I had an impromptu trip to Portland this past weekend to visit my mama, John and little Stelly Bean.
It was a much needed chill-out. Lots of cooking, walking, coffee drinking and chatting over glasses of wine. And maybe a little shopping…including but not limited to an iPad mini <3 Gotta love the no-sales-tax thing. So far, my favorite perk of the iPad is the camera. It kicks my Cannon’s butt. Below are some of the meals we had over the weekends with links to the recipes:
Fig old fashioned with balsamic, orange and maple from The Kitchn.
The salad of the month from Food & Wine.
Shredded chicken tacos with black bean, corn, avocado and tomato salsa.
Slow-cooked pulled pork sandwiches with eastern North Carolina barbecue sauce and simple slaw and a side of Southern caviar.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
1 tablespoon butter
2.5 lbs. boneless pork shoulder
1 TBS Cajun seasoning
1 medium onion chopped
4 cloves garlic crushed
2 cups water (or 1 cup beef/chicken stock + 1 cup water)
2 cups chicken or beef broth
1 TBS liquid smoke
brioche buns
barbecue sauce
simple slaw (cabbage, plain yogurt, lemon juice, salt and pepper)
Cut the pork into large chunks, season and brown on all sides in the melted butter. Transfer to slow cooker. Add onion and garlic to pan, cook for a few minutes till tender. Stir the liquid into pan, scrape bottom. Pour everything into slow cooker and add liquid smoke. Cover and cook till tender, 9-10 hours on low. Remove from cooker--shred pork serve on brioche buns with slaw and whatever barbecue sauce you like best. *My fav is an eastern North Carolina vinegar based bbq sauce.
Heavenly banana cake, a China's Plate oldie.
Anecdote: I had an authentic Portlandia experience when ordering a cup of coffee on Saturday morning. While waiting in line at the corner coffee shop, two men were debating the best, most New Jersey-style (apparently the home of the original bagel) bagel shops in town, which led to the best/most creative donut shop debate shortly after. I ordered my medium cup of regular coffee, and was told the entire life story of not only the coffee beans, but the story of ownership of forest where the coffee bean trees grow and the dates of the 2-3 day long harvest when beans are picked at their prime – completely unsolicited. I responded with: wow. no room for cream, thanks.
Keep Portland weird xo 
