Pork Carnitas and a Spewing Toddler

What. A. Day. Henry and I got up this morning with the kids and got us all ready to take a day trip to Silver Falls State Park. We packed a lunch, water, jackets, and the video camera and set out. During the drive, the toddler whined and fussed. We figured he just didn’t get enough sleep and that once he took a nap, he’d wake up and be his usual, sunny self. Wrong. 15 minutes away from Silver Falls and the toddler starts throwing up. Our executive decision is to turn around and drive home. The four year old was crestfallen.

What a disappointing day. More throw up, trying to explain to a four year old “patience” and “sacrifice,” laundering towels dripping with toddler barf…

So, I think to myself: Gee, Jenn…why don’t you make some pork carnitas? Yeah, normal thought progression, huh? Carnitas in the midst of tears and ruined carpets.

Here it is:

sage, cumin, salt, pepper, Mexican Oregano, New Mexico Chili Powder, several cloves of garlic, one onion, one pork shoulder (bone in, fat cap on), juice of a tangelo, 12 ounces or so of an amber ale. 350 degrees until it’s done.

Sunday Afternoon Lunch: Roasted Asparagus, Sweet Onion, and Zucchini in a Lemon Vinaigrette

• Two zucchinis
• half of an onion
• 1 pound of asparagus
• Juice of half of a lemon
• Some olive oil
• S & P
• A squirt or two of dijon mustard

Method:

Roast vegetables at 450 until they are sufficiently roasted.

Make the vinaigrette (lemon juice, olive oil, dijon mustard, salt and pepper).

Dress the vegetables.

Eat.

Nearly Vegetarian Tortilla Soup (without the tortillas)

Going off this recipe, I came up with my own version.  Here is the ingredient list from the changes I’ve made:

• 1 can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can of diced tomatoes, drained
• 1.25 cups of red rice
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1/2 pasilla pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp mexican oregano
• 1tsp pasilla chili powder
• s & p
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cans broth
• 1 cup water
• 10 ounces enchilada sauce
• 1 cup of frozen corn

Directions:  Chop and dice. Measure. Open cans. Pour.  Season. Taste.  Stir.  It’s done when the rice is cooked.

Garnish with sour cream, cilantro, avocados–tortilla chips.  Shredded lettuce or cabbage.  Salsa.

P.S. Don’t forget to take out the bay leaf.

Melitzanes Papoutsakia

Melitzanes Papoutsakia