Set It...and Forget It Sliders

     With sports and school schedules at a peak (actually, last Fall was even busier!), I have been looking for quick and easy recipes!  I love anything with 5 Ingredients (or less!).  Of course, it's a bonus if it tastes good!
     One meal idea that has never really been on our radar is Pulled Pork Sandwiches.  I like them, but have never made them.  Thought it was possible the kids would like them, too.
On Pinterest, more than 50 percent of the recipes seemed to have Dr. Pepper as their secret ingredient.  So, I thought it was interesting and would give it a try.  I kind of adapted my recipe from the one I pinned from here.

This is what I did:

3 1/2 pounds uncooked pork shoulder (lean, trim fat).  Slow cooked and then shredded.

1 cup chopped onion, uncooked,

3 cups Dr. Pepper

1 package McCormick Grill Mates BBQ or Pork Rub

BBQ Sauce (we use Sweet Baby Rays)

1-2 Dozen King Hawaiian Rolls (we used small Sweet)*

*OK, it's six ingredients, I wasn't counting the rolls....
  

Place all ingredients except BBQ sauce (and rolls -- ha) in slow cooker for 6-8 hours.  Remove meat from cooker and remove all bones (meat should be falling off the bone).  Shred pork with two forks (a rhyme!)  Drain juices as desired.  Mix pork with BBQ sauce as you like.  (I let each person add their own.)  Slice rolls and serve as sliders.  We each ate about 3 sliders.  Some of us more (husband!).  We have 5 in our family and had meat leftover.  Goes well with coleslaw and or sweet potato fries!

    I am calling mine, Pulled Pork Sliders** (because I used the small rolls) and my kids actually like them!  Jacob did a "Yes!" (insert hand gesture) when he came home from school and smelled his dinner.  My husband loves them, too!! 

     I'd love to try another recipe if someone has one out there that they like.  There's so many ways to cook the meat, beer, root beer, etc...  Let me know if you have a recipe I should try or if you happen to try this one!!

**Finished Picture Not Available...Ate Too Fast (maybe next time!?)

Easy Summer Salad

     Recently Kerri at The Pleasures of My Life posted about this salad she had seen in a magazine.  Although she didn't have the exact quantities, she listed the the ingredients and put them into a yummy BLT Pasta Salad.
     With the 95 degree humid weather here in Michigan, it was time to try it!!  I went with a simple leaf lettuce so as not to scare the kids away with the arugula, which apparently looks too healthy for them!!
     I did not have any red onion and somehow ran out of my big container of EVOO so I substituted with Garlic Expressions salad dressing instead.  I shaved some fresh Parmesan cheese on top.  It was a perfect summer meal!!  I will definitely be making this a lot this summer.  As you can see, you can improvise on this as you like.  I would never have thought of a BLT pasta -- guess that's why you've never seen me on the Food Network!! 

     Thanks for the idea, Kerri!!

What I Used:
Rigatoni, Leaf Lettuce, Grape Tomatos, Bacon, Salt and Pepper and
Garlic Expressions dressing

 (or another oil based salad dressing)

BLT Pasta Salad

Try It...You'll Like It!!

     Thought I would share some of our more recent "finds" with you.  I know I like it when other bloggers share some of their "things" they have tried, so I thought I would give it a whirl...  Besides, how much can one person talk about their kids!!??  

     So, here are some items we've become quite attached to lately.  Some of them are newer, some of them probably not so new, but newer to me...

POPCHIPS

A friend told me about "Popchips" and gave me one of these small bags to try.  They are a low-cal/low fat snack and fulfill that need for "crunch" that most of us have.  They come in bbq, sour cream n onion, salt and pepper, salt and vinegar, cheddar and original.  They HAD the individual sizes at Costco, but I was told they are no longer carrying them in the "Midwest".  I recently snagged a case from Amazon, and they do sell the large bag of bbq at Costco in my area.  They are parent and kid-approved at my house.

MiO LIQUID WATER ENHANCER

Sweet Tea, Peach Mango, Berry Pomegranate,

Fruit Punch, Strawberry Watermelon, Peach Tea

Awhile back my cousin had mentioned these in her blog.  I had noticed them in the store, but never tried it.  (I tend to "whiz right by" things if I don't know what it is.)  I would say it's the liquid equivalent of Crystal Light powder, which we drink quite a bit of in the summer.  We like these and add a squeeze to water bottles or a glass of ice water.  Also, I carry a bottle in my purse and use them in our water at restaurants.  I am trying to get my kids to drink less pop and with the five of us plus my mom, we save a good $12 a meal by not ordering soft drinks.  It might be tacky...but I think it's kinda smart!!

SKINNYGIRL MARGARITA

Okay, so I love all things Bethenny Frankel, so as soon as I came upon her Skinnygirl Margarita in my local store I picked it up...  Even though the $12 something price seemed a bit much to me, you will notice it didn't stop me...the bottle was empty by the time I took the photo.  I think it's refreshing, convenient and...bonus...low-cal.  I have to admit...I like it a little sweeter and added a Splenda packet to mine!! 

ICE CUBES SUGARLESS GUM

I'm always in search of a good sugarless gum (it's the only kind my mom let's me chew!!??).  I like 5 and Orbit, etc...but I saw these Ice Cubes on clearance at the Target checkout awhile back for like .60 cents and really liked it!!  Something about square cubes of gum and the mint is really minty refreshing and good!

CHAI LATTE...K-CUP FLAVORS
Lovin' the K-cups and always like trying new flavors.  The Chai Latte is really yummy, the husband likes the "Dark Magic" and who says you can't put Kahlua in your Kahlua coffee for a little evening treat!!??  I had also tried a Golden French Toast flavor that was awesome, but can't seem to find it anywhere.  Has anyone out there seen it??  What flavors do you like??

JIF TO GO

How convenient is this...throw a Jif to Go in your purse and an apple or bagel and you've got breakfast on the run!!  Plus, the kids love 'em in their lunches or for a protein pick me up before soccer practice.  SO much easier than measuring out your own scoop of messy peanut butter!!

That's all I've got for now.
  Do you use any of these or have any great things we should try??