Cook: BBQ for a Crowd

Fourth of July is days away. You have a crowd descending upon you expecting to eat. Are you ready? You may have some worries but you’ve got nothing on Paula Deen. Now she’s got some worries. Nevertheless, Paula sure can crank out recipes to feed-a-crowd! No matter what you think of her, allow her to bail you out this Independence Day with barbeque for the masses.  Purchase some prepared cole slaw, potato or pasta salad, bag ‘o green salad and sponge cake with berries and whipped cream for dessert. Now you’re ready!

Paula Deen’s Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper, optional

5 pounds boneless pork butt or shoulder

2 cups barbecue sauce (homemade or store bought)

10 to 12 soft hamburger-style buns

Cooking Directions

In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne, if using. Rub the spice mixture on all sides of the pork. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

Place pork in a slow cooker. Set on low heat and cook for 10 hours. Transfer from the slow cooker to a roasting pan and shred with two forks, removing any large pieces of fat. Pour the broth into a heatproof pitcher or large fat separator, and skim off the fat. Put the pork back into the slow cooker. Combine the barbecue sauce and 3 cups of the skimmed broth. Stir into the pork and cook 2 hours. Using a slotted spoon, remove the pork from the slow cooker. Place the meat on a serving platter or on individual buns. Serve the remaining sauce alongside.

Servings: 10-15 servings

Prep Time: 5 min

Rave/Cook: MM Love evol.

You are not seeing double. I seriously love evol. Notice what they did there? A subliminal message at its finest. The Truffle Parmesan Mac & Cheese is the total Meatless Monday package especially if you crisp the breadcrumb topping in the oven for a delightful texture to accompany the perfectly cooked pasta, rich and creamy, zingy parmesan cheesy sauce; then add in the complexity of the truffles and you’ve got WOW in a compostable bowl! The truffles are gathered from the wilds of Italy, but you don’t have to travel that far to find this super simple uber-yummo mac. Just head to your local grocery store as they are readily available or order online.

Cook: MM Fava Bean Pasta e Fagioli

Beans are hailed for their amazing food value housed in such a little shell. The fabulous folks at Food & Wine have done it again with this goodie…

Fava Bean Pasta e Fagioli Recipe by Mike Lata | Food & Wine

3 pounds fava bean pods, shelled

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

2 thick slices of lean, meaty bacon, cut crosswise 1/2 inch thick

1 large carrot, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons

1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 large garlic clove, very finely chopped

One 3-inch-long rosemary sprig

1 quart chicken stock or low-sodium broth

1 cup tubetti or other small pasta

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the shelled fava beans and blanch until bright green, about 1 minute. Drain and peel the favas.

In a large saucepan, heat the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the bacon and cook over moderate heat until starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Add the carrot, onion, garlic and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, cover and simmer over low heat until the carrot is tender, about 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain.

Discard the rosemary sprig and season the soup with salt and pepper. Add the favas, pasta and mint leaves. Spoon the soup into bowls, drizzle with olive oil and serve, passing the cheese at the table.

MAKE AHEAD

The blanched and peeled fava beans can be refrigerated separately overnight. The recipe can be prepared through Step 3 and refrigerated overnight. Gently reheat the soup before proceeding.