Patriotic Trifle

It's almost here folks!  A true mark of summer, the Fourth of July.  I love this holiday!  The weather is always nice, everyone is in good spirits, it usually involves BBQ, you get to lay in the sun and play in the water, fireworks end the day, and of course there's amazing food.  Forth of July fare is comfort food at its finest.  One thing I particularly enjoy about cooking for this holiday is the abundance of fresh fruit.  The pies are one of the best parts for sure.  But If you're looking for something maybe a little cooler and more refreshing this trifle fits the bill.  Nothing but fresh fruit and homemade whip cream, you can't beat it.  What better way to celebrate our independence from the English than by eating a dessert they created but putting an American twist on it!

Ingredients
{amounts may vary depending on the size of your trifle dish}
4 cups fresh blueberries
4 cups halved fresh strawberries
3 cups heaving whipping cream
3 teaspoons vanilla
1/4-1/2 cup granulated sugar to taste

Directions
Using an electric mixer add the whipping cream, vanilla and sugar (add more sugar if you like it sweeter).  Whip on high speed for about 3 minutes or until stiff peaks form.  (Don't mix too long or it will turn into sweet vanilla butter!)

In trifle dish put a layer about an  inch thick of whipping cream.  Then using about 3 cups of the blueberries spread evenly over the whip cream.  Next add another layer of whip cream, this time about 2 inches thick.  Next add a  layer of about 3 cups of the strawberries.  On top of the strawberries add another 2 inch layer of whip cream.  Now you can decorate the top how you like.  I put a ring of strawberries on the outside, with a circle of blueberries in the middle.  Then I put a dollop of whip cream in the middle of the blueberries and added a final strawberry on top.

Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.  Serve on top of vanilla bunt cake or all on its own, both ways are delicious.  Enjoy! Serves about 10.

Pulled Pork Sliders

This is one of the easiest & yummiest ways to feed a crowd.  This makes a great Superbowl party dish.  You simply whip up a batch of BBQ sauce & throw a pork roast in a crock pot.  This dish uses my all time favorite BBQ sauce that is so easy to make & tastes amazing.  (You could also use store bought sauce, but I recommend trying to make this one.  It is so good!)  This dish will make your house will smell great, bellies will be full, & you won't have to spend too much dinero.  Here's the skinny...
Ingredients
1 pork roast
4 Tablespoons of butter
1 cup water
Dinner rolls or slider buns
BBQ Sauce (you will probably need two batches of this for an average size pork roast)
    1 onion diced
    3 Tablespoons butter
    2 cups ketchup
    1/3 cup molasses
   1 teaspoon mustard
    2 tsp brown sugar
   1 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
   1/8 cup whiskey
Melt butter in  medium saucepan.  Add diced onion & cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients & allow to simmer stirring often for 20 minutes.  Taste it & add more salt or sugar as desired.  If you like things a little spicy add some chili powder.  So good you could eat it by the spoonful, but I suggest using it as a topping.  Makes about 2 1/4 cups.
Directions
In crock-pot or slow cooker pour in water.  Set in your pork roast.  Slice the butter into 1/4 pieces & place on top of roast.  Cook on medium for 5-6 hours or until pork easily pulls apart by using two forks (& I mean easily!  Should be like butter.)  Pull the pork by using two forks & shredding it.  Pour on plenty of BBQ sauce & coat the pork.  Put a couple tablespoons on a dinner roll or slider bun & eat it up.
*Cooking time will very depending on the size of your roast.  As long as there is enough moisture you can't really over cook it.  Just test it by using two forks & trying to pull it apart.  If there is resistance then the meat is not done.
*Make sure to have plenty of BBQ sauce.  You will have to probably make 2 batches of the recipe above, maybe more.  If you make too much just freeze the extra for another meal.
*This is a great meal to make for a kid event because the sandwiches are small & manageable... & yummy.