Slow Cooker Dr Pepper Pulled Pork

I usually use a pork roast or pork shoulder to make my pulled pork.  This week Meijer had Center Cut Boneless Pork Loins on sale.  I love when I can buy a big piece of meat and use it for several different meals.

Get back into a Fall routine with 30 minute Sweet and Sour Pork

This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Weave Made Media®, and  Smithfield®, but all my opinions are my own. #weavemade #GetBacktoPork http://my-disclosur.es/RgFrEH

Dinner does not have to be difficult when using Smithfield Marinated Pork.  Just by adding a few ingredients and a little bit of time you have dinner on the table in a flash.

Cheese Stuffed Meatballs

We had a terrific weekend last week.  Black Friday shopping, Ohio State beat Michigan, Bengals beat Carson Palmer and Cleveland Browns beat the Steelers.

Here is Billy and his friends at the OSU/Michigan game.  He said it was one of the best Ohio State games he has ever been to.  Billy and his friends were able to buy tickets to all the home games since they are attending Ohio State.  On Tuesday night last week he participated in another Ohio State tradition which was to jump in Mirror Lake before the Michigan game.  I have read in some news articles that there were between 10,000 and 12,000 students who jumped in the lake on campus.  I was worried about him doing this but he had a great time and only got a small cut on his head.  He says he will do it again next year.  I think they are all crazy.

Cheese Stuffed Meatballs
adapted from Paula Deen

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground pork
4 T Parmesan cheese
1 to 1 1/2 C bread crumbs
3 large eggs
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 t basil
2 T parsley
1/2 t dried oregano
6 strips of string cheese cut into 30 pieces
Spaghetti Sauce
cooked Spaghetti

In a large mixing bowl combine ground beef, ground pork, Parmesan  eggs, salt, pepper, garlic, basil, parsley and dried oregano.  Add bread crumbs 1/2 C at a time until mixture is not to wet and can be formed into balls easily.  Form mixture into 30 balls, using your thumb to press a hole in the center.  Insert a piece of the cheese into the hole and close the hole by pushing the meatball mixture around it to secure the cheese inside each ball.  Place on a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes or until meatballs are brown and cooked through.  Serve over spaghetti with sauce or alone dipped in pizza sauce

Peach BBQ Pork Tenderloin----Blue Ribbon Winner

This was my Blue Ribbon Winner at the fair this year.  I usually use this rub and bbq sauce on my ribs.  I actually set out to the store to buy ribs to enter in the pork dish of the day contest.  After seeing the price of baby back ribs I decided to try this recipe on a pork tenderloin.  Oh that was a great decision to make.  After putting the rub on the meat the night before and letting it sit in the fridge overnight the tenderloin smelled awesome the next morning.

I fixed mine for the fair in the crock pot.  It was tender and really moist.  I fixed it again yesterday but this time baked it in the oven instead and it was still just as tender and moist.  It did make the house smell good when it was in the crock pot all day...yummy

Peach BBQ Pork Tenderloin

Pork Tenderloin

The night before mix together the pork rub.  Trim off any fat on the tenderloin.  Rub the tenderloin with the pork rub.  Wrap in foil and place in the refrigerator overnight. (I used about half of the rub but use as much as you desire, my left over rub I sprinkled on pork chops after I placed them on the grill and they were really tender and had a good flavor to them)

Pork Rub


3T brown sugar
1 1/2 T smoked paprika
1T hickory smoked salt
1 1/2T black pepper
1t garlic powder
2T herbs of Provence

Mix all together and rub on tenderloin.  Wrap in foil and put in refrigerator overnight

Next day, Place tenderloin in crock pot and cover with half of the Peach BBQ Sauce.  Cook on low for about 5 hours. Or bake in 350 degree oven for 45 to 60 minutes.

Peach BBQ Sauce

4  3.5 oz Peach Baby food
1/3 C ketchup
1/3 C red wine vinegar
2T soy sauce
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 t garlic powder
2 t ground ginger
1 t cinnamon
1 t salt
1 to 2 t liquid smoke

Mix all together

If desired before serving may be grilled out on the grill for a more smokey taste.

Skillet Pork Loin in Gravy and District golf tourney results

Cally played in the district golf tourney today, she shot a 91 and placed 12th out of 71 girls. She did not qualify for state but we have had a great 4 years of enjoyment out of her playing high school golf.  It was announced that Cally made History because she is the only girl golfer to have ever gone to districts for Northwestern.  What a great accomplishment it is!!!

Tonight we had Skillet Pork Loin in Gravy.  This is a family favorite.  Tender pork loin smothered in gravy server over top of mashed potatoes...oh so good!

Skillet Pork Loin in Gravy

2 1/2 lbs - boneless pork loin, cut into cubes
1/2 cup flour
1/4 - tsp pepper
dash of garlic powder
1/4 cup margarine
3 - tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
1 - packet dry Lipton Savory Herb with Garlic soup mix
1 – 10 oz chicken broth
1 - cup water
1 - bay leaf

Cut pork into bite size cubed pieces. Combine flour, pepper and garlic powder on a plate. Roll pork in flour mixture until coated. Shake off excess flour. In a large skillet, heat butter and oil over medium heat. Brown pork, turning frequently; drain. Sprinkle with soup mix. Add broth, water and bay leaf. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer meat for 30-40 min or until meat is tender. Remover bay leaf and serve. If the gravy isn't thick enough for your taste. Remove the pork pieces from the pan and set aside. Return the mixture to a slow boil then add a mixture of flour and water to make a thin paste. Add to the gravy mixture while using a whisk. When the gravy is thick enough return the pork back to the pan.

Pulled Pork and a Homecoming Parade

A super easy sandwich for a busy night.  I put this Pork Shoulder Blade Boston Roast in the crock pot with some water and when we got home I shredded the roast and put some BBQ sauce on it...yummy!  We were busy today with the homecoming parade.  We drove the golf team around in the parade in our truck.  It is such fun to see all the sports represented in the parade along with the marching band and homecoming court riding in convertible cars, brings back old memories of my High School days many years ago.  This was a sad moment as this is Cally's last homecoming parade.

Pulled Pork

Pork shoulder blade boston roast
BBQ Sauce (my favorite Sweet Baby Rays)

Put roast in crock pot, add water and cook on low for 8 hours or until tender and falls apart when you poke it with a fork.  Take roast out of crock pot and cool slightly until you can handle it to shred the pork discarding fat and bones.  After shredded pour your choice of BBQ sauce over pork and mix until covered.  Can be served just like it is or put it on a bun...enjoy!