crock pot conquests

Lindsey - 1 Crock pot - 0

Considering it's pretty much required to get a crock pot when you get married {or in most cases - multiple}- after 8 months I have finally decided to try and conquer the art of crock potting.
{the verb for the act of using a crock pot?}

In one corner, weighing in at 15 lbs we have the crock pot!

In the other corner, weighing in at {HA you thought I was going to tell you my weight!} we have me!

{Sneak peek photo of our honeymoon in Costa Rica- more to come next week!!}

For some reason the name "crock pot" just doesn't sit well with me...it just DOES NOT sound appealing. But now I am a domestic wifey and it's time to change that attitude!

My 1st conquest: pulled pork sandwiches

1/2 MEDIUM ONION, SLICED
PORK SHOULDER (APPROXIMATELY 4-5 LBS, PREFERABLY BONELESS)
1/2 CUP BEEF BROTH, WATER, OR YOUR FAVORITE BARBECUE SAUCE
2 TABLESPOONS WHITE VINEGAR

Sauce:
1/2 CUP KETCHUP
1/3 CUP WATER
2 TABLESPOONS WHITE VINEGAR
2 TABLESPOONS WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
1 TABLESPOON BROWN SUGAR
1/2 TABLESPOON DALE’S SEASONING OR LIQUID SMOKE (OPTIONAL)
2 TEASPOONS GARLIC POWDER
1 TEASPOON SALT
1 TEASPOON TABASCO
1/4 TEASPOON PEPPER

Step 1: Place onion in slow cooker, and set pork shoulder on top of the onions.

Step 2: In a small microwave-safe bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients for the sauce. Microwave the sauce for 45 seconds, then pour over the pork shoulder.

Step 3: In a separate bowl or measuring cup, combine the beef broth and remaining 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Pour around (not ON) shoulder.

Step 4: Cover with lid and cook on low for 8 hours. (After 6 hours, you can start basting the meat with the liquid in the pot every 30 minutes.)

Step 5: Using two forks, shred the meat inside the crock pot, removing the bones. Leave the lid off, but set the slow cooker to its low or warm setting to let the liquid reduce. Serve immediately on hamburger buns or cornbread cakes.

This was so incredibly easy! All I did was put it in with the sauce and left it for 8 hours and I had a delicious meal! Now that is my kind of cooking!

Maybe I will start calling it 'crack'pot cooking because I could get used to that amount of work!

What are some of your favorite crock pot recipes??

Lindsey Nicole

Love and Respect week 1 update

Okay so I know I am little late, but it's only because I have been thinking through everything we heard and trying to process everything!

And let me tell you it was more than I remember from the 1st time we participated in this series. So I will only hit the highlights:

Pink/blue earplugs, pink/blue sunglasses and pink/blue megaphones! {WHAT? I know - I will explain I promise}

The whole theme of the series is "Love and Respect", and how woman feel fulfilled through love and men feel fulfilled through respect. Now, I know for me and my husband this is right on the money! {Well for me its love and food...just joking...well only half way!}

Woman see through pink sunglasses, hear through pink headphones and speak through a pink megaphone while men see through pink sunglasses, hear through pink headphones and speak through a blue megaphone...now when I speak through my pink megaphone, my husband CANNOT hear that through his blue headphones and then what?

Now with every up there is a down, and the down for this is that each gender tends to not understand the needs of the other. When misunderstanding rears its ugly head each gender reacts in ways that strip the other of what makes them feel fulfilled...introducing the crazy cycle

And as you can see, once you get on the crazy cycle it can be difficult to get off...hence why you take the class!

Another theme for the evening was "It's not wrong, just different". This applies to the way your spouse feels fulfilled. Just because it is different from the way you do, doesn't mean it's wrong...JUST DIFFERENT.

For example: If I was to say "I have nothing to wear!" {through my pink megaphone} to my best friend - she hears {through her pink headphones} "I have nothing new!" - which all women know is what I MEANT!

Now, if I was to say the EXACT same thing to my husband, he would hear {through his blue headphones} "I have nothing clean"

NOT WRONG, JUST DIFFERENT...GET IT?!


Anyways - this series is full of funny stories that hit home and make you remember that your relationship with your spouse is for the most part...normal! But it shows how you can make it great and minimize the fights and strengthen what you have!

We have our 2nd class on Feb. 2nd so I will touch back on that then!

- Lindsey Nicole

P.S. - Tomorrow's post will bring my first adventure in crock pot cooking EEEK!

pizza pizza!

In a former life I think I must have looked like this:

because there is nothing I love more than a greasy steaming pizza piled with everything! {okay, maybe sushi, in which case I would have looked like this >>>

but that is a WHOLE other post!} For this post let's stick with the pizza pie and even better a HOMEMADE pizza pie.

If you a frequent visitor to the blog world and/or you love to cook and eat, then you MUST know who Ree Drummond is...better known as The Pioneer Woman...or as I like to call her - heaven's chef!

For Christmas, my wonderful brother-in-law bought me her cookbook {impressive I know!} and I haven't put it down since...a las....The Pioneer Woman's pizza dough!

What y'all need:
1 teaspoon (1/2 packet) dry active yeast
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Step 1: Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into a bowl; sprinkle yeast over the water

Step 2: Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl

Step 3: With an electric mixer on low speed, drizzle in the olive oil until just incorporated.

Step 4: Gently stir the yeast/water mixture

Step 5: Drizzle the yeast/water mixture into the flour/oil mixture; mix until the dough forms a ball.

Step 6: Drizzle a little olive oil into a clean bowl. Toss the ball of dough into the bowl and turn over to coat in oil.

Step 7: Cover the bowl with a moist kitchen towel and set in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, or cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.

{Here is what the risen dough should look like}

...unless you have mutant dough like I did and it doesn't stop rising even after its in the fridge overnight and slightly resembles the old horror story character The Blob!

Now it's time for the tastier part...building your masterpiece!

{Preheat your oven to 500 degrees...and reassure your husband that it DOES go that high}

Step 8: Split risen dough in half {it makes two pizzas} and using your hands, stretch the dough to the desired shape, pressing the dough into the pan with your fingers.
{Note - if you are not using a baking stone, then make sure to oil your pizza pan first}

Step 9: Fill all the finger prints with ooey gooey cheese, sauce and as many toppings {I recommend pepperoni, feta, sausage and as many veggies as your hubby will eat...notice there are none on mine...} as your little italian heart desires! Cook 8-10 minutes, until edges are golden brown.

Now that you have seen how Delicious that pizza looks, I know you will want to make it and once you start with Ree's recipes, you. can't. stop! You can find a link to the cook book below...Happy cooking!




- Lindsey Nicole