PORK ROAST THE OLD-FASHION WAY (CAST IRON DUTCH OVEN) And into the Crock Pot

 I love to use my crock pot and my cast iron pots and when you combine the two Magic happens.

so here is my recipe for one of the best pork roast dinners you will ever have!

INGREDIENTS

• 4 -5

  lbs pork roast (butt, loin, etc.) I use Butt, or Shoulder
• 5

  garlic cloves, peeled
• 1

  small onion, thinly sliced
• 2

  cups water
• 1

  tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet if you don't have any on hand mix some beef bouillon into the 2 cups of water.
• 2

  teaspoons black pepper
• 1

  teaspoon salt
• 1

  tablespoon lard
• 2

  tablespoons cornstarch
• 1⁄2

  cup water

• Melt lard in cast iron dutch oven, or very heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat.
• Salt and pepper all sides of pork roast. be very generous this is a big chunk of meat!
• When lard just begins to give off smell of being hot, place roast in pot.
• DO NOT move it for a few minuets  or so, then rotate it to brown all sides.
• When all sides are nice and golden brown, transfer roast into your slow cooker and turn off the heat to your cast iron pan, but leave the pan on the burner
• Lay garlic cloves and onion slices into the cast iron pan  and stir to brown them a bit. Cast iron stays hot for a long time so no heat is needed for this step.
• Mix Kitchen Bouquet into the 2 cups of water (.or your beef bullion)
• Pour in the water mixture.
• Cover tightly and turn on your crock pot to Low
• Cook on Low for 8-10 hours So your going to want to start this EARLY in the morning.
• Half-way through cooking  time turn the roast over.
• Check the roast at 8 hours it should be fork tender if not let it go for 2 more hours on low or you can turn it up to high for the last hour or two.
• Remove roast from crock pot and cover to keep hot.
• Mix 2 Tablespoons cornstarch into 1/2 cup water.
• Using a whisk, stir the cornstarch mixture into the pot drippings, breaking up the garlic cloves as you mix.
• Bring to a boil, taste and season if needed with salt and/or pepper.
• NOTE: Pork roast made this way is ALWAYS tender.
• It makes wonderful hot pork sandwiches!
• The gravy is out of this world!
• Enjoy!
• Allison
• allisonskitchen.blogspot.com
• 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Why make your own Taco Seasoning you ask?  Yes I know you can buy the packets at the store for about a dollar, but hey things are tight for most of us at the moment and you probably already have all the ingredients in your pantry anyway.  And another good reason is you can adjust the amount of salt, or a spice you don't particularly care for.

The recipe provided makes roughly the equivalent of a single store-bought packet of taco seasoning

Use your homemade taco seasoning in:

• soups
• salad dressings
• dips
• as a rub for chicken, pork or beef
• on kebabs
• and of course, all sorts of zesty Mexican dishes!

• 2 teaspoons Chili Powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon Paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper

Measure out all the ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well. Then taste and adjust the salt or spices as desired. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.

For a larger batch (the equivalent of about 6 packets), use:

1/4 cup chili powder
3 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon each paprika, crushed red pepper, and salt
1 1/2 teaspoons each garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, black pepper.

Enjoy!

Allison 

Allisonskitchen.blogspot.com

How to Make and Use the Legendary Four Thieves Vinegar Blend

History and Folklore of the Four Thieves Vinegar Blend

As most of you know by now, I have been studying Herbs for some time now, on and off for years, since we have been staying in place now for over 3 weeks, due to the Covid-19 pandemic I have been getting more study time in.  So i Thought I would share one of my favorite recipes with you with most interesting folklore. And if your interested in learning more I put a link on the side bar for you to enjoy a Free Mini Course.  

 

In medieval times, four thieves were said to rob the homes of those suffering from illness and those who had died from the 17th-century plague, the Black Death. It is said that on moonless nights in Marseilles, France, the thieves would anoint their bodies in vinegar that had been infused with “protective” herbs now known to have antibacterial and antiviral properties. This herbal vinegar was thought to give the thieves an advantage against contracting the illness. Fleas were thought to be one especially sneaky carrier of the plague. In addition to its antimicrobial potential, the thieves’ aromatic cloak may have also acted as a natural flea repellent!
At first, the four thieves’ behavior wasn’t of much consequence, as folks assumed the plague would eventually take hold of them. However, the thieves’ resistance was strong, and their thievery continued. When they were finally apprehended, judges offered a less agonizing form of execution if they would be helpful by sharing their immunity secret. 
An alternative to this tale is that the four thieves had been caught for their acts of robbery and were then sentenced to bury the dead after the plague hit. In order to try and stave off catching the disease, they created this potent herbal vinegar in which they rubbed behind their ears, on their temples, and in their hands. 


Whichever myth is true, the recipe they revealed has been a well-known bit of folklore ever since, and today, I will share it with you! 


When making the Four Thieves Vinegar Blend, feel free to use fresh or dried herbs, depending on what you have on hand. The following recipe calls for dried herbs, as these help to extend the shelf life of the preparation. If using fresh herbs, simply double the amount that is called for in the recipe (1 teaspoon of dried herb equals 2 teaspoons of fresh herb) and know that since fresh herbs contain water, the shelf life of the Four Thieves Vinegar will be reduced, and the preparation will need to be used more quickly.

Four Thieves Vinegar Blend

• 
  

Get ready to make perhaps one of your most versatile, spicy herbal blends! This infused vinegar can be used internally, externally, as an ingredient, or even as a cleaning item. You may find you enjoy (or grow used to) taking a swig each morning or night to promote wellness, or keeping it on hand for days you feel you may have had contact with someone who is sick. If nothing else, you can use it just as you would almost any other vinegar!

Ingredients

2 cups (16 fl oz) organic apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons dried sage (Salvia officinalis) leaves
2 teaspoons dried rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) leaves
2 teaspoons dried lavender (Lavandula officinalis) flowers
2 teaspoons dried juniper (Juniperus communis) berries
1 teaspoon black peppercorn (Piper nigrum) seed, crushed
1 teaspoon dried thyme (Thymus vulgaris) leaves
1 bulb fresh raw garlic (Allium sativum) cloves, chopped

Directions

• Fill a quart-sized canning jar with the herbs and top off with organic apple cider vinegar to 1-inch below the top of the jar. Stir the mixture with a clean spoon to remove any air bubbles and to ensure the herbs are thoroughly saturated with the vinegar.
• Seal the jar with a plastic lid, or place a piece of parchment paper between the jar and a metal lid to prevent the vinegar from corroding the metal and touching any coating on the lid.
• Let the mixture macerate for a month in a dark cupboard. Shake the jar daily to keep the herbs and vinegar mixed as this will ensure a better extraction.
• After a month, strain the vinegar using a sieve and layered cheesecloth. Reserve the liquid and compost the herbs.  Bottle the liquid in an amber-colored bottle to protect from light and label.

There are many ways to utilize the benefits of the Four Thieves vinegar blend! Use your Four Thieves blend wherever vinegar is called for in a recipe. If you are looking for a mocktail, add the blend to fizzy water and relax. Do you like to make your own salad dressings? If so, use your Four Thieves vinegar blend to make a delicious and flavorful vinaigrette base. If you feel a cold coming on, use this vinegar blend as a tincture or take it by the spoonful. It can also be a creative addition to the vinegar portion of a Fire Cider formula, or you could simply mix the vinegar with honey and enjoy as an easy oxymel. 
This Four Thieves vinegar blend can also be used externally as a household cleaner for any kitchen or bathroom surface. Because of its antimicrobial action (Serafin, Shah, & Yagnik, 2018), it discourages the overgrowth of certain types of microbes when it comes into contact with them, thus helping you to keep your home healthy during cold and flu season.   

Finally

Making a Four Thieves vinegar blend can be an easy, creative, and fun way to combat seasonal colds, flu, and infection. This all-purpose aromatic vinegar is just what you need to stay unplagued and healthy especially with a global pandemic going on.
God Bless
Enjoy!
Allison