It’s football season and the heat is on like anything. If you like hosting football dinners at home, here is a good idea for the main dish. I found it at Food Network and it seems like a breeze to make. I’ll be trying it pretty soon, I hope you do to.

Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, diced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 12 ounces beer, preferably lager (1 1/2 cups)
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup whole-grain mustard
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste (see Ingredient notes)
• 1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
• 1 5-pound bone-in Boston butt (see Ingredient notes)

Directions
Preheat oven to 300°F. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and very soft, about 20 minutes.

Increase heat to high; add chili powder, cumin, paprika and cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add beer, ketchup, vinegar, mustard, tomato paste, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, 10 minutes. Meanwhile, trim all visible fat from the pork.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the pork, spooning sauce over it. Cover the pan, transfer to the oven and bake for 1 1/2 hours. Turn the pork over, cover, and bake for 1 1/2 hours more. Uncover and bake until a fork inserted into the meat turns easily, 1 to 2 hours more.

Transfer the pork to a large bowl and cover with foil. Pour the sauce into a large measuring cup or glass bowl and refrigerate until the fat and sauce begin to separate, 15 minutes. Skim off the fat. Return the sauce to the pan and heat over medium-high until hot, about 4 minutes.

Remove the bone and any remaining pieces of fat from the meat. The bone should easily slip away from the tender meat. Pull the pork apart into long shreds using two forks. Add the hot sauce to the meat; stir to combine. Serve hot.

Let me know how it works out!

No matter what Pepsi cans look like, people still enjoy that fizzy, sweet flavor.  And these Barbecue Pork Ribs with Pepsi Sauce are certainly no exception.  This is a great recipe for a family get-together & perfect for Super Bowl time.  Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

• 4-6 lbs. pork ribs
• 6-8 cups Pepsi
• 1 cup catsup
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 small onion, sliced
•  1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp. hot sauce
• 1/2 cup yellow mustard

What’s Next:

Simmer ribs in salt water until tender – 45 minutes to one hour.  Push fork between rib bones.  If fork slides out easily, the ribs are done.
Boil 6 to 8 cups of Pepsi in a stainless steel pot until reduced to syrup.  (This recipe will not work with Diet Pepsi, as sugar is a key ingredient.)  Combine all ingredients, except mustard.  Simmer for 30 minutes to one hour.  Add mustard at end.  If sauce is too sweet, add vinegar.  If not sweet enough, add brown sugar.

Brown pork ribs on grill.  Aromatic wood works well if you are grilling over an open-fire grill.  If using a gas grill, try spraying liquid smoke onto the ribs with a spray bottle.  The Pepsi sauce will burn if cooked too long, so it should be basted on the ribs at the end.

Eat well & Laugh often!

Liven up your 4th of July meal with this traditional Southwestern recipe.  Allow Pork Carnitas with Green Chiles to be a subtle firework in your mouth & latch on to the popular taste of the southwest.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into bite-size pieces
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 large yellow onion, cut into thin slivers
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles, un-drained
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• Flour tortillas OR corn tortillas
• Shredded Cheddar cheese
• Chopped tomato
• Sour cream

What’s Next:

Go ahead & preheat your oven to 350 F or 175 C.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in ovenproof heavy large covered pot over high heat. Add half of the pork cubes; sprinkle with half of the salt and half of the black pepper.

Cook pork until starting to brown, stirring often. Remove pork. Repeat with remaining pork cubes, salt and black pepper, adding more oil if necessary. Drain drippings from pot.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same pot over medium heat. Cook onion in hot oil until tender. Stir in un-drained chiles and garlic; cook for 2 minutes. Return pork to pot. Add chicken broth.

Cover and bake for 1 hour. Serve pork in tortillas topped with Cheddar cheese, tomato and sour cream if desired.

Eat well & Laugh often!