Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

As I write this, endless cotton balls are falling from the sky, and have been for hours. This is winter at its finest but also the kind of weather that can make you a little lethargic. To beat the winter blues, I opt for slow-cooked, comforting fork-tender meat, like this pulled pork. To be honest, this dish was more of an afterthought this week. After a busy weekend, we only had a few hours to run house errands, including grocery shopping. So easy pulled pork it was going to be. The pork really doesn't need much in terms of flavour when it slowly cooks for so long. I put this together in less than 15 minutes before heading to work -- to develop summer grilling recipes for our Canadian Living summer issues -- and returned to the real taste of winter.

 

The only thing about cooking with a slow-cooker is that it really is meant for large-family cooking. For the time being, there are only three in our household (with our Persian cat Alaska that is - who we've discovered is a real pulled pork fanatic!). You can easily freeze your slow-cooker concoctions though so it's a great utensil to successfully meal-plan. I easily get bored with leftovers and don't like to eat the same thing two nights in row so I like to transform leftovers into a brand new meal.. which is incredibly easy to do with something as versatile as pulled pork.

On the first night, I shredded some of the pork and tossed it with orecchiette, some fresh parsley and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and black pepper. Then, these pulled pork sandwiches came to life. These are so simple they really don't need a recipe - I used some good pretzel-liked bread, a nice spread of grainy mustard, a heaping pile of pork goodness and some greens. And next on the list? Pulled pork ravioli!

Nutella and Toasted Coconut Brownies

There are not many store-bought products I have a never-ending craving for, but Nutella has consistently been my Achilles' heal. If I buy a jar, and there is a spoon somewhere nearby, the velvety, chocolaty hazelnuty spread never stands a chance. If every piece of cutlery in my kitchen disappeared, I would just use my fingers, and if those happened to have disappeared too, I'm pretty sure I would go as low as using my lips alone. Safe to say, I have a little bit of an obsession which is why I stay far, far away from the Nutella shelf when I head to the grocery store.

Exceptions do occur though, and World Nutella Day - on February 5th - is just as good of an excuse as any to indulge. These fudgy brownies use Nutella instead of chocolate, are topped with a thin layer of nutella and sprinkled with toasted coconut. The deliciously toasty smell of shredded coconut is heavenly and as each flake slowly turns golden brown, I always remember how much I enjoy cooking with coconut. And in case you were wondering, my Nutella jar has been licked clean.

Easy Weeknight Paella

Paella is not really one of those dishes you're supposed to be able to whip up in under 30 minutes. When I was at culinary school, my first partner was this amazing classical guitarist who lived in New York but was originally from Spain. When we were assigned to make a large-scale meal to feed a crowd, she offered to make her rendition of paella. I remember how difficult it was to get the dish together as a team. Not only did we have to figure out how to work as a team but we had to put together a dish by following the lead of someone who was not yet a trained chef... and someone who was used to making this dish with her family's very specific traditions, local ingredients and equipment. All to say that the dish didn't really turn out as planned and I remember it being a little bit of a fiasco.

After flipping through one of my Spanish cookbooks that suggested making paella over an open fire using  rabbit, I stared at my non-stick pan and knew I would be going the easy route. My goal wasn't going to be incredible authenticity but rather comfort, fast. Here is my rendition!

Bacon and Pea Pasta

If you ask me what I have at all times in my freezer, the answer would definitely be frozen peas. Sure, I'll get my hands on fresh peas if I can, but most of the year, that really isn't a tangible reality. For most quick meals, having a bag of these frozen green jewels helps add vegetables to a simple pasta, or make an easy side dish, simply complemented by a little butter and a squeeze of lemon juice. Adding more vegetables to our everyday diets also seems to fit quite nicely with all these new year's resolutions, doesn't it? This pasta dish is garnished with crispy prosciutto and flavoured with Canadian bacon so the healthy points are not entirely there...but the delicious points definitely are.

Best of 2012

Just before ringing in the new year, I thought I'd look back at a few of my favourite recipes I blogged about this year. I look forward to sharing many more food stories with you in the year ahead and thank you for all your comments and questions - they make this blog worth writing!

It's hard to believe I started writing this little blog back in 2007 -- when I didn't yet know just how much food would become integral to my professional career. What started as a simple passion for making food at home and sharing it with like-minded readers has turned into my full-time occupation. Since starting my job as a Food Specialist for Canadian Living magazine, there are very little days where talking about a  new way to use an ingredient or thinking about a new dish to create isn't on my mind.. and I wouldn't have it any other way.

And now for the recipes, here is 2012's top 6!

{1}Full-On Chocolate Tarts
{2} Seared Scallops with Lemony Parmesan Peas
{3}Steel-Cut Oats with Cinnamon Pears
{4} Pumpkin and Ginger Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches
{5} Grilled Radicchio and Caprese Salad
{6} Shallot and Herb Mussels (with Fries!)

DIY Gift Wrapping

There's something about doing things at the last-minute isn't there? It kind of gets your adrenaline going and forever reminds me of my years writing Political Science essays during college - I've never written so many 15 page papers overnight! And the less time I have, the more incredibly efficient I become -  does this ring a bell for anyone? I also spent last weekend in New York (my long lost love!) which threw me off my schedule in the most wonderful of ways. Here is one of my favourite photos from the trip - a whimsical moment I happened to come across.

My family flies in from Paris today to celebrate the holiday season and I'm knee deep in last-minute holiday shopping. The wrapping supplies, however, I have covered! I thought I would share an easy DIY wrapping idea - which involves washi tape and a simple candy cane.

And here's a little glimpse of my tree this year - happy holidays!

Holiday Cookbook Giveaway Part 2

The holidays really seem to have taken over in our house. Although I grew up in a half Jewish household, we've always had a Christmas tree - there's something so festive about decorating a tree, and for me it's just a symbol of taking the time to reunite with family.

Being here in Toronto and an ocean away from my family in France, it's small traditions like these that make this month of the year feel special (albeit a little stressful at times!). After a trip to Toronto's Christmas market in the Distillery district, I can feel the countdown to a lovely holiday dinner approach. I'm still etching out my final menu. but I know there will be figs, chocolate and good cheese involved!

Christmas Market in Toronto's Distillery District

Now for a little added cheer! Second on my list of holiday cookbook giveaway is Tiny Party Food. This book is perfect for entertaining and filled with clever ideas to make impressive bite-size treats. A few of the recipes that caught my eye are the Tiny Potato Salad Bites, Teeny Chicken Parmesan Crostinis and One-Bite White Chocolate Cheesecakes.

To enter the contest, simply leave a comment and let me know what kind of finger food you usually most enjoy.. The contest ends on December 19th, at midnight. The winner will be drawn at random and you must be a Canadian or American resident to enter. Good luck and I look forward to hearing from you!