French Toast Pie

I tend to avoid starch and carbs if at all possible. I think I can blame my parents for this. My dad for uncovering a diet that actually worked for him (meat and veg only!) and my vegetarian mother who insisted on having 5 different colored vegetables on the table every night for dinner. For me it's not that hard to forgo potatoes and bread. I'm not one of those people who could live off of bread alone. However when you are trying to save money by eating whatever culinary schools gives you, you might end up with a lot of starch and carbs. I don't mind really. 

You've seen the croutons already and I've spared you the tuna fish sandwiches and freezer full of breadcrumbs. I have already posted twice about french toast but this was too good not to document.  I'm calling it a French Toast Pie and it was amazing. Maybe the best. Maybe the best French Toasted thing I've ever had. I think the bread making students are really the ones who deserve the acclaim- they provided the whole grain loaf and the stunning Kugelhopf- a traditional bread from the Alsace region of France. It tastes like brioche with a sweet and slightly crunchy crust, mine was topped with almonds and studded with raisins and dried cherries. 

Spoils from the new job. A box full of baby's breath
 

I only made this pie so I could be terribly clever and have it in the freezer for a surprise instant brunch one morning. The surprise was on me- it lasted one day in the freezer and one morning on the table. Delicious!

French Toast Pie
The Kugelhopf really makes this dish amazing. If you can't find one- do not fret! Just substitute in some brioche and add dried raisins and cherries. This freezes well, just wrap the pie in 2 layers of cling film and 2 layers of aluminum foil. Press the bread down with some frozen food to submerge all the food into the custard. To reheat the pie, place it in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until heated through. If the top starts getting brown, cover with foil.

• 1/3 small whole grain loaf (about 2 cups, shredded)
• 1/4 loaf kugelhopf or brioche (about 4 cups, shredded)
• Raisins, dried cherries and almonds (optional)
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup half & half
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)
• 1-2 tablespoons Demerara sugar

Tear bread into pieces and layer it into the pie dish. If using brioche, throw in the dried fruits and nuts. Try to make the top of the pie relatively flat- you can even squash it down if necessary. In a medium bowl whisk the eggs, half & half, milk, cinnamon and extract, if using. Pour over the bread- you may have some extra. Wrap the pie up with two layers of cling film and one layer of aluminium foil. Place the pie in the fridge overnight but place some heavy object on top of the pie to help submerge all the bread into the custard. 

The following day, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. 

Sprinkle the Demerara sugar over the pie and bake uncovered for about 30 minutes. If you can't see the custard, top it off with some extra milk. You really want custard all the way up! If the pie starts to brown, cover it with some of the foil. Your pie is done when the bread has absorbed most of the custard and everything is spongy, golden and delicious looking.

Enjoy with maple syrup, a pat of butter and coffee. 

Freeze it for a rainy, lazy sunday morning! Maybe after going to the gym?

French Croutons

Hey guess what? I got a job! I now work at a flower shop! Woo! I also ran out of allergy medecine the day before starting! I just couldn't understand later that night why I kept sneezing in cooking class. I think my classmate was ultimately the one to figure it out. "Do you have allergies?" OH right! I do! To flowers and stuff! I can be so thick sometimes. 

Today I made my first bouquet and I was so damn nervous. I haven't been quite trained yet so this was totally on the fly but by the third bouquet (3 people came in for a bouquet!) I think I had it down. White and pink hydrangeas, ornamental kale and some baby's breath. I really wish I could have taken a picture. 

Meanwhile culinary school has been keeping me well fed with bread, leftovers and bread. My last haul included a duck confit leg, gravlax, an oatmeal loaf and a kugelhopf. I left the bread out a little too long and needed to find a plan B that didn't result in even more breadcrumbs for the freezer. I thought I'd practice something we did in class as part of Soup Day. Buttered croutons! Lotsa BUTTER croutons. 

I'm just gonna brag a little bit and say that I was able to perfectly toss these bread cubes in that pan. Just like they say: it's all in the wrist (and the hands of god). 

French Croutons

This will probably seem like too much butter at first, but the croutons will soak it all up and taste delicious. Eat these soon as they won't keep that long with all that butter. Shouldn't be a difficult task.

2 thick slices of hearty loaf bread

2 tablespoons butter

Salt & Pepper

Cut the bread slices into equal sized cubes. In a saute pan melt the butter on medium heat. Wait until the butter has stopped foaming and throw in the bread cubes. Toss the cubes to coat them in butter. Keep tossing until they start to turn gold. Aggressively season the cubes with salt and pepper (as in- lots of both!). Taste a cube and adjust. If the croutons seem too greasy, lay them out to dry on some paper towel. 

Leftover Culinary Student Clam Chowder

My plan for feeding myself through culinary school was simple: family meal at school, leftovers from class and tuna fish sandwiches. I've done pretty well thus far but it turns out that I've had to change my plans somewhat since it looks like I could pretty mich live off of the bread left out from the bread making class. I've also been eating my homework. Julienned carrots, macedoined turnips or most recently: potatoes cocotte. When our chefs gave us the option of taking home some fish veloute sauce, I thought that I had just about everything to make some clam chowder. And I was right- All I had to buy was, well- the clams. 

Just some regular ol' sliced celery and carrots. Can you spot the cocotte potatoes? Swimming in their starchy water

Have I mentioned that I don't have a place to live yet? Or a job? Yeah- shit has been real round these parts but it's all good. Things are going to work out because- as the career services lady at school said: well, they just have to work out. Chowder is certainly a comfort food but for me it's also the soup that my mom made for Thanksgiving every year in France. She would have my dad bring back a few cans of clam chowder from the States and would doctor them up and serve it in a beautiful stoneware tureen. For years I had no idea that she didn't make this soup from scratch. I was shocked. But sometimes you have to make do with what you have or if you can't get what you want, you have to improvise. This is my improvised and indeed very comforting clam chowder. 

I'm sure I don't have to tell you that I didn't have a soup tureen in which to serve this, right? Ah well, I'll have time for that once I move into my own place. 

Almost perfect cocotte! Just another 50 or so potato and I should get it

Leftover Culinary Student Clam Chowder

This recipe is clearly not for everyone as you probably don't have leftover fish veloute lying around. To make it at home, buy 2 cans of clams and use the juice from both cans and adjust with cream or milk as needed. You can also add the clams from both cans instead of just one. If you don't feel like learning to cocotte a potato, just peel and dice 2 potatoes into roughly the same size. 

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 shallots, minced
• 3 stalks of celery, sliced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 4 cups fish veloute
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 10oz can of clams in their juices
• 12 cocotte potatoes (or 2 potatoes peeled and diced)
• Salt + Pepper

In a dutch oven or medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the shallots and slowly sauté until translucent. Add the carrots and celery and continue to cook slowly until tender. Add the fish veloute, heavy and the juice of the clams. Stir to combine and adjust with more cream, milk or clam juice as needed. Add the potatoes and slowly simmer until the potatoes are tender. Add the clams and heat through. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Enjoy with some crusty bread. 

Felted Hot Water Bottle

Is it cold enough? Has it ever been this cold? I came to New York prepared but I can't seem to wear enough layers to make it out alive. Luckily culinary school has me running around enough to keep me warm on the walk back home when it's nearing midnight. 

Full discloser- it has not snowed in NY. This picture is from THE PAST!

This hot water bottle would certainly keep me warm but I gave it away. It was a Christmas gift I made as part of my handmade-gifts-because-I-now-have-student-loans. It turned exactly how I envisioned it which is weird because I happened upon this sweater by accident (IE: my brother moved out and left it behind. Score!)  I love this hot water bottle cover and should really make one to keep- just as soon as I find another perfect lambswool caramel colored sweater.... 

Don't worry about my brother and his swiped sweater- he was the recipient of one of these babies so he's probably warmer than I am right now.

Felted Hot Water Bottle Cover

If you have a sewing machine, this is super quick work. If you don't, you can probably hand stitch this puppy in an evening in front of the TV. When choosing a sweater, make sure it's 100% wool or it won't felt properly. The wool will get softer (IE: less itchy) once felted, but it always helps to find a soft wool sweater to start!

• 1 old XL Men's WOOL sweater (will be enough for 2 hot water bottle covers)
• 1 Hot water bottle
• Needle, thread ect...

Start out by felting the sweater. If you have a mesh bag, throw your sweater in there as an extra precaution against fluff clogging up your washing machine. Set your machine to HOT and run the sweater through a short cycle first. The sweater will shrink A LOT. Check the felting- you shouldn't really be able to see the weave of the wool anymore. You can run the sweater through another cycle to felt it some more or if you're pretty satisfied, put it in the dryer. The dryer will also shrink the sweater if it is set to hot heat so keep that in mind when adjusting the time and temperature. 

Once you have a felted sweater, cut off the sleeves at the shoulder and cut up the seams on either side of the body to leave you with some flat pieces. Use the hot water bottle as a guide and cut around it, adding an extra 1/2 inch. 

Cut out another piece of the same size.

Cut the cuff off from one of the sleeves. Now you have all your pieces and are ready to sew! Pin the two large pieces together and sew all the way around leaving a 4 inch hole at the top where the neck will be.

Insert the cuff of the sleeve into the sewn body and pin the cut side of the cuff to the opening.  Sew around the cuff to attach it to the body. 

Flip everything right side out again and insert your hot water bottle.  Now you can be warm!

Fill me with hot water!!

Momofuku Milk Bar Birthday Cake

 

SO, I'm in culinary school. My first class was on Thursday. We did a lot of chopping. I got a knife kit and homework (more chopping). I'm living in New York- or rather- couch surfing in Brooklyn- trying to get my life set-up. I still need a job and a place to live... I came here so prepared, right? If I sound a little shell-shocked it's because I am. It's just been such a long month and now I'm here. I've been working for months to get here and now I am. Holy shit.

Chiffonade - Textbooks and Turnips - Bringing the uniform home - Tranches of carrots - THE knife kit

 I won't be having a full weekend for the next 9 months, but it's all in the name of higher learning and food. When I found out on day 1 of culinary school that we would not be having class on New Years Eve, I was psyched about having 4 days off in a row and having just finished reading the new Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook, I decided to make one of their crazy cakes. A birthday cake seemed appropriate. 

I loved this cake. Not only because I made it as an excuse to over-indulge in sugar since I can't over-indulge in booze this NYE. And lemme tell you that it worked like a charm. I was totally hung-over on sugar this morning and proceeded to eat an eye-brow-raising amount of cake for dinner as well.

The cake is super fluffy and jam-packed full of sprinkles. The frosting has cream cheese and citric acid in it. And it's damn good. Like it out of the jar, but awesome. And the truly amazing part of this cake? Crumbs. Not just leftover cake, but birthday cake crumbs specifically baked to be crunchy and also packed full of sprinkles. I heeded Christina Tosi's advice and made a double batch to snack on and add to vanilla ice cream. I guess my new year's resolution is not to cut back on sugar...

Happy Birthday World! I wish I got some candles!

If you want the full recipe, please check out the cookbook- it's rather lengthy and involved but all together not that more difficult than a regular layer cake. Plus it looks like the cake from my childhood dreams. Bonkers.  I was so glad to end and begin a new year with this cake. 2012 is gonna be massive. I can just tell.

A Colonial Potato Wreath

Cotton blossoms, white pine, bittersweet and antlers

This year Christmas was spent in Chesapeake with my boyfriend's awesome family. A dinner in Colonial Williamsburg was a real treat as I had never been at Christmas and they are quite famous for their natural and authentic decorations- so, word to the wise: be sure to arrive before nightfall- colonial times did not include Christmas lights.

 We just loved the decorations and kept trying to figure out all the fruit, vegetables, dried flowers and other ornamentals that comprised each wreath. Pomegranates, oysters, apples, artichokes, bread rolls, playing cards, sliced and dried clementines, and even some burlap and woven wool were mixed into white pine, boxwood and fraiser fir wreaths. We were in love and vowed to make our own versions next year.

Natural wreaths and my momma

But then we got an idea. One hearty vegetable had been overlooked and we couldn't find one single potato in those adornments. Maybe they didn't have pretty potatoes back in the day, but today, you can pick up some gorgeous pink and purple potatoes in just about any grocery store. On our way back from dinner, we stopped off to get the necessary stuff to make our own natural wreath and here is what we came up with:

Do you love it? I love it. It's a freaking edible potato wreath! I have some ideas on how to improve the wreath for next year, but I would say this was a huge success. Looks good with a candle too. 

Tag's Potato Wreath
If possible, get similar sized potatoes which will help them roast evenly when you decide to cook the wreath.

• Assortment of mini white, red and purple potatoes
• 3-4 springs of rosemary
• 2 disposable pie dishes
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• Garlic powder

Using some kitchen sheers or scissors, cut a line through the middle leaving about 3 inches to the edge of the pie dish on both sides. Cut a few more lines through the middle of that line until you can easily bend the pointy edges back onto themselves (towards the edge of the pie dish) to create a sort of edge around the middle of the dish. You can kinda see this in the first picture of the wreath above. Do this with 2 pie dishes for some added support. Stack the pie dishes on top of one another.

Wash and scrub your potatoes and start adding them to the ring, making sure to alternate the colors. Add some springs of rosemary in and round the potatoes, trying to mask the edge of the pie dish.

At this point you can leave the wreath on a table for a few days before the rosemary starts wilting. If you'd like to keep it longer, you can either some water to the base of the ring or stick the rosemary stems in some water tubes hidden under the potatoes.

Once you are ready to eat the wreath, just add over the top, a tablespoon or two of olive oil, some salt, pepper and maybe a few shakes of garlic powder and roast in your oven set at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until tender. If some of your potatoes are much larger, you might want to cut them in half to ensure even cooking.

I left before the wreath was cooked but I imagine it was gorgeous on the table and tasty on the plate!

Mushroom Ornament

Deciding to make all my Christmas gifts this year has been a lot of fun. And work. But mostly fun. It also means that I'm constantly in a crafty mood and mindset so when I see something cute that I could make, I have to make it. I was explaining to a co-worker that my plan was to have everything done by the 19th so I could sit around and do nothing until Christmas and he laughed saying that even if I got everything checked off my list, I would just find more to do. And he's totally right. Did I need to make these adorable mushroom ornaments which have no pre-determined recipient? Not really. But boy are they cute and I'm very glad I did.

Mushroom Ornaments 
A vice really helps make this an easy project. So does the dremmel.... But if you're not concerned with the longevity of your ornament, you could skip the drilling and just hot glue the two pieces together and call it a day.

• Bag of wood doll heads 
• Bag of wood robin eggs
• Gorilla super glue (NOT regular gorilla glue!)
• Eye hook screws
• Dremmel rotary tool
• Sand paper
• Paper napkin or cloth
• Vice
• Strong rubber band
• Paint
• Glitter

If you gather all your materials beforehand this can be a pretty quick project. Start by wedging a paper napkin or cloth into your vice to hold the mushroom cap (otherwise the vice will indent the wood). Close the vice tight enough to just hold the wood in place.

Using the sanding attachment on your dremmel, drill into the hole to enlarge it and shape it to fit the top of your robin egg.

Test it out. Once you can kinda wedge the robing egg into the mushroom cap, sand both sides. Sanding the edges will make it easier for the glue to bond them together.

 

Glue the mushroom cap to the robin egg with a little bit of gorilla super glue on both sides. Use a rubber-band to hold the pieces together while they dry. It should take about 20 minutes. If you're working outside, bring the project inside to dry (the cold will mess with the glue).

Once dry, flip your mushrooms over and use the vice to secure them while you paint. I wanted my mushroom to keep the natural feeling of wood so I barely watered down some red acrylic paint and added a layer to the mushroom cap. Once the paint dried I screwed in the eye hook, then I randomly added the white dots in batches so I could sprinkle on some glitter before the paint dried.

 

And there you have it! A wooden mushroom ornament for your tree, for a package of for someone you love. 

Merry Christmas!

Homemade Wrapping Paper

 I've been wanting to make my own wrapping paper since last Christmas and since this year I will be strapped for cash (student loans, you know) I decided to make all my Christmas gifts- including the trimmings. I wish I could share some of the awesome gifts I've been making but I can't spoil anyone's surpise- especially since I would bet that about 95% of my readers are people who will be gifted something (Hi Mom! Hi Kris! Hi Tag!).

The first part of making your own wrapping paper is sourcing some cheap butcher's paper or mailing paper. My mom procured a giant roll of this brown paper at a paint store (paint for your walls, not crafting). I've also seen smaller rolls in the office supply aisles of grocery stores. Find it, buy it!

Snowflake Wrapping Paper
Glitter is always welcome in this project.

• butcher's paper
• a few sheets of printer paper
• scissors
• white paint
• a wide paint brush

Start off by cutting a few snowflakes out of paper. It wasn't until last year that I learned of the best way to fold your paper for awesome snowflakes. If you click here, you can cut out your own virtual snowflake and  also see a little animation (it's fast!) showing you exactly how to fold your paper for maximum impact. Martha Stewart has some clear instructions on her website too.

Once you have about 6 large snowflakes and 4 small snowflakes, spread some white paint onto a plate and swirl it around with a wide, dry paint brush. My brush was about 1 inch wide. Hold the snowflake in place on the butcher's paper as you carefully paint over it. You can either do long strokes or you can use the brush like a sponge and stipple it straight down (as shown below).

White snow flake painted over with white paint

Let the paint dry for a few moments. You can add another snowflake while you wait for the current one to dry. After a few minutes, gently peel away the snowflake, trying to keep it intact, while not smudging the paint. If you can salvage the snowflake, you can re-use it immediately. Otherwise, just toss it.

I was able to reuse this sucker a few more times

And voila! You've got your snowflake impression! Now just repeat this a few more (dozen) times and you can make rolls and rolls of beautiful wrapping paper!

Mistletoe Wrapping Paper
Glitter and metallic paint is most welcome here
 

• butcher's paper
• a few potatoes
• paring knife
• pencil
• green & white paint
• clear or white glitter
• paintbrush

It's potato stamp time! I had never made one and it turns out to be super easy. Just take any potato, making sure it's big enough to accommodate your stamp.Slice off a piece to create a long flat edge. Use a pencil to carefully trace out your design. The lead won't actually imprint, so just use the tip to mark into the potato. Then use a pairing knife to start whittling away the potato, like you're carving wood (not that I've ever carved wood before....). Now you're ready to stamp! Sooo just go nuts! I put two kinds of greens on a plate and swirled them together (not that you can really tell) and blotted the stamps right into the paint. You can also use a paintbrush to paint the stamps.

Delicate potato stamps

Keep going! *stamp* *stamp* *stamp*

Once you've reached the bottom of the paper, you can start adding the berries, which I did using the eraser side of a clean pencil. 

Before the berries dry, dust the tops with glitter! By now your green leaves should be dry, so go nuts with that glitter. Once you're finished, use the paper to funnel the glitter back into the container (if you can/care).

 And that's all there is to it! I kept thinking of other potato stamps I might like to try- maybe some boxwood topiaries with silver balls or a little Scottie Dog.

All wrapped up!

Pralines- Not the French Kind

These treats are so god damn good. There I said it. But have you ever had one? I hadn't until Kris and I went to New Orleans for our anniversary back in February. We took a cooking class that I literally had to drag Kris to.. "But it's all old people!" He was glad in the end because we had these and I now know how to make em. Now you can too. 

For Pete's (and your teeth's) sake have this with unsweetened coffee

The teacher in our class said that these last about a day (mostly because she can't keep her sons away from them). But I've found that they remain tasty for at least 3 days- I haven't managed to keep any in my house beyond that. Piled high in some cellophane bags, gussied up with a bow, these would make an amazing hostess gift.

And if you need to fancify them further, I hear you can dip them in chocolate. The heck you say?

Pralines
Adapted from The New Orleans School of Cooking
Makes 1-50 depending on size
Pronounced praw-leens. When spooning out the mixture, work quickly or the pralines will turn extra cloudy and the sugar will harden into clumps. Still tasty though!

1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
6 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine all the ingredients in a deep saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, heat over medium-high heat. While STIRRING CONSTANTLY bring the mixture to a softball stage (238 - 240 degrees). Remove from heat.

Continue stirring until the mixture thickens slightly and turns cloudy- pecans should stay suspended. Spoon the pralines out one by one onto a silpat or some parchment paper. They can be any size but I aim for about 1 inches in diameter. Leave the pralines to cool and harden for about 1 hour. Peel off of silpat and store in an airtight container. Keeps for at least 3 days.

RAW Brussel Sprout Salad

Due to tremendous demand, I have pushed aside the PILE of other posts I had lined up and now bring you my now famous and widely coveted Brussel Sprout Salad with Pomegranates and Candied Pecans. I really don't see what's not to like in this salad. Brussel Sprout haters? Bet you've never tried it raw- am I right? And you know what- raw brussel sprouts aren't like raw kale where your jaw gets a workout and your innards get a good scrubbing. This salad reminds me of a coleslaw- rough greens with a tangy dressing and lots of delicious little goodies. And if you insist, go ahead and add some bacon- it wouldn't be amiss.

Brussel Sprout Salad with Pomegranate Seeds and Candied Pecans
Inspired by a salad from Radish in Williamsburg, NY
I dressed this salad up for Thanksgiving with candied pecans, but for an everyday salad just throw in some toasted walnuts. It's all good. And the dressing asks for white balsamic vinegar but this is to avoid muddying up the salad. I've made this a couple times and still haven't procured any white balsamic vinegar... do as I say not as I do- am I right?!

For the Salad

• 1 overflowing pint of Brussel Sprouts
• 1 Pomegranate

For the Shallot Dressing

• 1/4 cup minced shallots
• 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (or regular)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper (or black)

For the Candied Pecans

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
These nuts are very easy to make and make a great gift. Just add mason jar + ribbon!

• 1/3 cup dark-brown sugar
• 2/3 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• Generous pinch of cayenne pepper 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pound pecan halves
• 1 egg white, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon water

Start off by making the candied pecans. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees

Combine the sugar, salt, cayenne pepper and cinnamon making sure there are no lumps. In a medium bowl whisk together the egg white and water until frothy. Add the nuts to the egg white mixture and mix until coated. Sprinkle the sugar mixture on top and keep adding it everything is nicely coated. Spread onto a parchment lined baking sheet, making sure the nuts are in one layer. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid clumps of sugar nuts. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

For the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a mason jar and shake vigorously until emulsified. Set aside

To remove the seeds from the pomegranate, fill a large bowl with water. Carefully cut the pomegranate in quarters. Working underwater, tear the quarters apart, releasing the seeds. The white pith will float to the top and the seeds will sink. Once you've freed all the seeds use a fine mesh strainer to strain out the pith floating at the top, then poor the water out through the strainer to catch the seeds. Rest the strainer over the bowl to dry the seeds while you finish the salad. 

The easiest way to cut the brussel sprouts is to use a food processor. Wash and trim the brussel sprouts and feed them through the food processor tube fitted with the slicing attachment. If you don't have a food processor, you can use a mandolin or a knife! Just slice as thin as you can manage. 

Toss the shredded brussel sprouts about 3/4 of the pomegranate seeds and 1/2 the dressing to start. Once you are happy with the ratios, top with a good handful of the candied pecans. 

This salad keeps pretty well in the fridge for a few days. 

No, not the slider- the salad beside it!

Double Apple Pork Shoulder

Sliders! and Brussel Sprouts!! Did I lose you there? I hope not because the brussel sprouts aren't even here yet- now it's all about a roasted pork shoulder and sliders!

This recipe clearly necessitates some planning as it needs 5 hours in the oven, but it is super simple and if you can think to throw this in the oven while making dinner on a Tuesday- you can eat for the rest of the week.

And that salad on the side? It's an adaptation from one of my favorite shops in Brooklyn- Radish. I loved the idea behind their Raw Brussel Sprout Salad with Pomegranate Seeds and Walnuts and so I kinda kicked it up a few notches and made a better version ifIdosaysomyself. It was so good, we had it for Thanksgiving too.



Double Apple Pork Shoulder Sliders
Adapted from whatkatieate.blogspot.com
If you don't have Pickled-Candied Apples, try getting your hands on some pomegranate molasses.

For the Pork Shoulder

• 4 pound pork shoulder
• 6 tbls maple syrup
• 1 jar Pickled-Candied Apple with Star Anise
• 2 tbl whiskey
• 2 tbl soy sauce

Combine the wet ingredients and massage it into the pork. Place the shoulder into an oven dish and bake at 275 degree for about 5 hours or until the pork can easily be pulled apart. Pull the pork apart with 2 forks.

For the Sliders

• mini slider buns
• Roasted Apple Butter
• Dijonnaise (or combine some Dijon Mustard with Mayo to make your own)

Toast your buns under a broiler for about 2 minutes. Do not look away! Slather about 1 tsp of Dijonnaise on one side of your bun and slather maybe 2 tsp of Apple Butter on the other side. Pile on as much of the pulled pork shoulder as you can manage and secure everything between the two buns. Use toothpicks if necessary. 

APPLE BUTTER + PULLED PORK = YUM