More Memorial Day Menu Ideas

Posted by on May 23, 2013 Leave a Comment

Before K and I start delving into a whole new season of summer recipes, we wanted to share a few of our favorites from the 2S2C archives.  With Memorial Day weekend coming up (seriously people, I’m pretty concerned about what just happened to the entire month of May- eek!), I have been starting to plan my menu for the holiday weekend.  If you are looking for even more Memorial Day menu ideas, be sure to check out our Memorial Day Weekend and Fourth of July menu round-ups from last year.  In addition, K’s post about our Fourth of July family reunion party from last year is chock-full of patriotic menu and decoration ideas.  I really want to make her DIY Patriotic Pennant Banner to have on hand for all the patriotic holidays!

Even though the weather forecast is looking pretty lousy for the Boston area this weekend, I’m still hoping to do a lot of grilling.  In addition, we are going to have our first lobster night of the summer- can’t wait!  I’m also going to try to make some of the 10 summer recipes shown below.

10 Memorial Day Menu Ideas

Salt Potatoes: an upstate NY summer tradition

Salt Potatoes

Baked Beans: a great side dish for summer cook-outs

Baked Beans {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Greek Pasta Salad: the perfect side for hot dogs and hamburgers

Greek Pasta Salad (from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Orzo and Spinach Salad with Lemon-Cranberry Vinaigrette: a family favorite (and a 2S2C old-school photo flashback!)

Orzo Salad

Tex-Mex Pimiento Cheese Dip: serve with red and blue tortilla chips! {I realize I put this dish in just about every round-up that I do, but you will not regret making this for your next party!!}

Tex-Mex Pimiento Cheese Dip
Mediterranean Dip: this recipe is great for showcasing fresh summer produce

Mediterranean-Dip-with-Pita-Chips
The Classic Margarita: get the weekend started off the right way with this perfect margarita (5 more weeks to go until I can sample one!)

The Classic Lime Margarita {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}
Sausage, Pepper, Onion, and Potato Bake (I’m making this tonight- one of my favorite summer dishes!)

Sausage, Pepper, Onion, & Potato Bake {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}
Frozen Cupcake S’mores: a great summer treat!

Frozen Cupcake S'mores {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}
Patriotic Star Sugar Cookie Cut-outs: for the very ambitious Memorial Day celebraters!

Star cookie cut-outs

Well, it looks like K is a way better summer-blogger than I am considering that 80% of the above recipes are hers.  I can’t promise that I’ll be able to catch up to her pace this summer with baby #2′s arrival, but I am still hoping to share a few of my new favorite summer recipes over the next few months.  What do you have planned for your Memorial Day weekend menu?

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Top 20 Recipes for Mother’s Day

Posted by on May 10, 2013 1 Comment

Is anyone else wondering where this week has gone?  I can’t believe it’s Friday afternoon.  It’s been a pretty busy week around here with doctor’s appointment, my dad visiting for a night, book club, playgroup, a new swing-set for T, and getting stuff checked off the “holy crap, I’m due in 7 weeks” to-do list.  I’m looking forward to a fun (and hopefully somewhat relaxing) mother’s day weekend!

Unfortunately, neither K nor I will get a chance to see our mom for Mother’s Day this weekend, but we will see her next weekend for little sister M’s big college graduation weekend!  If we had the opportunity to see her this weekend though, we thought of some recipes we would consider making for her.  This list originally started off as our top 10 recipes for mother’s day, and quickly grew to 20!

For a Fun Brunch:

Baked French Toast

Baked French Toast {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Chocolate Chip Skinny Scones

Chocolate Chip Skinny Scones {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread

Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Bread {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Homemade Cold-Brewed Iced Coffee

Iced Coffee Recipe

Bacon & Green Onion Quiche

Bacon & Green Onion Quiche

Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry Muffins {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

For a Mid-Afternoon Snack

Caramel Corn

Caramel Corn {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Soft Pretzels with Jalapeño Dipping Sauce

soft pretzels with jalapeño dipping sauce

Blueberry Lemon Popsicles

blueberry lemon mint popsicle

Basil Lemonade

basil lemonade

For An Easy & Elegant Dinner:

Girls’ Night Pasta

Girls' Night Pasta {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Corn Pancakes with Smoked Salmon and Lemon-Chive Cream

corn pancakes with smoked salmon

Slow-Roasted Beef with Horseradish Cream Sauce

Slow Roasted Beef with Horseradish Cream Sauce

Roast Chicken with Garlic, Lemon, & Parsley

roast chicken

Chicken Piccata

chicken piccata

For a Special Dessert:

Chunky Monkey Cupcakes

Chunky Monkey Cupcakes {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Sea Salt Caramel Brownies

Sea Salt Caramel Brownies

Raspberry Linzer Cookies

Raspberry Linzer Cookies

Coconut Lemon Bars

coconut lemon bars

Homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Hot Fudge Sauce

Hot fudge sauce

Happy mother’s day mom, our #1 reader at 2 Sisters 2 Cities!

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P.S. If you are also looking for gift ideas for mom, check out my often-updated gift guide on Pinterest for some gifting inspiration!

 

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Tres Leches Cupcakes

Posted by on May 2, 2013 Leave a Comment

Tres Leches Cupcakes {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

I typically buy healthier items when I grocery shop at Whole Foods (versus a typical Boston-area grocery store such as Stop & Shop or Shaw’s.)  However, the one thing that gets me everytime is the tres leches cake from prepared foods section.  It’s always located on the last end-cap we have to go around before we head to the cashier.  I can practically hear it calling my name from the shelf!  I often find myself picking up a slice to split with my husband for dessert.

Tres Leches Cupcakes {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

While K and I were discussing what Cinco de Mayo recipes we were going to post, I told her about my obsession with the WF tres leches cake.  I’ve never made one before and she told me that I had to try making tres leches cupcakes instead.  K just bought me some awesome new cupcake pans for my birthday so I figured it would be the perfect chance to use them.

Tres Leches Cupcakes {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

If you haven’t had a tres leches cake (or cupcake) before, tres leches means three milks due to the three varieties of milk used in the recipe.  This recipe actually has four types if you count milk and heavy cream as separate types of milk (the other two are evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk.)

Tres Leches Cupcakes {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

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Tres Leches Cupcakes
Author: 
Recipe type: dessert
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

Serves: 18
 

Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
  • 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 5 eggs, yolks and egg whites separated
  • 1 cup sugar, divided
  • ⅓ cup whole or 2% milk
  • 1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
For the tres leches glaze
  • 1 12-ounce can evaporated milk
  • 1 14-ounce sweetened condensed milk
  • ½ cup heavy cream
For the cupcake topping
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Instructions
For the cupcakes:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare two cupcake pans with paper liners (this recipe makes about 18 cupcakes.)
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl of an electric mixer, add the egg yolks and ¾ cup sugar. Beat them together using the whisk attachment until mixture is well combined. Add the milk and 1 and ½ teaspoon vanilla; continue to beat until combined.
  3. Pour the liquid mixture over the flour mixture and stir together gently with a spatula. Wash out the mixing bowl and whisk attachment. Once dry, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks appear. Add ¼ cup sugar and continue to beat until combined.
  4. Using the spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the other large bowl. Mix until just combined and pour batter into cupcake liners. Bake for 15 minutes or until center of cupcakes reach 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
For the tres leches glaze
  1. Line a baking sheet with foil and transfer the cupcakes once they have cooled. Using a fork or a skewer, poke about 10 holes into each cupcake.
  2. In a large measuring cup, whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and ½ cup heavy cream. Pour mixture over the cupcakes (some residual glaze will spill over onto the foil.) Place the baking sheet of cupcakes in the fridge and allow to chill up to 30 minutes.
For the cupcake topping
  1. In the mixing bowl of an electric mixer, add the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, and cinnamon. Using the whisk attachment, mix together until stiff peaks form. Use a spatula or spoon to top cupcakes with whipped cream topping.
  2. Store cupcakes in refrigerator.

Source: Adapted from The Pioneer Woman, Alton Brown, and The Latin Kitchen

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Baked Panko Chicken Tenders

Posted by on April 29, 2013 Leave a Comment

Baked Panko Chicken Tenders {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

As promised, here is a post with another toddler-friendly recipe!  Every couple of months I try to make a huge batch of chicken tenders and freeze them.  I can then just pull out a couple and reheat them for a quick lunch or dinner for T.  I usually serve them with a small bowl of homemade ranch dressing or ketchup and a side of steam veggies.  I’ve tried a lot of various recipes for chicken tenders, but this one for Baked Panko Chicken Tenders seems to be the biggest hit with him.  I prefer baking versus pan-frying them since it’s usually easier to cook and clean up a large batch of baked chicken tenders.

While I’ve categorized this recipe for baked panko chicken tenders as a toddler and kid-friendly recipe, I will admit my husband and I both heavily “sample” the tenders as soon as I pull them out of the oven.  These chicken tenders could easily be converted to an “adult meal” by serving them on top of a mixed greens salad dressed with the aforementioned ranch dressing.

If you’ve ever made any kind of chicken or fish that is dunked in buttermilk or an egg wash, then flour, then the liquid, and then another layer of breadcrumbs, you may have encountered what I like to call “monster hands.”  All four layers stick to your fingers and after repeating this process for a few times, your fingers look like they have contracted elephantiasis.  To avoid this, I recommend dunking your fingers (or tongs) in a bowl of warm water each time to rinse off all the layers.  This will help keep each individual bowl somewhat clean as well and prevent huge clumps of ingredients falling off your fingers and  into each bowl.

Baked Panko Chicken Tenders {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

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Baked Panko Chicken Tenders
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

 

Ingredients
  • -2-3 pounds chicken tenders (or chicken breasts cut into tender-sized strips)
  • -1 and ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • -1 and ¼ teaspoons ground black pepper, divided
  • -2 cups buttermilk
  • -2 cups eggs
  • -1 cup all-purpose flour
  • -4 cups panko (Japanese style breadcrumbs)
  • -1 teaspoon thyme
  • -cooking spray
  • -bowl of warm water

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare two or three baking sheets with foil sprayed with cooking spray.
  2. Lay out chicken on a large platter or cutting board. Season both sides of chicken with ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Prepare three bowls for chicken to be dipped into and add the following ingredients:
  3. ) buttermilk and egg, whisked together
  4. ) flour, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper, mixed together
  5. ) panko and thyme, mixed together
  6. Dip each individual chicken tender into the buttermilk mixture (1), the flour mixture (2), once again into the buttermilk mixture (1), and finally into the panko mixture (3.) Lay the covered chicken tender onto the prepared baking sheet. Once you fill up a tray of chicken tenders, spray the top of the chicken tenders with a light layer of cooking spray.
  7. Cook for 15-20 minutes until chicken tenders start to turn golden and the internal temperature of each piece of chicken reaches at least 160 degrees F. Continue to prepare and cook the remaining chicken tenders.
  8. Serve chicken tenders warm with ranch dressing or ketchup. Alternatively, allow baked panko chicken tenders to cool and place them in gallon-sized freezer bags. To serve, take out the desired amount of chicken tenders and reheat in the oven or microwave until warm.

 Source: Adapted from The Picky Palate Cookbook and Recipes for Baby and Toddler: 365 Quick & Healthy Dishes

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Homemade Ranch Dressing and Dipping Sauce

Posted by on April 26, 2013 Leave a Comment

Homemade Ranch Dressing {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Hello again poor, sweet neglected blog.  It’s been so hard to find the motivation to blog these past few weeks, but I am finally feeling inspired once again on this sunny spring day.  I have a whole series of kid-friendly (and especially toddler-friendly) recipes lined up.   First up on my list is homemade ranch dressing.  Many of the family cookbooks that I own recommend dipping sauces to get your toddlers interested in eating healthier items.  I can certainly attest that T literally licks his plate clean if I give him a little bowl of homemade ranch dressing, ketchup, or hummus to dip his food into.

While it’s certainly easier to buy a bottle of ranch dressing at the store, I prefer to make my own salad dressings for two reasons.  First, I like to have control of what goes into the dressing…fresh herbs, organic ingredients where possible, a controlled amount of salt, and no preservatives.  Secondly, I think homemade dressing just tastes way better than any bottled stuff.

Ranch Dipping Sauce {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

This homemade ranch dressing is pretty versatile…kids can use it to dip chicken fingers and baby carrots.  I know some people cannot eat a slice of pizza without some ranch dressing on the side.  It tastes really awesome with a bowl of potato chips (I know, I ate all the chips for my lunch after taking these photos!  I ate the carrots too!)  Or, simply use the ranch dressing as it was originally intended- to dress up a simple mixed green and tomato salad.

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Homemade Ranch Dressing and Dipping Sauce
Prep time: 
Total time: 

 

This delicious ranch dressing is great for salads or as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets, vegetables, and chips.
Ingredients
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
  • 1 cup light mayonnaise
  • ½ cup light sour cream
  • ¼ cup buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon paprika

Instructions
  1. Mix the garlic and salt in a small bowl and mash them together with a knife. Add in the finely chopped herbs and mix together with the garlic salt mixture.
  2. In a bowl or large measuring cup, add the remaining ingredients and the herb/garlic/salt mixture. Adjust ingredients to taste and add more buttermilk if you wish for a thinner consistency. Transfer ranch dressing to a sealed container, such as a mason jar. Refrigerate the ranch dressing for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld together.

Source: Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

If you are interested in other salad dressing and dips, check out our recipes for

Thousand Island Dressing:

Homemade-Thousand-Island-Dressing

Dill Dip:

Dill Dip

Baked Potato Dip:

Baked Potato Dip

Cheers to a great weekend!

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Weekly Meal Plan for April

Posted by on April 11, 2013 Leave a Comment

april weekly menu plan

I just wanted to squeeze in a quick post since we haven’t had any this week!  My husband accidentally left our DSLR in the trunk of his car earlier this week and today our laptop is getting a little TLC at the Apple store.  My mom also was visiting us earlier this week.  Is that enough excuses for you because I’m sure I could come up with a few more?

I made this meal plan for this week starting on Monday.  We have started to get some warmer days in so I have included a lot more fish and grilling recipes than I did for the winter.  I’ve already made the salmon burgers and fish tacos this week and they were both really, really good!  I will definitely be making them both again hopefully many times this upcoming summer.  I’m also looking forward to trying some new recipes in the second half of the week.

Day 1:  Salmon Burgers with Lemon Dill Mayo from The Picky Palate Cookbook
Day 2:  Blackened Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa and Chipotle Aioli, side of chips and guacamole from Tide and Thyme (I have linked to this recipe before- you must try it soon if you have not already!)
Day 3: Take-out (late afternoon doctor’s appointment)
Day 4: Chicken with Tomato Herb Pan Sauce and Garlic Rice Pilaf, from Annie’s Eats
Day 5: Spice-Rubbed NY Strip Steaks with Avocado Lime Salsa and Corn Muffins from Cooking Light, April 2013
Day 6:  Panko-Crusted Cod with Tomato Basil Relish from Cooking Light, April 2013
Day 7: Chili Lime Shrimp Skewers over Garlic Butter Quinoa from The Picky Palate Cookbook

What’s on your menu for the week?  Are you passing over the soup recipes yet and trading them in for some grilling time?
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

Posted by on April 4, 2013 Leave a Comment

chocolate peanut butter banana muffins

Ready for some non-Easter recipes yet?  We’ve taken a brief hiatus this week after Easter to recuperate and to start getting into spring-mode!  We have been brainstorming a lot of new recipes ideas and can’t wait to share them.  In the meanwhile, I wanted to share the recipe for these chocolate peanut butter banana muffins that I made for the first time about six months ago and have made several times since.  T loves them and I really don’t mind eating them myself ;)

chocolate peanut butter muffins

The original recipe is from Jessica Seinfeld’s cookbook Deceptively Delicious.  In her cookbook, she incorporates a lot of pureed fruits and vegetables into recipes so that kids (especially picky eaters) get more nutrients into their diet.  The original recipe calls for a 1/2 cup of pureed carrots or cauliflower, but I haven’t yet tried making them with this.  The recipe I have tried does incorporate a bananas, peanut butter, and applesauce- they are amazingly moist considering they only have one egg white and no oil or butter in them.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

 

Ingredients
  • 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar, divided
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 banana, mashed
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 cup all purpose flour (alternatively, you could use ½ cup whole wheat flour and ½ cup all purpose flour)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup chocolate chips

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, line a muffin tin with paper baking cups.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, mix ½ cup of the brown sugar with the peanut butter, applesauce, mashed banana and egg white. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour(s), baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Add the mixed dry ingredients with the peanut butter mixture and stir to combine. Add the chocolate chips until fully mixed. Add the remaining ½ of brown sugar and stir once or twice.
  3. Use a spoon to pour the batter in 12 muffin cups (the batter may be a bit thicker than a regular muffin recipe.) Bake for 18-20 minutes or until tops of the muffins are set and a toothpick comes out clean.
  4. Remove from oven and allow the muffins to cool in the muffin tin for a few minutes. Remove muffins from tin and cool on a wire rack.

Source: Adapted from Deceptively Delicious and Once a Month Mom

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Happy Easter with Last Minute Easter Ideas!

Posted by on March 31, 2013 Leave a Comment

Happy Easter Readers!   We have been busy this Easter season getting recipes and holiday ideas ready for you.   Feel free to browse around for more ideas, but here are some great ways to celebrate this holiday with your family and friends.
Deviled-Eggs.jpg
These classic deviled eggs have been a huge Pinterest hit this season.  They are so easy to make and delicious.  Make these for an appetizer tonight with your dinner!
Cheesy-Potatoes.jpg
Our second favorite this season is the easy-peasy Cheesy Potatoes.   This recipe comes together in minutes with using the short-cut of frozen hash browns.
Delicious-Biscuits.jpg
Who doesn’t love a homemade biscuit fresh out of the oven?   This recipe here is so easy you can whip it up right now and have biscuits in under 30 minutes!
easter bunny place cards
How will you guest know where to sit?  Make these super cute and easy place cards.  Do I see a project for the kid’s to do while you are prepping dinner?
Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}
Don’t forget our favorite course (especially pregnant M!)… Dessert!  Chocolate dipped coconut macaroons!
Easter-Funfetti-Cupcakes.jpg
Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes with buttercream frosting topped with marshmallow peeps
Rice-Krispie-Treat-Eggs.jpg
Rice Krispie Treat Eggs dipped in Peanut Butter Chocolate!
Peanut-Butter-Filled-Chocolate-Bunnies.jpg

Or Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Bunnies!

Wishing you all a memory-filled and happy holiday!

Love always,
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Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons

Posted by on March 25, 2013 Leave a Comment

Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

Continuing on with our Easter recipe series today, I thought I would skip right to dessert!  These chocolate dipped coconut macaroons are a very simple cookie recipe to make and can be made up to five days ahead of time (just be sure to store them in an airtight container.)  Since coconut macaroons have no leavening agents or wheat in them, they are also perfect for Passover or for serving to family and friends who are gluten-free.

{As a side note, I apologize for my lack of posts last week.  Luckily, K has been on a holiday cooking spree lately!  We were on vacation in St. John the week before and I’ve been playing a bit of catch-up around the house since we got back.  I suddenly realized I have less than 14 weeks to go until my due date and went into full-blown nesting mode.  I’ve been working on baby #2′s nursery and finishing up a number of organizing projects around the house.  I’m feeling a bit more prepared now and I’m hoping to share a few more Easter-related recipes this week!} 

Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons {from 2 Sisters 2 Cities}

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Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

 

Ingredients
  • 3 large egg whites
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 14-ounce package sweetened shredded coconut (~5 cups)
  • 4 oz. good-quality dark/semi-sweet chocolate

Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 325° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Whisk together the egg whites, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a medium bowl until the sugar is almost dissolved. Stir in the coconut with a spatula until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
  3. Use a small ice cream scoop to drop the coconut mixture into mounds on the parchment sheets (about 2 tablespoons each.) Bake the macaroons for 20 to 25 minutes, keeping a close eye on them toward the end- these cookies are very easy to burn! Remove from oven once they start to turn golden brown. Allow to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes and transfer them to cooling racks.
  4. Meanwhile, place the chocolate in a microwave-safe container (I use a large Pyrex glass) and cook in the microwave for 30 second increments. Stir between each increment and continue to cook until chocolate is fully melted and smooth.
  5. Dip each cooled macaroon into the melted chocolate and place back onto the parchment paper. You can either dip side half the macaroon in the chocolate (as seen in my photos) or dip the bottom half into the chocolate. Alternatively, you could also drizzle chocolate on top of the macaroons if you want a lighter touch of chocolate. Once you fill up a baking sheet with the dipped macaroons, place the sheet in the refrigerator for 5 minutes or until chocolate is set.
  6. Store in an airtight container for up to five days.

Source: Adapted from Real Simple, March 2013

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Slow Cooker Pork Ragù with Fresh Pasta

Posted by on March 14, 2013 Leave a Comment

slow cooker pork ragu

I made this recipe for Slow Cooker Pork Ragù earlier this winter and my husband raved about it so much that I knew I had to make it again.  I served it with fresh linguine and I highly recommend serving the pork ragù with fresh pasta if it’s available at your grocery store (or I suppose you could make it yourself as well, but I have not been that ambitious on the culinary frontier yet.)  I usually make pulled pork when I use the slow cooker to cook up a pork shoulder or butt.  This pasta dish definitely puts a new spin on the usual pork dishes.

Slow Cooker Pork Ragu with Fresh Pasta

The pork ragù can be prepped in less than ten minutes.  If you don’t have time in the morning to pull this together, you could also prep everything the night before and just put the slow cooker insert with all the ingredients right in the fridge.  In the morning, just pop the insert into the slow cooker and set your timer for the day.  I love coming home to the aroma of dinner already cooked!

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Slow Cooker Pork Ragù with Fresh Pasta
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

 

Ingredients
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • kosher salt and black pepper
  • 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder or butt, trimmed
  • 1 pound linguine (use fresh pasta, if available)
  • grated Parmesan, for serving

Instructions
  1. Add the carrot, onion, garlic, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, thyme, oregano, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to a slow cooker and mix together. Add the trimmed pork and give everything another few stirs.
  2. Cover and on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours.
  3. Cook the linguine according to the package directions (fresh pasta usually only takes a couple of minutes to cook.) Meanwhile, shred the pork and stir in the shredded pieces with the rest of the vegetables and cooking liquid. Drain the pasta and add it to the ragù. Stir to combine. Serve with grated Parmesan if desired.

Source: Slightly adapted from Real Simple, January 2013

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