Kitchen Kapers with Nancy

From thepioneerwoman.com site, “Meltingly tender and seriously easy, this Slow Cooker Pulled Pork recipe includes a flavorful rub spiked with brown sugar and dry mustard, sweet onions, and even apple cider to make it a comforting [cool weather] recipe. The best part about it? No need to sear on the stove before cooking. Serve it on toasted pretzel rolls with a smear of sharp mustard, and it’s ready for feeding a hungry crowd….This Crock-Pot recipe calls for bone-in pork shoulder, which is sometimes labeled picnic roast. (Pork butt or Boston butt roasts will also work for this recipe.) You can use a boneless cut as well, but the bone gives both the meat and cooking liquid a flavorful boost as the roast cooks slowly. When finished, the meat is tossed with the cooking liquid, so build flavor by seeking out that bone-in roast!” 

From Cabell Huntington Hospital Foundation in Huntington, WV, we have their recipe for Healthy Recipe – Classic Hummus. They say, “This recipe is used by Chef Marty Emerson at Huntington’s Kitchen to teach children how to prepare healthy foods for themselves. While this Middle Eastern dish has been around for eight centuries, it’s only been in the last 25 years that it has taken America by storm. Its popularity here has helped propel sales worldwide, with global revenues for hummus projected to reach $1 billion by 2026. And why not? Hummus is nutritious, helps lower cholesterol, is gluten- and lactose-free, and contains cancer-preventing properties. Plus, you can enjoy it on everything from pita chips to crackers.”  

From Food Network, Alton Brown’s classic “Good Eats” Eggnog is an uncooked recipe that uses both the yolks and the whites of the eggs, with bourbon and dark rum as the spirits of choice. He also offers an aged variation for a different flavor profile. For those concerned about using raw eggs, you can use pasteurized eggs or a cooked version of the recipe. Alton Brown also has a popular aged eggnog recipe that requires aging in the refrigerator for at least two weeks to allow the alcohol to “cook” the eggs and meld the flavors. 

And from Mark Sohn’s Hearty Country Cooking, we have a different recipe for Eggnog, this one called Tennessee Eggnog, which also calls for your favorite brands of bourbon and rum. 

SLOW COOKER PULLED PORK 
Recipe from: thepioneerwoman.com 
Caitlin Bensel 

INGREDIENTS: 

1 5 to 6 pound bone-in pork shoulder roast 
6 cloves garlic 
4 teaspoons kosher salt 
1 tablespoon brown sugar 
2 teaspoons ground mustard 
3 teaspoons ground black pepper 
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced 
8 sprigs of thyme 
1 cup apple cider 

1) The pork will release a lot of moisture when cooking, so while it is not entirely necessary to add liquid to the slow-cooker, we like the flavor that the apple cider adds to the finished dish. If you don’t have apple cider, use chicken broth or beef broth, or even beer. 2) At high heat, the pork shoulder will take about six hours in the slow cooker to become meltingly tender. At low heat, plan on 8 to 10 hours. 3) Depending on the amount of time that you have, either high or low temperature will yield fork-tender pork. Got a late start to the day? Set on high to expedite the cook time. Starting this before a long day at work? Choose low heat and come home to a meltingly tender meal. 

TO SERVE: 

Dijon mustard 
12 pretzel rolls, split and toasted 

Yields: 6 – 8 serving(s) 

CLASSIC HUMMUS 
Contributed by: Chef Marty, Cabell Huntington Hospital Foundation 

INGREDIENTS: 

2 lemons 
2 cans of chickpeas (garbanzo beans) 
1/3 cup tahini paste 
Extra virgin olive oil 
3 roasted garlic cloves 

OPTIONAL: 

Hot sauce 
Smoked paprika 
Roasted red peppers 
Edamame 
Dried basil 
Avocado 

NOTE: When adding in extra ingredients for flavor or added nutrient value, adjust liquid addition to reach desired thickness. 

DIRECTIONS: 

1) Open cans of chickpeas and drain, reserving about two tablespoons of the juice. Add both cans and reserved juice to a food processor or blender. 2) Make sure tahini is well-stirred, and add 1/3-cup to the chickpeas. 3) Juice the two lemons and add to processor, as well. 4) Add the cloves of roasted garlic. 5) Turn on the food processor and drizzle in olive oil until you reach desired thickness. 6) Serve with toasted whole grain pita triangles or cut vegetables. 

Possible Combos: 1) Roasted garlic and edamame hummus, 2) Spicy roasted red pepper hummus (garlic, paprika, hot sauce), 3) Lemon basil hummus (lemon zest, lemon juice, dried basil), 4) Garlic avocado hummus, 5) Top with chopped olives, parsley, olive oil, or dried spice. 

CLASSIC “GOOD EATS” EGGNOG 
From: Alton Brown, FoodNetwork.com 

INGREDIENTS: 

4 large eggs, separated 
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar 
1 pint (2 cups) whole milk 
1 cup heavy cream 
3 ounces (approximately 1/3 cup) bourbon 
4 egg whites 
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for garnish 

(Optional: You can substitute the bourbon for a mix of 1-1/4 fluid ounces bourbon and 1-1/4 fluid ounces dark rum.)  

DIRECTIONS: 

1) Beat the yolks: In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks until they lighten in color. 2) Add sugar to yolks: gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar to the yolks and continue beating until completely dissolved and the mixture is thick and pale. 3) Mix in liquids and nutmeg. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the milk, heavy cream, and bourbon (or rum/bourbon mix). Stir in 1 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg. 4) Chill: Place the mixture in the refrigerator to chill. 5) Beat the whites: In a separate clean bowl (and clean mixer blades), beat the egg whites to soft peaks. 6) Add sugar to whites: With the mixer still running, gradually add the remaining one tablespoon of sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. 7) Combine: Gently whisk or fold the stiff egg whites into the chilled yolk mixture until incorporated. 8) Serve: Ladle into glasses and garnish with additional freshly grated nutmeg. 9) For those concerned about using raw eggs, you can use pasteurized eggs or a cooked version of the recipe. 

TENNESSEE EGGNOG 
Recipe from Hearty Country Cooking 
Mark Sohn 

3/4 cup white sugar 
6 eggs, separated and at room temperature 
3 cups milk 
1 cup heavy cream 
1 cup bourbon 
1/4 cup rum 

STEPS: 

In a mixing bowl, whisk together half the sugar, the egg yolks, milk, and heavy cream. 2) Add the bourbon and rum; then stir. 3) In a grease-free bowl and using an electric mixer on high, beat the egg whites till frothy. 4) One tablespoon at a time, add the remaining sugar to the egg whites. When the mixture is thick like a meringue, whisk it into the milk mixture. 5) Refrigerate.