Root Beer Pulled Pork

I didn't make this for the 4th of July, or for Bastille Day (neighboring holiday with the same celebratory colors). But this is definitely a recipe to be eaten outdoors with Bruce Springsteen and fireworks in the background. (America!)
This is a Crockpot 365 recipe, adapted for greater spiciness. I'm really getting to like using the Crockpot for summer cooking, since it means I don't need to overwhelm the kitchen with oven or stovetop heat. 

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast (butt)
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced in rings  
• 2 or three cloves of garlic, diced. 
• 1-2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce (start with 1, then season to taste after cooking and tasting) 
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.  
• 1 cup chili sauce (I didn't have this, so I substituted two heaping tablespoons of Sambal Oelek chili paste).
• 2 cups root beer (Any old type will work, but I was lucky enough to have a bottle of this magical micro-brewed business, which will seriously change your life)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
• 1/2 cup ketchup (tomato paste or diced tomatoes would probably be tastier, but it's HOT and I'm lazy).
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:

Like most Crockpot recipes, this is a snap. Throw everything in the pot and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for 5 to 6. It's done when the pork shreds easily with a fork. Eat on toasted rolls, rice or whatever starch you prefer.

Chickpea Pesto Salad

It is so, so, very hot in Illinois - 95 degrees but feels like 118. Walking to work had me feeling both melty and on the verge of angry hysteria. (I'm from New England, and I'm meant to survive in the bitter cold with a root cellar full of turnips. Not to walk around under a stupid, giant Midwestern summer sky! STOP. BEING. HOT. AT. ME!!!)

But a redeeming feature of the day was that I'd brought some delicious cold chickpea salad for lunch. That, plus the fact that I work in an extremely well air-conditioned basement, cheered me tremendously, so I can highly recommend this salad for unendurable hot times.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas (You can save a good bit of time by using 2 cans instead, but I'm making an effort to get through the many little jars of dried beans that live in my pantry. Next on the list - about 2 cups of darling little adzuki beans!)
• 1/3 cup diced sweet onion
• 1/2 cup diced red pepper
• 1 cup diced tomatoes, or 1 can diced
• 1/2 cup snow pea pods - roughly chopped
• (Any other veggies you'd like to add)
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup pesto, to taste (pesto recipe: blend three cups basil, 1 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup parmesan,1/2 cup toasted nuts (pine/almond/walnut), salt and pepper to taste.)
• 1 tsp honey
• salt and pepper to taste

 Directions

• If using dried beans, soak for 5 to 6 hours, and then boil until tender.
• Combine beans, veggies and pesto in a bowl.
• Stir in honey, salt and pepper. 
• Chill for an hour or two.
• Brisk and delicious!

P.S. - You know what else would be good in this? Bacon or pancetta,  fried very crisp and crumbled.

Crunchy Cinnamon Scones

I got such a good picture of these that I simply had to write about them!

Scones are perhaps my favorite thing to bake for house guests, because they're super easy and look fancy. These are a Pioneer Woman recipe, and I made them for the Bianconi clan while visiting a few weeks ago. I can also say for sure that they're parrot-approved - Yocasta's bird Maya likes to sit at the breakfast table with us, and she kept trying to sneak up on my plate!

Ingredients

Dough:
3 cups All-purpose Flour
1/3 cup Sugar
5 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 sticks (1 Cup) Unsalted Butter (cold)
3/4 cups Heavy Cream (I used 2% milk, which was still delicious, though not quite as rich/awesome)
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 cup Cinnamon Chips (I didn't have these, but they sound interesting. Apparently they can be found in the baking aisle with chocolate chips.)

Topping:
1/2 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoon Heavy Cream
 
Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
• Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. 
• Cut the butter into small pieces and cut them into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter, or fork and knife, until it resembles coarse crumbs. (You can also run it through the food processor, taking care not to over-mix.)
• Add the cinnamon chips.
• Whisk the egg, vanilla and cream together in a small bowl, and stir into the flour mixture until just blended. The dough should be sticky but able-to-handle. If it's too sticky, add more flour.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and shape into a large rectangle.
• For the topping, mix the sugar, cinnamon and cream together, and press evenly into the dough.
• Cut the dough into equal squares, then cut the squares into triangle (pictured here). For larger scones, first shape the dough into a circle, and cut into triangles like a pizza.
• Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, then enjoy!

Note: Persephone Magazine had an excellent round-up of scone recipes. The cheese version sounds divine!