Dinner Tonight: Spicy Pop Pulled Pork Sandwich w/ Twice-Baked New Potatoes
Ending 2012 with a bang for dinner! Prepared a couple of new recipes for dinner, Spicy Pop Pulled Pork Sandwich w/ Twice-Baked New Potatoes. Sounds good, tasted even better! Both recipes are based on recipes from The Food Networks Ree Drummond (Pioneer Woman). If your looking for two delicious recipes look no further!
I made substitutions from the original recipes where I could to cut calories and carbs. For the Spicy Pop Pulled Pork I used Diet Dr. Pepper, Splenda Brown Sugar, and also added Garlic to the recipe. Then on the Twice-Baked New Potatoes I used Extra Virgin Olive Oil to coat the Potatoes with, Philly Fat Free Cream Cheese, and Daisy Reduced Fat Sour Cream.
I put the Pork in the oven about 11:00 am and by 2:00 pm the aroma had filled the kitchen! Interesting recipe. You have your Pork Shoulder (Boston Butt), Onions, Garlic, Diet Dr. Pepper, 1 can Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce, Splenda Brown Sugar, and Sea Salt and Pepper. Is that a combination of Ingredients or not! But it all works, It tasted incredible! The flavor was spot on. You had heat from the Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce and then the sweetness of Brown Sugar and Diet Dr. Pepper. After 6 hours I removed the Pork Shoulder, it was very tender, and used 2 forks to shred it and then put it back in it's own juices until we were ready to make our sandwiches. Served them on a Healthy Life Whole Grain Bun.
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| Ready to bake for a second time |
Now for the Twice-Baked New Potatoes. I purchased some medium sized New Potatoes at Kroger early this morning. I first preheated the oven to 375 degrees F. I then drizzled the Potatoes with the Extra Virgin Olive Oil and tossed them to coat. Roasted them until the potatoes were tender and the skin was slightly crisp, about 20 to 25 minutes. Then using a spoon to remove the insides, leaving a small margin of potato intact. To the scooped out potatoes, add the Monterey Jack, cream cheese, sour cream, chives, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Mashed until the mixture was totally smooth. Give it a taste and add more salt if necessary. I then scooped the mixture into the potato shells. At this point you can cover and refrigerate them until dinnertime. Before rebaking I topped each one with Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese then when you're ready, bake the potatoes in the oven until golden brown on top. The potatoes came out creamy and delicious! The Pork along with these Potatoes makes one delicious dinner! For dessert much later a Jello Sugar Free Dark Chocolate Pudding topped with Cool Whip Free.
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| Just added the Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce |
Spicy Pop Pulled Pork
Ingredients:
1 Onions, peeled and quartered
4 Cloves of Garlic
1 - 2 1/2 lb. Pork Butt (pork shoulder roast)
Sea Salt and freshly Gound Black Peppercorn
One 11-ounce can Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
2 cans Pop (I use Diet Dr Pepper)
4 packed tablespoons Brown Sugar or 2 Tbls Splenda Brown Sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Start by placing the onion quarters and garlic cloves in the bottom of a Dutch Oven. Sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper, and then place on top of the onions. Pour the chipotle peppers over the top, and then crack open the cans of pop and pour them over the whole thing. Add the brown sugar to the liquid and stir.
Cover the Dutch Oven, put in the oven and cook for at least 6 hours, flipping the roast 2 or 3 times during the cooking process. When it's done, the pork will be dark and weird and wonderful. It'll also be fork-tender. That's when you know it's done.
Remove the meat from the Dutch Oven and shred completely. Then return the meat to the Dutch Oven and keep in the juice until you need it. Divine!
Twice-Baked New Potatoes
Ingredients:
12 new potatoes
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 cups fresh grated Monterey Jack cheese
4 ounces Philly Fat Free Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup Daisy Reduced Fat Sour Cream
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh Chives
1 Clove Garlic, pressed
Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Drizzle the potatoes with the olive oil and toss them to coat. Roast until the potatoes are tender and the skin is slightly crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.
Use a spoon or small scoop to remove the insides, leaving a small margin of potato intact.
To the scooped out potatoes, add the Monterey Jack, cream cheese, sour cream, chives, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Mash until the mixture is totally smooth. Give it a taste and add more salt if necessary.
Scoop the mixture into the potato shells. At this point you can cover and refrigerate them until dinnertime. When you're ready, bake the potatoes in the oven until golden brown on top.
* I topped my Potatoes with Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese before rebaking them. *
http://www.foodnetwork.com/ree-drummond/index.html
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/spicy-pop-pulled-pork-recipe/index.html
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/twice-baked-new-potatoes-recipe/index.html
