Pulled Pork Anyone?

I love using my Slow Cooker, especially during the winter month.   

Put everything in it and you have a meal.   I was surfing recipes and came across this one for Pulled Pork.   

 Seriously, I did have some reservations about it, I mean.....using Root Beer......really???

And knowing how fussy my husband is, it was either going to be eaten or tossed out.

I had a 2 pd piece of a pork shoulder frozen and thought I would use that instead of a tenderloin.   And in all honestly I did make some minor changes, due to my fussy husband (did I say that again?)  

My changes are within the parenthesis.

Crock Pot Pulled Pork

Ingredients: 

2 pd Pork Tenderloin ( 2 pd Pork Shoulder)

1/2 cup chopped onion ( 1 medium onion chopped)

( 1 clove garlic - chopped)

8 ounces Root Beer - just chug the rest  :)

(1 medium onion, chopped)

1 - 16 oz bottle Barbecue Sauce ( 1 jar Chili Sauce)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Place the Pork in the slow cooker; pour root beer over the meat.

Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily, about 6-7 hours.

Remove pork from the slow cooker and let it rest while you drain the fluids from the cooker.

Shred the pork, place back in slow cooker or sauce pan.   Add the second chopped onion, some garlic powder and chili sauce.    Simmer until onion is soft.

My fussy husband LOVED this!

Let me know if you have tried it and like it too

Updating a Bit

So far, so good.   My second week in a row of posting, I wonder how long I will be able to stick to my schedule.

My sewing room/office that I work in, is a small room.  But it does have 2 windows which give me a lot of natural light, thus why I use the room.  I love to open my windows for fresh air....but not today..its only 24 outside.   I hope winter is finally here in NW New Jersey.

On my desk, I have a wooden chest that is about 11 x 6 x 6 which holds my little things, that I do not like to see on my desk.   You know that stuff....receipts, stamps, address labels and checkbook.  

Ok, so I guess you are wondering where I am going with this.....my little wooden chest.    It was stained dark, really dark and I thought I would like to change the look.

This is the inside of it, to show you how DARK it actually was !

I discussed my idea with my sweet husband and off he went with my chest!  It actually came out nicer than I ever thought it would.  In hindsight we should have taken a before photo as well.

And here is the finished piece!! 

I thought he was going to go through numerous steps but he didn't.   

He took plain flat white spray paint and sprayed the entire chest.   That is all he did !!  Look the texture that naturally appeared, it looks like tree branches.  

After it dried, he took some scotch bright and lightly went over some of the brass "buttons".  It looks like the chalky paint finish   :)

I love it !!

A New Year

I am seriously going to try to be more consistent with blogging in 2016.

But first, I want to THANK all of new and return customers for your support.   Cozy Expressions has been a dream come true for me.

Most of you know that Cozy Expressions is known for its fabric art.   Did you know that we also offer functional copper and wood art as well?

My husband is the talent behind this line.

Here are some of his original creations.

A Farmhouse Serving Tray..... which would look lovely on my dining room table...hint hint  :)

A hanging light, featuring an Edison Light Bulb

And his very popular Copper Pot & Pan Rack.

All are available at 

Cozy Expressions

Pssssst:    Did you know we are also selling on Handmade at Amazon?  

www.Amazon.com/handmade/Cozy-Expressions

Date Nut Bread

One of my favorite recipes is this 

Date Nut Bread.    

It is a heavy dense tea bread packed full of flavor.

I have been making this recipe for 40+ years now.  Read over the recipe prior to making it.

You will need:

1 cup chopped dates

1 Tablespoon butter

1 cup boiling water.

Place dates and butter in a small bowl, add boiling water.     Cover and cool.

2 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix these 3 ingredients together and set aside

1 egg

3/4 cup sugar

Mix together in a large bowl.

Alternate adding flour mixture and date mixture into the egg mixture.   Stir well, but do not beat.

Add 1 cup chopped nuts as a final ingredient.

Pour into a greased and floured loag pan.   Let set for 20 minutes, then bake.  50 - 60 minutes at 350.

Easy Christmas Wreath Cookie

This cookie recipe is easy to make and will surely add a festive look to your cookie tray.

Easy Christmas Wreath

20 ounces white chocolate - broken into pieces

1 teaspoon green liquid food coloring

5 cups cornflake cereal, crushed

3 tablespoons cinnamon red-hot candies

Chopstick

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and coat with nonstick spray.

Melt chocolate in microwave or top of double boiler over simmering water; stir until smooth.

Stir in food coloring, making sure it is well incorporated.  Then stir in crushed cornflakes until evenly mixed.  

Drop onto cookie sheets by generously rounded tablespoon one inch apart.   Dip a chopstick in warm water, stick down in center of each cookie, making a whole for the center of the wreath.   While still moist, arrange red-hot candies on wreaths to mimic holly berries, using 3 -5 per wreath.

Place sheets on refrigerator until wreaths are cooled and firm.

Makes about 30 wreaths.

CHRISTMAS COOKIES

I would like to share with our followers some of our favorite

CHRISTMAS COOKIE RECIPES  

each week.

HAZELNUT BALLS 

1 cup flour

1/2 cup margarine

1 cup chopped pecans

2 Tablespoons sugar

1/8 Teaspoon salt

1 Teaspoon vanilla

Combine all ingredients - mix well with hands.   Place dough in refrigerator for 30 minutes.   Form in balls about 1" round OR crescent shapes.

Bake on ungreased cookie sheet  350  15-20 minutes.

Let cool and prior to serving sprinkle with Confectioners Sugar.

BLOG HOP WINNER

BLOG HOP WINNER

Before I announce the winner of our Angel Ornament

I want to THANK each and everyone that joined in

this wonderful Blog Hop set up by

Brenda Griffith of The Rusty Thimble.

This was a lot of work for her to set this up and get it all in motion for us.   

Thank you Brenda for all you do and have done.

Now, the winner of our sweet ornament is Vicki Jo !!   Congratulations.....I will be contacting you for your mailing address.