Slow Cooker BBQ Pork Bites

This is by far, my favorite recipe for pork; it is so easy, takes so few ingredients, and the slow cooker does all of the work! I try to make enough for several meals through the week, but it only seems to ever have barely enough for one round of leftovers in our house :)

SLOW COOKER BBQ PORK BITES

2 lbs boneless pork ribs, chopped into cubes

1 tsp each of salt and pepper

1/2 bottle of BBQ sauce

1/2 tsp seasoning salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 medium onion, diced or sliced

Layer onions into the crock pot, and then top with chopped meat. Add all seasoning and BBQ sauce on top of the meat. Cook on low 4 hours, or high for 8 hours.

This recipe is so versitile as well, as you can eat it just like this, or with the sauce, you can place it on top of pasta, or even on sandwiches to make crazy-awesome BBQ sandwiches. I love adding red onions and coleslaw to make the best pulled pork sandwiches ever with this super tender, juicy, and flavorful meat! 

Amazing Breakfast Burritos

I have always been told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but unless you have an hour to make breakfast, it seems like, at least in our home, we are stuck with cereal or oatmeal every morning. One great solution to this problem is freezer cooking, and my favorite breakfast recipe for freezer cooking is breakfast burritos. There are many different ways that you could alter this recipe for your own personal tastes, but it is so hearty and filling, while being a quick and easy breakfast option that I would absolutely recommend making this to have on hand for crazy mornings.

BREAKFAST BURRITOS

4oz pork sausage
4oz chorizo
1/2 frozen or instant hash browns (I prefer a cheesy variety)
1 Tbl milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
6 eggs
4oz can green chili sauce
1 c shredded cheese
8 burrito size tortillas

COOKING DAY:
Cook sausage and chorizo (separately or mixed), and drain excess fat. Cook hash browns according to package directions. Mix eggs, milk, salt, and pepper, and cook until just cooked. Lay tortillas out, and layer with sausage and chorizo, then top with hash browns, eggs, cheese, and chili sauce. Fold burrito and wrap in plastic. Place all burritos in a large freezer bag, and label.

EATING DAY:
Place burrito in microwave for one minute on each side, until heated through.

I also like to add green chiles or jalapenos, and vary the potatoes to change up this burrito, and I have found that this is so filling that I am never able to eat anything with it, so it make such a great go-to meal for mornings for us. Enjoy!

Hearty Rigatoni and Sausage

This is one of my favorite pasta dishes, as it is so hearty, and it has such great flavors, but it really easy to make. As convenient as ready made pasta sauces are, I love the homemade taste that making your own sauce gives, and it is so easy to do with canned diced tomatoes! I always have several cans on hand, and I always purchase ones that are seasoned to up the flavor (i.e. fire roasted, garlic, Italian seasonings, etc.). I also have found that this is a great way to use up all of those deals on link sausage (Louisiana Red Hot...yum!), but substituting ground sausage or even chopped chicken works with this recipe as well. Serves 4 amazing portions.

HEARTY RIGATONI AND SAUSAGE

1 lb sweet sausage
2 sliced bell peppers
2 onions, sliced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 c chopped fresh basil
2 Tbl tomato paste
1 c marsala wine
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 lb rigatoni

Cook sausages over medium heat until brown, 7-10 minutes. While sausage is cooking, cook pasta and drain. Remove sausages, add bell peppers, onions, salt, and pepper, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, basil, and cook for 2 minutes. Add tomato paste, stir, and then add Marsala wine, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer, return sausage to pot. Simmer uncovered, until thick, about 20 minutes. Toss with pasta, garnish with Parmesan cheese.

This entire meal is ready in about 40 minutes, and uses ingredients that most people already have in their pantry. If I do not have fresh bell peppers on hand, I always have some chopped and frozen, for occasions such as these. I will go over how to prepare and freeze ingredients for future use in a later post, but feel free to substitute any of the ingredients above if you do not have them on hand. One of the best parts about cooking at home is using what you have at home, and not wasting time at the grocery store every night to pick up last minute ingredients.