Pulled Pork

So I searched for recipes on pulled pork and I came across a few but most were very similar. I opted for the 'easier' versions that included about 3-4 ingredients. I researched the best part of the pork for pulled pork as well. And for those of you wondering, for pulled pork the best part to use is the butt or the shoulder.

So here is what I came up with. It was tasted and approved...

7 lb. pork shoulder/butt
Lawry's Seasoning
20 oz bottle of coke
Sweet Baby Ray's Honey BBQ Sauce (I used almost 46 oz, see below)

I seasoned the pork with Lawry's Seasoning and placed it in a gallon zip lock bag (yes it fit). Poured the 20 oz of coke into the bag and placed the pork in the refrigerator. I left the pork in the fridge for about 5-6 hours. Since I was serving this for lunch, I started the process about 6 pm the night before. I was still up at midnight and so I placed the pork, with the coke, in the crockpot and let it cook on low all night. At about 8:30 am (8-1/2 hours later) I pulled the pork out and shredded it. It pulled easily off the bone and away from the fat. After shredding, I put the pork back in the crockpot. {this is where crock pot bags come in handy... I pulled the one out with the fat and coke and replaced a brand new one for the shredded pork and bbq sauce, simple and easy... no mess). I used A LOT of BBQ sauce, about 46 oz of bbq sauce. Use the whole 28 oz bottle first then add more until you decide there is enough.

*I don't feel like the lawry's seasoning really did anything except waste my seasoning. So I'll leave that one up to you. I will probably leave that out next time. Someone else mentioned cooking the pork with an onion. I'm not a huge fan of onions but I may try it that way next time.

Buon Appetito!

Two years ago today...

Two years ago today I lost one of the most important people in my life... My Dad.

Words cannot express how much I love you and miss you every day!

xoxox Dad, your daughter

Pre 2 year anniversary night

A year ago, I sat on my bed and read through the last two years of my blog. I read about my phone calls with my dad. My visits with my dad. I remembered holding his hand for three days in the hospital. Tonight, I worked on homework and now it's time to reminisce. I miss my dad so much but tonight, I can say I am better. I am truly back to my happy, funny self.
Grief takes time. I didn't realize how much time it would take. Don't get me wrong, I still miss my dad every day. I still want to pick up the phone and call him. I still want to run to him with my problems, concerns, tell him I broke a nail, or that my pool vac is not working and ask how I fix it. I want to call him and say, DAD- I am happy again! I want to talk to him about politics, what he thinks of things. I want to talk about football, the news, and every time a damn plane crashes, I want to call him and talk to him about it.
My tears are fewer in between now. I smile more often. I was told the other day by a friend that she could tell I was happy, she could see it in my eyes. I wonder how dark my eyes have been. It has taken me almost two years to truly be happy again. It's an amazing feeling. I used to be afraid to be happy. I knew it's what my dad would want but I felt guilty for being happy because I lost my dad. How can someone who loses someone they love so much be happy? It takes time. The happiness returns. My heart still feels a loss, there is a part of me that died with my dad but there is also a part of me that now lives for my dad. If I catch myself feeling guilty for being happy, I tell myself that it's ok, it is the essence of what my dad wanted for me. To be happy. I remember he would always ask if I was happy and I would tell him yes. His response was "good".
I want to do amazing things now. I want to live and I want to live for not only myself {and my mom} but for my dad too. I want to be brave and try the daring things that my dad would do. I think I want to skydive. That is going to be one of my next goals. I want to jump once for my dad. I want to feel that rush that he felt every time he jumped. The rush he felt when he jumped the day I was born to celebrate my life.
My dad did amazing things, he was brave. He flew a small plane from Arizona to New York and then to Alaska. He skydived, he was in a war, he accomplished his dreams and didn't have regrets. It's time that I make a bucket list and start marking off my dreams. I want this for me but I have my dad motivating me through it all.
So tonight, I am not going back through my posts to read about those final days. I can reply them in my head. Tonight I'll start a bucket list so I can live like my dad would want me to.

For anyone going through the grief of losing a loved one. Hang in there, I promise you it will get better.

I love you Dad!

Me :)

{my dad making a jump}

I Will Survive

I Love this... 

Daveswordsofwisdom.com: I Will Survive

Adele - Someone Like You

I don't think anything is more fitting... 

Someone Like You Lyrics ~ Adele

I heard that you're settled downThat you found a girl and you're married nowI heard that your dreams came trueGuess she gave you things I didn't give to you
Old friend, why are you so shy?Ain't like you to hold back or hide from the light
I hate to turn up out of the blue, uninvitedBut I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight itI had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be remindedThat for me, it isn't over
Never mind, I'll find someone like youI wish nothing but the best for you, tooDon't forget me, I begged, I remember you saidSometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts insteadSometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead
You know how the time fliesOnly yesterday was the time of our livesWe were born and raised in a summer hazeBound by the surprise of our glory days
I hate to turn up out of the blue, uninvitedBut I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight itI had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be remindedThat for me, it isn't over yet
Never mind, I'll find someone like youI wish nothing but the best for you, tooDon't forget me, I begged, I remember you saidSometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead, yeah
Nothing compares, no worries or caresRegrets and mistakes, they're memories madeWho would have known how bittersweet this would taste?
Never mind, I'll find someone like youI wish nothing but the best for youDon't forget me, I begged, I remember you saidSometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead
Never mind, I'll find someone like youI wish nothing but the best for you, tooDon't forget me, I begged, I remember you saidSometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts insteadSometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead

Grilled - Pork Chops, Asparagus, and Pineapple

Pineapple Pork Chops

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

Pineapple Juice from a 20 oz can of sliced pineapples (separate the pineapples for grilling later)

Garlic Salt (I just sprinkled in garlic salt, did not measure)

Pork Chops (I used 6, thinly cut pork chop)

Mix all of the ingredients together in a gallon sized zip lock bag. Refrigerate over night. 

When you are read to grill, make sure the grill is super hot. Place chops on grill and over for 1 minute. Open lid, shift pork chops about half a turn. Cover lid for another minute. Now flip the pork chop over and repeat. This method I found is for thin pork chops and it worked great! While grilling, brush the marinade over the pork chops. 

Grilled Asparagus

Asparagus

Olive Oil

Salt

Wash and cut ends off asparagus. Using about 2 TBSP of Olive Oil, drizzle over asparagus then add salt (I use sea salt). Turn asparagus in olive oil, add more salt.

On the same grill (super hot) (I added the asparagus first because it took a little longer to cook), place asparagus and turn for 5-10 minutes {be careful not drop the asparagus between the grill}. Once the asparagus is charred and tender, take off the grill. 

Grilled Pineapple

Using the canned pineapple (yes, fresh would be 100% better), place on the hot grill. Brush with the marinade. Grill until charred marks in the pineapple and turn over, using marinade again. 

Buon Appetito!

Morning swim

My morning swim... 

{Nothing like the pool completely to yourself at 6:30 am}

4th of July

Fireworks from Camelback Mountain. 

Sitting out on my Great Aunt's patio. 

Nice breeze 

Much cooler

and 

Great company... my mama! 

Swimming

Oh how I've missed you... it's been way too long.

Time to get back in the pool! 

Closure

I might not be everything you ever wanted,

but I will always be more than you ever deserve.

The end.