Slow-Cooking Saturdays: Crockpot Pulled Pork Sandwiches (With Sunflower Slaw)

I'll be the first to admit that I usually turn to my crockpot on days when I just don't have time to cook. It's so nice to get up in the morning, prepare food for the crockpot, turn it on, and go do whatever else it is that's keeping me from the kitchen that day. And the one thing I always keep in the freezer - crockpot ready, you might say - is country-style pork ribs. They're thicker and more fatty than spareribs or babybacks, which makes them perfect for the crockpot. They're also harder to eat with your fingers, which makes them perfect for shredding and plopping on toasted bread. (But if you feel the need to use your fingers that's okay; and rest assured that a little finger-licking is always encouraged when it comes to a barbecue dinner.)

In North Carolina, the self-professed barbecue capital of the U.S., we eat slaw on our barbecue sandwiches. (Unless you're my husband who kind of just refuses to touch the stuff.) In Western N.C. you'll find red barbecue slaw, which has ketchup in it. (Suffice it to say it's not my favorite thing in the world.) Down East you'll be served white slaw, which is cool and creamy and pairs wonderfully with their vinegar-based 'cue. In my house, however, we like to break the rules and go for something a little Asian-influenced because it goes great with sweet barbecue-sauced pork. (And come on, breaking the rules is a given. I'm already cooking my pork in a slow cooker instead of over a hickory fire. But y'all know I'm a rebel like that.)

I love crockpot days. It's so nice to have a flavorful, satisfying meal that didn't take a lot of effort. And I highly recommend cooking pork in the slow cooker because its texture holds up well to long, slow cooking. This meal is definitely a keeper.



Crockpot Country-Style Pork Ribs
Recipe adapted from About.com
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Ingredients
3 to 4 pounds country-style pork ribs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 to 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup apple juice
2 cups of your favorite barbecue sauce

Directions
1. Spray inside of crockpot.
2. Rinse pork ribs and pat dry. Trim off extra fat if desired.
3. Mix salt, pepper, sugar and garlic. Dip ribs in mixture and turn to coat.
4. Place onion slices in bottom of crockpot. Place ribs on top of onions and pour apple juice evenly over ribs. Cook on low 8 to 9 hours.
5. Remove ribs and pour out onions and liquid. Return ribs to crockpot and cover with barbecue sauce. Cook on low another hour. When finished cooking, remove ribs and shred them with forks. Serve on hot, buttered buns and top with slaw (or serve it on the side).

Sunflower Slaw
Adapted from Apartment Therapy: The Kitchn
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In general, slaw recipes are very forgiving. If you're unsure about the amount of an ingredient, start with less and add more to taste. Simply remember the old adage: It's easier to add to than it is to take away.

Ingredients
Medium head of cabbage
One bunch green onions, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or other flavorless oil)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon white sugar
Sesame oil (to taste)
Soy sauce (to taste)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Directions
1. Shred cabbage and toss with green onions.
2. Mix all wet ingredients and whisk until emulsified.
3. Toss with cabbage and add sunflower seeds. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Apple Pancake

Have you ever been to one of those Find-Your-Own-Gem mines? Before you even arrive you just know that they're a ripoff because if it was that easy to find emeralds and rubies we'd all be zillionaires, or the stones wouldn't be worth much. Yet you go and when they blow that silly horn to announce that Mr. Smith just found a beautiful ruby and it weighs THIS MUCH, you get that little inkling of doubt in your original thought. You think, you know what? Maybe there are treasures to be found in here if I can just dig them out.

That's kind of how it was with this recipe. Apple pancake! How fabulous would that be for a brunch?! And I know Cash would love it because it combines two of his favorite things, apples and pancakes. And then I went to the reviews. And I should have heeded the warnings, but I didn't because I thought: You know what? I can do this. I'm a baker. This recipe is a diamond in the rough and just needs someone to sift through the mess and make it shine.

Again. I should have listened to the reviewers.

The flavor isn't bad, and the process makes sense, but when person after person suggested that there were too many eggs in the recipe, and that the pancake was more like an omelet, I should have listened. I should have trusted my instincts when, first, I thought "this is a lot of batter for a 9x9-inch square pan." And second, when I thought, "I'll be surprised if this actually finishes baking in 30 minutes." And third, when I went to pull it out of the oven and thought, "hmmm, this doesn't seem set in the middle." Yeah. That's because it wasn't. I hate it when that happens.

All of this being said I'm not going to give up. I think using a 9x13 pan, and halving the batter would result in a beautiful, puffy, golden pancake. I sprinkled my wedge with powdered sugar, but I think syrup would be a perfect accompaniment. All of this to say that I'm probably going to try again because this recipe is like one of those gem mines. Sure, I'm going into it with an expectation of disappointment, but there might just be a treasure somewhere under all that batter!



I can't in good conscience direct you to this recipe and recommend that you make it as written, but I will say that if any of you are up for a challenge - get to it! Tell us what changes you made, or would make, to take this recipe from dud to diamond!

Apple Puff Pancake at AllRecipes

Savory Chicken and Broccoli

The following scene plays out all too often in my house:

"What should I cook tonight? Let's see, I have chicken thawed, and that baguette is going to go bad if I don't use it. Spicy barbecue chicken would be great, but no, Cash won't be into the spice. How about chicken, potatoes and peas? Wait. Peas. Brad doesn't eat peas. Do I have a bag of broccoli? I do. Well, that's always welcome on the table. But I don't want steamed broccoli. Again. Ugh. It's time to make dinner and I'm clueless! Time to hit Google."

OK. So maybe I don't actually say all of this out loud (maybe. ahem.) But I do have this conversation with myself pretty often. That's what happens when you stray from previous meal plans and have odds and ends to use up.



This was a lot better than I expected. It's almost like eating a chunky chicken salad, hold the lettuce, but then again I would definitely consider serving this with a bowl of fresh, bright green Romaine lettuce, sprinkled with corn, pecans and maybe some sliced radishes for a kick. Seasoned breadcrumbs and tender, juicy, seasoned chicken breasts are a no-brainer (especially on nights when your brain is already fried) and adding the broccoli is a simple way to add something green (and of course up the nutritional ante of the whole dish!)

This isn't a meal that's going to win any awards, but it is a dish that your family will tuck into after a long day at work and school. Plus, if you're the chef you get to test all the ingredients and trust me, you're going to have a tough time keeping your fingers out of the chicken! For me, dishes like this is what it's all about. Simple ingredients. Flavor. And time around the table with your family. Enjoy!



Savory Chicken and Broccoli
Adapted from About.com
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Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 can chicken broth
Black pepper to taste
1 baguette (I cut my baguette into large croutons and used this recipe to season them.)
1 package frozen broccoli, steamed until bright green
2 large chicken breasts, seasoned with salt and pepper, sauteed, and sliced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375. Spray 1.5 quart glass casserole dish and set aside.
2. Melt butter in medium-sized saucepan over low heat, then stir in flour, and season with pepper. Remove from heat; add chicken broth gradually, stirring until smooth. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat.
3. Place croutons in casserole dish. Pour half of the sauce over the croutons. Place broccoli over croutons, then layer chicken over broccoli. Pour remaining sauce over the top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake for 25 minutes, or until heated through. Makes four large servings or six smaller ones.

Devil's Food Cake With Marshmallow Frosting

At our house Valentine's Day isn't such a big deal. Yes, there are a few treats here and there (such as a bag full of M&Ms from MiMi to her favorite boy), and we do take a moment to do something special for each other: He made breakfast for me this morning, and I made a cake for him this afternoon. I suppose I should say I made a cake for them, although the mini-human in the family was much more interested in the beaters used to make the frosting, and I can't say I blame him, either. It was a laid-back Sunday, filled with naps, etsy and the advent of racing season. Was there a better way to finish it off than with a big slice of Devil's Food Cake? Only if you top that cake with Pea's Marshmallow Frosting. Which we did.

And on that simple note, Happy Valentine's Day to you all, too.



I used David Lebovitz's recipe for Devil's Food Cake and the Marshmallow Frosting recipe found at Culinary Concoctions by Peabody.

Apricot Chicken

Statistics show that Americans ate almost 91 pounds of chicken in 2007. That's each American. That's a lot of poultry! I have to admit that our household probably consumed more than its allotted 90 pounds each, I kid you not. We don't eat a lot of beef because other than ground beef Brad doesn't care for it. I like the occasional steak, but I don't really enjoy the atmosphere of steakhouses so unless Daddy is grilling out for me on the deck I'm not likely to eat my beloved ribeye.

I don't really like to think, however, about how that chicken gets into my fridge or freezer. The stories I heard on the news, and the articles I read on the Internet were enough to get me to consider the effect that raising and slaughtering chickens has had on my body and the environment. It doesn't matter where they come from, hormones scare me. (Including my own, but that's a whole other conversation.) We've been buying organic milk for Cash, and our chicken and beef have all been coming from the farmers market for the last year or so. The price is higher, yes, but I believe the meat is also safer and I feel better about feeding it to my family. So there's a good chance that our chicken consumption has dropped simply because of the pricepoint, but that's okay because we're branching out and eating meatless or meat-lite meals much more often.

This chicken recipe was great for sandwiches. I used much less chicken, and it's definitely a budget-friendly meal. I served it along with fresh bakery rolls and roasted peppers that were fresh-frozen after growing in Daddy's garden. I love to serve sandwiches during the week (with a side of baked fries or a salad.) They're easy on the pocketbook, and they're easy on the cook. And, of course, everybody is happy because they're chicken sandwiches. And we do love our chicken.



Apricot Chicken
Adapted from Everyday Food
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Ingredients
1/2 cup apricot jelly
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 pound chicken cutlets
salt and pepper
one sliced red pepper, seeds and ribs removed
one sliced green pepper, seeds and ribs removed
half a white onion, sliced

Directions
1. Turn on broiler.
2. In a small bowl, combine jelly and red-pepper flakes. Set aside.
3. Line baking sheet with foil. Place cutlets on sheet and season with salt and pepper. Broil until chicken begins to turn opaque, about 5 minutes.
4. Remove chicken and brush with glaze. Return pan to oven and broil until glaze thickens and slightly caramelizes, about 5 more minutes. (Be careful not to burn chicken! If you use chicken breasts instead, they should register 165 degrees in thickest part when finished.) Remove chicken from oven and set aside.
5. Re-line sheet with foil. In bowl, toss pepper and onion strips with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Put vegetables on new foil in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until vegetables begin to caramelize but don't burn, which should only take a few minutes.
6. Serve chicken and vegetables on rolls, with mayo if desired.

Snowflake (Coconut) Cake

This is the perfect example of a Church Lady Cake. Do you know what I'm talking about? When I was little my favorite part of church dinners was heading to the dessert table to choose my cake. Every piece was cut from a 9x13 pan and sat on its own little paper plate. The cakes were never terribly fancy, but they were always wonderfully made. They were little rectangles of church-lady sweetness, is what they were. And this cake would fit in perfectly on one of those dessert tables.



This is the cake my mom makes every Christmas for the neighbors. (And they expect her to bring one over, too! When she isn't timely enough they let her know they're missing it.) Since it's white and fluffy and sweet it immediately makes me think of snow. And when your yard is covered with snow (and maybe a few snow angels made by your own personal snow angel) it's the perfect cake to bake. So Snowflake Cake it is and always will be in my house. This one went to work, where it already has a legion of fans from previous appearances.

It may be snowing (and sleeting and raining) where you live, but baking a cake will make the house toasty and warm. And a little sugar never hurt anybody, now did it?



Coconut Cake
By Confabulation in the Kitchen, and her Mama
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Ingredients
1 white cake, baked in a 9x13 pan (You can use any recipe here or a box mix.)
1 cup milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
12 oz. whipped topping, softened and stirrable
12 oz. bag frozen, unsweetened coconut, thawed

Directions
1. Mix cake according to directions, and add about 1/3 bag of coconut to batter. Bake and let cool.
2. In saucepan over medium heat, warm milk, sugar and vanilla, stirring until sugar melts completely.
3. Using a toothpick, punch holes all over cake. Pour milk mixture over cake and let completely cool.
4. Mix another 1/3 bag of coconut with whipped topping. Spread over cake. Sprinkle remaining 1/3 bag of coconut over frosting. Refrigerate until cold and serve, and store leftover cake in fridge.

Notes: I used a box cake mix, skim milk and fat-free whipped topping.