The Best BBQ Pulled Pork Recipe

Ingredients:
   5 teaspoons chili powder
   3 teaspoons paprika
   2 teaspoons cumin
   1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
   1 teaspoon cayenne
   1 pinch nutmeg
   1 pinch cinnamon
   2 tablespoons canola oil
   6 cloves garlic, crushed
   1 can tomato paste
   2 cups ketchup
   1 cup water
   1/4 cup bourbon
   1/4 cup red wine vinegar
   1/4 cup brown sugar
   1/4 cup molasses
   2 tablespoons sea salt
   1 can of petite diced tomatoes
   1.5 lb. pork butt


Step One: The Spice Blend
Combine the following spices in a bowl: chili powder, paprika, cumin, ground ginger, cayenne, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Blend together. Divide in half.

Step Two: The Sauce
Heat the oil in a medium sauce pan on medium heat. Add the garlic and one half of the spice blend. One at a time, stir in the tomato paste, ketchup, water, bourbon, vinegar, brown sugar, and molasses. Heat for 5-10 minutes. Reserve one cup of the BBQ for later.

Step Three: The Pork
Add the salt to the remaining spice blend and rub onto the pork. Place in the crock pot. Add the tomatoes, all but 1 cup of the BBQ, and 1 1/2 cups of water to the pot. Heat on low for 8 hours.

Step Four: The Sandwich
Serve on a bun with coleslaw and pickles. Use the reserved BBQ for topping!

Enjoy!

Salsa Bar

I make fresh salsa for every summer BBQ we go to. It's so easy and it's a great crowd pleaser. I usually stick to my basic recipe but, for awhile now, I've been waiting to experiment with some new varieties. So I created a little salsa bar with these three recipes. Try them with chips for a delicious snack or with fish tacos for a delightful meal.

Basic Salsa:
Whenever anyone asks me how I make my salsa I usually say, just pop a few of your favorite ingredients in the food processor and you'll have delicious salsa! These are the ingredients I use for my  traditional salsa:

• 3 jalapenos, cut into chunks
• 4-5 cloves of garlic
• 1 bunch of cilantro
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 large  cans diced tomatos

Pulse together all of the ingredients except the tomatoes until they are roughly chopped. Gently pulse in the tomatoes. Serve chilled.

Smoky Chipotle Salsa
This salsa is smokey and flavorful and has a subtle, lingering kick.

• 5 dried chipotle peppers, rehydrated
• 1/4 large white onion
• 1 green pepper, cut into chunks
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 3 dashes nutmeg
• 5 dashes cinnamon
• 1 can whole tomatoes

Start by pulsing the chipotle peppers and then add all of the other ingredients. Continue to pulse until they are roughly chopped up. Serve chilled.

Mild Mango Salsa

This salsa is sweet and tangy. Great for kids! Add a jalapeno for a little spice.

• 1 mango, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 bunch of cilantro
• 1 can whole tomatoes

Pulse all the ingredients together until roughly chopped. Serve chilled.

Enjoy!

BHG Garden Planner

Check out the Garden Plan Finder on the Better Homes and Gardens website. I think I might use it next spring to build a new shade garden in my backyard! http://www.bhg.com/gardening/garden-plan-finder/

Solving the Awkward Sealed Door Issue (1 of 2)

Our place has great character and we love it, but it comes with some awkward spaces. Rather than letting it detract from the charm, we are looking for cool ways to turn our awkward spaces into cool and functional spaces. Take for example our kitchen wall. Amidst the exposed brick is a door that leads into what is now a separate unit. The door was sealed up ages ago and now it just looks funny:

With the help of a few shelves and hooks I am hoping to turn this awkward sealed door into a functional kitchen wall. Here's how.

Step One: Choose your supplies and design!
We have limited cabinet space in the kitchen so I want to add shelves. I also want to add a few hooks for dish towels and displaying a trivet. I am keeping it simple with a wall shelf set from Target and some standard hooks.

Step Two: Install the shelves and hooks
All you need is a pencil, a drill, and a level (and maybe a helper!) Hold the shelves in place before you start drilling to make sure you like the placement. Check your progress throughout to make sure they are level.

I strategically placed the hooks to look nice and be functional. I wanted a higher hook for my apron to keep the bottom from hanging on the floor. I wanted a few lower hooks for towel.

Step Three: Decorate!
Make sure you check to see what the weight limit of each shelf is before you place items on them.

Favorite Finds of the Month - July

Favorite Finds of the Month - July 2012

1. Yellow Floral Bath Towel by Target Home
I fell in love with these bath towels when I saw them at Target last weekend. They are so beautiful and soft and they remind me of towel my Grandma had. I picked up two sets! If they hold up well, I'll be back for more! http://www.target.com/p/target-home-floral-towel/-/A-14042785#?lnk=sc_qi_detailbutton.

2. Bee Watering Can

Perfect for watering house plants and looks so cute too! Available from Maxwell's Pottery: http://maxwellspottery.com/

3.  Egg Bird Feeder by J. Schatz

I've never been that in to bird feeders but i saw this in a magazine recently and haven't been able to get it out of my head. It's a perfect compliment to a bright sunny garden and comes in a variety of colors! I've been debating between the red (below) or the yellow! Check them out here: http://www.jschatz.com/eggbirdfeeders/index.html. 

4. "wine be gone" Wine Bottle Holder

Add some spunk to your kitchen or bar with this quirky wine holder! At Abacus. 

5.  Rag Quilt Throw

I fell in love with this quilt when I saw it. Wistfully romantic, perfect for summer picnics or, my favorite, Shakespeare in the Park. It reminds me of my favorite quilt, a one-of-a-kind, locally made quilt that I won at a charity auction a few years ago.  Available through Esty: http://www.etsy.com/listing/103860619/large-rag-quilt-throwpicnic-blanket-size?ref=sr_gallery_38&ga_search_query=quilt&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_ref=auto3&ga_explicit_scope=1&ga_search_type=handmade. 

A Few Funk & Funky Floral Arrangements

Pink & Brown:
Pink and brown is a classic color combination. This arrangement juxtaposes delicate pink flowers and a rather utilitarian brown beer bottle to create a funky arrangement.

Blue Ribbon:
Perfect for the office, this arrangement uses a pretty blue ribbon to jazz up a simple arrangement.

Flowers in a glass:

I have more vases than I can count but sometimes the best look is a regular glass. This picture is not great, but to create this elegant arrangement, I simply placed several gladioli in a tall water glass.

Coastal Chic Floral Arrangement

I love having fresh flowers in the house and am always looking for new and different ways to arrange them. I liked the idea of combing fresh flowers with shells, stones and sea glass from the local beaches. It gives this simple arrangement a fun coastal vibe.

I used bright and sunny yellow chrysanthemums in a standard vase with sea glass:

Step One:
Cut the flowers to your desired height. This e-how postings has some great tips for making your chrysanthemums last longer in the vase: http://www.ehow.com/how_8114422_cut-chrysanthemums.html.

Step Two:
Add the water and then gently place the sea glass into the vase, making sure that you don't block the stems' access to fresh water.

Step Three:
Add a fun accent to enhance the coastal feel. I placed a clam shell full of stones from a nearby beach next to the flowers.