Pulled Pork and Cole Slaw

The weather this weekend seemed to insist I make something that had to be eaten outside in the warm sunshine.  I agreed and quickly set about making pulled pork and cole slaw  Enjoy this easy to prepare but delicious pork dish.

 Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

• 4 lbs. Boneless Boston Pork Butt
• 1/2 cup of black coffee.  
• 15 oz. can low sodium beef broth
• Barbeque Sauce for the cooked pork

Place the first three ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on high for at least six hours. ( barbeque sauce is for later) When it is fork tender and easy to pull apart and shred it is done.  Drain off all of the cooking liquid then take two forks and proceed to pull the the tender pork apart.   Add your favorite barbeque sauce and use as much or as little as your taste buds prefer.   We like all kinds of barbeque sauce but today we used Sweet Baby Ray's.

Low Fat Cole Slaw

• 1 cup fat-free Miracle Whip
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup carrots, shredded and then minced
• 8 cups cabbage shredded and minced
• 2 tbsp. grated onion

Combine the Miracle Whip with the sugar and mix until sugar is dissolved. Add remaining ingredients mix and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

We enjoyed our pulled pork and cole slaw with an ice cold Blue Moon Beer.

Patriot's Day....Battles of Lexington and Concord

Above is the Old North Bridge Concord Massachusetts. The start of the American Revolution War took place right here.....

Close up of the Old North Bridge

 
By Ralph Waldo Emerson
By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April's breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard 'round the world.
In "Concord Hymn" on July 4, 1837


I find the Grave of the British Soldiers quite moving.   A mothers loss is always great no matter which side you are fighting for.

This gentleman is reenacting a British soldier standing guard and in honor of the fallen British soldiers. He is standing at the shore of the Concord River which flows under the Old North Bridge.

Paul Revere Statue Boston Massachusetts

Every student in Massachusetts has listen to or as had to learn some part of this historical poem. 
Here is an excerpt from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's famous poem .....
 
The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. 

Listen my children and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year.
He said to his friend, "If the British march

By land or sea from the town to-night,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry arch
Of the North Church tower as a signal light,--
One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
For the country folk to be up and to arm."

Patriot's Day is a Massachusetts and Maine state holiday and commemorates the battles of Lexington and Concord. It is celebrated on the third Monday in April.   This holiday is not to be confused with Patriot Day which commemorates 9/11.

National Eggs Benedict Day...

 
National Eggs Benedict Day will be celebrated on April 16th this year . In honor of this classic I decide to make this delicious breakfast dish for our supper tonight.  Lightly toasted English muffins, Canadian bacon and poached eggs all topped off with a creamy smooth, buttery Hollandaise Sauce.   From start to finish this dish is simple and quick.  It is basically an assembled dish with the Hollandaise Sauce being the only thing that took a few minutes.  I used Ina Garten's recipe for the creamy sauce and as usual her recipe did not let me down.

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
• 4 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pinches of cayenne pepper

Directions

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan. Place the egg yolks, lemon juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 3/4 teaspoon pepper and cayenne in the jar of a blender. Blend for 15 seconds. With the blender running, slowly pour the hot butter into the blender and blend for 30 seconds, until the sauce is thick. (You can leave it in the blender at room temperature for up to 1 hour. If it is made in advance, add 1 tablespoon hot tap water and blend for a few seconds before serving.)

Take a gander at the gorgeous orange yolk from my farm eggs.

Dom's York Peppermint Patties...

Dom ( Belleau Kitchen) posted a recipe a few weeks ago for home made York Peppermint Patties.  From what I gathered, York's are not as readily available in the UK as they are here in the US.  Well once I read Dom's post I could think of nothing else but making these yummies and to see if they were as good as the York Peppermint Patties I always buy.  Guess what, they are!
You can find Dom's recipe on his blog(above).  I had to guess my way a little with the UK measurements.  Here are the measurements I came up with.

• 5 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tbsp. peppermint extract
• 3 1/2 cups dark chocolate, melted 

Mix all three ingredients in a stand mixer until it forms into a dough.  Sprinkle your board with powdered sugar and roll out  to  1/4 inch or the thickness of a York Patty. Cut out the disks and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.   Next dip the peppermint disks in the slightly cooled melted chocolate and then refrigerate for another 30 minutes.

 Thanks Dom, they were a huge hit!!

Now These Are Easter Eggs.....

  Happy Easter Everyone!

Happiness is Having a Dog......

Perhaps there are some who believe it is silly to bestow human characteristics and emotions upon an animal.  I say they must never have known the love of a dog.  Anyone who has had the honor of owning a dog knows what it feels like to open the backdoor, step into the kitchen and be greeted by their most loyal of  friends. The happiness they display for us after our long day of work is exactly the same happiness they show when we leave the room for a minute to do a load of laundry.
A dog loves you unconditionally with much affection and without exception.  I once read somewhere that dogs have all the virtues of a human without any of the vices.  When was the last time you heard anyone say they were betrayed by their dog or that their dog was scheming  up a plan to have them fired. 
Dogs are faithful, intelligent, dependable and in my Bella's case,  generous and kind.  She instinctively knows who needs her attention the most and at the time that they need her the most.  She shares herself with five people who all want and need different things from her.  She performs her duties effortlessly, with enthusiasm and boundless energy.
For me she is my constant companion.  My most loyal, ever dependable friend.

The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too.

Samuel Butler, Higgledy-Piggledy

Mini Maple Bundts....

It's sugaring season in New England and the annual tapping of the maple trees is a welcome sight for weary winter eyes.   Aluminum buckets hanging securely from stately maples trees are announcing to all that spring has arrived.  A scenic drive up to New Hampshire for the molten maple sugar is a welcome diversion from tedious spring chores. I bought my large jug and home I went to make these mini maple bundt goodies. They take minutes to make and bake and are a yummy breakfast or afternoon treat.
Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder 
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda 
• pinch of salt 
• 1 egg (lightly beaten) 
• 1 6 oz container plain Greek yogurt 
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp. canola oil 
• 2 tsp. lemon juice 
• 2 1/2 tbsp. real maple syrup 

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl stir together egg, yogurt, oil, lemon juice, and maple syrup. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Gently fold everything together until just combined.
4. Divide batter evenly into a greased mini bundt pan. The batter will be pretty thick.
5. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for a minute or two and then flip over onto a cooling rack while still warm.  Make a glaze with 1/2 cup of confectionery sugar and a few tablespoon of pure maple syrup.  Stream the glaze over the mini bundts and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.