Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Note: I have updated this recipe.

I am FINALLY getting around to posting this recipe.  Have you ever sat down to eat something with a spouse or friend or other warm body and the ideas on how to improve it just keep rolling?  Well, this happened when we first tried this recipe.  Jon and I seriously sat at the kitchen table for 30 minutes and elaborated until we were salivating all over again. 

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. pork tenderloin
4 Tbs. caribbean jerk seasoning
1 Tbs. thyme
1 medium onion, sliced
1 can Coke
2 cups barbecue sauce
4 Tbs. butter
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
Sliced swiss cheese
French style rolls

Directions:
1. Rub pork with jerk seasoning.  Sprinkle with thyme.  Place in crock pot.
2. Sprinkle diced onion over top of pork and pour in Coke.  Cook on low heat for 8-10 hours.  DO NOT REMOVE LID TO CHECK!
3. Remove pork from crock pot and shred using forks.  Pour 3/4 cup of liquid in with pork.  Add barbecue sauce and shredded pork. 
4. Sautee mushrooms in large skillet with butter. 
5. Using tongs, pick up shredded pork and add as much as desired to your roll, layer with onions and mushrooms, then cheese. 

Monte Cristo Sandwiches

When I was living in Mississippi, there was a restaurant right on the beach called the Bombay Bicycle Club. It was at that restaurant that I had my first Monte Cristo Sandwich. Oh yummy, fried, gooey, salty, sweet goodness. There are several versions of the Monte Cristo, but I've never had one so good as they made there. The sandwich is simply white bread, ham, and swiss cheese battered and fried, dusted with powdered sugar, then served with strawberry or raspberry jam. I've looked for a recipe for a while for these and finally found one. Again though, I had to alter it a bit to my liking. So, for your comfort food pleasure, here it is! Oh, and one sandwich is PLENTY for one person, so this recipe serves 4.

Monte Cristo Sandwich

Ingredients:

1 quart oil for frying, or as needed
1 1/3 cups water
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper
8 slices white bread
8 slices Swiss cheese
8 slices ham
Powdered sugar for dusting

Strawberry or Raspberry Jam (Strawberry for a more sweet flavor, Raspberry for more tart)



Directions:

1. Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 375 degrees F.

2. While oil is heating, make the batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper; whisk into the egg mixture until smooth. Set aside in the refrigerator.
3. Assemble sandwiches by placing two slices of ham on one slice of bread, then 2 slices of swiss cheese, and then another 2 slices of ham and the second piece of bread. Try to keep meat and cheese within the borders of the bread crust. Cut sandwiches into quarters, and secure with toothpicks.
4. Dip each sandwich quarter in the batter so that all sides are coated. Deep fry in the hot oil until golden brown on all sides. Remove toothpicks and arrange on a serving tray. Dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

Pizza

I recently found the beauty of having a pizza stone.  My crust would never bake evenly, it was difficult to work with, I just did not enjoy making homemade pizza.  Until I learned how to use a pizza stone.  The key here is to place your pizza stone in the oven as it is preheating, and you preheat it to the hottest temp it will go (usually somewhere between 450 and 500).  Leave it in there for at least 20 minutes.  Then remove stone and place your pizza on the hot stone and return to the oven.  Perfect crust every time!

Pizza

Ingredients:
1/2 cup water

1 package regular or fast-acting dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. olive or vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
Cooking spray to grease bowl
Pizza sauce of your choice
Toppings of your choice
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. With a wooden spoon, stir in half of the flour and all of the oil, salt and sugar. Stir in enough of the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until dough is easy to handle.

2. Sprinkle flour lightly on a countertop or large cutting board. Place dough on floured surface. Knead by folding dough toward you, then with the heels of your hands, pushing dough away from you with a short rocking motion. Move dough a quarter turn and repeat. Continue kneading about 10 minutes, sprinkling surface with more flour if dough starts to stick, until dough is smooth and springy. Spray a large bowl with the cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place 20 minutes.
3. Gently push your fist into the dough to deflate it. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 48 hours. (If dough should double in size during refrigeration, gently push fist into dough to deflate it.)
4. Roll dough out into a round that will fit your pizza stone.  Place dough on hot pizza stone, add your sauce and toppings.  Return pizza to oven and bake until cheese is melted and crust is golden. 

Olive Oil Pizza Sauce

My family is not a huge fan of the red tomato pizza sauce.  Well, at least not since I tried this.  Instead of using a red OR white sauce, give this recipe a try with some fresher toppings like mushrooms, artichokes, roma tomatoes, olives, maybe even some grilled chicken. 

Olive Oil Pizza Sauce

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs. oregano

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a shallow bowl and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes (the longer it sits, the more flavor is infused). 
2. Using a pastry brush, apply sauce to uncooked pizza dough.  Add toppings and bake pizza according to directions.