Crock-Pot Carnitas

This is it you guys, this is it. Officially my go to recipe for cooking for friends, party food, pot-lucks etc. Crock-pot carnitas are a zip to make, but totally bring on the wow. Not to mention they make a truck load, so it's a perfect way to feed the masses.

My mind and my stomach have been on a taco kick recently. One of my co-workers was recently sharing with me how she loves to make carnitas. She was going on about how easy, fresh and healthy they were. Okay, sold. Give me the recipe. So thank you Mel, this one is for you!

My pork butt was a little over 7 lbs. which is huge, but that was the smallest I could find! It barely fit in my crock pot. I think it made enough carnitas for the whole neighborhood. But really. Some for me, some for my roommates, some for sis and husband, and some for the freezer to pull out on a rainy day. Search your market and you can probably find a smaller butt. I was limited and hungry so just went with it. A pork shoulder is interchangeable for this recipe. You can typically find small pork shoulders in the grocery store!

That being said the measurements for this recipe are a little loosey goosey because your pork butt size may vary. Just go with it and trust your self, I promise you can't mess this up. 

Crock Pot Carnitas

Ingredients:
4-5 lb. pork butt roast or shoulder  (bone-in or boneless, either works)
cumin
chili powder
garlic powder
salt and pepper

Accompaniments: 
white corn tortillas
cilantro, chopped
avocado slices
lime wedges
chopped red onion, pickled onions, pico de gallo etc.

Directions:
Rinse and pat dry the pork butt. Put just about a 1/2 inch of water in the bottom of your crock pot. Season both sides of the pork with all of the seasonings. I did about one teaspoon per side (roughly 2 tsps. of each seasoning). Place in the crock-pot. Turn on low and let cook for 6-8 hours or until tender. My pork butt was a bone-in. The best part was getting to reach in and just slide the bone right out of the tender meat.

Using two forks shred the carnitas. Add more seasoning if needed. Warm tortillas on a griddle. Serve carnitas with some pico, cilantro, fresh avocado and a squeeze of lime! 

Perfect served as is, but I also can't wait to use the meat in taco salads or on nachos. Melanie said she uses her leftovers in quesadillas and as enchilada filling! I'm also thinking it wouldn't be half bad mixed with a little BBQ sauce for a take on pulled pork. 

I'm not sure what it is about this recipe, but when I was snapchatting while I was cooking, you guys were going crazy. Which I love. And these  carnitas deserve that kind of love because they are that good. So here you go my friends, crock-pot carnitas for your stomachs to enjoy! 

Annie

Grown Up Cereal and Milk

Kudos to mother for giving me this breakfast idea. With an easy combo of almond milk, your favorite granola and frozen fruit, It's the grown up version of cereal and milk. Cooking for one, frozen fruit and vegetables have become my best friends. I always have frozen fruit in the fridge for smoothies, but this is such a good change of pace. 

My favorite part of this breakfast is how the almond milk slightly freezes around the cold berries. I can't quit describe it but it's kind of incredible. If you want to pump it up a bit add a super boost with flax or chia seeds or almond butter. This breakfast is too easy to throw together. I even take it on the go by putting all ingredients in a mason jar and eating it in the car or when I first step into work. 

Grown Up Cereal and Milk

Ingredients:
1/2 cup frozen fruit (blueberries and raspberries)
1/2 cup almond milk
1/4 cup granola of your choice
*Optional add ins can be almond butter, flax seeds, chia seeds, cinnamon

Directions:
I think you can guess, but put all ingredients in a bowl and slurp up every last bit. 

Annie

Thai Cashew Lettuce Wraps

Oh my gosh I could blab forever about these lettuce wraps. They are sitch to make and cook up in about 15 minutes. Weeknight meal perfection. 

When I was younger my family used to have this obsession with P.F. Changs. Sweet Oklahoma City used to be deprived of most chain restaurants, so any trip we went on we would seek out the nearest P.F. Changs to get our fix. When I was in middle school one finally came to town, and my oldest sister even got a job there. The amount of lettuce wraps and great walls of chocolate I ate during her stint of hostessing is too many to mention. Nothing against Changs, but our palates have a matured a bit. 

These lettuce wraps bring back a taste of nostalgia, although they are quite different. They have more of a Thai flavor than Chinese, use soft butter lettuce instead of iceberg, and I use ground turkey instead of chicken. They are sure to please, so enjoy with a crowd of dinner guests! If your stingy, they save up well in the fridge too, so you can eat them over a couple days. 

Thai Cashew Lettuce Wraps adapted from Rasa Malaysia
serves 3

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. oil
1/4 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 lb. ground turkey or chicken
1/2 cup whole roasted cashews
1 Tbsp. soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro leaves
1 head butter lettuce

Sauce:
3 Tbsp. Thai chili sauce
2 tsp. lime juice (1 lime)
1 Tbsp. chopped cilantro leaves
Pinch of white sesame seeds

Directions:
Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and set aside. Wash the butter lettuce then peel each leaf off the stem and set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. When the oil is heated, add the onion, garlic, and cook until they are slightly browned. Add the ground turkey, and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula to break up the lumps. Add the cashews and soy sauce. Continue to cook the filling until the sauce starts to dry a bit but is still moist. Turn off the heat and add the chopped cilantro.

To assemble the lettuce wraps, take one piece of butter lettuce, spoon in a small amount of filling, top with the sauce and a sprinkle of sesame seeds!

Annie

Shrimp Wrap with Zesty Cocktail Sauce

Last weekend while in Scottsdale, we landed right around lunchtime. After arriving at the resort, we dropped our bags and joined friends who had already arrived at a lunch spot on the property. Traveling puts me in a constant state of hunger. I was in a must-eat-now kind of mission that anything would suffice. I ordered a shrimp wrap that came with sweet potato tots. Yes sweet potato tots...pause for salivation.

Besides the tots the wrap was full of crisp lettuce, avocado, and shrimp. It was fantastic, I can't quit get across how good it was. My mom and sister ordered the shrimp cocktail that came with this amazing salsa/cocktail sauce combo. I could eat it with a spoon it was so good. I asked the waiter for my own little serving and proceeded to dip my wrap into it. I've recently really become a sauce person, so just go with me on this one. 

Not only did this lunch suffice, but left me craving it everyday since. I made quick note to recreate it as soon as I got home. Recreated it, loved it, and have pretty much eaten it everyday since. Looks like my plan worked! A few tweaks here and there and my own version of the salsa/cocktail sauce amazingness makes me feel like I am back in Paradise Valley. Now if only I can recreate those sweet potato tots... 

Shrimp Wrap with Zest Cocktail Sauce
yields 1 wrap

Ingredients:
1 Flatout wrap Light Original
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
handful of spinach
1/2 roma tomato, chopped
1/4 avocado, chopped
thinly sliced red onion
handful of frozen salad shrimp, thawed

Zesty cocktail sauce:
2 Tbsp. your favorite cocktail sauce
2 Tbsp. your favorite salsa

Directions:
Thaw your shrimp according to package directions. Salad shrimp are the little baby kind that are super easy to thaw and super easy to cook. In a small pan over medium, heat a teaspoon of olive oil. Add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes until bright pink and slightly roasted. This gives the shrimp a little extra flavor. 

Heat your Flatout wrap in the microwave for 10 seconds. This will make it more pliable when rolling your wrap up. Spread the dijon mustard over the whole surface. Top with spinach, then layer on tomatoes, red onion, avocado and shrimp. Starting from the short length end, begin rolling, tucking in all your components as you roll so things aren't spilling out. No need to fold in the sides with these wraps. Once you get it all rolled, place two toothpicks through to keep it in place while you slice it down the middle. 

Mix the cocktail sauce and salsa in a small bowl. Serve the wrap alongside and eat up!

This is a quick meal that comes together easily for lunch. I made it yesterday while having the day off and also made an extra, wrapped it in foil, and packed for my lunch at work today. My lunch break just went from 0 to 100 quick. Enjoy! 

Annie

Save This Recipe Snickerdoodles

The title says it all. I promise, you can trust me on this one. I've attempted to make snickerdoodles here and there over the course of my baking career, but they have never resulted in anything fantastic. They are always kind of puffy and don't get that cracked crust. This recipe is chewy, a little dense and just perfectly crispy around the edges!

I turned to cookie queen Christina Tosi for help on this one. If you don't make them asap, at least save them for a rainy day. 

Snickerdoodles adapted from Milk Bar Life
yields 24-30 cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. cream of tarter
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Cream on high for about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until just combined, about 1 minute.

Add the flour, cream of tarter, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Mix until just combined. If time allows, let dough chill in the fridge for 20 minutes before scooping.

Combine your sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Scoop the dough into golf ball size and roll between your palms. Toss in the cinnamon sugar mixture until completely covered. Arrange about 2 to 3 inches apart on a lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes, until just golden brown and slightly cracked. Cool and enjoy! 

Annie