If most of you fellow foodies are like me and enjoy watching Ree (Pioneer Woman), then you must have seen her episode this past Saturday where she wakes up at the crack of dawn to throw a pork butt into the oven for a mouth watering lunch. I do mean mouth watering!

On my last grocery shopping trip, our grocery store was having a BOGO sale in the meat department so I stocked up. I added Ree’s recipe to my shopping list to try out and was on last night’s meal plan. I didn’t want to wait till the weekend totry out the recipe, so I improvised the recipe by using the crock pot. I cooked it on the low setting for 8 hours; little longer than the 6 hours her recipe called for and it still was falling off the bone, tender and juicy. I had used a 12 ounce can of chipotle peppers in adobo and it was a bit spicy, even for my husband and I. (We love spicy food!) However, it was way too spicy for the kids. Next time I’ll cut back on the peppers to maybe half the can so they are able to eat it. I’m still trying to think of a way to balance the flavors a little better so one ingredient isn’t overpowering the other. Here’s the recipe:

Pioneer Woman’s Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork

Servings: 18

Ingredients:

• 1 whole Large Onion
• 1 whole Pork Shoulder (“pork Butt”) – 5 To 7 Pounds
• Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1 can (11 Ounce) (I used 12 ounce can) Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce
• 2 cans Dr. Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Peel the onion and cut it into wedges. Lay them in the bottom of a large dutch oven. (I used the crock pot.)
3. Generously salt and pepper the pork roast, then set it on top of the onions in the pan.
4. Pour the can of chipotle peppers over the pork (include the sauce.) Pour in both cans of Dr Pepper. Add brown sugar to the juice and stir in.
5. Place lid tightly on pot, then set pot in the oven. Cook for at least six hours, (6-8 hours using the crock pot and I didn’t touch it.) turning roast two or three times during the cooking process. Check meat after six hours; it should be absolutely falling apart (use two forks to test.) If it’s not falling apart, return to the oven for another hour.
6. Remove meat from pot and place on a cutting board or other work surface. Use two forks to shred meat, discarding large pieces of fat. Strain as much of the fat off the top of the cooking liquid as you can and discard it. Return the shredded meat to the cooking liquid, and keep warm until ready to serve. (You can also refrigerate the meat and liquid separately, then remove hardened fat once it’s cold. Then heat up the liquid on the stovetop and return the meat to the liquid to warm up.
7. Serve on warm flour tortillas. Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, grated cheese, avocado slices, salsa, and whatever else you’d like.

Recipe and from by Ree (Pioneer Woman)

For those of you who have tried the recipe, have any suggestions for balancing the flavors?

Have you tried Bigelow’s Autumn Spice Teas? There’s an instant comforting feeling I get when holding and drinking a cup of hot tea. Fall is the perfect time of year to enjoy the taste of  these two wonderful teas Pumpkin Spice and Apple Cider from Bigelow.

I came across these wonderful teas at my last grocery shopping trip. The Pumpkin Spice Tea is wonderfully spiced with a warm pumpkin pie smell and there’s no other way to warm up after raking leaves than with the  Apple Cider Tea; plus it’s not just for drinking. Bigelow has a great recipe for Apple Cider Muffins I can’t wait to try!

These tea smells like fall and are a delicious seasonal tea to try! What are your favorite Fall Teas?

Last week when I wrote my meal plan, we were just starting to feel the Fall weather temps. At the beginning of the week it rained and then throughout the week we experienced a change a the weather was a litter warmer. Yesterday morning when I walked out to the garden, I noticed I still have tomatoes that are green. I’m hoping that those will continue to grow and turn red before the season really changes. I had started a couple months ago to prep an area for a winter garden, but to this day, I have not done anything further. Life has been a little busier right now than I anticipated.

Yesterday, we took a drive to see my sister-in-law in the hospital. Thank you all for saying a little prayer. She still has a long road to recovery and may be in the hospital another month but the road to recovery looks good.

We stopped and had lunch with my in-laws at Hash House A Go-Twisted Farm Food in Reno, NV.  The mission: To keep the fun in food while pulling from the experiences of farm fresh agriculture, live stock, and old recipes with a twist.

My lunch was simple-The Hash House Cobb Salad

The Hubby had- Big O’crispy hand hammered pork tenderloin sandwich

Our youngest daughter had-The Farmer’s Daughter

The atmosphere in the restaurant was noisey. The music was too loud that you couldn’t hear the person next to you speaking. Maybe it’s because I’m a firm believer that when you sit around the table, you engage in a conversation with your family. I shouldn’t have to raise my voice in a conversation around a table. After all, we don’t get to see the in-laws that often. To me, it wasn’t a very comforting atmosphere.

The country-style decor was simple.  When I sat down, I noticed my fork was dirty. Somehow when you sit down in a restaurant and notice your silverware is dirty you tend to lose your appetite. We did have a nice waitress.

Overall the food presentation was good. Every meal arrives with a giant twig of rosemary. They get points for unique presentation. You definitely get your money’s worth here in terms of food quantity. We walked out with a bunch of leftovers and still felt like we  were ready to explode.

 Even though the food is great, in reality it is very expensive  for a family. My experience at the restaurant wasn’t the best I did enjoy spending time with the in-laws.

My overall family meal rating: 2 stars