Slow Cooker Hot Fudge Sundae Cake

      1 cup all-purpose flour
   1/2 cup granulated sugar
      2 tablespoons baking cocoa
      2 teaspoons baking powder
   1/2 teaspoon salt
   1/2 cup milk
      2 tablespoons vegetable oil
      1 teaspoon vanilla
   1/2 cup chopped nuts
   3/4 cup packed brown sugar
   1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 1/2 cups hot water

Step 1
Spray inside of 2 to 3 1/2 quart slower cooker with cooking spray.  Mix flour, granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, the baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.  Stir in milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in nuts. Spread batter evenly in slow cooker.

Step 2
Mix brown sugar and 1/4 cup cocoa in small bowl. Stir in hot water until smooth. Pour evenly over batter in slow cooker.

Step 3
Cover and cook on high heat setting for 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Step 4
Turn off slow cooker.  Let cake stand uncovered 30 to 40 minutes to cool slightly before serving.  Spoon warm cake into dessert dishes. Spoon sauce over top.

Salsa Verde Braised Pork

Salsa Verde Braised Pork

*Submitted by Sara S.

INGREDIENTS
3 1/2 lbs. bone-in pork shoulder (aka pork butt) ~ (If you use the boneless pork tenderloin from Costco, the meat has no fat so it will be a little dryer)

1 bottle (15 oz.) Salsa Verde (your favorite kind)

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 tsp. each ground cumin and coriander

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Salt (optional)


DIRECTIONS

1. Put trimmed pork in a slow cooker (5 to 6 quart) and turn heat to high.

2. Add broth, onion and spices over pork.

3. Cover and cook until meat is very tender when pierced and registers at least 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, at least 5 or up to 7 hours.

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. With 2 wide spatulas, transfer meat to a rimmed baking pan. Bake until richly browned, 30 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, skim and discard fat from pan juices. Boil juices, stirring, until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, 8 to 10 minutes.

6. With 2 forks, tear meat into large shreds. Add the Salsa Verde juices back to the meat and stir in the cilantro. Salt if needed.

We like to serve it with heated and softened corn tortillas (20 seconds each in the microwave spread out over a paper towel will heat and softened packaged tortillas sufficiently), diced avocado, crumbed Cotija or grated Monterrey Jack cheese and sour cream.

You can also serve it over black beans and rice, nachos, or add to a salad.

Carnitas/Homemade Chipotle's Dinner

Carnitas

a couple of Tbsp. oil

4lbs. pork shoulder roast

1 onion, sliced

6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 tsp. cumin, heaped a small amount

1/2 tsp. coriander, heaped a small amount

1 tsp. oregano

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. kosher salt

several grinds of black pepper

1 1/2 c. chicken broth

Sear the meat on all sides in few Tbsps. oil along with the sliced onion. Takes about 10-15 min.

Place everything in crock pot and add the remaining ingredients.

Cook on low for 7-10 hours or until meat is cooked through and shreddable.

Shred the meat.

Serve over Cilantro Lime Rice

Cilantro Lime Rice

(optional) soak rice in water for 10 min., drain before cooking

1 tsp. oil

1 cup of basmati rice

1 1/2 c. water (if you find that the rice is not as done as you'd like it to be then increase water to 2c.)

1/2 tsp. salt

juice of 1-2 limes

2-3 Tbsp. chopped, fresh cilantro

Heat oil. Saute rice in oil for a few minutes until the rice gets aromatic. Add the lime juice and saute another minute. Add the water and cook as you would normally cook rice. (I either use a pressure cooker or a rice cooker. If you use a pressure cooker you'll use less water and will add a Tbsp of oil to the cooking water. Consult your manual)

Fold in fresh, chopped cilantro.

We like to eat it with pinto or black beans, fajita veggies (sauteed onions and bell peppers in Lawry's fajita seasoning), lettuce, cheese, sour cream, guacamole.

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Add to large crock pot:

2 Pork Sirloin Tip Roasts, 2 lbs each. Costco sells these, 4 roasts (2 lbs each) packaged together.

1 onion, sliced into 1 inch pieces

garlic and pepper to season

Add about 1 cup of liquid (water or stock) to crockpot.

Cook on low for about 7 hours. Pork temperature should reach a minimum of 145 degrees.

Remove liquid, pull pork into shredded pieces. Add two 18 oz bottles of BBQ sauce (or 1 extra large 28 oz bottle), and continue cooking on low for ½ hour to 1 hour.

For InnVision Dinner: To serve sandwiches for 50, approx 10-12 lbs of meat is recommended (5-6 of these 2 lb Costco roasts).  Also for InnVision, don't forget to assign somebody to bring the 50 buns :)  The filling can be added to the buns at the shelter (not beforehand, to avoid getting mushy).