Dinner with Friends

It's been a while since I posted any recipes or cooking posts.  So here is one :).

We had a couple friends over for dinner the other night, and I tried out a couple new recipes.  I love this blog (The Pioneer Woman) and have never been disappointed by any of her recipes.  So I decided to try out her Spicy Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork.

YUM.



You have gotta try this recipe - so easy.  You just chop an onion into quarters and stick that into the bottom of a dutch oven (or a crockpot).  Put a pork shoulder roast on top (seasoned with salt and pepper).  Top the roast with a can of chipotle peppers in adobo (12 oz can), and add 2 cans of Dr. Pepper (Dublin, if you can possibly help it).  Stick it in the oven on 280 for 6-8 hours, and done!  Shreds up beautifully.  If you decide to make it, remember to turn the roast a couple times during the cooking, but you should begin and end the cooking time with the fat-side up. 



I decided to serve it with fresh french bread (credit goes to AllRecipes, another favorite for finding good recipes).  A little time consuming, but worth the effort.



Proof the yeast (2 packages) in 2 cups warm water (110 degrees) and 2 Tbs sugar for about 10 minutes.  Then add most of the flour (3 cups) and the salt (1 1/2 tsp) and mix by hand until it has a kneadable consistency.  I made that word up.



Add as much flour as you need to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic, and let it rise in a greased bowl until doubled (about an hour).  Punch it down and divide in two; then allow to rest for 10 minutes.  Roll the dough into a large rectangle and roll up from the long side, making a large, skinny loaf.  I decided to make 5 rolls and a full loaf.  Allow to rise again, about 40 minutes; then brush with egg white and bake at 325 until golden brown (about 30-40 minutes).



Next up: Savory Sweet Potatoes.



Doesn't get any simpler than this, but these were so yummy.  Coat the chopped sweet potatoes in a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary.  Bake at 350 for an hour.  De-lish.



And some steamed green beans.  Nothing new there.  Tossed them in olive oil, salt, and pepper after steaming.   



Dessert: Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies.



Another good one from AllRecipes.  I didn't change anything on this recipe, so I'll avoid the redundancy of typing it all out.  But they were great.



If you have been wanting meal or meal component ideas, I hope this post brings some ideas to mind!