It’s been awhile. I haven’t stuck to my posting twice a week like I intended. Life gets busy! My best friend got married in Tacoma, Washington two weeks ago and husband and I were able to get away for the weekend WITHOUT THE KIDS. Epic, right? So, I pretended like I was in college again for the weekend. Can you say major hangover? For like two days. Yeah, ouch. Then the following weekend was my sister’s wedding reception in Dry Creek at Dutcher Crossing Winery, where she works. And once again, I pretended like I was young and could pound as much white wine to my head as possible. Ouch again! I’ve come to the conclusion that I must obviously need to get out more often without my kids, because these days when I do, I tend to go a little overboard. Not like my personality at all…
Anyway, wedding season 2016 is officially OVER for us! So now we are settling into fall. The weather here in Sonoma County has finally cooled down the tiniest bit, enough so that you have to wear a sweater in the morning. I love everything about fall. The air just smells different. Pumpkin patches are popping up everywhere. Cooper and I made our first loaf of pumpkin bread yesterday afternoon. And for the first time in awhile I pulled out my crock pot today. Yes, it’s a crock pot. Not a “slow cooker” which is so trendy today; I have a good ‘ole crock pot. It was a wedding gift, so it’s almost ten years old, but it never lets me down.
Today I want to share one of my favorite crock pot and lazy mom dinner recipes: Crock pot pork tacos! I have been making this recipe for years, long before I was a lazy mom. The recipe came from Real Simple magazine (my favorite magazine) a very long time ago. I have made this pork so many times, I can’t even count. I’ve made it for everything from parties to cozy weeknight dinners at home. If you know me, you know I LOVE pork. My friends in college used to make fun of me, always ordering pork. And there was that time some of my friends and I called ourselves the Pulled Pork Posse… Anyway, that was a long time ago!
I love this recipe because it’s so simple. I mean, who doesn’t love a crock pot meal? For this one, you start with a pork shoulder. You can use bone-in or boneless. Then you trim as much of the fat off it as you can. In your crock pot you mix salsa (I use Pace Picante), some cocoa powder, dried oregano, chili powder, and salt. Smother your pork should in the sauce and then eight hours later.. MAGIC!
The sauce is almost like a mole sauce. But super easy to make. We throw the meat into corn tortillas and top with a little cilantro and lime. Oh, and I like a little avocado on top of mine too. Seriously, so good and so easy! Enjoy!
RECIPE: PULLED-PORK TACOS
2 cups store-bought salsa (I use Pace Picante)
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Kosher salt
1 2 1/2 pound boneless pork butt or shoulder, trimmed of excess fat
18 corn tortillas
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
3/4 cup sour cream
1 lime, cut into wedges
-In your slow cooker (CROCK POT), combine the salsa, chili powder, oregano, cocoa, and I teaspoon salt. Add the pork and turn to coat.
-Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.
-Twenty minutes before serving, heat oven to 350 degrees. Stack the tortillas, wrap them in foil, and bake until warm, about 15 minutes.
-Meanwhile, using 2 forks, shred the pork and stir into the cooking liquid. Serve with the tortillas, cilantro, sour cream, lime, and extra salsa.
littlesandlifebylauren 