Slow Cooking Thursday!

All my slow cooking recipes are now online and starting today, I will add all the recipes shared weekly to my online del.icio.us site too. So if you're wanting to find ALL the slow cooked recipes that have been shared since the first SLOW COOKING THURSDAY, here is the link for you.

Don't forget to add your name to Mr Linky and a link back to your SCT post so others can come by and see your recipe too.

Slow Cooked Pork Carnitas

Ingredients
5 pounds pork shoulder roast
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes - crushed
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
16 tortillas
3 cups salsa
2 cups sour cream - optional
2 cups guacamole - optional

Directions

* Place pork in a slow cooker.
* In a small bowl, the vinegar, brown sugar, salt, red pepper flakes, pepper, garlic powder and seasoning salt and pour over the pork roast.
* Cover with the lid and cook on low for 10-12 hours.
* Remove roast to a tray or cutting board.
* Using two forks, pull the meat apart until shredded.
* Place shredded pork in a large bowl and pour some of the liquid from the slow cooker over the meat until it is as moist as you like.
* Return the meat to the slow cooker until ready to serve.
* Warm tortillas on a hot skillet.
* Place tortillas on a plate and top with a serving spoon full of pulled pork.
* Top with your favorite salsa and serve with sour cream and guacamole.

Roseda Steak Burgers Contest!

Alrighty people, remember I told you that I recently got a few SteakBurgers sent to me by the wonderful folks at Roseda Beef. We tried them and we loved them and I did a little review for them here, then they thought that it would be a great idea to share their burgers with one of YOU.

That's right, I'm going to do a little contest and since it's summer time and with the 4th of July just around the corner, I need you to leave me a comment with one of your favorite grilling recipes, it can be a family favorite or a true and tried one or just one that you're planning to make for your family soon. Leave me the recipe, your name and a way to contact you. Due to the perishable nature of the prize, this contest is open to US residents only!



The winner will get a Summer Cookout Kit from Roseda including:

• 20 Steakburgers and buns to share with your friends and family;
• A Roseda spatula;
• A Meat 101 kit, packed with info and tips on choosing and cooking the best cuts of meat for your taste.

How cool is that???????? So again, a huge thank you to Meghan and the rest of the people at Roseda. I will announce a winner on Monday the 7th of July.

Good Luck Everyone!

A little of this and a little of that!

Good Morning everyone, come on in out of the sun, it's scorching out there today.

I'm sure the first thing you've noticed is that I've redecorated, what can I say? I bore easily! I'm just thankful that I can make my own templates otherwise we would be bankrupt and I don't think Curt would be very happy with me LOL

So what has been going on around here. First I have to tell you about these wonderful SteakBurgers that I tried, they were sent to me by the wonderful people at Roseda Beef and I did a little review over at the food blog "Full Bellies, Happy Kids", go on over and check it out and then get ready because later today I'm announcing a contest over here so that some lucky person will be able to share in the goodness of these burgers.

Did I tell you how hot it is here? Because I'm literally sweating inside the house WITH the air conditioning turned on, that's not normal and shouldn't even be legal. That's just way too hot for any human being to be subjected too, unless you're a resident of Death Valley, I think they're pretty much the only ones worse off than us poor things here in Arizona. But enough whining and complaining, it's not like the Sun is reading my blog and will decide to go easy on me LOL

I know I haven't continued with the South Africa trip posts, I will do so real soon, I promise, but things have been crazy busy here, I've been in and out of the house and then without internet, so you know....things tend to fall behind. I'm sure next week I'll be back posting pictures of the trip.

I'm just not allowing myself to follow any rules or schedules, at least not for the summer, because really summer is for having fun, drinking lemonade, trips to outdoor places with your camera in hand, watching the birds play in the sprinklers in your yard OR the kids...whichever gets to the water first.

I've already picked up a few books at the library with possible outings here in Arizona, we don't want to go too far, last thing we need is to be stuck in the car for hours with this deadly sun over our heads and cranky kids in the back seats (or cranky mom in the front). So I'm planning things that are close and that don't require big expenses...if all else fails, there's always the backyard right???


Well I'm off to get the kids some lunch, do some laundry, mop some floors and get the meat out of the refrigerator for dinner. Pastitsio...YUM!

Have a wonderful day everyone and don't forget to check back later for the Roseda SteakBurger Contest!

Back online!

I'm sure you're wondering just what I did with myself this past week. Well, I cooked and baked and I cleaned....boy did I clean, my house hasn't been this clean and organized in a very long time....and most of all I read. I have read 5 books and not just little paperback ones.......FIVE HUGE HARDCOVER ones with 500 or so pages. Why??? Because I love reading and because I was bored and for the first time in my life I found myself looking around and saying "I have nothing to do" LOL

See that picture up top? That's my lemon tree, my beautiful gorgeous lemon tree which I adore and which seems to be falling apart on it's own. I don't know why or how or what is making this happen but it's the second time that we've lost half of the tree.

The kids were playing outside and I heard Nicholas yell that the tree fell down....when we ran outside to check we came upon it looking like that, it just broke right off, it's like the branch splintered and fell. Why is this happening???? I'm no gardener or tree expert so if anyone out there would like to clue me in, I would very much appreciate it. In the meantime I have to pick that heavy branch up with all it's baby lemons on it and discard of it AND then inform the kids that they are not allowed to play anywhere near that tree. Can you just imagine if one of them was under there when it fell??? *shiver* Thank the Lord that they weren't!

My netflix movies arrived this past week and I decided to give them a try...it was the first 3 discs of the "Rome" series. I'll tell you that I watched about 10 minutes of the first one and turned it off, it just didn't do it for me, so back they went to the mailbox and today I received the next 3 on my Queue:

Gettysburg: Three Days of Destiny
Gettysburg
Nothing too good for a Cowboy



In the meantime I also made covers for my washer and dryer. Usually I would leave them without anything on but I got tired of cleaning the dust that collects on them, and, I had this great fabric just sitting there doing nothing.

Here's the final result....it's not perfect but it works for me and I like it.



And when I wasn't sewing I was busy cooking and baking which is by far my favorite way to spend the day. So if you are looking for a great easy to die for dessert, here's one for you:

It's a portuguese Orange Roll and it's just delicious. I will have the recipe on the food blog later today along with a review for the best Steak burgers EVER. Yes you heard me, Steak Burgers from Roseda....they contacted me and asked if I wanted to try them out, I'm SO glad I said yes because we just loved them.

But more on that on the food blog and here on this one later.....I haven't been to any of your blogs yet so I don't know what is going on, but the last time I was able to check my email Susanne told me that she had tagged me for a book meme. It's like she could read my mind and knew that since I had no internet, I would have been reading away my time....she's a smart lady LOL

So here it is:

1. Do you remember how you developed a love for reading? I have always loved reading and there really isn't a time in my life when I can remember not having a book around me. From an early age I was engrossed in books, literally devouring as many as I could.

2. What are some books you read as a child? Being that I am portuguese I did read a lot of portuguese children's books, I remember this set in particular that I just loved and actually just saw it again at my dad's house when I was back in Africa last month. I also remember Nancy Drew and The magnificent Seven books, but the one that stuck out the most for me would have to be The Strawberry Girl.

3. What is your favorite genre? Definitely Historic Romance but lately I'm into the Twilight Series which is all about Vampires and Romance LOL

4. Do you have a favorite novel? Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I have read some amazingly good books but never in my life had a I cried like a baby, until I had this book in my hands, it is by far my favorite novel EVER.

5. Where do you usually read? Anywhere I can. Like Susanne, nothing is off bounds....I read in the kitchen, in the living room, in bed, I even take the book with me to read in the car while I wait to pick up kids or to catch a quick peek before I head into the store. *snicker*

6. When do you usually read? Whenever I can. If I'm really into a book I find myself with it stuck to me all day long, but mostly at night, after the kids are in bed, I just get under the covers and read for hours.

7. Do you usually have more than one book you are reading at a time? Uhhhhh....YES! LOL
I know some people don't like it and get confused reading too many, but I don't....I can easily read 3 different books at a time.

8. Do you read nonfiction in a different way or place than you read fiction? Non fictions require a lot more patience and concentration from me. With fiction I can just tune out and read it anywhere, but if it's a biography or a Christian devotional or the Bible or something else, then I have to have quiet and I need to concentrate. I do tend to get bored with non fictions though and can't really devour them like I do the fiction.

9. Do you buy most of the books you read, or borrow them, or check them out of the library? I check out a lot from the library, but I also buy tons and I also get them from Paperbackswap. Heck anyway I can get my hands on a book I will LOL

10. Do you keep most of the books you buy? Yes I do, hence our lack of space for books in this house and the overfilled bookshelves. I do trade them out through Paperbackswap but it depends on the book. Some I just can't bring myself to part with.

11. If you have children, what are some of the favorite books you have shared with them? For my 9 year old daughter Jasmine, it would have to be the American Girl books and Anne of Green Gables. With my 5 year old son Nicholas, it's harder....he just likes anything LOL

12. What are you reading now? I just finished the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer...absolutely addicted to those and can't wait for the new one in August. I also just finished Lorie Wick's "Sophie's Heart" and a funny one called "Deep Dish" by Mary Kay Andrews. Right now I'm reading "A Version of the Truth" by Jennifer Kauffman and "Married to the Mop" by Barbara Colley.

13. Do you keep a TBR (to be read) list? No, but I do keep a TBR Shelf which is full and I still find myself adding more to it everyday.

14. What’s next? Next is "Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer, the conclusion to ther Twilight Series.

15. What books would you like to reread? All of Julia Quinn's books...love her historical romance.

16. Who are your favorite authors?

Francine Rivers....Lorie Foster.....Fannie Flagg.....Julia Quinn......Lori Wick.....oh I could just go on and on LOL


And there you have it and I can't just walk away without tagging someone, anyone.....so I have to tag Renee because she loves reading about as much as I do, I'm not sure who else wants to do the meme, but if you do then let me know so I can come and see yours :)

That's it for now, I think I've talked way too much and besides I have groceries to go buy and bills to pay and all that other fun stuff that comes with payday.

I'll fill you in more on what's going on here tomorrow....like the kids Library Reading Program.

Big Five Magnet WINNER!

Thank you to all who participated in the giveaway and I'm sorry that I am only now getting to the winner....but I'm sure if you read my blog you would be aware that I had no internet access since last week wednesday.

Anyway....I used the Random Generator and the winner of the Big Five Magnet is:




# 8 Courtney at Him and Me Plus 3

Congratulations Court :) Please email me your address so I can send out the magnet!