Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork

This is a great low effort, high reward meal! There’s no real prep (other than cutting an onion), put it all in a pot, cook it low and slow for 6-7 hours in the oven, and then shred. Plus you’ll have left overs for days! I decreased the original amount of chipotle peppers for our taste (well for me and the kids taste, Luke doesn’t mind the kick!). Serve it with some BBQ sauce on a bun with some coleslaw. Or try it with some homemade mac and cheese for a real treat. It’s so versatile and freezes well! 

 Ingredients:

• 2 onions, peeled and
• quartered
• 1 whole pork butt (pork
• shoulder roast)
• Salt and freshly ground black
• pepper
• One 7-ounce can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (or more if you want it spicy)
• 2 cans Dr Pepper (24 oz) 
• 4 packed tablespoons brown sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Start by placing the onion quarters in the bottom of a pot. Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper, and then place on top of the onions. 
3. Pour the chipotle peppers over the top, and then crack open the cans of pop and pour them over the whole thing. Add the brown sugar to the liquid and stir.
4. Cover the pot, put in the oven and cook for at least 6 hours, usually it takes closer to 7 hours. When it's done, the pork will be fork-tender.
5. Remove the meat from the pot and shred completely. Remove the chipotle peppers. Then return the meat to the pot and keep in the juice until you need it.
6. Serve with BBQ sauce on a bun, in a taco, or even on top of homemade mac and cheese for a real treat! 

Grilled Salmon with Avocado Sweet Corn Salsa

“How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭

Grilled Salmon with Avocado Sweet Corn Salsa

INGREDIENTS

• 4 skinless salmon filets
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 ears corn, kernels cut off the cob
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
• ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 avocados, chopped
• Cilantro lime rice, optional

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Preheat your grill to the highest setting (We used our Traiger preheated to 450 degrees). Pat the salmon completely dry with a paper towel.
2. In a small bowl, stir together a big pinch of salt and pepper with the smoked paprika and garlic powder.
3. In a large bowl, combine the corn, peppers, cilantro and lime juice with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.
4. Sprinkle the salmon with the paprika spice mix. Place the salmon on the grill and grill for 10-15 minutes (ours took about 13 minutes). Transfer the salmon to a plate.
5. Add the avocado to the corn salsa and toss well. Taste and season more if needed.
6. Serve the salmon with the corn salsa on top. We also served ours with cilantro lime rice.

Spinach Bacon Quiche

SPINACH BACON QUICE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pre-made pie crust (9-inch)
• 8 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or Swiss)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and place the pie crust in a pie dish. Crimp the edges and pre-bake for 10 minutes.
2. Cook the chopped bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crispy. Drain on paper towels and reserve some grease.
3. Sauté the spinach in the reserved grease until wilted.
4. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
5. Spread bacon and spinach in the crust; sprinkle cheese on top before pouring in the egg mixture.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes until set and golden.
7. Cool for 10 minutes before slicing

Cheesy Jalapeño Popper Baked Stuffed Chicken

 

Cheesy Jalapeño Popper Baked Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients 

• ▢ 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• ▢ 3 jalapeños, chopped (remove seeds for milder)
• ▢ 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• ▢ 4 oz shredded cheddar jack, Sargento
• ▢ 2 tbsp chopped scallions
• ▢ 8 thin sliced skinless chicken breast cutlets, 3 oz each
• ▢ 1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• ▢ 1 1/2 juicy limes, juice of
• ▢ 1 tbsp olive oil 
• ▢ salt and fresh pepper
• ▢ olive oil non-stick spray

Instructions 

• 1. Wash and dry chicken cutlets, season   with salt and pepper.  Preheat oven to 450°F.
  
  
• 2. Lightly spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.
  
  
• 3. Combine cream cheese, cheddar, scallions, jalapeño and bacon crumbles in a medium bowl.
  
  
• 4. Lay chicken cutlets on a working surface and spread 2 tbsp of cream cheese mixture on each cutlet.
  
  
• 5. Loosely roll each one, secure the ends with toothpicks to prevent the cheese from oozing out.
  
  
• 6. Place breadcrumbs in a bowl; in a second bowl combine olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper.
  
  
• 7. Dip chicken in lime-oil mixture, then in breadcrumbs and place seam side down on a baking dish. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
  
  
• 8. When finished, lightly spray the top of the chicken with oil spray.
  
  
• 9. Bake 22-25 minutes, serve immediately.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

Ingredients

Filling

• 3 cups rotisserie chicken
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 small yellow onion finely diced
• 2 ribs celery diced
• ¾ cup carrots diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• ½ teaspoon EACH: dried thyme, rosemary, parsley
• ¼ teaspoon EACH: ground sage, black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup flour
• ¾ cup heavy cream can sub half and half
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1 large Yukon Gold potato
• Salt/pepper
• ¾ cup frozen peas
• Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Biscuit Topping

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (or 1 stick) cold butter
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¼ cup milk 

Egg Wash

• 1 egg beaten
• 1 tablespoon milk

Instructions

Make the Filling

• Melt the butter in a wide, high-walled skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery and soften for 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, parsley, sage, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
• Add 2 cups of the chicken broth in small splashes, stirring continuously. Add the heavy cream in the same manner, followed by the bouillon cube.Reduce heat to medium-low.
• Peel the potatoes and cut into ½ -inch chunks.(Smaller cubes ensure they cook through.) Season lightly with salt and pepper and add them to the filling. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
• Submerge the potatoes in the liquid and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, uncovered. Stir regularly to lift any ingredients settling to the bottom. Add more chicken broth in small splashes throughout cooking to control the consistency of the filling. You may choose to use it all, little by little as it thickens and reduces. 
• Once the potatoes are fork tender, add the peas and cooked chicken and simmer for 3 more minutes.
• Transfer to a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. It will thicken a little more upon standing.sprinkle with shredded cheese, if desired.

Make the Topping

• Preheat oven to 400° F.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
• Cut the cold butter into small cubes and add it to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter or the back of a fork to work it until coarse crumbs form.
• Add the milk and sour cream. Use a silicone spatula to gently stir until just combined. Don’t overmix. It should be crumbly.
• Take small handfuls of the dough and arrange it over the filling, covering up most of the top. (It’s best for this to look rustic and not perfect!)
• Whisk together the egg and the milk and use a pastry brush to brush a light layer over the top.

Bake

• Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until the top is golden, the filling is hot and bubbly, and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the biscuit topping.
• Let cool for 5 minutes prior to eatingn.