'Ono Made Easy

Pulled pork is definitely one of my top favorite dishes! Mark found this recipe on  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sweet-and-savory-slow-cooker-pulled-pork/detail.aspx   . (This recipe makes 10 servings.) Sweet and Savory Slow Cooker Pulled Pork  Ingredients  1 ( 4.5 lbs) bone-in pork shoulder roast 1 cup root beer 2 1/2 Tbs light brown sugar ( I used dark, because that's what I had.) 2 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp ground black pepper 1 1/2 tsp ground paprika 1/2 tsp dry mustard 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/4 tsp garlic salt 1/4 tsp celery salt 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp ground ginger 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar 1 1/2 cups root beer 1 1/2 fluid oz whiskey 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 tsp olive oil 3/4 cup prepared bbq sauce Directions  1. Place the pork shoulder roast into a large plastic bag and pour 1 cup of root beer over the meat. Squeeze all of the air out of the bag. Seal the bag and refrigerate 6 hours to over night. ...

Tilapia has an amazing taste and is quite inexpensive too! Mark created his own simple recipe to cook up some fish! I also made a simple sauce to go with it! Basic Tilapia  Ingredients  Fish  light olive oil 4 tilapia filets salt pepper flour Sauce mayo lemon juice Directions  1. Place some light olive oil in a pan on medium high heat. 2. Rinse fish in water and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle each side of the filets with salt and pepper ( to your liking). 3. Cover each side of the filets with flour. 4. Place the filets in the heated pan. Cook each side of the files for about 4 minutes each, or until the fish is cooked through. Mix mayo with a little bit of lemon juice for a lovely dipping sauce! I also sprinkled some panko crumbs for a little extra texture.

I love Chinese takeout, but I usually feel icky after I eat it. Here's an adaptation of a recipe (  http://www.food.com/recipe/spicy-orange-chicken-stir-fry-342823  )  that won't make you feel yucky! Serving size: 6 ( I cut the recipe in half since I was just cooking for two people.) Spicy Orange Chicken Stir-Fry  Ingredients  1/3 cup cornstarch 2 cups orange juice 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup rice vinegar 1/4 cup honey 6 garlic cloves, minced 1-2 tsp red pepper flakes salt and pepper ( to taste) 1 Tbs vegetable oil 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2 inch strips ( I cut them into cubes because it was easier.) 1 head broccoli, cut into florets 5 carrots, peeled and sliced 1 ( 8oz) can water chestnuts Rice ( desired amount) Directions  1. Place cornstarch in a medium bowl and gradually whisk in orange juice until smooth. Add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, garlic, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste. ...

One of my favorite things when I visited Philadelphia was eating a true Philly sandwich! Here's a great semi- healthier version I adapted from  http://boymeetsbowl.blogspot.com.au/2014/01/philly-cheese-steak-sloppy-joes.html  .  ( Makes 4 servings)  Ingredients  Sloppy Joes 1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil  1 lb ground beef  1 medium onion (chopped)  1 medium green bell pepper ( seeded and chopped)  1/4 cup steak sauce ( I didn't use this because Mark thinks steak sauce smells like window cleaner. I used about an 1/8 up of Worcestershire sauce instead.)  1 cup beef broth  salt and ground black pepper ( to taste)  Cheese Sauce ( I didn't care for the cheese sauce. Next time I will just top my sloppy joe with cheese.)  1 Tbs butter  1 Tbs flour  1 cup milk  1 cup provolone cheese ( shredded)  4 hamburger buns  Directions  Sloppy Joes Heat olive oil in a...

Almost every night before I go to sleep, I watch cooking shows on the Create channel on tv. One night, I watched an episode of Martha Bakes. Martha Stewart made Cheddar Bits (aka cheese crackers), and I knew I would have to make my own! These wonderful crackers remind me of cheese straws! http://www.marthastewart.com/1066175/cheddar-bits#1066175 Ingredients  1/2 cup ( 1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature 2 cups grated aged cheddar ( I just used Kraft shredded sharp cheddar) 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp sweet paprika ( I used regular paprika) 2 Tbs heavy cream Directions  1. Pulse butter, cheddar, flour, salt, cayenne pepper and paprika in a food processor until the mixture resembles course crumbs. Add the heavy cream and pulse until just combined. 2. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Shape each piece into a rectangle and wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. 3. Working in batch...

Mark loves to cook on the grill, and he found this recipe for chicken kabobs that I adapted from allrecipes.com : http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Yummy-Honey-Chicken-Kabobs/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=chicken%20kabobs&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page&soid=sr_results_p1i3  Ingredients 1/4 cup vegetable oil ( I used olive oil) 1/3 cup honey 1/3 cup soy sauce 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves- cut into 1 inch cubes 2 cloves garlic 5 small onions, cut into 2 inch pieces 2 red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces skewers Directions  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, honey, soy sauce and pepper. Before adding the chicken, reserve a small amount of the marinade to brush onto the kabobs while cooking. Place the chicken, garlic, onions and peppers in the bowl, and marinade in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours ( the longer the better). 2. Preheat the grill for high heat. 3...

One of my favorite tv shows is Duck Dynasty, and my mother-in-law bought me the book, Miss Kay's Duck Commander Kitchen by Kay Robertson with Chrys Howard. This recipe is from this book! Note: This dish is very sweet!! Ingredients  2 cups finely chopped pecans 1 stick melted butter for pecans 1 1/2 lbs skinless, bonesless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch wide strips 1 1/2 tsp Duck Commander Cajun Seasoning (mild or zesty) or other Cajun seasoning ( I made mine own from spices I had at home:  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cajun-Spice-Mix-2/  ) 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp garlic powder 3/4 stick ( 6 Tbs) butter for chicken 1/3 cup olive oil 1/3 cup packed brown sugar ( dark or light) 1/3 cup maple syrup Cookie sheet, large skillet, 9x13-inch casserole dish Directions (makes 8-12 servings) Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. 1. Arrange the pecans in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Add butter to the top of the pecans. B...