*CTSB*: Sweet and Spicy Pork Lettuce Wraps - Tristin from Two Girls Being Crafty

Happy Tuesday friends!  I hope you're enjoying this summer series as much as I am!  Here with us today is Tristin from Two Girls Being Crafty - get ready for a yummy summer recipe!



Hello pals!  My name is Tristin and I'm visiting from Two Girls Being Crafty.  While my blog is dedicated to crafts, my first love is actually food, so I am excited to get to share a yummy recipe for you to enjoy today!

I realize that a slow cooker doesn't exactly scream out "Summer".  When I think of a slow cooker I usually think of thick soups, hearty stews, pot roasts, etc.  Don't you?   Well, friends, slow cookers can make fabulous summer food, too!  Who wants to stand over a hot stove during the summer?  And sometimes grilling outside can become such a hassle to say the least because summer afternoons bring rain showers--not to mention that it's just so dern HOT!  It's fabulous to return from a day at the beach and to have dinner waiting for you.

So, in this case we'll make a light summer meal using our crockpots.  No joke.

Alright, let's make this happen.  You'll need:

• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce (found in the Asian aisle of the supermarket)
• 1" knob of fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder (if it's not already in your pantry, just leave it out)
• a few shakes of black pepper
• 3 lb. boneless pork roast (I use a Boston Butt) trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-inch pieces

Combine all ingredients except for the pork in your slow cooker.  Once well-combined, add the pork, tossing to coat.  (It will look like there's not enough liquid, but don't worry, it's plenty!)

Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high 5-6 hours.  Remove pork from slow cooker and use two forks to pull it into delicious, tender shreds.  Discard ginger chunk.  Reserve cooking liquid to use as dipping sauce (though I highly recommend skimming the fat off of the top).

To serve, you'll need:

A head of iceberg lettuce separated
Your favorite toppings - this time I simply used shredded carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes.  Radishes, scallions, sprouts, cilantro, chopped peanuts, etc. also make great toppings!

And don't forget your reserved sauce--it's seriously delicious!

This recipe was adapted from Real Simple's Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Asian Pork Shoulder.

I served these yummy lettuce wraps with some steamed and salted edamame and a surprisingly delicious Ramen Cake.

To sum it all up, don't be a slow cooker hater this summer.  And please, stop by Two Girls Being Crafty to see what my blog-mate Sharon and I have been up to.  If you like snarky comments, occasional gangsta talk, and inexpensive crafting, you're sure to enjoy Two Girls Being Crafty.  Or maybe not.  But why not give it a try?  Here's a smattering of our projects...

Thanks Jessica, for hosting this wonderful summer series.  I'm off to enjoy a glass of ice-cold lemonade (aka scarf down some leftovers while standing over the kitchen sink) and lounge by the pool (aka tackle mountains of laundry).  A girl can dream, right?

Thanks again Tristin!  Up tomorrow is a fun post for the kiddos by Sunni from Love Affair with my Brother!

xoxo

jessica