Pulled Pork on a Bun with Slaw

I really like to make pulled pork for events and parties, it's easy and always a crowd pleaser. This is my recipe that I like to use. You'll need a crockpot. The recipe below would be great for pulled pork sliders at a party, but for larger buns and a big crowd you may want to double it.

I like to use pork tenderloin because I find it less fatty than other cuts that are normally used for pulled pork and the meat is just better quality in my opinion. I also like to use the Kraft brown sugar BBQ sauce, but you can use whatever kind of BBQ sauce you like. I find the sweetness of the brown sugar sauce is great for pulled pork.

Tenderloin Recipe
About 3 lbs of pork tenderloin (I like to use 2 of the small pork tenderloins from Costco, they usually come in a package of 5).
1 bottle of Dr. Pepper (600 ml)
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp brown sugar
a couple sprinkles of salt
1 bottle of Kraft Brown Sugar BBQ sauce
10 - 12 buns of your choice (I like crusty buns or Cobbs chia buns)

Mix together the cinnamon, garlic salt, cumin and brown sugar.

Poke holes in the pork tenderloin with a fork down the length of each side. Then roll the pork tenderloins in the spice/sugar mixture coating all sides of each. Place the tenderloins in your crockpot and pour the bottle of Dr.Pepper overtop.

Cook the tenderloins on low for about 5 - 6 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 77 C.

Remove the tenderloins from your crockpot and place on a large cutting board. Drain the pop from the crockpot.

Shred your pork using 2 forks and then transfer the shredded meat back into the crockpot. Pour the BBQ sauce over the meat and mix thoroughly until meat is well coated. Set the crockpot to warm and cover.

Slaw Recipe
1 bag of slaw mix
3/4 cup of mayo
1/3 cup sugar
A sprinkle of salt
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tbsp honey dijon mustard
1/4 tsp celery seed

Mix together all the ingredients (aside from the slaw mix). Once thoroughly mixed, pour over the slaw and mix until the slaw is well coated.

Serve up the pulled pork on a bun topped with slaw and enjoy!!

Oreo Truffles

For part of my Christmas baking this year I decided to do some oreo truffles, I had a couple boxes of oreos and this recipe looked to good to pass up!

These were really quick and simple to make.

1 1/2 boxes of double stuff oreos
8 oz. cream cheese
3/4 cup icing sugar
1 1/2 cups white chocolate dipping wafers
1 tbsp shortening (optional)

Using a food processor pulse the oreo cookies until they are crumbs. Set aside about 2 tbsp of crumbs for garnish.

In your mixer, mix together the cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth.

Combine the oreo crumbs and cream cheese mixture using your hands until the crumbs are thoroughly mixed with the cream cheese.

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper and roll the mixture into 1 inch balls, place on the cookie sheet and refridgerate for about 20 minutes.

While the dough is firming up, melt the white chocolate dipping wafers in a glass bowl overtop of a pot of gently boiling water (over medium heat). I just sit my glass bowl right into the pot making sure it's not touching the water. Add in the tbsp of shortening to keep the mixture smooth.

Using a fork dip each ball into the mixture and cover completely with white chocolate, put back onto the cookie sheet and sprinkle with oreo crumbs that you previously set aside.

Pop them back into the fridge for about 10 minutes to let the white chocolate set.

Enjoy!!

Cake Batter Truffles

I was looking for an easy, quick yummy dessert to whip up for my girlfriends Bridal Shower this past weekend and I came across this recipe for cake batter truffles.. who doesn't love cake batter?!

These didn't take long to make at all and everyone seemed to love them (I know my hubby and I did!).

Recipe adapted from this blog.

Truffles: 
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup yellow cake mix
1/2 cup margarine or butter softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
3 - 4 tbsp milk
2 tbsp sprinkles

Truffle Coating: 
1 to 1 1/2 cups of white chocolate melting wafers
sprinkles

Beat together the butter and sugar using an electric or hand-mixer until combined. Add in cake mix, flour, salt and vanilla and mix together well. Add in 3 tbsp of milk gradually until mixture reaches a doughy consistency. Mix in sprinkles by hand (I literally used my hands for this).

Roll dough into 1 inch balls ans place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Chill in the fridge for about 15 - 20 mins until firm and ready for dipping.

Melt the white chocolate wafers using a glass bowl placed over a saucepan filled with water set on medium-high heat (make sure the bowl is a tight fit so the lip of it sits on the edge of the pan and is not actually submerged in the water). Using a fork dip the truffles into the melted chocolate one at a time. Once you're done dipping one row of truffles sprinkle them with sprinkles before the chocolate hardens.

Set in the fridge for about a half hour to harden and then enjoy!! Store uneaten truffles in the fridge.

Banana Crumb Muffins

I've been a very bad blogger lately, but I have an excuse... I'm pregnant!!! :) I'll be 18 weeks on Thursday, and I've been very, very tired for the last few months and I haven't been super motivated, thus the lazy posting :s

Anyways, I'm feeling much better and have finally had a burst of energy and hopefully I'll be able to post a little more often! :)

I made these little babies for doughnut day at work a few weeks ago, and they went quick! I love the crumble on top... they were absolutely delish and something I'll definitely be making again in the future!

This recipe makes 12 muffins.

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 ripe bananas (mashed)
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter (melted)
1 large egg (at room temp.)
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp butter (diced)

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Sift together the flour, baking powder,baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl using a mixer or hand-mixer, mix together the mashed bananas, sugar, melted butter and egg.  Slowly add in the dry ingredients until fully combined.

Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners and scoop the batter evenly among the liners.

In a bowl mix together the brown sugar, all purpose flour and ground cinnnamon. Add in the cold diced butter and use a fork to cut the butter into the mixture.

Sprinkle some of the topping on each muffin, then bake for 18 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Enjoy!!

Quick and Easy Bruschetta

This is a great bruschetta recipe. I got the idea when we were over at my friend Suzy's for dinner and she served up something similar. The recipe is quick and easy and works great for a nice appetizer at a get together or before dinner.

Handful of fresh basil
about 10 - 12 grape tomatoes
1/4 of a small sweet onion
drizzle of olive oil
balsamic glaze
1/2 a baguette of your choice sliced into 1/2 inch slices
1/4 cup of butter
1 tbsp garlic seasoning (not garlic salt)

Start by chopping your basil up into little pieces. Then cut your tomatoes into little pieces as well, dice the onion up and add a drizzle of olive oil. Mix it up well.

Mix garlic seasoning into your butter, then spread it onto each slice of bread. Toast your bread in an oven heated to 450 F. for about 5 minutes,

After 5 minutes pull the bread out and add about 1 tbsp or so to each slice of bread and pop back into the oven for another 5 minutes.

Once that's done, pull the bread/bruschetta out of the oven and add a drizzle of balsamic glaze to each slice, and ta-da!! Delicious!!

Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Trifle

I love me a delicious trifle.. the mixture of cake, pudding, whipped cream and candy or fruit is the best of all worlds!! I decided to create a trifle that includes two of my favorite things.. peanut butter and chocolate. Turned out amazing!!

1 box chocolate cake mix
2 boxes of low fat chocolate jello instant pudding
4 cups of milk (as per the pudding directions)
1/4 cup peanut butter (plus 2 tbsp for drizzling)
1 large container of low fat cool whip
1 bag of mini Reese peanut butter cups (chopped into pieces)
1 large bag of Reese's pieces

Bake the cake as per the directions on the box. Let cool completely.

Let cool whip thaw out until it's easier to spread.

Make the pudding as per the directions on the box, at the very end before you let it set stir in the 1/4 cup of peanut butter. Let set.

Crumble the cake into a trifle dish (or bowl), top with 1/2 of the pudding mixture, then add a layer of cool whip (1/2 the container), and then sprinkle 1/2 of the chopped Reese peanut butter cups and 1/2 the bag of Reese's pieces.

Do another layer exactly the same: cake, pudding, cool whip, candy.

Put the 2 tbsp of peanut butter into the microwave for about 45 seconds to melt, then drizzle over top of the trifle.

Enjoy!!!

Brownie Batter Dip

Okay, so I know I'm posting 2 "dessert dips" in a row.. but I had to. They're both delish and both deserve to be tried! :) I served up this brownie batter dip alongside the cookie dough dip posted below and both were a hit. Again this is another I saw on Pinterest (I love that website!).

I loved this dip and will definitely make it again. I served it with graham crackers and nilla cookies, but you can serve it with any kind of cookie you like.

Adapted from: Something Swanky

8 oz. of cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup butter
3 cups icing sugar
5 tbsp flour
5 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Cream together the cream cheese and butter, slowly add in the icing sugar 1 cup at a time.

Add in the flour, cocoa powder and vanilla.

Mix until you reach the desired consistency.

*You can add in a couple tbsp of milk if you'd like to thin it out a bit, but I didn't feel like it needed that. I like mine nice and thick and creamy!

Enjoy!

Cookie Dough Dip

My best friend got this recipe off of Pinterest a couple of weeks ago and made it for one of our girls games nights and it was aaaahhhhhmazing!!!

I loved it so much I made it the other night for a Pampered Chef party I had and it was a hit. I think it's impossible to not love this dip!! I served mine with graham wafers and nilla cookies, but you can serve it with anything you like.

Source: Add a Pinch

8 oz. package cream cheese
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 cup icing sugar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup toffee bits

Cream together the cream cheese and butter, add in the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

It's just that easy.

Enjoy!!

Cream Soda Cupcakes

So I learned about these "pop" cakes on Rachael Ray, she had a girl called "The Hungry Girl" on there (no I had never heard of her before I made my blog... apparently I live under a rock.. oopsie!) but anyways, this lady does  stuff for Weight Watchers so I'm surprised I'd never heard of her, and she puts together low fat recipes, or just healthy ideas for snacks, etc.

One of these healthier options is a pop cake. It's when you use a box cake mix and instead of adding the eggs, oil, etc. like the directions on the box says to, all you add is a can of pop (diet pop preferably). I guess it will take a cake that's like 500 to 700 calories and make it into something like only 100 calories. So I thought I'd give it a whirl!!

I love cream soda and I figured it would be a nice little flavor for my first pop cake. But you can use any flavor you like (orange or root beer are on my list to try!)

For the Cake 
1 box white cake mix
1 can of cream soda

Preheat the oven as per the instructions on the box. Line your muffin tins with cupcake liners.

Put the cake mix into a mixing bowl and add almost the whole can of pop (reserve a couple of tablespoons for the icing). Mix it thoroughly and pour into cupcake liners.

Bake as per directed on box.

Remove from muffin tins and let cool on racks.

For the Icing
1/2 cup butter
3 cups icing sugar
2 tbsp cream soda
1 tbsp vanilla
A couple drops of red food coloring.

Begin by mixing 2 cups of the icing sugar with 1/2 cup of butter. Once it's creamy add in the cream soda and vanilla. Add in the remaining cup of icing sugar.

Once everything is mixed to creamy add in food coloring until icing is pink throughout.

Ice your cupcakes and you're ready to go!

Enjoy!!