is shredded. While warm, add BBQ sauce and mix well to completely coat pork with sauce.
Pile onto your favorite roll or hamburger bun, sit back and watch some football…

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