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Pulled Pork BBQ Sliders

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Your family is going to absolutely LOVE these super easy slow cooker pulled pork BBQ sliders!

Put your slow cooker to work making this delicious and easy dinner!  Just toss the ingredients into your slow cooker in the morning, and you’ll have dinner on the table in a jiffy when you get home.  Whether you like a lot of BBQ sauce or a lighter infusion of flavor, this recipe is delicious either way!

 

Delicious BBQ Pulled Pork SlidersIngredients:

  • 2 pound pork shoulder roast
  • 1 T. kosher salt
  • 1 ½ t. black salt
  • ¼ c. apple cider vinegar
  • ¾ c. prepared BBQ sauce+additional sauce for serving
  • 2 whole cloves garlic, smashed, peels removed, roughly chopped
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 T. shallot, minced
  • Slider buns, opened with inside buttered and grilled (or toasted in the oven)
  • Red cabbage, thinly sliced (optional)

Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork SlidersDirections:

  1. Add the pork shoulder to slow cooker and season with salt and pepper.  Mix together cider vinegar, BBQ sauce, garlic, onion, and shallot, then pour over the roast. Cover and cook for 8 hours on low.
  2. The roast should be very tender after 8 hours. Carefully remove from slow cooker and place on a serving platter or cutting board reserved for meat. Remove large deposits of fat. Using a fork in each hand, start “pulling” in two directions, working on one small section of pork at a time. The goal is to “shred” the meat into small strands.
  3. Place shredded meat into a serving container or add it directly to the prepared slider buns. Top with red cabbage for some crunch and color – or add any of your favorite toppings. Add additional BBQ sauce if desired.  Serve immediately and Enjoy! 

If you enjoyed this super easy slow cooker BBQ Pulled Pork Slider recipe, you’re going to love our Family Friendly Menu Plans! Get a full year of our best family friendly weekly menu plans for around $4/month!

 

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Grilled Herb-Rubbed, Bone-In Pork Chops

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Affiliate links are used in this post.

Grilled Herb-Rubbed Bone-In Pork ChopsLooking for something different for dinner tonight?  Your family is going to LOVE these moist and juicy grilled pork chops!  

You will want to check out our signature Family Favorites Menu Plans for even more delicious and easy recipes your family will love!

Grilling pork chops is an entirely different experience than grilling red meat. While steaks can be charred on the outside and a delicious shade of pink inside, pork needs to be more uniformly cooked throughout. Therefore, use a medium direct heat while grilling pork so the inside cooks evenly with the outside.

Keep in mind when assembling the ingredients for the herb rub that it is more of a template than a hard-and-fast rule. We aren’t going for dainty precision with this technique, just a uniform infusion of robust herbal flavors.

Grilled Herb-Rubbed Bone-In Pork ChopsIngredients

  • 2 T. Kosher salt
  • 6-8 large fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
  • 2 stems fresh rosemary, leaves stripped from stems and crushed
  • 2 T. fresh thyme leaves, crushed with fingers
  • 3 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 T. black Hawaiian salt 
  • 4 thick-cut bone-in pork chops, approximately 1” thick

Directions

Combine salt, basil, rosemary, thyme, garlic and pepper thoroughly in a small bowl. Rub mixture over all sides of pork chops until thoroughly covered.

Scrub grill grates with a wire brush prior to starting. Preheat grill to medium before adding pork chops over direct heat. Cook for 7-8 minutes, turn once, but otherwise keep the lid closed as much as possible.  If your chops are thinner or thicker than 1”, adjust cook time accordingly.

Remove chops from heat, cover and let rest for 3 – 5 minutes before serving. Serve with a grilled summer vegetable medley and top with a pat of compound butter seasoned with the same herbs used in the rub.

Know what goes great with this recipe?  These grilled veggies!

Grilled Summer Vegetable Medley With Herb Butter

Are you a member of our “Refer A Friend” program? If not, click this link for details! ?

 

One-Skillet Lemon Chicken Orzo

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One Skillet Lemon Chicken OrzoThis dish is perfect for those busy weeknights when you want something quick and satisfying that won’t dirty every dish in your kitchen.  This recipe pairs bone-in chicken thighs with lemony orzo for a hearty meal you can have on the table in just over half an hour. 

If you enjoy this dish,  you will LOVE our Family Favorites Menu Plan.  Get a full year of our best family friendly weekly menu plans for around $5/month!

For this recipe, the chicken thighs are cooked with skin on to impart extra flavor, but removed for serving to save a few calories.

One Skillet Lemon Chicken OrzoIngredients:

  • 4 bone-in chicken thighs
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 3 T. olive oil

  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 1 c. orzo pasta
  • 3 c. organic chicken broth
  • 1 T. lemon zest
  • ½ organic lemon, thinly sliced and seeds removed
  • 
½ c. fresh parsley, chopped, plus some whole sprigs for garnish
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Directions:

Pat chicken thighs with a paper towel to remove excess moisture, then season with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet with deeps sides, heat olive oil and garlic over medium-high heat. When garlic turns brown, remove chunks from pan and discard.

Place chicken, skin side down, in the heated pan and cook for approximately 4 or 5 minutes, or until nicely browned. Turn and repeat on the other side. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep warm.

Pour off excess fat in pan, while reserving approximately 2 tablespoons. Reduce heat to medium and add the orzo to pan. Stir until orzo is coated and slightly toasted. Add chicken broth to skillet and stir to scrape up brown bits from bottom of pan.

Increase heat to medium-high and bring broth to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Return chicken breasts to skillet along with lemon zest and slices. Simmer, covered, for approximately 10 minutes or until the orzo is tender. Keep an eye on it during this time to make sure there is enough liquid in skillet to keep orzo from sticking to the bottom. Stir occasionally.

Uncover and continue simmering until most of the excess liquid has been absorbed, approximately 2-3 minutes. Stir in chopped parsley and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.

Serve immediately with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

 

December Family Favorites Menu Plan

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December Family Favorites Menu Plan

I am so excited about December’s Family Favorites Menu Plan! I think we have the perfect blend of comfort food and food that’s yummy and easy to make during this busy time of year. We have LOTS of recipes that have pictures available on the blog, too, so be sure to check those out! I actually have many more recipes with photos that will be added soon. I’ve simply run out of time to get them all added. 🙂  Click here to get your own copy of December’s Family Favorites Menu Plan.  You’ll love it!

Week 1

Week 2

  • Tomato Bisque Soup
  • Cranberry Pork Roast for the Slow Cooker with Green Bean Casserole
  • Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo 
  • Honey Garlic Salmon with Rice and Broccoli
  • Loaded Beef Nachos
  • Slow Cooker White Bean Chili
  • Brunch: Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
  • Dessert:  Snickerdoodle Bar Cookies

Week 3

  • Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup
  • Spicy Chicken Sausage with Bow-Tie Pasta and Arugula (photos coming soon)
  • Parmesan Tilapia with Quinoa and Brussels Sprouts
  • Ancho Chicken Quesadillas with Authentic Mexican Rice
  • Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast Dinner
  • Pork Chop Dinner with Bacon and Cider Gravy
  • Brunch:  Apple Cider Waffles
  • Dessert:  Chocolate Chip Shortbread Bars

Week 4

  • Ham Mac and Cheese
  • Easy Chicken Parm
  • Black Pepper Balsamic Pork Chops with Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, & Quinoa
  • Creamy Thai Shrimp, Pasta, and Broccoli
  • Meaty Mexican Minestrone Soup
  • Easy Slow Cooker Ravioli Pasta Bake with Cheesy Garlic Bread
  • Brunch:  Baked Omelet
  • Dessert:  Easy Chocolate Pie

October’s Vegetarian Family Favorites Menu is Here!

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October Vegetarian Family Favorites Menu Plan

I am SO excited about the delicious line-up we have for you this month in our excellent menu plans! Even if you aren’t a vegetarian, you will have no trouble loving this food!  This collection features fresh, seasonal produce and all the fall flavors and comfort food you love.  And all of the recipes are pretty easy to make. In fact, most will be ready in 30 minutes or less!  We’ve kept your health goals in mind, so you’ll find very few (if any) processed foods, very low sugar, NO artificial sweeteners, and NO MSG.  

One of the things we’ve added in this month is make-ahead baked goods for sides. If you have a little extra time on the weekend you can whip up something yummy that can make an easy side dish for meals later on in the week.  We’ve also got one or two slow cooker meals per week, since it’s getting cooler now in many parts of the country.  Members can expect to have access to this new plan in your member area on October 1.  Click here to login.

Here’s what’s on the menu for October:

Week one
Make-ahead Bran Muffins:  Ready in 30 minutes
Cheese & Veggie Wraps with Quinoa Vegetable soup:  Ready in under 30 minutes!
Ravioli with Salsa:  Ready in under 15 minutes!
Colorful Veggie Stroganoff:  Ready in under 20 minutes
Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup:  Quick and easy!
Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup:  Quick and easy
Roasted Vegetable Stew:  Under 15 minutes prep time, cooks for 70 minutes
Brunch: Scrambled Egg Tacos:  Ready in 15 minutes
Dessert: Frosted Pumpkin Spice Bars:  Ready in 35 minutes

Week two
Make-Ahead Popovers:  5 minute prep time, bakes for about 35 minutes
Eggplant Ricotta Bake:  Ready in under an hour, with leftovers for later in the week!
Chili with Tofu:  Ready in about 30 minutes
Black Bean Chili:  Ready in an hour, or make it in the slow cooker
Slow Cooker Winter Vegetable Stew:  Easy to put together
Easy Baked Tortellini:  So easy, even the kids can make it.  30 minutes.
Garden Veggie Pasta:  Ready in 15 minutes.
Brunch: French Toast:  Ready in 15 minutes
Dessert: Pumpkin Dump Cake:  prep time under 10 minutes, bakes for 50 minutes

Week three
Make-Ahead Cheesy Garlic Biscuits:  Under 20 minutes
Polenta and Vegetables:  Under 20 minutes
Portabella Gemelli:  Under 20 minutes
Steamed Vegetables with Brown Rice and Peanut Sauce:  If you make the rice ahead of time, the rest takes less than 20 minutes
Harvest Vegetable Soup:  Under 45 minutes
Slow Cooker Chickpea Chili:  Easy to put together
Quinoa Tacos:  Takes about 30 minutes
Brunch: Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa:  Ready in about 30 minutes
Dessert: Applesauce Bread: Prep time about 10 minutes, bake time under an hour

Week 4
Make-Ahead Whole Wheat Muffins:  Ready in 30 minutes
Fettucine Alfredo with Broccoli:  Ready in under 20 minutes
Veggie Kabobs with Hearty Couscous:  Ready in under 20 minutes
Spinach Gnocchi:  Ready in about 45 minutes
Creamy Quinoa Primavera:  Ready in about 20 minutes
Slow Cooker Bean Medley:  Super easy to put together
Black Bean Soup:  Ready in about 35 minutes
Brunch: Veggie Brunch Bake:  Ready in under an hour
Dessert: Pumpkin Layer Dessert:  Make it in under 25 minutes, chill overnight.

Ready to jump in and let us help you have gorgeous, delicious, healthy dinners ready each evening?  Click here!