For the Cooking Impaired

Ok, so I have tried two new recipes this week that went fantastically well. If you live with someone like Kendol, cooking is no easy task. He can cook anything and everything and is pretty partial to his and his parents cooking styles and recipes. So for me,  finding something that Kendol actually really likes is a task!! And in my opinion, I'd say I'm a pretty good cook, I just cook "country" food as Kendol calls, but that's all I know! Thank goodness he cooks almost everyday. (Yes, I know I'm super lucky!)

So here are the two new recipes I tried that ANYONE can cook. They require no culinary skills WHAT SO EVER!!

First up, Shephards Pie. I have always turned my nose up at the thought of this, but WHAT WAS I THINKING?? I guess since my momma never cooked it, I just didn't know what it was. Well, Renee that I work with, talked me into making it on Tuesday. Kendol even dared to say "Callie, this might just be better than your meatloaf.." which is a huge statement. He loves the meatloaf!

SHEPHARDS PIE

1.5-2 lbs of hamburger meat

2 Cans of Whole Kernel Corn

4-5 Red Potatoes

( and milk/butter.. whatever you need for mashed potatoes)

(or boxed mashed potatoes if that's what you prefer)

1 bag of shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1 onion (chopped)

1 bell pepper (chopped)

~Boil Water for potatoes- Boil potatoes for 20 minutes or so- make mash potatoes as you please

~Sautee onion and bell pepper (I always throw in some minced garlic)

~Add in hamburger meat

~Once meat is cooked, drain out the grease.

~At this point, I put the meat back in the skillet and added some Tony's and "Montreal" Hamburger Seasoning and let it soak in for a few minutes.

~Put meat in the bottom of a good sized casserole dish

~Drain Corn and layer on top of meat

~Layer Mashed Potatoes on top of corn

~Salt and Pepper

~Sprinkle as much shredded cheese on top as you'd like

~Bake for 20-30 minutes on 350.

S-I-M-P-L-E!!!

and delicious for those of you who love southern comfort food!

Next on the list is "Woman's Pulled Pork," as I like to call it. Why do I call it this, you ask?

NO. GRILL. NEEDED.

Get the handy dandy crock pot out!!

CROCK POT BBQ

5-7 lb. whole pork shoulder (Pork Butt, Boston Butt, etc.)

1 medium to large onion

A few (3 or 4) cloves of garlic

BBQ Rub Seasoning

BBQ Sauce  of your choice

Salt and pepper

Water

First off, I used a 5 lb piece of meat. Just make sure whatever size you get will fit in your crockpot.

1. Season your meat with a dry rub of your choice.

You can do this at cooking time or the night before. I (well Kendol) seasoned ours the night before with Rendezvous Seasoning, Tony's and salt/pepper, wrapped it in saran wrap and stuck it in the fridge.

(As I typed that, I immediately started singing "S S Salt n Peppa's here and we're in effect. Want you to push it... ok moving on)

2. Quarter your onion and garlic cloves- Throw in Crockpot with some Salt and Pepper (Singing once again)

3. Put meat in crockpot

4. Fill the crockpot with water (or beer) 2/3's up to the top of the meat.

You have options here. I used one dark beer (shock top), the rest water.

All beer/ No Water.

All Water/No Beer.

Half Beer/Half Water..

Whatever suits your fancy.

5. Cook on Low for 8+ hours

While you sleep. While you work. Seriously people this is simple.

6. Once cooked, remove meat and shred it (remove fat... most should have cooked out)

You can stop here and just have pulled pork!! Perfect for bbq sandwiches or bbq nachos!

But if you want your bbq sauce cooked into your pork, like I do, then continue on!

7. Empty the crockpot of the stock.

8. Place shredded meat back into crockpot and add bbq sauce of your choice.

I used an 18 oz. bottle of "Sweet Baby Rays" Sweet and Spicy.

FYI: This wasn't quite enough!!

So I added in some "Rendezvous" bbq sauce that we already had.

Get a bigger bottle.

9. Let this cook on low (stirring occasionally) until you're ready to serve.

S-I-M-P-L-E!!!

D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!!

HAPPY COOKING!!!