MEXICAN CARNITAS

Great for putting on nachos, in tacos, etc.

1 4-lb. boneless pork shoulder or butt - cut into smaller chunks
1 tsp. cumin
1 sm. Onion
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 lime juice
2 cups water
1 med orange, halved (seeds removed)

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Add all ingredients to a Dutch Oven. On the stove top, heat the ingredients until they begin to simmer. Cover the pot and place it in the oven.
2. Cook in oven for 1 hour. Remove and stir. Place back in over for 1 more hour. Meat should be tender and falling apart, if not, cook a little longer.
3. Remove from oven and remove all pork pieces from dish and transfer to a bowl. Keep the liquid, but discard the orange rinds, bay leaves, and onions.
4. On stove top, bring liquid to a boil over high heat. Boil this liquid until it reduces to 1 cup - will thicken.
5. Turn oven to broil and lower oven rack near the bottom. In the bowl, pull pork apart with forks. Add reduced liquid to pork.
6. Place pork pieces onto a cooling rack/wire rack, and place wire rack onto a baking pan/sheet. Broil meat for 5-8 minutes until well browned and crispy.
Serve immediately.

BAKED POTATO SOUP

7 Lg. baking potatoes (6 pounds)
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
2 cups milk
4 cups (1 quart) Half & Half
1/2 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup bacon bits (I crumbled up bacon)
4 green onions, chopped
8 oz. shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 (8 oz.) container Sour Cream

1. Bake your potatoes in 400 degree oven for 1-1.5 hours. When cooled, scoop out the flesh into a bowl.
2. In large pot, over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour & cook about 1 minute.
3. Whisk in milk, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Whisk in Half & Half until sauce becomes thickened.
4. Stir in potatoes, salt, pepper, 1/3 cup bacon, 1/2 the green onions, and most of the cheese. Cook until heated through.
5. Top each bowl with a scoop of sour cream, some bacon, green onions and cheese.

ALOHA CHICKEN

*6-8 chicken pieces (can use bone in, boneless, dark or white meat or both). Frozen is fine.

*1 cup Aloha Shoyu (do not use Kikkoman) (you can find this in Asian section of Winco and Walmart)

*1 cup white sugar

1 tbsp. minced garlic

* The important part of this recipe is that it is ALWAYS equal parts white sugar and Aloha Shoyu. If you have more than 8 pieces of chicken, go up to 1.5 cups each of Shoyu and Sugar. 

1. In bowl,  place equal parts of Aloha Shoyu and white sugar. Then add minced garlic. Stir around until dissolved.

2. Add chicken pieces into a crockpot.  Frozen is fine.

3. Pour the shoyu/sugar/garlic mixture over the chicken.

4. Cook on high for 3-4 hours for white/boneless chicken, or 5 hours for dark/bone-in chicken.

Serve over rice with a veggie of your choice.  You can spoon juices over rice. The sauce will be thin. 

Enjoy! All my kids love this recipe. We prefer boneless thighs or tenderloins.