Pulled Pork Pizza With Caramelized Onions And Coleslaw

Not too long ago Sue and I made Sweet Potato Pulled Pork Poutine for Canada Day. We only ended up using about half of the pulled pork so I was trying to figure out what to do with the leftovers. I mean...the leftovers left over after we had a pulled pork sandwich. (You can't make pulled pork and NOT have at least one sandwich!)

I decided to try it as a pizza topping. 

Turns out...this was a fabulous idea. 

I used some store bought items to cheat - ie: Pillsbury Pizza Crust and store bought coleslaw, but you can  certainly make your own dough and coleslaw if you prefer. Here is our Crazy Easy Pizza Dough if you are looking for a tasty recipe. 

Pulled Pork Pizza With Caramelized Onions And Coleslaw

Ingredients

2 large onions, sliced

1 Tbsp butter

1 can Pillsbury Pizza Crust

1/2 cup pizza sauce

1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

2 - 3 cups PULLED PORK, warmed

2 cups coleslaw (with no dressing)

Directions

In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, saute onions and butter until onions start to wilt. Turn heat down to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are reduced and caramelized - about 15 minutes or so. When done, remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400. Line a pizza pan or cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

Press Pillsbury crust onto prepared sheet. Bake crust for 7 minutes. Remove from oven and spread on the pizza sauce.

Sprinkle with the mozza cheese.

Top with pulled pork. 

(You don't want the pulled pork to be too saucy. If it seems to be fairly drenched, try to shake off as much sauce as possible before topping your pizza otherwise your crust may get soggy.)

Top with caramelized onions.

Return to oven and cook about 7 to 10 more minutes, until crust is browned.

Remove from heat and sprinkle with coleslaw. 

Serve immediately. 

If you use OUR PULLED PORK recipe it has a distinct beer flavor which goes very well with the whole pizza thing. If you have some leftover pulled pork to use up then I would suggest giving this pizza a try. I made one for the family for dinner and another to bring to work the next day. 

You know how cold pizza is great for breakfast?

This is super great for breakfast. 

The only thing you want to remember is to not top with the coleslaw until you are ready to eat. You want the coleslaw to be crunchy!

Want some fun and tasty links? Visit Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons. and Or So She Says and The Velvet Moon Baker and Love Bakes Good Cakes and Carole's Chatter.

Crockpot Potatoes and Ukrainian Sausages

This was one of the tastiest dinners I have had in a long time. And....guess what?

It was soooooooooo easy to prepare. 

Didn't even have to turn on the oven, which is a blessing in this heat.

A few minutes in a frying pan and then throw it in a crockpot and you are done-diddly-un. 

Get ready for your family to love you even more than they already do.

Once they taste this you will become their new favorite person in the whole universe.

Not even exaggerating.

Crockpot Potatoes and Ukrainian Sausages

Ingredients

1 lb bacon, diced

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb ring of smoked Ukrainian sausage, cut into 1 inch slices

5 medium potatoes, cut into chunks

1 10oz can cream of potato soup

1 small jar sauerkraut (about 1 1/2 to 2 cups)

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup vinegar

1 Tbsp sugar

salt & pepper

Directions

In a large frying pan, cook bacon over medium heat until starting to crisp. Add in onion, garlic, and sausage and cook and stir until sausage starts to brown and onion is translucent. 

Throw in chunks of potato and cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to a crockpot sprayed with cooking spray.

In a mixing bowl, stir together soup, sauerkraut, water, vinegar, sugar, and salt & pepper.  

Spread over sausage and potatoes.

Cook on low for 6 - 7 hours, stirring at the halfway mark. When potatoes are tender it is done.

You can also cook on high for 3 - 4 hours.

(It really helps to know your crockpot. For me, in my crockpot, it took 2 hours on high and the potatoes were very tender. If you are unsure then just quickly lift the lid and stick a fork into a potato to see how tender they are.You don't want to have the lid off too long if it not cooked as you will lose a lot of heat.)

I wasn't sure if I would like this because I am not crazy about sauerkraut. Turns out...it is an amazing addition to this updated Ukrainian meal of potatoes and sausage. 

I should note - you don't have to use Ukrainian sausage. That is a family favorite around here. You could use Polish sausage or kielbasa or whichever your favorite is.

I'm telling you....you have to make this. It seems like it might be perfect for a cozy fall day BUT...it works for summer too!! 

No oven? 

Uh.....yes please.

Be sure to pop over to My Turn (for us) and Hun... What's For Dinner? and Blissful and Domestic and Carole's Chatter for some fun and tasty links!

Raw Carrot Cake Bites

I love carrot cake. Our recipe has pecans and cranberries and all sorts of good stuff. You can check it out here - Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting.

Thing is...in order to make said cake you have to turn on the oven and...well...it's a million degrees right now so the oven just isn't happening.

So, what's a girl to do?

I need carrot cake that does not involve using the oven. 

Enter Raw Carrot Cake Bites. I found this recipe over at Raw Food Bites and decided to make some tiny changes and downsize the recipe a bit. This includes a vegan cashew cream for frosting and the cake itself is also vegan. 

Okay...let's be honest here.... this isn't carrot cake with delicious cream cheese frosting. 

This is a healthy alternative that doesn't involve the use of the oven. Will you love it so much you will abandon "regular" carrot cake forever? Ummm...no. It's not that fantastic. It is, however, very tasty and a super-de-duper alternative when it is so hot you just want to live in your refrigerator. 

Give it a try.

Come oooooooooon.....

You've got nothing to lose here and carrot cake-like treats to gain.

Raw Carrot Cake Bites

(Slightly adapted from Raw Food Bites)

Ingredients

Cake

1 1/4 cup carrots, shredded

1/2 cup pecans, chopped finely

1/2 cup dates

1/4 cup coconut, shredded

2 Tbsp pineapple, crushed

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp ginger

Cashew Cream

1/2 cup cashews, soaked in water overnight

2 Tbsp water

1 1/2  Tbsp maple syrup

1 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

Directions

Line a small loaf pan with parchment paper OR these can also be made in tart pans with removable bottoms.

Place shredded carrots in a bowl. 

In a food processor, process pecans and dates until mostly smooth with a few small chunks. Add in coconut, pineapple, and spices and blend together. Add in carrots and process until well combined - be sure to scrape down the sides often. 

Scoop cake batter into prepared pan, smooth top, and chill.

While this is chilling, prepare cashew cream frosting.

Drain and rinse soaked chews. In a food processor, blend together cashews, water, maple syrup, and lemon juice until very well. Be sure to scrape down the sides often. 

Be patient, this can take more than 10 minutes, depending on your food processor.

Add in coconut oil and blend to combine.

Spread onto the chilled cakes.

Freeze at least 2 hours. 

Remove from freezer and let thaw 10 minutes. If you made in a loaf pan - cut into slices; if you made it in a tart pan - push up bottoms to remove cakes. 

Let thaw another 10 minutes OR return to freezer until ready to serve. (Let thaw about 15 - 20  minutes when ready to serve)

These taste very carrot cake-y. 

The cashew cream is surprisingly good. You want to make sure you process the heck out of it so it is nice and smooth.

NOTE - If you didn't soak your cashews overnight but still want to make this, you can cheat -- Simply put cashews in a pan full of water, bring to a boil, shut off heat and let the pan sit for an hour. Proceed as normal after that.

Now....here is my problem with this recipe.

It tastes fantastic. True... BUT...it's kinda mushy. I'm a big texture freak and I like my carrot cake to be moist and crumbly. It's just a bit weird to have the taste of carrot cake but not the texture. 

It confused my brain.

Seriously.

*Kaboom*

Brain explosion.

Try it...see what you think!

Looking for some fun and tasty links? Stop by Ms. enPlace and Carole's Chatter

Layered Pasta Salad (Guest Post at Hun...What's For Dinner?)

Looking for a way to fancy up your usual pasta salad for BBQ season?

Head over to Hun... What's For Dinner to find our Layered Pasta Salad recipe.

If you haven't checked out Hun...What's For Dinner, you really should. 

There is tons of quick and easy recipes that the whole family will love.

Sue and I shared our recipe and more photos for this fancy schmancy pasta salad that will make you the hit of your next gathering. 

Quick...go...now...check it out!!

<<Hun...What's For Dinner? -- Guest Post by Jo and Sue for Layered Pasta Salad>>

Be sure to leave us a comment telling us what you think..or just say hi!

 

 

Be sure to visit Adorned From Above and Memories By The Mile for more great links!

Black Bean and Rice Veggie Patties

Holy heck! Third blog in a row. That's a new record for me. 

Sue here -- yet again -- with the last of the recipes from my daughter's birthday party. (I also shared the Sweet & Spicy Nuts and Pineapple Jalapeno Poppers)

This is one of my favorite veggie patty recipes. I've been making it for years. It is a teeny tiny bit fussy to make but the end results are totally worth the effort - at least, in my opinion.

If you give these a try please leave us a comment and let us know what you think!

Black Bean and Rice Veggie Patties

Ingredients

1 tsp oil + 1 tsp oil

1 small onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced fine

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

salt & pepper

2 Tbsp ketchup

1 1/2 cups canned black beans

1 cup cooked brown rice (Or white/basmati/jasmine - up to you)

2 cups fresh bread crumbs, fine

Directions

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a large frying pan. Cook the onion, red pepper, and garlic about 5 minutes - until veggies are softened.

Turn off the heat but leave the pan on the burner. Stir in the spices and ketchup.

In a food processor, process the onion mixture, black beans, and rice until well combined.

Scrape into a large bowl and stir in the fresh bread crumbs. 

Make into patties (I usually get 4 or 5)

Place on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for about 20 minutes.

When ready - heat the large frying pan again with another 1 tsp of oil. (If you are not using a nonstick pan you may want to add more oil.)

Fry patties until browned on one side, carefully flip over and brown the other side. These basically just need to be heated through but I like to get a bit of a crust on them.

Serve hot, with or without a bun.

These are a fairly soft patty but they do hold together quite well. The flavor is crazy good. 

I always like to make these to go with regular beef burger patties whenever we have a BBQ just to give everyone a choice. These usually go just as fast as the beef burgers. 

I thought I would share a few other birthday pics of the cake Jo and I made for Kenzie.

We found a similar cake on Pinterest and thought it was too funny and decided to come up with our version of it. The monster on top is rice krispies and the cake is made up of 2 layers of chocolate and 2 layers of vanilla cake. 

The chicken was made up of leftover rice krispies. We figured the monster needed a buddy.

The birthday girl seemed to enjoy it!

Be sure to visit Chef In Training and The Mandatory Mooch and Carole's Chatter for some fabulous food and crafting links!

Crockpot Sweet & Spicy Nuts

Sue here..again.

Wow, two blogs in a row for me. I'm on a roll.

This is another of the recipes I made for my daughter's birthday a few days ago. I found this recipe in the Taste Of Home Special Edition magazine titled "Summer Slow Cooker Meals". Let me tell you -- this is sooooo addicting. I made it with peanuts but I cannot wait to try this with cashews. 

So good. 

Everyone loved this. Even my hubby and Jo who are anti-spice freaks thought this was delicious. 

This is an ideal snack for teenagers and adults. Maybe not the healthiest BUT definitely one of the most flavorful. Just be sure you make enough for everyone!

Crockpot Sweet & Spicy Nuts

(From Taste Of Home Magazine - Summer Slow Cooker Meals)

Ingredients

3 cups salted peanuts

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

2 Tbsp hot water

2 Tbsp butter, melted

1 Tbsp Sriracha hot chili sauce

1 tsp chili powder

Directions

Spray a 1 1/2 qt slow cooker with cooking spray. 

Place peanuts in slow cooker. 

In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Pour over peanuts. 

Cover and cook on high for 45 minutes. 

Stir.

Cover and cook 45 more minutes longer.

Stir.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread the peanuts on the prepared cookie sheet to cool -- this takes several hours. I stirred every 30 minutes or so just to keep the peanuts from sticking in one big clump. 

See how simple that is?

Jo and I were thinking these would be great sprinkled on top of a salad or a stir fry.

Oh, one thing, I was worried these were going to be too sticky as they didn't seem to be drying. Turns out I just needed to have more patience. They take several hours to fully dry out. Don't get me wrong...you can eat them while they are still sticky...but, if you want them to be dry and look pretty in a serving dish...make sure you give them enough time. 

You could even make them the day before if you wanted to. 

Good luck not eating them all!

Don't forget to visit Love Bakes Good Cakes and Memories By The Mile and Hun...What's For Dinner? and Carole's Chatter for some fun and tasty links!