BBQ Pork Oven Chili

I made this last week, but I didn't take any pictures (shame on me) cause I was multi-tasking several other things around the house. This recipe takes around FIVE HOURS to do, so, I think it's understandable that I wasn't exactly hovering around with the camera. By the time it was ready, the guys wanted to dig in before I had time to take a "final" picture  :) 

This time around, I managed to take pictures for ya since I already ran all of my errands for the day. Plus, it's extremely foggy outside and I'm not really wanting to risk driving anywhere.. it was hard enough driving to the nearby town to pick up some medications! Ten miles an hour on a regularly fifty mile an hour road SUCKS...especially when Belgians don't understand the concept of wearing reflective things so they don't get hit. Ahem.

I took these pics of the fog around 2pm... it was far worse this morning.

To the left of my driveway...see the car coming? I barely did, lol

To the right of my driveway:

The horse pasture next to my house..you can actually hear some of the horses running around, but I can't see a single one of 'em!

Anyway, here's the recipe for the BBQ Pork Oven Chili

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 4 hours, 45 minutes

Yield: 8 servings ( 9 cups )

 Ingredients: 

1 large onion

2 cups chicken stock

6 garlic cloves, pressed, divided

1 tsp salt, divided

1 pork shoulder roast (3.5-4lbs)

1 can tomato sauce

1 can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed

1 can petite diced tomatoes, undrained

1 3/4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

3 tbsp Smokey Barbecue Rub

(Optional)

Shredded white cheddar cheese and chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Chop onion using Food Chopper. In Deep Covered Baker, combine onion, stock, half of pressed garlic, and half of the salt. Trim excess fat from pork using Boning Knife. Place pork in baker. Bake, covered, 1 hour. Carefully remove backer from oven using Oven Mitts. Carefully turn pork over using Chef's Tongs. Bake, covered, an additional 2-2.5 hours or until fork tender but not falling apart, turning pork every hour. 

Before:

After:

2. Meanwhile, combine tomato sauce, black eyed-peas, tomatoes, corn, rub, remaining garlic, and remaining salt in Classic Batter Bowl. Mix well and set aside.

3. Carefully remove pork from baker to a plate; refrigerate until cool enough to handle. Pour juices from baker into strainer of Gravy Separator. Let stand 20 minutes; pour off juices using spout with divider into Easy Read Measuring Cup. Microwave vegetable mixture in batter bowl, uncovered, on HIGH 3-4 minutes or until hot. Remove pork from refrigerator; cut into 1/2 inch pieces using Chef's Knife. Place pork, reserved juices and vegetable mixture in baker; mix gently. Cover and bake 45-60 minutes or until chili is thickened. Carefully remove baker from oven. Serve with cheddar cheese and cilantro, if desired.

With the cheddar topping:

My Two Cents:

When I made this, I used the Deep Covered Baker, Garlic Press, Classic Batter Bowl, 5" Santuko (I made the onions chunky rather than tiny tiny pieces, then used it to slice up the pork since I didn't wanna keep getting more utensils dirty), and since I don't have the Gravy Separator, I used the 7" Strainer and just strained the broth into the vegetable mix (after it had been microwaved). Also, I didn't use the Black Eyed Peas this time around: 1). I couldn't find them canned at the Commissary. 2). I boiled some last time and I personally wasn't a fan of them in the chili. As for the corn, I used canned "Fiesta" corn and it added a lil more spice to the chili (pretty awesome). 

This tastes great when it's first made, but tastes AMAZING the next day. If the chili looks a little dry to you, just add some chicken stock to it when reheating.

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Creole Shrimp & Potato Chowder

The other day, a Pampered Chef order I had placed back in September finally decided to grace me with it's presence. I dunno what the deal is lately, but their shipments have been taking FOREVER to get here! They used to take two weeks, now it borders on anywhere between a month to a month and a half. 

Re-donk-u-lous! 

Anyway, since the weather is getting chilly here, Eric started flipping through the new cookbook I got, which is "All New Soups, Stews & Chili's"

After flipping through the book several times ( it has 20 recipes ), Eric and I finally narrowed it down to "Creole Shrimp & Potato Chowder" ... I consider it a personal win for me since Eric is NOT a fan of seafood :) I've been wanting him to "expand" his horizons when it comes to eating seafood because I'm rather tired of constantly eating chicken (I can't stomach red meat very well).

Ingredients: 

 

The cow on the heavy cream makes me chuckle.. if you happen to buy the "Non-Fat" milk, the cow looks like a stick :)

1 lb large uncooked shell-on gulf shrimp (21-25 per pound)

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 bottles clam juice

2 cups chicken stock

1 medium onion

2 stalks celery

1 large russet potato, unpeeled

4 slices of uncooked bacon

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 garlic cloves, pressed

2 tbsp Creole Rub

1 cup dry wine such as Chardonnay

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves (optional)

Directions:

1. Peel, devein shrimp and remove tails; do not discard shells or tails. Cut shrimp into small pieces; set aside.

Heat oil in Casserole over medium-high heat 1-3 minutes or until shimmering. Add shells and tails; cook 3-4 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Place shells, tails, clam juice, and stock into Large Micro Cooker. Microwave, covered on HIGH 8-9 minutes or until hot. Keep covered with lid, set aside.

2. Meanwhile, on clean cutting board, finely chop onion and celery using Food Chopper. Dice potato and slice bacon crosswise into 1/4 inch strips using Santoku Knife. Set potato aside. Add bacon to Casserole and cook over medium heat 5-7 minutes or until crisp. Remove bacon from Casserole using Small Slotted Turner (do not drain drippings). Set bacon aside.

3. Add onion and celery to Casserole; cook 3-4 minutes or until tender. 

Add flour, pressed garlic and rub. Cook and stir 30 seconds or until combined. Add wine and simmer 3-4 minutes or until wine is reduced by half. Strain broth mixture through Micro Cooker lid into Casserole. Add potatoes and half and half. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and cook 12-14 minutes or until chowder is thickened and potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in shrimp, salt and thyme, if desired. Cook 3-4 minutes or until shrimp are pink and opaque. Serve with bacon.

Sorry for the lack of pictures, but with all the shrimp we had to devein and chop up, I really wasn't wanting to touch my camera with shrimpy hands! The chowder came out AWESOME! Eric and John loved it :) I will say, though... the recipe says it takes 45 minutes for it to be completely finished.. and I beg to differ. De-veining shrimp is very time consuming!

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