Dinner with Friends: Pulled Pork, Sweet Potato Fries and Corn Pudding

I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I am soooo sorry it has taken me forever to write this. I feel terrible, but I’ve been very overwhelmed with various things and long story short, I’m ready to cook again!  This delicious dinner was a joint effort from both myself and my wonderful, talented and beautiful friend Katy.  Katy was the mastermind behind the pulled pork and sweet potato fries, while I contributed my corn pudding which is usually saved for Thanksgiving, but made an appearance early this year.  Our dinner party was awesome.

The pulled pork was so friggin’ good and I order every single one of you to go out, buy these ingredients, and take the day off from work so you have the 6 hours necessary to make this dish.  I was excited from the beginning to try this and I was surprised because I’ve usually had pulled pork sandwiches but these were more like soft tacos. Here’s all the stuff you need for the delicious porky goodness:

1 (16oz) jar salsa
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp dried oregano
2 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp kosher salt
1 3-pound boneless pork shoulder or butt, trimmed of fat
16 corn tortillas
Cilantro, sour cream, lime wedges (for serving)

You’ll need a 5-quart (or larger) slow cooker.  Add the salsa, chili powder, oregano, cumin, cocoa powder and salt into the slow cooker.  Then put the pork in the slow cooker and turn to coat the meat.

Cook it either for 5 hours on high or 6 hours on low until the meat shreds easily with a fork.  When it’s all done, remove the meat, shred it up on a plate with a fork, then return it to the slow cooker and mix it up good with the sauce.  Serve on a warm tortilla with cilantro, sour cream and lime wedges for garnish.

Our two sides were sweet potato fries and corn pudding.  Two things that are amazingly delicious and amazingly easy to make.  For the sweet potato fries, all you need is:

4 sweet potatoes
salt
cayenne pepper
olive oil

Cut them up into fries or whatever shapes your heart desires and sprinkle on salt and cayenne pepper to taste and drizzle a little oil on them.  Bake them on a cookie sheet 7-10 minutes at 425F.  It could go longer if you want them more crispy.  You can also try turning them halfway through if they’re getting too browned on one side.

The corn pudding was recipe that I’ve made for Thanksgiving for years.  I have no idea where it came from.  I just found it in my house one day.  It is ridiculous how good it is.  Here’s what you need:

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
1 (16oz) can creamed corn
1 (16oz) can whole kernel corn
1 (9oz) box Jiffy corn muffin mix

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl (add the muffin mix last.)  Pour the mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish (greased) or a square aluminum pan.  Bake one hour at 350F.

Hopefully the first of many “Dinner with Friends” installments.  Now go make all this stuff NOW! 🙂